Gospel Singer Kirk Franklin Apologizes for Church-Based Homophobia  

Grammy award-winning gospel singer Kirk Franklin devoted time during a recent interview to apologize to the LGBT community for how some in the black church have treated them.

During an interview with The Grio, the 45-year-old Franklin, one of gospel music's most high-profile artists, shared his thoughts about the religious bigotry he's seen LGBT people experience.

"I want to apologize for all of the hurtful and painful things that have been said about people in the church that have been talented and gifted and musical, that we've used and we've embarrassed...and all this other horrible crap that we've done," said Franklin. "We have not treated them like people. We're talking about human beings, men and women that God has created."

The singer went on to lament the twisted interpretations of The Bible, saying some Christians have turned it into a "homophobic manual."

"The Bible is not a book that's an attack on gay people," Franklin added. "It's not a book written to attack gay people."

"It is horrible that we have made it where the Bible is a homophobic manual. That's not what the Bible is. I mean you want to talk about things that God gets at...pride and jealousy and envy and arrogance.

"But what we also see is God sending his son to save us all, because we were all... straight, gay or whatever, lost and in need of a savior, and there's room at the cross for all of us."

The Grio post inspired more than 150 comments, both supporting and decrying the singer's remarks.

Franklin's latest album, Losing My Religion, was released last week.