Rev. Wayne Marlon Jones, 53, has been criminally charged in a case where police say that he sexually assaulted a woman during exorcisms and defrauded her over the course of years. The case could raise questions over questions of consent and religious beliefs.
Jones is charged with three counts of fraud for allegedly swindling the woman out of money and property. None of the reports however give details on the basis for such fraud allegations. It is not clear if the prosecutors are alleging that he used religious claims to secure such payments, though he could argue that such claims are protected and that the payments were voluntary.
Police say that Jones held the exorcism and counseling sessions between May of 2011 and May of 2013 at the United Spiritual Baptist Church on Midland Avenue. They say that he exploited the women sexually and financially during that period. These cases however raise the question of where to draw the line between religious claims and fraud. Often the line is clear, but courts can struggle with cases where religious figures convince parishioners that they should give more than the usual tithe or make promises that include a religiously based assurance of healing or everlasting life.
Jones is listed on the United Spiritual Baptist Church website as “Bishop Wayne Jones.” He was born in Trinidad and Tobago and immigrated to Canada in 1984. His church has been in long conflict with city and appears abandoned after years of permit and safety issues raised by inspectors and neighbors. His website states “Bishop Jones has a vast number of spiritual children, and considers himself blessed to have been given stewardship of them by the almighty God.”
Police are looking for more victims.
issac
It was apparent that some commenters felt our courts should inflict the penalty. Hard to do when the crime was committed in Canada.
Reblogged this on LUWAGGA ALLAN.
This sort of perversion knows no borders, although there are areas in the world where it does seem to congregate.
It’s Canada, guys.
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Exorcism, as I see it, is to take things out, not put things in.
Hers was out. His was in. If that’s not porkin–fine me ten.
Beldar – exorcism is to drive the devil out. However, I suppose that different faiths have different techniques for doing it. 😉
Maybe the pastor’s dumbhandle can scare Satan outta them ladyparts.
I agree Justice Holmes. Rape remains rape and fraud remains fraud under secular legal definitions. Although religion is able to get exemptions from secular law in our very religiously based society, I do not think this is right.
We need to stand up for a secular state and secular laws. When those laws are violated, religion should not be a get out of jail free card.
Religious defenses to criminal charges should be disallowed. If the allegations are correct, this man used religion to rape women. Enough.
Not much to go on here JT. Sounds like it’s at the ‘allegedly’ stage, as are so many other accusations.
If the guy defrauded someone then he should be charged with fraud, regardless of religion.
If the guy sexually assaulted someone then he should be charged with sexual assault, regardless of religion.
This seems like just another in an unending line of ‘intellectual giants’ who have a sexual wire shorted out and feel that they are important enough to be paid for.
The only real travesty here would be is society would cut this guy a break due to a slippery lawyer and the ‘forgiveness’ card after losing the jury and/or judge in a morass of religious freedom arguments.
As long as humans vary in mental function, there will be predators and victims. We need more ideas of how to divert predatory tendencies to constructive outcomes. Capitalism is one way, if it is tightly regulated to constrain scams and corruption. Wars used to be a favored option for engaging local predators, but today bombs and drones have largely replaced them. We really need people to clean up our environment. How can we make that task feel like it is attacking and dominating something weak and defenseless? Pollution IS attacking the earth. Maybe attacking pollution would appeal to some predators.
This man has as much connection with Christian principles as the administrative state has with the constitution.
Okay, at what point did she finally get a clue she was being sexually assaulted?