‘Expertise’ of anti-gay rally line-up challenged

| 09/09/2016 | 108 Comments

Cayman News Service(CNS): As church organisers prepare for this weekend’s anti-gay rights rally, members of Cayman’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender community have challenged the expertise of the controversial Christian conservative lawyer billed as the headline speaker and a Jamaican leader billed as a health expert. A spokesperson for Colours Cayman, a campaign organisation founded to foster a safe social environment for the LGBT community here, said they welcomed debate but claimed that David Gibbs III, despite his billing, is not qualified in local or English law or an expert in European human rights, and that Brendan Bain’s views on homosexuals and public health fly in the face of medical evidence.

Gibbs is joining the line-up at a rally on Sunday evening, which organisers are suggesting has been staged to “promote Bible-based family values” and to promote the religious discriminatory positions regarding what have been dubbed as “alternative lifestyles”.

Stirring up enormous controversy and polarizing the community, the rising religious frenzy regarding the rights of the LGBT community has received considerable political support, whereas few MLAs appear to be concerned about the inequities they face and the lack of a framework to recognise same-sex relationships.

Colours said that they welcomed legal debate over the rights of LGBTs in Cayman but they are concerned that fundamentalist religious ideas from Christian rather than legal experts will distort the wider public’s understanding of the issues.

“Colours Cayman is also not aware of Mr David Gibbs III possessing any particular expertise in matters of international law and European Human Rights law, all of which regulate the specific question concerning recognition of rights for same-sex families and LGBTQ people in the Cayman Islands,” the campaign group said ahead of the rally.

“Any observations on matters of Cayman Islands law, English law, European Human Rights law or any laws other than those in which he is legally qualified to advise must be treated as Mr Gibbs’s personal views only, they should not be relied upon as legal analysis nor authoritative legal commentary with respect to Cayman Islands law or laws applicable to its jurisdiction, nor of persuasive authority for the Cayman Islands courts,” Colours added.

Gibbs and his father David Gibbs JR have cause controversy in the United States for their extreme opposition to any rights afforded to the LGBT community or any acceptance of them as equals. Gibbs III is well-known for representing religious organisations in court to protect what they believe is their right to discriminate.

Colours also raised concerns about Brendan Bain, who is billed as a health expert. But it is understood the head of the Jamaica-based Family Life Ministries was fired by the University of West Indies for claiming homosexuality is a public health threat, in defiance of all medical evidence to the contrary, and campaigning for it to remain a criminal offence in that country.

“If the organisers of the rally are keen to frame a legal and medical discussion, it is critical that both they and the attendees understand the actual law as it applies and is currently in force in the Cayman Islands today and what the current medical experts’ views are across the globe,” the organisation stated.

Bains and Gibbs will be joined by local Pastor Alson Ebanks as headline speakers at the rally. A number of politicians are also expected to speak at the Lion’s Centre, including Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush and Bodden Town MLA Tony Eden, who resigned from the PPM when the premier suggested that the immigration law may have to be amended to prevent discrimination against LGBTs.

Eden has led the political charge against bestowing any legal rights on LGBT people but has denied allegations of hate speech against the community, even though he described them as “evil” during several debates in the Legislative Assembly over the last year.

There will be an interactive panel discussion with the speakers that will take questions from the audience via text or written questions. It will be moderated by Pastor Shion O’Connor, the president of the Cayman Islands Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and chair of the religious committee organising the anti-gay rally.

No one from the LBGT community has been invited to speak. Philippa Davies, an advocacy officer for the Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society, will also be on the panel. She is also on the conservative Christian right and supports the criminalisation of buggery.

The controversial event is being organised by a coalition of local churches and their ministers. While the issue of all ‘family related sin’ is said to be on the agenda, as is the case in conservative Christian communities around the world, the central focus is homosexuality. The church organisations, however, have been criticised in Cayman for that skewed focus and ignoring, even turning a blind eye to, the historic child abuse that has been a blight on the local society for years.

While the police and other agencies have been much more focused recently on bringing perpetrators to justice, there is far less social stigma and church condemnation against much older men dating teenage girls below the age of consent while vociferously attacking consensual and loving relationships in the gay and transgender community.

