WASHINGTON – "Christian" country-music superstar Carrie Underwood responded to criticism of her support for homosexual behavior by WND Editor Joseph Farah to the Associated Press, saying "I was asked a difficult question in the last five minutes of an interview and I answered it the best way I knew how, and after that I do what I do and I love making music and I generally try to stay out of any kind of controversy."
Earlier this month while being interviewed by the U.K. paper the Independent, Underwood suggested she supports same-sex relationships and marriage.
"I definitely think we should all have the right to love, and love publicly, the people that we want to love," she said, before adding, "Our church is gay friendly," she says. "Above all, God wanted us to love others. It's not about setting rules, or [saying] 'everyone has to be like me.' No. We're all different. That's what makes us special. We have to love each other and get on with each other. It's not up to me to judge anybody."
The Associated Press reported: "Many wondered how the more conservative members of Underwood's huge fan base would react and a pastor in Tennessee claimed that the singer was operating on a basic misunderstanding of the Bible. Joseph Farah, editor of right-wing website WND takes Underwood to task in a commentary he posted earlier. ..."
"What is a "gay friendly" church?" Farah asked. "Is it one that affirms people in their sin? Or is it one that welcomes sinners and confronts them with it to bring them to the saving knowledge of Jesus? I suspect Carrie Underwood attends a church that does the former rather than the latter."
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Underwood told the AP she felt pressure during the interview with the Independent.
"The role-model word is really scary to me, because no matter what happens in your life, something you do, wear, say, sing, whatever – somebody somewhere is probably not going to like it too well," she said. "I just really try hard to do what I do and try to be nice to people and make great music and if people think they can look up to that, that's wonderful. If not, that's OK too."
Farah said he was not blaming Underwood so much as the churches that teach it is better to condone any behavior defined in the Bible as sin rather than share the gospel of repentance and forgiveness.
"That is a true expression of love – to share the gospel with sinners," said Farah. "We're not commanded by Jesus to make people feel comfortable in their sin."