“That’s not something you condemn someone for. And I think that’s what’s consistently happened in the churches. People have said, ‘Hey, I’m attracted to the same sex. [And often, people in the Church will say]: ‘Oh, you’re going to Hell.’ That’s not OK,” the rapper added.
“On top of that, people outside the Church have said, ‘Hey, not only am I same-sex attracted, I’m acting on it.’ And the Christian community is pointing fingers again. But what about all the people outside the Church who do all kinds of things that we would consider sin? Like, where’s the uproar for, I don’t know, gluttony? You know what I’m saying?” he continued.
Lecrae said his “biggest issue” when it comes to the uproar over Lil Nas X is that the outcry isn’t “even about his sexuality.”
“It’s about his lifestyle choices, in general,” Lecrea said. “People are upset about his lifestyle choices. People are upset about rappers’ lifestyle choices, in general. People are upset about non-Christian lifestyle choices, in general. What are we expecting? Why do we not expect sinners to sin? I don’t understand that.”
Lecrae’s commentary comes a little over two weeks after Lil Nas X, a 24-year-old widely known for his hit song “Old Town Road,” posted on Instagram a teaser for his new music with the caption, “Y’all mind if I enter my christian era?”
Lil Nas X, whose real name is Montero Lamar Hill, is seen in a video clip wearing a long denim skirt, sporting a hairdo with straight black hair past his shoulders and wearing a T-shirt that reads: “If God doesn’t exist, then who’s laughing at us?”
In the clip, the rapper sang the following words:
“Father, stretch my hands. The lonely road seems to last the longest. Help me with my plans. Everything seems to go to nowhere. Free me from worry and wanting pity. Free me from all this envy in me. I don’t want these feelings. I call on angels. I’m trying hard to face my pain. Give me hope when I feel less. Angels, I’m trying hard to keep my faith.”
Following his post, the openly gay rapper took to social media to state that his dabbling in Christian music will not impact his sexuality.
In his podcast, Lecrae said he wonders if Lil Nas X has had any “frustrations or presuppositions or ideas about how Christians act toward him, because potentially … he wasn’t treated well historically” by the Church.
“I can only imagine what his experience has been being an outright gay man growing up in a religious environment,” Lecrae said, adding that he’s heard that Lil Nas X was raised by a Christian father who listened to Lecrea’s Christian rap music.
“[It’s] not a secret the Christian community does not treat the gay community well — [and] has not historically. That’s because there are varying degrees of perspectives and objectives as it pertains to Christians engaging culture.”
After summarizing the parable of the Prodigal Son, Lecrae said it’s time for Christians to stop being the first to cast a stone and start showing love to “sinners.” He said Christians should be ready to disciple them in truth and with the fruit of the Spirit.
“It’s our job to show them where forgiveness and love … just permeates and transforms everything. It’s almost as if people forgot they were ever folks who made poor choices,” Lecrae said.
