Although the President of The Bahamas Christian Council (BCC) has been vocal in his opposition to the legalisation of the web shop industry, the former head of that body Bishop Simeon Hall yesterday asserted that the majority of religious leaders do not share the same view as Dr. Ranford Patterson.
Bishop Hall said that while he does not support gambling he applauds the government for taking the initiative to regulate the industry.
“I think you should look at what the majority are saying, the majority of the church leaders in the country, while they do not bless gaming, they understand the government’s position and I think Mr. Christie and his colleagues are to be commended for pulling this industry from up under the table to become open,” he said.
He further blasted those religious leaders who took an unfair approach to the issue of gambling.
“I find it ludicrous that we bless white foreigners who come here to do business and black Bahamians who want to do the same businesses, who want to get the similar licenses must have all of this flak from the church,” he said.
“I ask that the debate be on a higher level, I think that we sometimes go into the gutter. At the same time as we have condemned web shop gaming we have permitted and allowed casino gambling on Paradise Island and different parts of the country to go on with our blessings it seems, this duplicity with which the church has approached this exercise leaves some question.”
Overall, he said that some religious leaders have wasted way too much on what he called a small issue.
He said that there are far greater issues like crime that the religious community should invest their time and energy to tackle.
On Monday the Member of Parliament for Bain and Grants Town, Dr. Bernard Nottage blasted the religious community for having ‘non-Christian desires’ in their approach to the issue of gambling.
Dr. Nottage also slammed the church of launching a political campaign against the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) as some church leaders reportedly urged church members to avoid voting for those parliamentarians who support the Gaming Bill in next general elections.
The Gaming Bill was passed in the House of Assembly on Monday.
