“BULLISH AGENDA”: Christian Council flogs US hoisting of Pride flag as “diplomatic bullying”

“BULLISH AGENDA”: Christian Council flogs US hoisting of Pride flag as “diplomatic bullying”
This combination of images shows, from left, the Bahamas Christian Council (BCC) logo and the LGBTQIA+ flag being flown alongside the US flag at the US Embassy in Nassau on Monday, June 1, 2021.

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Bahamas Christian Council said last night that while it supports the rights of each Bahamian to determine their own sexual preference, it does not believe that foreign governments, who are guests in The Bahamas, should “leverage their influence” to promote a lifestyle that contravenes with the “ideology of our country”.

“The Bahamas is a sovereign democratic nation that determines its own ideals, norms and laws,” read a statement from the Bahamas Christian Council.

“We respect the right of each nation to promote their beliefs in their own countries.

“We see the position of the United States Embassy as over-reaching and insensitive to the moral and ideological position of this country regarding the lifestyle of homosexuality.

“The Bahamas believes in the traditional family structure of one man and one woman.

“Hence, the decision to hoist and fly the Pride flag in a country whose moral and Judeo-Christian position is not only evident but prominent, is deeply concerning and could easily be perceived offensive to many of our citizens.”

The US Embassy in Nassau raised the rainbow Pride Flag below the American flag on Marlborough Street and at its Chief of Mission residence off Sanford Drive to honor the rights of the LGBTQI+ community in The Bahamas and around the world.

June is celebrated as Pride Month in the US.

In a statement of its website, the US Embassy in Nassau said the United States it is committed to pursuing equity for all and in flying the Pride flag this month, it hoped to highlight the contributions of LGBTQI+ people around the world and “open a space for honest conversations about the unique challenges they face”.

It noted this mission was a worldwide effort by the Biden administration and every US mission has been invited to fly the Pride flag or light up their embassies with rainbow colors this month.

The US Embassy wrote: “The struggle to end violence, discrimination and stigma against LGBTQI+ persons is a global challenge, and one that remains central to our commitment to promote human rights, democracy and fundamental freedoms for all individuals.”

Yesterday, the Christian Council said it does not support the mistreatment of citizens regardless of their sexual or other orientation.

But it said to say nothing without challenge would open the door for the US and other foreign nations to influence The Bahamas’ social and political structures by “way of diplomatic bullying”.

“We believe that all foreign diplomats should appreciate how offensive it is to attempt to impose their ideology unto other nations as they will never stand for us to do the same in their country,” the council’s statement read.

“This is a matter of respect and a diplomatic assault upon the consciousness of our Bahamian society.

“We hope the US embassy would reconsider their bullish agenda of forcing other nations to accept their social experiments of which they themselves are not united and use their force and might on noble missions such as solving world hunger.”

About Royston Jones Jr.

Royston Jones Jr. is a senior digital reporter and occasional TV news anchor at Eyewitness News. Since joining Eyewitness News as a digital reporter in 2018, he has done both digital and broadcast reporting, notably providing the electoral analysis for Eyewitness News’ inaugural election night coverage, “Decision Now 2021”.

12 comments

Nobody cares about what they have to say. Tell them do something useful and stop crying over democracy. They do not speak for all Bahamians.

Why does Eyewitness News and other media companies give this cancerous group a platform? They do not speak for me and they do not set the ‘moral position’ of the country. If anything, they represent they worst and most backwards thinking in Bahamian culture who want to keep us in the dark ages. Good for the US embassy and happy pride month!

Nobody speaks or could ever speak for all Bahamians! Individuals and organizations can do multiple things at the same time, We all can just agree or disagree with a position and move on!

Cudos to the Bahamas Christian Council for taking a stance against bullying by the US. Our Constitution highlights that we are a Christian nation founded upon Christian principles. Those principles, while promoting and enshrining the fundamental relationship of male and female as consistent with nature and science, do not prohibit freedom of choice in matters of sexual orientation. The US has its own problems with these cultural and ideological issues, why should it impose upon this tiny country conflicts that the US itself cannot resolve. To the US I would say, first, “Take the beam out of your own eye and then you would be able to see clearly enough to take the mote out of somebody else’s eye”.

Irresponsible headline and poorly contextualized article. Where is Royston’s editor?

The level of ignorance about our constitution is widespread and disturbing. We are constitutionally a secular state. The preamble to the constitution has a reference to christianity but the preamble has no legal force and is not dispositive in deciding constitutional questions.
Chapter I Article 1 of the constitution does have legal force. It notes: “The Commonwealth of the Bahamas shall be a sovereign democratic State.” Not a theocracy, not a Christian state, but a democracy. The constitution is not a code of moral standards nor is it a religious document. People should actually read it instead of parroting what religious charlatans have preached to them about it.

Lmaoooo the Bahamas Christian council crying in they pampas and shouting bloody murder over a FLAG. Boi this is hilarious aye XD

The US, if they are truly interested in justice and equity, should be flying “the Black Lives Matter” colours where there has been consistent and wicked oppression of black people and people of colour for more than 200 years than being promoters of the rainbow colours. What hypocrisy and selective value judgment!!

I hope because of the stand, they have taken the flag down.
We’re going to Stan for something or fall for anything.
It is an abomination unto God.
Who side are you on, God side or the world side.
Who’s report will you believe
I believe God report.

I hope because of the stand, they have taken the flag flying high.
We’re going to Stand for LGBTQ rights.
It is an abomination on to us to assume everyone on the islands speak of one mind.
Who side are you on, the Copy and paste Christian Facebook group or the freethinker?
Who’s report will you believe
I’ll believe in the report of the people vs a council crying over a flag.

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