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Interesting!!

  2. Anonymous says:

    Your last paragraph says it all. There is so much hatred in Cayman it is unreal. Seventh Day Adventists have a lot to answer for in not speaking up about child abuse yet spreading bile in relation to same sex couples. You will meet your maker (you believe) who may turn out to be gay, after all Jesus never married!

  3. Anonymous says:

    I’m a shamed to be caymanian right now. Gays were here before we were born and will continue to be here after we’re dead. Leave these people alone, however if the powers that be really want to hate on our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters. LET THEM GET MARRIED!!!! I can think of no worse punishment. Gays and lesbians don’t give up the fight, just like blacks you too will have your day.

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  4. Anonymous says:

    What a hateful place this island is. There is a distinct lack of Christian values in a country so wed to the bible. Thank goodness for secularism and i shall be returning to it very soon.

  5. Caymanian says:

    I personally believe each side is taking the issue too far.

    People and that’s everyone. The foundations of marriage is within the Christian realm. They and they alone sanctify the union called marriage. What the LGBT and Non-Christian groups should be doing is called a Civil Union and this union should bare the rights of all that is bestowed upon “married” couples.

    For the Christians I say this – As a Christian, I feel compelled to remark to you about the throwing of stones. Christ made it crystal clear that it is not our position to be judge, jury and executioner. We leave these rights to our maker.

    For the LGBT Community I say this – Respect the fact that the concept of marriage came from religious beginnings and as such only religion, not laws should dictate the concept of marriage and that the bible, our guiding book on principals dictate that Marriage is between a man and a woman. Your avenue is by way of a civil union. If you rally around this position you will get 99% of what you want. What you won’t get is that word Marriage but the rights are well within your reach.

    For everyone let’s keep this all in perspective. Let’s put down our pitchforks and stop trying to create more than this really is. I would take it that the LGBT community mostly wants rights for their people. The religious community wants to protect the sanctity of marriage. There is middle ground so let’s use it. As Christians we are called not to judge but yes we are called to protect the fundamentals of our faith. If we work together we can all get more or less what we want.

    Signed:
    A Caymanian….a Christrian (and sinner)….trying to respect all while defending my Christian faith without doing damage to others…

    • Blasphemer says:

      Marriage is a socially recoginized union between two spouses. To say marriage is within the christian realm makes no sense. History has shown people practicing wedlock even before christianity came along, and they made it just fine without it.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Not to mention that many faiths, Christian and otherwise, now respect same sex marriages as entirely consistent with God and Christ’s will.

  6. Hoopla says:

    I drove across this “protest” yesterday the LGBT supporters were smiling laughing on one side of the street and the people who were attending the event were minding their business and going to an event. It was a total non issue.

  7. Anonymous says:

    And to think all this fear, hate, and controversy stems from belief in a god no one can even prove is real. What a waste of time.

    • Anonymous says:

      Please watch the movie “God’s NOT Dead” before you write statements like this.

      • Blasphemer says:

        Lord of the rings is way better than that crap movie.

        • Anonymous says:

          and you believe the Lord of the Rings movie is based on real wizards, rings-with-powers, elfs and all, don’t you?

          • Blasphemer says:

            Uhhh no, i believe the movie is based off JJ Abrams imagination. Kinda like how gods not dead is based off the imagination of some sky fairy.

          • Jon says:

            Why can’t he/she believe in that the way you believe in a god you have not met and only heard stories about in a book? Seems to be you shouldn’t try make some feel studid when you your self believe a person that no one can prove for “Fact” exsist.

  8. Annie says:

    Once again, intolerant idiots make me ashamed to be a Christian. Don’t they understand that they are doing more harm than good? I guess not, as they are back at their hate agenda.

    • Anonymous says:

      Were you there?

      • Annie says:

        That is a good and fair question. I was not. But you are right, I should have been.

