I want to start off this next response with saying that I am not against you. This is not me vs you. We are just two adults with the freewill to choose what we believe. We happen to have different beliefs, but I am not against you. I am not against others like you or others who believe in other things.

And I would never turn down someone who prays to something else or goes about prayer outside of the Christian way. I see it as someone supporting me, and that is very nice. I just do not personally believe in it. "You shall have no other gods before me." --Exodus 20:3 This is a commandment that I go by. My simple disbelief isn't to cut anyone down. I just only believe in one God.

And of course, I am happy to talk about this in a respectful way. Christians have a hard time with it at times. Sometimes, that's because people aren't always nice. It can make us defensive, but it is no excuse to bash the ones who mean no harm. I am perfectly fine with having discussions as long as everyone is respected. (:

We are equal. I am not better than you or anyone just because I am a Christian. My belief in one God doesn't automatically turn me against everyone else. My very best friend, who has been my friend since I was 11, is an agnostic. She respects me, and I respect her. We have completely different beliefs, but we hold onto what we do have in common. We lift each other up to be better. I pray for her, and I tell her I do. I know she doesn't believe in God, but she still thanks me. She says that she is sending me positive thoughts. I don't believe in the power of positive thoughts, but I appreciate that she is trying to help me in her own way.

I was homeschooled for five years, and my mom made sure to teach us every religion. She wanted us to know what others believed too. I do not shut out people who want to tell me about their religion. I welcome it. I don't want to be ignorant, but it also doesn't make me want to turn away from Christianity.

I LOVE being a Christian. I LOVE that I have a God that spoke and blessed us with the Bible. "All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." Scripture lifts me up. I can use these amazing wise words to encourage and lift others up. I have said it many times before, but I truly don't think I would be alive without Christ. I wanted to die at one point, and I still have a hard time with my mental health. But Jesus continues to save me. I honestly have no desire to believe anything else, because Jesus alone has been my Savior. I still want to know what others believe, but I will never be able to believe anything else.

Lastly, I believe in love too. I believe Jesus is the ultimate example. 1 John 4:19 says, "We love because He first loved us."

I like the expectations of Christianity. It comforts me to have the Bible to instruct me on how to live. I like that I don't have to be in charge of my life, but that God will happily take that control and guide me. I am simply not wise enough on my own. I love that even though there are expectations... Nothing can separate from His love. "And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears today nor our worries tomorrow--not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below--indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39

Jenny, I think you are a great person. I love you despite our differences. I am not here to fight or argue with you. I am simply a devote Christian that believes in Jesus and only Jesus. I do not believe this makes me better than you. I do not believe that I can't love you or be your friend. I open my arms up to everyone, and I only close my arms when someone can't stop hurting me or others. It has nothing to do with another's beliefs. 🤍