Last week, campus Christian groups were out in full force. Some of the activism was great, and some was not so great. The majority of what I saw exemplified the religion of Christ, but some of it, unfortunately, embodied the division to which religions are susceptible.

For example, many people saw the massive yellow “OBEY JESUS OR PERISH” sign near the library. Most Christians (but not nearly enough) fortunately understand that such hostile messages actually turn off their intended audience. Such divisive messages often turn agnostics into atheists, atheists into angry atheists, and people of other religions into, well, angry people. What good does that do for anyone?

The world has too much division as it is. We have the nuclear-powered nations of India and Pakistan. Their complex, tense situation needs all the love it can get. We have Israel and its neighbors in the Middle East. Their approach is clearly not working, and the consequences are horrific.

Not to be outdone, we now have genocide in Sudan. Genocide. Whole masses of people there are being raped and murdered over belief. Countless people — real human beings with faces and names. People who just want to go to work and raise children are sucked into killing other people who just want to go to work and raise children. Neighbors kill their neighbors with pride and patriotism. It’s enough to make one cry. Does your heart mourn for the shattered families and maimed, orphaned children disgraced by war and religious violence? Mine too.

It all started, whether yesterday or 10 years ago, with simple acts of division. By contrast, a simple smile and a handshake promotes respect and solidarity.

A couple of years ago, I was approached in such a way by a member of a Christian campus organization. She reached out to me gently, and despite my being a committed atheist, I accepted her offer to check out their organization. Christian activists take note: If you want people to walk hand in hand with Jesus along sandy beaches, you ought to provide a little sunshine. Doomsday thunder clouds of “OBEY JESUS OR PERISH” will keep people indoors.

What I found in the months participating in that Christian group’s activities was, for the most part, uplifting. It may sound funny, but they gave hugs. It was awesome for them to accept a religious outsider like that, and to just be real human beings.

The leader ended every meeting by delivering powerful speeches that, while firmly rooted in Christian theology, were inclusive and brought people together through positive and empowering calls to action. It was wholly devoid of divisive dogma, and for that I have nothing but respect.

Their manifestation of their religious teacher’s word positively impacts much more than just day-to-day activities. History can be viewed as an endless string of connected events, simplified to A, B and C. A comes first, and the rest follows in sequential order. The circumstances of A are colored by our actions in B, producing C. This continues infinitely, and all points are connected. By studying history through books or our elders, distant events of the past shape our actions of today. Whether good or bad, what we do has far-reaching consequences.

Simply put: The more good will is thrown into the equation, the more goodness future generations will have. Will you reject division from entering the mix, in favor of righteous messages of love, respect and solidarity?

Our world is what we make of it through our everyday actions. We can choose to divide ourselves, or we can choose to live life together with dignity and hope. We can point fingers and continue falling, or we can reverse course by starting with a smile and a handshake — or a hug for the radicals.

Which approach best exemplifies your religion or viewpoint?