A Texas pastor – Rev. Ralph D. West II – has been found to be responsible for transmitting herpes to a woman several years ago. Following a three-day civil trial, a jury ordered West to pay a substantial sum of $2.45 million in damages.
The Transmission and Lawsuit
The lawsuit revolved around the transmission of herpes from West to a woman he had met through social media. The woman, whose identity has been protected, contracted the illness during a period of unprotected sexual activity with the pastor. Notably, she began experiencing outbreaks just two or three days after their intimate encounter.
Proving West’s Infection
The woman’s attorney, Shaun Murphy, outlined the factors that contributed to the case. Four key elements were considered to establish liability. The first aspect questioned whether the defendant, West, was indeed infected with herpes. Medical records and tests conducted on the woman immediately after her outbreak were presented as crucial evidence. These records indicated that she had received a prior negative test result, which was essential to pinpointing the timing of her infection.
The Defendant’s Knowledge
The second component focused on whether West was aware of his infection. To support their claim, the legal team uncovered emails exchanged between him and the woman. In these correspondences, West allegedly admitted to having contracted herpes from his son’s mother. These emails played a key role in establishing that he knew about his condition.
The Source of the Transmission
The third element was proving that West was the source of the woman’s infection. Medical evidence, in combination with the absence of any other sexual partners in the woman’s history during the relevant period, solidified this aspect of the case.
The Reverend’s Response
The final component centered on Reverend West’s response when confronted by the woman. According to her attorney, the pastor never once denied that he had herpes or that he was aware of his condition.
The Legal Verdict
After careful examination of the evidence and testimony presented during the trial, the jury decided that West was indeed liable for transmitting herpes to the woman. They ordered him to pay $1.45 million in damages, which encompassed the financial losses, emotional distress, and healthcare expenses incurred by the woman due to the infection. Additionally, West was required to pay $1 million in punitive damages, intended as a deterrent and punishment for his actions.
The Internet’s Response
News of the situation was shared across the internet and people flocked to comment sections to give their views. One commenter wrote: “That seems like a huge sum of money for herpes. Not that he wasn’t a [terrible person] for giving her herpes, mind you, but I’m pretty sure people get herpes all the time without the multi-million dollar payouts.”
Get Out of Jail Forgiveness Card
Another person said: “They’ve done social studies on church congregant statistics and how their morality lines up with the average secular individual. Most of the time, there is no difference between them. But they have their ‘get out of jail forgiveness card’ they play which means they feel great even with their misgivings.”
Expecting to Be Forgiven
Replying to the aforementioned individual, another commenter wrote: “Right, secular individuals are generally much more moral as they avoid doing bad things rather than doing bad things and expecting to be forgiven later.”
Sick of the Hypocrisy
Others called out the hypocrisy of some Christians: “Texas and a pastor! What a surprise! Not! Is it any wonder that the youth in the U.S. are fleeing organized religion? We are sick of the hypocrisy!”
Let’s Not Victim Blame
Some people questioned the woman in the situation. “So she had unprotected sex with a stranger? And believed him on his word alone that he didn’t have it? Good lord,” one person said. “I don’t know all the details but I am betting that he schmoozed her into trusting him and, sadly, she fell for it,” another replied.
Priests and Pastors
Another commenter wrote: “First it was priests doing a bunch of nasty things and now I see more and more pastors doing similar disgusting things. Yeah, keep going to church and handing over your money to these people.”
Evangelicals Thrive on Judgment
Others criticized evangelicals: “The problem in America is that some churches claim to be Christian when they are actually evangelical. Real Christianity does not discriminate, loves everyone, and is founded on the teachings of Jesus. Evangelicalism discriminates, loves those who love them, and is founded on the teachings of Lucifer. Jesus says not to judge, evangelicals thrive on judgment.”
From the Pockets of the Parish Members
Another person wrote: “Guarantee [the money] didn’t come out of his pocket, but the pockets of their parish members and the church’s liability insurance company! We all pay for these claims in the end through higher insurance premiums.”
The Bible Belt
Plenty of people weren’t surprised by the story. One person wrote: “Welcome to the Bible Belt, folks. Who else did he infect? This is why religion has fallen off in America. You don’t need a church to be a good person. In fact, the opposite.”
Being a Church Leader
Echoing the aforementioned commenter’s lack of surprise, another individual said: “Good old organized religion. Those pastors or whatever they call themselves just keep on cheating and then asking for forgiveness. Seems to be one of the rules for being a church leader.”
Dishonesty and Deceitful Behavior
Others found the pastor’s behavior to be typical of Christianity: “Typical Christian behavior. Ironic how lying, dishonesty, and deceitful behavior play such a big part in this religion. It’s how believers are able to maintain their belief.”
Targeting Drag Queens
One person pointed out the far right’s misplaced anger. “Have you noticed all the drag queens being arrested for the same thing? Yeah, me neither. Weird. Maybe they are not the problem… just the target,” they wrote.
“This Is Why Nobody Takes Christianity Seriously”: Pastor Enters Cage of Lions to Prove God Is Protecting Him
Plenty of religious leaders claim to have some form of “divine protection” but not many of them are brave enough to attempt to prove it. One pastor, though, did possess that courage – or stupidity – and he locked himself in a cage of lions to make his point.
“Christianity in America Is Just a Money Making Scheme”: Pope Slams American Catholics for Turning Faith into a Cash Cow and Ideological Circus
Pope Francis has criticized certain conservative factions within the US Catholic Church, stating that they’ve replaced genuine faith with rigid ideology. He emphasized that a proper interpretation of Roman Catholic doctrine permits adaptation and change as time goes on.
“Jesus Was a Socialist”: Christianity in Crisis as Conservatives Finally Realize Jesus Was Woke
Russell Moore, once a prominent figure within the Southern Baptist Convention, has expressed profound concerns regarding the current trajectory of Christianity within the United States.
“Jesus Was a Socialist”: Christianity in Crisis as Conservatives Finally Realize Jesus Was Woke
Empty Pews, Changing Views: 18 Reasons Why Modern Congregations Are Thinning Out
Sit tight, friends! Have you noticed that your usual church-going squad is thinning out? Even the little old ladies with their prayer books seem to have made themselves scarce. But what’s causing this great church exodus? Let’s pull back the curtain and examine why some people are swapping the sermon for a Sunday sleep-in with our intriguing list of 18 reasons.
Empty Pews, Changing Views: 18 Reasons Why Modern Congregations Are Thinning Out
21 Things Forbidden by the Bible (But You Might Already Be Doing Them!)
As we navigate the present day, it’s fascinating to discover age-old Biblical rules that might feel out of place today. From clean-shaven debates to the great pork dilemma, let’s dive into these intriguing prohibitions. Hold onto your hats because some of these are real eyebrow-raisers!
21 Things Forbidden by the Bible (But You Might Already Be Doing Them!)