That gurgling sound is Bishop Eddie Long’s career circling the drain as we speak.
Long closed out the decade with four sexual coercion lawsuits, stories surrounding the alleged previous abuse of his first wife, and a spot on the "50 Most Loathsome Americans of 2010" list according to the Buffalo Beast website – checking in at No. 31, sandwiched between George W. Bush and LeBron James.
Long seems more akin to King Belshazzar than David who slew Goliath. In February, news broke that members of the New Birth/Lithonia, Ga. congregation lost as much as $1 million in a failed gaming investment venture with entrepreneur Ephren Taylor. Taylor reportedly gained access and the confidence of the members through the blessing (literally) of Bishop Long.
New businesses?
So churches are now trying to turn a profit in the gaming industry? Were legalized prostitution and alcohol distribution already taken? The congregation is upset about making a bad ‘wager’ on gaming machines?
Evidently, some vices are not only acceptable at New Birth/Lithonia; they’re even a preferred source of revenue. Homosexuality is bad; gambling is good. Homosexuality is an abomination; a full house or royal flush is cause for celebration.
But I digress. Days later, Bishop Long, his lawyers and church insurance representatives sat down with the four men and their counsel to begin mediation of the highly publicized charges of sexual coercion. Published reports have alleged that the proceedings are contentious and confrontational. To date, no settlement has been reached.
But wait; there’s more
This month, New Birth/Lithonia announced company-wide layoffs and salary reductions, effective immediately. No word on whether Long was also forced to take a pay cut, but cynicism suggests the obvious – hell no.
New Birth Ministries has argued that such cost-cutting measures were in response to a decrease in tithes and offerings in this sluggish economy. And the horrendous press since September 2010, including four major lawsuits, was not a factor?
What can’t be argued is that New Birth/Lithonia’s financial straits only become more dire if/when a settlement is reached and the total legal fees are tabulated. The inevitable increase in insurance premiums can’t be overlooked, and the New Birth/Lithonia brand has already been irreparably damaged.
We live in a cynical America whose inhabitants readily remember Ted Haggard, and the Catholic Church. Our society is rampant with those who aren’t ready to forget or forgive the antics of Oral Roberts and the $8 million in ‘fundraising’ to avoid God (ahem) calling him home. And that was before the Internet and Wikipedia. In the Black church tradition, rarely a day goes by without some sort of sexual or financial scandal plaguing its pulpits.
Tired of scandals
If Long is a ‘victim’ in any way, it’s falling from grace too late in history. Long’s scandal comes at a time when America has already grown tired of the unrepentant, megachurch pastor, embroiled in scandal dripping with hypocrisy.
Will Eddie Long’s ‘ministry’ continue? Sure. Don’t expect him to disappear into obscurity. At the same time, don’t expect him to ever command a level of fame or respect approaching what he once knew. He forfeited any chance at returning to the top when he opted for a private settlement instead of public vindication.
Part of a minister’s job description is to offer wise counsel, encouragement and biblical perspective during trying times of a congregation member’s life. Given the parameters of any mediation agreement, Long will be unable to provide any of the aforementioned during the most important moment of his ministry and the life of its congregation.
Tell the truth
There can be neither closure nor true healing without any public discussion of the allegations. Being able to ask your spiritual leader about the mysteries of the Bible but not about the realities of the allegations can and will prove problematic for some members. New Birth/Lithonia continues to deny the obvious. Members aren’t getting the truth now and won’t get it in the future after an agreement is reached.
Bishop Long will survive this moment of infamy, albeit with a considerable price tag attached. All signs do though suggest he’s relegated himself to megachurch irrelevance. What’s not to like about that?
Mo’Kelly
Florida Courier...
http://www.actup.org
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