        • Anonymous says:

          Did you attend? The only hate was the sign across the street! Christians don’t hate the gay person we hate the sin just like the next conference will be on another subject plaguing our islands ie adultery…..incest…..child abuse!
          Christians aren’t blind and don’t care because we don’t holler and shout hate @ the protestors doesn’t mean we don’t have our rights too!
          No two men nor two women can procreate which is why God gave Adeam a mate of OPPOSITE sex to create more humans!
          As a Christian I don’t believe they shouldn’t live and be free to work, be safe and enjoy life but don’t tell or push on me the gay lifestyle!
          That’s your choice as well as I chose hetrosexual and have a mate of opposite sex.
          We as consenting adults have a right to choose………and if you choose to be gay and I choose to remain straight doesn’t give you the gay rights that infinge on me!
          So be gay if you so choose just don’t expect me to accept it when I know it is wrong………..matters not how loud y’all shout!!
          In closing I love my fellowman and I will never stand idly by when or if I see or hear anyone harming or treating anyonepoorly or cruelly because they choose the gay lifestyle!

  9. Srtaight and no Hate says:

    The church has never said it was a gay rights bashing event it said it is a family value event. if gays have the right to have a meeting which none of the church protested then why cant the heterosexuals have a meeting too. We all have the right to believe. Believe as you wish but don’t push your anger out..in this situation the anger and protest is NOT coming from the church. There has been no mention of hate from the church but yet the gay rights signs say hate is not a family value…..the church has not exhibited anger hate or anything like that and yes I believe cns and other media has hyped this up as a fight against gay right wherein the church has NOT said that at all. if gays have rights to do their thing then so does the church the church has the right to promote what they believe in. We all make choices to live by and we all need to stop being so angry about everything. All lives matter…white,, black gay and straight. Stop being so hate filled towards others just because they do not believe like You. Yes that goes for the gays and the church. However in this case it not the church who is showing hate….the church did not protest the gay right meeting but the gays are out there bashing the straights because they want to continue to teach what they believe in. now tell me who has the attitude.

  10. George Nowak says:

    Unless you drop dollars into their collection plate – no bible toting preacher, minister, pastor, televangelist or priest gives a two cents about your opinion. Forget the rally…go have a beer with the devil.

  11. Anonymous says:

    CNS I don’t want to compare you to that another publication steeped in right wing economic hogwash but journalism and objectivity are very hard to find in this article.

    Write a viewpoint and share your opinion but please don’t project your feelings/views into the articles themselves.

    You all are doing your part to whip up the frenzy. There are clear thinking people on both sides of this debate and if you truly care about this community it will be reflected in your journalistic standards.

    Don’t be like your competitors who goad and bait then run, hide and pontificate when things reach a Flashpoint.

  12. Rod Barnett says:

    This, my friends is worth saying again. I hope all my friends here, both Caymanian and non-Caymanian read this and read it closely. The original writer really was right on target”

    I am homosexual. I am not scared of this rally and I don’t know of any other people of any sexual orientation that are either. I am also strongly in support of freedom of religion and this island fostering its Christian values and heritage. The only problem is that some people simply don’t have the ability to love someone of the opposite sex. To them, it’s unnatural just as for those that are straight loving another person of the same sex seems unnatural. This is not a lifestyle choice. In the same way as the fact of you being straight is not a lifestyle choice, so too is the fact that some people are gay. People are born to love, they are not born with a particular religious belief and they are certainly not born to hate. The problem faced here is one of understanding that gay people can’t change who they are and that, fundamentally, who they love does not harm to anyone. The Cayman Islands people have and will always have gay people in its society. If the will of the Chruch is followed, those Caymanians will grow up without any ability to live in peace with their families protected under the law in the same way as you. They will have no rights to settle here with their loved one, no rights to take important decisions on the health and well being of their loved one if seriously ill, no pensions rights, no inheritance rights, no right to found a family…in short, they will have no recognition whatsoever. Hence, they will be treated as ‘unequal’ to you under the law, simply because the person whom they love is ‘inconsistent’ with your interpretation of a religion that you CHOOSE to follow and, critically, to interpret in a way that not everyone that is Christian agrees is the only way to interpret it. Let’s love and embrace everyone for who they are as a person, not because of what religion they follow or whom they spend their life with in a loving relationship.

