Televangelist Pat Robertson on Thursday told a woman not to worry about her daughter's coming out gay because eventually she is going to be “disillusioned” and want “out of it.”

Robertson, an ardent opponent of gay rights, gave his advice during The 700 Club's Bring It On-Line segment, in which he answers viewers' questions.

“Our daughter shocked us with the news that she has a girlfriend – yes, a homosexual relationship,” a viewer named Anna wrote. “Our children were raised in church. We are battling this and letting her live at home. (No one is allowed over.) She is 21 and was always very feminine – this came out of nowhere. I am devastated and also a worship leader in a large town. Should I step down from ministry?”

Robertson told Anna she should remain in the church, then went on to suggest that her daughter was gay because she was molested as a child.

“She needs somebody to help her get her identity straight,” he said. “She may not be right in this. She may have thought she has a crush on some older girl along the way and she’s actually homosexual when she's not. I don't know. Why is she that way? Was she molested when she was younger?”

Co-host Terry Meeuwsen chimed in, saying that it's “crazy” that people are “telling kids to explore.”

“Well, the girl on girl movies, more and more and more they're getting straight actresses to play lesbians and straight men to play homosexuals and if you say anything against homosexuality you are just hooted out of court,” Robertson said.

“But I do think you need to love your daughter and give her a chance to work this out,” he added, “because if she gets deeper and deeper in it, sooner or later she is going to be disillusioned and say, 'This is wrong. I want to come out of it.'” (The video is embedded on this page. Visit our video library for more videos.)