Sat Nov 11, 4:27 PM ET

LONDON (AFP) - Religion should be outlawed because it lacks compassion and promotes hatred of homosexuals, gay pop star Elton John said in an interview.

The singer was speaking in a special "gay edition" of The Observer newspaper's Music Monthly Magazine, where he shared his views on subjects ranging from being a music icon to Prime Minister Tony Blair's stance on the Iraq war.

At a time when religion is the subject of fierce debate in Britain over the right to wear the Muslim veil and other faith symbols, John complained there was a general lack of leadership from spiritual leaders.

"I think religion has always tried to turn hatred towards gay people. From my point of view, I would ban religion completely," he was quoted as saying.

"Organized religion doesn't seem to work. It turns people into really hateful lemmings and it's not really compassionate. 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?" he said.

"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 anymore.

"If John Lennon were alive today, he'd be leading it with a vengeance."

John complained that too many people were protesting online to take to the streets, highlighting the effectiveness of the February 2003 march against military action in Iraq that mobilized millions around the world.

With spiralling violence in Iraq, such opposition to Blair's backing of the United States had "come back to bite him on the ass," he added.

On homosexuality, the 59-year-old -- who sealed a civil partnership with his long-term partner, the Canadian film director David Furnish in December last year -- said he was happy to be viewed as the "acceptable face of gayness."

He also vowed to continue his fight for gay rights and AIDS charities: "I can't just sit back; it's not in my nature anymore. I'm nearly 60 years old after all. I can't sit back and blindly ignore it and I won't."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20061111/en_af...tainmentbritain

That's got to be the best idea I've heard for a very long time. If only.

I just wonder what his fight for gay rights actually entails?
Also I wonder how he's going to go about banning religon, or if he will do anything at all.

I see a flame fest on the horizon...

Ban Religion?

Hell yes, ban religin -the worst idea man has ever had, the source of more hatred and evils than anything I can think of. The most destructive force in the history of mankind.

Ban religion?
Is there a petition or something I can sign (please!!) ??

Great idea Elton!!!

ban religion....lol good luck with that Elton....I can see it now, the fight for religion. Spike TV..... The UFC Octagon. Elton John Vs. More than half of the world!!!! whoever wins gets to pick if religion stays or goes. lol

He's soo right as well. There is a deep line of hatred in religion that simply cannot be rooted out because of the culture of intolerance that breeds and trains children from birth to be soldiers of God to hate those that are different. It's child abuse to me to teach a child to hate.

"Many of those people involved with Adolph Hitler were Satanists, many of them were homosexuals--the two things seem to go together." --Pat Robertson



I oppose the attempts of homosexual activists to treat homosexual activity as a civil right to be protected and promoted by the government.
-Todd Akin



On the September 4, 1998 Armstrong Williams talk show, Colorado talk-radio personality Bob Enyard called for the death penalty for gays and adulterers. Last year, a Christian radio talk-show host in Costa Mesa, California said, "Lesbian love, sodomy are viewed by God as being detestable and abominable. Civil magistrates are to put people to death who practice these things." Source



Merrill Keiser, Jr., of Fremont, Ohio, is running for the U.S. Senate as a Democrat. It's unlikely that he'll actually win the nomination of the Democratic Party, but he's making news anyway because he thinks that gay Americans should be arrested and killed. Even most far-right Republicans don't believe something so insane and hateful.

He tells News 11 homosexuality should be a felony, punishable by death. “Just like we have laws against murder, we have laws against stealing, we have laws against taking drugs -- we should have laws against immoral conduct,” Keiser says. -Merrill Keiser, Jr., Democrat Source

Such hatred...

I guess John doesn't know much about world religions. Most Pagan religions welcome gays. Love is where you find it gender is unimportant. Gays have had a long history of atrocities against them at the hands of some religions. It is sad we have yet rid our society of this kind of hate..

Good idea, we should ban religion. And ban Elton John from singing too.

he has a point. The only time the three abrahamic faiths got together in Jerusilum... was to try and do harm to those in a gay pride march

500 bucks reward for whoever kills someone involved? Yeah, that's love right there.

Thankfully violence was quelled... well there one one person who made a lunge, but the police snagged his ass.

It's very sad.. very sad indeed that the only time they came together.. was for hate.

Sigh... This is what you get when people really follow the bible.

(Or many other religious books like it).

On ther news..... :

ISRAEL
Jerusalem gay pride rally held amid heavy securitySix demonstrators were arrested during a gay pride rally in Jerusalem, which replaced a planned parade amid security concerns.

