4th man sues Ga. megachurch pastor

[FreeState]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gyA3NUnPBEQxutursNBMe_QQiNvAD9IEG3000

ATLANTA — A fourth young male member of Bishop Eddie Long's megachurch is suing the prominent pastor, claiming Long coerced him into a sexual relationship.

The lawsuit was filed by Spencer LeGrande, a member of New Birth Charlotte. New Birth Charlotte is a satellite church run by Long in Charlotte, N.C. The lawsuit said Long told LeGrande "I will be your dad" and invited the 17-year-old to journey to Kenya with him in July 2005. LeGrande said that Long gave him a sleeping pill on that trip and that the two engaged in sexual acts.

....

LeGrande, now 22, said the two continued their relationship on a February 2006 trip to South Africa and after he moved to Atlanta at Long's encouragement. He said that Long also instructed him not to have girlfriends, but that he pulled away in the spring of 2009 after he became "disillusioned." He moved back to Charlotte in October, it said.

The complaint, filed in DeKalb State Court, comes after three other men filed lawsuits on Tuesday and Wednesday saying they were 17- and 18-year-old members of the church when they say Long abused his spiritual authority to seduce them with cars, money, clothes, jewelry, international trips and access to celebrities.

[BrklynLiberal]

1. No doubt this will get much, much much more play than any of the scandals of

right-wing, white pastors whose lives have been somewhat less than what they would have like to have seen projected to the public.

[mitchum]

7. That's cool with me since Long has been fleecing the black community...

while the white grifters have been going after suburban rednecks

[ampad]

8. Here here

And I hope that this particular black community has the good sense to denounce this POS. Of course the denouncing will be about the gay sex not the fact that he took advantage of these men. Took advantage of them based on this level of authority. Sick POS

[FreeState]

10. If his followers on Twitter are any indication its likely

they will blame the victims and call the Bishop a persecuted hero. I've seen tweet after tweet calling for prayers for him with no concern of his victims (I don't have a link but there was an article earlier that claims there are 30 victims identified now).

The sooner people see these Mega Churches for what they are - cults - the better IMO.

EDIT: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=9194595&mesg_id=9194595

thats the link to the 30 victim claim

[ampad]

2. Surely the good pastor is against gay marriage

I would bet my savings on this. Funny because Jane Velez Mitchell reported that the creep performed an commitment "ceremony" with one of the young men. To boot Jane said that there were rings exchanged during this ceremony. This story just keeps getting more weird by the minute.

[FreeState]

3. He's one of the leading anti-gay voices in the south n/t

[ampad]

9. Yea I bet he was very vocal

It seems the louder they protest they more they have to hide.

[mitchum]

4. Edit: replied to wrong post

[craigmatic]

5. Good because no true servant of God should own a private plane anyway

It's not the sex that gets me about this story. It's the hypocracy on gay issues that pisses me off. People act as if there aren't gays in the church. They're there and it's no big deal. If homosexuality was such a big sin then why isn't it in the 10 commendments?

[mitchum]

6. Jesus had to borrow a donkey so that grifters like Long wouldn't have to do so

one of His many sacrifices

[ampad]

13. Oh yes being gay in certain churches is a big deal

Religion, group think and hate are powerful. There are many issues not included in the bible that many of them swear is a sin.

[CatWoman]

11. Jesus..................

[CatWoman]

12. was it this guy?

http://www.life.com/image/56772153