Prophet TB Joshua’s YouTube account has been suspended for some videos shared on the channel.
Premium Times reported that between 2016 and January 2020, the channel had published at least seven clips showing the charismatic Christian televangelist engaging in a violent exorcism to “cure” gay and lesbian worshipers of their sexual orientation by casting out “the demon of homosexuality ”.
YouTube suspended the channel, which had more than 1.8 million subscribers on April 12, after openDemocracy contacted it to ask if any of the content violated the platform’s community guidelines.
A YouTube spokesperson told openDemocracy;
“The YouTube community policy prohibits hate speech, and we remove videos and comments reported that violate these guidelines. In this case, we have ended the channel.
“YouTube prohibits content alleging that a person is mentally ill, ill or inferior because of their membership in a protected group, including their sexual orientation. “
Daina Rudusa, spokesperson for OutRight Action International, the global LGBTIQ human rights organization, also said;
“It’s great to see social media platforms playing a bigger role in tackling these harmful practices by banning accounts spreading hate speech and promoting conversion practices.
“So-called conversion therapy is neither therapy nor results in conversion” and has been recognized as “tantamount to torture”.
It was also learned that Facebook had taken action against certain content from TB Joshua. Unlike YouTube, which suspended the entire ministry channel, Facebook said it had “removed a number of content from this page for violating its policy.”
The Facebook company spokesperson said;
“We do not allow attacks on people because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, including content promoting conversion therapy services.
“We take attacks on the LGBT + community very seriously and encourage people to report this type of content when they see it so that we can investigate.”
When openDemocracy asked TB Joshua Ministries to comment on his pastor’s actions towards LGBT people and his YouTube channel was taken down for hate speech, the ministry did not respond. However, he has launched a social media campaign to challenge the decision which he says was “rushed”.
TB Joshua, however, confirmed that his YouTube channel was suspended in a tweet he shared. He wrote;
EMMANUEL TV YOUTUBE SUSPENSION: Our mission is to share the love of God with all – regardless of race or religion – and we strongly oppose all forms of hate speech! We have had a long and successful relationship with YouTube and believe this decision was made in a hurry.
On Facebook, he urged members of his church to raise concerns about his channel’s suspension on other social media platforms.
TB Joshua wrote;
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: Suspension of Emmanuel TV’s YouTube channel !!!
Emmanuel TV’s mission is to share the love of God with all – regardless of race or religion – and we strongly oppose all forms of hate speech! We have had a long and successful relationship with YouTube and believe this decision was made in a hurry. We appreciate your prayers and support as we make every effort to appeal this decision and see the chain restored.
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