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I woke up early to go to the website for the New Birth Missionary Baptist church. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I knew that Bishop Eddie Long would be convincing. Every bit of his charisma and experience would be needed to manage the complex set of allegations against him for sexually abusing some of his members.
I'll lay out some notable quotes by Bishop Eddie Long this morning and let you judge much of it for yourself. What I can say, though, is that Bishop Long seemed to say a great deal without saying much:
"I'll be here next week."
Perhaps that means that he's not going to resign. I look forward to seeing if he is going to be preaching next Sunday.
"[This is] probably the most difficult time in my entire life. I want to talk to you for a moment about how to handle painful and difficult situations."
He seemed to want to make this into a teachable moment for his congregation, but he didn't spend a great deal of time teaching, since his address was only about 15 to 20 minutes long.
"We will not allow the present pain to cause us to abandon our righteous commitment and stand."
This sounded like he was going to lay down some bad news for the congregation. Perhaps he's asking the church to stand with him during this difficult time, which they seemed ready and willing to do.
"There have been allegations and attacks made on me. I have never in my life portrayed myself as a perfect man. But I am NOT the man that's being portrayed on the television. That's not me."
This statement was incredibly vague, implying that he may or may not be guilty of the allegations against him. To say that you are not the man being portrayed in the media doesn't mean you're innocent. It simply means that you may be slightly different from the way the accusers are describing you. Nearly any guilty or innocent person can make this statement.
"By the counsel of my lawyers, they have advised me not to try this case in the media. I will not try this case in the media. It will be tried in the court of justice."
This statement was expected. Again, it says nothing about guilt or innocence.
"I've been accused, I'm under attack....but this thing, I'm gonna fight."
This statement means that the situation is far from over. I expect an interesting battle behind the scenes as attorneys squabble over the amount of the settlement. I would be surprised to see this get as far as a jury trial, especially if other accusers continue to step forward. This may open up a Tiger Woods -like can of worms for Bishop Eddie Long in the event that he actually has engaged in wrong-doing.
"I feel like David against Goliath. But I'll tell you what, I've got five rocks and I haven't thrown one yet."
As you can see, Bishop Eddie Long has made it clear that he's going to fight the charges. He does not, however, go in to any detail about his guilt or innocence. So while he must be given credit for addressing his congregation, he cannot be given credit for being innocent of the charges against him. Perhaps the court of law can help us to sort these things out.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action Resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here. 
Comments: (328)
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By: James Woodall on 9/26/2010 11:34AM
How do you all even know he did it.? Perfect example of the media's negative potrayal of a person. You weren't there when the alleged incidents occured! All it is is speculation, which by the way is not accepted in a court of law. So, what now?
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By: mia on 9/26/2010 11:39AM
This man is completely guilty of having sex with boys. How he did it, (if it was exactly like it is portrayed in the media), is neither here nor there.
Trust me, if he didn't do it, he would have been saying that from the pulpit this morning. Instead, he was beating around the bush and essentially saying that I did it, but I'm going to fight the charges so I can sweep this under the rug as quickly as possible, to enable me to continue to stand on this pulpit and exploit, perpetrate, mislead, and lead you fools into hell. Anytime people choose to worship a "Preacher" and especially a child molester, over God, then they are as much of the problem as he is.
Instead of calling on ministers across the country to come to Atlanta and pray for this so-called Bishop...they should be calling on ministers and congregations alike to pray for his victims, and for the mothers who were so desperate for money and favor with this wicked man that they allowed their sons to travel the world with him and to carry on these perverse long time relationships with him. And where are the father's of these boys.
Bishop Long is a predator, pure and simple. Black folk will fall for ANYTHING!!!! How dumb and illiterate. Where there's that much smoke, THERE'S FIRE. The same as they followed Jim Jones to their deaths, I guess they will follow Eddie Long to his inevitable demise.
But, what about the children? What about the boys who's lives he has changed forever? And what about all the other Black Preachers out there molesting children. That's right, I said it. Black Ministers molesting children!!! Not, just boys, but little girls too!!
I was 12 yrs old the first time I was ever touch by anyone. And it was by the man that my parents, and the entire town worshiped! He was GOD! And after he pinned me to the wall in his study and grouped me all over, while sticking his nasty tongue down my through while breathing like a rabid dog and sweating like a stuffed pig....he warned me not to tell anyone, because no one would believe me, and I would hurt my parents and they'd get kicked out of the church. I was terrified! And guess what?? It took me 30 years to tell my parents. They both cried and assured me that they would have stood by me if I had told them. My father uttered that he wanted to kill him. Fortunately, the pastor was already deceased. My mother died of cancer a week later and my father passed of a broken heart 6 months later. He didn't to live without my mother.
