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 Bishop Eddie Long has denied allegations that he sexually coerced male congregants.
December 2nd, 2011
09:29 AM ET
Bishop Eddie Long's wife files for divorceBy the CNN Wire Staff ATLANTA (CNN) -Vanessa Long, the wife of Georgia televangelist Bishop Eddie Long, is not withdrawing the divorce petition filed Thursday, despite a statement issued through her husband's church indicating that she had reconsidered, her lawyer said Friday. "Consistent with her original statement made this morning, Mrs. Long continues to hope that this matter may be resolved expeditiously, harmoniously and fairly; however, she has determined that dismissal of her divorce petition is not appropriate at this time," said Michael W. Tyler, a partner with the Atlanta-based firm, Kilpatrick Townsend.
"To avoid any undue confusion, Mrs. Long's future statements, if any, will be issued through her attorneys only. At this time, neither she nor we will have any further comment on this matter." The statement, sent Friday night, was the latest twist in a divorce saga that emerged Thursday, when lawyers for Vanessa Long filed divorce documents in Superior Court in DeKalb County, Georgia. Vanessa and Eddie Long are "living in a bona fide state of separation," according to the 12-page petition. The documents adds she "is entitled to a divorce upon grounds that the marriage between the parties is irretrievably broken, there being no hope of reconciliation of the parties, and it being in the best interest of all parties concerned that this marriage be terminated by divorce." On Friday, in a statement released to reporters by her lawyer, Vanessa Long said, "It is my sincere hope that this matter can be resolved expeditiously, harmoniously and fairly. I ask that you respect my privacy and that of my family, as my attorneys and I have agreed that we will not try this case in the media, and I do not intend to make any further statements concerning this matter." But this appears counter to another statement also attributed to Vanessa Long and issued Friday afternoon by New Birth Missionary Church in Lithonia, 18 miles east of Atlanta. According to that statement, she says, "Upon prayerful reflection, I have reconsidered and plan to withdraw my petition for divorce from my husband, Bishop Eddie L. Long. I love my husband." Bishop Long is senior pastor of the church, which has more than 25,000 members, according to its website. "I believe in him and admire his strength, and courage," Vanessa Long said, according to this statement. "My filing followed years of attacks in the media that frustrated and overwhelmed me. "I love my family and church family, New Birth Missionary Baptist Church. Therefore, my husband and I have mutually agreed to find healing from these attacks. We ask that you respect our privacy during this time." New Birth's website describes Vanessa Long as "the quiet strength" in the family. "She is an inspiration to many of the women at New Birth as they watch her lovingly and quietly support her husband in every sense of the word." Long is being sued by former parishioners who accuse him of persuading them to invest in a Ponzi scheme that wiped out at least $1 million in their retirement savings. And last spring, Bishop Long settled a lawsuit filed by four young men who accused him of pressuring them into sexual relationships while they were teenagers and members of Long's congregation at the same north Georgia church. That suit alleged that Long "uses monetary funds from the accounts of New Birth and other corporate and non-profit corporate accounts to entice the young men with cars, clothes, jewelry, and electronics." Long has preached passionately against homosexuality for years. In an August interview, two of Long's accusers said they were haunted by what happened between them and the powerful pastor and added they are writing a tell-all book about their experiences. "It's just not enough anymore. I thought I could cover the pain up. I thought I could move, start over and everything will go away. I was terribly wrong," Jamal Parris, one of the accusers, told CNN affiliate WSB. Parris pointed to a "JL" tattoo on his arm, which he said stands for "Jamal Long." He said Long was with him when he got the tattoo. He said that he grew up without a father and that Long preyed on that vulnerability. "To have a man love me for just who I was. I just had to be me and love him back," Parris said. –CNN's Mia Aquino contributed to this story in Atlanta.
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Nothing in the world worse than a f@&&0t ni&&er child-molester.......I seriously cannot think of a worse person than this. Three strikes and you're out ni66a!
Eddie is a total creep, but there have been bazoodles of people who have been worse creeps.
Prey for Predator in the Pulpit......
The man was a sick rapist who used the chruch member's savings to payoff his prey.
He deserves jail.
One source says Centino Kemp, who was raised in the Bahamas, met Bishop Eddie Long years ago during a visit to New Birth while he was a teenage student in a Florida college. The relationship meant enough for him to tattoo Eddie Long’s name on his wrist, followed by the words, “Never a Mistake, Always a Lesson.”
" CHURCH "....
Another Herman Cain. But this guy ran after teenage boys... This dude deserves nothing but OLD TESTAMENT punishment... What a dishonor to God to have started yet another church by this satanic man after the scandal..
And another Bill Clinton.
Come on. Unnecessary.
I would like to be his assistant--i need a few bucks and he seems to throw it around..............
id hit "it"
I think God has suffered this to happen as another lesson to believers, or those who say they are believers, to be real with Him, before Him, and stop being found hypocrites! The Lord is merciful, and would have us to be also. Yet, in His mercy and His longsuffering, He allows time for all to repent and get things right with Him, before we become a naked shame before the world. It's amazing though to think or realize it's really not those in the world who really tried to "hide" who they are, but those who say they know God. Are not believers living epistles before all?
