A man called Father Jesus won't be allowed to build his church in a Mississippi city as residents opposed his proposal and questioned the pastor's credentials.
Jesus Laster, who heads the ministry called Saints of the Most High, submitted his plans for a church on Monroe Street in North Gulfport, Mississippi. The residents, along with Commissioner William Prince Jones, however, discussed Father Jesus' proposal during a council meeting last Thursday and probed his qualifications as an ordained minister.
Laster faced the council wearing a robe and a crown, as well as empty gun holsters. He answered questions about his education and his criminal record.
Resident and council member Queen Graves took it upon herself to investigate Father Jesus since no one locally seemed to know of him or his activities. Graves told the press that his name suggested he could be a man for God but what she found out about Father Jesus disappointed her.
Graves gathered a packet containing Laster's business and personal information. He had seven arrests in South Mississippi since 2013 for charges on domestic violence and gun assault. The pastor, however, did not deny the criminal charges but defended that those happened when he was intoxicated while "celebrating the Lord."
"I celebrate like kings of old," Laster explained. "There was danger present which caused us to have to defend ourselves, which also gave us a bad name."
Laster wanted to build the Saints of the Most High in a 27 sq. meters site as a castle, but his church has three members only. The commission also pointed out that a professional contractor did not prepare the building plans and did not have any provisions for building code compliance, hence they could not legally accept the proposal.
The council voted 8-1 against Laster based on those grounds, but Councilwoman Ella-Holmes Hines revealed that disturbed and concerned residents also came up to her to discuss Father Jesus. Reports additionally stated that Laster confessed he's been diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenic. He decided to be called Father Jesus because he believes the spirit of Jesus Christ lives in him.
