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Ques. of The Day: Should Bishop Long Have Been Sued?

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Fellowship Staff
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Recently we posted a story about a woman who sued her church because they performed a same sex marriage.  She didn’t agree, so she sued the church for all of the tithes she had paid over 20 something years amounting to about $250,000.  She said she felt bad and dropped the charges.

Now, Bishop Eddie Long is being sued by two gentlemen (one who was arressted in July for breaking into Bishop Long’s office) who were also members of his congregation over alleged sexual coersion.  So my question is: Where do you stand on this issue?  I am torn. I do not believe that any one in a position of power should use that athority to manipulte others into sexual acts.  Abuse of power is wrong and should be punished. However the Bible states:

1 Corinthians 6:1-6 ESV

When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, …

it also reads

Matthew 18:15-17 ESV

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

With this in mind I ask,

Is this the course that these men should have taken?

Where do you fall in?

Do you feel this should be handled in a court of law or that it should have been addressed and handled within the church?

I am really interested in your comments, I take a real hard line on sexual crimes so I feel strongly when someone is violated in any way (not saying Long is guilty) however as Christians aren’t we supposed to handle these matters in a Christian way?

How do you feel this will affect the state of the Black Church and/or the Mega Church?

Comments

7 responses to “Ques. of The Day: Should Bishop Long Have Been Sued?”

  1. MyThought Avatar
    MyThought

    I think that it should have been handled by the elders, and Bishop Long should have been chastised non-publicly. I think that he definitely should have been cut off for at least 3 months from the pulpit with no love offering support and no other pulpit ministry. If he needed money, he would have to either sell his Bentley or something else material. With all the prophetically gifted ministers who have come to the church, I am surprised that not one discerned that he was involved in Sexual Perversion. Seriously, I have seen him call things out. I have seen Bishop Bloomer come through and call demons out of people. How could the spiritual elite have missed this one? I hurt a long time over this situation, and presently, I moved to a church down the street, as I was an estranged member. I’ve listened to him on many occasions, and I was never anointed enough to usher or sing in the choir. My giving was always short of the 10% required for ministry participation. All in all, I feel that he may or may not have committed adultery with these young men. His wife is a beautiful person, she supports him blindly. I think her focus is to forgive him. She doesn’t know what really happened, but she just wants him to be okay. So do we all. If this was his ‘aha’ moment. Then I hope he learned his lesson and will no longer live a life of hypocrisy. I’ve done wrong, and there are things I hope and pray will never reach the public. This man has just received a double portion of what he has been doing to others for years.

    Reply
  2. rainestorm1 Avatar
    rainestorm1

    I think that we are far beyond taking these issues to the church. Some leaders have turned church into a business. Therefore they should be governed and these young men have a right to sue.

    Reply
    1. RiverAngel42 Avatar
      RiverAngel42

      I think there will be a lot of people who line up with what you are saying. The question is, is this what we want our churches to be and our we satisfied with this? Or do we take a stand and take the church back.

      A Shepard’s job is to maintain and protect his flock, if he wants to walk east and all the flock goes west, due to his obligation he must stay with the flock. Right?

      Reply
  3. Reader Avatar
    Reader

    The crimes against children by priests have made it apparent that the Church cannot be trusted to do the right thing. The Church doesn’t treat the abuse as society would treat a crime, and therefore the perpetrator is allowed to repeat offend. Go to the police or a hospital if you have been the subject of sexual abuse. There is a lot of support available. But the Church will just cover it up to avoid negative publicity.

    Reply
    1. RiverAngel42 Avatar
      RiverAngel42

      Reader
      thank you so much for your comment. I know that many are thining the exact same thing as you but I wondered if anyone was just going to say it. It is a terrible predicament because on one hand you are right. On the other hand the church has been tainted by poision, how will we cure the “church” of this illness? I do not believe all churches have this issue but it is alarming how prevelent sexual abuses in the church have become. However the legal system has not been much help either.

      Who else? What do you do? Talk to the hospital (Excellent suggetion) Find other help (Tons out there) or sue?

      Are they pressing civil or criminal charges?

      Reply
      1. RiverAngel42 Avatar
        RiverAngel42

        Never mind the last question, got my answer:) Be blessed

        Reply
  4. RiverAngel42 Avatar
    RiverAngel42

    Also let me add, I by no means am suggesting that if a person has been sexually violated that they should keep it a secret or feel as though they are the one in the wrong so they should handle it with shame. That is not my stance at all. Just wanted to be clear. I do not believe that is what the Bible means by going to the Church either.

    Reply

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