I think the reputation of white evangelicals isn’t being made by progressives. I think that the highly visible and vocal and politically active white evangelicals have created that negative reputation by being visible and, as I often say, noisy.

These people have severely damaged the reputation not only of evangelicals, but of Christians. They have generated a disgust in many young people, who now associate Christianity with bigotry and cruelty. The raw numbers have little effect because those who behave different from their reputations are virtually invisible.

Alas, I would love to see more visible, active and noisy “love thy neighbor” Christians. I know they exist. But they are invisible.