Oprah Winfrey may be on her way to earning the anger and ire of the gay community and of pro-gay rights Americans. The famous TV figure approved an 8-episode series by Pastor John Gray called The Book of John Gray on the Oprah Winfrey Network.
The show premiered over the weekend and has been described variously as a comedy, a drama, and a documentary. It has also been described as a show that showcases the “uniquely humorous” way in which Pastor John Gray helps people. However, John Gray is a sworn enemy of [homosexuality], and his show on the Oprah Winfrey Network has created ripples of anger from her gay and pro-gay rights fans.
@Oprah are you aware of the dangerous things that your new “star” John Gray has said about the LGBTQ community? @OWNTV
— Corey Barger (@coreybarger) April 21, 2017
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Hey @Oprah I hear you gave “pastor”John gray a show…. So he can spill more hate #hypocrites
— billy binns (@liyahboy) April 20, 2017
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@Oprah John Gray???? Really, Oprah. Why?
— Jeff Davis (@Jeffrey94464829) April 21, 2017
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@RealJohnGray being gay is no more avoidable than being black. #LEARNIT, #Oprah WTF were you thinking??
— Michael Schirmer (@mschirmersf) April 19, 2017
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John Gray, an associate pastor at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church, has been open about his anti-gay views. The Houston-based Pastor has often tweeted about his views, saying that being gay was no less a crime than fornication, adultery, telling lies or any other sin. Winfrey, who has been otherwise viewed as a progressive, accepting woman, may fall out of favor with pro-gay rights campaigners. Accusations are being raised that Winfrey’s choice to give space to the Pastor on her network may be rooted in her own faith as a practicing Christian.
The two personalities have clashing views on homosexuality. While Winfrey has hosted LGBT people on her show, inviting them for interviews, Gray has unashamedly denounced the LGBT community. In 2012, he denounced gay judge Tonya Parker for announcing that she will not conduct any weddings unless gay weddings get legalized in Texas. He passed a comment on this announcement saying that if a straight Christian judge had announced to do the opposite, they would have been fired. In contrast, Winfrey interviewed Ellen DeGeneres on why she came out as a lesbian back in 1997.
The Christian President of United States believes something different from the God he serves. Anyone else a little concerned?
— John Gray (@RealJohnGray) May 9, 2012
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homosexuality is no different from fornication, adultery, lying or any other sin God was clear about. It’s all the same-4those who believe.
— John Gray (@RealJohnGray) April 29, 2013
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@girlontherun71 speaking truth isn’t judgment. Passing sentence is judgement. I pass no sentence. Love speaks truth to a lie.
— John Gray (@RealJohnGray) April 29, 2013
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Everyone is allowed to get married based on state laws. But dishonoring ppl of faith by adding clear church imagery is wrong. #Grammy‘s
— John Gray (@RealJohnGray) January 27, 2014
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Winfrey’s decision to give space to Gray will definitely disappoint a lot of fans, besides giving an impetus to questions about whether she has secretly been against gay rights all along. Her actions have prompted people to feel like she is endorsing the anti-gay views of the pastor, and is becoming a party to such rhetoric against the LGBT community.
Pastor John Gray at @oprah #supersoulsessions 4/6/17 @EnzosDad pic.twitter.com/PSvlZeyvub
— Mari Hill (@askmarihill) April 10, 2017
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SOURCE: World Religion News – Kelly Frazier
Some Fans and Viewers are Coming After Oprah for Giving John Gray a Show on OWN Over His Criticism of President Obama’s Support for Homosexual Marriage and Calling Homosexuality a Sin
Oprah Winfrey has found herself on the end of some more-negative-than-usual tweets this week after her latest reality TV show aired.
The Book of John Gray follows the life of the leader of the largest congregation in the United States, pastor John Gray, described by the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) website as “a dramedy docu-follow hybrid about the life of John Gray and his uniquely humorous way of helping people”.
But the decision to give the pastor his own show has proven controversial as John has tweeted openly in the past about his disdain for the LGBT community, including criticising President Obama’s support for same-sex marriage and referring to homosexuality as a sin.
homosexuality is no different from fornication, adultery, lying or any other sin God was clear about. It’s all the same-4those who believe.
— John Gray (@RealJohnGray) April 29, 2013
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So when the new series premiered on Saturday (April 15), it wasn’t long before Oprah’s fans and viewers began questioning why she would give an “anti-gay” pastor his own show, and sharing their disappointment.
“Why are you giving an anti-gay pastor [his] own show? I thought you were AGAINST hate,” one Twitter user commented, while another added: “Shame Shame Shame giving Pastor John Gray that has been vocal about his anti-gay views a platform attached to you.”
@Oprah @RealJohnGray Why are you giving an anti-gay pastor show own show? I thought you were AGAINST hate. #Disappointed #Oprah
— Ron Klopfanstein (@RonKlopfanstein) April 19, 2017
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@Oprah Shame Shame Shame giving Pastor John Gray that has been vocal about his anti-gay views a platform attached to you #StopHate #LGBT
— DallasLynMiller (@IamDallasLyn) April 18, 2017
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SOURCE: Digital Spy
Megan Davies
BCNN1 WP 