On Friday, February 19, 2010, courtesy of The O’Reilly Factor, the host revealed part of an interview that Dotson Rader of Parade had with Elton John for the Sunday supplement. The quote below does not actually appear in the February 21st article about John, but it is available on the magazine’s website. On page 5, a rectangular box informs the reader: “Elton John talks about love, drugs, and religion at Parade.com/el-ton.” Once at the website, several categories are provided on which the singer makes comments; listed below is “His take on Christianity”:
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.
First of all, apparently many people subscribe to the logical fallacy that is usually called: “A Faulty Appeal to Authority.” Just because a greatly-talented singer and songwriter knows music does not make him an expert on the environment, nuclear power, homelessness, love, or Christianity. He might display abundant knowledge on composing, but what qualifications does he have in other areas? Concerning Christianity, has he ever read the Bible—or even the New Testament? He might want to read Genesis 19:4-5, Romans 1:26, and Jude 7 again, since they condemn his sexual experience. Certainly, there is no obvious connection between rock music and Jesus.
Second, where did Reginald Dwight (Elton John’s name at birth) get his description of the Lord? That He was compassionate can clearly be seen throughout the New Testament and is easily verified. Was Jesus “super-intelligent”? “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1). Since Jesus is God, and since all “things were made through Him” (John 1:3), it stands to reason that everything man has discovered (plus the knowledge we yet lack) He already knew.
Third, Jesus did understand human problems; He demonstrated the ability to deal with all of them, telling people what they needed to hear—from the woman at the well to the rich young ruler to the Pharisees who acted hypocritically in many aspects of their lives (Matt. 23). He also understood human nature:
But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man (John 2:24-25).
Fourth, on the cross Jesus did forgive those who crucified Him, but this plea to the Father was not unconditional because He had already taught that repentance was necessary. “…I tell you, no; but unless you repent, you shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3). They were not forgiven in actuality unless they had a change of heart concerning Jesus, His Deity, and His mission. Many of the Jews who clamored for His death that day did repent on the Day of Pentecost. When they asked what they should do, having been convinced that Jesus was the Messiah, Peter told them to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of their sins (Acts 2:38). About 3,000 did repent and were baptized. The wicked elders and chief priests who condemned Jesus never showed any signs of repentance. Their sins will be brought up against them in the Day of Judgment.
Many people view forgiveness as something God just automatically dispenses (like soap), but it is not granted quite that easily. Many enjoy thinking about the benefits of forgiveness but have no thought of changing their thinking or their actions. God has always had conditions of pardon.
Fifth, Jesus does want people to be loving and forgiving. In fact, He said that the greatest commandment was to “love the Lord with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). It may be that what many consider to be love does not fit God’s definition. Jesus taught His disciples: “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). The Apostle John would later echo this definition: “This is love, that we walk according to His commandments” (2 John 6). Some, when they speak of love, do not ever have in mind obligations and responsibilities; they only have in mind a vague sentiment of good will.
Therefore, if a person loves God and learns that walking in fornication is against the Divine will, he will cease having sex (with either gender) outside of marriage. Paul even makes this contrast:
Therefore be followers of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma, but fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not be named among you, as is fitting for saints (Eph. 5:1-3).
One cannot speak about the love of God apart from keeping His commandments. It would be like separating Adam and Eve or salvation from Jesus Christ.
Likewise, Christians are commanded to be forgiving. In fact, Jesus taught everyone to forgive others (Matt. 6:12); if we do not forgive men their trespasses, then neither will He forgive ours (Matt. 6:15). This doctrine, however, does not mean we are to be automatons, forgiving immediately upon being offended—be-fore the offender ever repents. The illustration Jesus gave in Matthew 18 involved the unwillingness to forgive when being beseeched by one who was trying to do better. It may be pride that keeps someone from forgiving another when he has been wounded deeply.
When Jesus met Peter after the resurrection, He did not tell him that he was through as an apostle. He knew of his immense regret over denying Him—how that he wept bitterly. He was willing to forgive Saul of Tarsus, although he had caused great damage to the church, His body, because He knew Saul was conscientious enough to lament his fanatical actions. He also knew that Saul would become the outstanding Apostle Paul! The Scriptures teach us to forgive those who have troubled us, even persecuted us—if they repent and ask our forgiveness (Matt. 5:43-45).
In these five observations by Elton John, he is exactly right, although he may not know the way some of these concepts are defined in the Scriptures. If he had only stopped with these observations about Jesus, then everyone could have agreed with him, but he felt compelled to go one step further and charge Jesus with being a homosexual, which is as preposterous as it is unprovable.
Jesus Was Not a Homosexual
Where would anyone even come up with such a vile thought? It seems that in the Scriptures, if two or more men are mentioned in any text without women being present, homosexuals are quick to claim them as their own. Some have asserted that David and Jonathan were “lovers” and that Paul was a repressed homosexual. The fact that Jesus trained twelve men and traveled with them does not constitute valid proof.
In the first place, no passage of Scripture remotely hints that any of these men of faith had the slightest wish to indulge themselves in such an immoral fashion. Second, many women often traveled with Jesus (Luke 8:1-3); one has just as much evidence to say that the Lord was intimately involved with them as with men—NONE! The problem with so many of what Paul refers to as “natural” men is that they cannot discern much, if anything, that is spiritual (1 Cor. 2:12-14).
They see two men who are friends or a man and woman (not married to each other), and they immediately conclude that something must be going on. Perhaps they transfer their own manner of thinking onto others. Just because they cannot have relationships with others without it becoming sexual does not mean that everyone else has the same problem.
