By SANCHESKA BROWN
Tribune Staff Reporter
sbrown@tribunemedia.net
FOREIGN Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell warned Dr Myles Munroe yesterday “not to mess” with him, charging that “just because someone sits on a pulpit and hides behind theology does not give them the right to make vile, slanderous statements”.
Speaking with the press, Mr Mitchell said it is Dr Munroe’s right to disagree with anything he says, but to attack him and impugn his character is not only wrong, but goes against the principles of Christianity.
“Someone of that standing should be careful how they express themselves in public. First to mis-characterize what was said to the extent that it looked as if they didn’t read what was said and certainly did not understand what was said and then more specifically to make these ad hominem vile, disgusting, almost obscene comments about me personally. I take violent objection,” Mr Mitchell said.
“That is my only issue. I spoke to Bishop Simeon Hall this morning and I said to him that it doesn’t matter to me who you are or where you say it, you do not have the right to make these kind of vile innuendos, slanderous statements and then hide behind theology and say that gives you the right to do so. If you are going to have civil discourse, then let’s have a civil discourse and say ‘I disagree with that, I don’t stand for that, that is against my moral beliefs’...you can say whatever you want just keep all this personal violence out. That’s it, but when you do that you can expect that I am going to respond in kind, I do not care who you are, where you stand, I am going to respond to it.
“I want people to look at me. I am not blinking on this at all. It don’t matter to me whether you agree or disagree with what I say, that is your right, this is a free society, just don’t impugn in a personal way. If you do that then I only have one response and that is to answer in kind,” he added.
Mr Mitchell said he believes Dr Munroe’s comments were a personal attack on him because when former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham made similar statements, Dr Munroe was “silent as a lamb.”
He said: “Here you have a man going on the pulpit and saying this man is disqualified for the job he now has because of his views, not because of the content of his character, not because he is disqualified from office. You know he goes through the great extent to say, ‘I respect him and this and that and all the rest of it, but his views disqualify him from going further’ and that’s fine too, that’s honest commentary. Just don’t go beyond that and start impugning me personally.
“That is where you cross the line and I said that to his friends, all of them who called me up, I said you tell him for me, that that is my position on this matter, do not cross the line and become personal.
“Why you pick me to attack, when Ingraham spoke, you were silent like a lamb. It was made personal when he called my name. I have some evidence and I have seen some other things and I don’t want to take it from where it is, my view is equal and opposite. If it goes further I know what to do to defend myself. It is not about his views, the point is do not make it personal.... I took Christ as my personal Saviour when I was nine years old, but if the preachers don’t know Christ I can show them where Christ is and I can show them the path to Christ. Christ taught tolerance, you must take care of the poor, you must not judge other people, you must do unto others as you would have them do unto you; all of these values.
“Now if they are lost and don’t know their way, I can show them the way and that is my views on this, just don’t mess with me. Do not mess with me.”
Mr Mitchell said he is not sure where the conversation on Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgender (LGBT) rights will go in this country but where it does “will be for civic activists to decide”.
His comments came after Dr Munroe said in other media reports that Mr Mitchell should keep his LGBT comments to himself because they do not “represent the majority of the convictions of the Bahamian people”.
Comments
proudloudandfnm 10 years, 9 months ago
Tell him bout his ass Fred!!! These religious leaders need to just shut up in public. Talk ya nanny at the pulpit and leave my country's affairs out ya mout....
amble 10 years, 9 months ago
You guttersnipe why dont you go and improve your education level! You and Fred need to be corrected. Your ignorance is so sad! We voted the government in we are their bosses fool. Fred Mitchell is not supposed to make decisions or make statements on behalf of the Bahamians if we were not notified. Therefore we are suppose to be apart of the country affairs. This is why people like Leslie Miller laugh at people like you to scorn. You are IGNORANT!
Bahamianpride 10 years, 9 months ago
Lets settle this down at the local boxing gym and move on.. My money is on Miles, but Freddie he got balls especially to bring up a homosexual agenda in one of the most homophobic places on the planet..
Bahamianpride 10 years, 9 months ago
Changed my mind, money is on Freddie, say what u want he has balls, been picked on enough growing up, time to unleash the beast..
Emac 10 years, 9 months ago
HA ha! This some funny shite. Got ma popcorn ready.
Emac 10 years, 9 months ago
@Bahamianpride-I don't think the Bahamas is a homophobic country. We have gays in the Honourable House of Assembly, on the pulpits, in our armed forces and the list goes on. The two words that best describe Bahamians are “hypocrites” and “pretenders”. A perfect example is one church that has all these women with these big hats who sit and listen to their openly gay pastor preach about everything under the sun and pretend that everything is peachy. Oh but let a gay cruise ship try to set sail in Nassau, or someone dare defend gay rights and all hell would break loose. All of a sudden, all gays are bound for hell. But not their beloved pastor. I tell you, this shit is very funny.
concernedcitizen 10 years, 9 months ago
@Emac ,you hit the nail on the head ,we cry send back the hatians ,but not the one that does my yard ,don,t let the gays in ,but don,t mess w/ my pastor ...lmao
henny 10 years, 9 months ago
Emac...I agree. Everyone has a right to his/her own preference. No one should be discriminated against because of their beliefs. We don't have to like it but we must accept what is not ours to judge. God is the only one to make judgement.
