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October 2nd, 2010
12:15 AM ET
Opinion: Why no prayers for Bishop Long's accusers?
Editor's note: LZ Granderson is a senior writer and columnist for ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com, and has contributed to ESPN's Sports Center, Outside the Lines and First Take. He is a 2010 nominee and the 2009 winner of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) award for online journalism, and a 2010 and 2008 honoree of the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association (NLGJA) for column writing. Long before Focus on the Family, the 700 Club or even the Bible, there was a basic spiritual hunger: A hunger to know where we came from, a hunger to know what happens when we leave, a hunger to know if there is a God. And somewhere along the line, that hunger was spun into religion, and soon the desire to find God became mutated by the desire to protect a particular belief system about God. Religion became monetized, politicized and militarized as the hunger to know the meaning of life slowly was replaced by rules by which we are to live our lives.
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By LZ Granderson, Special to CNN
Bishop Long is correct. He has five (5) stones and has not known thrown one yet. Fact check, he only needs ONE! God Bless the Bishop. Bishop Long is the only preacher of national significance who is an example showing God's grace. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CjeSjYiVzM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIPhUY8kIBo
Who are "they" Luke?
LZ – Don't think too much pal. They don't like gay people. That's about it. I wish I kidding.
I am always amazed that Christians can get so focused on the gay and lesbian issues. Anderson Coopers reports on the treamtment of these people has brought tears to my eyes. When I think of what Jesus actually said: "Do unto others as you would have them do to you".,,, Love your neighbor as yourself. --Let he who is among you that is without sin cast the first stone--I went to Church at least 3 times a week as a child. We studied the Bible and no where did I ever hear Jesus say treat any living sould anyway except with compassion and love. If anyone can dispute these words of Jesus, please tell me where.
Why. Why do people think prayer works. It is a mystery to me. Oh it does you say? Well take a look at every other religion out there. It "works" for them, too. Prayer is just ridiculous.
So put down your rosaries and prayer beads and stop worshiping/revering cows and bowing to Mecca five times a day. Instead work hard at your job, take care of aging parents, volunteer at a soup kitchen, donate to charities and the poor and continue to follow the Commandments of your religion or any good rules of living as gracious and good human beings. And lets all hope there indeed is a place called Heaven!!!
People may pray twenty or more times every day, but they only remember the one time every couple of months when things randomly work out the way they want, more or less. This is what passes a 'evidence' of God's love. Meanwhile, an atheist may have as good, or better luck without any prayer at all. Some Christians will still, unbelievably, call that result God's doing as well.
"But what I also find disappointing is the desire to pray that the allegations are not true seems to be equal to, if not greater than, the desire to find out the truth. "
It seems that this writer is a bit bias, but I guess we all are. You see Mr. Granderson, and that the article began listing all of your awards makes this a bit tiresome, If the pastor and the church membership wants the allegations to not be true. To achieve this would mean that they obtained the "truth". Do you not see that they go hand and hand? If the "truth" is that the evidence shows that the allegations are true, than the "truth" was achieved.
It does sound like you have more of a issue for folks praying that Eddie Long did not do the things alleged against him. At the same time no one is praying that the boys/men allegations are found to be true and that these men will finally have justice. It all depends on who's side you stand on Mr Ganderson. In some ways at the most any of us can do is stand on the fence on this until details come out and a jury or judge hears this case.