www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News Reaction to Elton John's blasphemy

After hearing this, I shuddered with pain and disgust, and thought that again the Christian world was going to be silent. Thank God for Archbishop Seraphim of the very spiritually dynamic Metropolis of Piraeus in Greece.

Elton John is no sir, says bishop

The bishop of Piraeus, Seraphim, has written to Queen Elizabeth II of the UK to complain about recent comments by British singer-songwriter Sir Elton John, in which he claimed that Jesus Christ was a “compassionate, super-intelligent gay man who understood human problems.”

John made the comments in an interview with US Parade magazine last week, sparking outrage from church organizations in America and other countries.

Now Seraphim has called on worshippers in Greece to make their anger known to Queen Elizabeth and Britain’s Foreign Office over what he termed the “unacceptable and absurd” comments made by the artist.

The bishop said Christians around the world are expecting the queen to respond to John’s comments by stripping him of his knighthood. Seraphim also wrote to Britain’s ambassador in Athens, David Landsman, to express the “deep pain and bitterness” caused by the comments.

www.bbcnews.com [bbcnews.com]

Besides being a beloved child of God, Elton John probably is just another self-centered, flamboyant, kooky celebrity with talent.

Be that as it may, he seems to be rather short on sensitivity to to the cherished convictions of some of his fellow human beings.

I bet he didn't intend to blaspheme - he may not even know what blasphemy is.

Nevertheless I applaud all who bring attention to the irritation his misguided remark has caused and I hope he'll not repeat it.

Most Gay men think all men are gay...

Whether Elton John believes this or not, Jesus Christ is considered the Son of God by Christians. God is perfect and sinless and though having once been embodied, He is not to be even thought of as having orientations of any kind.

To discuss Him, the One who is sacred and holy, and the one who is our Creator, in this context publically is both unacceptable and offensive.

(*my righteous indignation is aimed towards him and not you or your post)

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me and on the whole world!

Sounds like the rantings of an irrelevant man who just wants to get his name back in the news. The more we advertise his statement, the more media blitz the gay lobby will have. I think the best we can do is just pray that God will protect the hearts and minds of people from this trash.

Slava Isusu Khrystu!

Yes, I tend to agree that we can do without trash from Sir Elton John. I think that he is to be pitied and that we should pray for him!

God Bless,

John Doucette

Dewi,

Interesting observation, but I think it's a bit more complex than that. My thought is that most gay men have a very stereotypical view of what "straight" men are like, according to which very few of us qualify as straight--certainly no one who scores high on either sensitivity or intelligence.

In light of this, I actually think Elton John was intending--from his point of view--to pay Our Lord a compliment.


Peace,
Deacon Richard

Had Sir Elton John said what he said without the 'gay man' bit, it would have been proper and a positive opinion, albeit not a theological one.

The part about 'gay man' was absolutely offensive and I am very happy that the Metropolitan in Greece is speaking up. By standing back and allowing this overly sexualized culture continue to push the envelope with this nonsense into the realm of the sacred, by simply praying without speaking, is something we may all answer for.

What kind of friend doesn't speak up when his friend is misjudged or inappropriately categorized? What kind of child does not speak up when his parent is being slandered?

I agree about prayers for those who hate us, slander us, and say all sorts of things against us, but this isn't about *us*, this is about Our Father, our Lord, God!

Prayer has its place, but Christian silence is not golden in this world of misguided 'celebrities' saying whatever one feels and it being spread via electronic media throughout the world.

Again, I thank God that the good Metropolitan is speaking up. It is no coincidence that his metropolis has a 24/7 religious live radio station and lots of other dynamic outreach.

Alice

I think Sir Elton is trying to get Christians' goat and I won't get played. I defend his right to believe and say just about anything short of yelling 'Fire!' in a crowded theatre, even if it's stupid. I saw him once. Talented.

it takes one to know one.

Gee.....what does he expect the queen to do about it?


fr. mike

Dear Father Mike,

I would suppose the answer is that she will do 'nothing', but I think the point he was making is that this is not the type of statement (considered blasphemy to most conservative Christians)that a titled and honored person should be making publically, as it is extremely offensive and painful to us who worship Jesus Christ as the Son of God.

With all due respect, is it better to say nothing to anyone and for him to have to answer at the Judgement Day as to why he, entitled as a leader of Christ's flock, did not defended the honor and purity of our Master and our God, even if he knows that it will not result in anything?

The Muslims defend the honor of their prophet Muhammed to the extent that when a very expensive Hollywood motion picture made of his life was never released because of their pressure at what they felt was dishonor, and we stand idly by when our Lord Himself is defamed?

Our collective Christian apathy in these current times, is quite disheartening.

May our Lord have mercy on us all, myself as first sinner of all...

Respectfully,
In Christ our Lord,
Alice

The Queen has enough problems figuring out how to preserve the monarchy.

Understood, but not only is she the one who bestowed the honour of knighthood upon Elton John, but she is also the Titular head of the church of England AND defender of the faith...so, the Archbishop's complaints to her are justified.

From www.wikipedia.org:

"Defender of the Faith" has been one of the subsidiary titles of the English and later British and Commonwealth monarchs since it was granted on November 24, 1521, by Pope Leo X to King Henry VIII of England. The title was conferred in recognition of Henry's book Assertio Septem Sacramentorum (Defence of the Seven Sacraments), which defended the sacramental nature of marriage and the supremacy of the Pope. This was also known as the "Henrician Affirmation" and was seen as an important opposition to the early stages of the Protestant Reformation, especially the ideas of Martin Luther.

Following Henry's decision to break with Rome in 1530 and establish himself as head of the Church of England, the title was revoked by Pope Paul III (since Henry's act was regarded as an attack on "the Faith") and Henry was excommunicated. However, in 1544, the Parliament of England conferred the title "Defender of the Faith", then mainly against Catholicism, so the inverse of the original papal grant, on King Edward VI and his successors, now the defenders of the Anglican faith, of which they (except the Catholic 'renegade' Mary Tudor) remain the Supreme Governors (formally above the Archbishop of Canterbury as Primate).

During The Protectorate in the 1650's, the republican heads of state Oliver Cromwell and Richard Cromwell, although claiming divine sanction, did not adopt the style "Defender of the Faith". However, the style was reintroduced after the restoration of the monarchy and remains in use to this day.

Modern usage

In her capacity as queen of the United Kingdom, Elizabeth II is styled, "Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith". The title "Defender of the Faith" reflects the Sovereign's position as the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, who is thus formally superior to the Archbishop of Canterbury.

In reality it was the government of the day that gave him his knighthood. Just as in reality it is the Prime Minister who appoints the Archbishop of Canterbury. Buckingham Palace will just pass on any complaints to Number 10 Downing Street for the committee that prepare the honours list to prepare and answer that the Palace will get back to include in any acknowlegdgement of the letter back to the sender.