This weekend, two pastors rallied in Atlanta to request the resignation of Bishop Eddie Long. Prophet Walker from the True Light Penecost Church in Spartanburg, South Carolina got together with Reuben Armstrong, a pastor and radio show host in Dallas Texas to hold a rally against Long. The rally was held on the steps of the capital building in Atlanta.
The pastors have challenged Long publicly after he was accused of coercing four young men into having a s*xual relationship with him. He was mentoring the men at the time, and they've filed suits against Long in civil court.
Walker argued that the members of the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, where Long is the pastor, should demand that the pastor step down from the pulpit. "They have to understand that this is their church, not Bishop Long's," Walker told the Atlanta Journal and Constitution.
The rally had a turnout of about 75 people, with many of them being members of Walker's church. In addition to accusing Bishop Long of hypocrisy, Armstrong says he has a problem with Long's message of prosperity.
"It's a shame that the church is becoming a corporate entity with the pastor acting as CEO, but the people are the shareholders," Armstrong said.
The Bishop Eddie Long s*x scandal has been shocking, sad and intriguing. Obviously, Long was the last person most of us would expect to be involved in this kind of behavior. But while we are surprised at the allegations, we should continue to wait for all of the evidence. I am also intrigued by the resiliency with which some members of his church have defended him. Standing up for your pastor is ok, as long as you are sure you're standing up for the truth. While I have my reasons to disagree with other pastors going out of their way to attack a fellow preacher in public, I also have problems with those in the pews who are supporting their pastor for no reason. This kind of unconditional, unquestioned support is no different from those who continued to buy R. Kelly records even after video surfaced strongly suggesting that he might be sleeping with young girls. By ignoring children in favor of our adult heroes, we're engaging in sad and ignorant behavior.
Posted By: DAVID JOHNSON
Friday, November 12th 2010 at 8:54AM
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