  13. anon says:

    It is not an anti-gay rally. Very misleading, deliberately misleading, indeed. All in the name of sensationalism.

  14. Anonymous says:

    I hope no one is foolish enough as to advocate independence rather than adopt LGBT rights

  15. Preacherman says:

    I went to church when I was a youngster. When I became old enough to think for myself, I realised there is no God. Churches are all about money and control, nothing else. Do I go to church now? Yes. I find it very profitable. The attendees are quite generous.

  16. There is a silent protest for equality happening outside the Rally Sunday if anyone would like to come show support for the LGBT community

    https://www.facebook.com/events/295054544194460/?ti=icl

    • Anonymous says:

      Whaaaat? But those attending might catch the gayness.

    • CGS says:

      Not sure why you all would want to go to the pro biblical values rally to protest. once again bringing attention to yourselves for what?
      We are entitled to our beliefs. The rally is not anti-gay rally as erroneously reported on CNS. It is a pro biblical-based values rally. If a lot of these values go against your beliefs then so be it, you don’t have to go to the rally or hear what they are they are saying.
      You call it a silent protest but it is more that you want to just stand there and intimidate people for what they believe. You remind me of those people who stand outside abortion clinics.
      I am a born-again Christian I don’t agree with abortion but I would never go and stand outside a clinic in a “silent protest”. I feel my purpose is to spread God’s love and his word, some people are interested and want to learn more, some are not. That is their choice, it is not my place to judge or ridicule anyone for their choice or belief.
      This article was deliberately labelled it as an anti-gay rally to stir controversy, incite discord.
      SHAME on CNS.

      • Psalms 137:9 says:

        You feel your purposs is to spread gods love? Which god? And what kinda love? Could never be the christian god.

      • Blasphemer says:

        You feel it’s your purpose to spread gods word because your convincing yourself and other vulnerable weak minds into that deluded mentality.

      • Anonymous says:

        You know there are other books you can read than the Bible. Give it a try sometime, you might learn something.

        • SSM345 says:

          A Book that they live their lives by written thousands of years ago (that has numerous versions so you cannot say its the truth) which was introduced to them by way of their Ancestors slave masters as a form of control along with their daily whippings…..

  17. Biblical Values - Psalms 137:9 says:

    Who are they to decide who one should love? The church orginisers who are doing this anti-gay rally need to let go of their fairy tale and grow up.

  18. Anonymous says:

    We believe in religious freedom. As a christian myself, I cannot support imposing my religious beliefs on another person, because I do not want someone to do that to me. I can only support a great argument against LGBT rights that excludes religion. I just have never heard one.

    The very first line of our 2009 Constitution says: A God-fearing country based on traditional Christian values, tolerant of other religions and beliefs.

    We wrote “tolerant of other religions and beliefs” into our constitution in 2009 and this religious freedom that was promised in our Constitution must also means “freedom FROM religion”.

    We cannot allow churches to impose their beliefs onto other people. Churches are only allowed to win hearths by demonstrating a better way of life with God, not by forcing that way of life onto others using the law. Churches should look more carefully at themselves to solve the problem of why they are failing to win the hearths of so many of our young people. It would be ridiculous to blame LGBT rights on the soon to be empty churches void of the next generation.

  19. Anonymous says:

    Trust me, if there was money to be made, Caymanians would be falling over each other to be gay. Then there would be arguments over who had the most generations of gayness.

    • Anonymous says:

      You forgot about paper Caymanians not being real gays either!

    • Anonymous says:

      There’s PLENTY of money to be made! Businesses serving the LGBT community – which includes many dual income professionals with no children – are an ever increasing market. Cruises and tour operators make a killing bringing large groups to paradise. But that would mean having them actually come here.

  20. Anonymous says:

    Well, at least Cayman News service cannot be accused of inconsistency. Witness yet again another hopelessly biased report. This really is becoming quite predictable. (No, I don’t “hate” anyone!)

  21. Anonymous says:

    I hope there will be plenty of rainbow flags waving outside this circus of a LGBT bashing conference.

  22. Anonymous says:

    Those obsessed over this issue and screaming the loudest in opposition usually have something to hide. I’ll bet half these bozos are still in the closet.

