Bishop Eddie Long....and down Low Brothas in the church??



The Accused Bishop, complete wearing a nice fluffy poodle
on his head.



I wanted to finally comment on the issues surrounding the atlanta megachurch pastor Bishop Eddie Long.  Now as a disclaimer, in no way am I stating that the allegations filed against him are true or that Bishop Eddie Long is a down-low brother.  The purpose for this post is to just talk about the taboo that has existed in particularly the "black church" for many years. Oh boy here we go....

A few posts ago, I blogged lightly about the down low phenomenon and the black church, but I would have never thought that the sex scandal with the ultra-masculine Bishop Eddie Long would come to light.  



HOTLANTA's finest @ Pride



Bishop Eddie Long, mega church pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, has now been named in four separate lawsuits alleging sexual coercion of young men in Atlanta, Georgia. Hotlanta!  You know the ATL, well there's not much to leave there to wonder about.... I mean come on its Atlanta.  The black gay mecca of the south!  I means boys & girls for that matter are packing up moving there in droves and I mean it's the fine men!! I have always been a bit naive when being able to tell... so when I saw some pictures of some men in the ATL @ some events, I was like HOT DAMN!!  I know why now just look at this picture to the left.....------->

Anyway..Bishop Long, in the words of the Southern Poverty Law Center, “is one of the most virulently homophobic black leaders in the religiously based anti-gay movement.”  I personally have had the opportunity to visit Bishop Long's church on multiple occasions and even have VERY close family members who attend and are ministers at the church.  I must say that when I've visited the church on numerous occasions in the past, Bishop Long has always projected nothing but a extremely strong and masculine image including the muscle shirts...lol  However the congregation and men in the church were clearly suspect, it made me wonder.  I mean very suspect!!  They have a large affiliation with several Greek alumni chapters in the stone mountain and lithonia area... Hmmmmmm

Like the formerly-closeted Ken Mehlman, who recently repented for his work to prevent gay marriage, these lawsuits, if substantiated, would suggest that Long’s homophobia began with his own self-loathing.

Now main stream media considers the story especially disturbing because the manner in which Long is alleged to have lured young men on trips and sexual encounters. Calling the plaintiffs his “spiritual sons,” the lawsuit states that Long used various rituals in a ceremony to “seal” his “sons”—including candles, exchange of jewelry, and discussion of biblical verses that reinforce the spiritual and God-like connection between himself and the young man.  Growing up in the black charismatic church, to his defense a lot of pastors now consider many of their parishioners to be "spiritual sons and daughters" for that matter.  I think that portion is a case of main stream media not understanding the dynamics of the black church.

Isn’t this the man who marched with Bernice King alongside five thousand African Americans against gay marriage? As Sarah Posner points out here on RD, this practice of manipulating congregants into sexual relationships stems from “kingdom now” relational theology, mandating close relationships with spiritual leaders or “spiritual parents” in an individual’s life.

Conveniently, Long’s Longfellows Youth Academy was a place where young black men could be “trained to love, live and lead,” with Long and others acting as “spiritual parents.” Though they appear to have been taken down the website had included testimonials such as: “My real journey to Manhood didn’t start until I joined Longfellows.”

Another testimonial powerpoint outlined how the Ishman masculine journey and Bishop Long’s teachings about the bloodline stated that their “bloodlines should not be destroyed” and that “we have to take care of our bloodline because if we don’t, we are not doing our jobs as men.” With the revelations of sexual activity and the link of one of the plaintiffs to the academy, the academy is being sued, along with New Birth church as a corporation.

However, that’s only part of the story. Sex scandals happen everyday in church because leaders and members of strict churches can’t uphold the high standards of living they promote, aspire to, and harangue people over. The endless carousel of revelations about the Catholic Church worldwide is exhibit A of that broken message. In that sense, there is nothing new here.

