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Posts Tagged ‘acceptance’

Muslims Versus Christians

Posted in Acceptance of Others, Bible, Love of God, religion, tagged , , , , on November 1, 2026|

by Mike Edwards

I don’t pretend to be an expert on beliefs of Muslims/Islamism. I do not wish to minimize the differences between Muslim and Christian extremism. My main motive for writing this is to call out extremism of Christian/evangelists which I am much more familiar with. Christians need to take the log out of their own eye to avoid turning people away from God, The two religions are not comparable in many ways.

There is a difference between Christianity and Islamism. Islamism is a political ideology that seeks to organize and control government. I believe many labeled Christian Nationalists are falsely accused of desires to control beliefs, though I agree their rhetoric without clarifications can provoke such accusations.  It matters if one’s beliefs are based on Islamist principles. Islamism in my opinion is not compatible with Christianity or can coexist. See here. Individuals must be asked specifically their below beliefs to see if they embrace extreme positions of their religion. Please don’t accuse me of being Islamophobic. Let’s just have a conversation.

I have written about my concerns regarding Christian nationalism. See here. I have written American was founded on Christian principles, but leaders should be careful in their language. The Founders believed in freedom of religion and beliefs. There is a difference in saying we are founded on Christian principles and we are a Christian nation. This seems to exclude all non-Christians. It boils down to how beliefs are acted on.

What is the main difference?

Allah had no son. Christianity claims Jesus was the Son of God. Christianity declares Jesus is what God is like. Readers have to decide who to follow. Allah or God and Jesus.

How is blasphemy treated?

Blasphemy means speaking disrespectfully about God or insulting sacred things. Leviticus 24:16 says someone who blasphemes God should be put to death in ancient Israel. But the New Testament shifts the focus from civil punishment to spiritual consequences. In most modern Christian-majority countries, blasphemy is not punished by law.

Islamism generally treats blasphemy as both a religious sin and a crime against the state. Because Islamism advocates for governments ruled by Sharia law, blasphemy is often treated as a criminal offense, not just a moral one. Even death for severe cases, particularly if the offender is seen as abandoning or attacking the faith. I am not aware Christianity having any such laws.

How to treat infidels

In Christianity, people who do not believe in the Christian faith are usually called unbelievers rather than “infidels.” The way Christianity views them comes mainly from the teachings of Jesus Christ and the New Testament. They are seen as people that God loves. (Rom 5:8, John 3:16) I do not think any form of Christianity can be accused of deadly consequences based on beliefs or not granting freedom of belief on earth.

In Islamism non-Muslims may be allowed to live in society but with a different legal status in a state governed by Islamic law, though interpretations vary widely across movements. Shouts of “Death to Americans” don’t suggest coexistence is allowed according to Islamism.

Gays

Unfortunately, Christians are not united in claiming God does not condemn gays. Many refuse to admit the Bible can also be interpreted to not condemn monogamous same sex relationships. See here But, at least Christianity cannot be accused of supporting death for those who are in same-sex relationships. Islamism has been known to consider sodomy as a capital offense in Iran, where execution methods include public hangings. Many Muslims interpret Islamic teachings differently, but many Muslim governments support criminal penalties that can include fines, imprisonment, or death penalties. That is a severe difference rather than condemnation.

And women

Unfortunately, Christians can be accused of women bias as Muslims. Sorry, any religion that requires women dress up to protect men’s eyes is anti-religion in my opinion. Men – control your own eyes. But then some Christians claim the Bible requires women submit to men’s authority in certain roles that men are not required to submit to men. I doubt the Bible teaches that. I am not sure why any fair-minded person would think women can’t fulfill the same roles as men unless believing a Book about God teaches otherwise.

I doubt Paul, a main writer of the New Testament, was a bias against women. See here. Most agree not allowing equal roles because of skin color is immoral. Choosing who should lead the company based on gender is obviously bigotry. The most qualified or gifted should surely lead the company. Why not in church? Men in authority over women whether in public or private life is conducive for domestic abuse and the other atrocities women face at the hands of men. Give me as a man an inch and I am tempted to take a mile! So, both religions suck about women and have extremists.

