Elton John: 'Jesus was gay'

Gay rock star Elton John has outraged some Christians with his suggestion that Christ was homosexual. "I think Jesus was a compassionate, super-intelligent gay man who understood human problems," he told Parade magazine. But the British musician has never been a friend to the pious: In 2006, he told The Observer he would be in favor of "banning religion completely." Is John's latest statement a serious historical assertion – or is he just looking to ruffle feathers?

John is picking a fight: Saying Jesus was "super intelligent" puts the Son of God on the same level as a "successful game-show contestant," says Catholic League president Bill Donohue. And saying he's homosexual is "labeling him a sexual deviant." We'd like a public apology for John's ignorant, intolerant statement. But given his previous statements against the Church, "we won't even bother to ask."

"On Elton John calling Jesus gay"

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Actually, there's logic to what he's said: You have to admit that Elton John has a point, says Change.org's Michael A. Jones. Jesus, who "lived in oppression, but fought for injustice," was indeed compassionate, understanding, and super-intelligent. It might "put ants down the pants" of Christians to suggest Jesus was gay, but let's face facts: "if you take all the good things... about Jesus in the Bible, you get the archetypal homosexual."

"Elton John's Gay Jesus"

Really? Since when do you have to be gay to be kind? It's "absolutely absurd" to use "evidence" that Jesus was a "kind and caring man" to infer that he was gay, says Cenk Uygur at The Young Turks. Can't "straight guys" be caring, or "do gay guys have that market cornered?" John has "obviously" cobbled together a vision of the Savior that jibes with his own worldview.

"Elton John - Jesus Was Gay"