Anglican Bishop Rennis Ponniah has issued a statement released on the St Andrew's Cathedral website urging the clergy and deaconesses to alert their congregation about the homosexual content in the Beauty And The Beast movie.

The movie opens in Singapore on Thursday, March 16, 2017.

In the live-action remake of the Disney classic, Josh Gad’s character LeFou is portrayed as being positively gay and having confused feelings for the handsome antagonist Gaston.

A gay character has been touted in the press as a Disney first.

Director Bill Condon said before the movie was released that it would feature a “nice, exclusively gay moment”, creating hype and speculation as to what the scene entails.

The Bishop wrote on March 11:

"Disney films for children's entertainment are usually associated with wholesome and mainstream values. But times are changing at a foundational level... LeFou is portrayed as gay and a 'gay moment' is included in the movie by way of a subplot."

"Parents are advised to provide guidance to their children about (the film), and indeed to their children's entertainment choices in a rapidly changing age."

He also said the Diocese and the National Council of Churches will work on a fuller advisory this week for the movie.

Spoiler alert: Turn your phone upside down to read all about the LeFou gay moments that transpired in Beauty And The Beast:

This is the statement in full:

STATEMENT FROM BISHOP RENNIS 11 MARCH 2017

By Bishop Rennis Ponniah

Dear Clergy & Deaconesses,

It is needful that you alert your congregation about the homosexual content in Disney’s re-make of Beauty and the Beast – a film scheduled for screening during the March school holidays.

Disney films for children's entertainment are usually associated with wholesome, mainstream values. But times are changing at a foundational level. In this new live-action remake of the classic film , the character LeFou is portrayed as gay and a 'gay moment' is included in the movie by way of a sub-plot.

Parents are therefore strongly advised to provide guidance to their children about this re-make of 'Beauty & the Beast' , and indeed to their children's entertainment choices in a rapidly changing age. Let us pursue Prov 22:6 " Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it."

The Diocese and the National Council of Churches are working on a fuller advisory to our members in the coming week.

With the Lord's blessing as we shepherd our people.

Bishop Rennis Ponniah

11 Mar 2017

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