Disgraced anti-gay mega-church pastor "Bishop" Eddie Long is finally publicly commenting after he settled at least five sexual coercion lawsuits filed by young men.
Two of the young men who accused him of sexual abuse spoke last week to the Atlanta Journal Constitution and WSB-TV. Twenty-four-year-old Jamal Parris and 23-year-old Spencer LeGrande were among the four cases initially filed against the disgraced pastor last fall. Both risked losing undisclosed their monetary rewards by speaking to the media.
Long released a statement on New Birth Missionary Baptist Church's website. The statement does not address or refute any of the claims that the anti-gay pastor routinely seduced and had sex with teenage boys:
We have a long history of dutifully serving those in need in the local and global communities and we will continue to do so. We are committed to the calling of a strong, viable and relevant ministry of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Unfortunately, we are in the media again and people are wondering what I am going to say. All I have to say is what we stated earlier. All parties involved decided to resolve the civil cases out of court. The decision was made to bring closure to this matter and allow us to move forward with the plans God has for this ministry.
I will continue to honor and abide by my commitment of confidentiality and restraint as it relates to the resolution of the civil litigation and will not be diverted from the important work of the ministry.
I thank God for your faithful support of my journey to South Africa where thousands where blessed and more than 700 people gave their lives to Christ. We also were able to sow more support into the HIV/AIDS Hospice in Johannesburg that we partnered with last year. We built a wonderful bridge of relationships with pastors and community leaders to further establish the Kingdom and bless others.
I love you and thank you for your continued commitment and dedication.
The four young men—Maurice Robinson, Jamal Parris, Anthony Flagg and Spencer LeGrande—filed sexual coercion lawsuits against Long and New Birth Missionary Baptist Church. Long is accused of using church funds to give the young men cash, gifts and cars. The sexual relationships reportedly began when each of the plaintiffs were around 16 years old. A fifth man later came forward with more allegations.
Glass houses, stones, trust will set you free, etc..
R20's complete EDDIE LONG coverage.
A statement that doesn't really state anything.
I really feel for Jamal...he's still looking for acknowledgement from Eddie and if he doesn't get that, it's only gonna lead him down a bad path. I hope he finds help.
That's the bad thing about abuse: there's a deep-rooted desire to have your abuser acknowledge what they did to you. Gotta let that go if you want to be successful in life.
Posted by: Osiris | 31 August 2011 at 16:18
The sad part is that his congregation has chosen to put on blinders and let this closet-case predator change the subject. They're comfortable accepting this ridiculous smokescreen, versus demanding his honesty, whatever the consequences, and selling those boys out in the process. My God doesn't work like that. IMO they're as guilty as he is and they should be embarassed for themselves. Eddie Long and his church are a joke.
Posted by: Ealan14 | 31 August 2011 at 18:29
What business do these charlatans have involving themselves with anything HIV/AIDS related? The irony and hypocrisy of these imbeciles and religious institutions getting involved in anything relating to the disease they've helped stigmatized and HELP perpetuate in many ways.
Christianity is a joke and Eddie Long's cronies are a deluded bunch. Maybe Tyler Perry can base his next feature film on the Eddie Long case. A straight, God fearing Black preacher finds himself divulging into temptation, being used by Satan to do perverted and unspeakable things and struggles to go back toward the path of Jesus and His Kingdom with nasty, little queens being the antagonists. His cronies would eat it up!
This $hit! is beyond ridiculous. I don't give rat's ass about Judgement Day or if the magical sky God will "deal with him in the after life" it's revolting that they cannot touch and how folks truly are deluded with Long. This is mirror image of the crap that is going on in the Latino/Hispanic communities. AIDs is rising, fundie preachers still having such control over the flock, and folks STILL THIS DAY turn the other way at the scandals that occur and the damaging legacy the Catholic Church has bestowed.
Posted by: Kevin P. | 31 August 2011 at 21:04
Eddie Long and his church was a nice joke.
Posted by: Mattes | 31 August 2011 at 22:22
HE IS SCARED THAT ALL THE FACTS ARE GOING TO COME OUT IN DETAIL...CAN'T BRUSH IT UNDER THE RUG NO LONGER...GOOD THAT HE CAN'T DICTATE HOW THE TWO MEN PLAN ON ENDING THEIR STORY.
Posted by: BLACK | 01 September 2011 at 05:01
About all that I can think of saying to Long's statement is, "Negro, please."
Posted by: Chitown Kev | 01 September 2011 at 09:55
If he is lamenting being in the media again, and all he has is "All I have to say is what we stated earlier," why would he not stand up and say something like:
"I swear on my life, and the life of everyone in my congregation, before God, that I am 100% innocent of every charge brought against me."
That's a powerful statement that could deflect speculation. It would keep him out of the media. And neither of those things are going to happen -- because his actions and statement obviously point to guilt -- except in the eyes of blind.
Posted by: Kenneth | 01 September 2011 at 12:16
Messy Eddie! If he had any sense of decency he'd stop with the corny clothes, come out the closet, let his wife go and leave the blind flock in ATL alone and go back in that country he crawled out of. He only did the church to get the boys -oldest gay trick in the book and nobody, not a one, even in the illustrious good gay groups is locking up this pedophile and now he's carrying on in Africa...Amazing.
Posted by: Troy | 01 September 2011 at 12:58
GUILTY!
Posted by: JBK | 01 September 2011 at 18:29
Anyone who has to proclaim himself as a bishop and doesn't have the background to support it screams pedophile.
Posted by: Bk Bk | 02 September 2011 at 21:00
I never knew why this pedophile calls himself a "bishop." Now it's quite clear: he identifies with the "bishops" in the Roman church! They're pedophiles, and so is he. Makes perfect sense: they're all "bishops!" Of course.
Posted by: John Cox | 02 September 2011 at 23:49
Even though the evidence appears apparent, crazy cakes Long continues to be an inhabitant on a strange planet orbiting around the truth.
Posted by: Honut Sinti | 03 September 2011 at 07:50
may some boi chop down this tree jumper for jesus asap!!!
http://aliciabanks.xanga.com/733351074/semantic--sellouts---the-low-down-on-the--down-low/
http://aliciabanks.xanga.com/733345503/bernice--alveda-king---pretenders-to-the-king-throneperpetually-disgracing-regal-kin/
Posted by: alicia banks | 10 September 2011 at 04:19