What about Violence

Many, but not all, Christians and Muslims, can be accused of advocating violence and possibly genocide. Most religions allow war in certain circumstances when fighting evil. The problem is extremist groups like ISIS can misuse Islamic language to justify violence. Christians aren’t necessarily off the hook. Some suggest the Old Testament advocates violence or genocide in certain circumstances. (I Samuel 15:1-5) It certainly seems that way. As discussed below the problem is whether one’s holy Book is inspired by God. If writers are portraying God accurately because God is controlling their thoughts, as opposed to sharing their own opinions of God, then most followers feel an obligation to follow in their God’s inspired footsteps. It is easily forgotten that interpretations are not inspired.

The problem with an inspired Holy Book

There are extremists with any religion whether Christian, Jewish, or Muslim. If we didn’t claim a Book was inspired – thus represents God perfectly – we may be more willing to discuss our different interpretations which can be prone to error or even the writers didn’t understand God always correctly. Some say God condemns gays according to the Bible, others interpret the same passages differently. Even if we could prove God inspired every word in the Bible (God controlling what writers thought and recorded), we should always question interpretations since biblical scholars interpret differently the same passages.

Supposed inspired interpretations by God or Allah can lead others away from God, because if a Supreme Being supposedly advocated a belief, most assume we are obligated to endorse and follow. I am convinced that if we did not assume literature is inspired, but rather the writers wrote what they believed was true of their God, we could better avoid extremism. Use common moral sense to understand God, rather than assuming writers never misunderstood God. See Shouldn’t we assume the Bible isn’t inspired by God – all rants against the Bible

Final Thoughts

I believe those who claim Islamist beliefs would refer to themselves as Muslims. Those who claim Christianity as their religions would call themselves Christians. Not all Muslims or Christians hold the same above beliefs. One’s beliefs should be questioned, or believe what they say, to discern what actions may follow. One may think I have been biased toward Christians reading the above. I do associate more with their beliefs than many Muslims. I believe Muslim beliefs are more extreme than Christian’s beliefs. Depends on their belief of their Holy Book and interpretation. Let’s have open discussions of personal beliefs.

Mike Edwards was added as a writer and has been a great addition to the Done with Religion site. Mike provides many interesting views and various ways of looking at things. He is not afraid to ask questions and he keeps an open mind as to teachings of the institutional church. Mike also has his own site where he writes at What God May Really Be Like

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Be at Peace with All

Posted in Acceptance of Others, christian living, Jesus follower, Love of God, tagged , , , , , on September 18, 2026|

by Michael Donahoe

To be at peace with all people, including believers and non-believers, seems almost impossible in our world today. We have so many different thoughts and ideas, different denominations, different religions, interpretations and beliefs. It makes you wonder how it is possible to be at peace with everyone? 

I have been thinking recently about how some Christian people act towards those who see things differently. I do not know why we can be so mean at times. We feel we must prove our point to others and stand our ground when it comes to doctrine and interpretation of the Bible. I am not sure why we feel it is our job to be the morality police. Why do we feel the need to force our views, beliefs and interpretations on others? 

Rather than base our lives on following doctrine and interpretation, we are to follow the example of Jesus. He said to love God and love one another. There is no way to be at peace with others without loving them. We cannot love others without the Spirit of love living within us.

The dictionary describes peace as freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions; harmony in personal relations. I think what God is saying about being at peace with all is that we are to live in harmony with others, not allowing any oppressive thoughts or emotions to take control of our feelings toward them. In other words, we live in love.

Just because someone does not interpret the Bible the same way we do or go to the same church we do (or does not go to church at all), we all want to love God and do what is pleasing to God. 

We are to accept one another in love, and respect the fact that God is working in different ways in people. Just because it is not the way we believe or the way we do things does not mean it is not of God. 

In regard to non-believers, we do not need to condemn them or force our beliefs on them. We are to let them see the love of God by the way we treat others. They do not need someone beating them down or twisting their arms to get them to believe like us. We are to love them and let the Spirit do any work that needs to be done in their lives just as the Spirit does in our lives. 

If we believers could understand that we are responsible for ourselves in the way we live for God. We are not responsible to force our ways on others or try to make them live as we do. We are to allow God to work in each life and follow the path God has for each of us. 

Our responsibility is to love God and love others, accept them for who they are and pray that the Holy Spirit will teach us and guide us in the way we are to go. Only by living in love can we live at peace with all.

