By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

TO CALL Dr Myles Munroe’s comments on LGBT matters ignorant is “like calling me white”’ or Fred Mitchell “boorish” Bishop Simeon Hall said yesterday.

In a press statement issued yesterday Bishop Hall said it is “unfortunate and disappointing” that the conversation has reached this level.

“Indeed if the Minister said that, he is wrong. To call Myles Munroe ‘ignorant’ is like calling me white; or Fred Mitchell ‘boorish’.”

“It is most distressing that national debates in our Bahamas always sink to its lowest levels and I did not expect that kind of remark from the Minister, if indeed he said so,” Bishop Hall said.

“I do not always agree with some things Dr Munroe states, but he is a highly intelligent, articulate ‘soldier of righteousness’ held in the highest esteem by political and religious communities the world over. Whatever the Minister might have said in Trinidad and whatever (Dr Munroe’s) position is, the label of ‘ignorant’ ought not to enter the debate. I am of the considered opinion if Myles Munroe were an Anglican priest the word ignorant would never have been used to describe him.”

Earlier this week, Dr Munroe said in other media reports that Mr Mitchell should keep his LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgender) comments to himself because they do not “represent the majority of the convictions of the Bahamian people”.

To that Mr Mitchell said: “Ignorance is a strange thing”.

“I do not want to get into a tit-for-tat with him, but he misinterpreted what I said and he did not understand. He has an agenda which I assume suits his purpose. I believe that a full considered statement will be made by me at some point, but people are entitled to their views and that is his view.

“I do not want the press to misconstrue what I said and say it is my personal view. As a matter of fact, people do not know my personal view because I have never stated it. What I did state was a clear and existing policy that exists in this country. What he (Dr Munroe) draws from, that is his own opinion. What is interesting is that when former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham made his comments, which went far beyond anything I said, Myles Munroe was silent. This is an anti-PLP thing, that has to be what this is about and lacing it with all these nasty innuendos does not help his case either.”