Bishop Eddie Long: ‘I Am Not Perfect’

By David StokesSpecial To The Medium from The Atlanta Inquirer As additional young adult men are expected to come forward this week after four former members of the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, in Lithonia, Georgia, claim to have been “coerced” into respective sexual relationships with the church’s senior pastor, Bishop Eddie L. Long, the 55 year old preacher told his congregation last Sunday that he would “vigorously fight the charges” against him as nearly 10,000 members applauded, ultimately vowing to support him. In court filings (September 21) in DeKalb County State Court of alleged sexual harassment against Bishop Long, New Birth, Inc., and the church’s “off-shoot ministry” of the Longfellows Youth Academy, Incorporated, two young adult males who initially were students within New Birth’s youth academy, Maurice Robinson and Anthony Flagg, stated in civil litigation documents that Bishop Long exerted his influence as pastor — “spiritual advisor” — over the teens, both age 14 at the time, to eventually engage in sex and relationships for (Long’s) own personal sexual gratification,” all the while furnishing the impressionable young men with cars, cash, jewelry and other gifts, allegedly with church funds, along with putting them on New Birth’s payroll. In separate 23-page filings by Robinson and Flagg, respectively, the youth academy “purported to train young men, from 13 to 18, to love, live and lead as they proceed on their ‘masculine journey’.” However, as the 50 year old preacher is the academy’s “pastor/counselor/confidant” to the teens in the program, the initial plaintiffs allege the academy is Bishop Long’s modus operandi to influence and exploit vulnerable teen males who, in the case of Flagg, have no father, or father-figure, “to bring them to a point to engage in a sexual relationship.” After they are pronounced as Long’s “spiritual sons” within the program and church congregation, furthermore, “defendant Long has a pattern and practice of singling out a select group of young male church members, and (uses) his authority as Bishop over them to ultimately bring them to a point of engaging in a sexual relationship,” court documents indicated. Both Robinson and Flagg are now 21. A third plaintiff, 23 year old Colorado resident Jamal Parris, filed a sexual harassment lawsuit, on September 22, alleging similar charges, with the additional claim that while occupying Bishop Long’s Snapfinger Drive guest house in DeKalb County, he would regularly request for Parris to be nude for the pastoral visits. All three are being represented by Brenda Joy “B.J.” Bernstein of Atlanta. In addition, a fourth young male, Spencer LeGrande, filed a sexual harassment lawsuit (September 24) against Long, alleging same charges as a member of New Birth-Charlotte, a satellite church in North Carolina. According to the lawsuit and Associated Press reports, the then-17 year old engaged in sex with Long, in 2005, after being given a sleeping pill, according to the lawsuit, and was ongoing until last year. In statements by Bishop Long initially, he denied the allegations. Last Sunday, Long stood before his congregation and denounced the accusations. “I am going to fight this thing. I am not a perfect man — but I am not the man being portrayed” by the plaintiffs as, according to one complaint, a “sexual predator.” Although Long did not definitively deny the allegations to his members, he spoke on all people having to “face painful situations. This is the worse time of my life,” the pastor proclaimed at an 8a.m. service. Following the service, Long addressed local and national news media at a press conference in New Birth’s chapel. Taking no questions from reporters, he only said the civil lawsuits “would not be fought in the media, but within a court of law,” as he also used the opportunity to promote his church’s ministries’ work at home and abroad. After about 10 minutes, he walked away with his wife, Vanessa, and attorneys, Craig Gillen and Dwight Thomas of Atlanta, in tow. “It is unfortunate these young men have chosen to take this course of action,” Gillen said. “Bishop Long adamantly denies these allegations. We’re reviewing the complaints … and will respond in the proper venue accordingly. Bishop Long also stated, ‘Let me be clear. The charges against me and New Birth are false. I have been through storms, and my faith has always sustained me. I have devoted my life to helping others, and these false allegations hurt me deeply’,” Gillen exclaimed the father of four said. The Plaintiffs’ attorney Bernstein of Atlanta — who is remembered for successfully defending Genarlow Wilson of sexual sodomy in 2006 — said to The Atlanta Inquirer last week, “the courage of these young men to stand up is testimony to (obliterate) Bishop Long’s great influence, as well as they trying to get to the truth of the betrayal …for a productive life.” She also warned, “there are kids right now at risk (at New Birth).” Bernstein denied a reporter from speaking to the plaintiffs last week, indicating, “they’ve relocated for the moment…. To (initiate litigation) was very emotional for them,” relaying, too, that e-mails, text messages and pictures provided to the young men “will speak for the cases against the bishop.” Ms. Bernstein stated she had no comment after Bishop Long’s sermons (September 26). Bishop Long, a native North Carolinian, arrived to Atlanta in the mid-1980s, prepared to brandish his small-town reputation for the big city and suburbs of Atlanta. From 1987, after being appointed New Birth’s pastor, to the present day, membership has grown from mere hundreds to nearly 30,000. Primarily teaching God’s promise of prosperity, Long’s popularity has made him a sought-after counselor among the rich and powerful — from former Georgia governors and U.S. presidents to local county leaders — along with his membership who travel from near and far for worship services. Within the youth academy, it is alleged that Bishop Long allegedly exerted “power and dominion” with the then-teen males with “various rituals …, and discussed Biblical verses that reinforce