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Most of you may have read the story about Jamal Parris, the latest and most vocal of Bishop Eddie Long's accusers. Parris and three others have stepped forward to file a lawsuit against Long in state court for allegedly coercing them in to having sex. Well, another bombshell has hit the room, and this one was also delivered by Jamal Parris.
Parris told WAGA-TV in Atlanta that he and Long engaged in numerous sexual acts on church grounds, both before and after morning services. He also said that they would perform sexual acts in Long's home, car and office at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church. After the bomb delivered by Parris, there was another public body slam from Long's fourth accuser, Spencer LeGrande. Speaking to WSBTV in Atlanta, LeGrande said that he came forward after seeing the first two lawsuits filed against Bishop Long. LeGrande was nearly as convincing as Parris, as he laid out the accusation that Bishop Long performed sex acts on him after giving him a sleeping pill on a trip to Africa.
The four accusers claim that Long traded sex acts for cars, clothes and other material possessions. The Bishop Eddie Long scandal seems to get just a bit deeper every single day. At this point, Long doesn't just have to worry about the ethical implications of committing adultery and being accused of engaging in homosexual sex, he also has to deal with accusations of pedophilia, since the public is not yet aware of how old the young men were when the alleged sex acts occurred.
Most damaging to Bishop Eddie Long, though, could be the consequences of using church funds to pursue his sexual interests with the boys in his care. Ironically, the federal government is likely to issue a stiffer punishment for misusing its money than it is for harming another human being. There are surely some federal investigators watching this case very closely.
The peculiar nature of the alleged sexual relationships is also interesting, as it appears that the accusers had prolonged physical interaction with Bishop Eddie Long. Of even more concern is the psychological control Bishop Long had over these young men, after grooming them at such an early age. The hundreds of thousands of people who've read our coverage on the topic here on Aol. Black Voices are now starting to realize that you must be extremely careful when trusting your children to other people, even if the individual is rich, famous and powerful.
Bishop Eddie Long is as powerful as they come. I recall seeing him at an event in Atlanta being held by networking-guru George Fraser. Long was walking with an entire entourage and being given the respect of a spiritual powerhouse. The young men and their mothers were likely intrigued by Long's power, making it an honor to be associated with him in any meaningful way.
If it is the case that Long abused his power and used it for such malicious purposes, it would be difficult to forgive him. A leader should designate himself as a servant of the people, and it takes a special spirit to be able to rise above natural temptations. I hope this trial starts soon, because if the news flashes keep coming at this rate, Bishop Eddie Long's entire reputation will soon be up in smoke. So far, he's been hit with several shotgun blasts in the media, and his team hasn't even thrown a sling shot. Maybe they'll send me an e-mail or something soon.
In the meantime, Spencer LeGrande, the fourth young man to file suit against Bishop Eddie Long (pictured above), added his voice to Jamal Parris' here:
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: (171)
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By: G-Mack on 9/30/2010 2:24AM
@Silk You are correct, he was wrong for putting out false information (if it was false bc I found nothing disclaiming it nor supporting it). I agree that he should have better sources, BUT I still believe that he should speak his mind on these issues, just as you should. The reason OTHER news media don't wanna touch him nor the details is because they're ran by the same bosses (conspiracy theorist, but that's another story). That's not to mention mainstream media's overall DISBELIEF in the Black Church and its lack of 'REAL spirituality' as well other Black issues that ARE NOT COVERED by main stream media. I am curious, how would you handle this situation as far coverage (bc I know how you feel about Watkins' way of doin' things)? As a Black leader in his position, what is the teachable moment here for ALL? I am sincerely curious. Or do you believe its something that should be talked about once and swept under the rug?
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By: slik on 9/30/2010 6:22PM
You appear reasonable, so lets do this.
Your missing my point. Im not suggesting anything be swept under the rug, or that Eddie is innocent.
Eddies theology is flawed, and his conduct highly questionable. NO Doubt!!
Elle40 stated it best "Im simply pointing how tacky and small minded BW is for reporting on every tidbit"
Mr Parris is fair game, but does it really add anything new? maybe, maybe not. But the previous two stories were just flat out lies, and as a so called scholar, dont you expect more?
Its like he is trying really hard to bury this guy, and loving every minute of it.
Eddie has done a great job, of that all by himself.
Again just my opinion
your turn.
