The Seventh-day Adventist Church has spoken out against a High Court judge’s decision to strike down the buggery laws, declaring it could open the door for legalising same-sex marriages in Barbados and put faith-based organisations in a compromising position.President of the East Caribbean Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Pastor Anthony Hall was adamant that the Church cannot support the court’s decision which he is worried could not only lead to the legitimising of gay unions but see religious leaders being asked to officiate weddings of same-sex couples.On Monday, Justice Michelle Weekes struck down sections of the Sexual Offences Act, including those related to buggery and serious indecency, by declaring void Sections 9 and 12 of the Act which criminalised consensual same-sex sexual relations.“We understand the rights of the judges to make those decisions. We, however, feel this runs counter to our Biblical and theological understanding which says that the sex act should only be allowed or permitted between a man and a woman who are married to each other,” Pastor Hall, who is also an attorney-at-law, declared during an interview with Barbados TODAY on Thursday.