BY STEVE WEIZMAN
Associated Press

JERUSALEM - Israel's gay community braved vehement opposition from religious fundamentalists and held a large rally Friday in Jerusalem, complete with live rock music, dancing and declarations of pride.

The event -- originally planned as a march through the city -- was held behind fences at a university sports stadium on the Holy City's outskirts after organizers bowed to police fears of violent protests by ultra-Orthodox Jews.

Nearly 4,000 revelers flocked to the stadium, about the same number as attended last year's gay pride march in the city, where Jewish, Muslim and Christian opposition to the events runs high.

Participants were mainly dressed in regular street clothes -- making it a far more staid affair than gay pride events in the more permissive city of Tel Aviv -- although one bearded man sported the black hat and jacket usually worn by ultra-Orthodox men, but with a magenta-colored taffeta skirt and candy-striped tights.

Police said 3,000 officers were deployed to secure the rally.

Five protesters, some of them armed with knives and batons, were arrested during a brief scuffle with a small group of gay activists who tried to march along the planned route, said police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld. Another was arrested after calling out homophobic slurs in the stadium, he said.

Last year's march was marred by bloodshed when an ultra-Orthodox man stabbed and wounded three participants.

In the past week, hundreds of ultra-Orthodox Jews battled police and torched vehicles and trash bins in the streets to protest the planned march, and threatened further violence if the parade went ahead.

Police security worries spiraled after an errant Israeli artillery shells killed 19 civilians in Gaza on Wednesday and Palestinian militants vowed to carry out suicide bombings in Israel in retaliation.

Responding to those concerns, gay pride organizers agreed to turn the parade into a rally, held inside the fenced-in stadium of Jerusalem's Hebrew University, which was ringed by mounted police and anti-riot units.

Source

which is the second half of the story I posted ;P

But still... just.. sickening. They can't come together in the love of their god.. but by holy heck.. they'll come together for a mutual hate. *shakes her head* appauling.

Ban religion....

A very good idea, but can you imagine all the wars the world would fight on just the principle?

It is possibly easier said then done....

Are we to ban Buddhism as well? Wicca?

What about Law? There are some stupid laws around, shall we ban Law just because some articles in it aren't relevant to the change in our times?

How about books? Some books are inciteful and prejudiced. Shall we burn ALL the books just because some are bad?

How about we try to CHANGE these things which aren't good rather than ban them. Eradicate the bad parts so people who are easily led to hate have nothing to lead them.

Personally while I think certain religons breed intolerance and hate, I don't believe they should be banned.

I quite strongly believe in freedom of expression and speech. Im not in favour of palcing rules upon people telling them how to think, even if what theyre thinking is bad.

Ultimatley people need to learn and be educated that hate does not benefit them in the least bit. And therefore it is pointless to hate.

In order to change from hate to acceptance people need to make the decisons for themselves, and not have it externally imposed on them by some sort of ban.

My only "religion" is Buddhism. My faith, on the other hand, lies in Christianity. The Christian religion(at least the vast majority of it) has a stance on things that I do not agree with- therefore I have only faith in the Christian God- and only then because I have seen my own personal proof of His Existence.

Okay if someone like the Pope John Paul (RIP) or Mother Theresa (RIP) said this..Itd be a worry....Yet this is Elton John...A few good hits- many bad songs and the queen of temper tantrums...Honestly, have you seen Celebrities Uncensored? lol. He needs to "ban" his nasty attitude.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ True. I absolutely disagree with the statement that religion should be banned, but most should undergo a great change in their leadership. The Pope as the ultimate authority on Catholicism? C'mon!

What people don't realize, is that Elton holds the same or similar beliefs as millions of others, a kind of religion if you will. That is all religion is, a set of beliefs.

Not necessarily. A religion is characterized by its set of beliefs, practices, law, doctrines, observance or worship services, leaders, etc. Beliefs are simple, religion is very complex.

John Paul... Ripped down condems for preventing HIV leading to thousands if not millions in the future to suffer more, using charities to push the faith onto 3rd world countries, took a long nap before taking even the slightest action on the horrible child abuse at the hands of the church (even publically defended some abusers ), thought lowly of women, and anti-gay.

Mother Theresa... Used large sums of donates to convert rather than treat people in her care with much of that money being used...no one knows but resulted in crappy treatment at horrible standards of any hospital. Had a flip flop view of divorce when rich connected people were involved. She also forcefully performed baptisms on dying people that just couldn't say no... Nobody knows really the true number of Hindu's and Muslim's that were forcefully converted on their death beds. Though it's said around 29,000 people died in the place of care. Which is just terrible.

