Ten days ago, the disgraced, anti-gay mega-church pastor Eddie Long settled the four sexual coercion lawsuits filed against him and his church. Long is accused of luring at least four young men into sexual relationships
And today: The pastor announced that New Birth Missionary Baptist Church has been "audited" and asked for "larger" donations to build new churches, report WSB and the Atlanta Journal Constuitution.
The church is called New Birth Birmingham. New Birth also plans to launch New Birth Denver, another satellite church. Long also said the Lithonia megachurch recently received its certified audit back from 2010 and 2009. "All your money's being done right and being calcuated right," he said. Parishioners who were financially able were also asked to make larger donations ($500 to $1,000) as a seed for the ministry.
Today makes the second Sunday after the settlement was announced. Long has yet to make any church announcement. Long also did not explain why the "audit" was conducted.
Long is accused of using church funds to give the four men cash, gifts and cars. The four young men—Maurice Robinson, Jamal Parris, Anthony Flagg and Spencer LeGrande—filed sexual coercion lawsuits against Long and New Birth last fall. The sexual relationships reportedly began when each of the plaintiffs were around 16 years old. Read the complaints HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE.
The sexual scandals and lawsuits at New Birth have reportedly lead to a "significant drop" in attendance and donations. And for the third consecutive year, New Birth did not have its once-popular Easter service at the Georgia Dome. Rev. Bernice King also announced her resignation as an elder last week.
The height of arrogance that a pastor would ask for more and "larger" donations after settling multiple lawsuits alleging pastoral misconduct? Nope. Just another day in the hypocritical Black mega-churches, where pastors are worshipped as messianic figures and the congregation prefers a "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" attitude around sexuality.
R20's complete EDDIE LONG coverage.
Negro please!
Posted by: Stefan | 05 June 2011 at 17:20
This goes beyond denial or willful ignorance. Again, there is something pathological about all this.
Posted by: Account Deleted | 05 June 2011 at 17:34
Well, take me to the foot of the stairs!
That man is operating from another space and time.
Posted by: Honut Sinti | 05 June 2011 at 18:04
This is crazy...when will the elders at New Birth stand up and shout ENOUGH!
Posted by: Dre | 05 June 2011 at 19:54
The young black male population is high in Birmingham and I would assume that the young black male population is booming in Denver, as these are places "daddy" wants to "erect" new churchs.
Posted by: Radening | 05 June 2011 at 21:09
I think that some members are silently screaming enough. They are also expressing their screams by not showing up to services (and, consequently, not paying tithes to New Birth).
However, I think that other members are honestly taking the "attacks" against Eddie Long as a personal assault against them (and their faith) as well. People in Atlanta used to BRAG about going to New Birth, like it was some rite of passage (or like being a member of the hottest, tightest fraternity on campus).
They are now embarrassed to turn around and say that New Birth is a mess (to admit this means to some of them that their lives are a mess too). This is especially difficult to swallow when some of us have been saying all along that New Birth is a mess. I don't know if you guys get what I am trying to say (basically that some folks have allowed their identity to be wrapped up in New Birth). But, the human mind and the desire to belong is a crazy thing. I think that some of the members of New Birth got the crazy. It is what it is.
Posted by: Bubbalicious | 05 June 2011 at 21:20
wow god bless him please even though he did the wrong thing still bless him so he can meet u since he preaching about you.
Posted by: miya ingram | 05 June 2011 at 22:51
Personally, I think we should all fully endorse Mr. Long's attempts to fleece the backward cult members in his flock. Some maths:
Bible = Gay hate in the West, which is bad but usually not lethal.
Bible = Dead gay boys, and girls, in Africa.
So please, let this closet case take every cent he can from these morons. They all deserve each other.
Posted by: Liberator Émigré Éire | 05 June 2011 at 23:20
Drink up, Miya. That Koolaid must be mighty tasty!
And Bubbalicious, I agree with you 1000%. Some people are so emotionally invested in New Birth (or another church for that matter) that they perceive this as an admission of their fault or guilt, or as an attack on them.
And I have to say, if this had happened at most white churches, Eddie Long would be gone. (Ted Haggard hello?) But you our people, we worship pas'r and the bible, common sense be damned.
Posted by: Former COGIC | 05 June 2011 at 23:43
Miya, Bishop Eddie Long does not preach about God. Like so many other Christians, he doesn’t even believe in God.
The only thing Bishop Long believes in is what faces him in the mirror when he shaves. When he talks about God, the word is just a synonym for “me.”
Posted by: Jim | 06 June 2011 at 00:50
Stefan took the words right out of my life. Negro Please.
He can raise the damn money, turnin' tricks in his tight outfits.
Posted by: mechadude2001 | 06 June 2011 at 01:24
long daddy will have no problem raising money. many people in the black community pathologically need to be enslaved to something. just name your poison: whether it's being enslaved to white women; thugs; hip-hop; drugs; or the idea that a fool in a big church with a microphone is the second coming; many in the black community will always seek out something or someone to call master.
Posted by: aaronthemoor | 06 June 2011 at 07:12
The audacity! Blatantly trying to get back every penny he gave up in the settlement as fast as possible.
My people...we CANNOT be that stupid!
Posted by: Osiris | 06 June 2011 at 07:39
Insane! No, not Eddie Long. Any one who gives that crook a damn dime is insane. Eddie's just an old time hustler.
Posted by: FREELEO | 06 June 2011 at 07:51
How much more money is he going to milk out of these people for his illusions of grandeur?
Posted by: ThatRealTea | 06 June 2011 at 08:05
If his flock has decided to continue believing this man, let them continue giving him their money.
Posted by: AfroGay | 06 June 2011 at 08:34
Giirrlllll...STOP!
Posted by: DC | 06 June 2011 at 09:33
I third that...Negro please!
Posted by: Charles | 06 June 2011 at 17:27
Gotta love how groups who decry the evils of colonialism and imperialism usually have the hypocritical tendency to take the attitudes, customs, beliefs of their "oppressors" and mix with whatever shitty political/social ideology they have.
So, you guys agree that this goes BEYOND denial, right?
Posted by: Account Deleted | 06 June 2011 at 17:59
This gurl has cracked. All these donations are going to do is allow Eddie to build a bigger, better(and probably more secretive) harem of teenage boys he can prey and trick on. SMH.
Posted by: Kevin | 06 June 2011 at 19:44
Blind leading the blind. I'm so disappointed - that at 29 i'm way too old to get some of Eddie Long's money.
Posted by: Procrastination_Xtravaganza | 07 June 2011 at 18:58