Andy Kropa/Getty ImagesSherri Shepherd is walking on thin ice by talking about religion and homosexuality.
The 46-year-old View cohost recently did an interview with Fusion host Alicia Menendez in which she opened up about her conservative Christian faith.
When asked what she thinks is the public's biggest misconception of her, Shepherd said, "I think people don't know my heart. I think people feel I'm very judgmental. I think people feel I'm very homophobic. If they knew me, and knew my heart...If you come to me respectfully and ask me about my beliefs, I'll talk to you about anything."
Shepherd went on, "You grow up being a Christian and you have grown up believing homosexuality is a sin, you're going to hell if you're a homosexual. This is something that they teach in churches, literally. So it's something that I grew up believing. And being on the show has really forced me to go, 'What are your beliefs, Sherri? What is God saying? It says one thing in the Bible and you have these people in your life and how does this apply to you, Sherri?'"
"I always tell people, 'I may not agree with your lifestyle. I may not agree with your lifestyle, but I love you,'" she said. "You may not agree with my lifestyle, but you love me."
Shepherd continued of homosexuality, "Some people say it's a choice. I don't say it's a choice. If you tell me, 'Sherri, I was born gay.' OK. I'm not gonna argue with you, because I can't tell you how you feel and what's going on inside. I'm trying to make it up to heaven by the skin of my teeth…So if you tell me you're born [gay], I'm not gonna argue with you. And I absolutely respect you for that. I just ask that people respect how I feel, respect how you feel and we can have a great dialogue. And then afterwards, let's go get a drink."