Former Bahamas Christian Council President Bishop Simeon Hall hit out at the organization, accusing some members of being “homophobic” and remaining quiet on too many issues facing the nation.
The Christian Council recently kicked off its anti-gambling campaign. But Hall said that issue is one of the few the group is willing to speak out against.
While he stressed that he is not promoting gambling, Hall said he does not support the stance the Christian Council has taken on the gambling issue and suggested the organization concentrate on something other than its “Vote No” campaign, which seeks to persuade Bahamians to vote no in the January 28 gambling referendum.
“There is something fallacious about what the church as a whole, or about what the Christian Council, is doing,” Hall told The Nassau Guardian.
“Now I’m a part of the Christian Council. I was once the president, but I totally disagree with this because… the Christian Council seems to be populated by a group of men who are number one homophobic and that’s the only time that they come alive or they pick small things [to speak out against].
“… Nothing has been said by the Christian Council about the 38,000 who were disenfranchised by CLICO. Nothing has been said about child abuse in this country. They miss so many of the big issues.”
However, Christian Council President Rev. Dr. Ranford Patterson said the organization has also spoken out on other social issues.
“There are thousands of issues in this country,” Patterson said. “Issues that are on the table now are issues that we are dealing with.
“We’ve dealt with every social issue that [arose] in this country. This issue is paramount and that’s why we are dealing with it.”
He was referring to the gambling issue.
