Gay man wins big payout after church performs 'exorcism' on him
37-year-old Matthew Drapper, who was volunteering at St Thomas Philadelphia, Sheffield, in England, back in 2014, was told he had come under 'demonic possession' due to his 'sexual impurity'.
He had been taking part in a weekend event held at the church when a husband and wife at the event, told him that performing the ritual would rid him of his homosexuality, thus 'releasing demons' from his body. St Thomas Philadelphia in Sheffield. Pic: Google Street View
During the 'exorcism', the couple, who were prayer leaders at the church, stood over him and said he had to 'break agreements with Hollywood and the media' as these were causing him to have 'gay feelings'.
Mr Drapper said when he looks back on that time, 'it seems like something out of a horror movie' and that the whole experience left him in a state of depression
He told The Times newspaper: 'For someone to be standing over you saying they can see the demons leaving your body is quite terrifying. But when you are deeply tied into the church, as I was at that time, it is easy to believe anything they tell you.' Matthew Drapper. Pic: Instagram
Mr Drapper said the whole experience caused him to lose his Christian faith and over time, led him to leave the church in 2016, before making a formal complaint some three years later.
He had initially requested an apology from the church, but they said there was 'no evidence' to substantiate his claims, but afterwards the Diocese of Sheffield, in agreement with the complainant, asked the Barnardos charity to investigate in 2021.
Mr Drapper has since been awarded an undisclosed five-figure sum from the Church of England.
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