Lawsuits accuse Bishop Eddie Long of sexual coercion; Long "adamantly denies"

[RubyDuby in GA]

Source: Atlanta Journal & Constitution

Two DeKalb County men filed lawsuits Tuesday alleging Bishop Eddie Long, leader of one of the Southeast’s largest churches, coerced them into having sex with him in exchange for lavish trips, cars and cash.

Long is the nationally known minister of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, with more than 25,000 members.

The pastor’s attorney, Craig Gillen, adamantly denied the allegations.

"It is unfortunate that these two young men have chosen to take this course of action."


Read more: http://www.ajc.com/news/dekalb/lawsuits-accuse-bishop-eddie-618573.html

---

Why is it always those who scream the loudest that homosexuality is a sin that turn out the be the ones who shouldn't throw stones at the pretty glass houses?

[truthisfreedom]

1. Obviously if he gave them cars that's got to be something provable.

[Dappleganger]

2. 25,000 members?

Wow.

[Downwinder]

3. New Birth Missionary Baptist Church web site has gone bye-bye. n/t

[Ian David]

4. I am shocked, SHOCKED I tell you, that an anti-gay fundie would be having gay sex!

[No Elephants]

6. I did not focus on so-called "gay sex."

The allegations are of adultery, deceit, promiscuity, use of the influence a spirtual leader has over followers to obtain sex, and hints at possibly grooming of minors so he can start banging them as soon as they hit legal age.

I have no idea what he preaches about homosexuality (if anything), but I cannot imagine any church condoning any of those other things.

[Ian David]

8. Southern Poverty Law Center called him one of the worst homophobes.

Bishop Eddie Long

LITHONIA, Ga. — "Men can look attractive when they are dirty," writes Bishop Eddie Long in his 1997 book I Don't Want Delilah, I Need You! "We see sweating, dirty, hardworking men on television all the time and we say to one another, 'There's a macho guy.'"

Despite this affinity for sweaty, macho men, Long is one of the most virulently homophobic black leaders in the religiously based anti-gay movement. His book, subtitled What a Woman Needs to Know, What a Man Needs to Understand, appeared in the midst of a roaring growth period for Long's New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, Ga., near Atlanta. During the mid-'90s, it swelled to over 18,000 congregation members, men and women who worship in a multimillion-dollar complex that's the size of most major universities, spread out on 240 acres of land.

Much of what appears in I Don't Want Delilah was espoused in the videotaped "Back to the Future” sermon Long gave when his church was still small.

"It is the most unattractive thing I have ever seen, when I see women wearing uniforms that men would wear, and women fighting to get in the military!" Long shouted to his congregation then. "The woman gets perverted to turn towards woman … and everybody knows it's dangerous to enter an exit! And everybody knows, lady, if you go to the store and buy these devices , it's Memorex! It ain't real!"

The audience, seated in a congested sanctuary, erupts in laughter. But what Long says next is no joke.

"God says you deserve death!"

More:
http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2007/spring/face-right/bishop-eddie-long

[No Elephants]

5. "Long used the alias 'Dick Tracy' when he checked into the hotel, the suit alleges."

:eyes:

[madokie]

7. Not many straight men will admit to having sex with someone of the same sex

so I doubt that these guys are making up anything here, lawyer dude.

[Ian David]

10. This is true. Just ask my wife... Morgan Freeman... who I've slept with.

Yeah, that's the ticket.




Actually, you are correct. It is very unlikely that the plaintiff would be willing to falsely paint himself as an ongoing participant in this sort of relationship, especially if they are not gay.

[Ian David]

9. Bishop Eddie Long is trending on Twitter today. Apparently, this is a big deal.

http://twitter.com/#search?q=Bishop%20Eddie%20Long

[47of74]

11. Tsk, tsk...