Yet, you'll rip down a gay man standing up for people like him that just doesn't want the blind hatred running through societies. Very classy, ramster.

Religion is living your beliefs, put into practice... not very complex.

I'm with Elton .. but I have an even better idea. Let's TAX religion!!

I see no reason why church's and other organizaiotn should not be taxed -- just think -- if we started taxing every church, synagog, temple in the nation -- we're probably erase the Federal Dedt -- or secure Social Security and Medicare for a century.

Look at al the preachers that are pushing politics in their churches right now anyway -- if they were taxed, they could have all the political ranting they want at the pulpit.

And I'm sure my Conservative friends here would agree -- want to get rid of something or make it worse? TAX IT!

Banning religion might be a "smart idea." But isn't a bright one, because you have people outraged over it. Like they try to get rid of "Merry Christmas" & not to offene the other religions. And like someone said people will start wars over the idea.

Hey! I know! Let's start this holy war against all of the people who we think cause all of the problems and all of the wars on earth! But we'll need a name for what our group will be called...hmmm... maybe it should begin with like a three... or how about "third" something... "rach"? No... what am I trying to think of...

Kratos that is great...The day you are a better person than either of these two get back to me...I didnt paint them in a perfect picture but you tried really hard to paint them in another picture and thats okay because i never said they were perfect, no one is actually...Yet in terms of actions im sure they've done more for the world than you ever will...For the few bad things you said about them i could give you hundreds of good things about them - are your odds that well weighed? I doubt it.

The reason i mentioned these 2 were that if they said "ban religion" it would have a huge impact but were talking about a temper tantrum queenie called Elton John who evidently is rude to people. Why should anyone care? It wont be impactful. I just find it hilarious that you are implying that Mother Theresa and Pope John Paul 2nd were bad people....Goodness me. If they are bad people then i wander what serial killers are?

So because they did some good we get to ignore all the bad stuff about them? Well isn't that just grand. Hold on... "Hey Africa! I'm sorry to see you all suffering with HIV with your little children screaming during the night but hey! Don't worry, the Pope made a speech about the goodness of the soul last week!"

They did it, and yet you want to ignore it. I don't have to be a good person to point out those facts. You place the weight on me because quite honestly you simply cannot place the weight on them because you want to through them up as idols of religion and the goodness of it.



Queenie? I take it you don't like homosexuals very much since you use such terms to describe them. This is what Elton is talking about... The blind hatred that runs in religion.

Yeah, they were bad people... So are serial killers. Though, I doubt serial killers have victims into the thousands or even millions because of their influence. Religion is a powerful thing to spread across the lands and it doesn't always end good for many many people.

I don't think you can ban a religion. It's more or less a cult. But with religion it just means you have a bigger following. At least that's what I think from the way most people here think the definition of religion is.

The bible says that God hates homosexuals? Ah I think thats sorta true. Also you should get circumcised because He said it was a form of covenant(I wonder if there were really any health benefits). Abraham had two wives and he slept with their hand-maidens(whatever happend to love and cherish only one?). Two girls had sex with their father so they could have babies and fullfill God's prophecy(I don't know if its so accurate but I'm going to hell for this). And hundreds more I can't remember. So basically homophobes needed fodder to add fuel to their fight. And what better than something God himself said?

I think the real issue lies with the fact that homophobics think that being homosexual is because they want to have same-sex sex. If that were actually true then I wouldn't approve of that type of relationship.

However, I do believe that there are people who genuinely love each other. And I believe that God is love so I see nothing wrong with that.

Oh and I think part of the hate is because when you find out that someone is gay you immediately think they are going to want to **** you, for lack of better word.

Please look at yourself and the mirror and ask yourself, "Would I **** that?" If you say 'NO' because you are ugly then what reason is there for gay people to think the same way about you? If you say 'YES' I would have to ask you, "Do you have an explosive narcisstic ego or are you gay?" If you say 'NO' just because you don't like the idea of having sex with the same sex or just plain you then what is there to worry about? If you say 'YES' for no other reason than the fact that you are a pervert I would like to shoot you off the face of the earth.

...ah I needed to get that off my chest

No not at all - but when you look at the cold hard facts i can give you pages upon pages of all their good...and you still would call them "bad people"? Do you believe that because they were religiously affiliated you could just label them as "bad".? The fact is they did a lot more good than they did bad. Its a documented fact. Last time i checked people that did more good than bad shouldn't be labelled as "bad people".





