Church Members Hoped to Beat Gay Member Straight (More News from the Bible Belt)

"Man: Parishioners beat him in church to cure homosexuality"

SPINDALE, N.C. "Five members of a Rutherford County church have been indicted by a grand jury for kidnapping and beating a man because he's gay.  

(To see the mug shots of those accused in the beating, click here.)

The five people belong to Word of Faith in Spindale, a church that has been accused of enforcing extensive control over its congregation.      

The Rutherford County Sheriff's Office said the grand jury returned the indictment this week.       

Matthew Fenner said Thursday he was beaten in the church last year after a service. He says it was part of the church's way of trying to cure him of being gay.       

Word of Faith was investigated twice in the late 1990s for its treatment of children, but was cleared of any wrongdoing.  Church leaders have not yet commented on the indictments.

Spindale is about 40 miles north of Spartanburg."