After Charlie Hebdo attack, U.S. Catholic group says cartoonists ‘provoked’ slaughter

In the aftermath of the deadly assault on the offices of Charlie Hebdo, a French satirical newspaper, much of the world has rallied in solidarity with the publication, its irreverent cartoonists and their right to free speech.

But not everyone is so supportive. Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, a U.S. organization that "defends the rights of Catholics," issued a statement titled "Muslims are right to be angry." In it, Donohue criticized the publication's history of offending the world's religiously devout, including non-Muslims. The murdered Charlie Hebdo editor Stephane Charbonnier "didn’t understand the role he played in his [own] tragic death," the statement reads.

"Had [Charbonnier] not been so narcissistic, he may still be alive," Donohue says, in what must be one of the more offensive and insensitive comments made on this tragic day.

"Killing in response to insult, no matter how gross, must be unequivocally condemned. That is why what happened in Paris cannot be tolerated," says Donohue. "But neither should we tolerate the kind of intolerance that provoked this violent reaction."

Pope Francis prays for the victims in Paris and asks God to "change the hearts" of the perpetrators. (Reuters)

The statement says Charlie Hebdo has "a long and disgusting record of going way beyond the mere lampooning" of religious figures. "They have shown nuns masturbating and popes wearing condoms," Donohue says. "They have also shown Muhammad in pornographic poses."

Among the covers is a too-racy-for-WorldViews depiction of the Christian Holy Trinity locked in a three-way homosexual orgy (as part of a critique of French religious leaders' opposition to gay marriage) and a whole array of images mocking pedophilia by priests.

Charlie Hebdo doesn't pull its punches. But some critics say it goes too far, specifically with Muslims. The newspaper, after all, fired a cartoonist who published an article deemed anti-Semitic in 2008. But when it comes to depicting Islam, writes the Financial Times' Tony Barber, the publication has no qualms specifically "mocking, baiting and needling French Muslims."

Donohue, who in his statement presumes to speak for all Muslims, is not concerned with that argument. Instead, he clings to a defense of religious sensitivities bound to infuriate free-speech advocates and secularists and pins the fault of a terror attack on its victims.

The statement ends with a quote from U.S. founding father James Madison: "Liberty may be endangered by the abuses of liberty, as well as by the abuses of power." In other words, we may be free to speak, but we have to appreciate the value of that right. Donohue should follow his own advice.

Elton John: Jesus Would Support Gay Marriage

Elton John and partner David Furnish  (Source:AP Photo)

Sir Elton John told Sky News last weekend that he believes Jesus Christ would back same-sex marriage.

Sir Elton, who plans to marry filmmaker David Furnish next year, told the news site that Jesus would have supported the union of gay members of the clergy.

"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," the singer said. "He was all about love and compassion and forgiveness and trying to bring people together. And that is what the Church should be about."

Sir Elton’s comments come as London’s LGBT community celebrated gay Pride on June 28.

The iconic pop singer went on to laud the Catholic Church, saying it deserved credit for progress that has been made in the last few years. Sir Elton specifically mentioned Archbishop of Canterbury and Pope Francis, calling the pontiff a "wonderful" man.

"The new Pope has been wonderful, he’s excited me so much," Sir Elton said. "He’s stripped it [the Church] down to the bare bones and said it’s all basically about love."

The singer said that gay clergy should be allowed to get married and suggested that celibacy vow for Catholic priests should be nixed, Sky News writes.

"These are old and stupid things," he said. "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 was all about love and compassion and forgiveness and trying to bring people together and that’s what the church should be about."

When Sir Elton was asked about his own wedding, he said he won’t be marrying until at least next year.

"However, when we do do, it will be very quiet and off the cuff - we had our big shebang when we had our civil union," he added.

CNN’s Chris Cuomo embarrasses Catholic League’s Bill Donohue during debate on Arizona’s anti-gay law

Catholic League President Bill Donohue thinks Christians are “being besieged.” During an appearance on CNN with Chris Cuomo, the two had a heated debate in the wake of Arizona’s recently vetoed bill SB 1062 that would have allowed business owners to discriminate against LGBT people based on religious belief.

Donohue conceded that discrimination against LGBT individuals was wrong — except for marriage, but he insisted that marriage is “about family, it’s not about love,” going on to say that “marriage has always been based historically on duty and commitment.”

Not believing his ears, Cuomo said, “you do not own marriage– it was not developed by Christians,”

“I have Christianity, I have Judaism, I have the Muslims, I have Mormons, I have most of the world, who regard this idea as bizarre– that two men should get married,” Donohue shot back.

Watch the entire segment in the video below:

Steve Grand on Being Gay, Catholic, and Proud

While many people already know Steve Grand by the title "first openly gay male country singer" (in truth a misnomer), few are aware that Grand's Catholic upbringing and faith remain essential parts of his identity and image. A member of a tight-knit Catholic church in the Chicago suburbs, Grand maintains in an interview with The Huffington Post that his close relationship with the Catholic community is 100% compatible with his life as a gay man in the media spotlight.

Grand said he has been both surprised and moved by the reactions to his first video. Fans have declared him a "hero," while critics have accused him of betraying the gay rights movement - both by expressing support for the Catholic Church and by refusing to condemn the Christian therapist he was sent to by his parents to be "cured" of his homosexuality.

"A lot of people have criticized me for playing at Catholic churches, where I made a lot of money, and I was shocked by that," Grand said. "In my mind, I think it could only be a good thing. Ten years ago, I was sitting in those same pews, and if I'd seen an openly gay musician leading the songs of worship in church, that could have really changed my life and saved me many years of feeling that I was somehow wrong."

It what may seem like a surprise to many, Grand's church has been nothing but supportive of him, his identity, and his career. Grand received a standing ovation from his church last month when he stood in front of the congregation and said, "You know, I'm gay. And I think that's okay and I really believe that God loves us for who we are, gay or straight."

Father Kurt Boras, the priest at the church, holds Grand up as a model Catholic and says Grand's visibility has sparked new discussions and dialogue within his congregation about faith and sexuality.

"I've never seen this before. It's opened up conversations with me that are unbelievable, really" he said. "A lot of folks have come to me and said, 'I have a gay daughter, a gay son.' This young man has really opened up some conversations that maybe I would never have had as a pastor and they're coming and saying, 'Can we talk to you?'"

You can check out Grand's newest video, "Stay" right HERE.