  23. Anonymous says:

    It’s embarrassing. And as a born caymanian I feel ashamed to the rest of the world.

  24. Annie says:

    These people make me embarrassed to be a Christian. They are why the term Christian is now synonymous with stupid, small minded, idiots. They hurt the faith, and are a disgrace to the message of Christ.

  25. CSG says:

    Whoever wrote this article, it is clear they have an agenda and want to stir controversy instead of presenting unbiased reporting.
    The title includes the phrase “anti-gay rally” although the organizers have stated that it is to “promote Bible-based family values”. If it happens that bible-based family values go against a gay lifestyle that is completely different than a specific anti-gay rally.

    Why didn’t the reporter include “anti-adultery rally” and “anti-sex before marriage” as part of the headline then, which also goes against bible based family values.

    The biased of the reporter becomes even more obvious when they state in their article that “No one from the LBGT community has been invited to speak” Why would they have been? This is not a debate to hear out the LGBT gripes, this is not a community meeting to hear concerns of the LGBT community it is a rally to promote bible-based values!! How is inviting anyone from the LGBT community to speak going to promote bible-based values when it is clear that their chosen lifestyle defies those very values.

    The rally is dubbed as a “controversial event” by the reporter but when the LGBT community comes together to speak out about their feelings, concerns etc, lash out at politicians and Christians and telling people to mind their own business that is not a controversial event.

    Lastly, the reporter concluded erroneously that “there is far less social stigma and church condemnation against much older men dating teenage girls below the age of consent”
    How would the reporter know this? Have they simply concluded this because the churches are not having rallies and screaming for men who rape young children and teenagers to be executed? There is more than one way to deal with situations, that conclusion can be compared to someone accusing someone of not grieving because they are not crying all the time.

    • Anonymous says:

      Sooo, what exactly are the churches doing to quell teen age sexual abuse. We all see they’re not crying all the time, but what ARE the doing.

    • Anonymous says:

      There is one fundamental flaw in your argument and that of the organizers: being gay is not a lifestyle. The rest crumbles into the nothingness.

      • Anonymous says:

        It’s not flawed if you believe in the difference between sexual identity and sexual conduct.

        I identify myself as heterosexual with a natural desire for polygamy. However my sexual conduct is monogamous. Thats what i practice. Others choose celibacy. Others well they do their own thing.

        We all have the freedom to do anything we want. However in God’s eyes, no reader of his scripture or believer can find justification or permission for sexual conduct outside of those parameters.

    • Anonymous says:

      Well said. I totally agree with you.

    • Anonymous says:

      This event was presented to me as a rally against gays. Maybe .c.n.s was briefed by the same person.

  26. Anonymous says:

    The law is above the church.

  27. Anonymous says:

    Go Gays!

  28. Anonymous says:

    Spreading the word of love and tolerance through hatred and bigotry.

  29. Anonymous says:

    Legalize it, dont criticize it…….weed im talking about..

  30. Anonymous says:

    Brendan Bain? Seriously? I guess that means George Rekers was booked solid…

  31. SSM345 says:

    Clear evidence that many on this Island wish to remain in the stone age with their brainwashed ideals written by people thousands of years ago. I wonder when the next version of this book is going to be released taking into the account the 21st century?\

  32. Anonymous says:

    Seriously, enough already. What is this obsession with the sexual activities of other people. Get. Over. It. Already.

    What give the ‘church’ the right to say who I or anyone else should love? As long as it takes place between consenting adults, who I choose to have sex with, or to love, is none of your damn business. It’s my choice.

    By your bible, that means that the big man upstairs is going to smite me and send me to Hell. Well, so be it. But that’s something for your good Lord to judge. Not you.

    So stay the hell out of my bedroom, lest I venture into yours.

  33. KY-Catholic says:

    Jesus would first of all acknowledge that a marriage is between a man and a woman.

    Jesus said, “Have you not read that He [God] Who made them in the first place made them man and woman? It says, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and his mother and will live with his wife. The two will become one.’ So they are no longer two but one. Let no man divide what God has put together.” – words found in Matthew 19:1-12

    You can’t get any plainer what stance Jesus would take on this matter. On the other hand, Jesus would not promote hate and would be encouraging selfless love and forgiveness.

