Posted on 11/12/2006 6:39:27 AM PST by SirLinksalot
Sir Elton John wants religion banned completely – because he believes it promotes hatred of gays.
Speaking to the Observer Music Monthly Magazine the singer said religion lacked compassion and turned people into “hateful lemmings".
The PRESS ASSOCIATION reports: In a candid interview for a dedicated Gay issue of the magazine he shared his views on topics as varied as being a pop icon to Tony Blair’s stance on the war in Iraq.
He said there was a lack of religious leadership, particularly in world politics, and complained that people do not take to the streets to protest any more.
Sir Elton said: “I think religion has always tried to turn hatred towards gay people. Religion promotes the hatred and spite against gays.
“But there are so many people I know who are gay and love their religion. From my point of view I would ban religion completely.
“Organised religion doesn’t seem to work. It turns people into really hateful lemmings and it’s not really compassionate.”
He added: “The world is near escalating to World War Three and where are the leaders of each religion? Why aren’t they having a conclave? Why aren’t they coming together?
“I said this after 9/11 and people thought I was nuts. Instead of more violence why isn’t there a meeting of religious leaders?
“It’s like the peace movement in the Sixties. Musicians got through to people by getting out there and doing peace concerts but we don’t seem to do them any more.
“If John Lennon were alive today he’d be leading it with a vengeance,” he said.
Sir Elton said people were too busy blogging on the internet to go out onto the streets to stand up for what they believed in.
“They seem to do their protesting online and that’s not good enough. You have to get out there and be seen to be vocal, and you’ve got to do it time and time again.
“There was a big march in London when Britain decided to join the war against Iraq and Tony Blair is on the record as saying ‘the people who march today will have blood on their hands’. That’s returned to bite him on the ass,” he said.
Sir Elton compared his place in British culture with that of the Queen Mother’s.
He said: “People come to me and I’m a bit like the Queen Mother. I never get those problems. I don’t know what it is with me, people treat me very reverently.
Referring to his “wedding” to long-term partner David Furnish, he said: “It was the same when Dave and I had our civil union - I was expecting the odd flour bomb and there wasn’t.
“Dave and I as a couple seem to be the acceptable face of gayness, and that’s great.”
He pledged to continue to campaign for gay rights saying: “I’m going to fight for them whether I do it silently behind the scenes or so vocally that I get locked up.
“I can’t just sit back; it’s not in my nature any more. I’m nearly 60-years-old after all. I can’t sit back and blindly ignore it and I won’t.”
And nearly two million people were murdered after the Communists conquered the South.
"Peace" ended up being the Peace-of-the-Grave.
Does anyone -- outside the gay community -- really care what EJ says on these subjects very much?
Thank goodness that he's kept this garbage outside his music. His last album is great, BTW. Hopefully he doesn't become the next Rosie O'Donnell, in which case I will have to stop gettong his music.
Another point -- I'm a Christian, and someone's sexuality or perversity isn't the final word on their identity, and their worth. EJ's blanket statement on religion and war just show he need to shut up and write more music.
-- Joe
Why?
Good for you!
So goodbye Hershey brick road
Yep. He and his 'partner' would be some of the first ones the islamofascists would come to behead.They HATE gays, unlike Christians. As noted in an earlier reply here....God hates the sin, not the sinner.
So, how long have you felt the desire to play God?
How tolerant. Let's ban Elton John because he promotes hatred of religion. What hypocrites.
To paraphrase Dave Mustaine -
Religion is for people who are afraid of hell. Christ is for those who have been there.
God and religion are two different things. Got no problem with God. Got heap big problem with organised religion.
Why do you care?
Hi, not to pounce on you - this is really for EVERONE - but what does that mean? I heard it many many times here but what does it really mean? are there any "qualifiers" after that sentence?
Does that mean that the sinner has to STOP sinning?... or does it mean, that God keeps loving the sinner, even if the sinner keeps sinning and most grave of all, he the sinner tries to makes others sin by promoting the sin itself? (i.e. Gay "pride" parades, public schools teaching homosexuals, ACLU/Homosexuals, attacking the Boy Scouts.. and on and on...)
Well, I don't have anything to say that would alleviate your curiosity. I'm not going to change my mind. I'm not trying to change yours.
My Elton John music, which I used to love, is going bye-bye. One of the great concerts I ever saw was him performing at the Universal Amphitheatre 27 years ago, before it was enclosed. We were in the third row. He started with my all-time favorite song -- YOUR SONG. He performed in a rain and lightning storm. That song is pretty much not believable now. The visual images are vomit-inducing.
I've always thought Elton John seemed unstable. Does anyone remember his recent remark regarding some beef he had with something, and he said he was never going to sing again? Then there was the whole business about how he spends more money than he makes, and was broke.
I get the impression he's a labile individual, often angry and depressed and I wouldn't be surprised if he committed suicide someday. Not being facicious (sp?).
Fair's fair Elton...let's ban homosexuality because it promotes hatred of christians.
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