What the hey is going with the church? I'm asking this question but there probably is no answer to it besides people have decided to follow people instead of God and God has left the building because of the foolishness. I've followed some the stuff with the Eddie Long pedophile case and yes he is a pedophile, he needs to be locked up to serve a sentence and needs some mental help. No one sends photos like that to impressionable young men and calls himself a man of God, that thought is disgusting in and of itself. Jesus protected the innocent, he didn't exploit them for His own sexual pleasure. Now we have the smarmy Creflo Dollar coming out to defend him, asking Long's parishioners to forgive him and not to leave his church. Personally if my Pastor had been accused of trying to molest boys and then settled the case for millions of dollars, I would be running from the pew as fast my legs could carry me. I have no idea what is going on with supposed believers, we're just believing anything but the word of God. Just because he got up there and preached for some years does not mean he is, was or ever will be a man of God. Devil sits in the church, the pulpit, on the deacon board and in the choir just like the Christians do. I wonder how many Christians realize that, probably only the ones that have some discernment which as I look around looks like not many.I'm a Christian it's not something I throw in people's face but it's also not something I hide. I have another wonderful gift from God, it's called discernment which means I can tell shenanigans when I see them. Mr. Long is a man, like most men he is faulty, ego-driven, and probably a little power hungry. We set ministers up in churches like they are gods, then they become our gods, our idols, we forget about God, doing His will, reading His words, trusting and obeying Him and we start trusting and obeying a fool who has feet of clay then we're so devastated when we find that fact out. I was betrayed once by a Pastor, not in sexual way but I worked for a Pastor many years ago who decided she needed a convenient scapegoat since she wasn't doing her job as the Pastor and choose me. Church hurt is some the most damaging and worst hurt in the world, it goes along with the betrayal of a spouse or family member. For some people it is difficult to overcome and for many, they never overcome it. You have a high-calling when you are to serve God's people, one the highest and when you betray that by exploiting people and then feign innocence, yes there is a special place in hell just for you. I've made some comments on different sites today talking about this issue and someone had commented that 'we shouldn't mess with God's annointed' HA! Whatever, no one and I mean no one is annointed to molest children, where has our mind gone as supposed Christians that we don't even recognize right from wrong.
You know today was one of those days I held my head in my hands. As a black woman when I'm in public and there is a group of rowdy or rude black people, I always feel a sense of shame. I know I shouldn't but I do because all I'm ever thinking is 'please Lord don't let these other people standing here watching and listening to these fools think I'm part of this foolishness'. That's the way I feel about this situation with Dollar and Long, as a Christian I don't want people to think that Christians are okay with this foolishness, that we aren't as disgusted about this mess as anyone else is. I feel a sense of shame and some people don't realize that sometimes the things we do hurt God and this is definitely one of those times. I know people are wondering, why doesn't God do something? But if you know God, like I do you know God can't involve Himself in anything that is not of him. He still lets us have free will, he doesn't punish us per se because when we make evil choices, especially consciously make them, we will be punished there is nothing else that can happen. Evil cannot and will not be rewarded, ever. Mr. Long has much suffering to do, certainly people can forgive him but it behoove them not to forget, it also doesn't mean he is somehow exempt from being punished. I have a huge faith in God and I also love my own Pastor but I don't take everything my Pastor says on faith, blind faith is lazy faith and if you're not reading your bible for yourself, your walk with God is in trouble. My prayer is that those victimized by Mr. Long can heal and not leave God, leaving Long's church is what people need to do but I would pray that they don't leave God. But you know what, if they do I'm not at all surprised.
I used to attend Newbirth when I lived in Atlanta. I was not brought up to go to church but it was something I decided to do in my 20's. At the time I loved that church and Bishop Long and when I left I missed him and Newbirth. When I heard the allegations and saw the pictures my admiration disappeared. I was so out done but I had put him on a pedestal with many others and he knocked himself off. I will never be a supporter of anything he does again. No one is perfect I know but this man is a predator and used his power to manipulate and hurt. That is no man of God. He never will be again as far as I'm concerned.
ReplyDeleteThe whole situation is a nasty, horrible situation. Dr Dollar cannot public denounce Bishop Long. The point he was trying to put across is that people forget all the good, Bishop Long has done. The thing with Dr Dollar, damned if he does and damned if he doesn't. A lot of people don't like him at all. So what ever he does either way, leave Bishop Long's church or stay in Bishop Long's church, people would not like what he says.
ReplyDeleteThe whole situation is terrible and all need prayers, Bishop Long's family, the young men involved and their families.
Dr. Dollar can public denounce him and he should have. Jesus publicly denounced people, Jesus called people out in the temple. Now all of sudden it's not a good thing. You know people need to actually read the bible, study the life of Jesus and who he was. He's more than what any of us think, he's deeper than just walking on water or feeding the 5000.
ReplyDeleteYou can agree or not agree but it is the job the clergy, those who have been given the important task of leading God's people to be honest and forthright and righteous and not to condone evil. That doesn't mean you don't forgive him but that doesn't mean you help people be lead astray by him. The young men need my prayers more than Long, he needs to pray for himself and ask for forgiveness and humble himself and speak the truth. Because if he's part of what he's probably part of, he will be in hell, he'll be living it right here on earth. I don't need to forgive him he hasn't done anything to me. But he has yet to humble himself and ask for forgiveness he's still prideful and still sticking to his lie. When Don Lemon got on CNN and spoke of his own molestation as a child. And that he recognized what Long was telling these men as they way he was seduced and groomed for molestation, I'm sorry you're not going to tell me that someone who was molested don't know what molesters look like.