If the "lord" is truly omniscient, then he knows that Eddie is a total jerk.
English as a second language...........go back to your room and try again.
You give good bible.
Rod
Epistles are weapons sold over the internet without ID’s. Does that help?
Good one, fred!
The only reason she went back to him is becasue he would have to come out of the pulpit if he is going through a divorce and there would be no more money for Miz Vanessa. She does want him. She wants the money. New Birth had her on the payroll. They are paying her 1 million a year. Something transpired money wise at the church that made her change her mind. Trust me on that one!!! Why is the statement that she is not divorcing him now coming from the Church and not directly from her.
Just another boy who is h o m ose xual and can't keep his pants zipped up going down the toilet...LOL!
I wonder if Obama knows that man has his portuguese water dog on his head.
Nice wig
I lived in Atlanta for 5 years. EVERYONE knew that Eddie Long liked young men. He was often seen being driven around in his Maybach with one of his spiritual "sons". People need to wake up and stop acting surprised.
Eddie LongDong didn't mean nothin' by it. Sho' nuff! Those flappy butt teen boys just be makin; trubbel.
Fine Long Sandusky
Push the eyeglasses back up to the top of your nose, dude. You're no better than anyone else and now you've out and out proven it, haven't you?
People stop being suckers or get what you deserve. Just cause your old relative believed it doesn't make it right or good. My grandmother, RIP, believed in God and also believed blacks were all lower class. I discarded both and am better for it.
And for Chrissakes stop putting your kids through these churches at 4,5,6,7,8 years old. It's brainwashing and exposing them to people like this!!!
I don't know what the shock is all about?
Just one more perverted Christian outed... 30,000,000 to go!
Only two kinds of people wear a shirt like that, an alien or a gay black rapist preacher, and I don't see no spaceship lol!
Gay
This guy is a phoney and a h.o.m.o.s.e.x.ual. He's led many people astray. He deserves to burn in hell.
May The Lord have Mercy on him if he is willing to repent and make it right with the Lord. This is a great fall.
I think every christian stumbles, and has an area of weakness. When those weaknesses have been identified, the believer needs to be delivered and mentored.
Many people from different walks of life give their life to Christ. Those people are not free from their past addictions the day they become christians. For this reason I suggest that serious christian churches continually mentor new believers; That was the Lord's command: FEED MY SHEEPS...That's a serious call, and feeding the sheeps is a little bit more than a 30minutes sunday teaching. By developing strong and committed christians we will hear less of this type of scandals.
The case of Bishop Long is of a slighlty different nature. But the underlying truth is that he has never been delivered from this bondage. We need a sense of accountability in the church as well.Some Churches start out of nowhere, some pastors have no proven records of integrity...Let's go back to the source...how pastors were appointed, deacons, elders chosen, and let us stop placing immature people in the pulpit.
Man, Grace you are about as brainwashed as they come.
Bishop Long is just flat out gay and has been lying to himself. Period. He needs to just be honest with himself and his wife and go live the lifestyle he wants with other consenting adults.
Cut out this prayer cr@p. You can't pray away someone's se xual orientation.
Grace, me thinks he was "feeding his peeps" instead of "feeding his sheeps"
My Oprah says "Be true to yourself..." Homeboy has not been longing for the Almighty but for male genitalia, instead.
Maybe if we all send him a couple of thousand that will help him find pray away his gay. Hey, that rhymed...I am a poet now.
No one deserves to burn in hell.
After a 6 pack of beer, I doubt you'd have a problem with him being a h.o.m.o.s.e.x.u.al. Same old redneck story....bash 'em when you're sober, love 'em when you're drunk.
all the boys r having him none left 4 her
Can't understand why it took her so long. The thought of one's husband sticking his thing in another man's behind and then coming home to you is in and of itself the grossest thing. I'd never let him touch me again, let alone stay married to him.
If you're gay, just be open and honest about it and go be with a man.
Hey, some like it k i n k y...
LMFAO!!!!!!! These people kill me,,,,, there is nothing worse or evil then a pos hiding behind The Word of God!!!! There will be a special place waiting for these creatures!!!!
Oh i can think of a few worse things like molesting kids. Hiding behind / taking advantage of 2000 year old dogma? Well, on that one – shame on the suckers for not figuring out the Ponzi scheme yet. That whole thing is selling, literally, air to people. But hey – it makes 'em feel better right?
So for me, it's the Actual crimes against kids that's the rub. To heck with Hell. I want to see Justice done here and now.
Two many garbage preachers in the history of this country.It is no only corruption of the faith, but they try their best to direct their followers into the political arena with the sole purpose of their own gain. I wish them all the worst welcome when they meet their maker.
We did pray for you, but our prayers went unanswered.
No, they WERE answered! Disgrace, loss of income, wrecked career etc.