Michael Donahoe created Done with Religion after he and his wife left the institutional church after over fifty years within the system. He wanted a way to express his thoughts and concerns about the religious system, and tell why he and his wife decided to leave the institution but not their faith in God. They have now been outside the walls of religion for over fifteen years. He enjoys writing about his experiences and thoughts, and he wants to encourage others who are going through the religious deconstruction process. He also writes on Substack at https://deconstructiontrail.substack.com/ and https://personalmeanderings.substack.com/ Michael can be contacted by email at: jimgordon731@gmail.com

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Do You Have To Believe in God – Who Gets In Heaven?

Posted in Acceptance, Bible, christian living, Kingdom of God, Love of God, tagged , , , , , , , , , on August 3, 2026|

by Mike Edwards

I have suggested no certain beliefs are necessary to be good in God’s eyes. See You May Be A Believer And Don’t Know It!

I have suggested you can doubt there is a God and be good in God’s eyes See Do You Have To Believe In God To Be in God’s Grace

I wish to expand on that last Post. Church people often evangelize by focusing on how one can get in heaven/inherit eternal life. Is that really the best approach to those interested to discuss spiritual matters? Polls suggest the majority of people believe in an afterlife. We can only speculate what eternal existence/afterlife with God is like.

What does the Bible actually say about having eternal life?

Many think the overall biblical message about salvation is to avoid Hell and get into heaven, Romans 10:9 is cited often:  confess with lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the Dead you will be saved.”  But I don’t think the Bible/Jesus/God’s message is dropping to your knees to avoid Hell to go to Heaven after death. Instead, I am convinced the main biblical message is to start loving now – a path toward great relationships.  God’s main desire is for you isn’t about avoiding Hell, but to live a life avoiding regrets by treating others like you want to be treated. See:

 What Is the Biggest Interpretation Error Of the Bible Regarding The “Gospel”

The main message isn’t about God saving us to enter Heaven after life on Earth

Jesus said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me” (Jn 14:6). Did Jesus really mean God only saves those who accept Jesus? Keep in mind the majority of people born into this world have never heard of Jesus or had a Bible. Jesus wasn’t born until the first century. The Bible as we know it today didn’t exist until the fourth century. John 14:6 could easily be interpreted to mean Jesus’ way of life is the best path toward God. The path to God is through love. (See God After Deconstruction, Oord/Fuller Chapter 9). We Christians need to be less condemning and more open to God’s love and message to people of all religions. See What religion goes to heaven

Jesus was asked by a religious leader how to have eternal life. (Lk.10:25-37). I doubt the leader had in mind how to get into Heaven away from this Earth. Jesus elsewhere defined eternal life as beginning in the here and now (Jn 17:3), not what awaited in the afterlife. Jesus simply said to love God and your neighbor. “Eternal” appears to be on the quality not quantity in life. Jesus spoke of a life worth living being a loving life empowered by God. Whether one chooses belief in God and possible empowerment is an individual choice. Jesus’ salvation was about living a meaningful life here on earth with God’s help. The Bible/Jesus/God’s message isn’t dropping to your knees to avoid Hell to go to Heaven after death, but start loving now – a path toward great relationships. See: What Is Main Message About Bible/Jesus That Christians Get Wrong?

Besides can’t all enter heaven anyway regardless of beliefs?

There are possible intuitive and biblical reasons to consider God doesn’t required belief in God to be in his grace. The best way I know to understand God’s love is how I or a parent loves their children. My love isn’t based on if my kids show they love me or believe in my guidance. I can’t stop loving them. Neither can God!

There is some biblical evidence that in the afterlife, God welcomes all and will attempt to convince them and live with God forever. There are rational reasons God doesn’t appear physically here on earth. Beside the majority of people born in this world didn’t have access to a Bible or know of Jesus. See:  All Will End Up In Heaven According To The Bible Being a universalist can be biblical: I am a hopeful universalist because ultimately I believe God respects one’s freedom to choose their destiny. It is just hard for me to believe hardly anyone would reject God seeing and knowing what God is really like and not wanting to live forever with loved ones. I guess there are the Hitlers out there!

Hidden argument – reveal yourself God!