the spiritual and God-like connection between himself and the young men,” according to the affidavit. According to the affidavit it is further alleged, that upon becoming a “spiritual son,” the plaintiffs claim Long lavished them with trips within the U.S. and abroad on jets, housed them in luxury hotels, and provided access to “numerous celebrities, including entertainment stars and politicians.” During the out-of-town trips, in particular, plaintiffs allege Long shared a bedroom to ultimately “engage in sexual touching, and other sex acts” with Robinson. “Defendant Long would use Holy Scripture to discuss and justify the intimate relationship between himself and friend,” thereby, “causing Robinson great anger and anguish. With both plaintiffs Flagg and Robinson, character could become a key component if the lawsuit heads into the court. In 2007, Flagg was arrested for simple assault, and later, his mother agreed for him to live in New Birth’s “Golod House,” the haven for troubled teens, in Lithonia, Georgia, upon Long’s suggestion, “to provide stability and opportunity to learn and grow with such an important spiritual mentor.” Flagg also alleges Bishop Long was “situated to exercise a controlling influence over the will, conduct, and interest” of Flagg, and otherwise shared the same bed “to engage in sexual massages …where increased sexual contact included oral sodomy, kissing, masturbation and oral sexual contact.” With Robinson, he and another man were arrested last June for breaking into Long’s personal office on the New Birth campus site. The plaintiffs are seeking punitive and compensatory damages for “Breach of Fiduciary,” various counts of fraud and negligence, “Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress,” and “Negligent Failure To Protect,” “Negligent Failure To Warn” and “Negligent Failure To Intervene-Supervise” against youth academy officials, all under the auspices of New Birth, Incorporated, and its registered agents. While attorneys deliberate on Bishop Long’s overall intent to allegedly “coerce” the then-teens into sex, New Birth members, past and present, are “shocked” and “in disbelief” of the salacious accusations. “It’s nothing but a set-up,” decried a former member, seeking anonymity, who relocated to the northeast to enhance business opportunity. “Big money, power and success attract devilish acts.” Nevertheless, the irony of a popular Pentecostal/Baptist-style preacher leading an anti-gay ministry, with an opposition march six years ago, has rocked New Birth, along with the local Black clergy, in general. Allegations of Bishop Long paying off other males two weeks ago to secure their silence, according to sources familiar with the imbroglio, would not be substantiated, nor expounded on, with interviews. Also, others sources indicated to The Atlanta Inquirer that several church administrators had resigned from New Birth last week. “Their pay and benefits were good, but they didn’t want to go out like that,” the source said. The Rev. Bernice King, youngest offspring of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and a New Birth elder, also helped lead the anti-gay march. According to the church’s website, counseling services for members “struggling with homosexuality” are offered by Long, “a man of vision, revered locally, nationally and internationally as a dynamic man of leadership, integrity and compassion.” Repeated requests for comment to Ms. King went unanswered. Also, some local ministers gathered (September 24) at Paschal’s Restaurant, on Northside Drive, to strategize for a “lock-in,” an initiative where pastors will sit and pray with Bishop Long for seven days to respond to the church, and “to show and provide open arms,” as rendered in scripture (Job 2:11-12), according to coordinator Rev. Jasper W. Williams, Sr., senior pastor of Salem Bible Church of Atlanta and Lithonia. “We are all sinners …, and we are all the body of Christ, including Bishop Eddie Long,” Williams stated prior to the meeting. Rev. Williams Declare he has “no opinion, either way” of believing Long’s innocence or guilt. Rev. Williams, who indicated he’s known Long “since he’s been in Atlanta (1987),” expressed “mixed emotions” upon witnessing the intriguing cell phone pictures, allegedly transmitted by Long to Robinson and Flagg, with Long dressed, in one photo, in a red skin-tight muscle shirt, and in another, Long posing in a black form-fitting gym suit. As Williams calls on the nation’s pastors to come to Atlanta, beginning September 27, “to pray with and for Bishop Long,” he noted a rush to any judgment is premature, and to remember Long’s admirable community service rendered to Atlanta. “He’s done tremendous works here. This negativity has had a tremendous affect on him and on New Birth, but the church will sustain itself,” said Williams. “I feel like David against Goliath, but I have 5 rocks, and I haven’t thrown one yet,” Long concluded. Although Concerned Black Clergy of Metro Atlanta president Rev. William Cobble chose “to reserve comments until later,” a previous chief did not. “It was mostly shock and disappointment,” the Rev. Dr. Gerald Durley stated as initial thoughts upon learning of the accusations against his friend of 20 years. “Nevertheless, we should be extremely prayerful for him, his family and New Birth. This is a precarious time.” Durley also praised Long’s “tremendous amount of work” within Atlanta and beyond. “We must look at the good he’s done, too,” as well as comment on the allegations. Does Regional Council of Churches co-chair Durley believe the accusations? “Whether they are true or false, they will have an impact. As clergy (members), we need to continue lifting up the flock, as well as move forward toward healing and redemption. Overall, the Black churches will not be negatively impacted; we’ll come out of this stronger.” Although the bishop has not spoken out to refute the allegations, his children (on September 23) verbalized comments on Twitter. “We are doing great; keep my pops lifted up in prayer!,” exclaimed Edward Long. Succinctly and simply, daughter Taylor Long declared, “Man, my dad does NOT deserve this!”