IF this is true, I think this man live a very guilt-ridden life. Pastor and husband. As a middle-age, Christian, southern man, he has probably hidden his sexuality all of his life and maybe even lived a secret life as a gay man. I think he finally snapped. This is what bigotry does to people. It forces them to live a life of lies. That must be horrible. I am not excusing his actions, but just looking at the reasons.

Pastor charged in wife's murder was headed to Europe to marry boyfriend, prosecutor says

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - Bond for the former Homewood pastor charged with murder in his wife's stabbing is set at $100,000 after prosectors said he tried to leave the country to marry his boyfriend.

If Richard Lee Shahan makes bond, he must remain on house arrest, a judge ruled.

Shahan, 53, appeared for a hearing Thursday afternoon before Jefferson County District Judge Sheldon Watkins. Shahan is represented by Wendell Sheffield and John Lentine. Deputy Jefferson County District Attorneys Laura Poston and Leigh Gwathney are prosecuting the case.

Gwathney said that information obtained from more than 3,000 of Shahan's emails indicated that he was planning to leave the country and never return. He was heading to Kazakhstan via Germany and ultimately planned to move to the United Kingdom, she said.

"He planned to become a citizen there and begin a new life with his boyfriend... who he intended to marry," Gwathney said. "He had no intention of ever returning to the United States. He had no home to return to and he had said his goodbyes to his family."

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2014/01/pro ... ncart_2box

I've had some real-life experience that correlates to what this man went through. I knew a man who was an associate pastor at a huge Baptist church. He was married, but they had no children. They had talked about adoption. He was loved by the entire congregation and was great with the kids. (NO, he wasn't a pedophile) His wife died of ovarian cancer at 28 years old.

After that, he quit the church and spiraled downward even trying to commit suicide. At first we thought it was because of the death of his wife. We discovered later on that he was gay, so I think he, as a devout Christian, thought that his wife's death was some sort of punishment. I'm certain that he was conflicted about being a gay Christian. This was in the 70's.

Many years later, I sort of ran into him in another city. Long story, but he was "Ronald McDonald" for the chain and went to different venues. I tried to talk to him after the program, but he disappeared quickly. I think he recognized me and was embarrassed.

I had heard, at some point, that he was living with a man. I hope he found peace and happiness.

Being gay is hard enough. Being a gay Christian must be even harder, depending on the particular sect and their beliefs.