Let’s be honest. We can’t prove God exist. Why condemn those who struggle to accept if there is a God (agnostic or atheist). A fair argument about whether God really exist is why then is God so hidden. The idea that if an all-loving God truly exists and wants to have a personal relationship with those desiring such a relationship, why doesn’t God make their presence obvious. Such signs could convince many, removing distress and uncertainty. There may be reasonable reasons God is hidden here on earth. See:  If God Is Real, Why Then Is God So Hidden?

What one belief only matters according to all religions?

Many religions claim one main belief. Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism—the strongest common ground is treating others well. Jesus said when asked what the greatest commandment was: “Love God and love your neighbor.” [Matthew 22:36-40] Loving God is following God’s ways, surely meaning loving your neighbor as you wish to be loved.

So, do you believe in God or least the golden rule?

If you believe loving others like you want to be loved is central in living, you are good in God’s eyes. None of us act on this belief perfectly. If you don’t believe this, good luck on your death bed regarding relationships. Want to die with few regrets. Follow the golden rule. Want your relationships to suck, don’t follow the golden rule. Few will show up at your funeral.

God’s end goal

Mike Edwards was added as a writer and has been a great addition to the Done with Religion site. Mike provides many interesting views and various ways of looking at things. He is not afraid to ask questions and he keeps an open mind as to teachings of the institutional church. Mike also has his own site where he writes at What God May Really Be Like

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Main Reason Leaders Turn Others Away From God!

Posted in Acceptance of Others, Bible, christian living, Love of God, tagged , , , , , , , on July 26, 2026|

by Mike Edwards

One reason I had to quit calling myself a Christian was when it became associated with being anti-gay, etc. It is hard for many to hear anything positive about God when leaders imply that God and the Bible condemn gays. Leaders fail to admit their interpretation could be wrong, yet they destroy many individuals and families presuming they are right about God’s heart. Leaders must stop implying or presuming God condemns gays for being gay. It is clear leaders’ lack of support. You don’t have to say explicitly what one is implying with their words. Just ask where they stand with God and gays. I am convinced for many it would be a negative stance or “I love you but….”

Leaders should know better

It is seldom admitted literature requires interpretation or one’s interpretation could be wrong, thus one’s understanding of God could be wrong. Even if you believe your Holy Book is inspired by your God, our interpretations are not inspired. Besides, it is rarely admitted that it cannot be proved one’s sacred book is inspired by their God. We cannot prove God inspired every word in the Bible (God controlling what writers/editors thought and recorded). If we did not assume literature is inspired, but rather the writers wrote what they believed was true of their God, we could avoid extremism. If we didn’t assume biblical writers always understood God correctly, this leads to more open discussions what God is really like. See link: Shouldn’t we assume the Bible isn’t inspired by God – all rants against the Bible

God loves gays

Nothing may be more destructive to God’s reputation than when Christian leaders explicitly or implicitly condemn gays in God’s name. Gays no more choose who they are attracted to than straights can? Many gays will tell you they have always been attracted to the same sex. If you are a straight man, don’t you naturally have to fight not looking at naked women than men? Ask gays their battle! Who chooses to be gay when one has to hide their sexuality because of bigotry and hostility See: God Loves Gays

There is real debate if the Bible condemns  gay relationships

See here.

I love you but …..

 It is impossible to not feel personally attacked when one utters “I love you but I hate your sin.” Especially if being gay isn’t a sin. 

Many, because of their understanding of the Bible, will respond with some version of “I love you; I hate your sin.” This is not a phrase found in the Bible. One is hard pressed to find anywhere in the Bible where this is a recommended strategy in relationships whether the Bible clearly condemns a behavior or not. It is impossible to not feel personally attacked when one utters “I love you but I hate your sin.” What is heard is I or God don’t love you.

But some actions are really harmful

It can be argued that hating alcoholic behavior is loving because alcohol abuse is harmful. Hating homosexual sex is only loving if homosexual sex is sinful. But do we tell a drug abuser that we love them but hate their behaviors? You don’t tell anyone coming for help with their addiction that you love them but hate their behavior. You simply say I love you and let’s do this together. They probably already hate their own behaviors. When someone is overweight, which is a lot of us, should we say “I love you but I hate you are fat?”

Please don’t reject a gay child in God’s name!