    • Anonymous says:

      That was what another man wrote that Jesus said. He also allegedly said ” love they neighbour”. Funny how that one never gets quoted by the zealots. Twisting and turning things to suit their own spiteful views.

    • Anonymous says:

      So Adam and Eve married and had how many children? They in turn had children….is that incest and if so then is that the reason in Cayman we turn a blind eye to sexual abuse of children while at the same whipping up a hatred of the lgbt community? Just asking.

  34. Anonymous says:

    People who think that God (who gave everyone life) is some kind of pushover, pasty-face, sky-dwelling nebuloso (just made that word up) are going to be in for one hell of a shock.

    Please do not moan when you say you were not warned. He made a set of rules that would stand everyone in good stead if they could simply stick to them.

    Well, let’s be honest, no one has been able to keep the rules, so God gave us a Saviour instead.
    It is not complicated.
    You either believe in your own goodness, perfection and superior judgement, or you place your faith in someone who has actually walked the earth without failing.
    Your call people.
    All the best to everyone.
    We are all in this together, but we cannot make decisions for one another.

    • Anonymous says:

      Yes, he made a set of rules that we must follow. One of my favorites is in Exodus 31:15, anyone working on the sabbath must be put to death. That’s very clear. I like to spend my Sundays going to gas stations and restaurants to find people breaking this law. I drag them outside and stone them to death. Praise him! Come and join me, we can all follow god’s laws together and live in eternal happiness. On Monday we could sell our daughters into slavery, another one of god’s charming laws (Exodus 21:7) we can all enjoy together.

      • Anonymous says:

        So silly. We are supposed to be able to discern the spirit of the law.
        Those who live by the spirit are free from the letter. Perhaps you should revisit your position?

    • Blasphemer says:

      God gave us a savior? Which god and whos this savior?

  35. ThIs WrItInG Is VeRy IrRiTaTiNg says:

    People who have been protected by parliamentary privilege for their misguided personal religious views will need to choose their words carefully when speaking on these topics in public.

  36. Anonymous says:

    there should be one statement/question at this ‘conference’…..what would jesus do?
    end of discussion.

  37. MM says:

    Can’t we all just get along?

  38. WOW! says:

    TOO MUCH PEOPLE! How is Lion Center going to hold so many people??? They should have did this at theTruman Bodden Sports Complex! I can’t see how the Lion Center will hold so many folk. Look at the amount of invites from churches all island wide! :/

  39. Anonymous says:

    Seems a bit pointless, stack a panel with one point of view, invite an audience with the same point of view, and preach to the converted, If you want a reasoned debate you need opposing views. I’m pretty sure this argument has been done to death. Let’s say the local clergy win out, what then, an island of 60k going in a different direction to the rest of the world, can’t see that ever becoming an issue!

    • Anonymous says:

      Mmmm, well, we all have our lives to live, yours wherever you live, and we here in the Cayman Islands. Variety truly is the spice of life. (So get used to it, sportsfan.)

    • Anonymous says:

      There shouldn’t be an issue, because we all lived and got along together, until the expatriate comes along and plants his seed of LGBT to grow. He needs some Mr. Hurry.

  40. Anonymous says:

    A bunch of homophobic idiots spitting out hatred and they are supposed to be Christians and doing this all for God. What a circus!

    • KY-Catholic says:

      Speaking out against homosexuality is not just motivated by certain fears. There are alot of other reasons why to speak out. … also hating a teaching and a lifestyle, is way different than hating a person 🙂

    • Rp says:

      They are humans not criminals. They should have the same rights as all other humans. Period!

    • Anonymous says:

      You sound a bit annoyed, friend. That’s good …….it can lead, eventually, to the formulation of rational thinking.

    • Anonymous says:

      God would laugh at them.

