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Alt-folk singer Michelle Shocked has prompted an audience walk-out after going on a hateful anti-gay rant. The 51-year-old reportedly said: "I live in fear that the world will be destroyed if gays are allowed to marry."

She went on to tell the crowd: "You can go on Twitter and say 'Michelle Shocked says God hates f-gs."

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Shocked reportedly joined the Pentecostal West Angeles Church of God in Christ in Los Angeles recently.

AN OPEN LETTER FROM MICHELLE SHOCKED

I do not, nor have I ever, said or believed that God hates homosexuals (or anyone else). I said that some of His followers believe that. I believe intolerance comes from fear, and these folks are genuinely scared. When I said “Twitter that Michelle Shocked says “God hates faggots,” I was predicting the absurd way my description of, my apology for, the intolerant would no doubt be misinterpreted. The show was all music, and the audience tweets said they enjoyed it. The commentary came about ten minutes later, in the encore.

And to those fans who are disappointed by what they’ve heard or think I said, I’m very sorry: I don’t always express myself as clearly as I should. But don’t believe everything you read on facebook or twitter. My view of homosexualty has changed not one iota. I judge not. And my statement equating repeal of Prop 8 with the coming of the End Times was neither literal nor ironic: it was a description of how some folks – not me – feel about gay marriage.

The show, and the rant, was spontaneous. As for those applauding my so-called stance that “God Hates Faggots,” I say they should be met with mercy, not hate. And I hope that what remains of my audience will meet that intolerance with understanding, even of those who might hate them.

Folks wonder about my sexuality, but denying being gay is like saying I never beat my husband. My sexuality is not at issue. What is being questioned is my support for the LGBT community, and that has never wavered. Music and activism have always been part of my work and my journey, which I hope and intend to continue. I’d like to say this was a publicity stunt, but I’m really not that clever, and I’m definitely not that cynical.

But I am damn sorry. If I could repeat the evening, I would make a clearer distinction between a set of beliefs I abhor, and my human sympathy for the folks who hold them. I say this not because I want to look better. I have no wish to hide my faults, and - clearly – I couldn’t if I tried.

With love, Michelle

FOLLOW-UP STATEMENT:

I believe in a God who loves everyone, and my faith tells me to do my best to also love everyone. Everyone: gay or straight, stridently gay, self-righteously faithful; left or right, far left, far right; good, bad, or indifferent. That’s the law: everyone.

I may disagree with someone’s most fervently held belief, but I will not hate them. And in this controversy, that means speaking for Christians with opinions I in no way share about homosexuality. Will I endorse them? Never. Will I disavow them? Never.

I stand accused of forsaking the LGBT community for a Christianity which is – hear me now – anathema to my understanding of faith. I will no doubt take future flack for saying so. I’m accused of believing that “God hates fags” and that the repeal of Prop 8 will usher in the End Times. Well, if I caused such an absurdity, I am damn sorry. To be clear: I am not now, nor have I ever been, a member of any so-called faith preaching intolerance of anyone. Again, anyone: straight or gay, believers or not: that’s the law.

That means upholding my punk rock values in the most evangelical enclaves and, in this case, speaking up for the most fearful of fundamentalists in, well, a San Francisco music hall full of Michelle Shocked fans.

As an artist in this time of unbearable culture wars, I understand: this means trouble, and this is neither the first nor last time trouble has come my way. And that’s fine by me.

I know the fear many in the evangelical community feel about homosexual marriage, as I understand the fear many in the gay community feel toward the self-appointed faithful. I have and will continue speaking to both. Everything else – facebook, twitter, whatever – is commentary.

Well, don't rush to judge!
You too, JackRiddler. Nasty piece of work, always think you know everything after scanning a few sentences and making some combos and leaps. Ozy Fucking Mandias with the 100 TV screens, eh? Then you talk like you're God and get all nasty on people and shit, rough them up for fun, always in a rush to label hidden right-wingers, Christians and whatnot. Fuck you. Fuck you, JackRiddler. No, seriously, someone's got to to put some limits on you, I don't care if I fucking get banned, what I'm saying is so true it can't even be hidden by spoiler.

JackRiddler wrote:Where are the mods? Why are they tolerating this kind of abuse? And didn't I think I had friends on this forum? You just watch Riddler dish out that kind of sickening abuse? What's happened to this place? Didn't we used to care for each other? Didn't everyone used to be smarter, and more radical? Damn, those days!

@Jack: I guess, to follow the rules and not be blamed equally for your outburst by people who think who started it never matters, I'm not going to say the Fuck You to you that you so deserve.

Nordic wrote:Based on that audio, I'd say she meant exactly what she said. In that she believes the same way these fearful Christians do.

Now she's trying to back out of it, based on her obvious need for money, as evidenced by her pandering for dollar bills at the very end when they were cutting her mic.

This is a very typical christian bullshit viewpoint. I have these people in my family and hear this crap all the time. It's the "love the sinner, hate the sin" nonsense that they spout.

"I love everybody"

"I think what homosexuals do is disgusting and wrong and sinful and god hates what they do".

They have no problem putting these two notions together in their head, because, hell, most of them are probably gay and they want to "love myself, hate my sin". Right?

And in the mindset of an authoritarian, Father-God, God will spank you if you engage in homosexual acts. Just like Daddy would if he caught you masturbating.

Her apology is bullshit, and if you read between the lines that's all she's saying "I love each and every human being, like God does". But she hates homosexuality. Which she probably hates in herself as well.