Emotional Vandalism vs. Freedom Of Speech: Will The Malice That Embodies Fred Phelps Prevail?

Note: On Wednesday, Oct. 6th, the Supreme Court of The United States will hear oral arguments in the case of Snyder vs. Westboro Baptist Church.

Fred Phelps has now gotten exactly what he's always wanted: notoriety. From the time he threw the first punch at an attendee of  a revival (at age 17, his first preaching gig was to a Mormon group and someone didn't exactly agree with him), he's always courted fame. Fame through controversy. Fame through hate.

I've followed Fred's trail for over 14 years. The first time I encountered Phelps was as a book publicist for Fr. Daniel Helmeniak, author of the book, What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality. Helmeniak is an eminent Jesuit scholar who knew about Phelps and his homophobic rantings, so I was able to get Daniel on a radio show in Kansas City, MO. with Phelps debating him on the subject. Phelps was in the studio while Daniel was on a phone hook-up.

The interview was a typical Phelpsian circus with the Phelps clan picketing the radio station (allegedly for broaching the subject of homosexuality). During the interview, Daniel played the sweet, but thoroughly academic professional, politely asking Phelps which "pages" his Biblical sitings were on (knowing full well that Phelps had made them up). Frustrated Phelps grew impatient when the time came for questions from listeners who seemed to share Daniel's knowledge and sophistication. He stormed out of the station in less than twenty minutes. The host, however, kept Daniel on - for a full 90 minutes  - because the call lines were heating up (the program had only been scheduled for thirty minutes).

Phelps deemed the radio spot a "success." He's a hit-and-run publicity man.

A year after Daniel's interview, I came across an unpublished manuscript attached to a deposition as Exhibit A in a court case. It was an unauthorized biography of Fred Phelps. I read all 140 pages overnight.

To label Fred Phelps as evil is ridiculous, simply because, much like any real monster, Phelps' persona is beyond labeling. If Phelps' soul can be labeled anything, the closest definition would be grotesque: it is misshapen, hideous in its deformity; repulsive. Visually, it is like The Elephant Man, but without the slightest trace of humanity. And while Hitler had a disfigured conscience, Fred Phelps seems to have no conscience at all. He delights in both hating and being hated. He is a true egotist.

And as such, he hungers not for blood, but for publicity.

It is true that he used his exemplary speaking skills to defend civil rights cases. However, upon close examination, his oratory was meant to focus only on himself: one of the breaches of ethics he was cited for  in his disbarment was that if a client couldn't pay Fred's fees after losing a case, he would automatically turn around and sue the client. So very many of these cases came up, it was rumored that Phelps's primary income was derived from these turnabouts. 

For the last half century, Fred Phelps and his clan have alternated between bizarre soap opera and embarrassing nuisance for Topeka, KS: addiction to amphetamines, charges of a Fagin operation (involving the Phelps children), beatings, starvation, threats of knee-capping (with a .48), severe whippings, extortion, insidious and violent revenge on colleagues and neighbors, thwarted flights to freedom - all emanating from the martinet  who refused to give his children Christmas presents, demanded that all of them have law degrees, chose their spouses ... and made them believe he was their only portal to heaven. 

There are times when hatred makes a person either crazy or stupid. Hatred is, after all, a very negating emotion, canceling out anything positive. Hatred is man's most insipid emotion simply because it is so counter to survival. In the eyes of America, Fred Phelps has not only done things out of pure hatred,  but a total disregard for any form of reason: call Phelps insane and he will laugh. Call him stupid, however, and he will rage. Perhaps the reason why Phelps and has brood have pressed on so doggedly on the Snyder case is because Phelps will prove to everyone that he is not stupid: everyone will know him and listen, whereas nobody listens to an idiot.

The Snyder Case

While many people deem the upcoming Supreme Court case to be one of horrifically poor taste vs. freedom of speech, instead it can be argued that it is really a case that stretches the limits as to how much harm a person can inflict on another and still hide behind the premise of free speech. To the rest of the country, Phelps actions were even worse than what he had intended to do at Mathew Shepard's funeral - dance on his grave. Fred and his family posse fully intended to cause as much emotional harm and stress as possible to the Snyder family. 

This is where the claim of emotional vandalism comes in.

Every invitation to a funeral begins with the phrase "For those wishing to pay their respects..." The invitation is not open to those who want to desecrate the grave or to dance upon it. The funeral, therefore, is not simply open to the public as the Phelps family contends. In this case, the Snyder family paid for a respectful funeral, during which the bereaved would be comforted by the presence of friends, not enemies. The funeral and the proceedings were the property of the Snyder family. The Phelps family's intent was to mar the funeral proceedings by making entrance and exit from the funeral a fearsome, distasteful affair. They desecrated the funeral with malice aforethought. Emotional vandalism. Willful intent to damage or destroy another persons property.

