Bishop Eddie Long sued by 2 men
September 22nd, 2010 - 10:30 pm ICT by Aishwarya Bhatt
Sep 22 (THAINDIAN NEWS) Anti-gay activist and pastor, Bishop Eddie Long has been sued for using his position as the head of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, Ga. to coerce two Georgian men into sexual relationship when they were teenagers.
The two men, now 20 and 21 accused Bishop Long of misusing his spiritual authority by coercing them to sexual relationship. They claim that the pastor lavished expensive gifts like cars, jewelry, money, international trips and access to celebrities on them when they were just 17 and 18 year old members of his church.
The suit which was filed in DeKalb County Court on Tuesday by the lawyers of the two men accused the pastor of seducing them to engage in sexual relationships for his (Bishop Long) own sexual gratification.
The lawyer for Bishop Long, Craig Gillen however says Long has not been served with the suit and he has categorically denied the allegations against him. Gillen linked the accusations by the men to a break-in into Bishop Long’s office in June. One of the men accusing the Bishop is facing burglary charges linked to the break-in.
Bishop Long transformed the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church when he was appointed a pastor in 1987. The church’s congregation of 150 increased to 8,000 members within four years of Long’s appointed.
The church is popular among celebrities and Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s youngest daughter, Rev. Bernice King is a clergy at the church.
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