Church of Ireland officials have withdrawn their invitation to a controversial Evangelical speaker who preaches that gays are posssessed by “demons” which must be driven out.

The Church of Ireland Archdiocese of Dublin and Glendalough yesterday said that they had rescinded an invitation to Evangelical preacher Ed Silvoso following challenges by LGBT activists.

Argentinian Silvoso was scheduled to speak at Redcross Church of Ireland’s Sunday Service.

Redcross Rector Roland Heaney is part of the Evangelical wing of the Church of Ireland, reports RTÉ. The speaking engagement was scheduled for Sunday, May 22 – one year exactly after Ireland’s historic referendum on same-sex marriage.

The invitation was rescinded after church officials were alerted to Silvoso’s controversial views by Cork-based LGBT activist, Fiona O’Leary.

Silvoso, a member of the New Apostolic Reformation, is well known for his controversial opinions on LGBTs. A video on YouTube (posted below) shows the preacher recounting a parable in which a newly devout taxi driver converts a gay bar patron by praying to Jesus on his behalf. ‘The gay’, as Silvoso refers to him in the story, is so delighted that Jesus is willing to intercede in his affairs (despite the fact that he doesn’t actually believe in him) that he agress to be baptised.

After being dunked in the water by the taxi driver, Silvoso then describes demons which possessed the gay leaving his body, before he is ‘rewired correctly’ to be a “real man”.

In the end of the story the taxi driver and reformed gay bake a cake, which they sprinkle with holy water and “lay hands on”, and then send it to the bar’s owner, a venal pimp/ lawyer, who upon receiving the cake drops down to his knees and joyfully accepts the Lord.

The recipe used is, sadly, unmentioned.