On Homos and Sapiens in the Bahamas

by Larry Smith

Man is a Religious Animal. He is the only Religious Animal. He is the only animal that has the True Religion--several of them. He is the only animal that loves his neighbor as himself and cuts his throat if his theology isn't straight. -- Mark Twain

This past summer thousands of people fled their homes amid severe flooding across England and Wales. The British prime minister said it was an "extraordinary and very serious event".

So extraordinary, in fact, that soon afterward one Anglican prelate was very seriously calling the floods "God's judgment on the immorality and greed of modern society." The Bishop of Carlisle claimed that laws that have undermined marriage, including the introduction of pro-gay legislation, provoked God to act by sending the unprecedented storms.

This drew laughter even from fellow clergymen. As one reverend wrote tongue-in-cheek to the Anglican Church Times: "Is there no end to the talents of Church of England bishops (who) have suddenly acquired expertise in meteorology (and) declared that the rains are a punishment from God?"

According to Christopher Hitchens, an ex-communist British expat who is now a columnist for Vanity Fair and has been described as "the quasi-omniscient Johnny Rotten of political journo-intellectualism" (my idol), this leaves open the question of why heaven should have decided to punish the County of Yorkshire (where much of the flooding occurred) rather than the fleshpots of London.

"It seems utterly fantastic," he said, "that an ordained bishop of a state-financed church, a man who has the right to sit and vote in the British House of Lords, should entertain the speculation that meteorology and morality are in the slightest way connected. But he not only thinks they are connected; he claims to discern the connection between particular policies and individual storms."

We have a similar (though different) situation here, where Anglican Archbishop Drexel Gomez vehemently opposes homosexuality in the church as being against biblical teachings. Some conservative congregations in Virginia and a few African bishops have already seceded from the worldwide Anglican Communion over the ordination of a gay bishop in New England four years ago.

To their credit - although in the interest of compromise they have agreed not to consecrate more gays or to sanction same-sex unions - the American Episcopalians say they retain a "commitment to establish and protect the civil rights of gay and lesbian persons, and to name and oppose at every turn any action or policy that does violence to them, or encourages violence toward them."

And when Christopher Hitchens accidentally met Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, at a restaurant in Washington DC recently, he asked him about the simmering homosexual controversy. Lowering his voice carefully, the Primate of all England replied: "Well, I'm rather trying to keep my head down."

In stark contrast, some church leaders in Nassau have been seeking to up the ante on this issue. At a meeting earlier this year, Pastor Lyall Bethel said the approval of a gay bishop "behooves Christian leaders to give some straight answers on this matter." We don't know if any punitive pun was intended, but we do know that Pastor Bethel is desperate to start an anti-gay crusade.

And as we have noted before, Bethel’s remarks on politics and religion are not as silly as they seem. They are drawn from the views of powerful religious and social groups in the United States, led by conservative preachers like the late Jerry Falwell (of Moral Majority fame) and Pat Robertson (of the Christian Broadcasting Network).

A supporter of racial segregation in the 1960s, Falwell had an obsession with homosexuality that was on a par with his "lip-smacking evocations of hellfire", according to Chris Hitchens. "The evil that he did will live after him...not just because of the wickedness that he actually preached, but because of the hole that he made in the wall of separation that ought to divide religion from politics."

The Reverend Mel White, a Falwell colleague before coming out of the closet, had some equally strong views to share on the death of his former mentor in May:

"I have buried so many young gay people who have killed themselves from Christian families who have been influenced directly and indirectly by this rhetoric. And I have buried a lot of young gays who have been bashed to death by anti-gay people who quote these guys, who quote the scriptures, to give them a reason, an excuse for killing us. So, I think their rhetoric condemns, it caricatures, it kills us. And I think we have got to deal with that rhetoric."

According to White, Falwell raised more money off the gay threat than any other single cause: "He used these incredible pictures of gays as promiscuous, as child abusers, as a threat to the nation, to the family. He went on and on. He created us as a scapegoat. And then he said, now send me money."

Falwell led the reactionary religious-political movement called Moral Majority, which was opposed to abortion, homosexuality, equal rights for women and strategic arms control. It also wanted to censor the media, and Falwell repeatedly denounced secular education while leading a virulent campaign against gays and lesbians. One of his most famous declarations was that AIDS was God's punishment for a country that tolerates homosexuals.

He also blamed gays, feminists and others for the 9/11 terror attacks on New York and Washington: "I really believe that the pagans and the abortionists and the feminists and the gays and the lesbians who are actually trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People for the American Way, all of them who have tried to secularize America, I point the finger in their face and say, you helped this happen."

Hitchens had this to say on a CNN documentary following Falwell's death: "How dare they talk to children like this...how dare they raise money from credulous people on their huckster-like Elmer Gantry radio stations and fly around in private jets as he did giggling and sniggering all the time at what he was getting away with. The empty life of this ugly little charlatan proves only one thing, that you can get away with the most extraordinary offenses to morality and to truth if you will just get yourself called reverend."

