Mo'Nique on Gays and the Black Church: "God Don't Make Mistakes"

Remember that must-see episode of The Mo'Nique Show where Mo'Nique and veteran R&B singer Miki Howard discussed gays in the black church? Mo'Nique, who was just nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her dynamic role in Lee Daniels' Precious, talks more about the hypocrisy of the black church toward its many gay and lesbian members in an interview with BET's a Clay Cane at Advocate.com. It's a great interview.

Recently on your talk show you had R&B singer Miki Howard as a guest. Both of you said you grew up with gay people in church and there wasn’t anything wrong with it. That was so refreshing to hear. Could you elaborate on your experiences with gays in the church?
I actually was not a person that grew up in church — that’s what Miki was saying and I was agreeing. Now, I know a lot of folks that go to church and are gay. I tell them, “God don’t make no mistakes, baby, and we keep using it when it’s convenient.” If we are all made in his image, there are no mistakes. I think it’s absolute foolishness, just in my humble opinion, when people make statements like, “It’s blasphemy and you’re going to hell!” Really? And I’m a child of God — do you think God set me up? I’ve never bought in to it. With gays and church, I think there are so many of our brothers and sisters that’s in pain because they go to a place to receive nurturing, the love of God, and you start hearing that you’re going to hell because of who you were made to be. I just don’t buy that!

On homophobia in the black church:

I interviewed Lee Daniels in September and he said he feels very much alone in the black community being openly gay. We know not all black folks are homophobic, but what do you think it will take for some sectors of the black community to have a shift in consciousness when it comes to the gay community?
Love. That’s it; there is no special formula. People that have a platform, if they start speaking about love — we are creatures that latch on, may it be negative or positive. So imagine that if in all of the black churches they started saying, “Let’s love each other unconditionally. Let’s not judge.” That’s it! You can have members be openly gay! Not “Well, we think Troy is gay, but you know! Yes, he switches, but we’re not gonna say nothing!”

He’s the choir director!
Baby, he’s the choir director! You’re telling people to love life, but you’re telling them to live a lie. If we’re given these platforms and we are truly vessels of God or the universe — the God that you think you’re representing — that gay person is his child as well. You’re telling his child, “You’re going to hell.” I don’t think God is appreciating how we continue to separate his children. I just don’t think he’s appreciating that or she’s appreciating that or they’re appreciating that — whatever that beautiful thing is, I think they’re saying, “You know what? We gonna slap the shit out of somebody because we love all of them!” [Laughs]

In your role as Mary Jones in Precious, when you walked away from that final monologue, did something in you say, “I wore that out!”
Nope. When Lee Daniels said, “Cut,” we left it right there. My husband was like Mama — just be it, don’t judge it, and leave it right there. We didn’t celebrate after that scene. It was like, “All right, baby! I’m gonna catch my flight!” That’s what it was.

"God don't make no mistakes." Love. It.

Mo'Nique also won the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Awards for her role as Mary Jones in Precious. 

Read the entire interview at Advocate.com.

You May Enjoy:
Lee Daniels in "Attitude"
WATCH: Mo'Nique: "Gay and in the Black Church? God Loves You"
Mo'Nique: Take Two
Mo'Nique ♥ Gays

Comments

[Earvin M]

BAM!

[Mr. FAMU]

Still not understanding why black people suck so hard on the Judeo-Christian religion.

Screw all that "It's okay for me to be gay and believe in a mythical being crap"

With or without a mythical beings approval I am going to be a proud openly gay black male.

[Rodney M.]

What I love about her comments is that it's really simple. Love. We can pose all the religious and sociological arguments until Kingdom come, and I love the way she disarms all of that by simply telling the truth. Love. Her.

[ff]

The message is on point. I just dont think it's reaching the target audience. The people who need to hear this arent reading the Advocate.

[CC]

Just love her!

[Ryan]

LOVE MONIQUE!!!!

Her talk show may be a hot mess and so *NOT* playing to her strengths as a talent, but seriously, she got her a fan for life for this...

And, please understand this: Come March 7th, Monique can add OSCAR WINNER to her name also! :)

[James M]

Honestly I was really shocked by this article. I thought Monique was totally against gays - especially since watching her Queens of Comedy. After reading this I think maybe Lee Daniels taught her a thing or too about US. I'm glad Monique is supporting us and showing whats right.... Now if only BET would promote this article....

[thegaytekeeper]

He certainly does not...

[DT]

I'm really happy she is taking this stance and showing so much support for the many people she is already surrounded by. It will still be an uphill battle but the more people are engaged and educated on our LGBT community the more we will be accepted as regular ole folks which at the end of the day is what we are, no better no worse...