The real story however, is that this case explodes the cover of the black church’s internal don’t ask, don’t tell policy which has had a profound effect on the community and its followers. It’s very interesting that the Long scandal broke almost immediately after black pastors led by Bishop Harry Jackson came together with the Family Research Council to oppose the repeal of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Act. Many black pastors have staked their entire ministries on the “family” and the obsession with mainstream gender norms that encourage heterosexual marriage, abstinence, and patriarchal norms. It is an all-encompassing message that is obsessed with the suppression of sexuality in black churches, mega-churches and storefronts alike.

The core issue however is “respectability.” The obsession with mainline and black prosperity churches to show well groomed African Americans as prosperous, good, heterosexual Christians has gutted the social justice message of urban black churches. President Obama has even bought into the message of “talking down to the folks” with messages about delinquent fathers and feeding kids Popeye’s for breakfast. Meanwhile, the activities of black church leaders in sexual scandals, including Jeremiah Wright, websites that track sexual abuse, and blogs concerning “policing” black church sexuality suggest that the don’t ask don’t tell policy about sexuality in any form in the black church is alive and well.

The Homophobia and sexophobia of black church leaders can be found in their literature, preaching, and revivalism. Intrepid preachers and evangelists use sexuality in titles of books and preaching to get followers to buy their extended respectability sermons, packaged as sensual tomes like The Lady The Lover and her Lord, Foreplay: Sexual Healing for Spiritual Wholeness, or No More Sheets. Then emotional meetings are arranged so that everyone can “confess” and feel clean while the ‘leader” can be shown to be above reproach.  Now growing up in church it has been said for many years, that the preachers who preach the loudest and hardest about a sin, are usually the one struggling with it themselves!!  Case in point, there was a preacher in my hometown, many years ago, who preached against adultery!!  every sermon he talked about somehow found a way to talk about cheatin' on yo' wife!!  lol  Well it eventually came out that he had not only cheated on his wife but was still cheating and had fathered two children outside of the marriage, in which the estranged mistress showed up to church one sunday and showed out!!  lol... imagine the ride home after church!?

The master at this is Donnie McClurkin, whose tearful testimonies about being molested and sleeping with men culminated at the past Church of God in Christ (COGIC) convocation with him wailing about people “turning out” the children. Perhaps he forgot where he was turned out first. The church.
So the Eddie Long crisis is not just a crisis for himself, the accusers, Long’s family and the church; it’s a clarion call to African-American churches to cease and desist with the homophobia and finally start to deal with the fact that its not the folks in the pews who need to be disciplined, it’s the corrupt, bankrupt leadership of many, though not all, churches. The endless round of pastor’s anniversaries, offerings, and the fawning “my pastor is God and can do no wrong” theology of black churches needs to stop.

It's these types of railing accusations and blatant criticisms that lead men to take pictures in the bathroom and send them to their secret lovers.

The absolute fealty to leadership and the “man” of god, enforced with scriptures like “don’t touch God’s anointed” have left so many victims in their wake that it’s a wonder people bother to even go to church anymore. When you factor in the money people have put into ministries that pimp them out and put them down, that’s an abusive relationship predicated on loving God and paying to be close to “God’s representative.” If the Catholic church can’t get a pass on its sexual and pedophilia scandals, why should mega-church pastors?

This frenzied focus on sexuality has stunted the understandings about what sex is and is not within the black church tradition. The older generation of repressed members criticize rappers for promoting bitches, hoes, and a bling lifestyle even as pastors’ bling lifestyles of prosperity, on-the-low sexuality, and repression reinforce rappers’ messages with biblical patriarchy, minimally suppressed misogyny, and fake respectability—all under the guise of spiritual authority.  We are now forced to reckon with something that many many men are struggling with and thats sexuality and religion.  I used to feel condemned by feeling the way I felt towards men, but as we can see, even the Bishop can be subject to allegedly liking men as well.



bishop Robert Reaves



Reaves Roommate, Randolph



Even more so disturbing was the story several years ago, concerning a North Carolina Bishop, Robert Reaves who murdered a North Carolina Central University 23 year old female student who was dating his roommate, who was offered free rent in exchange for oral sex!! 

