There seems to be this stereotype that says that if someone is Christian, they must be Conservative. However, I am living testimony to the fact that those two don't have to be mutually exclusive.

I'd like to start by saying that I was born and raised Roman Catholic, but that I've made the conscious decision to continue with my faith. I also grew up in a Liberal household in the middle of one of the most Conservative states. As I learned more and more about political issues, I had to choose the side that best fit my conscience, even if it meant having to hide my views from the rest of my community.

Over the years (and over the last week especially), I've gotten a lot of hate from both sides of this issue. I've experienced hostility from some of the most religious people I know, just because I dared to defy traditional Catholic voting norms. On the other hand, many people I consider to be close friends still harbor hatred towards me simply because of my religious beliefs.

Those on both sides teach equality and love, while very vocally turning their backs on the other. In each community, I have been told to keep my voice down, or to not talk about what I believe to be true. But this is not how I plan to live my life.

Catholics and Liberals have more in common than most people think. My goal here is not to start an argument over the things that the two don't have in common. That's been established by many angry people before me. Right now, my main goal is to share with you why I choose to be both Catholic and Liberal.

First of all, it's necessary to look at what each stands for at its core. Catholicism, in its most basic form, is centered around love. We are to love each other and God with all our hearts. This is extremely reminiscent of social liberalism, which is based on loving everyone and treating them as equals, regardless of race, religion, gender, etc. If all Catholics truly loved as Jesus did, there would be no need for petty internet arguments on this issue.

This is what attracts me to both. Loving everyone equally is an extremely appealing notion, in theory. However, it's not always carried out in practice. Often, the Liberal community points fingers and accuses Catholicism of hypocrisy here, failing to see the irony in their own statements, and vice versa. We are all human, and we all make mistakes. That doesn't mean either Catholicism or Liberalism is inherently wrong; it's just a sign of our humanity.

Finally, I'd just like to say that I've found friends on both sides of the issue. There are those out there who, like me, refuse to give up on traditions of love because of the mistakes of those in power. Not everyone is out to cast stones.

Therefore, no matter where you stand on the political or religious spectrum, don't be so quick to judge. You may be missing out on meaningful relationships.