By TAMARA McKENZIE, Assistant News Editor

tamara@nasguard.com

While members of the Rainbow Alliance will continue to lobby for the inclusion of a gay network on Cable Bahamas' lineup of channels, several local pastors, including the president of The Bahamas Christian Council (BCC), are planning to meet next week to discuss what may become another burgeoning issue between homosexuals and the church.

However, BCC president John Humes told The Nassau Guardian yesterday that the Council is strictly against the "gay agenda."

"I don't think it would be in the best interest for Cable Bahamas to proceed with incorporating this channel," said Humes in a telephone interview. "There may be a market there but we already have enough problems with what we have now [in terms of channels on Cable Bahamas]. And to bring a gay agenda into the mix, we will not stand by idly and allow that to happen, for sure."

Erin Greene, public spokesperson for the local gay advocacy group Rainbow Alliance, took her case to the media earlier this week. She wants Cable Bahamas to offer the LOGO channel, a network that specifically caters to bi-sexual, gay, lesbian and transgender (BGLT) viewers. The channel, according to its website, www.logoonline.com, offers a variety of programs from sitcoms, dramas, full-length movies, news and documentaries.

Greene said yesterday that the BCC should focus on far more important issues, rather than the inclusion of a BGLT network on the Cable Bahamas lineup. She noted there were no protests when Cable Bahamas installed more than 10 channels dedicated to pornography.

Greene said any move by the Council to prevent Cable Bahamas from incorporating LOGO would not only be "hypocritical" but also "juvenile."

"Any investigation of any of the BGLT programs will show that these programs endeavor to provide wholesome programming for its viewers and LOGO, in fact, is affiliated with CBS," Greene said.

She noted that in addition to some 11 pornography channels, Cable Bahamas also offers a variety of sporting and religious channels, but there was nothing "entertaining" for gays.

Greene said even if LOGO is placed on the Cable Bahamas line-up, the company offers a channel lock function that allows subscribers to block certain networks. "If you don't like what Cable Bahamas is providing you have an option of turning off your television or an option of turning off that channel," Green said, adding that the Council, rather than complain, should work closely with The Bahamas, Plays and Films Control Board to provide a preferred list of "family and friendly" programs and movies for viewers.

"Instead of being reactive they need to be proactive," Greene said.

Meanwhile, Humes charged that the "spirit" of homosexuality was rampant in The Bahamas and must be brought under control.

"I do not support (the LOGO channel) and if Cable Bahamas wants to incorporate this channel, I will contact them to register our concerns because on Tuesday coming we are having a meeting to deal with this issue because we are totally against the gay agenda." Humes reiterated.

The BCC president said that while he does not condone

the gay lifestyle, the Council would do whatever it takes to bring gays closer to God and deliver them from the "problems" that he believes they face.

"We don't write them off but the spirit that they are trying to perpetuate is a spirit that is not of God, it's not of Christ and it's something that should be brought under control, rather than allowed to be propagated in our community via the media, and we have to control that agenda."

Humes said while the Council may not be able to prevent Cable Bahamas from incorporating the LOGO channel, the company would at least know, through the BCC protests, that the Council is against the move.

"We will meet on Tuesday and will make a definitive statement after that meeting because it is something that we totally do not need in our country right now, and I would advise the government to put in some controls to stop this agenda from going any further."

Also expressing his views about the Alliance's request for a gay channel, Rev. Phillip McPhee of Mt. Calvary Baptist Cathedral said while there were certain principles that a nation should project, both from a societal point of view and a Christian church point of view, Bahamians must realize that a gay lifestyle is not "sanctioned by God" and it should not be "promoted" or "publicized" by Cable Bahamas.

"I feel as if the time is fast approaching when the country needs to take a serious stance against all vices that will create family problems," McPhee said. "It (homosexuality) is not a practice that God has pronounced on mankind, and it should not be highlighted in any area of living, especially in a Christian nation, therefore I condemn it. I do not encourage it and hopefully we will not promote it in this country."

Director of Public Affairs at Cable Bahamas Dr. Keith Wisdom said there has so far been one request for the LOGO channel to be incorporated into its line-up as they prepare to hold discussions for its programming schedule for next year.

"The programming department told me that they got one call and it was a request, so we will look at it and that's the most I can say right now. No decisions have been made," Wisdom said. "Whatever happens, happens, and if the Christian Council calls, we will have to hear them out."

On the other hand, Greene said the Alliance has "informally" discussed its request for LOGO with members of the Cable Bahamas administrative team for the past two years, but because many of its members are "fearful" of being visible in the community, Alliance members decided not put their request in writing.

"We still live in a climate of fear and many gay people are afraid that would be another step in identifying themselves in a hostile community, so in 2007, we don't expect that we should have to ask for LOGO because if the company is progressive enough to have more than 10 porn channels, it is certainly not a far expectation to have one programming station for the BGLT community that will not include any pornography at all."