As the son of Jamaican immigrants, Bishop Lloyd Duncan has been on the receiving end of unfair discrimination and prejudice. So his opposition to a law that would protect people from discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation might seem to some like a contradiction.But his concern is that abandoning spiritual values has in recent decades led to a deterioration of the social fabric, he told The Royal Gazette.And a legislative “endorsement” of homosexuality — a sin, according to the Bishop — could have grave consequences.“As a spiritual voice in the land that’s all I’m seeking to do. I’m not gay bashing, I’m not homophobic, I don’t dislike people in that lifestyle. But according to the Bible, the Bible does not endorse or support that lifestyle.”The Bishop sees his role as that of spiritual guide and shares a concern held by many — that the so called “two words” amendment to the Human Rights Act is a stepping stone to same sex marriage.“I think the issue that I have with this is that a few years from now we will be talking gay marriage. And so it's the initial opening of a door that in my estimation is going to lead to something else — something greater,” he said.“So it may not be this set of politicians or political leaders. But what will happen — the sanctioning of this — a few years from now another generation is going to rise up and say ‘Okay we’ve now gotten human rights for this type of lifestyle‘. It’s okay for Adam and Steve to get married.“So I think my stance is just simply about where this is going over time.”Bishop Duncan warned the Government at last week’s national gathering for prayer to “exercise biblical caution, and spiritual restraint” referring to its intention to prohibit sexual orientation discrimination saying it could be a “lethal mistake”.The remarks drew criticism from some who said they were inappropriate for the occasion, and received a special rebuke from another clergyman in his Sunday sermon.That clergyman — Rev Nicholas Tweed, of St Paul AME Church — also said that it was unchristian to deny people their human rights.Speaking to The Royal Gazette yesterday Bishop Duncan, who heads of the New Testament Church of God, said while he did not approve of the homosexual “lifestyle” he was not prejudiced against gay people.“There’s a difference between the person who commits the act and the act itself,” he said.Bishop Duncan added: “I want to be extremely clear that I don’t dislike homosexuals, and I believe that all human beings should be treated fairly, with dignity and with the love of Jesus Christ.”He said: “We’ve all heard the saying ‘don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater’ So maybe I’m speaking to the bathwater and not the baby. So it’s out of concern and love for Bermuda from a spiritual perspective.“And where the legislative endorsement of this, from a spiritual perspective, is going to carry Bermuda — that’s why I am speaking.”Bishop Duncan referred to his predecessor Godwin Smith who spoke on issues such as “gambling, human rights for homosexuals, sporting activities on Sundays,” warning against a deterioration of the social fabric 30 years ago.But few saw the wisdom in his warnings, he said.“Now we see through the many murders that have transpired where a remnant of young men in our society have no appreciation for one of the fundamental commandments ‘thou shall not kill’ so we find ourselves in this position.”The Bishop would not comment on Rev Tweed’s criticism. But he insisted that his focus in his work was preaching “the love for Christ, the forgiveness of Christ for all humanity.”As for his understanding of discrimination and prejudice, the Bishop said: “My parents come from Jamaica. And in the sixties in Bermuda, some Bermudians would call Jamaicans ‘jumpups’ and ‘jiggerfoots’ so if anybody that knows about what it feels like to be down as a little boy going to school hearing people say that, I know what that feels like. So I would never inflict that level of pain.”