Elton John: Religion creates ‘hateful lemmings’

updated 12:09 a.m. ET Nov. 12, 2006

LONDON - Organized religion fuels anti-gay discrimination and other forms of bias, pop star Elton John said in an interview published Saturday.

“I think religion has always tried to turn hatred toward gay people,” John said in the Observer newspaper’s Music Monthly Magazine. “Religion promotes the hatred and spite against gays.”

“But there are so many people I know who are gay and love their religion,” he said. “From my point of view, I would ban religion completely. Organized religion doesn’t seem to work. It turns people into really hateful lemmings and it’s not really compassionate.”

John also criticized religious leaders for failing to do anything about conflicts around the world.

“Why aren’t they having a conclave? Why aren’t they coming together?”

John said those in his own field have been similarly lax.

“It’s like the peace movement in the ’60s. Musicians got through to people by getting out there and doing peace concerts, but we don’t seem to do them any more,” he said. “If John Lennon were alive today, he’d be leading it with a vengeance.”

MORE FROM CELEBRITIES

Celebrities Section Front

Spears and Federline settle custody case Paparazzi, guards fight at Jolie chateau Halle Berry says paparazzi went too far Bale seeks privacy over ‘deeply personal matter’ Dixie Chick welcomes third daughter Amy Adams engaged to Darren Legallo Pitt threatens legal action over family photos Rapper DMX pleads not guilty to felony charges Crow puts Fleetwood Mac 'Rumours' to rest Say cheese! I don't want your celeb life Celebrities Section Front   Add Celebrities headlines to your news reader: