
CONTACTStaffCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2023 Pride Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
Don’t miss our latest news! Sign up today for our free newsletter.
Scroll To Top
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
A spokesman for Atlanta pastor Eddie Long says the plaintiffs in
lawsuits claiming he forced them to have sex with him are "men with
some serious credibility issues" and that their claims are a case of
retaliation and a shakedown for money, CNN reports.
Long is accused of forcing Anthony Flagg, Jamal Paris, and Maurice Murray Robinson, starting in their teens, to engage in sexual acts with him. The men were members of Long's New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, which has about 25,000 members and was the site of Coretta Scott King's 2006 funeral. They were also involved in the Longfellows Youth Academy program overseen by the pastor.
Long has been a longtime opponent of gay rights. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, he is "one of the most virulently homophobic black leaders in the religiously based anti-gay movement."
The lawsuits claim that Long framed the sexual relationships as having a religious basis.
The alleged victims "were groomed for it, from 14 to 17 years old," their attorney B.J. Bernstein told CNN Wednesday. "He gets to know them and gets the trust, and then bit by bit -- first it's a hug. It's just like any sexual predator. Or we're sitting watching the football game, and you put your legs up on their lap ... One of the boys described going to the gym, 'Can you massage my neck?' and then there's another massage, and it just slowly breaks down. Ask any victim of sexual abuse. It is a progression."
Long is scheduled to hold a press conference Thursday to address the charges,
Don't miss the untold LGBTQ+ stories of NEW HOPE, PA!
Five short documentaries that capture the diversity & rich history of its deeply rooted LGBTQ+ community.
QUEER CUTS: New Hope!
Watch it ON-DEMAND on the Advocate Channel App until November 15th.
Download our App for your mobile phone and your favorite streaming device!
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
Lauren Boebert Caught Fondling Date’s Genitals During Family-Friendly Musical: Video
September 15 2023 11:20 PM
Don’t miss our latest news! Sign up today for our free newsletter.
Watch Now: Advocate Channel
Trending Stories & News
For more news and videos on advocatechannel.com, click here.
Trending Stories & News
For more news and videos on advocatechannel.com, click here.
Latest Stories
Patrick Dempsey Might Be People's Sexiest Man Alive, But Here Are 20+ Alternatives
November 09 2023 7:07 PM
Country Star Dixon Dallas Gets Rough With Steamy Queer Track ‘Something to Feel’
November 09 2023 6:56 PM