LETTER TO THE EDITOR:
Pastor Sherwood’s Trial
Dear Sir,
“Whatever was the criminal trial of Pastor John Sherwood all about?” Having examined my 6 pages of trial transcript it clearly shows there was an attempt to make preaching the Bible text of Genesis Chapter 1, into a criminal offence in England. The only prosecution witness against the Christian Pastor said in the witness box that he heard preached “Everyone is born of male and female parents. God made man in his image and women in his image and it is natural to have children. So everyone needs a father and mother. There was no other subject, only raising children while I was there”. Queen’s Counsel, defending the Pastor, asked that witness “Was the point of the message about mankind created men and women and that was how God intended it?” The witness replied “I would say so, Yes.” Pastor John Sherwood in the witness box confirmed this was the essence of his message and he had quoted the words of Jesus Christ “A man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and shall become one flesh so that what God has joined together no man should put asunder. Contravention of the 10 Commandments is sin. Including ‘Thou shalt not commit Adultery’ which is all sexual activity outside marriage.” Trying to make the words of the Bible and the words of Jesus Christ as contained in the Church of England marriage service into a criminal offence, all at great public expense, is beyond belief.
Preaching these Bible truths could now be criminal activity if Pastor Sherwood had been criminalised. So why was Sherwood violently pulled off his ladder (pulpit), handcuffed and prosecuted? When asked “Did Homosexuality form a large part?” Pastor Sherwood in the witness box replied “No. It came to light when the police arrived. It had not been an issue leading up to that. I was asked about Homosexuality by P.C. Beadle afterwards when the police arrived.” In a 2 May 2022 interview with ‘Christian Today’ Sherwood publicised that he had responded to the police officer “The Bible does speak of homosexuality as sin. But one of the 3 police officers said that I was wrong about this. In response I referred to Leviticus 18:22 ‘Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination’ “. A policeman was heard in the video, played in court loudly saying, “If we get one more call you are coming with us.” The sole witness said in court “I now saw the police there. Because there was a commotion I spoke to the police.” Therefore the “Commotion” generated by the police officer arguing and denying what the Bible says, contributed to the prosecution witness making his ‘Complaint’ to the police. The arresting police officer testified in court that Pastor Sherwood was “Not abusive. No. Not disorder.” Queen’s Counsel asked “You had the Bible read to you?” The police officer replied “Yes.” I conclude that Pastor Sherwood was arrested and falsely accused of ‘Abusive’ words under the Public Order Act when in fact the police in court admitted there was no ‘Abuse’ no disorder and all he did was read the Bible to a police officer who had publicly falsely accused the preacher of preaching a message contrary to the Bible.
Roland R. Parsons
City Preacher
