Paul Swearengin's new life as 'The Unconventional Pastor' shows true self to Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. (KGPE) - Paul Swearengin is simply a acquainted look successful the Central Valley, moving arsenic a sports newsman astatine KSEE24 for astir 5 years and is the hubby of erstwhile Fresno politician Ashley Swearengin.

But today, astatine 59 years old, Paul is surviving a precise antithetic beingness — 1 helium calls his astir authentic.

Swearengin present self-identifies arsenic “The Unconventional Pastor” and routinely shares his idiosyncratic travel with astir 3,000 Instagram followers and much than 128,000 TikTok followers.

"God is not huffy astatine you"

"God is not huffy astatine you," said Paul successful a caller interview. "There’s nary being retired determination with a agelong achromatic beard who volition acceptable you connected occurrence if you don’t worship Him enough."

Paul often speaks astir religion, politics, sex individuality and intelligence health. Paul has been unfastened astir being diagnosed with dissociative individuality upset — besides known arsenic aggregate property upset — and says his views connected sex are fluid.

"I don’t effort to place with immoderate peculiar label," Paul said. "I conscionable privation to emotion radical and emotion myself. In fact, idiosyncratic commanded that once: Love your neighbour arsenic yourself."

Life extracurricular the box

Paul’s societal media platforms are a premix of humor, reflection, and commentary. Videos scope from encouraging boys to clasp their emotions to responding to critics of his appearance.

"I don’t springiness a damn astir the apparel you wear," Paul says successful 1 TikTok video. "Not a time goes by that I don’t person a reddish hatter marque a remark astir my appearance, alternatively of dealing with the contented of my comments."

While immoderate online comments are harsh, others convey Paul for helping them consciousness little alone. Paul believes those messages marque the struggles worthwhile.

"I deliberation it saves lives erstwhile we archer young people: You’re not bad, there’s nary God that’s huffy astatine you," Paul said. "We halt them from wanting to exit the satellite sometimes."

A screenshot from a video posted by Paul to societal media.

Family and faith

Paul admits the translation hasn’t been casual for his family.

"Stepping into this messiness has been hard for my children and my spouse," Paul said. "But gosh, they’re truthful brave. We’re learning this is wherever beingness is — connected the different broadside of the pain, of this journey, of discovery."

Even with the challenges, determination are lighthearted moments too. When asked if helium and Ashley ever stock jewelry, Paul laughed:

"No. Absolutely not! For one, we’re not adjacent adjacent to the aforesaid size … excavation are cheap, hers are beauteous and expensive."

A connection of freedom

In 1 of Paul’s caller videos connected TikTok, Paul reflected connected the meaning of freedom:

"Freedom isn’t ever astir leaving. Sometimes it’s astir returning and becoming — returning to softness, returning to that small kid that didn’t person to beryllium thing to merit love."

Paul says his extremity isn’t to alteration minds - but to promote authenticity.

"There’s thing beauteous astir everybody looking and acting and reasoning and being the same," Paul said.

The "Unconventional Pastor" tin beryllium recovered on Instagram and connected TikTok.