Sunday, November 13, 2011

Another college reveals abuse

http://news.yahoo.com/wake-penn-state-another-college-reveals-abuse-230801672.html
Excerpt:

In wake of Penn State, another college reveals abuse probe

CHARLESTON, South Carolina (Reuters) - In the wake of the Penn State child sex abuse scandal, another university, The Citadel military college in South Carolina, revealed on Saturday that it had investigated accusations against a camp counselor but took no action.
The man has since been jailed on separate charges of molesting five boys in Mount Pleasant, near Charleston, South Carolina.
"We regret that we did not pursue this matter further," Citadel President Lt. General John Rosa and Board of Visitors Chair Doug Snyder said in a statement.
The Citadel said it investigated four years ago accusations of inappropriate conduct with children by Louis Neal "Skip" ReVille, who was a counselor at the military school's camp.

http://www.abcnews4.com/story/15912039/mount-pleasant-coach-arrested-on-sex-charges?clienttype=printable
Excerpt:

Mount Pleasant coach arrested on sex charges

Posted: Oct 31, 2011 4:00 AM PDT Updated: Oct 31, 2011 8:29 PM PDT
Louis Neal ReVille
MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCIV) -- A Mount Pleasant coach has been arrested and charged with sexually molesting three young teens.
Thirty-two-year-old Louis Neal ReVille has been charged with three counts of criminal sexual conduct with a minor and three counts of lewd acts on a minor. Captain Stan Gragg with the Mount Pleasant Police Department said is arrest was part of an ongoing investigation prompted by information provided by the Dee Norton Children's Center.
ReVille has worked as assistant upper school principal at Coastal Christian Preparatory School. He also has been tennis coach at Bishop England High School. He also reportedly coached at Moultrie Middle school last year and has also worked at Velocity Sports Performance in Mount Pleasant.
On Monday officials with Coastal Christian Preparatory School said ReVille had been relieved of his duties at the school.
Court documents say ReVille is accused of inappropriately touching and performing sex on three male teens.
He is being held in the Charleston County jail.
Officials with the Mount Pleasant Police Department say the case is still under investigation and say additional charges are anticipated.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Mount Pleasant Police Department at 843-884-4176 or Crime Stoppers at 843-554-1111.

http://hinterlandgazette.com/2011/08/jamal-parris-blames-sexual-abuse-at.html  (30 sec. video) ...cal
Excerpt:

Jamal Parris Blames Sexual Abuse at Hands of Bishop Eddie L. Long for Recent Drug Arrest

Jamal Parris, one of Bishop Eddie L. Long’s accusers in the sexual coercion lawsuits, blamed the sexual abuse at his hands as a reason for his drug arrest. Parris was given one year probation and must perform 75 hours of community service for pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute marijuana.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Long
Excerpt:
Teaching regarding sexual orientation
CNN has said "Long frequently denounces homosexual behavior."[18] Long has ministered “homosexual cure” programs to recruit gays and lesbians for what he called “Sexual Reorientation” conferences and his church offers an ongoing “Out of the Wilderness” ministry to help convert homosexuals into heterosexuals.[19]
In 2004, Long led a march with Bernice King to the grave of her father, Martin Luther King, Jr. The march was a protest against same-sex marriage and in support of a national constitutional amendment to limit marriage rights to couples comprising "one man and one woman."[20]
In 2006, Long's appearance at Atlanta's Interdenominational Theological Center's spring graduation stirred up controversy, and led to some students discussing a boycott. Long's invitation prompted Black liberation theologian James Cone—who was scheduled to receive an honorary degree—to boycott the ceremony. Thirty-three graduating seniors sent a letter to the seminary's president "questioning Long's theological and ethical integrity to be their commencement speaker." Many students did not agree with Long's beliefs that God can "deliver" homosexuals and his teachings on prosperity.[21]
A 2007 article in the Southern Poverty Law Center's magazine called him "one of the most virulently homophobic black leaders in the religiously based anti-gay movement."[18]

