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Via Rod 2.0, a video from the incredible equality ally and civil rights leader Julian Bond, who does not mince words regarding the virulent homophobia of alleged gay sex predator “Bishop” Eddie Long.
In June 2006, Bond famously refused to attend the funeral of Coretta Scott King that was held at New Birth MB Church. At the time he said, “I knew her attitude toward gay and lesbian rights. And I just couldn’t
imagine that she’d want to be in that church with a minister who was a
raving homophobe. And I couldn’t see myself in my church either.”Bond, who was an early leader in the civil rights movement alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., amplified his remarks on the embattled anti-gay pastor. “He said that homosexuality is worthy of death. He is a raving homophobe,” said the civil rights legend former longtime Georgia legislator. “If [the allegations] are true, it’s just sort of typical of people who are raving homphobes who are secretly homosexual. And who are homophobes because they are filled with so much self-loathing and self-hate that they’ve got to let it come out in some way, and it comes out in homophobia.”
UPDATE: The inconsequential presser from this AM is below. Long again cited his attorney’s instruction not to say anything about the charges, and didn’t take questions.
Watching this thing, I keep thinking about Cadillac Kimberly‘s rant and her observations about Long’s wig. It’s a really bad jheri-curl type deal pasted to his scalp; it’s distracting. Surely with the millions he’s pulling down he could afford a better rug. My suggestion is just to go cueball, but hey, it’s not like he needs my advice, lol.
15 Comments
Wow. I wished every… … every straight, 70-year old guy on this planet were as perceptive, tolerant, and outspoken as Julian Bond. What an inspiring person.
Julian Bond is a man of true principle.
Anyone notice ….BTW, did anyone notice that during the Eddie Long ‘news conference’ his whole demeanor and appearance were 100% different than when he was preaching. If you put the videos side-by-side, he is unrecognizable when not behind the pulpit.
people don’t like to admit it,but there is a lot of stagecraft involved in worship services. Even run of the mill white ones, and especially megachurch services of any color.
i loved Kim’s rantbut if i may be petty, grrlfriend shouldn’t be talking about anyone’s rug, given her rather pedestrian weave. i’m just sayin.
it’s a topic i’d love to see more often on af-am poli-blogs. i gave up the weave a long time ago. there’s nothing wrong with them. but wow, does our community of color need to rethink when and when not to have one. ymmv, of course. still, i like the way i’ve come to love my own natural hair, just the way it is (well, with a little coloring, but ancient Egyptian women did that, so why shouldn’t i?) hair of long length = beauty is a construct that hurts us and we shouldn’t accept it, imho.
I have a great deal of respectfor Julian Bond. He always expresses a reasoned point of view.
Two Simple TruthsI learned YEARS ago in my long repented “young republican southern baptist days” two fundamental truths that I have never forgotten and have often shared in situations such as these.
People Often Persecute In Others -
That Which They Fear In Themselves.
And…
Between Love and Hate -
Only Hate Requires God
For Its Justification.
Bishop of what?It amazes me when these asshole con men give themselves the title of Bishop. What irony that denominations that hate the Catholic church take their titles to infer authority. Any religion is just rank hypocrisy.
I was shockedat how many people were applauding Eddie Long at the Sunday morning service.
I guess my expectations are higher. I was expecting lots of empty pews.
At the same time….these are African-Americans and it seems like LOTS of African-Americans have a cult like relationship with religion.
::sigh::
Julian Bond is my personal heroI met him in Georgia when he led the challenge delegation to the 1968 Democratic Convention (against the all white southern democrats) and got seated.
At the convention he was nominated for vice-president, the youngest person ever to be nominated, but had to decline because he was at the time too young for the office.
Previously he was an elected GA state Legislator, but the Legislature refused to seat him because he opposed the Vietnam War.
Bio here :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J…
Right on, honey…Was educated in Baptist and Foursquare schools. Know EXACTLY what you are referring to.
As for Julian Bond, hats off to him. That’s someone with the guts to tell the truth.
The title “bishop” does not belong exclusively to the Catholic ChurchA very large number of churches are part of the Apostolic Succession and have a historic, legitimate right to use the title of “bishop,” including but not limited to: Eastern Orthodox (Alexandrian, Antioch, Jerusalem, Russian, Serbian, Romanian, Bulgarian, Cypriot, Greek (National), Polish, Albania, Czech and Slovakian Orthodox churches, as well as the larger Greek Orthodox under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople), Oriental Orthodox (Armenian, Coptic, Ethiopian, Eritrean and Syriac Orthodox churches), the Roman Catholic Church, churches in the Anglican Communion (the Church of England and national derivatives such as the Episcopal Church of the United States), most branches of the Lutheran and Methodist churches, several branches of Presbyterianism, and a surprisingly large number of small, relatively local church movements, some of which can trace an unbroken ancestry back to the first and second centuries.
Further, the title “Bishop” (in Greek episkopos, from which comes the English word “episcopal”) is found in the New Testament books of Acts, Philippians, I Timothy and Titus to mean any man recognized as a person of great faith and administrative ability who oversaw several local congregations. In this sense, it is not surprising that the title exists even in denominations that have rejected the historic Succession, in exactly the same way that many non-historic churches have adopted the Biblical titles of deacon (Gk: diakonos) and/or presbyter (Gk: presbyteros.)
I can offer some insight into thisA very religious cousin (who is black) made this post to Facebook this morning:
To her (and presumably to a great many of the Long Bishop’s supporters) the moral failings of a religious leader are irrelevant as long as their followers are doing fine. She also seems to be saying that scandal is the result of fickle popular opinion and has nothing at all to do with the leader’s wrong doing.
It is kind of like insisting that a drunkard mom who turns tricks for drug money is a GREAT mom as long as her kids turn out better, and that if she gets arrested it’s because the neighbors don’t like her. You just cannot reason with fanaticism like that.
CS King’s funeralI was horrified to see that Coretta Scott King was buried from that Church and I imagine that she’d have felt the same way. The preacher is a homophobe, dripping in bling, living in a mansion, and driving a Bentley. It would take someone with a strong sense of himself to resist the pressure of attending that funeral. It must have been terribly painful considering their history and friendship.
Eddie Long & New Birth!It is very hard for me to address Eddie Long as a Bishop. I like Mr. Julian Bond cannot step foot into that church. I had to go there one time for business. I couldn’t wait to get out of the building.
I first came across the church by attending Easter Sunday Service held at a local arena in downtown Atlanta. I went there not knowing much about the church only that my daughter and I could sit comfortably on Easter. I didn’t know then what I know now.
The last time we attended church on Easter, a local radio DJ made a homophobic comment. My daughter was holding my hand so I wouldn’t make a loud comment. Long stood behind the man and smile. That was my last service at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church.
I also supported the protest against the church when New Birth march to go against Gay Marriage. New Birth held classes to cure young people of their homosexuality – insane. Long was invited to a radio show to talk about this class – no one came from New Birth!
I watched the homecoming of the Great Coretta Scott King held at New Birth from my home. I refused to step foot in that church again. In my opinion, I somewhat felt that Mrs. King in Spirit did not want to be there.
It was her daughter Bernice King who made it happen. The beautiful Yolanda King I know was also against homophobia. Mrs. King and Yolanda were strong supporters of the Gay Community and highly missed.
I only hope that Long will come out the closet and start a movement to end homophobia – my bad… not going to happen!