GA - Bishop Long accused of coercing young males into sex

[believe09]

I always have a hard time with the parent not knowing argument when it comes to financial support from someone spending a lot of time with their child. But I have not walked in their shoes.

I think they might have been dazzled by the attention which sort of lulled them...in any case, I pray the families of these young men are supporting them now.

 

[momtective]

This just makes me sick. At first I thought it was just some kids looking to get money from Long but the more I see the more I'm convinced that he actually did what he's accused of doing. What heartbreak within his church and within the Christian Community when so many realize they have been ministered to by the devil himself...brings to mind this scripture; A double minded man is wicked in all his ways.
God bless these young men because their minds must be so twisted because of this man's actions.

 

[Belinda]

I normally do too, believe. In this circumstance though, I can see that he pulled off the saintly, helpful preacher man to the family, while taking advantage of the boys. With a 'normal' person one would automatically question why the gifts etc. Maybe not so much with a preacher. Just guessing. Knowing what I know, I would question anyway, but that doesn't mean someone else will have the sense to. The saying that always sticks with me is 'nothing is free.'

 

[Missizzy]

I don't think we've seen this:

http://www.11alive.com/rss/rss_story.aspx?storyid=156394

Neighbor Saw Bishop Long with Accuser 'Every Day'


"Much of the legal case against Bishop Eddie Long is rooted in activity that allegedly occurred in a modest South DeKalb neighborhood -- two doors down from where "LW" lives.

"Sometimes they were here for hours," "LW" said of Bishop Long and his neighbor of two years, "AF" [one of the accusers].

"AF" is one of four young men who have sued the pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church. The suit alleges that Bishop Long enticed "AF" into sexual activity in an unassuming tract home on a South DeKalb cul-de-sac.

The frequency of Bishop Long's visits were "like a mail lady come to drop mail off," "LW" laughed. "It was every day, man....."

and

"....The suit says "AM" owned the home. "AM" is an official at New Birth. The house is now in foreclosure...."

more at link

 

[Missizzy]

I guess I totally missed this. If it has been posted I will remove this post. A commenter noted that Bishop Long was mentored by Earl Paulk. I checked and a Fox news site is also reporting that fact. I didn't know that name. Here's that man's story:

[ame]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_Paulk[/ame]


"Earl Pearly Paulk, Jr. (May 30, 1927 – March 29, 2009) was the American founder of the Cathedral at Chapel Hill, a charismatic/Pentecostal megachurch in Decatur, Georgia; a suburb of Atlanta...."

and

"....Paulk's reputation was severely tarnished in his later years by allegations of sexual misconduct, including several illicit relationships and accusations that he had molested children...."

more at link

 

[Missizzy]

Thirty???? This is from the UK. Not sure where they're getting their info from. I've also linked to the audio of Bishop Long calling for the death penalty for gays.

http://freethinker.co.uk/2010/09/25...called-for-the-death-penalty-for-homosexuals/

Gay sex scandal pastor Eddie Long called for the death penalty for homosexuals


"....As many as 30 young men may now be considering suing Bishop Eddie Long.
The pastor at the centre of a slew of underage gay sex allegations told his congregation that gays “deserve death” during sermons in the 1990s...."

and

"....In a 2007 report, the Southern Poverty Law Center described Long as
One of the most virulently homophobic black leaders in the religiously based anti-gay movement..."

more at link


Link to audio:

http://www.signorile.com/2010/09/bishop-eddie-long-gays-deserve-death.html

 

[believe09]

I like the Southern Poverty Law Center-this is quite disturbing..

 

[Missizzy]

ITA, Believe. Their "Teaching Tolerance" curriculum is the very best. They have a great web site and are one of the finest guiding lights out there, IMO.

http://www.splcenter.org/

I try to never blindly trust but if the SPLC says it, I believe it. An excellent resource and a great site to bookmark.

 

[Belinda]

Missizzy, that article also said he was stepping down the next day, which should have been 9/26. Let me see if I can find anything to back it up.

 

[Belinda]

3:47 p.m. Tuesday, September 28, 2010
By Megan Matteucci


The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

There is no criminal investigation against Bishop Eddie Long and no new suits will be filed Tuesday, officials said.

snip

An attorney representing the four men told the AJC on Tuesday that no new lawsuits would be filed Tuesday.

More at link:
http://www.ajc.com/news/dekalb/no-new-bishop-long-642647.html

Note: So far I'm not seeing anything about him stepping down. Still looking.

