In an interview with the Bahama Journal over the weekend, Bahamas Christian Council President Bishop Sam Greene indicated that some council members are busy putting together a response to the issue.
While this is certainly not the first time that a homosexual cruise has included The Bahamas as one of his destination hotspots, this latest voyage is being billed as the “first ever gay cruise with family values.”
Launched by comedienne and former talk show host, Rosie O’ Donnell, the week-long trip to Florida and The Bahamas will reportedly feature sun, fun and gay fertility lectures on topics like adoption and artificial insemination, surrogacy and other matters of particular interest to gay parents or gay parents to be.
O’Donnell, who founded the cruise company with her partner Kelli O’Donnell, and Gregg Kaminsky, hopes to lure more than 2,000 gay and lesbian parents and their relatives to take the voyage.
But the announcement will not come without its share of feedback from the Bahamas Christian Council, which has in the past spoken out against gay cruises visiting the country as well as same sex unions.
Only a few years ago, hundreds of anti-gay demonstrators chanted “Go Home!” when a cruise ship chartered by Olivia Cruises and Resorts – a travel company that caters to lesbians – docked in downtown Nassau.
It was reported that the cruise ship, which had sailed from Miami was carrying about 800 passengers, all women and mainly from the United States.
The protesters held signs that read, “God made woman for man” and “We don’t want sissies.”
Adopting a hard-line no-nonsense approach to the issue, just last year Bishop Greene said that should The Bahamas pass legislation legalizing same sex marriages, he would become the first Guy Fawkes to succeed in blowing up Parliament.
His comments were made even though there had been no plans announced to bring such any bill of this type to parliament.
The homosexual issue was re-ignited after the Episcopal diocese in New Hampshire moved ahead with its decision to consecrate an openly gay, non-celibate priest as bishop.
Macushla N. Pinder, The Bahama Journal
