Former parishioner of Rep. Wesley's church criticizes lawmaker's sermons
May 17—A former parishioner from State Representative Bill Wesley's Pentecostal church said he feels the lawmaker has spread misinformation about COVID-19 and espoused "frightening" rhetoric in his sermons.
Skylar Parks voted for Wesley and attended his church for several years, before taking a pause from attending services when the pandemic began. He said Wesley encouraged churchgoers not to take the COVID-19 vaccine or wear masks and made statements about the end of times being near.
"I remember he said some things I thought were pretty alarming... Best I could tell, they thought the end of times were near and Joe Biden was in league with the devil and all the world's leaders had came together... He would be like 'Can we all come to an agreement that we are living the the very last of days?' He would state that premise and get people to agree with him based on that. He would always talk about 'they.' 'They've got these vaccines insinuating they're out to hurt people and telling us not to take the vaccine," Parks said.
Wesley said Parks only has issues with the state representative over his stance on vaccines.
Wesley added he was "glad" Parks has left the church.
"I don't have no comment about what the Bible says — it's true," Wesley said. "I'm not gonna live behind four walls and a mask in fear like he (Parks) has been. I'm not going to force people to take a vaccine, that's what it's over. I believe it's a choice. If you're going to take it, take it, don't pressure other people to take it. Because obviously it's not working, because I know a lot of people who have took it and their sick... The masks don't work. You can keep wearing them all you want... That's what it's all about, it's not about the end times."
Parks also said some of Wesley's sermons promoted violence towards members of the LGTBQIA community.
During a debate on the House floor concerning Senate Bill 83, which prohibits transgender girls and women from playing on female sports teams in Kentucky, Wesley told the House that "God...hates sin," then added "We need to encourage our children...if they are born a female, then we need to encourage them to be a female, and if they are born a male, then we need to encourage them to be a male."
Gov. Andy Beshear had vetoed Senate Bill 83, titled the Fairness in Womens' Sports Act, saying that it "most likely violates" the US Constitution and that there was no need for such a ban in the commonwealth. However, Kentucky's GOP-controlled legislature voted overwhelmingly along party lines to bypass the governor and enact the ban.
Parks said he briefly returned to church after getting a vaccine, but then left after tension arose over Facebook posts he would make criticising some of Wesley's own posts about the pandemic.
Parks said he still cares deeply about the people he went to church with.
"The people in this church I've always known to be very sensible and good people... As far as I know, they're the finest of people. They're very sensible and good to everybody. I'm not saying anything about the people in church, just Mr. Wesley," Parks said.
Wesley is currently running for re-election in the 91st House District which serves Estill, Powell and parts of Madison County.
