Eddie Long's scandal and his sermons against homosexuals

Eddie Long's scandal and his sermons against homosexuals

Introduction

The Bishop Eddie Long plagued not only the pastor of a megachurch, but the leader of a spiritual empire that does not apologize for their success (Long, 2002). "It's just a church, we are an international company," Long said the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2005, is back at critics who had profited too generously to a charity created in his church. Between 1997 and 2000, the pastor made $ 3 million of charity (offerings), Bishop Eddie Long Ministries Inc., displays the document (Lipe, 2011).

Discussion

The controversy that has surrounded this week by Bishop Eddie Long, a charismatic Baptist minister who has built an empire in Georgia, no longer unusual. In recent years, have appeared in U.S. media several cases of religious conservatives, with an address along the homophobia, which have been accused of sexual abuse of young boys by their congregations (Long, 2002). For Long, the charges could mean the twilight of a brilliant career in front of the parish of New Birth, in a suburb of Atlanta. When the pastor took control of the congregation, in the late 80's, only had 300 parishioners. Now amount to 25,000, has a huge cathedral, and several charitable organizations that move millions of dollars annually. In addition, his sermons are broadcast on television in over 100 countries (Lipe, 2011)

Specifically, Long has been reported by four young men who were part of "Youth Accademy Longfellows," a "privileged" group of teens who selected their own pastor to provide spiritual guidance, which included breaks and travel within the U.S.. However, according to the complainants, the creation of the groupactually served to provide Long lovers, who rewarded them with jewelry and cars, plus paid holidays. After leaving to light the existence of complaints, the pastor denied the allegations in a letter to a radio (Long, 2002). In his first public appearance Sunday in his church, in front of 10,000 parishioners expressed their unconditional support,Long was compared to a David fighting Goliath, and said "I will fight for this.""I have never described as a perfect man. But I'm not the man who defined on television, "he proclaimed (Wendell, 2011).

"When this comes, at least offers a sense of hypocrisy (Lipe, 2011). The issue is: How can you be against homosexuality when you're participating in it? Is the epitome of hypocrisy, "admits the Rev. Timothy McDonald III Long's friend, and leader of another Baptist church.

The New Birth Church is known for attracting mainly middle-class African American families and high (Wendell, 2011). Part of the reason is the positive vision that transmits Long accumulation of wealth. In many sermons, Bishop has been argued that it is true that Jesus Christ was a poor man. In fact, Long is leading by example to lead a private life of luxury, which has been controversial. He lives in a house of more than 500 square meters that cost $ 1.1 million, walks with magnificent cars, and almost impossible to see ...