Some parents condemn their child because the Bible supposedly does. Not all agree. See here.  When there are any doubts what the Bible might be advising, God-followers must take the most compassionate, less judgmental stance toward others. Many parents know in their hearts to not judge their child but they are torn when hearing others claim the Bible condemns homosexuality.

Please stop!

Even if you think God and the Bible condemns gays, please don’t imply or speak for Christians and claim God condemns gays. Leaders seldom state directly God condemns or gayness is a sin but it is implied. Come out and say you don’t know even if you believe being gay is a sin, unless afraid of losing your position or donations. Hopefully, you do that for women’s roles. Surely, you admit there is debate concerning if women can be priests or pastors. This is another topic that breaks my heart when leaders presume their interpretation is inspire to deter women from pursuing their gifts or subjecting a wife under a husband’s authority which often can lead to domestic violence.

Mike Edwards was added as a writer and has been a great addition to the Done with Religion site. Mike provides many interesting views and various ways of looking at things. He is not afraid to ask questions and he keeps an open mind as to teachings of the institutional church. Mike also has his own site where he writes at What God May Really Be Like

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What Are The Worst Lies about God – Gays

Posted in Acceptance of Others, christian living, Love of God, The church, tagged , , , , , , on June 24, 2026|

by Mike Edwards

God Doesn’t Condemn Gays

Understandings and mental views of God shape your belief in God and your relationship with God. God surely delights more in one seeking to know God than the ninety-nine, offended by one’s interpretation of the Bible, who already know their Creator (Lk. 15:3-7). Biblical interpretations must be plausible based on what a loving God should be like.

Nothing may be more destructive to God’s reputation than when Christian leaders condemn gays in God’s name. Gays no more choose who they are attracted to than straights can. Many gays will tell you they have always been attracted to the same sex. If you are a straight man, don’t you naturally have to fight not looking at naked women than men? Ask gays their battle! Who chooses to be gay when one has to hide their sexuality because of bigotry and hostility? It is impossible to not feel personally attacked when one utters “I love you but I hate your sin.” What is heard is I don’t love you. Especially if being gay isn’t a sin.  See here.

God Loves Gays!

Mike Edwards was added as a writer and has been a great addition to the site. Mike provides many interesting views and various ways of looking at things. He is not afraid to ask questions and he keeps an open mind as to teachings of the institutional church. Mike also has his own site where he writes at What God May Really Be Like

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We All See Things Differently

Posted in Acceptance of Others, Bible, christian living, Jesus follower, Love of God, tagged , , , , , , , on May 22, 2026|

by Michael Donahoe

I find it interesting that no matter what a person believes, someone always has a completely opposite view. We get excited about hearing some truth that really connects, and the next thing we read is an article by another person with a completely different view that completely disagrees with what we just heard. 

Even more than that, most of us Christians get mad when someone disagrees with us and our personal ideas. We get on Facebook and make ourselves look crazy because we talk about brotherly love, then we fight and argue with someone because they interpret things differently, and mostly about things we cannot prove one way or the other.

Sadly, this is really not that unusual because we are all different. We have different backgrounds, different viewpoints and opinions, and different ideas on how to live. We really have to stop and think that whatever it is we believe, whatever our interpretation, we have to realize that not everyone will agree with us. There is no reason for us to get mad at someone else for being different. There is no reason why we cannot accept each other even in our differences. 

This life is all a matter of faith. No matter what it is spiritually speaking, no one can really prove what is right and what is not. Just because someone has a different interpretation does not mean they are right or wrong. 

We need to keep our ears open to the leading of the Spirit and follow our own path looking to Jesus. That does not mean any and every path is the right one, but we cannot be the judge of who is right and who is wrong. Jeremy Myers, in his book ‘Dying to Religion and Empire’ states, “The beautiful thing about following Jesus is that while He leads us all in the same direction, there are millions of different paths He can take to get us there. His goal, of course, is to advance the Kingdom of God on earth through the people of God who are being conformed into the image of God”. Our goal is to follow Christ as he leads us individually, and then be ready to love all people, no matter if they are on the same path or not. 

Let’s stop arguing, fighting and demanding that everyone agree with us, and love and accept those we meet along the journey. I think God is big enough to lead us along our path while being loving, kind and accepting to those walking their path. After all, we are all just walking each other home. 