So far, I haven't seen that particular angle to the prosecution, and since it has not been proffered, it cannot be introduced into this case. In my humble opinion, I fail to see why it should not have been. There must have been a reason why it was not.

The Responsibility of The Christian Right: Don't bet on it.

Although the case of Snyder vs. Phelps will not be heard before the Supreme Court until Wednesday, October 6, the prospects for Al Snyder look grim. Chief Justice Roberts on freedom of speech: "It's certainly the responsibility of the Supreme Court to uphold freedom of speech, even when it's unpopular." 

We must all brace ourselves for the imbecilic grins of the Phelps clan. 

We must also brace ourselves for the slightly muted cheers of our Rightwing Christian friends such as the Family Research Council, the American Family Association, the Southern Baptist Convention, and in particular, people like Tony Perkins, Bryan Fischer and Lou Engle. In addition, all those who say "we're not like Phelps" but who do absolutely nothing to chastise Phelps for his obviously un-Christian demeanor. These people, with all their righteousness at-the-ready, who bray and bloviate about morals and family values will not use one ounce of courage to tell the nation that Fred Phelps' free speech is not worthy to be heard by the dullest of the dull. This sector of our country has a moment to prove themselves to be worthy of their purported religion. They will, however, either cheer, whimper ... or remain silent.

Remember.

Author's note: 

This article is based upon personal experience, Fact-Archive.com, wikipedia.com, and Exhibit A of  PETITION FOR DECLARATORY RELIEF (Pursuant to K.S.A. Chapter 60-1701 et. seq.) as requested by Jon Bell, June 2, 1994.)

The Greatest Story Never Told Part II: If Eddie Long Is David, Who The Hell's Goliath?

Plus  Bonus Feature: 

CLASH OF THE LEGAL-EAGLE  TITANS!!!

 

A hypocrite is always judged by the degree of hypocrisy he or she is guilty of. For example, if we hear someone say that they really dislike liars, then we catch them in an innocent lie, we think it slightly hypocritical, but barely give it a second thought. But when we hear someone pass judgement in a moral sense and perceive that the judge has done worse, that enrages us.

"...and to every man that knows what God is saying to do and you’re still acting like the boys on the corner, God says you deserve death!”

                                                                             - Bishop Eddie Long    

Long's virulent and strident attacks on homosexuality may ratchet up his hypocrisy level beyond the stratosphere. Whatever the outcome, the dichotomy that was created within the last ten days will forever effect his credibility: who can explain away the photos? How could a man who is quoted as saying that God will severely punish a man for sleeping with a man turn around and befriend young men with homoerotic pictures? How can he explain away those relationships as "spiritual" without insulting those who want to believe him?

"I am not the man portrayed on television." He may not be, but he has placed himself in such a high position, such an idolized position, that there is no place for him to go but down. The dichotomy is too great. The hypocrisy will be deemed too huge for any "David" to overcome. 

America loves the "little guy" the "underdog." When you're down and out, capitalizing on your status can be your best bet. Eddie Long is certainly counting on the compassion inherent in America: that's why he chose the story of David and Goliath. It's ironic, of course, that the story of David and Goliath leads right into the story of Jonathan and David.  Eddie might have missed that irony. 

And "Bishop" Eddie Long has not yet defined exactly who he thinks "Goliath" is. If Long is going to put up a fight, the least he could do is tell everyone who his opponent is. Is he aiming for a broad metaphor? Does he want his followers to think that the entire world is sitting in judgment against him? Or is it our own "activist" justice system? Is he going into battle against the devil? He was unfair to have his followers so little to go on. Ahah! Perhaps it was a test to see just how loving, how faithful his flock would truly be. 

Or maybe it was a way to say "make up your own damn Goliath! Whatever you come up with, that's what I'm fighting." But that's unfair as well, making everyone do the work from something he created himself.

People will say that I'm beating a good man when he's down. Not really. It's more like a wrestling match where, when the other guy who's been beating you into a bloody pulp makes a wrong move and suddenly, you're on top of the brute and realize that you have to KEEP him down. Maybe all the people who know that, once it's exposed, they have to keep Eddie Long's hypocrisy in the fore, maybe they're Goliath.

Yes, Eddie Long is staring at Goliath in the form of  Spencer LaGrande, Jamal Parris, Maurice Robinson and Anthony Flagg and their resolve to keep his hypocrisy front and center. With each statement, Bishop Eddie Long's credibility grave has been dug deeper:

"They said bishop has been accused of something, and my heart dropped. And that was my time that God told me to release what I had to say."

Note that both Parris and LaGrande spoke in vague generalities just as Long did. People are hungry for the salacious particulars, but no one is unmuzzled as yet. Vagaries aside, with each statement from the prosecution, Long's support grows weaker (outside of New Birth, of course). Plaintive cries against an established person, however sotto voce they may seem, can grow louder each time, plucking at heartstrings.

Another reason these men might be believed: they didn't go to the media - the media came to them. Scripted? I doubt it. Bernstein isn't the kind of legal counsel to insist on scripting.