No i dont want to ignore it - i acknowledge that they may have done these things. Yet you are also ignoring their many, many good deeds arent you? I mean by you simply stating they are bad people proves my point.



Im not referring to him as a queenie because he is gay. Nice try. He is a queenie because he is a drama queen. You are really good and jumping to conclusions- how about we take it a step at a time so we are both level headed here.

Very simple indeed , through our beleifs we are defining who we are....the problem is we are using a model that has not brought us the hope it once was thought would and we as a humanity keep pretending all is well and a caped diety is gonna fly in any minute and save human kind...All true benefits are mutual Elizabeth Kubler Ross in otherwods what brings benefit for one benefits all..It would benefit us all to stand for tolerance...

lol did anyone see Elton John go nuts at Paparazzi? Or at Madonna? When he gets angry its funny stuff he gets all red and bossy. "Madonna is a miming cow"

"Japanese people are so rude"!

"Ban religion!"

Elton - just SMILE man...SMILE!

All the good in the sea won't matter if there is a barrel of bad dumped in it. Still tainted. Are they totally bad? Nah... I'm just pointing it out.

Funny, you point out Elton's faults as well... But he isn't a totally bad person. Pratice what you preach?



I'm not ignoring them, I just choose not to add them in my post. You went off about Elton's bad things... While trying to front people with a bad thing history. You're the one that brought them into this discussion, not I.

There's a saying for this...

Don't throw stones in a glass house.



Alright then. I've heard it be used as bad term in the past.

So... I guess we're now at the question. What do you think of homosexuals?

Man... those pics... it's not the first time I've seen them, but they still manage to disgust me as the first time.
Fortunately for me this kinda things don't happen here in Chile, but you know something Kratos?, if I were a young boy living where you're living, being raised as a Catholic and being taught that God is love, and suddenly I found guys like those, maybe I would be in a similar position regarding Christianity as you are now.
The first thing that would come to my head would be: how can I share a common space, a church for instance, with guys so full of... ignorance, because otherwise they wouldn't be doing that. The first story that comes to my head is the one where Jesus tell the people who want to kill the adulterous woman (I think it was Mary Magdalene, but I'm not sure. Wait... yeah, it was her. I remembered because the ultra-hot Monica Belluci played her role in the Passion ) "let the one who is free of sin throw the first stone" and in the end noone throws a stone. Anyways, the point of the story is to illustrate that we gotta first look at ourselves before going on Terminator plan and say "kill the fags" as those posters said. Yet they ignore it totally.
Now, as for my position on homosexuals, although I recognize I still look the other way around when they go all crazy around me or start kissing passionately next to me in a party (girls are too good to start looking at the same side, y'know? Oh well, less competition, it's their loss ), in the end they are neither better nor worse than you and me, just different, and just like you and me they are creatures of God, and that's what matters at the end of the day. Now, I know that not all homosexuals fall into the category I just mentioned, in fact I've a very good friend of mine who has had gay experiences (involving motels) and one who is downright gay, and both of them aren't like that, but I hope you still get the point behind all this.


And the quotes... man, they certainly don't help.
I recognize I've had times where I just wanted to quit being a Christian, mainly because of guys like those, but I've seen that religion can do much, much good, way beyond just social help (I'm working on something like that, but I'll leave it for another post), so instead of just quitting, why not start working, from the inside, to make it better, even in so simple things as smiling at the guy who is right next to you, or just start talking to him?
I remember when in some social works, for lack of a better term, there was a guy outside of a home who from out of the blue he asked who I was, where did I come from and if I got paid for doing that (the answer is no, before you ask). After that he started telling me his whole life, how he had gotten there and how his only wish, more than anything else, was to die in his homeland, Perú, but he couldn't. He talked for more than half an hour, and I was just listening.
Now, the point of the story is not so you say "hey jpalz, you're so good, you rock!! ", but rather to show that sometimes there are people who just want to talk, who want to let go his feelings to somebody, yet they can't, and just by standing there and listening you can help them.


P.S: Regarding your comments about Mother Theresa, I posted an answer not so long ago. I'm still waiting for an answer.

Rom 9:13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

Okay now somebody tell me how that translates into "God hates fags"?

Maybe so. Though, they're just following the bible. Homosexuals are against God, are they not?



Oh, I've heard that story quite often. That seems to be one of the ways chrstians justfy their hatred when it's brought up.

A common ground with these people is still holding the same belief just not as extreme. The bible says homosexuality is wrong and is sin, so being a Christian you look to the bible.

