LONDON ? Organized religion fuels anti-gay discrimination and other forms of bias, pop star Elton John said in an interview published Saturday.”I think religion has always tried to turn hatred towards gay people,” John said in the Observer newspaper’s Music Monthly Magazine. “Religion promotes the hatred and spite against gays.”Click here for FOXNews.com’s Music Center”But there are so many people I know who are gay and love their religion,” he said. “From my point of view, I would ban religion completely. Organized religion doesn’t seem to work. It turns people into really hateful lemmings and it’s not really compassionate.”Religious leaders have also failed to do anything about tensions and conflicts around the world, he said.”Why aren’t they having a conclave? Why aren’t they coming together?” he asked.
Well, Sir elton, we’ve kinda been saying that for some time now, but glad to have you on our side!
Heh… Good luck to him in receiving the backlash on this one.
Though I’m awfully glad he’s said it. Somebody had to. In fact, somebody still has to. Everybody should say it as much as they can. Gotta get it heard.
I’d never personally advocate ACTUALLY banning religion (though it would be kind of funny in the wake of the gay marriage BAN) as I guess it’s kind of a basic freedom– freedom to be easily misled.
But the sentiment is one I agree with. It doesn’t work. And it does turn people into hateful lemmings. Tru dat, Elton.
I would be interested to know just how “Sir” Elton would go about banning religion…
alexatheist i wonder if these kind of comments hurt atheists more than help.maybe not so much in europe but in america it seems like giving the tv preachers ammo to scare people.
alexatheist,
Yeah I know what you mean…
Well if those tv preachers can get away with saying such hateful things such as 9/11 being caused by America’s acceptance of gays when why the hell not?
digital-eyes i think when the preachers blamed gays for 9-11 it backfired on them.
the media is not our friend they love confrontation.they make money selling the image that we are out to get christians.
Even though I have no respect for religion; I’m an atheist after all, I don’t see religion as the root problem. Instead I’m convinced that the real problem is people have abandoned enlightenment ideals, especially skepticism and reason. If these ideas were to become prominent then I think religion would dry up and blow away.
VegeBrain: You are entirely right.
Organized religion is merely a symptom of the problem.
I wouldn’t ban religions. I just wouldn’t encourage superstitious beliefs. The problem is, there is too much money to be made by encouraging it.
Would we expect anything less from the pompous spoilt old crybaby of a queen that is Elton John?
Getting superstitious people to adjust to diversity of views and lifestyles would be like “trying to get whiskey from a bottle of wine” Hey Elton, istead of wasting time on impossibilities why not continue getting through to society with more great composing and song?
I think VegeBrain’s on to something here. It seems to work in most other developed nations. Why is america different? Why is it that when something bad happens they all run to their imaginary friend for help? And what can be done to increase the “elightenment ideals” among americans? Because he’s right, if we could get people to just THINK then religion would fizzle out.
Knowing Elton John, to ban religion, he might suggest to tax religion which would be one way to ban it. What’s the worst thing beside hell fire and brimstone that a preacher hates worse, taxes. States diverting taxes on churches money from a tv evangelist…preachers would definitely have smaller churches and less followers. And if the tax money was used correctly, we would have better roads to drive on.
I think Elton was just being honest. When I listen to Elton’s classic songs, I find it somewhat sad that he placed women in his love songs in lieu of his true feelings. I never read that he HAD to do this, I’m assuming that in the early 70’s, it would have been tough to break onto the scene as a gay man; so he had to mask it. I’m not sure if religion was the culprit, or the music industry, or whomever.
Even though I’m a metalhead, I can’t help but love Elton’s songs. Alex, you seem to have a degree of animosity towards him. I’m wondering why? What about Freddie Mercury who also had to market himself as a straight (and very sexy) man at first. I remember his poster on my wall with the tight, white jumpsuit open to well below his waist. This pic was marketed to me (a teenage girl), and it effectively masked his homosexuality. I know you’re not crazy about the inside of the closet, but I imagine the folks who are FORCED to be there can be quite angry about the underlying forces that conspired to place them there (aka religion, greed, etc.).
Maybe that’s why Elton feels the way he does. Maybe that’s why he exhibits “the pompous spoilt old crybaby of a queen” air. Perhaps personal exploitation may not be his cup of tea, but the pomposity is more of a in-your-face payback for the earlier years. Waddya think?
Hope I made sense.
Getting people to think is harder than you think. I have no faith, especially for my fellow humans.