 

[Missizzy]

Belinda--I primarily linked to that UK site as it discussed Long's comments about gays. I also noticed the "stepping down comment". That was written the day before his last sermon when there was a lot of speculation about him stepping down. I noticed several other "gossip" sites that tried to "break the story". Obviously, he didn't step down. That was the only site I saw which had the link to the earlier audios of his talk about calling for the death penalty for gays. That's why I used it.

FWIW, the freethinker site calls itself the "voice of atheism since 1881" and I didn't see it as especially gossipy. I don't know why they used the number 30 or said that he WAS stepping down. That causes me to question their credibility.

Still the link to the audio is a good one and the comment by the Southern Poverty Law Center can be verified at many sources. Sorry for the confusion. It should be interesting to hear what Long says tomorrow morning. He very strongly declared that he would be at that pulpit tomorrow morning.

 

[Missizzy]

A recent statement by the Southern Poverty Law Center about Long:

http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2010/09/23/the-words-of-bishop-eddie-long/

The Words of Bishop Eddie Long

September 23, 2010

"....“The problem today and the reason why society is like it is, is because men are being feminized and women are becoming masculine,” [Bishop] Long says. He then rejects the notion that homosexual orientation can’t be changed. “You can not say, ‘I was born this way’… I don’t care what scientists say, If you say you were born this way, then you’re saying, ‘God, you’re a liar! And I see this thing down here but I’m going to ignore it!’ ....”

and

"....God says, and to every man that knows what God is saying to do and you’re still acting like the boys on the corner, “God says you deserve death!...”

more at link


An excellent commentary, IMO. Just a suggestion, if you are not familiar with this site, take a good long look at it.

 

[Missizzy]

One of my favorite singers of all time is Mr. Harry Belafonte. I cannot tell you how pleased I was to read this comment:

http://www.splcenter.org/get-inform...sues/2007/spring/face-right/bishop-eddie-long

"...When Bernice's mother Coretta Scott King died last year, her memorial service was held at Long's church. Harry Belafonte, the actor, refused to attend. Julian Bond, chairman of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, protested the funeral as well.

"I knew her [Coretta Scott King's] attitude toward gay and lesbian rights," Bond told AOL Black Voices. "I just couldn't imagine that she'd want to be in that church with a minister who was a raving homophobe...."

 

[believe09]

I would say that Mr. Long is a little conflicted.

 

[annmarie62]

One of my favorite singers of all time is Mr. Harry Belafonte. I cannot tell you how pleased I was to read this comment:

http://www.splcenter.org/get-inform...sues/2007/spring/face-right/bishop-eddie-long

"...When Bernice's mother Coretta Scott King died last year, her memorial service was held at Long's church. Harry Belafonte, the actor, refused to attend. Julian Bond, chairman of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, protested the funeral as well.

"I knew her [Coretta Scott King's] attitude toward gay and lesbian rights," Bond told AOL Black Voices. "I just couldn't imagine that she'd want to be in that church with a minister who was a raving homophobe...."

Great link! When this story first came out, I had NO IDEA that Mr. (I REFUSE to call him "Bishop"!!) Long was the same preacher who hosted Coretta Scott King's funeral!! I watched that funeral because I respect the legacy of the Kings (the PARENTS, that is, none of their children impress me) a great deal. I was equally interested in observing how FOUR PRESIDENTS ON THE SAME STAGE would act/interact. Both Bushes gave stiff and scripted speeches to mild applause, but at least they didn't pretend to be close and personal friends with CSK- no, Hillary Clinton did THAT, in a (imo) pathetically patronizing manner. She looked especially out-of-place because she had Bill introduce her and anyone could tell that he had no choice in the matter; she seemed to kinda "bum rush" the podium!! Too bad she spoke AFTER her husband, because Bill Clinton gave a beautiful, heartfelt tribute to CSK not just as a civil rights icon but as a WOMAN, period. It was everything a memorial speech/eulogy SHOULD BE, and the crowd went wild. Love or hate President Clinton, he knows how to "walk with kings and yet not lose the common touch" (my apologies to "If" by Rudyard Kipling!). President Carter gave a lovely speech, too- he really knew the Kings- but his speech was nothing, impact-wise, compared to how he very openly snubbed the Bushes in front of everyone. He looked downright disgusted to see "W" and went on to rip into the racism at the heart of the Hurricane Katrina disaster; I have never seen George Bush look so freaked out; thank you, Mr. Carter! I know I am off-topic here but my point is that I was too busy watching/listening to the "big dogs" on the stage to notice Long. Man, what an ego-trip for a man like him, being a part of this historical event; it probably made him feel indestructible and annointed. Also- how utterly repulsed Harry Belafonte must have been by Long to go so far as to boycott this funeral; Belafonte and CSK were of the same generation, and he has always worked quietly but furiously for civil rights matters. I'm sure that it gave HB a lot of real pain to stay away; talk about a man of integrity! And then look at Long, and his ignorant, hateful, and petty rantings; imo, he is not fit to even utter MLKs NAME! I have read/listened to Dr. King's essays/sermons for years. When I used to teach AP English, the text included his "Letter from a Birmingham Jail"- it was studied not for religious reasons but because King was a masterful writer; it's a gorgeous example of skilled writing, just incredible imo. Then to suddenly become "acquainted" with the words of Mr. Long this week!! It's like switching from "Hamlet" to a Harlequin romance! From brilliant to bombastic! (OK I know I'm getting carried away, lol-) To me, Long represents everything Dr. King was crying out against: hypocrisy, ignorance, and purely selfish behavior. Long somehow years ago managed to "sneak" onto the stage where the coffin of Dr. King's wife rested. He didn't belong there then and he is tumbling off it now. Good riddance.:furious:

