Christianity, at its heart, is rooted in love, grace, and redemption. It’s meant to be a refuge — a path to healing, purpose, and hope. But for many people today, that message has been lost in the noise. What they see instead is a version of Christianity that feels judgmental, exclusionary, and at times, even cruel.

Why? Because of the actions and rhetoric of radical Christians who have weaponized faith to condemn rather than to uplift.

There’s a growing number of people who aren’t walking away from Jesus — they’re walking away from what people have done in His name. They’re not rejecting faith; they’re rejecting the misuse of it. When scripture is cherry-picked to justify hate, when love is conditional, and when people are treated as projects to be “fixed” instead of humans to be loved — it’s no wonder so many turn away.

The tragedy is that this doesn’t reflect the teachings of Jesus at all. He ate with outcasts. He protected the condemned. He challenged the self-righteous. The radical love of Christ broke barriers — it didn’t build them.

But when Christianity is used to push agendas, shame individuals, or elevate certain groups above others, it becomes something else entirely — a tool of division rather than unity. And when people experience that distortion, especially from those who claim to follow Christ, it can cause deep spiritual wounds.

If you’re someone who’s wrestled with faith because of what you’ve seen or experienced at the hands of radicalized religion, you’re not alone. Your doubts are valid. Your pain is real. But I encourage you not to confuse Christ with the actions of those who misrepresent Him.

Christianity doesn’t need less truth — it needs more love. It doesn’t need louder voices — it needs kinder ones. And maybe, just maybe, the way back to faith for many isn’t through a sermon, but through compassion, humility, and authentic relationship.