ANGUISHED protests from a rag-tag of fundies came at the weekend following Elton John’s claim that Jesus was a “super intelligent gay man”.
Elton John, right, with his partner of 16 years David Furnish
The world-renowned pop star made the remark in an interview with US celebrity news magazine, Parade.
I think Jesus was a compassionate, super-intelligent gay man who understood human problems. 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.
According to this report, John’s “controversial” remarks have angered religious groups all over the world.
Bill Donohue, President of the largest US Catholic rights group Catholic League has condemned the comments, saying:
Jesus was certainly compassionate, but to say he was ‘super-intelligent’ is to compare the son of God to a successful game-show contestant. More seriously, to call Jesus a homosexual is to label him a sexual deviant. But what else would we expect from a man who previously said, ‘From my point of view, I would ban religion completely’?
The Herald Sun quoted Luke Coppen of the Catholic Herald as saying:
Someone once said we all try to remake God in our own image. It’s just possible that Elton John might be guilty of that.
And our very own Stephen “Birdshit” Green from Christian Voice described the gay claim as “rubbish” and commented:
The Bible says Jesus was without sin and that rules out homosexuality. This is a desperate cry for attention.
Mike Judge, of the Christian Institute, dismissed the star’s views, saying:
Had a senior political figure made these comments, I would have had an opinion. But this is Elton John and I don’t think anybody takes him seriously.
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
February 22nd, 2010 at 10:10 am
So, does Elton accept all that twaddle in the Gospels as, er…gospel, then?
February 22nd, 2010 at 10:17 am
Birdshit the closet homosexual said “The Bible says blablabla… This is a desperate cry for attention.”
For once I agree with him, it’s about time he admitted he was a desperate attention whore, though I doubt the same can be said for Elton.
February 22nd, 2010 at 10:38 am
Anything that gets the hatemongers to bite is fine by me. Gives you an opportunity to have a pop at them.
I loved what that xian Mike Judge said, “But this is Elton John and I don’t think anybody takes him seriously”. As a popular artist I’m sure people are more interested in what Elton John says than any religious fool.
February 22nd, 2010 at 10:55 am
I think cradle of filth were more acurate with those t shirts that say “jesus is a cunt” though not much more acurate as it uses “is instead of “was”
February 22nd, 2010 at 10:57 am
Well where is Mary Whitehouse when you need her; she needs to wash that young man’s mouth out with soap. XD
February 22nd, 2010 at 11:03 am
I just love that not only did they take issue with the idea that Jesus was gay, but also it irks some folk to call him “super-intelligent”. Their anti-intellectualism is so central to their thinking that even their god is not allowed to be smart for fear that it somehow diminishes him. What the hell?
As for Birdshit’s comment, the Bible says Jesus was without sin yet also says he disobeys his mother and father, breaking one of the commandments, touches the unclean (an abomination as serious as any other, for example, homosexuality) and vandalises the tables of the money changers in the back of the temple. And they had permission to be there, regardless of how much it annoyed him, and he later insisted his disciples obey the laws of the land they find themselves in. Jesus is not a saint by his own standards.
February 22nd, 2010 at 11:20 am
I’m sure Mike Judge mean’t that nobody takes EJ’s political japes seriously, but that is still a bad choice of words that makes him look like an arrogant ignoramus. I was going to say ‘ostrich’ but that position would push his rear in the air, which Judge probably considers a mighty sin if another man were to be around.
If Green truly believes that he is in a position to accuse others of desperate attention-seeking, I can only deduce that he suffers regular bouts of amnesia. This is a man who once felt the need to send out a press release claiming that his prayer determined a cricket game verdict, to pick but one example.
February 22nd, 2010 at 11:31 am
Would a superintelligent gay man ever wear sandals, though?
February 22nd, 2010 at 12:15 pm
@serai One thing Elton John is not short of is attention. Probably could do with less at times. As for Green your phrase “attention whore” is brilliant. But why does he and these other fundies get so worked up: repressed homosexuality seems to fit. If they hit hard enough then maybe they can quell there own feelings. It won’t work, lads, when nature collides with religious repression there can only be one winner. Relax, get a life.
February 22nd, 2010 at 12:26 pm
OT – Here’s an interesting take on the radical right’s aims to compromise the constitution. Nice paintings of Christ wrapped in the American flag and carrying a weapon.
http://newsjunkiepost.com/2010.....democracy/
February 22nd, 2010 at 12:42 pm
Well Donohue is correct, although it pains me to admit that SOB is right about something. A reading of the gospels confirms that whatever he was or wasn’t, the late JC was clearly not “superintelligent”.