[edit] Allegations of sexual impropriety and lawsuits

On September 21 and 22, 2010, Maurice Robinson, Anthony Flagg, and Jamal Parris filed separate lawsuits in DeKalb County Superior Court alleging that Long used his pastoral influence to coerce them into a sexual relationship with him. In June, one of the accusers, Robinson, had been arrested and charged with burglary in connection with a break-in to Long's office. An iPhone, iPad and other items—more than $1,300 worth—were taken from the office, according to the police report.[22][23] On September 24, Spencer LeGrande, a member of a New Birth satellite church in Charlotte, North Carolina, filed a similar suit, making him the fourth man to file a lawsuit claiming sexual misconduct by Long.[24] The plaintiffs state that Long placed the men on the church’s payroll, bought them cars and other gifts, and took them separately on trips to destinations such as Kenya, South Africa, Turks and Caicos Islands, Trinidad, Honduras, New Zealand, and New York City.[24][25][26] The lawsuits stated that Long would "discuss the Holy Scripture to justify and support the sexual activity."[25] Flagg's suit claims that Long presided over a "covenant" ceremony between the two of them; Flagg's attorney said that the ceremony was "essentially a marriage ceremony, with candles, exchange of jewelry, and biblical quotes."[22]
Long denied the allegations through his attorneys and spokesman. In a prepared statement, Long said, "I have devoted my life to helping others and these false allegations hurt me deeply.[...]But my faith is strong and the truth will emerge. All I ask for is your patience as we continue to categorically deny each and every one of these ugly charges."

http://newsone.com/nation/astodghill/explained-bernice-king-says-she-left-longs-church-because/
Excerpt:

Explained! Bernice King Says She Left Long’s Church Because…

Rev. Bernice KingWe recently reported that the Rev. Bernice King stepped down as an elder at the Newbirth Missionary Baptist church. Many believed that her departure was related to the recent settlement between Bishop Eddie Long and the young men who accused him of sexual misconduct. Rev. King’s actions certainly caused a stir.
RELATED: Eddie Long’s Church Is Collapsing, Says Source
As the daughter of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, her actions are watched closely and were interpreted as a verdict of judgment on Newbirth. It turns out that Bernice King’s decision to step down was not related to the legal problems of the pastor. Speaking to the radio station Praise 102.5 based in Atlanta, King told the outlet that “her decision to leave her post is unrelated to Bishop Eddie Long’s recent settlement of four sexual misconduct lawsuits.” In fact, the reverend intends to start her own ministry, according to the interview she gave host Rhodell Lewis. Now that’s a shocker, and seems like “perfect timing.”
RELATED: MLK’s Daughter Bernice Resigns From Bishop Eddie Long’s Church
Listen to the full interview below, and leave your comments. This is certainly an interesting twist in an ongoing drama.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/10/28/bishop.long/
Excerpt:

Bishop Long talks sex from the pulpit

By John Blake, CNN
October 30, 2010 11:00 a.m. EDT
Bishop Eddie Long has talked bluntly about homosexuality and his attitude toward women in his sermons and books.
Bishop Eddie Long has talked bluntly about homosexuality and his attitude toward women in his sermons and books.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Bishop Eddie Long preaches about bringing "fresh sperm" to his congregation
  • "Sperm" sermon is one of many he's given on controversial subjects through the years
  • Long's beliefs under scrutiny since he became center of scandal
  • Four young men accuse Long of "sexual coercion" in lawsuits
(CNN) -- Bishop Eddie Long, his face glistening with sweat, paces onstage before his cheering congregation.
He's preaching about the Bible, the role of a preacher, and "fresh sperm."
"The word of God is potent. The word of God is His sperm," Long thunders. "The job of the preacher is to bring fresh sperm and when he speaks it, the womb -- the church -- is to take it in and say, 'Sho' you're right.' "
The video of that sermon, delivered during the early days of Long's ministry in the 1990s, has gone viral. And now it is being discussed in the context of four lawsuits that claim the 57-year-old Long used his spiritual authority to coerce four young men into sexual relationships with him.
Long has denied the allegations, characterizing them as assaults against him and New Birth Missionary Church, his 25,000 member megachurch in suburban Atlanta, Georgia.
Since his denial, Long has stopped talking publicly about the allegations. Yet debate about the scandal persists. Many people are trying to figure out: Who is Long? And what are his beliefs?
Long has already provided some of those answers, in his sermons and books. For the last three decades, he has publicly preached and written about some of the same issues raised in the lawsuits: homosexuality, his relationship with men, and his style of leadership at New Birth.
Art Franklin, a New Birth spokesman, did not return calls requesting an interview with Long.
In earlier sermons and books, though, Long has been open about his stance on an array of controversial topics.
Long explains why some boys are gay
Men can look attractive when they're dirty.
--Bishop Eddie Long
Take Long's opposition to homosexuality. It's been a part of his message for years. In his 1998 book, "I Don't Want Delilah, I Need You!" he wrote that "The Bible has no provision for two people of the same sex to be married."
"Two people of the same sex cannot reproduce in the physical natural realm, which is an outward manifestation of their inability to produce the fruit of righteousness in the spirit realm."
In the same book, Long wrote that the devil convinces homosexuals that they have no control over their sexual orientation.
"Neither does God make a person to be a homosexual. Look at yourself naked in a mirror and see what God gave you. That's who you are in God's creation. Your parents ... or someone else may have influenced you to engage in sexual behavior that was not godly, but God did not ordain that behavior for you."
Long's explanation for why some men are gay, though, may appear puzzling.
He put some of the blame on women, in "I Don't Want Delilah, I Need You!"
"In a society, where little boys are exposed to grubby, cursing, dirty, cigarette-smoking road construction worker women, is it any wonder they stop chasing women and start chasing men?"
The proper role for men and women is a recurrent theme in Long's books and sermons.
Video: Bishop Eddie Long speaks to church
Video: Accuser's message for Bishop Long
Video: Bishop Long and loyalty
Men, he said, are different than women because they are made from the dirt. God, he said, made Adam from the dust of the earth.
"Men can look attractive when they're dirty," he wrote in "I Don't Want Delilah, I Need You!"
"We see sweating, dirty, hardworking men on television all the time and we say to one another, 'There's a macho guy.' But women were not made from the earth. God made women to be lovely, gentle, clean and beautiful on the inside and outside. They are to be strong in character."
Why Long drove two Bentleys
Men, Long said, were created to be "warriors" who lead and protect their families. Yet there are forces in society that "damage" men, Long wrote in his 2004 book, "Gladiator."
"Somebody took the man out of manhood," he wrote in "Gladiator."
That somebody? He blames the "women's liberation" movement and "liberal and extra-biblical teaching" in public schools.
"The anti-man agenda of such organizations as NOW [National Organization of Women] ... spawned in the previous century is simple: being 'equal' isn't enough -- we want to be large and in charge."
At other times, though, Long has offered a spirited defense of women's role in the church.
Unlike some conservative pastors, he wrote that women have a right to preach and be leaders in the church. Long encourages men to treat their wives with respect and to remain faithful.
In one sermon, Long cited his own marriage to encourage parishioners. He invited his wife, Vanessa, to share the stage with him in a 2009 DVD entitled, "When a Man Loves a Woman."
Vanessa Long, who has appeared at Long's side since the allegations against him were made public, talked about the challenges of living with her husband to a rapt New Birth congregation.
Long took the New Birth pulpit in a 2004 DVD, "Back to Basics," to talk about the male ego. In the video, he tells the audience he wouldn't have a problem if his wife made more money because it's still "my money" as head of the household.
As members in the congregation chuckle, Long tells them that he would be happy to pick up his wife on payday, and deposit her check into their joint banking account.
"I might even give her a little bit -- and I wasn't talking money," Long says as his congregation hoots in laughter.
The job of a preacher is to bring fresh sperm...
--Bishop Eddie Long
RELATED TOPICS
Long's stance on money has also drawn scrutiny. He's a "prosperity preacher" who once said that Jesus wasn't poor.
A 2005 article in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution says Long created a charity whose biggest beneficiary was Long himself. The charity, ostensibly to help the poor, provided Long with the use of a million-dollar home and a $350,000 Bentley car.
In his 2002 book, "What a Man Wants, What a Woman Needs," Long says his luxury cars are "side benefits of saying yes to God."
Money isn't evil; the love of money is evil, he says in the book. Pastors need to show people "visual sermons" to demonstrate that God is blessing them, he says.
"It's strange but when a preacher gets a Bentley, people get mad," he says in the book. "That's why I have two of them. God has launched me into my culture like an arrow and I'll go to almost any lengths to plant the kingdom in the hoods."
Why parishioners should respect authority
The Kingdom of God, according to Long, is held together by authority, another favorite topic.
"Taking Authority" is the name of a Long television show that once aired on Trinity Broadcasting Network. In his 1999 book, "Taking Over," Long wrote about taking authority at New Birth during his early days by persuading the deacon board to relinquish power to him.
In Long's view, there is a "chain of command" in God's creation: children must answer to their parents; wives to their spouses, and parishioners to their pastor.
Some pastors encourage parishioners to address them by their first name or to view them like anyone else. That is not Long's style of leadership.
In his recent book "Gladiator," Long warns parishioners not to get overly familiar with a pastor who has God's "anointing."
"Some people get close to the pastor, and then they stand back by describing the pastor as just a man or just Eddie," Long writes. "It is true to a point, but it is a statement dipped in scorn for God's anointed."
Scorn can easily turn to disrespect when parishioners start looking at their pastors critically, Long says in the book.
"A disrespectful or adversarial attitude causes otherwise good people to look for mistakes, weakness, and flaws in their human leaders."
In the book, Long even warns those who might look for flaws in their pastor:
People who disrespect their leaders not only disobey God, they bring harm onto themselves, he says.
"Once the flock of God leaves the green grass and clear water of God's presence to gnaw on their shepherds," he writes, "their insurrection kills their blessing and aborts their corporate victory."

No comments:

Post a Comment