We know that Jesus was not a homosexual for many reasons. First, had He ever been intimate with anyone of either gender, it would have violated the Law that He was born under. He Himself taught that the Law was not to be violated and that it would be in effect until He fulfilled all things (Matt. 5:17-20). Therefore, giving into the temptation of fornication would have made Him guilty of sin and disqualified Him from being our sacrifice for sins (1 Peter 2:22). He was the perfect Lamb of God, without spot or blemish (1 Peter 1:19).
Second, if Jesus had been such a carnal individual, He would have violated all of His teachings concerning self-control (Matt. 15:18-20). When Jesus taught on the principles of happiness in Matthew 5:3-12, He did not say anything about fulfilling the lusts of the flesh, which many in our age would advocate. In fact, the devil presented Him with the lusts of the flesh (and every other temptation) in the wilderness, but Jesus resisted them all. Men have been moved by His love for truth and purity for centuries. To suggest that He was little more than a carnal creature is despicable.
Third, to have taught one thing (lofty spiritual principles) while practicing something totally different in His life (fleshly indulgence) would have made Jesus the number one hypocrite of all time. The denunciation of the Pharisees in Matthew 23 would have been insignificant compared to what they in turn could have said of Him. Imagine Jesus’ enemies finding out that He was a homosexual! If they had any evidence of such outrageous behavior, they would have proclaimed it through the streets of Jerusalem so fast, the city would have been reeling with shock!
They would not have had to resort to crucifying Him; he would have been thoroughly (and rightly) discredited. Consider how ungodly those men were who opposed Jesus. They assigned to Him things He did not say, they tried to trap Him on a multitude of subjects; they even made up the story about the soldiers being bribed by the disciples so that they could steal His body. BUT THEY NEVER ACCUSED HIM OF ANY SEXUALLY IMMORAL ACTION! Even they had the decency to forego such a charge—even if Elton John does not. If Jesus’ detractors had found even a scintilla of information concerning moral corruption, they would not have hesitated to use it.
And how would such a corrupt individual have inspired His apostles to go and proclaim the Word? If they knew that Jesus was morally perverted, how can one explain that they taught the same principles of morality that He did? If the truth was that He was a practicing homosexual (or even heterosexual), they would have immediately become disillusioned and probably in disgust quit following Him. The world was already morally polluted. Had Jesus been like those individuals, He would have had nothing new to draw attention to His teachings. The fact is, however: “No man spoke like this man!” (John 7:46). Jesus inspired people to leave their sins—not to indulge them even further. Can anyone truly believe that the world was changed through a man of such ignoble character?
“You Thought That I Was Altogether Like You”
Why would Elton John make such a ridiculous statement? He could be trying to elicit responses from the “Christian community” such as has been given here, or perhaps he just wants to see if anyone cares any more about such insults to the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Or he may have fallen victim to the same ideology that the contemporaries of Asaph had. For some reason, people want to think that God is the same way they are; perhaps they feel less condemned. The psalmist explains this rationale:
When you saw a thief, you consented with him, And have been a partaker with adulterers.
You give your mouth to evil,
And your tongue frames deceit.
You sit and speak against your brother;
You slander your own mother’s son.
These things you have done, and I kept silent;
You thought that I was altogether like you;
But I will reprove you,
And set them in order before your eyes
(Ps. 50:18-21).
People misinterpret God’s silence for approval when, in fact, His purpose for delaying judgment upon them is to provide time for them to repent (2 Peter 3:9). The problem with creating God in our own image is that it runs contrary to reality. He does not love without expecting love in return—love that is willing to abide by His commandments. He does not forgive when we refuse to repent. And He does not fail to punish those who assign wicked human habits to the Divine Creator of the universe.
Mr. Dwight wonders why people are so cruel. God understands cruelty. No greater evidence of it has ever been demonstrated than when the innocent Lamb of God was beaten mercilessly and crucified. Most of us would not even treat an actual criminal in such a fashion though he deserved it, but God allowed His only begotten Son to be delivered over into the very hands of cruelty—to suffer man’s irrational rage against Him. It was not only Jesus that was rejected. In crucifying Him, they also showed their contempt for God.
What does Elton John mean by cruelty? He does not seem to be protesting what was done to Jesus. His only example is a gay woman in the Middle East. Why specify a lesbian? Is it not the case that most women are mistreated in the Middle East? And what about “honor” killings? Anyone born a Muslim who determines to be a Christian is in danger of death! Is that cruelty—not being allowed the freedom to think for oneself? What an outstanding opportunity to speak out on behalf of Christianity, but all Elton John can think of is sexuality.
God has always condemned homosexual behavior, and it has nothing to do with cruelty—any more than the condemnation of adultery or fornication. These are sins of the flesh, which defile us as human beings. Although it may be difficult for some to understand, God knew what He was doing when He put one man and one woman in the Garden of Eden. He did not design man to experiment with a multiplicity of partners (of either gender). He designed it the way it works best—the way He defines morality.
Does not the failure to practice God’s law involve cruelty to others? How much devastation results when a family is torn apart due to divorce? How many people feel cruelly treated when their unmarried “partner” decides to leave in favor of someone else? Is there not cruelty in betrayal and desolation? Is it not cruel toward God, Who made us in His image, to place the physical body and sensual pleasure above the vastly more important spiritual concepts we ought to be investing in?
“For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses His own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works” (Matt. 16:26-27).
Perhaps self-cruelty is worse than any other kind. How miserable will it make one feel to know throughout eternity that he is in torment due to his own choice! Jesus calls all to live up to the potential God gave mankind at the Creation. Everyone is invited to live by the high moral precepts that befit those created in the image of God. The opportunity for living righteously is available to all—if we just humbly obey God. Why do people refuse to do so? Why are we so cruel?