Commentary: Why Rev. Long's Sexuality Isn't the Point
by Saida Grundy
This week we were actually not surprised at all to learn that another "mega-church" preacher was accused of doing in his private life the exact thing he threatens hellfire against from the pulpit.
The consistent deluge of moral hypocrisy from evangelist clergymen has them running neck and neck with GOP elected officials in the "Who-can-hate-the-most-in-others-what-they-actually-do-themselves" 4x4 relay race...
Which brings us to metropolitan Atlanta. Two Georgia men have alleged that Eddie Long*, pastor of 25,000-member New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, coerced them into sexual acts that began when both were teenagers. The salacious details of the case unfold like birthday gifts to "The Boondocks" writing team. None of the checklist items of career-ending sex scandal are spared here. The plaintiffs separately filed complaints that accuse Long of exploiting his spiritual authority over them in order to solicit sexual acts in exchange for lavish gifts, trips, cars and electronics.
I have always considered public allegations against sham moral leadership to be good wholesome family fun, and for the moment, we are all entitled to be swept up in the licentious hoopla of it all. But to stop short of understanding what should be our real problem with Long's message and politics only baits our own homophobia. This is not Eddie Long's fall from grace, for he never should have been in our good graces. Let us consider that the Reverend's most serious offenses against our conscience were committed proudly in broad daylight.
Read the Full Essay @ Essence.com
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Saida Grundy is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Sociology at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.
by Saida Grundy
This week we were actually not surprised at all to learn that another "mega-church" preacher was accused of doing in his private life the exact thing he threatens hellfire against from the pulpit.
The consistent deluge of moral hypocrisy from evangelist clergymen has them running neck and neck with GOP elected officials in the "Who-can-hate-the-most-in-others-what-they-actually-do-themselves" 4x4 relay race...
Which brings us to metropolitan Atlanta. Two Georgia men have alleged that Eddie Long*, pastor of 25,000-member New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, coerced them into sexual acts that began when both were teenagers. The salacious details of the case unfold like birthday gifts to "The Boondocks" writing team. None of the checklist items of career-ending sex scandal are spared here. The plaintiffs separately filed complaints that accuse Long of exploiting his spiritual authority over them in order to solicit sexual acts in exchange for lavish gifts, trips, cars and electronics.
I have always considered public allegations against sham moral leadership to be good wholesome family fun, and for the moment, we are all entitled to be swept up in the licentious hoopla of it all. But to stop short of understanding what should be our real problem with Long's message and politics only baits our own homophobia. This is not Eddie Long's fall from grace, for he never should have been in our good graces. Let us consider that the Reverend's most serious offenses against our conscience were committed proudly in broad daylight.
Read the Full Essay @ Essence.com
***
Saida Grundy is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Sociology at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.
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