What are your thoughts concerning this ordeal being brought to like and how do you think this will shift the paradigm in how we respond, preach, and teach about sexuality in the church?  I think Carlton Pearson provided a very strong argument in his interview on CNN concerning this.... you should check it out.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6jCeJA0c2g

Even more so interesting is that the huffington post, recently reported that Bishop Long has agreed to mediation to response to the raging allegations against him.  Bishop Eddie Long agreeing to mediation of sexual coercion charges is an end-run around the universally accepted moral and ethical responsibilities of any ecumenical leader. Mediation of sexual allegation grievances is tantamount to an admission of "some" guilt, "some" form of ministerial misconduct. Innocent folk don't make deals if the claims against them are baseless and untrue. Mediation for the accused is a forfeiture of the right to ever claim innocence, and readers should be absolutely clear on this point.  check out the article at the huffington post below:   http://www.huffingtonpost.com/morris-w-okelly/bishop-eddie-long-agrees-_b_790858.html


What are your thoughts??  Where do you see sexuality going in the black church?

Idle Worship

The weekends for me are always so busy with running errands and then the usual church service.  I am always amazed at how many people have stories of being picked up, hit on, or flirted with at the gym, grocery store, the mall...you know public places.  Part  of my amazement stems from the fact that I always say, "Nothing like that ever happens to me."  I was sharing this sentiment with a friend "Lester" who recently moved to Detroit 3 weeks ago, and he said he has been hit on by at least 4 different men, and amazing to me in public places. 

I questioned him and said, "How do you do it? Because nothing like that ever happens to me."  He in turn said, "For starters, its the way you carry yourself."  I said, "What does that mean?"  He says to me, well you carry yourself as if you're not looking for anything and you're not interested, and you don't pay attention to your surroundings.  Secondly, it's in the eyes!  if a guy gives you a gaze, that's how you know there is interest there because the eyes always tell.  After all the eyes are the window to the soul.

I said points well taken... So on Sunday, I went to church, actually I visited another church far from the church my family and I attend on a regular basis.  I noticed will standing in the church vestibule waiting to enter the sanctuary, that a young man, was staring at me, well dressed, not oh so attractive and not really my type, appeard masculine but staring nonetheless.  During the service, they asked for all the first time visitors to stand, because they wanted to invite usto a special visitors suite, following service as a thank you for visiting and to offer a complimentary coy of the sermon, and to partake of some light refreshments.

Following service I went to the first time guest suite, and there he was a young man, decent, not attractive but there he was an Elder in the church and there to welcome all visitors.  He could not properly greet the guests ahead of me for looking at me! lol  As i grabbed a bottle of water he reached out his hand to take my visitors card and gave me a long firm handshake, as he introduced myself.  The conversation was casual and professional yet it was in the eyes....  he looked deeply into my eyes.

Later that evening i received a call from a number I didn't recognize, so as I answered I immediately recognized the voice as the voice from the person I had talked to earlier in the day at church.  First he started out in saying, he was calling to thank me for visiting the church on behalf of the pastor and first lady...but then the conversation just got weird.  It actually sounded as if he was stroking his dick, while talking to me, because he kept making weird breathing sounds.  I asked his was everything okay and he said, "yes, i just got distracted."  He then later said do you text and I said man i don't even know you like that.  He said well cool, later man!

A few hours later I received a text from the same number telling me that he really liked me and wanted to see what was up with me, he felt a vibe that made him horny..  he goes on to say that he could not even focus on worship....Idle worship....lol 

I don't know what gives guys the feeling that they can just come into someone's personal space without being invited.  Lol but I realize maybe that's the reason why people have become so impersonal.  It's difficult enough to deal with the stress and trauma of being on the downlow, but then you add church queens and it makes it way overrated.

What are your thoughts?

Gospel Music??

The summer months are often know generally as the months when not only does the temperature rise but also the temperatures of people's passions and libido.  I had the opportunitiy to travel this week out of town to a Convention where there were the delegates and convention attendees were mostly African-American religious people.  Nevertheless, it was more of a glorified church convention, where many of the guys were flamboyant and extremely effeminate to the point that many of the women, were blatantly saying, "This is a shame!" Now I don't have anything against anyone's preference but I do not agree with you trying to push your preferences on other people and get made when the one you're pursuing isn't interested.  (yet I digress) I happened to also be in Raleigh, NC On business and Not too mention before I flew out of Raleigh, the Omega Psi Phi International Conclave was going on.  We'll talk about greeks in a later post..

