Sir Elton John: "Jesus was a Compassionate, Super-Intelligent Gay Man"

62 year-old English singer-songwriter, composer and pianist Sir Elton John recently became the center of controversy among conservative Christians when he claimed that Jesus "was a [...] super-intelligent gay man who understood human problems" in an interview with entertainment magazine Parade.

"On the cross, he forgave the people who crucified him. Jesus wanted us to be loving and forgiving. I don't know what makes people so cruel. Try being a gay woman in the Middle East - you're as good as dead."

John spoke with Parade's Dotson Rader about love, drugs, fame, his civil relationship with Canadian filmmaker David Furnish, religion and everything in between.

"Just about every relationship I ever had was involved with drugs," recalled the singer. "But I always had to be with someone, good or bad, otherwise I didn't feel fulfilled. I'd lost the plot."

John and Furnish have been partners since 2005 and continue to appear together at celebrity events and fundraisers, including those held by the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Since the AIDS-related deaths of his close friends Ryan White and British musician Freddie Mercury, John has become a notable philanthropist and public spokesperson to raise awareness of the disease.

John's recent comments on Christianity and Jesus, however, have drawn fire from conservative news media personalities and even Catholic League President Bill Donohue.

"Jesus was certainly compassionate, but to say he was 'super-intelligent' is to compare the Son of God to a successful game show contestant," said Donohue.

"More seriously, to call Jesus a homosexual is to label him a sexual deviant. We're not sure what's worse-John's ignorance or his intolerance. In any event, if we thought we could persuade him to issue an apology, we would try. But given his recidivism, we won't even bother to ask."

Donohue also added, "One thing is clear. Someone needs to straighten John out."

During last night's FOX News broadcast of "The O'Reily Factor," conservative political commentator and host Bill O'Reily mentioned Sir John is his "Pinheads & Patriots" segment.

While O'Reily praised actor Jack Nicholson as a patriot for his visiting the Walter Reid Memorial Hospital to "raise the morale of wounded troops," he slammed John's comments.

"While the singer is correct in asking for compassion toward gay people, he is a pinhead for calling Jesus a gay man," said O'Reily. "There is absolutely no evidence of that."

©2010 Joshua D. Givens & The Underground Christian E-Magazine

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