Reason,
That is true. How many times does the media show a drag queen dressed as a pregnant nun in a gay pride parade instead of a gay couple properly raising their kids for all to see. Still, it angers me that despite these wild allegations these preachers make of our “sinful lifestyles” and the public castigations that come with them, these mega churches are still thriving. Sure their leaders can be more careful saying these types of things because they know the media will catch it, but that doesn’t mean they (and their congregations) don’t believe it.
“Alex, you seem to have a degree of animosity towards him.”
My feelings toward Elton have changed very much from what they were a few years ago. Have you seen one of his many recent filmed crybaby outbursts that he has thrown when her diva-ness doesn’t get his way? Elton’s talent was amazing but now he is just an irrelevant old fat queen who sold his “soul” to Disney and lashes out in crazy tirades at his “friends” or record label as well as spits, curses, and hits reporters. His behaviour in Taiwan at the airport was shown on TV and was nothing short of barking mad and juvenile. These latest crazy comments about banning religion are so typical of this once great, but now sad, performer:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/showbiz/showbiznews.html?in_article_id=414547&in_page_id=1773&ico=Homepage&icl=TabModule&icc=TV%20&%20S
I respect John for expressing his views, but not entirely with his language. I offer my take on it at http://atheistexperience.blogspot.com/
“Why aren’t they having a conclave? Why aren’t they coming together?” he asked.
Elton might have asked this about gay people as well.
Alex, thanks for your explanation. I haven’t really paid attention to his recent tirades, but I certainly understand your feelings. Perhaps a better role model for homosexuality would be in order? I know there are plenty of excellent of gay folks that present a much mature face to the public. My editor for example.
Most of what Elton said is correct. But, instead of saying “someone” in the music industry, like John Lennon would have, should step up, why doesn’t he?
We shouldn’t be quick to say someone should do this or that. It’s easy to put the onus on everyone else.
cry4turtles,
I agree, Elton placed women in his songs. He did have a girlfriend before he became famous, at least I heard this somewhere years ago. He has the most beautiful music, even now. I still listen to his CD of the early 70’s and 80’s songs, his songs are always relaxing, no matter how bad a day it has been. I still feel that he should have been more outspoken in the past, however, being a gay man in the 70’s may have been something he wanted private, never know? Yes, I believe the pomposity is payback for the earlier years.
Elton states: “But there are so many people I know who are gay and love their religion”
This only goes to show how important the fantasy of spiritualism is to some. They will endorse their own denigration to have it. Self-importance (spiritualism) is a powerful force.
N.C. Baptist delegates approve anti-gay policy
rdu.news14.com/content/top_stories/default.asp?ArID=94475
Hmmm….
This part of my post got cut off:
How very North Carolinian of them.
How very Baptist of them.
How very bigoted of them.
The more enlightened and inclusional churches get ousted.
Maybe they’ll form their own convention, and more will join them.
And then, maybe pigs will fly.
Just because some people say they are Christian/Jewish/Muslim/Buddhist and say they ‘hate gays’ doesn’t mean thats what their religion says. Those people are just misguided and on the wrong track, because at the basis of EVERY religion is love and tolerance for others, especially those you don’t like. In the Bible it says pray for your enemies. Bless them, do not curse. So its not like its religion’s fault, some people just miscontrue it and turn it around that way.
sassenach17
But do “stone them with stones until they be dead.”
Nah, not religion’s fault at all. That’s w-a-y misconstrued.
Karen,
I’m glad you made that quote. I remember a movie that was shown to our 6th grade English class back in 70’s, don’t remember the title, actually I tried to forget the movie because of the violence of the people being killed because they were not religious. In the movie it showed all of these religious women and men dressed up in white shirts and they were chanting something, then they started throwing large rocks at the one individual until the person collapsed and eventually died, this movie sounds similar to your statement “stone them with stones until they are dead.” Before and after viewing that movie, I never was religious and I didn’t want to be religious. Somehow I feel that our 6th grade teacher used this movie as a scare tactic thinking we would join a religion instead of being stoned to death by rocks? Also, never thought I would ever see this at a church. In Haughton, Louisiana there is a church as big as two football fields combined, it has a sign out front stating, “ATM Machine inside.” Churches don’t even wait for their followers to get to their vehicle to take their money evidently.
SunbeamAtheist
sunbeam
If the movie was in an English class, it may have been “The Lottery” from the short story by Shirley Jackson. It’s often used as an English unit, but I don’t remember what grade level.
I may have read it in 8th grade. It’s pretty gritty for younger groups. There’s lots of fodder for discussion and critical thinking.
In the story, the “winner” or the lottery gets stoned to death by the rest of the townfolk as part of a yearly ritual.
If you need to get over any stoning issues, watch Monty Python’s “Life of Brian”.