God's Greatest Commandment: Love

It has been very hectic lately. This weekend was an adventure that is probably best described in the pages of Hillarygayle. That was saturday night....
Friday night I drove to Oxford to see my best friend Matt before heading out to Atlanta. We became good friends while at Ole Miss. We were both music majors as undergrads. Matt became an English major and is now beginning graduate work at Ole Miss... a smart and very talented guy. We usually have intense "ranting sessions" when we get together. This time was no different.
The topics were Christianity, anti-Christianity (in the form of those who practice hate in the name of God), and systematic theology. Matt explained to me how recently the mother of a homosexual man in Nebraska who was "stoned" to death with bricks came to speak at Ole Miss. While she was speaking, protesters from a Texas ministry held signs saying "Your son is in hell" and other hateful condemnations.
I think that it is detestable how cults like this promote hateful judgments and division among people. But I believe that the ultimate evil is how this so often confuses Christians in their relationship with God and people in their search for God. As Matt was describing this situation to me, I could sense how frustrated he was with many Christians, in general. I felt desperate to say something that would drive home the fact that these are NOT God's people at work here.... that this attitude is the absolute opposite of everything that Jesus Christ preached, commanded, and lived and died for.
I used some scripture:

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Matthew 7:1-3

"My commandment is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one like this, that he lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him." ( I John 4:7-9)