Millicent Baptist Church slammed by LGBTIQA+ community for regressive views on Pride flag
A rural baptist church has come under fire after it sent a “homophobic” letter to a local council asking them to cease flying a rainbow flag promoting “alternative sexual lifestyles”.
Mount Gambier
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The Millicent Baptist Church has been slammed for its “regressive” and homophobic” views after it sent a letter to Wattle Range Council over fears it would fly a Pride flag at its new civic centre.
The letter was sent ahead of the Wattle Range Council Tuesday night meeting, asking council to cease promoting “various sexual lifestyles”.
“It is our belief that council should not be in the business of promoting alternative sexual lifestyles,” the letter read.
“Society is being heavily sexualised and there are different opinions regarding the promotion of non-heterosexual lifestyles.
“A flag being flown at an official government building sends a message, which is different from the holding of street parades, festivals etc.”
Limestone Coast Connect, an LGBTIQA+ organisation based in the South East, issued a fiery response to the church's letter.
“Homophobic and exclusionary statements have no place in 2023 or in Millicent or anywhere in the world. We call on the Baptist community in Millicent to open their eyes,” a spokesperson said.
“Homophobic statements about ‘sexual lifestyle’ or other baseless and tired arguments as purported by the Millicent Baptist Church, are insulting and degrading.”
LCC president Patrick Smith said the harmful letter was reminiscent of the commentary seen during the marriage equality plebiscite.
“It’s just dragged us back to 2017 — I thought we’ve been through all this,” he said.
Mr Smith said being an “out and proud” gay person in a small rural town like Millicent was a challenge, with the action of a church making him question if he’s “welcome here”.
“To have something like this happen literally a few houses down the road. It really hurts,” he said.
Last year when Wattle Range Council flew the rainbow flag during pride month, the Aboriginal flag was temporarily taken down.
Mr Smith said he was shocked to learn this, but said the queer community and Aboriginal leaders worked together to reach an agreement.
It is understood when the new civic centre is built there will be six flag poles, with three permanently used by the Australian flag, Aboriginal flag and Torres Strait Island Flag.
The remaining three poles will be available for other public flags and community needs.
Combined Churches of Millicent president Shaun Mulick stood in support of the LGBTIQA+ community and said the letter was a step backwards.
“My thought was why? It’s not a necessary or helpful conversation to have,” Pastor Mulick said.
“There’s such potential for hurt and for harm.”
Pastor Mulick said though it may not have been the Millicent Baptist Church’s intent, the impact of the letter expressed hate and bigotry.
The Millicent Baptist Church declined to comment when approached.
Mr Smith said the slammed the act as “cowardly”.
“I'm not surprised that the church isn’t talking to anyone — I just find it cowardly, that they're not going to speak up and defend what they said,” he said.
A spokesman from Wattle Range Council said “though no official decision has been made” there had been “multiple discussions in the chamber about the installation of a further pole at the council’s Millicent office”.
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