And speaking of Bernstein, she's a force to be reckoned with:

From her website:

B.J. has been recognized in Atlanta Magazine in it's Super Lawyer edition from 2008-2010 as one of the top 100 Lawyers in Georgia. She is the only female criminal defense attorney to make the top 100 list this year and overall one of only 11 women so recognized. Georgia Trend magazine named her to the Legal Elite list for the last 4 years and has individually profiled her as one of six of Georgia's "Power Women" in 2008.

Another force to be reckoned with: Craig Gillen (website):

As a criminal defense attorney, Mr. Gillen has won several courtroom victories as set forth on the Representative Cases page. He has successfully represented corporations, executives, professionals and businessman. Most recently, Mr. Gillen served as co-counsel in the successful defense of Mark Shelnutt who was accused of money laundering and one year prior to that, Mr. Gillen served as lead counsel in the successful defense of Jim Happ US. v. Happ. The charges in the Happ case involved allegations of a $1.9 billion fraud. Mr. Gillen's client was the only charged defendant to be acquitted.

When these two Titans clash, we may see a fight the likes of which we haven't seen since the O.J. Simpson trial: besides being two very forceful attorneys, however, their milieus have been very different in the sense that Gillen's has been mostly government and corporate while Bernstein has handled more individuals ...with emotions. Unfortunately for Eddie Long, these suits are on too personal  a level. Gillen will have to rely on disparaging the person of Anthony Flagg with the attempted robbery angle.

The silence and waiting will now seem interminable. The public wants details, statistics, financial accounts, screaming, tears and emotion., everything the trial of a hug hypocrite should be and everything Eddie Long can deliver. If hypocrisy of this magnitude dies of annui,  Eddie Long may come away with more than he deserves.

Just a thought. 

The Greatest Story Never Told - Part I: When Did The Writ Hit The Fan For Other Evangelical Pastors?

(Note to Eddie Long: Sorry, Eddie. You weren't the first and most certainly won't be the last. Although you have topped Ted Haggard and George Rekers... BIG TIME!)

Yeah, I'm having some fun with all of this. Sorry, can't help it. Chasing down hypocrisy is hard work, so when a lulu of a story practically lands in your lap, it's best to burn rubber and enjoy the ride. 

"David and Goliath." That's the simile "Bishop" Eddie Long came up with to describe his plight. The audience (congregation) cheered. However, I perceive a seminal problem: just who the hell is Goliath? The media? The public? The plaintiffs? His sermon, in fact, left way too many questions unanswered and had a kind of senseless "win one for the Gipper" feel because he didn't base it on anything solid. I have a feeliing that he'll be repeating it over and over ad nauseum because (as he himself stated) his lawyers told him not to say anything else. Unfortunately in this case, caution will give sway to speculation.

Anyway, since Long's non-explanation opens up a whole plethora of theories, I'd like to save them for Part II of this saga. 

The history of evangelical sex scandals goes way back and although I can't educate the reader with dates and names, I'm sure that more Scarlet Letters were sewn on both bodices and lapels than the America-is-a-Christian-Nation people would like us to think. And while most of the scandals were heterosexual in nature (e.g. the FBI closely monitored MLK and his infidelities), the ones involving homosexual relationships were probably swept under the rug too many times to count. 

So here's a rundown of evangelical homosexual scandals in the last half decade:

Lonnie Frisbee 

Known as the first "Jesus Freak," Lonnie Frisbee was a self-styled Pentecostal "prophet." He actually some success as an evangelist, despite his appearance. He became THE key person of the Jesus Movement and was instrumental in establishing both Calvary Chapel and Vineyard Movement denominations. 

Lonnie felt the righteous wrath of God, however, when both churches disowned him because of his homosexual behaviour. Lonnie continued to preach up to his death from AIDS in 1993.

An Emmy-nominated documentary about Frisbee titled "Frisbee the Life and Death of a Hippie Preacher received numerous accolades and was released in 2007.

Billy James Hargis

The word that most defined Billy James Hargis was prolific: besides his show Christian Crusade being aired on 500 radio staions and 250 television stations (and in the 1950s and 60s), Hargis was a prolific author of more than 100 books fire-and-brimstoning their way through America with titles like Communism, Hypnotism and the Beatles. He also founded American Christian College. Unfortunately, he was allegedly prolific in other areas: a sex scandal erupted at the college involinv both female and male students. 

 In fact, a couple he married claimed to have found out on their wedding night that he had deflowered both of them.

Time, Feb. 16, 1976:

Hargis justified his homosexual acts by citing the Old Testament friendship between David and Jonathan and threatened to blacklist the youths for life if they talked.

Hargis faded from public life very slowly, broadcasting occasionally and publishing The Christian Crusade Newspaper as well as a number of books.

