Elton John Under Fire for "Jesus Was Gay" Comment

Pop superstar's remarks in Parade interview stir up controversy with a national religious group

Elton John's not exactly getting a rousing ovation for his latest performance.

In an interview with Parade appearing in newspapers Sunday, the pop superstar refers to Jesus Christ as "gay"—and, well, you can imagine how that went over with certain religious groups.

"I think Jesus was a compassionate, super-intelligent gay man who understood human problems," John tells the magazine. "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."

Not surprisingly, the red piano-toting star's comments didn't sit well with the Catholic League, the largest Catholic advocacy group in the country. 

League President Bill Donohue went on the warpath, issuing the following statement: "Jesus was certainly compassionate, but to say He was 'super-intelligent' is to compare the Son of God to a successful game-show contestant.

"More seriously, to call Jesus a homosexual is to label Him a sexual deviant. But what else would we expect from a man who previously said, 'From my point of view, I would ban religion completely'?"

So much for that whole loving your neighbor stuff.