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McKellen and Callow speak out against bishop
Some People Are Gay - Ian McKellen
Sir Ian McKellen and Simon Callow criticise bishopââ¬â¢s homophobia
"McKellen said: 'From the pulpit, homophobia is preached by some arrogant religious leaders' "
Two of the UK’s most distinguished actors Sir Ian McKellen and Simon Callow have accused Bishop Joseph Devine of preaching homophobia.
The row erupted after Divine, one of Scotland’s most respected clergymen, conveyed his disapproval of McKellen’s recent honour from the Queen.
Delivering his controversial speech to St. Aloysius College in Glasgow, the bishop went on to claim that LGBT activists were part of 'a giant conspiracy' which 'we [the catholic church] neglect at our peril.'
Sir Ian who earlier this year was awarded a Companion of Honour (CH) for services to drama and to equality, commented during his speech at a Stonewall dinner:
'From the pulpit, homophobia is preached by some arrogant religious leaders who think their beliefs are superior to our inborn and, some would say, God-given nature.
'The Bishop of Motherwell addressed his flock and told them how appalled he was that I had received an honour and that 100 years ago I would have been imprisoned like Oscar Wilde.'
Fellow thespian Simon Callow lent his support by telling The Sunday Times:
'The bishop is in my view a profoundly ignorant and stupid man in his views.
'All churches have thrived on prejudice… It’s a means of keeping people under their control and I think they are really shocked at how quickly the world has moved on, especially as it isn’t the world they would like it to be, so they cite biblical incidents as being the word of God.'
Sir Ian McKellen and Simon Callow are two of the most prominent gay actors of the stage and screen. They have both received CBE’s and in 1988 Sir Ian McKellen became one of the founding members of Stonewall, which is considered the UK’s most influential LGBT rights groups.
