Lionel Mandrake
Member
EDIT: Thread title should probably say "Exposed," or something similar, as opposed to "Infected," as that implies confirmed cases of AIDS. Sorry. That didn't occur to me until after I posted.
EDIT2: Thanks, mods.
This has been a pretty big deal locally, and I've seen it pop up on national sites recently, but I haven't seen a thread on GAF yet. (Searched: "Juan McFarland" and "Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church" and got nothing)
I'm going to link some stories, but I'm also going to give you a quick rundown of what's happened so far, so you don't have to look through all four links to know what's going on. I apologize in advance if my writing is sloppy. I'm really tired.
Juan McFarland is the preacher of Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church in Montgomery, AL. One day, while at the pulpit, he decides to confess some sins he had committed. He claimed to have done a lot drugs and misused the church funds for his own purposes.
But most importantly, he revealed he had been sleeping with multiple members of the congregation, and that he had been diagnosed with AIDS in 2008.
Needless to say, people were horrified. A vote was quickly held to remove McFarland from the position, with the results being 80-2 for getting rid of him. But....
He then made himself scarce, avoiding media and churchgoers. And as expected, he decided to lay low.... Until he actually showed up on Sunday and led another service, and weirdly enough, he had a decent number of supporters.
Including one who apparently implied that if anyone tried to interfere he would shoot them.
He preached about faith healing and such while his supporters praised him. Meanwhile, the rest of the church wanted the guy gone. But, apparently at some point before all of this, McFarland had hastily altered the church's constitution (Yes, that's a thing. Southern Baptists are all about some bureaucracy) that gives him seemingly unlimited power.
So now, not knowing what else to do, the deacons are seeking legal help and finally taking the pastor to court on Thursday (Tomorrow). But so far, there's still been no sign of McFarland.
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/local/2014/10/09/pastor-admits-sex-church-members-aids/16979455/
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/local/2014/10/12/ousted-shiloh-pastor-still-leading-worship/17175505/
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/local/2014/10/14/deacons-file-lawsuit-oust-shiloh-pastor/17251261/
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/local/2014/10/15/shiloh-pastor-dispute-court-thursday/17325769/
Normally, I avoid making threads on touchy subjects like AIDS and religion, but this story is so weird, and happens to be happening relatively close to me, so I felt some obligation to.
EDIT2: Thanks, mods.
This has been a pretty big deal locally, and I've seen it pop up on national sites recently, but I haven't seen a thread on GAF yet. (Searched: "Juan McFarland" and "Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church" and got nothing)
I'm going to link some stories, but I'm also going to give you a quick rundown of what's happened so far, so you don't have to look through all four links to know what's going on. I apologize in advance if my writing is sloppy. I'm really tired.
Juan McFarland is the preacher of Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church in Montgomery, AL. One day, while at the pulpit, he decides to confess some sins he had committed. He claimed to have done a lot drugs and misused the church funds for his own purposes.
Montgomery Advertiser said:"He was on marijuana, cocaine and all the drugs you can think of," Williams said. "Those are his words."
Williams said that McFarland also acknowledged that he had used money given to him for conventions on having "a good time."
But most importantly, he revealed he had been sleeping with multiple members of the congregation, and that he had been diagnosed with AIDS in 2008.
McFarland said that he was diagnosed HIV positive in 2003 and then was tested again in 2008, which was when he was diagnosed with AIDS, Williams said.
Williams said he did not know how many women McFarland might have slept with.
Needless to say, people were horrified. A vote was quickly held to remove McFarland from the position, with the results being 80-2 for getting rid of him. But....
McFarland since has changed the locks on the church and changed the church's bank account, leaving other church leaders without access, Williams said.
He then made himself scarce, avoiding media and churchgoers. And as expected, he decided to lay low.... Until he actually showed up on Sunday and led another service, and weirdly enough, he had a decent number of supporters.
Amid heated controversy that has spread worldwide and a vote among church leaders to oust him from his church, Pastor Juan McFarland led Sunday morning's worship service at Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church in Montgomery.
A fervent congregation of around 50, taking up a fraction of the pews, sang loudly and encouraged McFarland throughout his sermon. Though the choir loft behind him was empty, the pastor appeared to be full of the spirit.
Including one who apparently implied that if anyone tried to interfere he would shoot them.
The deacons have said that McFarland and church member Marc Anthoni Peacock changed the locks on the church to prevent them from entering and have changed the names on the church bank account.
The lawsuit states Peacock threatened to use "castle law" to keep the deacons out of the church.
Attorney Julian McPhillips, who is representing the deacons, said that reference was a threat to shoot the deacons if they tried to enter the church.
He preached about faith healing and such while his supporters praised him. Meanwhile, the rest of the church wanted the guy gone. But, apparently at some point before all of this, McFarland had hastily altered the church's constitution (Yes, that's a thing. Southern Baptists are all about some bureaucracy) that gives him seemingly unlimited power.
Deacons dispute the legitimacy of a church constitution that grants McFarland wide-ranging powers, including immunity to being removed as pastor by vote. In fact, the constitution states that the pastor "may only be removed by resignation or death."
So now, not knowing what else to do, the deacons are seeking legal help and finally taking the pastor to court on Thursday (Tomorrow). But so far, there's still been no sign of McFarland.
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/local/2014/10/09/pastor-admits-sex-church-members-aids/16979455/
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/local/2014/10/12/ousted-shiloh-pastor-still-leading-worship/17175505/
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/local/2014/10/14/deacons-file-lawsuit-oust-shiloh-pastor/17251261/
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/local/2014/10/15/shiloh-pastor-dispute-court-thursday/17325769/
Normally, I avoid making threads on touchy subjects like AIDS and religion, but this story is so weird, and happens to be happening relatively close to me, so I felt some obligation to.