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Christians Urge Boycott Of ‘Beauty And The Beast’ Over Openly Gay Character

By Lindsay McCane
Published on: 02:53 PST, Mar 4, 2017

Christians around the world are urging a boycott of Disney’s Beauty in the Beast for its inclusion of an openly gay character.

On Wednesday, it was reported that Beauty and the Beast, starring Emma Watson and Dan Stevens, would include an openly gay character, which is a first for a Disney movie. The character, LeFou is played by Josh Gad, and serves as Gaston’s, the villain of the movie, sidekick.

“LeFou is somebody who on one day wants to be Gaston and on another day wants to kiss Gaston,” the film’s director Bill Condon said, according to Attitude Magazine. “He’s confused about what he wants. It’s somebody who’s just realizing that he has these feelings. And Josh makes something really subtle and delicious out of it. And that’s what has its payoff at the end, which I don’t want to give away. But it is a nice, exclusively, gay moment in a Disney movie.”

Although some feel that the LGBT inclusion is a big step for Disney, Christian leaders are now calling for a boycott of the film over Disney pushing an LGBT agenda.

Franklin Graham, an evangelist from North Carolina, and the son of evangelist preacher Billy Graham, took to Facebook on Thursday to share his thoughts about the movie, and explained why Christians should not see it.

“Disney has aired a cartoon with same-sex couples kissing,” Graham wrote in his post. “It has also been announced that their new movie Beauty and the Beast will feature a gay character in an attempt to normalize this lifestyle. They’re trying to push the LGBT agenda into the hearts and minds of your children—watch out!”

“Disney has the right to make their cartoons, it’s a free country. But as Christians we also have the right not to support their company. I hope Christians everywhere will say no to Disney. I met Walt Disney when I was a young boy—he was very gracious to me, my father Billy Graham, and my younger brother when we visited. He would be shocked at what has happened to the company that he started.”

At the end of Graham’s post, which has since been shared over 90,000 times, he asked his followers to leave comments to tell Disney what they think about their decision to include a gay character in their movie. Check out some of their comments below.

“Im going to be sick,” one Facebook user wrote. “Perversion to destroy the minds of our children. Sorry no more Disney for me and my family. Wont be paying money to see anymore of the star wars franchise. The only way these disgusting people will listen is to take away their income and lifestyles.”

“This is like spitting in God’s face, the people that is letting this happen will surely burn in the pit of HELL,” another Graham follower added. “What will happen to the children that will have this drilled in their brain.”

Still, another user wrote: “There is a time and place and Disney needs to stay with movies like they always did in past. I dont have kids but hope any of my friends that do will Boycot these movies. I definitely wont be going and i sometimes watch them when come on TV but will not watch these.”

You can watch the official Beauty and the Beast trailer below.

What do you think about Disney including its first openly gay character in Beauty and the Beast? Will you be watching the film? Leave your comments below.

[Featured Image by Jesse Grant/ Getty Images]

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