Well, apparently it is! It looks like Eddie Long is back in business, fleecing the church folks like a desperate gold digger trying to jump in the last balla's car after the club closes! But seriously, this is so sad I almost thought Aaron McGruder had launched a live action version of The Boondocks! How can people be so willing to not only forgive and forget (especially when you've been given so little to base your forgiveness on), but to give all their money away as well? It's beyond denial; it's almost pathological. Watch this crap and try not to hurl below.
All I can say is birds of a fucking feather...hell you know the rest. Fellow Atlanta mega-church pastor Creflo Dollar has come to the defense of Ms. Eddie Long, who recently settled with the four young men accusing him of luring them into sexual relationships with cars, cash and other goodies.
In his defense of his "brother in the Lord," Dollar (how appropriate is that last name) compares Long's situation to a car wreck, praises him for having "insurance" and criticizes ex-New Birth members for leaving. I think I'm gonna be sick.
"I can't believe people would believe their preacher because he had a wreck instead of praying for him," said Dollar. "He's loved them and he's taken care of them ... and he had a wreck. Here's the good news: He got insurance! He's still anointed!"
Pardon my french, but how can people sit there and applaud this bullshit? Just when I think I've seen how low church folks will go in the worship of their "holy men" I'm proven wrong. So now we're supposed to look at Eddie and think "Well he may have preyed on those young boys (who were actually spirits of lust or some other stupid interpretation) with the finesse of a street corner pimp and then used our cash to cover up all the details, and he hasn't said a word to us about a case he vowed to fight. But hey, he's still anointed and appointed!"
Seriously, if this was a white mega church, Eddie would been out on his ass long ago (Ted Haggard anyone), but since it's a black church we gotta lift pastor up, even when he's been exposed as an arrogant, deceitful, manipulative, hypocritical, self-hating charlatan. Are we really that hard up for leadership in the black community that we have to accept this? As The Boondocks' Huey Freeman once said, "What happened to standards?"
This whole fiasco could've been a wonderful opportunity for Long to come clean about his own struggles with his sexuality. True, it would've cost him dearly, but if he'd had the courage to endure it, something good could've come out of it. He could've apologized to the LGBT community for marching and speaking out against us, and starting working towards mending wounds caused by his past actions. It could've sparked a still much needed discussion about sexuality and homophobia in the black church, which, whether you're religious or nonreligious, affects your life in some way.
But now all we're left with is the same old crap--a church full of homophobic, sycophantic straight folks and closet queens giving their time and coins to a pimp in preacher's clothing. Anyone who still attends his church might as well carry a sign that says "Fleece me baby!" If Long, Dollar, Joel Osteen (Lawd it's just something his cheesy smilin' ass I don't trust) and the rest of the holy rolling brigade are God's chosen, then I will gladly do a double-backhand spring into the jaws of Satan.
Enough ranting. Watch Creflo unload his big barrel of crap below.
Just when it looked like the four sexual coercion lawsuits against mega church pastor Eddie Long would be settled out of court, Judge Johnny Panos says he is now preparing for a trial in the fall. According to WSBTV"Panos said he is preparing for a trial in August or September. He wouldn't say why he no longer believes the two sides are close to a settlement...Bishop Long's spokesperson would only say there is nothing to report when asked about a settlement in the case. Attorneys for both sides did not return phone calls seeking a comment."
In case you forgot, Ms. Long has been charged with coercing the four young men--Jamal Parris, Anthony Flagg, Maurice Robinson and Spencer LaGrande--into sexual relationships and using church funds to buy them cars, clothes, jewelry and cash. Time to throw those five rocks you were bleating about Bishop.
For a recap of Eddie Long coverage (lol, look at me sounding all CNN:) click HERE.
There's a headline you don't see everyday. According SGLUniverse, several Washington D.C. ministers met with LGBT folks to apologize for the treatment they faced at the hands of the church.
Hosted by Pastor Anthony E. Moore and Carolina Missionary Baptist Church on Feb. 19th, the community, local churches and members of the LGBT community were asked to come together for "an opportunity for people to express their thoughts and feelings" on the topic of homosexuality and the church. The dialogue was not to include a dialogue on the theological position on homosexuality. Instead the focus was on the church, the place that is supposed to be a house of love, "was often the most uncaring and unsafe place for these individuals when they were at their most vulnerable."
Pastor Keith Battle, attended on behalf of Zion Church, and pastors from other sponsoring churches included Pilgrim Baptist Church in D.C. and New Vision Church in Bowie, Md.