Michael Donahoe created Done with Religion after he and his wife left the institutional church after over fifty years within the system. He wanted a way to express his thoughts and concerns about the religious system, and tell why he and his wife decided to leave the institution but not their faith in God. They have now been outside the walls of religion for over fifteen years. He enjoys writing about his experiences and thoughts, and he wants to encourage others who are going through the religious deconstruction process. He also writes on Substack at https://deconstructiontrail.substack.com/ and https://personalmeanderings.substack.com/ Michael can be contacted by email at: jimgordon731@gmail.com

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Love Others No Matter What Label They Wear

Posted in Acceptance of Others, christian living, Love of God, tagged , , , , , , , on March 25, 2026|

by Michael Donahoe

I think that as followers of Jesus, we should be able to accept and love everyone. No matter what we believe, what our faith or doctrine is, no matter our religion, nationality, sexual preference or color, we want to see each other as Jesus sees us. This is a type of love we cannot do on our own. It is only possible by the love of God within us. We want to love, accept and care for people.

It is only natural that we will not always agree, but we want to look past those areas of disagreement and love each other in godly love. This is the way that others will come to see the love of God, not through condemning and bashing one another. Not in trying to prove we are right and everyone else is wrong. Love does not mean seeing eye-to-eye, it does not mean we agree or even like some of the things people do, but it does mean we look past the differences and love each other as Christ loves us.

No matter if we are gay or straight, black or white, religious or atheist, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Taoist or Jewish or whatever label people put on us, the underlying fact is we are all human beings. We all deserve to be treated with respect and be accepted. Each of us should be able to live our life and make our own choices without being judged and condemned by others. We should be able to discuss our differences respectfully, and none of us should try to force our views and choices on others.

equals

If we could look past the labels and see each other as people who overall want the same things, to be happy, to be loved, be healthy, get our bills paid and enjoy life, I think things would be better even with our differences. This is not to say we are going to agree with everyone, happily associate with everyone and always get along with everyone, that is just not going to happen. There are too many different thoughts, ideas, beliefs, lifestyles and personalities for us to agree on everything and be totally comfortable with everyone, yet accepting each other and respecting each other in spite of our differences certainly is a possibility.

Let’s look past the labels and see each other as human beings who have feelings, who want love and friendship. Let’s be people who can get to know one another, learn from each other, share thoughts and ideas and accept each other as being created in the image of God. God loves the world and we should make it our goal to do the same.

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Michael Donahoe was added as a writer for Done with Religion as his views fit perfectly with those that are shared on this site. He and his wife have been outside the walls of religion for fifteen years. He enjoys writing about his experiences and thoughts, and he wants to encourage others who are going through the religious deconstruction process. He also writes on Substack at https://deconstructiontrail.substack.com/ and https://personalmeanderings.substack.com/

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Unity Among Fellow Christians

Posted in Acceptance of Others, christian living, Love of God, tagged , , , , , , , , on February 26, 2026|

by Michael Donahoe

We often hear that there should be unity among fellow Christians, yet how often does that seem to really happen? Do you get tired of seeing such disagreement among fellow Christians? Unfortunately, we do not see a lot of unity and agreement today.

Jesus said his followers were to be known for their love for one another. Yet today it is hard to find brothers and sisters in Christ being loving and kind. Fortunately, this is not the case in every situation, but it seems a lot more common than it should be.

I am not just talking about being accepting and kind toward those who are outside the Christian faith, but it is hard to find true love and acceptance among brethren of different denominations within the faith.

If we go to the same church building and accept the same doctrines, we usually find love and acceptance. I remember when I was in the church system the first thing I would ask someone was where they went to church. If they went to an organization I liked and agreed with, I would pretty much instantly like the person. If they went to a place that was different in their way of worship or interpretation of the Bible, then I would immediately be on guard and almost dismiss them as someone to get to know. This seems to be a pretty common occurrence.

It is sad that we put such walls up with people who think differently. It is sad that we have made such importance out of buildings, doctrines, interpretations and Bible versions that we forget God loves each of us no matter what we believe. We are to love God and love others just as God does no matter what they believe, especially among those who are also followers of Jesus.

Loving and accepting people does not mean we are always in agreement and that we always get along. Of course, there will be disagreements and differences of opinions, probably even arguments and hurt feelings at times, but that is life. We can disagree and even argue at times and still respect and accept the other person.