Interesting note: Hargis was inadvertantly instrumental in establishing the FCC's fairness doctrine. Hargis' programs promoted Barry Goldwater's run for president in 1964 and viciously attacked anti-Goldwater journalist Fred J. Cook. When Cook asked for equal time, Hargis refused. Cook took the case to court - all the way to the Supreme Court, in fact. The court then upheld the FCC's "equal time provision." Echoes of Tony perkins anyone? 

Perhaps it's fitting that Billy James Hargis, the penultimate hypocrite has also been referred to as the "father of the Religious Right."

Roy Clements

Roy Clements' rise to prominence within Britain's evangelical community included authoring popular evangelical texts. He taught and preached at Eden Baptist Church, Cambridge. He was immensely respected and served on several held boards of leading evangelical organizations. 

In 1999, Clements divorced his wife and revealed that he intended to live with another man. His books have since been removed from shelves. They are, in fact, very difficult to find. Clements now counts himself as a gay rights advocate and an activist for gay Christians.

John Paulk

Oh, what a tangled web: part-time escort and part-time drag queen gets religion, tries to become straight, marries an ex-gay woman, they become the "poster couple" for Focus on the Family, and ex-gay man becomes head of FOF's premiere anti-gay program, Exodus International.  All things are bright and beautiful until ex-gay man gets photographed in a gay bar. End of  job. 

John Paulk may still have a story to tell, but for the time being, he's still not really talking about it. He's focusing on his catering career and cooking show in Portland, OR. FOF has since warmed up to him enough to feature his recipes on their website. 

BFD.

Paul Crouch

There is little doubt that Paul Crouch and his wife Jan are, well ... creepy. As founder and president of the world's largest evangelical Christian network, Trinity Broadcasting Network, Crouch looks like death warmed over (clad in whatever he thinks makes for good fashion sense - it doesn't) and Jan ltries to look like a cross between Tammy Faye and Dolly Parton with lavender hair (BIG lavender hair). They've hosted homophobes like Rod Parsley and John Hagee on their own program Praise The Lord.


Ironically, all that makeup and hair, all that showmanship (Paul sits in what can only be construed as a gold throne) serve as a visible reminder that the Crouches are hiding something: transparency has never been their strong suit. In fact, Wallwatchers (a financial watchdog ministry) has consistently given TBN an F in financial transparency. 


In 2004, the L.A. Times did published an expose of Crouch's finances as well as a large settlement that went to a former TBN employee, Enoch Lonnie Ford as part of a  sexual harassment law suit. It also intimated that friends and colleagues Benny Hinn and Jack Hayford knew about the affair. Allegations of extortion went back and forth in the ensuing months, with Ford even taking a public lie detector test on the TV reality show Lie Dectector test (he passed). Ford offered NOT to publish a book about Crouch and TBN for $10 million.  


Meanwhile, back at the scandal mill: Crouch was sued for $20 million for plagiarism after he had written and novel which was suspiciously like someone else's book. There was an out-of-court settlement. 


The Ford saga has faded into the past just as the Crouches intended, but it might resurface. We're waiting.

Ted Haggard

Haven't heard of Ted Haggard? Well, I hope the rock you've been living under is comfortable.  Ted Haggard was at the top of the evangelical food chain: a mega-church pastor and president of the National Association of Evangelicals, Haggard boasted about weekly talks with George Bush. 

Male prostitute Mike Jones, however, took care of all that when he revealed that not only was Ted a frequent flier but earned more scandal miles by purchasing methamphetamines from Jones. Haggard's bumbling of the situation made it clear to his supporters that he was in no position to continue as an evangelical leader.  Although he announced that he was "cured" some months later,  his persona had been reduced to such a comic state that re-establishment in the evangelical community was  rendered moot. 

Haggard has begun a new ministry in the shadow of his old one - Colorado Springs. Although he still says he's "cured" he has become critical of the evangelical community that shunned him.

Paul Barnes

Paul Barnes saw his ministry grow from a basement to a 2100-member church he called Grace Chapel (in Douglas County, Colorado). It took him 28 years. When the Ted Haggard scandal broke, an anonymous caller to Grace Chapel voiced concerned that the same would happen to  Barnes. Barnes came forth, and in a video presentation to his congregation, resigned from his position:

"I have struggled with homosexuality since I was a 5-year-old boy. . . . I can't tell you the number of nights I have cried myself to sleep, begging God to take this away."

Lonnie Latham

What is it with the name "Lonnie"? Must be genetic. 

Max Blumenthal:

A notoriously anti-gay Southern Baptist Convention heavyweight who resigned his post for engaging in “offering to engage in an act of lewdness” (read: seeking meat whistle lessons from an undercover cop posing as a male prostitute), Latham has now asserted his right to solicit sex from that cop.

Amazingly, Latham was acquitted of the charge of "offering to engage in an act of lewdness". His high standing in the Southern Baptist Convention and rabid homophobic rants might have had something to do with it. In any case, SBC's pressure caused Lonnie to admit that he had actually done the deed and "needed help."

George Alan Rekers

George Rekers has a credibility problem. Check that: he has a problem in thinking that there are people dumb enough to believe him. His luggage boy rent boy story became the laugh riot of the internet and it was evident from the start that Rekers himself wasn't the profoundly intelligent "expert" in sexual orientation as he had been portrayed and that his work was criticized for skewing research results. Perhaps the most valuable thing that came out of the salacious story was that organizations like Family Research Council and America Family Association had been using Rekers as a "star witness" in cases involving gay adoption. The backpeddling of these organizations was classic: although Rekers was a founder of Family Research Council, current President Tony Perkins literally said "George who?"

Update:
Now we have "Bishop" Eddie Long, perhaps the most brilliant star in the fermament of homophobic hypocrisy. One of his accusers, Jamal Parris has appeared on television calling Long a "predator" and a "monster." In his Sunday sermon, Long likened himself to David battling Goliath:

 "I feel like David against Goliath, but I've got five rocks and I haven't thrown one yet."

"Predator," "monster." 

Eddie, you'd better start throwing those rocks now.

The Suicides Of Ascher, Seth and Billy: Who's To Blame - The Bullies In the Schools Or The Bullies In The Pulpits?

My thanks to Wayne Besen for pointing out these tragedies

NEW YORK – Truth Wins Out expressed a sense of deep sorrow and loss as news of three gay teen suicides in September rocked the LGBT movement. In each case, the victim was a target of relentless harassment and bullying by school peers. Truth Wins Out blames the anti-gay industry and negligent school officials for creating a hostile climate that places lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students at risk for psychological abuse, violence and suicide.

Besen coined a phrase that stuck with me: "anti-gay industry." I never thought of homophobia as an industry. To me, it's been more of a movement to eradicate homosexuality and gays with what Rick Warren has retained as his motto:

"Whatever it takes."

Industry. Who profits? Well, take a look at thei industry's CEOs: Tony Perkins, Lou Engle, Scott Lively, Bryan Fischer, Franklin Graham, Harry Jackson, Pat Robertson, Rod Parsley, Peter LaBarbera, Matt Barber, Matt Staver, Lou Sheldon... to name a few. Each of them has a stake in the industry. If the entire nation turned around and accepted gays with open arms and equal rights would they still have jobs?

Wayne Besen is right in targeting schools in allowing bullies to flourish. Yet I think that other people have made the problem systemic: the anti-gay industry as defined by their leaders. If anyone is to be prosecuted, it's the CEOs like Engle, Perkins and Robertson. They not only abetted bullies throughout the country with their rhetoric, they 've refused to do anything about bullying, passing it off as just "kids will be kids" (kind of like Ann Coulter, when she termed waterboarding "no more than childhood hazing.").

Now, with the true scenarios being fleshed out, the fact that bullying kills is not debatable. However, Focus on the Family, differs in that IT DOES NOT CARE if gay kids commit suicide as long as other children are not affected.

Candi Cushman

Education analyst, Focus on the Family's CitizenLink:

... we’ve carefully documented how similar laws at the state level have already been used to undermine parental rights and marginalize individuals whose viewpoints are perceived as incorrect by homosexual advocacy groups

parents discovered that a “safe schools” training done at their elementary school went so far as to list “family values” and “faith systems” as “perceived obstacles.”

Here is a link to an Anderson Cooper 360 debate about the subject featuring Cushman (it's about 10 minutes long, but really worth it). Eliza Byard of GLSEN and author Rosalind Wiseman shine bright in their professional assertions concerning bullying kids who are perceived as gay, while Cushman waxes disingenuously about FOF wanting to protect "all" children, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation.  And if you watch the video below, you'll see the same fawning concern spew out "who cares if your fag kids commit suicide, just keep your fag hands off our kids."  

OK, not quite in those terms, but you get the picture.

Tony Perkins and his Family Research Council are now spearheading a campaign to stop passage of the bill Safe School Improvement Act which would aim to prevent bullying by providing sensitivity traning. They see it as a way for homosexuality to be considered a lergitimate lifestyle and a way for homosexuals to "recruit" kids. They also fear that anti-Christian sentiments will be imbued. 

They certainly don't have in mind kids like Seth, Billy and Ascher. Their deaths were mere hindrances to stopping the bill. Remember how much they campaigned against the Matthew Shepard Act. Homophobe Virginia Foxx looked the fool as she insulted Matt' s mother on the floor of the House. 

"Whatever it takes"

They will not be swayed by the accounts of bullying, either:

The bullying of [Ascher] Brown allegedly went on for over two years, and escalated the day before his suicide when he was pushed down a flight of stairs and had his book bag kicked open.

"Whatever it takes"

The two videos below will show you the results of bullying and Focus on The Family's take on the proposed bill. Let me know what you think. Candi lives up to her name - sugar-coating FOF's homophobia and glossing over the bullying that leads to teen suicides. 

I realize that it may be extreme to say that campaigning against the SAFE SCHOOLS IMPROVEMENT ACT is another form of "Kill A Queer For Christ," but the fact remains that these people care nothing about the teen suicides that have occurred.

Focus on the Family has tried to discredit GLSEN's efforts to make schools safe for all students since our founding in 1990. These most recent attempts show that, once again, Focus on the Family either doesn't know what it is talking about or simply don't care about addressing bullying, or both.

...In terms of LGBT youth, we certainly hope that Focus on the Family agrees that the current environment in which nearly 9 out of 10 LGBT students experience harassment each year in school is simply unacceptable. But we won't hold our breath.

In the interest of protecting gay teens and any teens who are ostracized by kids in school who see them as "different" and therefore worthy of contempt and physical harm, I am now urging everyone to support passage of The Safe School Improvement Act. Show your support by blogging, writing, networking, calling everyone about the bill. U.S. Senator Bob Casey responsible for it. Contact him with your support. Remember:

Whatever it takes

Is Bishop Eddie's Glass Of BS Half Empty? Or Just Half Full Of It?

Whatever The Answer, 

It'll Be Long In Coming (Sorry)

What we've got in the "Bishop" Eddie Long story is a saga that will be long in analysis, but short in substance: his sermon was so guarded and vague that the buzz words stood out like large, pungent onions in a patch of lavender. 

Anthea Butler of Religion Dispatches reported:

“I am not a perfect man, but I am not the man being portrayed on the television—that’s not me,” leaving room for speculation about what was not perfect about him. The New Birth congregants didn’t seem to mind, shouting support, waving New Birth flags, and even holding up signs that read: “We support you Bishop.” The call and response was especially pointed: “You don’t have to say anything Bishop/We Love you bishop.”

The sermon turned out to be a non-explanation to Long's congregants and it's becoming clear that the case proceedings will be as controlled and as secretive as possible. Long's "David and Goliath" meme is something we'll be sure to hear again and again in the coming months.  In the last sentence to her article, Butler strikes a powerful chord:

Stay tuned. This “bible story” might become hotter than the O.J. trial.

Long's credibility is just now comiing into focus: MediaCurves' animated graph during Eddie Long's speech/sermon is actually quite revealing. Certainly more revealing than the statement of HCD Research which conducted the poll:

Americans Perceive Bishop Eddie Long as More Sincere After Viewing Speech

Flemington, NJ, September 28, 2010 -- A new national study among 532 Americans revealed that the majority perceived Bishop Long as being more sincere after viewing a video clip in which he addresses members during a church service.

The glitch: Long's credibility was not good to begin with. I can't post the actual video since HCD hasn't made it available to YouTube, but click HERE. On a scale of -50 to +50, the graph is deceptive. To the average viewer, the line keeps going DOWN, but what it really means is that the number of people who don't believe him have DECREASED. Turn the graph upside down and you get what HCD is trying to relay. Now look at the numbers below. 

Please rate Eddie Long on the following attribute, where 1 represents “Not at all strong in this attribute” and 7 represents “Extremely strong in this attribute” -- Sincerity

Total		Black/African American		White/Caucasian		Hispanic/Latino		American Indian/Alaskan Native
Pre	Post	Pre	Post	Pre	Post	Pre	Post	Pre	Post
3.16	3.47	3.24	3.45	3.09	3.50	4.08	3.13	3.33	4.20

Long's credibility went up from "kinda weak" to the middle. In other words, most people don't have a good or bad opinion about Long's credibility. It's a kind of "so what?" reaction. He went from an average of 3.38 to 3.55. 

Big deal.

What this video actually shows is that with a few buzz words, Eddie Long can have his congregation on its feet, ready to applaud and believe everything, ANYTHING he says. Anthea Butler literally felt the blind adoration. 

So, with credibility in the neutral zone and Long's supporters in ecstacy over any actions he might take, what does the "no credibility at all" segment of the population think?

O.K., I'm going way out on a limb with this. It may be unacceptable or inappropriate for me to present this next one, but it so perfectly fits the other side of the coin. It's crass and crude, but it's also gotten a lot of attention on the web:

While trying to see if the video was on YouTube, I caught sight of the video below made by one Cadillac Kimberly. Her talk is, to put it mildly, straight ghetto gutter, but she lays it out on the line for everyone who wants to listen: she believes the reports by CNN 100% and she thinks Eddie Long's congregants are just making fools of themselves. And if you don't like what she's sayin' you can kiss her motherf*ckin' ass!* 

The below video contains coarse language, so please be advised.

*BTW: this video went viral - 414,000 views within only two days!

We Told You So! We Told You So! Nah - nah - nah - NAH - nah!

EIGHTH COMMANDMENT: 

Life's A Journey. 

Enjoy The Ride!

Sorry, but I'm so happy, I couldn't possibly come up with another headline! The Pew Forum On Religion And Public Life just confirmed what I've been trying to drum into the heads of everyone reading my scribblings for the last five years: not only does the Christian Right know squat about other religions, but most of "the faithful" don't know much about their own religion! 

(AP)  A new survey of Americans' knowledge of religion found that atheists, agnostics, Jews and Mormons outperformed Protestants and Roman Catholics in answering questions about major religions, while many respondents could not correctly give the most basic tenets of their own faiths. 

The survey's questions, moreover, were almost ridiculously basic: 28% of the people surveyed could not name Moses as the chief character in Exodus, 54% didn't know who Martin Luther was, 61% could not identify Job in the Bible, and a whopping 45% did not fully know the Ten Commandments. This last statistic brings to mind another survey conducted:

In a 1997 survey, the London Sunday Times found that only 34 percent of 220 Anglican priests could recite all of the Ten Commandments without help! All of them remembered the parts about not "killing" and not committing adultery. But things got a little fuzzy after that. In fact, 19 percent of these priests thought that the eighth commandement is "Life is a journey. Enjoy the ride."

Kenneth C. Davis, Don't Know Much About The Bible

In the Pew Survey, Black Protestants and Hispanic Catholics knew the least about world religions while mainline Protestants and Evangelicals fared little better. There is an obvious correlation to this particular piece of ignorance in the current anti-Muslim sentiment the country is experiencing.

Another revealing statistic: knowledge of religion increased with level of education. Since few (if any) seminary graduates were polled, this means that the demonizing tactic against secular public education - secularism has taken all religion out of public schools - doesn't quite hold up. Tell THAT to the Texas Board of Education! 

The lack of knowledge evidenced in the Pew survey is something many writers have been warning against, but few people have acted upon. My own piece, Keeping Them Clueless,  got a lot of attention, but it certainly didn't send people to the polls. Charles Pierce's latest book, IDIOT AMERICA - How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free, had modest sales, but not enough to show that the message was getting through: Right wing Religious forces are slowing making our kids dumber in many areas of education as well as dumber in their own religion. 

Again, for the zillionth time: 

It could then be argued that the more narrow and self-righteous view a people have of their own religion, the better it is to control them. As with the contradictions and complexity of the Bible, a simple but very narrow, very definitive construct is the best way to keep control...

It's control. It has always been about control. Authority and control. Last week's major scandal about "Bishop" Eddie Long was a good example: a few buzz words during a sermon elicited a standing ovation. Eddie Long has authority. Eddie Long has control. Many of his flock have actually read the Bible, but Long's dictates determine which parts are important, which parts can be used as a weapon, and which parts can be used in healing. 

To the man-on-the-street, the questions could seem  basic. However, questions like "What is the first book of the Bible?" stumped 15% of Evangelicals. Not good. Roughly 50% knew the four Gospels. Bad. And a staggering 70% of Evangelicals do not know one of the core beliefs of Protestant Christianity: Salvation is reached by faith alone. 

Horrific.
   

What the PEW survey didn't question people on: history of the Bible,  Doctors of the Church (e.g. Founding Fathers), religious wars, missionary activities, epistles of St. Paul. Imagine what the scores would have looked like. Cry later and continue reading.

So the upshot of the survey: if you test an atheist and a Southern Baptist with this survey, chances are the atheist will score much higher overall. Shortcomings of religious education aside, this tells us that atheists are definitely more open-minded about religion than Southern Baptists. 

And being close-minded about religion can be ... deadly. 


Just a thought.

What's In A Name?: Eddie Long Knows.

A delay in reporting can be serendipitous at times. Take the case of "Bishop" Eddie Long and his alleged gift-and-tryst escapades: I found out about it only 15 minutes after the initial AP story broke and was ready to do a BREAKING news flash for my blog when something personal arose and I'm just now getting back to the keyboard 24 hours later.

I was glad for the delay. This story's more entertaining than Ted Haggard's, and twice as important. The story has fleshed out considerably during the last 24 hours and it presents a clearer picture of what went on at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta.

CNN:

In a lawsuit, two men in their 20s now are saying the bishop, Eddie Long, took them on trips, gave them gifts, bought them a car, gave them cash, gave them jewelry, all as a ploy to have sex with them. And they say it was the church's money that he was giving to them.

(hat tip: Pam's House Blend)

And the scandal was giving ... and giving ... to the Bishop:

On the surface, this story is simply one of seduction with money and gifts. It's rather ordinary, and would only stand out in the news because of Long's name and because it involved homosexual undertones. The part that gets really interesting is this:

Eventually, it turned into such a relationship that the bishop had a ceremony with Anthony Flag called a covenant. Within that covenant, it was essentially a marriage ceremony where there were candles, exchange of jewelry and biblical quotes given, in order for Anthony to know and for the bishop to tell him, I will always have your back and you will always have mine. He would use biblical stories to talk about how important it was to follow your leader and your master and let him know that the acts he was engaged in were not necessarily meaning that he was a homosexual or that either of them was. But rather, the pastor, Bishop Long, was releasing his passion and his love for Anthony. (Italics, my own)

Considering his vicious attacks on same-sex marriage, this "covenant" now puts Long in the category of uber-hypocrite. Yes, "Bishop" Eddie Long is now in the Strom Thurmond-Ted Haggard big league: fostering disdain for one group of people while secretly having sex with them. Long's outspoken animosity towards gays has been prevalent for years.

