Spinner

Elton John Banned in Egypt Over Remarks About Jesus

Elton John has been banned from performing an upcoming gig in Egypt as a result of remarks he made earlier in the year that suggested Jesus was a "super-intelligent gay man" and accused Middle Easterners of being homophobic. The New York Daily News reports John's May 18 concert was canceled by Mounir al-Wasimi, the head of Egypt's Music Union.

Jesus is considered a prophet to worshippers of Islam, and John's remarks are considered an insult to the religion. John, who first came out in the '80s, is married to David Furnish.

"A homosexual who wants to ban religions, claimed that the prophet Issa [Jesus] was gay and calls for Middle Eastern countries to allow gays to have sexual freedom [can't perform]," al-Wasimi reportedly told Contactmusic.

In a February interview with Parade magazine, John also condemned countries in the region, which are largely Islamic, for hating on homosexuals. "Try being a gay woman in the Middle East – you're as good as dead," he said in that article.

All the AOL Music info you want to know

The Civil Wars See Positive Side of…

The Boot

Fred Hayes, Getty Images In an age when the Internet's social media sites…

Katharine McPhee: 'Smash' Misadventures…

AOL Music Blog

Stephen Lovekin, Getty Images "'Smash' has a set in Brooklyn, and on my…

Andrew W.K. Writes a Snowboarding…

Noisecreep

Andrew Strasser The World Snowboarding Championship kicks off today, Feb. 10,…

See all AOL Music »

Add a Comment

Sign in »
*0 / 3000 Character Maximum

440 Comments

Filter by:
karen

Mark, shut up, just shut up with such stupid RUDE comments

May 18 2010 at 7:46 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
karen

Kuddos to Egypt for banning his nasty mouth!

I had every album Elton made when I was a teen. Now, he is nothing but a hateful, obnoxious ,rude person and that has ruined his music for me.

May 18 2010 at 7:44 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Betty

I think Elton John is talent in his music but, ignorance in religion, He should read the Bible first before ignorantly say that Jesus was gay. Just because he is gay he should not try to convince anyone else to become gay or see gays as an alternative life style I know many gay people who has change there lifes style. Elton needs to appologize for his ignorance remarks.

May 18 2010 at 6:04 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Big Al

Why all the shock & surprise? This is, after all, Islam we're talking about. This is the "Religion of Peace" that uses razor blades to excise clits from pre-teen females. This is the death cult that stones females who've been raped. BTW-They also stone gays. In a world of moral equivalence, you get what you tolerate.
Enjoy!

May 18 2010 at 1:37 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
rce

re banned artists~I think Bjorks an alien!
Big picture people.....

May 08 2010 at 10:51 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Mark

Come on guys wake up, of course JC was gay, was there any doubt about that. Of course no one would ever say that.
But if you look at the pictures and read the bible, it hits you in the face all over the place.
So what.
Catholic Priests are just doing his bidding LOL

May 07 2010 at 6:24 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
kybo

Any one ever heard of Charles Darwin.

May 07 2010 at 5:09 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
3 replies to kybo's comment
A simple follower

Why are messages promoting or approving a deviant and anti-social way of life rated as "high ranked" while those favouring love of all mankind are rated "lowest ranked"? The Christian message is surely being under attack by wayward members of the broadcast media.

May 07 2010 at 4:00 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to A simple follower's comment
spinnereditor

"Highest ranked" and "lowest ranked" is based on the ratings (red and green arrows) that your fellow commenters are giving to your comments.

May 07 2010 at 4:55 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Lydia Ackley- Kingston, Ontario Canada

And God made man in his own image. That goes for you me and Sir Elton.

Cant wait to see you in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
I'll be up front mezmerized!
Lydia

May 07 2010 at 3:29 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Keith

I hardly think Elton cares. Why the comments would even garner this reaction is beyond me.

May 07 2010 at 2:31 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply