Gordon Manche has announced that he has converted to Islam, after accusing God of ignoring his prayers to ensure the re-election of Donald Trump.
The Evangelical Christian pastor, who runs the controversial River Of Love church, is a vocal Trump supporter.
“Brothers and sisters, I have important news. As you know, I prayed with all my heart for Donald Trump – the most virtuous, pious president in the history of America – to be re-elected,” Manché told his followers in a video blog.
“But it seems that the promised angels never arrived from Africa to aid him, and God has, for some reason, allowed a servant of Satan to ascend to the throne. It pains me greatly to say it, but I can only conclude that the Lord has abandoned us to the forces of darkness.”
The pastor said he had spent the past few days wandering aimlessly in the street and laying in bed awake all night.
“Then yesterday, I came across an ad on Facebook that was promoting Islam. I got in touch with the page and asked about Islam’s attitude to homosexuality. They told me it was very much haram – that means forbidden – and told me the story of Lot and how the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by Allah – that’s the Muslimg god – because they engaged in homosexual acts. That sounded a lot like what our God also did there, so maybe Allah did it to them again.”
Manché added that he was delighted to learn that homosexuality is punishable by death in many Muslim-majority countries.
“That settled it. I went straight to the mosque in Paola and asked Imam Mohammed El Saadi if I could convert to Islam. I have now submitted myself entirely to Allah, praise be upon him,” he said, as he put on a traditional kufi head covering and a fake beard.
“This is just until my real one grows out fully in two years’ time,” he explained.
The pastor announced that the River Of Love church would be converted to an ultra-conservative Wahhabi madrasa, or religious school.
“Inshallah, we will spread the words of the Prophet throughout Malta and we can start throwing gays off buildings like ISIS used to do. Halleluljah… oh I mean, Allah hu l-akbar!” he concluded.