 

[Missizzy]

I can hardly wait to hear what he has to say about "those boys on the corner" tomorrow morning.

It's actually very very sad but people need to open their eyes and really look at the man who is leading them with this message of hatred.

 

[Missizzy]

annmarie--I agree on many levels. I remember also being intrigued by the drama on the stage and not really concentrating on Long. IMO, Dr. and Mrs. King would be appalled by Long's words. They are not the words of love and tolerance. I am a Christian and I can assuredly say that he does NOT speak of the Jesus I know.

The unabashed hypocrisy is so outrageous that it would be comical if young men were not reeling with anguish.




The words of Mrs. King in 2004:

http://www.soulforce.org/article/766

"I still hear people say that I should not be talking about the rights of lesbian and gay people and I should stick to the issue of racial justice... But I hasten to remind them that Martin Luther King, Jr., said, 'Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere' ... I appeal to everyone who believes in Martin Luther King, Jr.'s dream to make room at the table of brotherhood and sisterhood for lesbian and gay people."

"Gay and lesbian people have families, and their families should have legal protection, whether by marriage or civil union. A constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages is a form of gay bashing, and it would do nothing at all to protect traditional marriages."

"We are all tied together in a single garment of destiny... I can never be what I ought to be until you are allowed to be what you ought to be," she said, quoting from her husband. "I've always felt that homophobic attitudes and policies were unjust and unworthy of a free society and must be opposed by all Americans who believe in democracy...."


Thank you, Mrs. King for those wise words. They will forever ring true.

 

[annmarie62]

Missizzy, thank you for posting Mrs. King's quotes above. I am not black but I taught school with many fine and highly intelligent black teachers who were strong churchgoers; invariably they were always involved/interested in politics and elections. They taught me about the powerful role "black" churches play in elections, from local reps to the presidency. Many stated that most black churches either condemn or just plain skirt the issue (as in that "love the sinner, hate the sin" credo, which imo is often manipulated and misused) when it comes to homosexuality in particular, and that it is taking a long time for these churches to accept gays as members without condemning them as "sinners" and- as in Mr. Long's case- condemning them to eternal damnation, i.e. hell.
But it IS slowly happening- even AL SHARPTON (a total embarrassment to many people I spoke to) recently spoke in favor of accepting gay people and loving them without judgment. I mean, if "Rev. Al" is opening his mind, then it really IS "time"! OK... I can't believe I just wrote a Jesse Jackson-type rhyme!!:sick:
Anyway-- I was therefore thrilled to read the words you posted by CSK above, which make it clear that she did not condone gay-bashing/-judging on ANY level. Once again I feel confident in saying that Mr. Long was a self-serving hypocrite who DID NOT BELONG on the stage during Mrs. King's memorial; what a wannabe he was (and is), imo!!:loser:

 

[Trino]

I wonder when the civil trials will be held.

Also, two of the young men are being charged with burglary of Long's office (?), charges that he wanted dropped (obvious reasons). When wil their cases be heard?

Another Sunday, another day in the pulpit for Long. Will he further defend himself?

 

[Belinda]

I don't believe for one minute this will go to trial. He will settle out of court. He won't want the whole stories coming out in open court.