Anti-Gay Megachurch Pastor Accused Of Pressuring Men Into Sex

Jim Burroway

September 22nd, 2010

Eddie LongSurprised?

The prominent pastor of a 25,000-member megachurch near Atlanta denies allegations in a lawsuit that he coerced two young men from the congregation into a sexual relationship, his attorney said. Lawyers for the men, now 20 and 21, say they filed the lawsuit Tuesday in DeKalb County Court against Bishop Eddie Long. The Associated Press generally does not identify people who say they were victims of sexual impropriety.

…The men who filed the suit were 17- and 18-year-old members of the church when they say Long abused his spiritual authority to seduce them with cars, money, clothes, jewelry, international trips and access to celebrities.

Long has campaigned against same-sex marriage, and he runs an ex-gay ministry called “Out of the Wilderness.” In 2007, the Southern Poverty Law Center published a profile of Long in which he commented on how hot gay sex can be:

“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.'”

Moments later, he would repeat the Levitical mandate that gays be put to death. “Homosexuality and lesbianism are spiritual abortions,” Long says.

darren

September 22nd, 2010

not AT ALL surprised! i remember the first time i saw eddie long live (back in college), and i KNEW this was just another closeted gay preacher who seemed to be a BIT too focused on gay issues ;)

elaygee

September 22nd, 2010

These “religious leaders” seem to run anti-gay ministries so they have easy access to men they can abuse.

Regan DuCasse

September 22nd, 2010

Ted Haggard in blackface.
What an impersonation and a stereotype of the flashy, gaudy snake oil salesman.
Long drives a car worth more than his congregation can make in their lifetimes.

It’s easy for him to make TOKEN gestures of charitable organizing, and pocket the lion’s share of contributions for himself with no shame at all.
But rather, ‘I’m entitled because I did all this for y’all’.

When Long said even if the Klan was against gay marriage, he could side with the Klan, made me throw up. This coming from a man who officiated at the funeral of one of our most powerful allies, Coretta S. King.

And now this. No, I’m not surprised. TD Jakes and his gay son are another example of the damage done by the closet. Especially to the credibility of gay people who reach positions of wealth and power to further the agendas of the anti gay. These highly popular and influential black spiritual leaders, are just as increasingly showing their hypocrisy and contradictions in morality.

Rather than have a discussion on the closet, and how it compromises honesty and the ability for people to learn from each other, the arrogance of straight people like this who belong to these churches, will place all the blame, shame and lack of integrity on the gay person.
An obviously unfair indictment. And coming FROM black people who so quickly forget the chains of passing for what one is not to avoid and escape injustice and systemic bigotry.

BlackDog

September 22nd, 2010

I could not help but notice that in the photo used for the article about this on CNN, he had a pink hankerchief in the pocket of his expensive suit. Well chosen for the article, yes, but obviously the picture was taken sometime.

Seems kind of creepy, really. But then I remember watching Jesus Camp and how creepy Ted Haggard was in that.

Seems like a lot of those guys usually just are.

Timothy Kincaid

September 22nd, 2010

Am I surprised? No.

But sadly, I suspect his congregation will choose to look the other way.

Emily K

September 22nd, 2010

Ted Haggard in blackface.

burn.

Emily K

September 22nd, 2010

I want to express my hope for Blacks in the church to come out of the closet. Let your neighbors see you. Let them see you sitting next to them in the pews. Let them hear your voice in the choir. You are a powerful force, and if you believe Black is Beautiful, then I hope you’ll also believe that being gay has no bearing on that beauty.

KZ

September 22nd, 2010

Haven’t you guys ever read the original version of the Bible? A lot of these rules have exceptions.

Leviticus 20:13

“If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death. There blood shall be upon them*.”

*this does not applieth to vehemently anti-gay pastors.

BlackDog

September 22nd, 2010

Which original version of the Bible is that? The King James?

I still cringe at the thought that actual people think the King James is the best or even original version. You know, the “If the King James was good enough for Jesus and Paul it was good enough for me!” crowd.

How can that be that people think that? It says right in the front of any copy of the KJV I’ve ever seen, when it was compiled, and that was a LONG time after Jesus or Paul!

BlackDog

September 22nd, 2010

Not to mention…King James was apparently bi. I’ve never quite been able to figure out how that doesn’t ruin the authoritative-ness of his personal translation in the eyes of the people who idolize it.

They’re usually the ones who hate GLBT people otherwise.

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