Bishop Eddie Long on the Record: "Claims of Sexual Misconduct Are Not True," Says Ga. Pastor

Bishop Eddie Long

Bishop Eddie Long (AP Photo/Gene Blythe, File)

ATLANTA (CBS/AP) Bishop Eddie Long, the outspoken Atlanta mega-church pastor accused of coercing four young men into sexual relationships, categorically denied the allegations for the first time in a court filing Monday, claiming he was merely a mentor to the men who filed civil suits against him in September.

PICTURES: Bishop Eddie Long

For weeks the pastor had not directly countered the allegations, though his attorney denied the accusations on his behalf. But on Monday the avowedly anti-gay pastor specifically addressed the allegations by filing four separate court responses, nearly 30 pages each, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Long said in his filings that each of the "claims of sexual misconduct are not true."

Spencer LeGrande, 22, Jamal Parris, 23, Anthony Flagg, 21, and Maurice Robinson, 20, all filed lawsuits against the pastor in September claiming they were 17 and 18 when Long first adopted them as his "spiritual sons." The men said Long then abused his "spiritual authority" and seduced them with cars, lavish trips and jewelry in exchange for sex, which he allegedly justified with Holy Scripture.

New chapter by chapter study series

Hi, following the recent suspension of my youtube account I have decided to take a slightly different direction with my teaching videos. Although I have opened a new account (dazzarai1) on youtube, i have found youtube to be to unreliable and unfair, since they have also recently closed at least 15 other christian accounts.

I have started a teaching series which will be book by book, chapter by chapter, starting from Pauls 1st epistle to Timothy. I am currently in the process of completing the first book which I will make available FREE on DVD. if you would like a copy of this please email me at christianitywatch@hotmail.co.uk and i will get a copy to you.

I will try and put up some preview clips on youtube, but due to the length of the videos (1Timothy - approx 2hrs) it is too complicated and time constraining to put it all on youtube.

God bless you all, Daz

Saved from Prosperity

The story of how God delivered one couple from the subtle deception of the prosperity gospel.



The full interview is available here: http://www.harborhawaii.org/beta/601

Extreme Prophetic - Patricia King

Have you ever felt the glory of God like this before???
I came across the video recently, and I must say that this woman is new to me, however after seeing this clip I saw her on television afew days later.
Does the glory of God disrupt and hinder you from teaching the word? Are their any biblical examples of this manifestation of his glory.

im sorry but this spirit/behaviour has to be tested.

This is "being real thing" going to far? Bishop Weeks

This guy is classically know for "being real", but is this excuse for his obvious lust problems acceptable as a "Bishop"? Why is no one correcting this man, in the error of his ways?

The bible says that in the last days men will make sin to be an acceptable thing. We are seeing the climatization of sin in the church right before our very eyes.

Jude 4
For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.

Fleecing the flock? Randy and Paula White

What will Senator Grassley uncover? These guys should just of complied to the government.

Senate Panel Probes 6 Top Televangelists

Sen. Charles Grassley Asks Ministries To Turn Over Financial Records Within One Month

CBS News has learned Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa, the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, is investigating six prominent televangelist ministries for possible financial misconduct.

Letters were sent Monday to the ministries demanding that financial statements and records be turned over to the committee by December 6th.

According to Grassley's office, the Iowa Republican is trying to determine whether or not these ministries are improperly using their tax-exempt status as churches to shield lavish lifestyles.

The six ministries identified as being under investigation by the committee are led by: Paula White, Joyce Meyer, Creflo Dollar, Eddie Long, Kenneth Copeland and Benny Hinn. Three of the six - Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland and Creflo Dollar - also sit on the Board of Regents for the Oral Roberts University.

A spokesperson for Joyce Meyer Ministries provided CBS News with an IRS letter to the ministry dated October 10, 2007, that stated: "We determined that you continue to qualify as an organization exempt from Federal income tax." The letter could not be independently verified in time for this story. The ministry also pointed to audited financial statements for the last three years that are posted on the organization's Web site.

In a statement, Benny Hinn's spokesperson, Ronn Torossian, said the ministry was in the process of determining the best course of action in response to the Senate investigation. "World Healing Center Church complies with the laws that govern church and non-profit organizations and will continue to do so," Torossian wrote.

In a statement to CBS News, Creflo Dollar called his ministry an "open book" and said he would comply with any "valid request" from Grassley. But he noted that the inquiry raised questions that could "affect the privacy of every community church in America."

The other three ministries did not respond to requests for comment from CBS News on Monday.

Because they have tax status as churches, the ministries do not have to file IRS 990 forms like other non-profit organizations - leaving much financial information largely behind closed doors.

The letters sent Monday were the culmination of a long investigation fueled in part by complaints from Ole Anthony, a crusader against religious fraud who operates the Dallas-based Trinity Foundation, which describes itself as a watchdog monitoring religious media, fraud and abuse. "We've been working with them for two years," Anthony told CBS News. "We have furnished them with enough information to fill a small Volkswagen."

Anthony said after twenty years of working with media organizations to expose televangelists, he saw little reform. He says that's why he turned to another tactic, going straight to Grassley. He is confident that Grassley's inquiry will be different, "What we hope is that this will lead to reform in religious nonprofits."

The structure of many televangelist organizations - in which the leadership is often concentrated in one person or one family - has itself been the target of criticism. "Churches like these are ruled as a dictatorship," says Rod Pitzer, who directs research at Ministry Watch in North Carolina, which provides advice for donors to Christian organizations.

Pitzer welcomes the Senate committee investigation. Ministries lacking accountability, he says, "give a black eye to churches and Christians who are trying to do things in the right manner."


By Laura Strickler © MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.