February 22nd, 2010 at 12:56 pm
These pop tarts do tend to get above themselves but it is a pity old Reggie Dwight [EJ] wasted an opportunity to say something more profound. So EJ said Jesus was super-intelligent [I doubt] and that he was gay; were is the problem saying he was happy
Those christians are always twisting the meaning of words!
February 22nd, 2010 at 1:11 pm
“This is a desperate cry for attention.”
Pot. Kettle. Black.
February 22nd, 2010 at 1:18 pm
valdemar
Only with linen trousers although her indoors has never agreed with my fashion sense!
February 22nd, 2010 at 1:32 pm
@chrsbol: You are not paying attention! Jesus wore trousers!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ta9LSx8-9Vc
February 22nd, 2010 at 1:45 pm
Reg Dwight for Pope!
February 22nd, 2010 at 3:45 pm
Here is a genuine pic of Jesus wearing a suit, just to prove my point!
http://tinypic.com/r/52fa0p/6
February 22nd, 2010 at 3:50 pm
I also came across this, and couldn’t resist the urge to share it with you good people, though any claims that eating the same foods as Jesus ate in order to extend one’s life expectancy seems to have one ‘fatal’ flaw, for want of a better expression!
http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781602392144
February 22nd, 2010 at 7:03 pm
well elton’s looked at the fairy story’s about Jesus and concluded he wears a dress and hangs out with 12 other guys in dresses. got 2 be gay
February 22nd, 2010 at 7:27 pm
bj
You’re just assuming jesus has trousers on from that pic. He could be wearing a mini skirt.
February 22nd, 2010 at 11:25 pm
How much more bloody evidence do you need?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/new.....eiled.html
February 23rd, 2010 at 1:00 am
In the gospel of John, he never referred to himself by name. Instead, he called himself, “the disciple that Jesus loved.” I guess that’s open to intretration, but, supposedly, Jesus loved all of his disciples, so how does John become beloved as set apart? I’m with Elton John, the evidence is that he was trading sperm up the stovepipe.
NeoWolfe
February 23rd, 2010 at 7:28 pm
The author of the anonymous fourth gospel makes clear that “the disciple Jesus loved” and the gospel author were not the same person(1). And there is no reason to believe that either was named John(2).
I have written what I consider a compelling argument that Jesus was not gay(3). But for a person who is not an expert in biblical analysis, there is no shortage of evidence for the conclusion that he was.
(1) God, Jesus and the Bible, p. 346.
(2) I identify the B.D. as Nathanael (For This We Thank Our Fuhrer, pp. 76-78).
(3) God, Jesus, p. 260.
February 23rd, 2010 at 7:43 pm
Being an atheist, I couldn’t care less what anyone, including celebrities, has to say about religious matters, but Mr. John is wrong — Jesus Christ never forgave anyone while “on the cross.”
February 23rd, 2010 at 8:17 pm
I suspect that many of us read your article in the magazine, Dr Harwood. From my limited knowledge of the subject, as an ex-evangelical, it would seem unthinkable that a Jewish Messianic leader of the First Century should have any overt homosexual tendencies. That would surely have finished his career! We have been here many times before: nothing that Elton John is saying is new; and people are reading things into the Bible that are simply not there!!
February 24th, 2010 at 10:09 pm
I see that just a day or two after accusing another of crying for attention, Green attempted to turn an emailed note of support for Gareth Thomas into a news story. In the absence of blasphemous plays and exhibits to froth about, could Thomas become Birdshit’s 2010 obsession?
http://www.christianvoice.org......ss147.html
May 26th, 2010 at 9:54 pm
It really makes me sick to read this, The way they think and talk about relegion and jesus disapointed me really, I can’t believe it you r so blind and know nothing about ur own relegion. Jesus was a prophet and he’s not the son of god. What this idiot john said about him is a big sin and i know well that he will pay for all this crap when he’s dead. try to learn more about your relegion from muslims they r the only ppl who can guide u to the truth. Stop pretending that u r blind to see.
Peace
May 26th, 2010 at 11:43 pm
Oh get a grip TK. Jesus was no prophet. If he existed at all – and there is considerable doubt as to his historicity – he was simply a mad Jew.
To say “i know well that he (Elton John) will pay for all this crap when he’s dead” is nonsense. When you die, you rot. There is no proof whatsoever of an afterlife.
And as for saying that we can learn from the Muslims, well, all I can say is that you’re having a laugh. All we can learn from Muslims is to behave like spoiled children, treat women like cattle, shout a lot, burn stuff and blow up shit.
Go away and don’t come back until you have something sensible to say. Moron!