Ian McKellen doesn't take anti-gay criticism well. Nor should he!

The famous actor spoke out this weekend against Scottish Bishop Joseph Devine, who this year blasted Queen Elizabeth for adding McKellen to the Order of Companions of Honour last year.

In his attack, Devine described gay activists, including McKellen, as "a giant conspiracy' which 'we [the catholic church] neglect at our peril."

Getting a bit of oratory revenge, McKellen took the following shot at not-so-divine Devine:

From the pulpit, homophobia is preached by some arrogant religious leaders who think their beliefs are superior to our inborn and, some would say, God-given nature.

The Bishop of Motherwell addressed his flock and told them how appalled he was that I had received an honour and that 100 years ago I would have been imprisoned like Oscar Wilde.

He feels that the Roman Catholic Church is beleaguered in some way.

Out actor Simon Callow also lambasted Devine, calling him "a profoundly ignorant and stupid man."

The Rt Rev Joseph Devine doesn't read Hillary Clinton's playbook. The Bishop of Motherwell refuses to apologize after blasting a so-called "gay conspiracy". Devine alleges that we gay folk are working on a coalition with other "persecuted" groups, like Holocaust survivors. The Catholic leader also points a finger at actor Ian McKellen.

The homosexual lobby has been extremely effective in aligning itself with minority groups.

It is ever-present at the service each year for the Holocaust memorial, as if to create for themselves the image of a group of people under persecution. We neglect the gay movement at our peril.

I want to ask you if you are able to see the giant conspiracy that's taking place before our eyes, even if we didn't see it at the time. I take it you're beginning to see that there is a huge and well-orchestrated conspiracy taking place, which the Catholic community missed.

Drat! Our plans have been discovered! Abort, abort!