Sunday, September 26, 2010, Bishop Eddie Long addressed the members of his church and the news media. His talk or sermon was 20 minutes, and the information was vague and no conclusive statement was made concerning his innocence or guilt.
He basically asked his congregation to support his family and himself and remember that he is human. As the leader of his church for 23 years, he is acknowledging that this is his biggest challenge of his life, and he is willing to fight. Based on his address, Bishop Long is not stepping down from his position as leader of his church, and he is willing to see his accusers in court.
There are now four lawsuits and plaintiffs all claiming sexual allegations against Bishop Long. As the list continues to get longer, it appears that at some point a financial settlement is in order for the allegations to go away. With the national media reporting information on a daily basis, it is time for his defense team to go into a fighting mode.
As the leader of a 25,000 mega-church, on the outskirts of Atlanta, Bishop Long does not receive a salary, but gets paid from a non-profit organization. He receives $1.4 million for a housing stipend, $1 million as a salary, $300,000 for a Bentley stipend, and periodically love offerings from the church. The church owns 250 acres and the church buildings are worth $50 million.
Bishop Long denies that he coerced these men into sexual acts. The Attorney Ms B. J. Bernstein will have a hard time proving that Bishop Long seduced these men with cars, money, clothes, jewelry, and international trips. The Bishop has acknowledged that he is not perfect with a subtle admission that there is a flaw in his character.
Homosexuality is a reality in our society and in the church, and many are stuck in the closet. The truth concerning Bishop Long will eventually rise from the ashes. Even though the plaintiffs say they are not interested in money, problems tend to be erased once financial settlements are agreed on.
