When I say Christian, many images may come to your mind. You may think about the church down the street where everyday at noon, hundreds of well-off people make their way back home only to ignore the sick and poor, writing them off as “burdens to society.”

Many others may think about the human rights denied to homosexuals, women and members of other religions in the name of Jesus.

With all of these images, none of them pretty, it’s difficult to be an American Christian without being seen as hypocritical, self-righteous or even downright hateful, even if you aren’t one of “those Christians.”

Somewhere down the line, the First Amendment and the idea of “separation of church and state” got lost on “those Christians,” who vote with their personal religious values instead of with their patriotism and respect for others.

Not to get too religious, but as a Christian I feel entitled to express my opinion about religion and law.

Christians are not called to make sure homosexuals are prohibited from marrying, or make sure abortions can’t take place in America. They aren’t even called to defend “merry Christmas,” or prayer in schools. Instead, they are called to love everyone, regardless of their personal choices.

America is a diverse country, with people of many religions, upbringings and cultures represented.

Because of this diversity, laws dictated by the Christian Bible should not be the law of the land. What about laws dictated by the Quran, or the Book of Mormon? If we as Americans allow the religion of the majority to dictate the laws of America, these laws will quickly change throughout history, affecting millions of people who affiliate with different religions or even no religion.

Therefore, my call to all American Christians is to respect everyone with your vote, for it affects everyone.