BANGOR (AP) – Members of a local church protested Friday against the new Hollywood Slots gambling facility and its 475 slot machines.

Nine members of the local King James Bible Baptist Church spent about an hour and a half outside of the facility, carrying signs equating gambling with damnation. Members of the church also protested for a short time on the facility’s opening day on Nov. 4.

The protesters pointed their signs in the direction of passing cars and handed out pamphlets to passers-by. Some shouted at patrons and cars as they went by.

The church’s pastor, who wouldn’t give his name, wore a jacket with Bible scriptures on the back. He said he was there to spread the word of God.

“You can’t talk about God in school anymore, but as far as I know, you can still stand on the street,” he said.

An official with Penn National Gaming, which owns Hollywood Slots, said protesters have a right to be there and that the company didn’t anticipate any problems.

“We have received an overwhelming positive response to the opening of our gaming facility,” said Amy Kenney, manager of marketing and public relations for Hollywood Slots. “We recognize that there may be some folks that may be morally or religiously opposed to gaming, and they’re entitled to their point of view.”

The Bangor chapter of the King James Bible Baptist Church meets every Sunday at the Hampton Inn in Bangor, according to a hotel employee. The church opened in 1998.

Copy the Story Link