'Known by our love'?

We know we're doing something wrong when someone can come away with this perception:

Organized religion doesn't seem to work. It turns people into really hateful lemmings and it's not really compassionate.

Elton John said that in a CNN article out today. He also says:

"I think religion has always tried to turn hatred toward gay people," John said in the Observer newspaper's Music Monthly Magazine. "Religion promotes the hatred and spite against gays."

We as a Christian sub-culture are doing something wrong if we are not 'known by our love' but instead by our hate. Surely, Elton John was referring not only to Christians, but to the recent uproar in Israel involving Jews and Muslims speaking out against a gay rally, calling for attendees to be killed.

I can't speak to that, but I know Christians should be different. Instead, the perception from outsiders is that we're 'lemmings' - talking boxes all spouting out the same hateful slogans. If we are to be relevant and have credibility with the world we live in, we must be known by our love and compassion and creative, thoughtful responses to situations and people. It takes only one prominent person purporting to speak for all of Christianity or for God, to ruin the reputation of the lot of us. I know that the only impact I can have is in my circle of influence, with my family, friends and coworkers. If I am known by MY love, perhaps I can undo the harm inflicted by others on the reputation and credibility of the faith.