    • CSG says:

      Homophobic is an intense dislike or fear towards homosexuals. Simply expressing one’s beliefs does not automatically translate to homophobic. Just as homosexuals are entitled to march and parade, have boat cruises and scream about their rights, Christians also have a right to express their beliefs which happens to not agree with homosexuals chosen lifestyle but it doesn’t mean that Christians hate homosexuals. Hate the sin, not the sinner. Born again Christians dislike pornography, pedophiles, adulterers, fornicators etc.

      Why has no one come up with a word for people who dislike Christianity or Christian values?

      LGBT community always trying to make themselves feel like the victims, like they are specifically targeted by anything that goes against their chosen lifestyle.
      Bible-based Christian values also go against people who have sex before marriage and people who commit adultery, do we see these people protesting and marching and calling Christians anti-fornicators and anti-adulterers?

      Back in the old days, Cayman was a Christian nation, am sure there were persons who were homosexuals back then but because the majority of the nation were Christians and it went against Christian values they would have never brought attention to themselves. Similarly, having a child out of wedlock or living with someone and not being married was deeply frowned upon back then too.

      Today these things have become so commonplace and people have lost sight of those bible based values, I think that is what this rally is about, reminding people of those bible based values, not the specifically bash gays as the author of the article seems to infer. They will still be some that will ignore or ridicule those values but Christians have a right to express them and let those who want to hear, hear.

      What are the homosexuals afraid of with this rally? The rally is not to incite hatred, it is to remind people of Christian values, which yes, go against the homosexuals lifestyle but it also goes against the fornicator, the adulterer etc.

      So stop making the rally about anti-gay sentiments.

      We are ridiculed for having these values and accused of not being in the 21st century, take a look at your neighbor, the “great” United States who are considered trail blazers in the 21st century, they have removed prayer from schools, they have banned nativity scenes from public places, they have banned any form of biblical teaching from schools and they are today a hot mess. Greed, corruption, pedophiles, adulterers, fornicators, thieves, liars in excess. Why? No moral compass. No values.

      • Anonymous says:

        I am homosexual. I am not scared of this rally and I don’t know of any other people of any sexual orientation that are either. I am also strongly in support of freedom of religion and this island fostering its Christian values and heritage. The only problem is that some people simply don’t have the ability to love someone of the opposite sex. To them, it’s unnatural just as for those that are straight loving another person of the same sex seems unnatural. This is not a lifestyle choice. In the same way as the fact of you being straight is not a lifestyle choice, so too is the fact that some people are gay. People are born to love, they are not born with a particular religious belief and they are certainly not born to hate. The problem faced here is one of understanding that gay people can’t change who they are and that, fundamentally, who they love does not harm to anyone. The Cayman Islands people have and will always have gay people in its society. If the will of the Chruch is followed, those Caymanians will grow up without any ability to live in peace with their families protected under the law in the same way as you. They will have no rights to settle here with their loved one, no rights to take important decisions on the health and well being of their loved one if seriously ill, no pensions rights, no inheritance rights, no right to found a family…in short, they will have no recognition whatsoever. Hence, they will be treated as ‘unequal’ to you under the law, simply because the person whom they love is ‘inconsistent’ with your interpretation of a religion that you CHOOSE to follow and, critically, to interpret in a way that not everyone that is Christian agrees is the only way to interpret it. Let’s love and embrace everyone for who they are as a person, not because of what religion they follow or whom they spend their life with in a loving relationship.

  41. Anonymous says:

    Ebanks is such a nice guy. Sad to see that he has decided to spend his time this way when there is so many, many other issues of concern that don’t foster hate and division. When people twist and distort Scripture, they not only do so to their own destruction (2 Peter 3:16), but they also lead others astray.

    • Anonymous says:

      I thought exactly the same thing, Pastor Alson is a good man, why he would affiliate himself with this I have no idea.

    • Anonymous says:

      That’s “Reverend Ebanks”, surely? Caymanians would never use the form of address you did. (Any idea where the Cayman Islands are, sportsfan?)

  42. Anonymous says:

    Why would anyone try to stop two people who really love each other from getting married. The politicians should be looking at real issues like unemployment, children going to school hungry, poverty etc etc, not trying to stop love.