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By: J. Oba on 10/03/2010 6:08AM
First of all there is no Black Church,there is only Church. Yes, we deifne Church by the types of people that attend them(Black,White,Asian,Mexican,Chinanese,Japanese and Multi-ethnic), but in reality there is only one church. The bible calls this church the Bride of Christ, Bride being the many people the world over who have accepted Jesus Christ as lord and savior. So no matter what we do as a person we can not hurt or hinder that Church. Let me put it another way, these buildings that people come to to worship and be intertained in is not the Church, it is a building which house a congregation of people who themselves make up a part of the visible church(Bride of Christ).Now;when the men(Pastors) that are set up and put into place by the congregation of people attending these buildings,fail to live up to the standards of whatever they preach or espouse;The people are quick to say that the pastors are being falsely accused.When people worship the idol that they have set up instead of the God who created them, it always turns into hurt and dispare. The hurt comes from not opening their eyes to see what has always been before them, or they have not been willing to see it. The Bible talks about people being willingly ignorant.The so called church(congregations)have always had men who have pimped them and pulled the wool over their eyes. The Bible calls these kind of men "clouds without water and wolfs in sheeps clothing". Least i forget, they always have a large audience. In conclusion, i understand that there is no perfect man or woman on this planet. Those of us who preach and or teach the gospel are accountable to God and to those in our hearing, we to be an example of the Word of God as taught and Preached. SHOULD WE COME SHORT OF THAT WORD;LET IT BE SOMETHING THAT IS OF A MORE NATURAL SINFUL NATURE. Yes all sin is wrong and God forgives when we sin; God forgives sin by ignorance,by deception and willful. Which denotes that it(sining) is not a matter of practice for that believer. The Bible say that the sin of homosexaulity is an Abomination before God.Will forgive a homosexual, yes! Will God forgive a man who claims to be saved and preaching and teaching the gospel and using that position to entrap others into a lifestyle of homosexuality? If!I were to be guilty of sining against God in the position of a Eddie Long, let it be with three or four young women, did you get that (three or four young women), you then could possibly look on me with a little more favor,possibly.
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By: Brenda on 9/30/2010 2:47PM
This subject should continue to be in every Black Church's conversation. The Black church NEVER wants to talk about sex. Most of the ones I've attended act as if sex is sinful when it's a natural part of our life.
Conversation about sex is the number one reason most of "OUR" church's are falling apart. The ignorance about sex in the Black community must stop. What is a FACT is that we have "HORNY" men using "SALVATION" to act out their fantasies in "THE NAME OF JESUS".
Their's nothing wrong with SEX it was the first comandment given to mandkind in Genesis 1 verse 28.
Until the Black Church talks about sex this type of abuse to men and women will continue.
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By: ooo-b-doo on 9/30/2010 4:18AM
I remember a story when the Catholic Priests were exposed. .... It was about a black man about 40, who was seduced by a priest at an age younger than these current accusers were. He never told anyone. But one day, he walked up to the Black priest who seduced him many years ago and shot and killed him. People could never figure out why this man could never seem to get his life together. There seemed to be something there in his mood swings, unable to keep a steady job,or relationship. He said it was about his manhood, that this priest destroyed. And that in all those years that peoiest was never held accountable for his actions, and continued to molest other boys up until the time he was exposed.
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By: F. A. Goodwin on 9/30/2010 12:03PM
Molestation of a young child should be a Capitol punishment crime... I believe that they rob these children of everything that they could have been... I know there are counselors and such but I've seen first hand how a molested child carries what happened so far into adulthood... they can never fully forget what happened to them nor can they ever fully recover and their children seem to fall victim to either the same fate and or just bad parenting...
F. A. Goodwin
Author of You Reap What You Sow
http://fagoodwin.webs.com/
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By: jackie smurf on 10/01/2010 1:15AM
Thank you for this comment!
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By: ooo-b-doo on 9/30/2010 4:22AM
the priest was never held accountable for his actions
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By: David on 9/30/2010 4:52AM
I ask that we all plant our feets firmly on the ground at this moment when torrid accusations are being hurled at Bishop Long; it might turn out eventually to be a carefully orchestrated vendetta by the gay community whom Long have long antagonised and spoken against.
However, Bishop Long's Church board owe a duty to their worshippers to ask the Bishop to step aside from his church duties so that these accusations can be thoroughly investigated, this is not the time to play Ostrich who bury their heads in the sand when confronted by any danger or unplesant event.
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By: ayktd on 9/30/2010 5:43AM
The lack of Black leadership voicing their concerns about this matter is what is most disturbing. Boyce is offering journalistic credibility to subject matter that often goes unlooked or untalked about within our communities at large.
We can no longer ignore the elephant in the room. I am thankful that Dr. Watkins has taken time to keep his nose to the grindstone and assure us that he will not turn a blind eye to homosexuality and homophobia that runs rampant within the Black chruch and community at large.
Please continues to shine light brightly until the conviction is handed down in a court of law. Long is fraudulent, and the cover of darkness that he operates under are finally coming off. The empire that he built will be destroyed by his own hands of lies, deceit, and mistrust of public opinion.
These boys have been involved in mentally, emotionally, and physically abusive relationship with this charlatan. The "thing" that Eddie vowed to fight last Sunday was his homosexual self that he "knows" he is. He needs to stop beating himself up over what he knows he is, and accept the fact that it is, what it is, and learn how to truly love who God created him to be, and not the fake character that so many of us try to portray in the eye of the public being married to women, but secretly desiring and longing for the love, touch, feel, and smell of of another man.
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