By the power of the Spirit within us, we can accept, respect and be loving toward others. Not only our brothers and sisters in Christ, but those who are not of the Christian faith and belief. I think we can disagree and have different opinions and still act in a respectful and accepting way toward our fellow human beings.

Jesus said that they will know we are his disciples by the love we have for one another. Love draws people, but condemnation, judgment and unloving behavior drives them away. It seems that when I say we are to love and accept others, I am often told that I am wrong because as Christians we are to point out the sins and mistakes of others. They say it is our responsibility to make sure others know what they are doing wrong with the purpose of making them change their behavior.

I personally do not think we are to be the sin police. We are not told to do such things. We are told to love God and love others. As far as I am concerned the Holy Spirit will convict the world of sin where conviction is needed. That is between the Spirit and each individual as to what they do and how they respond. We are only to love others. Love draws people, not judgment and condemnation. God is love. Rather than judge, condemn, separate and argue, get out there among humanity and let the love of God flow out of you by the power of the Spirit. There is a whole world of hurting people, both Christian and non-Christian who can use the encouragement of an accepting person who cares and shows the love of God.

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Michael Donahoe was added as a writer for Done with Religion as his views fit perfectly with those that are shared on this site. He and his wife have been outside the walls of religion for fifteen years. He enjoys writing about his experiences and thoughts, and he wants to encourage others who are going through the religious deconstruction process. He also writes on Substack at https://deconstructiontrail.substack.com/ and https://personalmeanderings.substack.com/

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Inclusion is Not a Bad Word

Posted in Acceptance of Others, Bible, christian living, Community, Love of God, tagged , , , , , on January 26, 2026|

by Michael Donahoe

Have you noticed how many people seem to only include their preferred group? They only include people who think like them, have similar interests and likes. If you think differently or have different views and opinions, people feel you should stay in your own group with like-minded people, but leave the other group alone.

We seem to find this attitude in every walk of life, but within organized religion or institutional church it seems even worse. We all should be accepting of people in general in our daily lives. Yet, we see this so often within Christianity with the wide variety of denominations and interpretations of the Bible.

When it comes to including people who we see as completely different from us, African-American, Native-American, White, LGBTQ, Atheist, Muslim, Jew and so on, we tend to want to keep each group separate. We think as believers in God we need to separate ourselves and not associate with those who see things differently. Why is it the word inclusion seems to make so many Christian people cringe?

Really, behind all the labels we put on people we are all basically the same, so why not associate and get to know people who we feel are different from us? We can learn from one another, get to know one another and find that we really are not all that different.

We see Jesus do this all the time when reading the gospels in the Bible. He did not differentiate people based on their religion, belief, lifestyle, sexuality or nationality. He did not separate himself from those who thought, believed and lived differently. He loved and accepted all people and showed them the love of God.

Obviously loving and accepting people does not mean total agreement, nor are we going to always get along in life and live happily ever after. Yet I believe it does mean treating others the same, with respect, kindness, acceptance and with the love of God through the power of the Spirit within.

Inclusion is not a bad word. It is not a bad or unholy way to live. Inclusion is about ALL of us. Inclusion is about living full lives – about learning to live together. It makes the world our classroom for a full life. Inclusion treasures diversity and builds community. It is about our abilities – our gifts and how to share them. Inclusion is the way of God and the way of showing the love of God to all we meet.

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Michael Donahoe was added as a writer for Done with Religion as his views fit perfectly with those that are shared on this site. He and his wife have been outside the walls of religion for fifteen years. He enjoys writing about his experiences and thoughts, and he wants to encourage others who are going through the religious deconstruction process. He also writes on Substack at https://deconstructiontrail.substack.com/ and https://personalmeanderings.substack.com/

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What Is Misinformation? Should We Censor Misinformation?

Posted in Acceptance of Others, Bible, christian living, Love of God, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on January 25, 2026|

by Mike Edwards

Try claiming God doesn’t condemn gays. You are called a heretic in religious places, despite disagreement among scholars what the Bible claims. Dare to argue Covid vaccines have risks and you are called a mis-informer or conspiracist. It isn’t science without debate. The problem is condemnation of expression of opinions. The solution is encouraging civil discussions. Certainty is a myth except in the eye of the beholder!

See: What Is Misinformation? Should We Censor Misinformation?

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