Jesus was gay.
At least, that’s what Sir Elton John believes, as stated in his recent Parade magazine interview. And the real shame of it is that he said seven things about Jesus, six of which I couldn’t have agreed with more. So let’s focus on the positive. Here’s what he said.
“I think Jesus was a compassionate, super-intelligent gay man who understood human problems,” he stated. “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.”
Think about his assertions. Jesus was “compassionate.” Yes! He was super-intelligent. Wow, I wish more conversations were had about the intelligence of Jesus which has pre-dated every piece of leadership development material, relationship literature and the host of self-help stuff available today.
“He understood human problems.” Oh my, did He. I agree with E.J., that Jesus both modeled and taught a gentle understanding of what goes on at the depth of the human soul.
Even the most unchurched person has probably heard that Jesus forgave his tormenters from the cross, the model for true forgiveness. He didn’t wait for an apology or acknowledgement of wrong-doing before extending forgiveness. And He taught us to love others like the Good Samaritan and forgive our brother “seventy times seven” times.
But, oh, back to that one other comment, that Jesus was “gay.” Like I said, I agree with him on six of the seven. I wish the others would get more headlines. I wish it didn’t take a comment like Jesus’ potential homosexual orientation to sell magazines and increase web traffic. To try to make Jesus “gay” requires altering the material we trust for information about Him, and once you start doing that you could make Him to be just about anything you want. the problem is, we don’t get to know anybody that way. To interpret anyone–alive or historical–according to what suits us is as biased as it is oppresive. He wasn’t just saying Jesus loved or accepted gay people. He’s saying Jesus was gay.
But, like I said, I agree with Sir Elton on six of the seven, and will focus on that!