Pastor who will preach to Donald Trump before inauguration called gays "filthy"

Impact

President-elect Donald Trump will start Inauguration Day being preached to by a controversial pastor who has derided numerous groups of people including Catholics, Muslims, Mormons and LGBT citizens, CNN reported Thursday.

The Rev. Robert Jeffress will preach at a private church service Friday morning at St. John's Episcopal Church, directly across the street from the White House — an Inauguration Day ritual.

But Jeffress' inclusion in the service could start Trump's inauguration day off with controversy. 

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Jeffress' past statements include calling Islam an "evil religion" that "promotes pedophilia." 

He called Mormonism a heresy "from the pit of hell," said the Catholic Church represents "the genius of Satan" and that gay people are "filthy" and "prone to disease"

Jeffress is not the only controversial religious figure who will be part of Trump's inaugural festivities. The Rev. Franklin Graham, who will pray at Trump's inauguration, called Islam "a religion of hatred. It's a religion of war." And the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a group run by a rabbi who will deliver remarks at the inauguration, named President Barack Obama the biggest anti-Semite of 2016.