I am aware that this article is going to be very controversial and may anger quite a few people.

However, I believe it is very important to share.

Now, I have been a part of the Catholic faith my whole life. I was baptized, went to Sunday school, received First Communion, was part of my hometown church's youth group and was even an altar girl for seven years. I absolutely love the Catholic faith and many of my fondest memories have been from my youth group/altar serving days.

Going to church has always helped me find my inner peace.

I always leave mass feeling refreshed and with a more positive outlook on whatever situation I'm going through. During the deaths of both sets of my grandparents is when I needed my faith the most. Believing that they were in Heaven looking down on me gave me comfort and acceptance of their passing.

Yes, I am a Catholic and I love my faith. But what I don't love is the Catholic Church as a whole and how it has meddled in affairs it does not belong.

I had to change churches three times growing up because they all were too political and critical of how people lived their lives. They each preached the usual "homosexuals are going to Hell" "abortion is a sin," "premarital sex makes a woman a whore," "men are the heads of the household and women must serve them," nothing that my family and I wanted to hear. That's why when we joined our fourth church, it was like a breath of fresh air because each mass was strictly about faith and not social issues/beliefs.

Yes, I am Catholic, but I will never excuse the closed minded beliefs and actions of my fellow worshippers, if I can even call them that.

For the Church to say that anything is right or wrong in the eyes of God is just ridiculous. Who is any human being to say what God would want? No one but God knows. We are told that God loves and accepts everyone unconditionally but then at the same time we are told that God disapproves of homosexuality, abortion, sex, etc. How does that even make sense?

It's very hypocritical and honestly disturbing. I know a lot of people who think in this closed-minded way and I feel plain sorry for them. It is they who are the "sinners," feeling like they have the right to hide behind the Bible-a book written 2000+ years ago by religious men and not by God and judge the lives of others.

Do these so-called "Catholics" understand that they are going against their religion by being so judgmental, hateful, and just downright cruel to people?

For instance, for these particular Catholics to say that homosexuality is wrong and against God are actually the ones who are against God, because God, as we know Him (or Her), would love and accept everyone regardless of their sexuality. Same with abortion. Who are we as mortal humans to say that a woman who wishes to end an unwanted pregnancy is sinning and "murdering" her unborn child? And why is any of it our business? A real God would understand the woman's pain and struggle and guide her through this difficult process. Not damn her as a sinner. Abortion is NOT murder and NOT wrong by the way.

That's another topic for another day.

I am sick and tired of the Catholic Church pointing it's trembling, damning finger where it doesn't belong. When I go to church, I only want to hear about love, compassion, and how to be a better person through the comfort of the Holy Family. I don't go to hear about politics or that a group of people is "wrong" for whatever they choose to do with their lives. These particular preachers are preaching hate. That is what I do know, is a sin.

Hate in any form is a sin.

Unfortunately, Catholics have a bad reputation as a whole and sometimes I hesitate to tell people I'm a practicing Catholic because of this. I don't want to be associated with people who judge and criticize how other people live their lives. The only part of Catholicism I want to be a part of is the deep, meaningful faith-driven part. I need faith to get me through each day and to pick me up when I have fallen. I need faith when I have no one else to turn to. I need faith when things seem hopeless and when I am hurting. Because I believe in a God who loves unconditionally and protects all people.

All I have to say to these hypocritical Catholics is "practice what you preach." If you are going to Church where you are told to live your lives as loving, accepting people, actually live as such.

Stop judging others for their life choices.

How can you go to church and listen to sermons about love, humility, and acceptance and then go home and badmouth the interracial couple next door? Or protest at an abortion clinic? Or throw your gay/transgender child out of your house? Or call the woman wearing a hijab/burka a terrorist? Why do you think any of that is okay or acceptable in any moral way? It makes me nauseated to think that people actually think this way.

It's just absolutely disgusting.

True, honest Catholicism teaches us to live our lives as kind, non-judgmental, and selfless people. To always be forgiving and accepting of others. To always think of the other person's needs and situation. To always open our hearts and minds. To always overlook the differences of others and give everyone a fair chance.

THAT is what Catholicism means to me.