CANDACESCOTT 10 years, 9 months ago
HELL HAS NO FURY LIKE A WOMAN SCORN!...
ohdrap4 10 years, 9 months ago
this just a red herring so they can move VAT up to April 1st. and, did the pope answer myles' position paper yet?
larry 10 years, 9 months ago
"Hommie dont play dat" is that a gay slur Mitchell is calling himself ?
Observer 10 years, 9 months ago
Just what is "LGBT people"? I was asleep. Is this another race or what? If they are, what is the difference between them and others? Please, I want to know, so that I can identify them.
EasternGate 10 years, 9 months ago
Now I understand why Perry wants stem cell operating in the Bahamas. That way he can get some backbone from Hubert to fire that piece of S.... Fred and that Jackass Leslie
bettyann 10 years, 9 months ago
myles who is him to talk,myles cannot talk about no one or nobody because he is a true devil himself.he is about money and dat is it he needs christ in his life,most of dem r sissy themsleves,tell him go sit down and get a life and stop robbing from his member's,he do not help his members at all he only help himself.
CANDACESCOTT 10 years, 9 months ago
obviously you don't know Mr. Munroe...he don't steal from him members....so of you are so misguided that it is scary
amble 10 years, 9 months ago
You need to go back to school and learn to speak the queens English. Just reading your grammar alone is disturbing. How dear you speak of a man of integrity with such disrespect? You foul mouth beast! You slanderer! You vicious maggot! You need to have your brains checked! Shut the hell up when you do not have anything of substance to say jacko!!!!!!!!!!!!
bettyann 10 years, 9 months ago
i do not like people like him,i do not hate him i dislike wat he is doing,go treat your family better and your members in your church start helping dem then u could talk
amble 10 years, 9 months ago
Go to school and get an education than you wont have to be jealous piggy!
bettyann 10 years, 9 months ago
sitting on the pulpit doesn't make no one a christian oktell myles go and sit down
amble 10 years, 9 months ago
How about dropping dead you imbecile! Keep Your filthy thoughts to yourself.
Beatz7843 10 years, 9 months ago
LISTEN:::: All of y'all are talkin foolishness and are wrong for even entertaining Fred Mitchell and his DARKNESS... The word if God clearly states that man was created for woman and they are to be fruitful and multiply... How can the same sex reproduce??? It's clear nonsense and are country the Bahamas supposed to be a Christian nation, with that being said how can you promote same sex rights when A whole city was destroyed "SOdom and GOMORRA., because of same sex practices among other things.. That's the problem with the people in our nation, we have strayed so far and even now willing to compromise with darkness... I totally support Dr.Mile Munroe.... Fred Mitchell is totally out of place and should keep his dark and twisted views to himself...
concernedcitizen 10 years, 9 months ago
@BEATZ,,How come some of the most progressive countries in the world ,where they don,t shove religious believes in people faces and accept gay people have the lowest crime rates ,,ie Norway ,Sweden etc ,,,,but us who thump the bible non stop have a murder rate 30 times higher then the nordic countries and 9 times higher than the US ,,Lets not even talk about our illegitimacy rate or larceny and pilferage ..Your christian nation talk pale when held up to crime facts and statistics
Klee 10 years, 6 months ago
Jeremiah 50:6 "My people have been lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray and caused them to roam on the mountains. They wandered over mountain and hill and forgot their own resting place." Dr Myles is trying to round up his sheep, to separate them from the wolves. And that is love.
John 10 years, 9 months ago
The bible says in the our leaders will act like children. Isiah 3:1212
Childish leaders oppress my people,
and women rule over them.
O my people, your leaders mislead you;
they send you down the wrong road Isiah 3:4 “I will make youths their princes,
and infants will rule over them.
5People will oppress one another—
It will be man against man
and neighbor against neighbor.
The young will be disrespectful to the old,
and the worthless to the honorable.
6“For a man will grab his brother
in his own father’s house,
and say, ‘You have a cloak,
so you be our leader,
and this heap of ruins
will be under your rule!’
From the bible hub:
"As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.