Pastor Moore offered his apology "pledging to continue the dialogue and to make concerted efforts to make his ministry more inclusive of members of the LGBT community."
A sign of a larger movement or change taking place in the black religious community? Let's hope so. Read the full piece at The Root.
Ms. Long is back and ready for a few good men! Although the mega-church pastor has been accused by four young men of coercing them into sexual relationships with gifts of cars, clothes and cash, he's decided to launch a series of what he calls "late-night prayer meetings" and revivals. For men only.
Men who are not a part of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church are welcome to attend, but they are required to stay after midnight and, in Long's words, "bring an offering worthy of the Lord." Late night prayer meetings you say? I'm sure there'll be plently of kneeling and shouting unto God (or more accurately, "Oh Gawd!"), and that the worthiest offerings will be long and hard. And that condoms and KY will be passed on collection plates. Okay I'm finished! But the arrogance of this man (and his PR team) is astounding. I don't even know why I'm surprised at the level of denial and delusion church folks will subject themselves to. Watch below:
Why am I not surprised. Eddie Longlegs has decided to opt out of a trial and attempt to settle with the four young men accusing him of sexual coercion. Part of me hoped his inner narcisscist would win out and he'd want his day in court, if only so he could show off more horrible lace front wigs, expensive suits and jewelry purchased with the funds from his gullible flock.
Another part of me still hopes that the guys will reject his hand out and tear this queen a new one in court, laying all his dastardly deeds bare for all to see. But hell, even if New Birth's members saw a video of Eddie simulatenously giving head and getting hit from the back by a young twink while The Dreamgirls soundtrack blasted in the background, they'd still scream "TOUCH NOT MY ANOINTED! from the bottom of their deluded souls. SMH. Watch the AC360 report below:
Jamal Parris, one of the four young men who filed suit against Bishop Eddie Long alleging that he coerced them into sexual relationships, talked to Fox 5 Atlanta about his relationship with the pastor. As I watched the video, all I could think is shit just got real. Watch the clip below:
Five days, four lawsuits and two i-Phone pics later, Bishop Eddie Long finally addressed accusations that he coerced four young men to have sexual relationships with him while lavishing them with cars, clothes and cash. Of course his speech (or sermon if you like) had all the necessary ingredients for a classic non-denial denial.
Neither confirming or outright denying the charges levied against you? Check. Trotting out the supportive wife and kids? Check. Twisting the case into a biblical battle, in which you simultaneously compare yourself to one of the holy book's heroes and label your accusers villians out to destroy the ministry? Check. All the while accepting thunderous applause, according to The New York Times:
Addressing a New Birth Missionary Baptist Church sanctuary packed with thousands, Bishop Eddie Long neither discussed specifics of the lawsuits filed against him nor flatly denied the accusations. But he drew thunderous applause when he addressed his flock publicly for the first time since the first lawsuits were filed several days ago.
"There have been allegations and attacks made on me. I have never in my life portrayed myself as a perfect man. But I am not the man that's being portrayed on the television. That's not me. That is not me," he said as applause interrupted him during the first of two services Sunday morning.
Long's final remarks during the service invoked the biblical story of the small David doing battle with the gargantuan Goliath.
"I've been accused; I'm under attack. I want you to know, as I said earlier, I am not a perfect man," he said, briefly pausing for effect. "But this thing I'm going to fight. I want you to know one other thing, I feel like David against Goliath. But I got five rocks, and I haven't thrown one yet."
And church folks ate it all up like the Sunday afternoon all-you-can eat buffet at Ryan's. Rod 2.0 pretty much sums up my thoughts about the whole spectacle.
"On a personal note, it was totally expected and sadly disappointing to watch thousands of churchgoers applaud a man accused of using their church tithes to buy cars and give cash to teenage boys. Apparently, there is no rush to seek the truth, only a rush to convince themselves that they haven't been lead by a hypocrite. Good luck with that."
Good luck indeed!
Watch the whole thing below:
And in case this predictable response has got you feeling down, here's little snippet from the good bishop speaking on preacher's and "God's sperm," courtesy of Son Of Baldwin. Watch below:
Tidbits from the Eddie Long case keep dropping from the sky like manna from the heavens. ABC News obtained photos from attorney BJ Bernstein, both of which show the pastor posing in Lyrca muscle shirts in two separate bathrooms. These photos, allegedly sent to young men in his congregation, were sent via e-mail in November 2008 and signed ""Eddie L Long, Amazed by His Grace."
In a statement released today and read on The Tom Joyner Morning Show, Long denied the charges and said he was hurt by the allegations, according to CNN.com.
