The pastor of a Missouri church has landed himself in hot water after preaching that autism is caused by “demonic” forces – insisting parents should “cast out demons” to heal their children.
Pastor Rick Morrow, of Beulah Baptist Church in Richland, sparked outrage among parishioners following a live sermon when he made the controversial statement on September 6.
“If it’s not the devil, then we have to say that God made them that way,” he said. “That’s the only other explanation.”
“Either the devil attacked them, he brought this weakness to them, he took them where he wanted, and/or God didn’t like them that much, and he made them that way. “
“My God does not make garbage. God does not make chaos.”
Morrow also claims to know a minister who has healed “many autistic children” just by praying for them.
“He had to pray and their brains were reconnected and they were fixed,” he said.
Pastor Rick Morrow’s sermon was posted to the Beluah Baptist Church Facebook group in Richland Missouri. Rick Morrow/Facebook
The sermon was then posted to the Beulah church’s Facebook profile, where it quickly garnered hundreds of thousands of views and dozens of comments demanding Morrow’s resignation. It has been taken down.
Samantha Jaramillo, a mother and autism awareness advocate, called Morrow a “false prophet” in a heated response on Facebook.
“Imagine someone getting up on the pulpit and preaching that your child is trash,” he said. “People trust you to lead them in their faith. They expect you to help guide them to God. How sad that you took full advantage. How sad that you have led so many lives astray.”
Mia Daughtery, mother of an autistic boy, vowed to stay away from Morrow’s church.
“I will never think that I or my children or anyone else I know and love who has autism is the devil. They are made exactly as they were meant to be made,” he wrote.
“This is not preaching love. I am very sad to hear this. I will never set foot in this church again.”
The preacher then dialed back his comments, explaining that he though autism is “rubbish”, not a person who has it. Rick Morrow/Facebook
Morrow somewhat retracted his comments during another Sunday sermon, explaining he thinks autism is garbage, not the children affected by it.
“I have been told that autism is a blessing from God. I’ve been told I’m the bad one,” Morrow said, according to the Kansas City Star.
“But you know what? If I stood here and said cancer is rubbish, people would agree. If I stood here and said addiction is rubbish, people would agree.”
The backlash led to Morrow’s resignation Tuesday from the position he also held on the Stoutland School Board, KY3 reported.
Beulah Church could not be reached for comment when contacted by The Post.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