Verse 12. - As for my people. Return is now made to the sins of the dwellers in Jerusalem, and the first thing noted is that the people suffer from the childishness and effeminacy of their rulers. The rulers are called "oppressors" by the way here, the sin of oppression being dwelt on later (vers. 14, 15). Here the emphatic words are "children," "women." Children (see ver. 4). The rulers are "children," or rather "babes" - foolish, capricious, cowardly. It is not clear that any prince in particular is meant; rather, by the plural form, the upper class generally seems to be intended, as in Isaiah 1:10, 17, 23, etc. Women; comp. Herod., 8:88, where Xerxes says that "his men have shown themselves women, and his women men;" and see also Virg., 'AEneid '-
"O vere Phrygia, neque enim Phryges." The rulers were womanly, i.e. weak, wavering, timid, impulsive, passionate, and are therefore called actual "women." There is no allusion to female sovereigns. They which lead thee cause thee to err; or, they which direct thee lead thee astray. Professing to point out the right path, they led men away from it. Destroy the way; literally, swallow it up, or obliterate it. "
bismark 10 years, 9 months ago
Minister Mitchell,you are in public life,expect to be scrutinized,nothing you say or do you will be accepted in terms of this issue you are trying to bring across to the Bahamian people.
Stapedius 10 years, 9 months ago
We all seem to miss the point here. At every turn, people in this country want to use Biblical reference to suit their own purposes. Its nice that you know the Bible but, often the problem is the tone in which these comments are made which is so unchristian. For people who claim deep seeded belief in Jesus we really say some hurtful things to each other. On both sides of the argument there needs to be a better tone of speech. We are far too personal in this country. The minister's private life is no ones business. How much pastor Myles makes etc is also no ones business. We fall into this nasty speech far too easily in this country.
I'm amazed at how everyone seems to have all the answers for human emotion and human evolution. Interestingly, we use such a small percentage of our neural capacity, yet we think we have all the answers. We look to explain all the conditions of mankind with a 'silver bullet,' approach never considering the many gray areas in our own lives. If we truly believe in the message of Jesus then we should always strive for tolerance, forgiveness and genuine love for each other.
Emac 10 years, 9 months ago
I agree 100%. Very well put!
henny 10 years, 9 months ago
You are soooo right. If you are truly a christian nation some of these comments would not be made. We do not have to agree but we should not make judgement. Only God can do that. Everyone is human and should be treated with respect and not be discriminated against because of their beliefs.
Klee 10 years, 6 months ago
Genuine love is to speak truth and not put on a facade of speaking in the right tone of voice to please another, or being "too personal". If a father genuinely cares for his son, there is no better tone of speech than speaking the truth. And truth does and will hurt. Dr Myles makes no compromise. He speaks truth and it hurts because he cares.
Reality_Check 10 years, 9 months ago
Freddie calls into question his own character every time he opens his mouth and he seems to have an insatiable appetite for doing so!
Arrow 10 years, 9 months ago
Can people in authority make mistakes? can politicians/religious leaders make mistakes? Do two wrongs make one right? Both leaders perhaps have made mistakes in the past and may make more mistakes in the future but, i do believe the public airing of matters could have been settled in a more professional manner. Dr.Munroe could you not have sent Mr. Mitchell an email or arrange a meeting? Mr. mitchell could you in your capacity as minister of foregin affairs speak only to the rules and views of the country personal beliefs have no place when representing a sovereign nation. i think both men have justified positions but let us agree to disagree and get on with moving the Bahamas forward
Bahamianpride 10 years, 9 months ago
Arrow you make a valid point, however people are tired of the Fred Mitchell and Myles Munroes of the world because regardless of the outcomes they will both retire to there wealthy palace.. There is a great divide between the haves and have nots, the intellegent & the ignorant, the privilaged and the unprivilaged in Nassau and all they ever talk about is making it harder for people with things like Vat to cover a mismanaged system of government. Those who know better need to declare a war on ignorance.. Enough with the irresponsible management and theft of money, Enought with not enforcing the rule of law or selectively enforcecing it, Enough with the irresponsible breeding (wear a damn condom) its creating more criminals, Enough of these same ignorant people treating politicians like saviors rather than employees, Enough with the unprotected borders and stream of illegal immigrants into the country... People like Freddie and Myles can help lead this charge but they wont because they concern themselves with themselves..
amble 10 years, 9 months ago
Dont you dear put Dr. Munroe in the same category as Fred Mitchell. Dr.Munroe is an asset to this nation and the world. You all need to stop watching what people have and do something with yourself. Just how he became wealthy I have the same power to once you strive towards it. Jealousy, jealousy, envy! Stop with this fake peacemaker talk because you are spilling utter nonsense! You have no facts, go and do your research chatter box!
bandit 9 years, 8 months ago
I do hope that you are not a Christian because all your have spewed on this site so far is nothing but hate. SMH
Klee 10 years, 6 months ago
Genuine love is to speak truth and not put on a facade of speaking in the right tone of voice to please another, or being "too personal". If a father genuinely cares for his son, there is no better tone of speech than speaking the truth. And truth does and will hurt. Dr Myles makes no compromise. He speaks truth and it hurts because he cares. Mr Mitchell, please do not take Dr Myles' response as a "personal" attack. I sincerely hope one day you will appreciate the fact that he is only rounding up his lost sheep.
Jeremiah 50:6 "My people have been lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray and caused them to roam on the mountains. They wandered over mountain and hill and forgot their own resting place."
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