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Sinead O'Connor Slams Anti-Gay Priests

from PlanetOut

Irish singer Sinead O'Connor has slammed the Catholic Church's "witch hunt" against gay priests, warning church leaders that they are "blasphemous" for criticizing gay people.

The controversial singer said she believes senior figures in the Catholic Church are now "preaching against love" in the campaign against lesbian and gay people.

The pope is thought to be considering a document that may ban gay men from joining the priesthood. In addition, a Vatican team is conducting a thorough review of U.S. seminaries with a focus on identifying gay students and alumni.

O'Connor says priests should not say they represent Christ if they oppose sexual diversity.

"There are people who say they represent Christ but actually they preach against love, which is blasphemous as far as I'm concerned," she said. "The teaching against homosexuality is blasphemy."

"God created gay people, so who is anyone else to say you should not be gay?"

The comments are not the first time the singer has courted controversy regarding the Catholic Church. She suffered criticism and boycotts in the United States during the mid-90s, when she ripped up a picture of the pope during a stage appearance on Saturday Night Live.