Elton John: Jesus would be pro gay marriage

Speaking about gay marriage, John believed Jesus would not have stopped gay clergy or congregation from marrying someone of the same sex.



‘If Jesus Christ was alive today, I cannot see him, as the Christian person that he was and the great person that he was, saying this could not happen,’ he said.



‘He was all about love and compassion and forgiveness and trying to bring people together and that's what the church should be about.’



In the interview with Sky News’ Dermot Murnaghan, John criticized the advancement of global gay rights and revealed he will meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in November.



‘Globally, we seem to have gone backwards over the last 18 months,’ he said.



‘I will see Putin and talk to him - I don't know what good it will do though.’



John has been a vocal critic of Putin and his anti-gay stance, but Putin seems to be somewhat of a fan of the openly gay singer. In January, Putin told journalists: ‘'Millions of our people sincerely love him despite his orientation.'



Further discussing the topic of religion, John went on to praise Catholic leader Pope Francis.



‘The new Pope has been wonderful, he's excited me so much, he said.



‘He's stripped it [the Church] down to the bare bones and said it's all basically about love.’



When gay marriage was legalized in England and Wales in March of this year, John and Furnish announced plans to marry.



The couple, who have two sons, entered into a civil partnership on the day it became legal to do so in 2005 but said they now want to get married because ‘this is something that many gay men living in this country never dreamed would happen.’



However, the flamboyant singer said their wedding will be less high-profile than their civil partnership ceremony.



‘I don't think we can get married until next year,’ he said. ‘However, when we do, it will be very quiet and off the cuff - we had our big shebang when we had our civil union.’



SOURCE