Prince Likes Soup. Gays, Not So Much.

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On the way to work today, I was reading my copy of this week’s New Yorker, when I stumbled across this Talk of the Town piece on Prince:

Recently, Prince hosted an executive who works for Philip Anschutz, the Christian businessman whose company owns the Staples Center. “We started talking red and blue,” Prince said. “People with money—money like that—are not affected by the stock market, and they’re not freaking out over anything. They’re just watching. So here’s how it is: you’ve got the Republicans, and basically they want to live according to this.” He pointed to a Bible. “But there’s the problem of interpretation, and you’ve got some churches, some people, basically doing things and saying it comes from here, but it doesn’t. And then on the opposite end of the spectrum you’ve got blue, you’ve got the Democrats, and they’re, like, ‘You can do whatever you want.’ Gay marriage, whatever. But neither of them is right.”

When asked about his perspective on social issues—gay marriage, abortion—Prince tapped his Bible and said, “God came to earth and saw people sticking it wherever and doing it with whatever, and he just cleared it all out. He was, like, ‘Enough.’ ”

Wow. Really? Dude is a Jehovah’s Witness, so you know, I guess.

G.D.

G.D.

Gene "G.D." Demby is the founder and editor of PostBourgie. In his day job, he blogs and reports on race and ethnicity for NPR's Code Switch team.
G.D.
  • Shawn L.

    “God came to earth and saw people sticking it wherever and doing it with whatever, and he just cleared it all out. He was, like, ‘Enough.’ ”

    That’s a direct allusion to the Sodom and Gomorrah story where the men in town demanded that Lot bring out his angelic visitor, “so that we may know him”. And God hated their wickedness so He destroyed the city. So if Prince regards the Bible as the ultimate authority, he’s absolutely right that the God of the Old Testament hated homosexuality.

    It always struck me as bizarre, even in the context of these fanciful stories, that incest in the Old Testament was A-OK but homosexuality could get you stoned to death or struck down by the Almighty.

  • I am totally not surprised.

    I saw him perform a few weeks before he came out as a Jehovah’s Witness, and he said some CRAZY shit.

    Shit like, “What’s wrong with the Middle East? Don’t they know who the son of God is?”

    And then he’d break out into Darlin Niki. Whatever.

  • I’m surprised. Somehow I assumed the artist behind “Cream” might feel differently.

  • e.

    prince talking about gay people… there are so many things I could say. I didn’t know he was a Jehovah’s witness, learn something new every day. And I’m mad about “he just cleared it all out. He was, like, ‘Enough.’ ” That’s enough.

  • sweett

    but doesn’t the Bible also say that God can’t stand “the effeminate”? what else do you call a man who is notorious for wearing pumps? and purple? and having a short cut curled to perfection at all times? i could go on all night… but i guess the point is, “get the beam out your eye before you point out the splinter in your neighbor’s.”-the Bible

  • Prince HAS stuck it in wherever and HAS done it with whatever! Maybe this Jehovah Witness angle he’s playing is some elaborate method of repenting. Perhaps the only way to make up for his debauched past is to say a bunch of stupid shit!

  • this is what happens. it’s called extremism. he was a sexual maniac; now suddenly he’s an angel (and a hypocrite). at some point i hope he finally achieves balance. if not, then he’s just a kook who used to do great music — remember Michael Jackson?

    also, as usual, a bible-thumper points to the bible and says ‘this says everything’. people like this don’t know how to think. they might as well be cattle, or in Prince’s case, gerbils.

  • ladyfresshh

    So…no one else has a problem with the assumption that only republicans want to live according to the bible?

    which or course is incorrect they simply want everyone else to live according to the bible while they themselves can “do whatever they want”

    but mainly lesson of the story is religion has little to no place in politics

  • Rahsaan

    Can’t say that I’m surprised at all. Zealots will be zealots. After years and years of arguing with people over the authenticity of the Bible as “the word of God,” I’ve learned to just say “enough.” People will have their faith. When it comes to the Bible, I have faith that it’s not the word of “God.” Moreover, I’ve faith that “God” is not some anthropomorphized man passing judgment on humans, based on human standards of judgment. What’s even weirder about many people of faith to me is that they do what’s “right,” not because they feel it, but because it’s what “God” told them to do. Didn’t God also tell the Israelites to destroy the Canaanites unprovoked and take their land?

  • republicans tend to define themselves by the bible or some other doctrine. ‘someone great once said do this, so this is what they do.’ i’m sure there are others out there who live their lives by the bible — i’m personally not sure why, but to each his own.

    as for religion having no place in politics, i politely and totally disagree. religion is all about politics. faith, however, has no place in politics in a separation of church and state kind of way. i don’t care if you believe in the flying spaghetti monster, which i think is hilarious by the way, as long as you are not an asshole who tries to force your beliefs on me or run my country based on those beliefs.

    sorry, have to add this link: http://www.venganza.org/ have a good spaghetti monster laugh! it’s brilliant!

  • Pingback: Prince Speaks Out Against Homosexuality and Gay Marriage | Prose Before Hos()

  • Prince didn’t say anything that actually affects the freedom of homosexuals. He didn’t advocate for any kind of harassment or violence. He didn’t say anyone had to agree with him. He’s not in a position to run the country based on his beliefs. He alluded to the Biblical passage of Sodom and Gomorrah and that’s it. He was asked for his personal opinion and he gave it based on what he believes. Who cares? It’s f’in Prince.

    In response, the Bible he points at is referred to as “bizarre,” “fanciful stories,” Prince’s sex life and dress habits get targeted, the Bible is misquoted to point out his hypocrisy, and Bible-thumpers are called [mindless] cattle and gerbils. Though they may be understandable responses to offense, they are as useless in progressive discourse as Prince’s own statements were.

    Prince’s response to that question contributes to the discourse against homosexuality. The responses on this thread contribute to the discourse against people believing what they want. What’s interesting is that after all the pointed fingers and sucking of teeth, nothing has changed regarding the fall of intolerance and the civil rights of gay people. Neither people who believe that homosexuality is wrong based on their faith, nor people who think it’s okay are going to change their perspective where it counts. What good does it do then, for someone of either opinion to disrespect those who disagree with them, besides to make people defensive and more stubborn?

    What should be an debate about civil rights then goes off on a tangent about the validity of folks’ faith, because religious people insist on inserting faith into the debate, and their opponents contribute to the misdirection by attacking faith and its adherents, instead of consistently re-directing the focus back to civil rights where it belongs. I guarantee if this is how all the discourse goes down, both the religious and the gays will gain nothing in public opinion, where the battle has to be won if intolerance is ever going to end for either group.

  • And LF, I thought that the whole Republicans are about the Bible thing was stupid, too. There are Christian and other social conservatives on both sides of the political spectrum, it’s just the loudest most visible ones in politics are white Republicans. Scott is right as well – separation of church and state is what’s necessary.