On a recent episode of “The 700 Club,” Pat Robertson told viewers that Christians shouldn’t bully gay students, but reach out to them in love.

The televangelist stated that such bullying is wrong, regardless of a person’s orientation.

“You may disagree, you may think these practices are an abomination, you can think all sorts of things, but you need to love and reach out to these kids in love,” he said.

Part of the Religious Right, Robertson has voiced strong opposition to homosexuality in the past, including saying God will punish America for accepting gays, so some are happy to see him come out against gay bullying.

Two-thirds of Americans believe that religious groups’ negative messages on homosexuality are contributing to suicide rates among LGBT youth, the Public Religion Research Institute found, and LGBT activists continue to find Robertson’s approach as a Christian troubling, especially the reference to homosexuality as “an abomination.”

“Pat Robertson refuses to connect the dots between the harms caused by bullying and his long history of anti-gay rhetoric. We agree that schools should never allow anti-LGBT bullying, but calling a young person ‘an abomination’ — even if you think you’re doing it out of love — contributes to an environment of hostility, and absolutely qualifies as bullying,” Aaron McQuade, GLAAD spokesman.