[HOME ] [ABOUT] [PHOTOS] [VIDEO] [BLOG] [HOUSTON] [TEXAS] [U.S. NEWS] [WORLD NEWS] [SPORTS] [POP CULTURE] [CONTACT]
AIDS-infected pastor knowingly infects females in his church
by Leonardo Blair October 14, 2014
Newscast Media MONTGOMERY—A Montgomery, Alabama, Baptist congregation is reeling after their longtime pastor confessed at the pulpit a few Sundays ago that he has AIDS, knowingly slept with church members inside the building without revealing his status, and abused drugs and mishandled the congregation's money.
The shocking revelation was confirmed by a WSFA 12 news report which noted that church leaders at the Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church relieved the offending pastor, Juan Demetrius McFarland, who is a married man, of his duties on Sunday. McFarland is also moderator of the Alabama Middle District Missionary Baptist Association, which includes 34 churches across the state. Association leaders told WSFA 12 that there were no discussions to remove him from that post.
McFarland, who has served at the church for 21 years according to the church's website, told congregants on Sept. 14 that in 2003 he contracted HIV which developed into AIDS in 2008.
A church member who spoke with WSFA 12 but did not want to be identified said the church was supportive of the pastor at that point of his confession.
"The church was very accepting of Reverend McFarland and was willing to help him in any way possible," said the unidentified member. Watch video below:
It was not until the reverend began revealing more details of his secret life in subsequent weeks did the church realize the magnitude of the scandal.
Church leaders revealed in a resolution read aloud at the church that McFarland confessed to drug use, mishandling of church funds and sleeping with female members.
"He concealed from the church that he had knowingly engaged in adultery in the church building with female members of Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church while knowingly having AIDS," said church deacon Nathan Williams Jr.
Deacon Williams, who said he's a 70-year member of the church, noted that the confession is the biggest scandal the church has ever face.
"He confessed to the entire membership and then to the city of Montgomery, because as soon as he got done confessing, it went all over Montgomery anyway," said Williams. "So it's nothing we [are] making up. It's coming out of his mouth."
Church members who were sexually involved with McFarland are reportedly afraid to come forward while others are worried about exposure. One church member who did not want to be identified is encouraging members who have slept with the pastor to come forward.
"I believe that he should be put on trial," said another unidentified member. "Go to court and let the judge decide if he should go to jail or not. We tend to sweep things under the rug, especially if they're the leader. It's like, 'oh, no, please let's not get this out.' But I think after this that they will have more discussions on HIV and AIDS."
The Montgomery Police Department says "transmitting a sexually transmitted disease" is a Class C misdemeanor. No charges have yet been filed against the pastor.
|
|
Join the Newscast Media social networks
for current events and multimedia content.
Copyright© Newscast Media. All Rights Reserved. Terms and Privacy Policy