Too bad Christians just can't leave other people alone with their lifes instead of spreading hate.



So with that said you never really defined your position on homosexuality, you just danced around the bush.

Do you see it as sin, as the bible states, or do you see it as alright and not sin?



I'm sure they haven't. Though why try to change it? It's part of the faith. It's in the bible that homosexuality is sin.

As for community service... Well... I have no idea why you even brought it up.



Oh, I know you tried to defend her. Good deeds don't cover up the bad deeds.

Why do you think God destroyed Soddom and Gamora?

Those posters looked like part of a rally by the Westboro Baptist Church. Even as against bigotry and organized religion as I am, I still don't believe religion should be equated with the Neonazi agenda of these monsters. They are immoral drones and spread their bigotry like a disease. I saw these hate rallies on tape and that was where I saw one of the most disturbing things I've ever seen in my life; there are parents that bring their little kids to these things. There are small childeren holding up signs that say "GOD HATES FAGS" and "THANK GOD FOR DEAD SOLDIERS". These poor brainwashed souls will grow up with the same mentality as Hitler and will inspire more bigotry. These "people" are an embarrasment to the human race and it's overwhelming what effect they've had on other people. If anyone should exterminated, it's them.

God doesn't hate, first off. That's where those ppl are wrong.

Second off, banning religion?

Great idea Elton.... lol.... Im a fan of your music not your ideas.

Let's ban general morals and ethics of love (most religions) and impose the ideology of homosexuality. Not only impose it, but condone it and premote it. Everyone should be one, we will procreate pefectly.. about as fast as the Armenian Genocide.

Morals and ethics shouldn't be based on religion. They should be based on common sence and courtesy(ecy?). So banning religion is in no way banning morals and ethics. ;P

If god doesn't hate, why is there hell?

Mankind had morals and love before religion hate to break that to you. How do you think we survived?

He's not saying everybody should become a homosexual either. He just wants the hatred to stop.

Religion sounds soo great on paper but when applied on a large scale in real life, it goes so so wrong.

Your asking the wrong person, as if I am the most high?

Scientifically yes. (Don't hate.)

True, but he is promoting it, and if everyone was a homosexual, sorry to break it to you I brother.... humans, as a species, would die off. Humans sole purpose is to procreate, not the opposite. If I do continue with this, hatred from other posters will spew like puke in I way.

God doesn't hate period. Period.

Hatred, iniquity, fret, and vexation are all the same thing... the utter opposite of God. And yes, he is the God creator, as religions do state, in no way shape or form the desolater! This christian God your attacking promotes creation.

I must say, you implied that some "people" are embarrasements to the human race, who are you to judge? Also, you said that some were "poor souls" in an above comment, you obviously assume one has a soul. Yes? And, without any sort of empirical proof, or scientific know-how, why don't you assume there isn't one? Yet, from "religious experience", as philosophers would state, I can say that there is a soul. Wholeheartedly. And, weather you believe I or not, is on you. I know this is a bit off topic, it just something i wished to point out. As your posts are usually quite empirical.

Bless.

dear gods do we have to go over this *AGAIN* Humans do not need to procreate anymore. There's enough humans in the world thank you very much. Not only that, but homosexuality is as much a part of nature as hetrosexuality.

Some scientists even view homosexuality as a form of population control.

Humans are not the only creatures that have homosexuals.. infact there was a list posted once of all the animals that do. There's even a few species out there that are nothing *BUT* one gender and procreate just fine.

One can go over it as many times as they want.

I speak the truth.

Oh yes... the old "I speak the truth" line..

Truth is subjective... You do not speak the truth, you speak personal opinions.

Truth is subjective to you.

I speak traditional opinions.

EDIT: I'm going to leave this thread, lol. Not because im a cat being cornered... no, because i sense much vex ahead, and little reasoning.

Kak.. just step away from the computer.. and get a pot of coffee made. Sober some. Not a crack.. but actual concern.

Traditional opinion is also subjective.. majorely subjective. Mainly because traditional opinion is different to differnt people.

And I don't just speak personal opinion.. but also scientific findings and evidence.

World don't need any more humans = personal opinion.

Homosexuality is apart of nature, other species have homosexual critters in them. Homosexuality seems to be a population control trigger = scientific findings and evidence.

I guess I just do not understand it iself.

You do, but i don't.

But I don't hate though.

Coffee's a brewin'.

Meh.. I guess I get it because I tend to look at the scientific evidence, and don't let traditional opinions clog up my mind.

You guess?

EDIT:Your right, your always right.

Im always wrong.