    • KY-Catholic says:

      I don’t think the Church is trying to stop love. Rather it tries to improve and enhance love. No where do you see Jesus promoting hate in the gospels. You would have to twist His words to get to that conclusion. The Church is simply saying that love should extend out towards raising a family. How can you raise a family and not get pregnant??? Your love must show its fruit. Hence the Church challenge societies and people across the world to have a love that builds us up and promotes life. You find that many people oppose the Church because her message attacks carnal desires, and feeding desires have a way in making people very selfish. It is in direct opposition to the “love” that the Church defines and challenges people to follow. A homosexual union can never manifest this love just like the union can never bring forth a child into the world. Peace 🙂

      • Anonymous says:

        You ask how can people raise a family and not get pregnant. Does that mean women who are unable to bare children should not be allowed to marry?

        • anonymous says:

          No stupid it means one woman cannot impregnate another neither can a man impregnate another man.

      • Anonymous says:

        This is Jesus’s message of love threatening to kill children because of a parents actions. Way to go Jesus what a super nice guy. Let people love who they want to, and marry who they want to.

        ” So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. (From the NIV Bible, Revelation 2:22-23)”

    • Psalms 137:9 says:

      Because 1:17, they need an excuse to defend their filthy religion.

      • Anonymous says:

        Really CNS…filthy religion? And how is that not hate speech trampling on the faith of many?

        Why do you let these comments through? It served but one purpose and that is to offend.

        • Psalms 137:9 says:

          Because 12:13 christian idealogy is just a bad idea as islamic and both are based off stupid books. Anyone who thinks that is trampling on your faith, good, that is your own insecure faith talking and maybe your starting to critically think about just how dumb your religion really is.

        • Filthy bible Psalms 137:9 says:

          The name should speak for itself.

        • Blasphemer says:

          If you feel offended by people criticizing your religion then that is on you and your own insecure faith.

  43. Anonymous says:

    These people must have nothing to do if all they worry about is the LGBTQ population of the islands. There are far more serious issues that their time and effort could be spent on.

  44. Anonymous says:

    Although there is no Human Right to same sex “marriage”, there already are civil obligations to provide recognition and protection of same sex unions. It’s as simple as that. The churches don’t have to like it, but our leadership has to be guided by the case history that ultimately applies to our territory, or waste more of our time and money on the loosing side of lawsuits. It is foolhardy for politicians and fundamentalists to pretend these obligations do not already exist.

    • Anonymous says:

      These people should be left alone and be able to enter into a contract of some sort so they could share insurences/pensions etc., but never be allowed to get married. Marriage is only for a man and woman.

      • Anonymous says:

        A framework to formally recognize civil “common law” unions should be implemented per our pre-existing legal obligations. As far as anyone can tell, nobody has asked for same sex marriages to be performed by the Ministers of the Church of God (why would they?!?). Why then pretend to conflate that into an issue, unless to object to our current territorial obligations?

        • Anonymous says:

          I am so appalled at what is coming through from CNS that is called journalism. If one goes back to see how this space covered the Queering Conference- what a difference. Such support. Such argument for the right inherent in a democracy for the minority to have a say. It was not dubbed an anti-straight conference. The CNS uses someone, a gay, to question why someone from this camp was not invited by the church to speak at their conference.

          Predictably, the church gets together, thousands of people, the vast majority. The CNS says it is an ‘ Ant-gay rally’. The CNS says these people are haters and their main speakers silly and unqualified.

          I drive by Lion’s Centre, attempting to be neutral, as any good newsperson should, I see literally thousands gathered, thousands of people, who believe that gay behaviour does not square with values they believe are wholesome, and they desire to express this. I look at the other side of the road and see about 15 or so persons with signs saying a number of things. The church people go on their way to worship and to reinforce ideas important to them and their outlook on life.

          Yet, it can be predicted that on Monday morning, CNS will not, in an attempt at neutrality, cover what went on at the Lion’s Centre. The fifteen people gathered on the fringes of the occasion will have the headlines, a an article bashing the church and their take on behaviours they feel compelled to say is wrong.

          And this is called journalism! God help us.

          • Anonymous says:

            Sounds like a perfect example of a time when the law is necessary to protect the rights of a minority from the will of the majority that would deprive them of those rights.

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