Meanwhile, back in the Bahamas, the Christian Council - that famously mute group of self-appointed prelates - has joined with the Brethren pastors who are trying to stir up a storm against the so-called "gay agenda". As Bishop John Humes recently said: "we will not sit down idly and let them promote their agenda...which is not in accordance with God's law."

In what amounts to an attempt to create a Bahamian religious-political movement in Moral Majority's image, local fundamentalists have protested against cruise ships bringing gays to the Bahamas, instigated the banning of movies and programmes that don't fit with their beliefs, and tried to set litmus tests for politicians and civic leaders on issues like same-sex marriage, capital punishment, abortion and religious education.

The words "Christian values" appear in the preamble to the Bahamian constitution. But apart from that initial statement, our constitution supposedly guarantees freedom of thought and religion, including the right to refuse religious instruction or to take part in religious ceremonies. However, as with other basic rights, it is subject to qualifications in the interest of defense, public safety, public order, public morality and public health. And who knows what nonsense those qualifications could lead to?

The United States constitution, however, does not contain any religious references at all. In fact, it is the only constitution in the history of the world that affirms the separation of church and state. This achievement was described by Thomas Jefferson in 1802 in his reply to the Baptists of Connecticut - who were quite rightly worried about persecution by their neighbours, the Congregationalists of Connecticut:

"Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God," Jefferson wrote, "that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,' thus building a wall of separation between church and state."

The sad truth is that religious leaders of all kinds throughout history and around the world have made the claim of divine appointment and guidance which has, in the words of Sir Arthur Foulkes, "more often than not brought injustice, persecution and misery to countless millions. The most important point to be made is that it is utterly wrong for any one group – majority or minority - to use the state to force its views or beliefs on others or in any way to penalize or discriminate against dissenters."

Such religious bullying has led to the spread of Muslim fanaticism to the West, attempts to replace science in our schools with the teaching of religious nonsense, bans on condoms to fight AIDS, and on stem cell research to fight other diseases - not to mention the meteorological pontifications of the Bishop of Carlisle.

It also leads inexorably to the villification and persecution of people with differing views - including unpopular minorities like gays and lesbians. We need to build up - not tear down - that "wall of separation".

Comments

[Rick]

Brilliant!

[Erik Russell]

Hi Larry,

I read with interest your column this week, as I do most weeks. The topic of course is both relevant and one that stirs the emotions of pretty much everyone, no matter where one’s opinions lie.

I can hardly express my views on all of your points but wish only to make these simple comments:

Having been born in the home of a Baptist minister I come from the perspective of having a relationship with God, and am a Christian. Anyone that is truly a Christian--that is, striving to be “Christ-like”--could not possibly portray any sort of pomposity; this was not the way or the spirit of Christ.

Sadly, many Christian leaders assume a vicarious role of God-Judge and feel it is their calling to wield their power like a horsewhip, controlling THEIR followers (not Christ-followers) and anyone they can influence with their self-motivated attacks. On this point, we agree.

But I must take exception with your choice of an example of a “religious leader” in the person of Jerry Falwell. I am not about to debate your points or defend him, mostly because I disagree with almost every method he has chosen to further his causes. And it is on that point that I challenge your premise of holding up Rev Falwell, and the broad brush of the members of the Bahamas Christian Council, as examples of religion gone wrong. By holding up these as the examples of why Christianity is a bad thing for society is like saying that all white people are evil because some white people cheat on their Customs duty forms. Or that all black people are slobs because some black people keep a messy house.

By doing this, you ignore the tremendous good that humble, honest, loving, selfless Christian leaders and laypeople do in this world every single day that journalists hardly ever hear about because no one is hurt, there is no one to complain, there is nothing scandalous about it. Want an example? Nearly 400 college-aged Christian volunteers spent their own money to fly from across the U.S. to Grand Bahama, spent their own money for meager food and lodging in a church hall for weeks with no conveniences or luxuries, and worked at hard labour jobs replacing roofs, rebuilding interior walls, hauling garbage, painting and doing masonry work. Another 40 young teenage volunteers worked to raise the funds they needed to fly from Nassau to Grand Bahama to do much of the same work. There were also at least a dozen more Grand Bahama Christians that worked tirelessly preparing the way for all of these volunteers, coordinating materials, supplies and tools that they needed to work.

These are not extraordinary things. Christians do these things, and many others, every day around the world because this type of selfless service is something that is a natural action of someone that has experienced God’s grace. (I don’t want to be misinterpreted as saying that Christians are Christians because of what they DO; the good that Christians DO is a symptom of their faith, not the basis of it.)

My issue with your premise is that you have taken some examples of extreme bad behaviour and propose that this is the most common behaviour among a segment of society that also has thousands of people that are properly motivated, God-fearing, and law-abiding. They are not perfect, not pompous and not on a witch-hunt to rid the world of gays. To conclude that all Christians are bad for society is as erroneous as concluding that all homosexuals are paedophiles.

Christopher Hitchens’ viewpoint on religion is quite clear, as he states in his recent book, “God is not Great”, saying that religion is "violent, irrational, intolerant, allied to racism, tribalism, and bigotry, invested in ignorance and hostile to free inquiry, contemptuous of women and coercive toward children." There is certainly some truth there; for religion is a creation of mankind, not God. And in that manmade creation there lies tremendous abuse.