The one thing that both of these events had in common is that they were dominated by african american men, with a good portion of these men in attendance are on the down low and specifically at the conference to hook up with other dudes.  It is as if the benefits and perks to being at the convention was the many men you could look at and say how fine they are or who you could possibly hook up with via craigslist, adam, or the usual stare and make conversation.  None of which I think I'm interested in.

The experience i Had just today, was a bit overwhelming.  While I don't mind the attention, I must admit it was a bit uncomfortable, to see guys blatantly gawking and many of them flamboyantly.  As my party and I made our way into the convention center, heads and eyes began to turn as if to say "fresh meat."  I have never felt so uncomfortable in my life but something was different, it wasn't subtle admiration it was blatant, obvious, and open.  An unsettled feeling came upon me and I immediately wanted to grab my registration materials and run for the door.

I have had my share of church conferences, such as megafest, manPower, and the like, but this was the first time I had ever been to this gospel music conference which had an international appeal.  Something that I observed was the number of clearly gay or down low men, who had no problem in looking, gawking, or saying wassup as a man that attracted them walked by.

It goes without saying that the Black church has played a major role in shaping who we are as a community, through slavery, Jim Crow and the injustices we face in the 21st century, our relationship with God and the church has been paramount. I think the same thing can be said for gospel music. I can remember the first time I felt a connection with God, it was me singing in the church choir and leading various songs, including a Clark Sisters rendition of Is My Living In Vain. There was something about gospel music that caught my attention and made a relationship with God seem accessible even at my young age.  I remember as a youngster being very gifted to sing.  I would be frequently called upon even through my teens to do sermonic selections, solos, or to lead devotional service.  But internally i was struggling.  As i grew and went to college I joined the college gospel choir, and eventually in my junior year, decided to leave something I loved because of the stigma associated with guys who were in the "choir"

I would later realize that gospel music was the one aspect of the Black church where I was free to praise God openly and honestly without experiencing the condemnation of the "word". As I am now coming to embrace and understand this secret lifestyle and the backlash from the church for identifying openly as such, I can't help but notice all of the gay men and women who were at the forefront of the gospel music industry. We've all seen them in church, on tv, we own their cd's, everyone whispers about them, they're flamboyant, attractive, talented, anointed and unmarried.

Praise and worship would not be the same if gay brotha or sister so and so was not leading the choir and bringing souls to Christ. The music in a Black church can ruin the worship experience if the choir is not on point and whoever wants to argue with that can do so all day long but that's just a fact.

We've always been apart of the church, we sit and listen to ministers damn our souls to hell and preach conversion through prayer Sunday after Sunday in silence. Meanwhile, our self -esteem plummets and we allow man to convince us that we won't have access to the kingdomn of God because of who we are. I'm personally sick of this lie and I'm sick of all of the men who "AMEN" this religious dogma and then retire home to feel the touch of their boyfriend.

How many gospel artists do you know that fall into this category? Probably too many too count. But of course no one in the church or the gospel music industry will have a problem with your homosexuality as long as you don't talk about it.

Translation: We'll let you sing in the choir,even let you hold the title of minister of music, buy your cd's, and enjoy the presence of God as a result of your gift, but the moment you admit you're a homosexual you might as well be Lucifer himself.  I know of a young man who is extremely gifted but struggles with homosexuality, and the reason why i say struggles is because his pastor preaches so strongly against it.  He had even been silenced in the church for a brief period, after he was caught in a homosexual indiscretion with one of the lead elder's sons.  I sometimes see the pain in his eyes as he leads praise and worship, but he genuinely loves God but somehow he is limited because of his struggle.

I'm not calling for every closeted gay man in gospel music to come out, I understand that they are at risk of losing their fan base and their livelihood. But I am challenging them to be sensitive to the fight for tolerance, and acceptance.

A Blast From the Past, part I

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