I know that I disappointed my parents and my grandparents because I refused to attend church services after leaving home. I simply cannot bring myself to do it, because whenever I see ministers in the pulpit screaming and yelling, it turns my stomach! I see the preacher that stole my innocence!!!!
By the way, my best friend became pregnant at 16 and was sent away to have the baby. She never came back to our school, but when I went to visit her in her off campus apartment in college, I discovered that she had kept the baby. But to my horror the baby looked identical to the Pastor that had molested me. Turns out....it was his son!! And the church elders knew it and covered it up all those years!!!!
We have since discovered that he molested numerous girls in the church over the years until his death.
I feel that this is just the tip of the iceberg. Let's just wait and see how it goes down. The genie is out of the bottle. Let's just see what she reveals.
Meanwhile, we should all be praying for Long's victims and for all the victims of perverted, predatory ministers throughout the Black Church, and throughout the world.
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By: Leta on 9/26/2010 4:07PM
I am sorry that you were violated but to say he is guilty due to your experience is unfair until the truth prevails. Suppose the young men are found guilty of making this up then what?
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By: dyanninphilly on 9/26/2010 8:35PM
Your comments are touching, my heart aches for you..I agree with all u stated..Long never said today.."I did not do it..I never had relations with these boys...why folks can't read between lines and see is beyond me..
I was turned off to Long when I saw him on the internet over 6 years ago, I knew something wasn't right with him...now it comes out...
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By: bestausweh on 9/28/2010 9:54PM
I believe he is guilty.
I am an adult. I can identify now even more why its takes years and lifetimes before any victim can find the strength to come forth. Mature adults in my church practically ostracized me over the inappropriate conduct of a minister who was supposed to be counseling me when I went to him to understand how to use the Bible to survive another hardship in life. I finally had to leave that church, when I left, my nightmares which would continue past sunrise ended. The threats are the same. You story is sad and with all that we now know about Child Abuse in now the 21st century nothing gets done. Its good he is now deceased at least he will no longer continue what this permissive society and elders have allowed to progress under the "sanctity" of the church.
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By: lolo on 9/27/2010 1:30AM
I am so sorry for what you endured. I too was groped by a deacon in our church when I was about 9 years of age. Fortunately, my brother ran in on the event and screamed my name. The dog then released me. I told my grandmother but her own self esteem was so low she did nothing but told me she believed me but just stay away from him. I believe Long committed these atrocities. I also am saddened by the fact that those black folk in his church are so enamored by their little positions( ushers, committee members, blah blah) in the church, they will leave him in the pulpit like a stuffed bear regardless his atrocities. They need that venue to realize their own weak identities, regardless of the truth. We are not smart people and most of us are truly immoral ourselves. So sad. Long's celebrity status will see him through this because his weak congregation will stand by him even in his wrong doing. However, his wife, if she had an ounce of self respect should leave his ass until he says "I did not do this". Says a lot about her too....sad
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By: ladydi in pa on 9/27/2010 10:30AM
mia..my heart aches for you...so glad you survived...I know lots of church scandals/secrets..
yes we should be praying for his victims..he prey'd on weak and poor...
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By: kiara on 9/26/2010 11:43AM
bishop long is not the first,nor will he be the last so called spiritual leader to be caught in his web of lies, maybe he should heed the saying , with hate in your heart you shall never prosper, his anti gay stance, is another reason why so many myself included, find the black church to be full of judgemental haters who would rather condemn the very souls they are meant to nurture, for only god can judge me,
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By: madmax on 9/27/2010 1:23PM
By: mia on 9/26/2010 11:39AM--Great post, but at the end of the day, Long is going to survive this...you know it, and I know it. In the history of this country, no pastor has ever been ruined by a scandal. They always reappear somewhere else, either as a newer improved version, or on an islanfd somewhere spending their ill-gotten, untraceable cash.
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By: Mo on 9/26/2010 11:57AM
What about the part at the end of the sermon when he said "I am not a perfect man but this thing I did not do".
According to most people he's guilty without even going to court. Anyone can accuse you of something and if it gets enough media coverage people take as the truth.
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