Suspected gay man booted from church

A man in the May Pen area is the subject of a booting from a small church in the parish of Clarendon recently in June in fact after an incident between himself and a youth group director over allegations of suspected homosexual behaviour which has not yet been proven in any way yet an ultimatum was issued by the time the matter was brought to the attention of the pastor and other leaders.

The man an office clerk in his twenties made a report to a new LGBT group that is tracking homophobic incidents as part of a study it claims it is doing, the group on Facebook allows for open discussion on such matters and directs persons to possible solutions via groups, individuals and agencies. The matter was shared with myself and other bloggers who are also tracking the landscape and believe me I am still amazed at what is out there with younger LGBT persons especially.

The young man in this matter was closely aligned to the youth group and taught keyboarding to the younger band members as there was a shortage of such skills in the church; he also plays occasionally during church services praise and worship sessions as well. The church had been unusually hiring outside band players from strangely another denomination the Seventh Day Adventists for a small fee as the young church develops its musical core, a shortage of male players had forced them to do so in the parish. The allegations actually came from one of the hired help who as it turned out was spurned after the young man refused his own hints and advances who in turn spun a rumour to in effect hurt the young man’s prospects at being integrated into the permanent band for the church. The allegations are that the young man made an attempt to hold the non resident band member in a compromising position to which he refused.

It turns out after the matter was tried in a hastily put together session acting as a court or trial with the pastor and an acting deacon as the young church has no active board as yet hearing the matter alongside the men and alleged witnesses even though they were not present at the time of the ‘touching’ and intimate moments between the men; they however gave supposedly supportive testimony in this trial of sorts that they suspected the young man seeing he had expressed no interest in the church sisters or women so openly and that he was off in his everyday attitude although he is not effeminate. Sadly such observations are still used to condemn persons even if the non interest is genuine I would imagine.

The young man complained that he was hardly given any room to defend himself properly as when he tried to speak in the mock trial he was rebuffed in a sense by the pastor especially and it soon became apparent to him the exercise was to condemn him and boot him out despite the appearance of a hearing for fairness.

When he tried to explain that the touch allegation and advances were actually done by the fabricator of the accusation the pastor blow up in anger and shouted condemnatory remarks to strangely include the Leviticus line of mankind lying with mankind and the whole nine yards while demanding an answer from the seventh day Adventist accuser who was in effect tongue tied at that juncture. The matter was subsequently adjourned after some thirty or more minutes where the ‘verdict’ by the pastor and supportive deacon that the hired band be reduced with the tainted band member not allowed to return to the duties he was paid for and the young man also told to refrain from all activities involving the band or the youth group. Thinking he was still apart of the church he managed to squeeze in a question during the pastor’s tirade inquiring as to where he should be in the scheme of things.

The pastor responded that he was not to return to the church much to the man’s disappointment so he has complied since however some members of the congregation are up in arms one way or the other as upon hearing the story of the man non-involvement in the church band on Sunday mornings has not gone down well. His absence and that of the hired help as well has had some persons complaining bitterly as to the quality of the music delivery during praise and worship sessions while other members are upset such shenanigans were happening in the church, hence there is a split reportedly since as the pastor has been pressured into some sort of prayer vigil or session for both men to change their ways.

The reparative therapy of sorts suggestion has since been pushed as the booted man says he has been contacted repeatedly by former church brethren to return for youth meetings and prayer despite the edict issued by the pastor who suggested he must not be even seen on the property; some have urged they meet off sight so as to avoid detection as they do not believe the allegations (the stereotype suspicion). The urging parties are willing to risk it they say but the man says he is not interested and has since moved on hence him sharing his story on Facebook and such to warn other men who are in the church and who struggle with similar challenges.

That other entry I carried on this blog earlier this year of the Riverton City Seventh Day Adventist matter and alleged inappropriate behaviour of a man with male teen members who also was involved with a youth group has since settled down, he was removed as the coordinator but was still active, the leadership has since re-imposed the ban and he has been asked to undergo counselling, prayer and such while some church members demanded he should be removed altogether.
also see

Tension at Riverton SDA Church board as member accused of sexual assault is still active

Labourer suffer near two years in prison on false accusation of buggery - DNA shows boy was molested by a family member (Jamaica Observer)

I Bet Deafening Silence from Religious Anti Gay Voices ...... Preacher served summons during service for fraud

FAME FM’s ‘Uncensored’ radio show conflates homosexuality, paedophilia with transgenderism

Another St Thomas Pastor Accused of Rape ........... Where are Anti Gay Religious Groups?

Blakka Ellis on "Jamaica a christian country?"

More Pastoral Inappropriateness & Under-aged Victims... Silence from The Selective Religious Anti Gay

Sodomy is an Issue for Teens says Jamaicans for Justice Interim Chairman

Disturbing Paedophile Case & Conflation of Same Gender Sex with Abuse

Allegations of St Catherine Teacher fondling boys makes tabloid headlines again

Concerned sources claim that ... Boys kissed, fondled by male teacher

Peace and tolerance

H