Megachurch pastor denies sex with young men
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.
President George W. Bush and three former presidents visited the sprawling New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in the Atlanta suburb of Lithonia for the 2006 funeral of Coretta Scott King, the widow of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Long introduced the speakers and the Rev. Bernice King, the Kings' younger daughter, delivered the eulogy. She is also a pastor there.
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.
Craig Gillen, Long's attorney, says the pastor "categorically denies the allegations."
"We find it unfortunate that these two young men would take this course of action," Gillen said late Tuesday after news of the lawsuit broke. He said Long had not yet been served with copies of the lawsuits.
Long has called for a national ban on same-sex marriage and his church counsels gay members to become straight. In 2004, he led a march with Bernice King to her father's Atlanta grave to support a national constitutional amendment to protect marriage "between one man and one woman."
He also has released several gospel albums, authored books on relationships and spirituality, and hosts a weekly television program.
B.J. Bernstein, an attorney representing the plaintiffs, said that when the relationships started, the plaintiffs were past the legal age of consent in Georgia, which is 16.
"Defendant Long has utilized his spiritual authority to coerce certain young male members ... into engaging in sexual acts and relationships for his own personal sexual gratification," the lawsuits read.
When asked about a possible motive for the accusations, Gillen referred to a break-in at Long's office in June.
Bernstein said one of the plaintiffs is facing a criminal burglary charge in the incident. She said the break-in was a way of lashing out at Long.
Bernstein said she contacted the U.S. Attorney's Office earlier this month when she became aware of the young men's allegations. She did not know what action, if any, the agency planned to take.
Bernstein told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution she has not contacted DeKalb County law enforcement because Long has ties to county officials.
Patrick Crosby, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Atlanta, would not comment on whether federal prosecutors are investigating Long.
Georgia Bureau of Investigation spokesman John Bankhead said his office wasn't investigating. And Orzy Theus of the DeKalb County District Attorney's office said Wednesday that county prosecutors do not plan to be involved.
"That's a civil matter. They were over the age of consent, that's not a criminal matter," said Theus.
Long was appointed pastor of New Birth in 1987. Then, the church had about 150 members. Less than four years later, the church had grown to more than 8,000 members. Athletes and entertainers claim membership at the church.
Long's church was among those named in 2007 in a Senate committee's investigation into a half-dozen Christian ministries over their financing.
Today, New Birth sits on 250 acres and has more than 25,000 members, a $50 million, 10,000-seat cathedral and more than 40 ministries — including the Longfellows Youth Academy, a tuition-based program for young men 13 to 18.
The New Birth campus was quiet Wednesday morning, with no unusual activity. Administrative staff referred media inquiries to Long's spokesman and people at the church declined to comment on the situation.
Comments
Eddie Long is on the DL and he has just been outed and does not like it so now he trying to take the role of the victim , he is not david his victims are david and he is goliath , his mindless followers support him and his lies , he is a sexual predator who took advantage of the young and he could lose his empire of 25000 mindless fools who hangs on his every word because they are afraid to think for themselves, these bible pimps are nothing more then pulpit pimps who take advantage of mindless twits that all.
Posted by: kwolf443 | October 4, 2010 7:42 AM
Of course he denies it--what do we expect him to say--"I had sex with young men and I had a jolly good time while I was at it?" He needs to plan a new life--joining forces with the incredible Ted Haggard-- who was giving an earnest shot at being an insurance agent when last I read of him--this new rascal on the block--can form a megachurch exclusively for hypocrites from the vast religion industrial complex--which is increasingly becoming synonymous with the "grown men having sex with underage boys and girls" industrial complex--considering that the Catholic Church is up to its gizzards in the same kind of muck, a hostile bid for the Vatican, an acquisition and a merger seem reasonable steps for New Birth to take to establish kindred agendas and pursuit of kindred goals--the trumpet blare of religion, folks, is all about the clandestine doing, by men of the cloth, of the very things the rest of us are forbidden to do--by who?--by men of the cloth. The New Birth campus was quiet you say? Ted Haggard may appear there anytime now to sell "sexual misconduct insurance". The only way to end this post is by saying, "Let us pray!"
R Anon
Posted by: Anonymous | October 6, 2010 10:07 PM
I guess we don't need the trial. Sounds like the first two responses have already judged Long guilty. I guess athiests suffer from the same lack of ability to think beyond their own beliefs they rail on the religious for having.
Posted by: Anonymous | October 7, 2010 12:27 PM
Anonymous: You support anyone who believe's in fairy tales , just because your false religions are being exposed for what they really are a big lie there is no god only man and his lies , you would support eddie long and his hatred towards homosexuals while the mean time he may be one of them how ironic people who live glass house should not throw stones .
Posted by: kwolf443 | October 8, 2010 12:29 PM
May be you should offer to be his defense attorney Anonymous and if you are a man or a boy, do your defending wearing a chastity belt, in case you are assaulted in mid argument or during the eloquent religious fervor of your closing statement on behalf of Long.
R Anon
Posted by: Anonymous | October 8, 2010 9:15 PM
Kwolf you assume because I pointed out your bias thinking in declaring someone guilty before tried that means I must be on their side. That rings of the Bush area either your with us or against us kind of thinking. Since you have nothing to back your comments on religion being exposed as a lie it represents nothing more than wishful thinking on your part. No matter how much you want to believe that and declare it fact it is your belief and nothing more.
R Anon like kwolf you assume that I must be a supporter. I have no clue as to Long’s innocence or guilt. I’ll let it play out in the legal system rather than declare him innocent or guilty like someone using rational thought would do.
Posted by: Anonymous | October 11, 2010 4:37 PM