[you will know them by their fruit...]

One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Matthew 22:35-40, NIV.

It seems that a lot of us Christians missed this particular saying of Jesus, as our gay and lesbian neighbours sure haven't been feeling the love. A just-released survey of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans found that a high percentage of LGBT adults say that the evangelical church is unfriendly to them.

This is the sad legacy of our Christian churches. The legacy of years of hatred, intolerance, and othering. Years of fire and brimstone and, more recently, "love the sinner but hate the sin".

This is "bad fruit", and the tree that has borne this fruit is the church.

Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

Matthew 7:15-20

How do you feel about this? Sad, defensive, something else?

From A Survey of LGBT Americans: Attitudes, Experiences, and Values in Changing Times