When I was a little girl, I used to get stuck on particular phrases. “Apparently so” and “that’s unfortunate” were two of the major ones.

My parents would always laugh at me and strangers would find it hilarious that a 3-year-old would attempt such big dialogue.

My love of big words has only grown since then and my vocabulary is full of huge tongue twisters that are just waiting for the right moment to be smartly dropped into conversation.

But I shocked myself a couple days ago when I used my old phrases together in the same sentence — “that’s unfortunate” and “apparently so.”

The situation, unfortunately, called for the use of both — one phrase of dismay and one of disdain.

I was discussing the hot topic of the month — the cancellation of what is being termed the “Corvino Event” – with a friend of mine. We just shook our heads and said how, despite our modernity and acceptance of change, so much hatred and prejudice exists in this world.

If everyone embraces the idea of going green or birth control, why is it so difficult to accept and acknowledge others as human despite skin color, religious affiliation or sexual orientation?

I ultimately decided that persecution exists because those who have the most to hide or be ashamed of transpose their own insecurities and stigmas to others in order to save face and self image. They’re too scared to see what’s lacking in their own lives.

That’s unfortunate.

This, in turn, lead to a discussion of faith versus good will. Christians have long claimed that good works alone will not get a person into heaven because there is no faith, acceptance or trust in a savior.

Does this completely exclude those who dedicate their lives to improving the wellbeing of others, who have lived a good life for others in every way possible but do not believe in Heaven or may not have been exposed to Christianity?

It hardly seems fair, especially when some “Christians” are the ones haughtily denying people the right to marry whomever they wish, worship however they want to or embrace whatever culture of their ancestors.

Is ugly, stubborn intolerance really the most difficult and obvious sin for Christians to control and overcome?

Apparently so.

When people’s lives are hurt or destroyed in “the name of God” and what Christians believe to be morally correct, it breaks my heart. Where is the justice, responsibility or love in being blind to the fact that we are all of one body, whether we’ve accepted Christ or not?

A classmate of mine wrote a play in which one of the characters picked up a Bible and smacked another character across the face with it. We all know that the Bible can be powerful, but when should it ever be used as a weapon against fellow humans? Nowhere does God condone cruelty for the sake of principle or stubborn pride.

There are so many immediate issues of social, political and environmental concern in the world today. Why waste time, energy and money just to make a point about literal translations in scripture?

Every day people die of starvation, thirst, murder, rape, genocide, torture and sickness. Are Christians’ time spent any better with moral lambasting and tedious lectures than if their efforts supported or aided those suffering or in pain? I really don’t think so. Personal attacks on others’ sexuality, religions or race aren’t acts of love. They’re unfortunate acts of hate, ones that give Christians a bad rap.

And, ultimately, we don’t taint the moral strength of Christ by showing love and compassion to those who need it most.

My friend mentioned that the stones we cast must not be too heavy if we carry them with us, armed and ready.

Apparently so.