Question of the Day: Eddie Long Allegations-Immoral or Illegal?
Hey. I’ve been reading and hearing about the accusations being levied against Bishop Eddie Long. Unless you’ve been sleeping under a rock, you know that a Bishop of a 25,000+ congregation in Atlanta is being accused of using his power at the church to coerce young men into sexual relationships. According to allegations, the Bishop lavished these young men with gifts, expensive trips and money for their families.
My question is: Are those things in which Bishop Long is accused of illegal?
I mean is he going to be tried in a criminal court of law? All of the accusers are adults and seemed to have been adults when these supposed “relationships” occurred. So, I’m trying to figure out the crime. Seriously. I don’t want to be dense. I’m just trying to figure out how these allegations are any different from someone who was dumped by a wealthy, powerful ex-lover. Feel free to explain it to me.
Men who are wealthy athletes often rain gifts, cars, clothes on their lovers and if they’re lucky enough NOT to have a kid- the woman is unceremoniously dumped. Can the athlete be sued for using his athletic and financial power to encourage her to begin a sexual relationship with him? I mean, this is sorta the basis of these allegations.
Take the man away from the church and look at these allegations. Are these allegations any different from a spurned lover being mad because he/she was dumped?
Let me know.
Tags: eddie long, immoral or illegal, question of the day
About the Author
Yasmin Shiraz is the President of Still Eye Rise Films, an independent production company which films educational and thought provoking documentaries that chronicle the lives, traumas and experiences of youth. Her first production, Can She Be Saved?, a documentary that examines violence among middle school girls, was an official selection of the 2009 Roxbury Film Festival and recently won a 2009 Indie Award of Merit from IndieFest.
Yasmin Shiraz is the Award winning Author of Retaliation a novel about a community’s response to youth violence. In 2009, it was selected as one of the top Ten Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers by the American Library Association. She is the author of The Blueprint for My Girls: How To Build A Life Full of Courage, Determination & Self Love (Simon and Schuster) and five other books. Her best selling “Blueprint” empowerment series is utilized as a self esteem, motivational, and educational tool at middle and high schools, after school programs, non-profit youth centers, as well as Boys and Girls Clubs throughout the country. 
One Comment for Question of the Day: Eddie Long Allegations-Immoral or Illegal?
September 30, 2010 at 5:16 pm
from what I have read thus far, @ least one of the accusers say he coerced them into actions as teenagers, and in a fatherly setting .. not as a lover – I know personally a priest who was accused of such things with boys he took from the church into his home as their ‘dad’ .. because these are allegations, and can probably not be proven, even if they were underage , the bishop would not face criminal charges . Me personally, I frown upon pastors like the mentioned, he is a narcisist .. and don’t put it past him to have commited these sins . Guys like him do this all the time, and is a power issue, even more than a ‘gay’ thing .. and people follow this type of person.. give him $$$ to live in million dollar houses and bentleys .. that’s not against the law, but if you rep Jesus, live like he did