Oklahoma pastor faces criticism for rubbing saliva on parishioner’s face | American News

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A pastor at a megachurch in Tulsa, Oklahoma has faced a flurry of criticism online over a video showing him rubbing saliva on a congregant’s face.

During a Sunday sermon, Michael Todd, a 34-year-old senior pastor at Transformation Church, spat twice in her hand.

“Receiving a vision from God can become unpleasant,” he said before turning to the man on stage.

The incident came about 40 minutes into a two-hour service, when Todd discussed Mark 8:22-25, a biblical passage in which Jesus restores sight to a blind man in the village of Bethsaida by rubbing saliva on his eyes.

The Tulsa parishioner has been identified as Todd’s brother, Brentom Todd. When Todd rubbed his hands over his brother’s face, the audience let out an audible gasp.

Todd replied, “The way you just reacted is how the people in your life will react when God does the right thing for the miracle.”

As the clips went viral, Todd faced an outpouring of criticism online. Many have condemned his actions as a misguided publicity stunt at a time when Covid-19 cases continue to rise across the United States.

In the past 14 days alone, according to the New York Times Covid-19 tracker, cases have increased 287% in Oklahoma alone.

“The acts Pastor Mike Todd performed today during his Sunday service at the Transformation Church were absolutely disgusting,” one user wrote on the church’s Facebook page.

“I’m usually not quick to attack people online, but he has to be held accountable for rubbing his saliva in another person’s face. Pastors need to be held to a higher standard.

Another wrote: “I found your demonstration demeaning and crude. Your message was loud and clear without rubbing your saliva on a brother’s face.

On Twitter, one user wrote, “What is the CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] going to do about Mike Todd?

Todd tweeted an apology, saying in a video that his actions were “disgusting” and a “distraction”.

He was passionate about giving people hope, he said, “so much so that I try to do extreme things.”

“It was a distraction from what I was really trying to do,” he said. “I was really trying to bring the word to life and for people to see the story. But yesterday it got too live, and it belongs to me.

Todd went on to say that he called his brother.

“He was bald before I spat on him, he says, and he’s still bald today. So no miracles here… so next time I’ll think back and do something different.

Todd has previously worked with Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt to organize a statewide day of prayer for those affected by Covid-19.

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