SFGate:

Long has called for a national ban on same-sex marriage and his church counsels gay members to become straight. In 2004, he led a march with Bernice King to her father's Atlanta grave to support a national constitutional amendment to protect marriage "between one man and one woman."

Irony Alert! One of Long's book titles: What A Man Wants - What A Woman Needs.

All hypocrisy aside (which is tough to do, considering it takes a mental bulldozer to push it!), one of the main points of this scandal is that Long has used his titles to place him in authority, respect and even awe. He might have saved money by riding on his elevated credentials alone, but he chose to ply his sexual interests with gifts essentially bought by the church.
 
Dumb.

"Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm" (Psalm 105:15)

In the last twenty-five years, Long has built up a ministry with a little charisma, some bling and a whole lotta unfounded "respect". Like loaves and fishes, the church's membership multiplied exponentially, from 300 to 30,000. And Long's arm of authority clutched at 8 board memberships (one for Emory University), and numerous awards including honors from Center for Disease Control and the National HIV/AIDS Partnership for his work in fighting the spread of HIV/AIDS (WIKIPEDIA)

(Aside: For those twenty-five years, the hypocrisy never stopped; e.g., his "work in fighting the spread of HIV/AIDS" still toed the Southern Baptist Convention line in pointedly NOT ministering to gays. This is something I've had personal experience with: as a volunteer for the AIDS Emergency Fund, I saw the result of Long's "faith-based" work, and it wasn't pretty. Let's just say that the people who came to San Francisco, were hoping that it would be better than the hell Southern Baptists were making for them while they were SICK AND DYING!! Check it out. And while you're at it, see if you can find Rick Warren's name in any list of faith-based AIDS agencies. I'm just sayin').

"Dr." "Rev." and "Bishop" are among the most automatically revered titles a person can have in America.  Eddie Long uses them with abandon: the "Dr." comes from a degree in Pastoral Ministry from the International College of Excellence. (Unfortunately, The ICE was founded by Robb Thompson, whose own "doctorate" is questionable - televangelists take care of their own, it seems). The title of "Bishop", however, is even sketchier: since the Southern Baptist Convention supposedly has no hierarchy other than deacon and pastor, it's hard to find out WHO made him "Bishop." If James Manning of ATLAH Ministries* could give himself a doctorate, why not a title of "Bishop" for Long? In addition: the title of "Bishop" connotes authority of a group of ministers and churches. Which local churches have given pastoral sway to Long? 

This entire scenario may yet prove to people that in the realm of American religion, titles are almost worthless and scrutiny is very important. The idea that one can't question "a man of God," no longer holds true. America should have learned its lesson with Bakker, Swaggart, Haggard, Rekers, and all the Catholic clergy with "Fr." or "Rev." in front of their names. If Terry Jones had not an "Rev." or "Dr." (he used both) in front of his name, he might have burned a thousand Qurans with only his flock of 50 in attendance.  

But the trust in titles, the unearned respect to "men of God," is too difficult to erase. Watch the HERE video featuring unbelieving church members when questioned about Long. (NOTE: all videos of news coverage have been DISABLED for embedding and New Birth Missionary Baptist Church's website has been taken down. The ABC News item also includes pictures that Long sent to the two young men - pictures taken in his bathroom, and of course, of his muscles)

So my last question about all of this: who's to blame for this scandal? Of course, Long probably bears the brunt of it all, and the charges against him might even be a bit exaggerated. But the real blame goes to his congregation, those poor church members seemingly kept in the dark. Yes, the blame rests upon them because they had been warned about Long and the way his wealth was questioned.** Unrelated? Not really: if they had done some due diligence on his finances, they might have uncovered the "gifts" and the incomes he gave to the young men. 

It's time for people of faith not to place too much "faith" in titles.  Rooting through your pastor's past and finances is not a sin. Asking him to be accountable isn't either.

* "Dr." "Rev." James Manning is the head of the Harlem congregation who hoped Pres. Obama would die. He often calls Obama, "The Long-legged Mack Daddy." He became "born again" while serving a prison term for armed burglary. The "Seminary" he founded has one project called The Witch Doctor Project  Exposing the Magnificent Seven - Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Bill Clinton, T.D. Jakes, Louis Farrakan, Don King, and Cornell West, the American witch doctors.

** Click here for a copy of the letter sent to "Bishop" Eddie Long from Senator Chuck Grassley inquiring about Long's finances.