"Let me be clear: The charges against me and New Birth are false," the statement said. "I have devoted my life to helping others and these false allegations hurt me deeply, but my faith is strong and the truth will emerge."
Long asked for patience "as we continue to categorically deny each and every one of these ugly charges" and requested prayers for himself, his family and the church. He said he will respond to his congregation from the pulpit on Sunday."
Yes, stay in the ivory church tower, safely surrounded by sycophants and all your adoring sheep (but to be fair I guess he does owe them some sort of an explanation. After all, they are indirectly paying for the cars, the house, the jewelry...). I don't even think Aaron McGruder could dream up some of this stuff. Watch the ABC news segment below:
A third lawsuit has been filed against Eddie Long by 23 year-old Jamal Parris, accusing the pastor of acts of sexual coercion similar to the two lawsuits filed Tuesday, according to CNN.com. Long will hold a press conference tomorrow morning, according to his spokesman Art Franklin.
You can read Anthony Flagg's and Maurice Robinson's lawsuits here and here.
Why am I not surprised. According to CNN.com, prominent Atlanta pastor Bishop Eddie Long has been accused of by two young men of coercing them into having sex.
The pastor took one plaintiff, Anthony Flagg, 21, on overnight trips to a half-dozen American cities in recent years, Flagg's suit alleges. "Long shared a bedroom and engaged in intimate sexual contact with plaintiff Flagg including kissing, massaging, masturbating of plaintiff Flagg by defendant Long and oral sexual contact," the suit says.
Long took the other plaintiff, Maurice Murray Robinson, 20, to Auckland, New Zealand, in October 2008 for his 18th birthday and engaged in oral sex with him, Robinson's suit alleges. "Following the New Zealand Trip, Defendant Long regularly engaged in sexual touching, and other sexual acts with Plaintiff Robinson," Robinson's suit alleges.
Long spokesman Art Franklin said Tuesday that "we categorically deny the allegations.""It is very unfortunate that someone has taken this course of action," he said. "Our law firm will be able to respond once attorneys have had an opportunity to review the lawsuit."
Unfortunate is definitely the right word, especially since Long has built a reputation for being virulently anti-gay. In December 2004 he led a 25,000-strong march against gay rights and gay marriage according to Rod 2.0, and in 2007 he was named "one of the most virulently homophobic black leaders in the religiously based anti-gay movement.," by the Southern Poverty Law Center's magazine. The suit also alleges that Bishop Long framed his sexual relationship with the two young men in a spiritual context.
The suits allege that Long chose the plaintiffs to be his "Spiritual Sons," a program that allegedly includes other young men from the church.
Flagg moved into a home owned by another New Birth pastor when he was a high school junior, according to the suit, where Long would sometimes share a bed with him. Flagg was eventually put on the church's payroll, his suit alleges, with Long personally delivering his checks. Flagg's suit says that Long presided over a spiritual "covenant" ceremony between the two of them. "It was essentially a marriage ceremony, with candles, exchange of jewelry, and biblical quotes," Bernstein said Tuesday. "The bishop [told] him I will always have your back and you will always have mine."
Touching souls in more ways than one. How many times do church folks (i.e straight black folks and delusional queens) have to see this mess play out again and again before it sinks in that you can't pray the gay away? That no matter how many times you run to the alter after hooking up with some church queen on BGC, no matter how many times you top but don't bottom, no matter how many women you managed to slide up inside while secretly thinking of the head deacon, you will STILL BE GAY. Granted the case is in its early stages and the full story hasn't been revealed, but needless to say, shit is about to hit the fan.
Seems like Rick Warren can't keep his facts straight. First he tells Larry King he never made any statements about Proposition 8, and he's oblivious to the whole gay marriage issue.
Really Rick? Then why did you make this video endorsing Prop 8, and told your flock if they believe in the Bible says they should support it?
Or this interview with Ann Curry where you called gays who follow their nature impulses for sex and relationships immature and further repeated your views on marriage?
Or these statements you made about gay getting hitched:
"The issue to me, I'm not opposed to that as much as I'm opposed to redefinition of a 5,000 year definition of marriage. I'm opposed to having a brother and sister being together and calling that marriage. I'm opposed to an older guy marrying a child and calling that marriage. I'm opposed to one guy having multiple wives and calling that marriage."
Rick, if you didn't want that video misunderstood as an official statement, then maybe you shouldn't have made an online video that could be viewed by anyone with a computer. And if you are against gay marriage, then be a man about yours and say so instead of flip flopping like a fish on a dock. And who are these gay friends he keeps referring to? Where are they?
