Gospel singer Kim Burrell defends her sermon on homosexuality
Gospel singer Kim Burrell said that she is making "no excuses or apologies" for her sermon in which she referred to homosexuality as "perverted."
Burrell was scheduled to appear on "The Ellen Show" on Jan. 5, but it was canceled after a video of her sermon at the Love & Liberty Fellowship church in Houston surfaced online.
She and Pharrell Williams was supposed to perform the song "I See Victory," which is a soundtrack song for the film "Hidden Figures," a drama about three African-American NASA mathematicians that helped John Glenn travel into space.
In her sermon, she warned her congregation against engaging in homosexual behavior in 2017 while professing to be Christians.
"That perverted homosexual spirit is a spirit of delusion and confusion and it has deceived many men and women. And it has caused a stain on the body of Christ," Burrell said, as reported by The Christian Post.
Burrell explained in a Facebook post that she was addressing the people at her church, and she never referred directly to the LGBT community.
"I never said LGBT last night. I said S-I-N. And whatever falls into sin was preached," she said. She also denied allegations that she said God will kill all homosexuals in 2017.
She went on to explain that the video that was posted was not the entirety of her sermon.
"That [video clip] is designed by the enemy to make it look like I have a personal agenda against people," she remarked.
"I make no excuses or apologies. My love is as pure as it comes," she stated in a Facebook video, according to the BBC.
Ellen DeGeneres was asked by her fans to cancel Burrell's appearance on her show. She announced on Tuesday that the Gospel singer will no longer be appearing as a guest.
"For those asking, Kim Burrell will not be appearing on my show," she said on Twitter.
After Burrell's video sermon went viral, Williams issued a statement on Twitter saying, "I condemn hate speech of any kind," although he never referred directly to Burrell's comments.
Actress Janelle Monae, who was also scheduled to appear on the show, reposted Williams' message. Without mentioning Burrell by name, she added her own statement denouncing comments directed against the LGBT community.