TV host denies being a homophobe after reports on ‘gay cure’ pastor
A TV host has denied allegations of homophobia – breaking a months-long silence after report about his gay ‘cure’-supporting pastor.
Chip and Joanna Gaines, hosts of HGTV’s show Fixer Upper, attend Antioch Community Church, a megachurch in Texas.
In November, Buzzfeed came under fire from the religious right for questioning the pair’s affiliation with the church, whose pastor Jimmy Seibert is a promoter of gay ‘cure’ therapy.
In a sermon at the church, Seirbert had claimed that “90% of people who are in a full-blown homosexual lifestyle were abused in some way” and that “God is able to give us power over every sin, including homosexuality”, insisting it is a “lie” to suggest that gay people “cannot change”.
Seirbert defended his views in an interview, insisting attempts to ‘cure’ people of homosexuality – which are often considered a form of torture – “help people in their journey to find out who God is and who He has made them to be”.
The Gaines’ did not deny that they shared their pastor’s views about homosexuality – maintaining silence on the issue this week.
In a blog post this weel, Chip Gaines finally addressed about the reports – while failing to directly disavow gay ‘cure’ therapy.
He wrote: “This past year has been tough. In my lifetime, I can’t recall humanity being more divided.
“Plenty of folks are sad and scared and angry and there are sound bites being fed to us that seem fueled by judgement, fear and even hatred. Jo and I refuse to be baited into using our influence in a way that will further harm an already hurting world, this is our home. A house divided cannot stand.
“If there is any hope for all of us to move forward, to heal and to grow – we have got to learn to engage people who are different from us with dignity and with love.
“Joanna and I have personal convictions. One of them is this: we care about you for the simple fact that you are a person, our neighbor on planet earth.
“It’s not about what color your skin is, how much money you have in the bank, your political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender, nationality or faith.
“That’s all fascinating, but it cannot add or take away from the reality that we’re already pulling for you. We are not about to get in the nasty business of throwing stones at each other, don’t ask us to cause we won’t play that way.”