But to grossly apply this unfortunate and ignorant view to all of those that have a belief in God can only come from someone that stands on one side of wall and hurls stones at those on the other side, a place that he has never been, has never seen and has no interest of being. His crippled perspective is based on peeping through a tiny crack in the wall and listening to the yelps of those he strikes.

While I can come up with just as many examples of religion gone wrong as can you or Mr Hitchens, I can also tell you of people and occasions that demonstrate the incredible good that Christ-followers effect in this world, and have done for hundreds of years.

This is obviously a complex topic and I have only touched on one point of contention that I have with this particular piece. I look forward to next week, and promise not to blah-blah-blah every time I disagree with you. Well, it doesn’t happen THAT often. ☺

Take care,

~ejr~

[larry smith]

Feel free to disagree with me any time, but where did I "conclude that all Christians are bad for society"?

The main premise of the article is the separation of church and state, and the main example in support of that premise is the attempt to create a Moral Majority movement here similar to Falwell's - which is why I used him as an example of a "religious leader".

I am sure there are many other accounts one could give of religious people, but I chose those particular local examples because they are 'in my face', if you will, throwing their weight around and trying to stir up a hornet's nest over a non-issue in order to big themselves up (to put it charitably). Just like Falwell did.

[larry smith]

Today's (Oct 3) Tribune carried several stories relating to this topic, including a ranting attack on media coverage by Pastor Lyall Bethel and a condemnation of the "pernicious influence of gays" at every level of society by Clever Duncombe.

Tribune News Editor Paco Nunez responded with a front-page editorial, excerpts from which are posted here:

"The Tribune subscribes to the democratic ideal of allowing all voices to be heard and does not choose sides as Pastor Bethel claims.

He appears to share the politicians' fascination with hierarchy and believes it should be applied to what is newsworthy.

While they (the Christian Council) are always quick to become militant on this issue, they fail to say anything of substance with regard to the rampant incest, paedophilia, sexual crime and adultery which plague this society.

We are a bit disappointed that the Bahamas is not yet a mature enough country to have dispensed with this kind of paranoia."

[Erik Russell]

"Conclude" was a poor choice of words on my part. "Infer" would have been more accurate. This inference was made by the absence of any positive examples of Christian influence on society.

On the subject of the separation of church and state, I can only agree -- for the benefit of the state and the church.

On your explanation of using Falwell as an example of the potential danger of a "Moral Majority" in the Bahamas I can agree with that possible danger if its path follows Falwell's.

[EB Christen]

As always, brilliant article. It frightens me that there are so many loud, supposedly 'Christian' voices in this country that are ready to judge, condemn and scream for hell, fire and brimstone over something like a Cable TV channel or a movie, but do very, very little about the rampant problems of child abuse, incest, HIV/AIDS, the state of education (math/english skills here - not RE and Biblical stuff) and the total lack of family planning that occurs in this country. Condemning gays is a cheap way to win elections and a cheap way to raise money. Then again, one is stuck wondering how so many Bahamians can rationalize financing the extravagant lifestyles of these 'pastors', 'reverends' and 'preachers'.

We indeed have many respectful and wonderful Christians, but in allowing the fundamentalists to be the loudest Christian voice in the country, they lose their own moral voice and sensible standing and they allow these fundamentalists to lay claim to the good name and wonderfully humanist teachings of Jesus Christ.

I believe in secularism because I believe that Jefferson was correct. Spirituality is the relationship between a man/woman and his/her god. All else is folly and contrary to the true essence of spirituality and also contrary to the teachings of Christ - for those Christians who forget to actually read the Bible. The emphasis of Jesus message was always to look to your own salvation and not to concern yourself with the 'sins' of others. He also emphasized works over faith, yet these values are constantly forgotten in favour of gay bashing and other nonsense.

The Bahamas needs to be careful because fundamentalist religion is very difficult to contain once it organizes and asserts itself. Children deprived of REAL education and foreseeing a future of limited prospects are susceptible to the ramblings of the religiously zealous. This phenomenon has raised its ugly head in the Middle East in the form of Islamic fundamentalism, but it has also grown profoundly in the United States in the form of Christian fundamentalism. There is little difference between them for me.

I will close this comment with a quote from a truly enlightened human being:

The ideals which have lighted my way, and time after time have given me new courage to face life cheerfully, have been Kindness, Beauty, and Truth. The trite subjects of human efforts, possessions, outward success, luxury have always seemed to me contemptible.

Albert Einstein

[Kimberly]

Bravo ... "primates" indeed!

[nicob]

Thank you Larry.

I keep waiting, often in vain, for our religious leaders to condemn other, far more pervasive sins as whole-heartedly as they do homosexuality. But no; adultery, pedophilia, rape, murder, theft, violence, bullying, cheating, mendacity and hypocrisy appear not to be on God's agenda at all.

According to our religious leaders, that is.

Cheers.