When has it ever been that a different religious affiliation be a reason for hate?

I cannot believe how much hate people have for Muslims. I've met people who are Muslims, and while I cannot generalize all, they are not as bad as people would think they are. They live lives just like I do. They have families and businesses, and they have as much right to live in this world like we all do.

I couldn't believe the hate that comes from people I know, Christians even, when the word of God has been a message of hope. When has Jesus Christ turned down a Gentile from wanting to see him? We are not Christ to keep away from people who are different from us; he has shown us that we must always "love thy neighbor", even if this means embracing all differences of all races and religions. He has crossed the bounds when he dined with sinners, Gentiles, and tax collectors. Who are we when we are Christians but do not follow Christ's example?

Which is why I couldn't believe an email I received condemning Barack Obama for having Muslim roots. He was raised a Christian, but even then, even if he did have a Muslim for a father, does it lessen his worth as a person and as a leader?

We measure a man by his ideals and his hope of wanting to give a better life to all. Yardsticks are supposed to be yardsticks, and a yard is never shorter than another if it is of a different color or of a different texture.

I stand by the belief that some Christians are just as evil as some Muslims. It is not our job to color crimes through religion, but crimes ought to be persecuted for what these crimes are. Murder is murder, terror is terror, no matter what religion one comes from.

We sow messages of hate when we differentiate a man for his religious belief. We should educate the people from both sides of the fence to embrace diversity and to respect one another.

It is said that one man's terrorist is another's freedom fighter. We should always realize that when we look from the other side of the fence, the world seems to be completely different but still the same.