Note to parents: Remember the saga of Katy Perry

First with her actions and now with her words, a former gospel singer has clearly demonstrated her animosity and bitterness toward the faith of her childhood – and that's sad, says a Christian apologist.

Pop singer Katy Perry – a preacher's kid raised in a Christian home – received an award over the weekend from the Human Rights Campaign, the largest pro-homosexual lobby in the U.S. In her acceptance speech, she stated:

"When I was growing up homosexuality was synonymous with the word 'abomination,' and [the word] 'hell' – a place of gnashing of teeth, continuous burning of skin ....

"No way, no way. I wanted the pearly gates and the unlimited FroYo toppings – so most of my unconscious adolescence, I prayed the gay away at my Jesus camps."

Her speech also included a jab at Vice President Mike Pence, an evangelical Christian (see video below).

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"As a Christian and with a heavy heart, I learned that she is essentially repudiating her Christian upbringing, distancing herself from the truth of the gospel."

That's Christian apologist Dr. Alex McFarland, who says Perry's "de-conversion" probably calls into question whether her original claim to faith had any validity – although he says that's a question only God can answer.

But according to McFarland, Perry's choice to walk away from her Christian roots does present a cautionary tale for parents:

"The saga of Katy Perry is a classic reminder to parents that we need to make sure our children don't just have a religious or an emotional experience, but that [they] do have an authentic, born-again relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ," he shares.

Perry was accepting HRC's National Equality Award.