Ian McKellen 'Proudly' Rips Leviticus 18:22 Out of All Bibles

By PopEater Staff Posted Nov 2nd 2009 11:50AM

Note to hotel managers: unless you want it to be altered forever, remove that Bible from Sir Ian McKellen's bedside drawer before he shows up.

In a Q&A with Details magazine, the openly gay 'Lord of the Rings' star admits to a habit of tearing out the Bible passage that condemns homosexuality -- Leviticus 18:22 -- every time he finds one in his hotel room. The passage: "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination."

"I'm not proudly defacing the book," he asserts, "but it's a choice between removing that page and throwing away the whole Bible."

McKellen says his actions have inspired others to do the same. "I got delivered a package of 40 of those pages that had been torn out by a married couple I know. They put them on a bit of string so that I could hang it up in the bathroom."

The actor, who didn't come out of the closet until he was 49, talks openly about hiding his sexuality in order to build a successful career. "Acting was a means to publicly display my emotions in a way that was illegal for me to do as a private person."

He adds: "It was horrible living this secret life. You could feel a little bit what it was like to be a Jew in central Europe during a certain period. It was horrible."

Asked if he had ever considered getting married, McKellen says the act "never crossed my mind that it'd ever be possible for me."

"That's the scar that I and so many others bear -- we believed ourselves to be second-rate citizens for so long, the idea of being able to say 'This is my husband, these are my children' was not an option. I remember Tom Stoppard saying to me when I came out, 'I feel so sorry for you, because you'll never have children.' These days I would say, 'Well, why not, Tom?' But 20 years ago I accepted his judgment."

Tags: bible, ian mckellen, IanMckellen

Comments

(527)

Monday 02 November

By jababaland

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Ian McKellan is a great actor, but this action is stupid at best. First, the bibles in hotel rooms do not become the property of the guests, so he has no right to rip out pages or his alternative of throwing them away. As one person suggests, just leave it in the drawer. I'm so sick of the gay community whining over the sad state of things. As a Christian, I am perfectly content to not judge them for their lifestyle, so why can't they do the same? It never ceases to amaze me that so few people recognize that Christians are the most persecuted people in this country and across the world. Live your life as you will, Sir Ian, just don't tell me what the bible SHOULD say.

By Mark

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Well put and you hit the nail right on the head

By Joe

Vote down Vote up Report this

Kazu- The problem is you expect people to learn from their mistakes but as long as you believe in God you cant make any mistakes.. Ask any religious person that and they will tell you lol. Whole countries hate each other because of their beliefs. Nothing will ever change. Things will just get worse all in the name of God.

By lordsfitness

what if there really is a God? do you really want to take a risk in dying and then meeting Him in persona after blowing Him off? ya got balls.....
ps lol

By greg

Well said.

By mojo

not only leviticus but duerrotemy also condemn same sex relations. do you think God didn't mean it , God means every word in the bible. Jesus said in revelations let no man change a word in this book.. yet to think a phrase you don't agree with you think it is not being noted against you? if you need to change what God spoke maybe you should change your lifestyle

By Rachele

The reality is the Bible condemns sex before marriage and adultery of heterosexuals who predominantly run churches in Christendom. Rather than address the truth that 99% of their parishoners are screwing around before the wedding day, or cheating on their marriage mates, they point the finger at 5% of the homosexual population. After all, the tithe of 10% of the church goers takes presedence before any moral standards are upheld by ALL so called "Christians."

By BIG Bill

Mr. McKellen what you are doing is vandalism. It is NOT YOUR book. If you have a problem with it, please notify the hotel staff. Otherwise your act is criminal. And censorship. Let people make their own decision regarding what is written in a book of stories written by men.

The Bible condemns straight people having sex before marriage and those that cheat on their marriage mates too! They are lumped in the same pile as homosexuals. Read it for yourself!

Wait a second, did I miss something here? I dont ever remember the bible was a word for word account of what God said to someone. The bible is just a book started by someone and then added to throughout the time. What I wonder is, through out time when some found the book and added on to it more words of God, so how come no one now can add on to it? Has God run out of things to say? lol

By Jason

The "Book Burners" continue to be in our existence. The difference between today and the 1950's is now they're on the left instead of the right.

By phil

Ian, who really cares how many pages you tore out of The Bible cause you didn't agree with a passage? AOL sez you "Proudly ripped Leviticus!" I am not impressed.
If you truly wish to be daring... Call a press conference and rip a few pages out of The Koran. Publicly call Mohamed a homosexual. You'll soon be dealing with more drama than you ever encountered on the big screen.

By wendy

By tearing out the pages in the Bible won't help you come judgement day ian you are what you are . And it doesn't change what GOD said .GOOD LUCK EXPLAINING TO GOD WHAT AND WHY YOU DO WHAT YOU DO. When its your time to go.There is no way you can change GODS WORDS JUST BECAUSE YOU TEAR OUT PAGES> GROW UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By Ponber B

Low Ranked Vote down Vote up Report this

HaHaHa! Gods words! Hahaha. The bible was written by men two thousand years ago in an area of the world which hasn't stepped out of the dark ages yet.

HaHaHa! Gods Words...you humans are too much.

By fpeirce

It seems to me that Adolf Hitler also practiced "book burning" in order to keep the masses from being educated and making their own decisions. It's sad to see how low some "open minded" liberals will go to suppress other people's viewpoints.

By ed gilmartin

There are passages in the Qu'aran that say the same thing. DOes he tear those pages out too. Defacing the Qu'aran could result in his death.

By bbuck913

The Bible insinuates it is immoral to be homosexual and there are those who beat people to death for being homosexual. Yet somehow, because they killed someone who was "gay", that justifies their killing them. I don't recall the Bible saying "Thou shalt not kill! Oh unless they are homosexuals"!

By melissajl69

Deuteronomy 12:32 says, "See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it." Revelation 22:18-19 says, "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book." If one reads the Bible, it is plain that God will not be mocked- by anyone. Please know that ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. But there is hope for us all. It doesn't matter what your sin is, be it homosexuality, adultery, lust, greed, whatever it is, Christ came and gave His life so that all who would believe in Him and repent(turn away) of their sin would not die as they deserve, but have eternal life. My prayer is that all who do not believe would be convicted by the power of the Holy Spirit right now. Strength to live without your life being characterized by sin comes only through Christ.

By solomeeo

Take it up with the author!!

By dbrad6961

The bible was written by men who thought the earth was flat.

Page 5 of 27