Dr. James Dobson, whose organizations, first Focus on the Family and now Family Talk radio, have brought his Christian, pro-family advice to tens of millions across America and around the world, is warning parents now about the subversive message that Disney is promoting.

Regarding the homosexual element in "Beauty and the Beast."

In a website statement, he blasts the once-family-friendly company for its new agenda.

"I am appalled by Disney's blatant, agenda-driven decision to introduce homosexuality into a children's classic which originally did not include this theme," he said.

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"This decision is not surprising in an age where pro-homosexual propaganda is foisted upon every movie and even awarded and celebrated. It is a subtle yet clearly deliberate attempt to normalize homosexual behavior, starting with our children.

"The recent decision by Highlights Magazine to include gay couples in their children's publications is another tragic example of this concerted effort. We all know it isn't mere 'happenstance,'" he wrote.

Sign the new online petition calling for an American boycott of Disney "until it stops promoting homosexuality in children's movies and programming."

The movie already has been No. 1 for two weekends in a row, raking in cash totaling about $88 million in its second weekend.

The Christian Science Monitor said, "A movie placing first at the box office two weeks in a row, as 'Beauty and the Beast' has done, is a relatively common feat now, but data shows that a movie ruling over the box office for months is a feat that was much easier to achieve in decades past."

WND reported Disney long has promoted the "gay" agenda at its theme parks, featuring, for example, "gay days" that have moved the company far from founder Walt Disney, who "personally" fired Tommy Kirk, the actor of "Swiss Family Robinson" fame, over his homosexuality.

But since then, Disney used "out" singer Elton John's music for "The Lion King" and more.

Now its move to promote being "gay" to children has prompted reactions including a petition calling for a boycott of Disney "until it stops promoting homosexuality in children's movies and programming."

Franklin Graham, CEO of Samaritan's Purse and the Billy Graham Association, also has called for a boycott.

"Disney has aired a cartoon with same-sex couples kissing. 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," he wrote on Facebook.

"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."

Graham noted that when he was a young boy he met Walt Disney, who was "very gracious to me, my father Billy Graham, and my younger brother when we visited."

Walt Disney, he said, "would be shocked at what has happened to the company that he started," Graham wrote.

He encouraged readers to "let Disney know how you feel."

Sign the new online petition calling for an American boycott of Disney "until it stops promoting homosexuality in children's movies and programming."

Dobson continued, "And do not be deceived: this is not something to be dismissed as trivial. These moves, done in the name of diversity, are an invasion into the intimate role of parenting. They gratuitously expose children to a subject which falls solely in the domain of a mother or father to decide when and how to discuss. Parents, not corporations, should determine how they will raise their children.

"I know that this isn't the culturally acceptable thing to say. I know I will be labeled a 'bigot' by the true bigots of the mainstream media for believing in the Bible's definition of marriage. But we are way past cowering under the pressure of LGBTQ advocates. As a father, a counselor and a Christian, I will stand by what I believe, for the sake of our families and our children."

The furor already had reached a level that one participant in the movie project said he was not going to comment further.

Composer Alan Menken, who has won Grammy, Tony and Oscar honors over the years, says he's shutting up about it.

The Hollywood Reporter documented his concern.

Asked about the controversy, and whether the "supposed homosexual character Lefou" serves as a tribute to Menken's former Disney colleague Howard Ashman, who died of HIV, Menken said: "Being honest, it actually wasn't an idea that was discussed. I mean, I really allowed Bill [Condon, the director] free rein. Still, when I look at the movie, OK, if you want to interpret it that way, you could."

He told the Reporter: "The only difference is Lefou and Gaston are a little less exaggerated in their behavior, and there's this teeny little wink at the very end that doesn't really say anything. It's beyond tiny, it's not even visible. Listen, anything that’s about inclusivity and a tribute to Howard is a beautiful thing.

"But, at this point, I just – you know, with the attention that particular [issue] got, I'm just shutting up."

Sign the new online petition calling for an American boycott of Disney "until it stops promoting homosexuality in children's movies and programming."

It was movie director Bill Condon who spoke of the "exclusively gay moment" in the movie, when the character LeFou reportedly reveals his attraction to Gaston.

"It may have been a long time coming, but this is a watershed moment for Disney," Condon stated. "By representing same-sex attraction in this short but explicitly gay scene, the studio is sending out a message that this is normal and natural – and this is a message that will be heard in every country of the world, even countries where it's still socially unacceptable or even illegal to be gay."

MovieGuide noted Menken's comments, which included: "It's just nuts. As far as I can tell, some journalist in England decided to make it his cause célèbre to push this agenda. It's really not really part of the movie in any overt way at all. … any more than it was in the original. To me, it's an utter non-issue. I'd appreciate people realizing that it's a non-issue because it's just silly. But, that's journalism, and I understand.'

The MovieGuide report added: "Sadly, however, the director of the movie said during a recent press conference in Los Angeles that inserting the pro-homosexual (and pro-cross dressing) content into Disney's new version of the classic heterosexual fairy tale was a matter of 'diversity.' Also, contrary to the composer's comments above that the homosexual and cross-dressing elements were not 'overt,' Movieguide®'s screening of the movie found that this content was indeed overt and not implied."

The movie trailer is here:

The London Daily Mail also has reported on a same-sex kiss in the Disney TV show called "Star vs. the Forces of Evil."

"In an episode of Star vs. the Forces of Evil which aired on channel Disney XD a gay couple can be seen sharing a kiss for this first time in the history of the company," the report said. "In the second series of the cartoon, protagonist Star and her friend Marco attend a concert and find themselves surrounded by kissing couples. ... Among the crowd two men can be seen sharing a smooch and later in the episode two further lesbian couples are also spotted kissing."

Dobson has advised four U.S. presidents on family matters, and has said that when governments go too far, the Christian response is to follow God, not the law.

His comments came regarding a federal appellate court decision last year affirming a California law demanding that pro-life crisis pregnancy centers promote abortion to women who come to them for help.

"If California attempts to enforce this law then do not comply,” he said. “Make them put you in jail.”

The state law, the Reproductive FACT Act, was signed by Gov. Jerry Brown Oct. 9, 2015, and reviewed and upheld by the Ninth Circuit, which is widely regarded as the most-overturned and therefor least reliable federal court of appeal in the country.