Bishop Eddie Long Finally Speaks Out

Baptist televangelist Eddie Long said Sunday he will fight allegations that he coerced young male church members to having sex with him. CNN reports that Bishop Long has spoke publicly about the accusations for the first time, Long did not address the specific allegations contained in four lawsuits filed against him earlier this week.
Long says, "I am not the man that has been portrayed on television," he told his congregation. "I've been accused, I'm under attack." he said lowering his head and softening his voice behind the  pulpit at the New Birth Baptist Church in suburban Atlanta.
"I want you to know, as I said earlier, that I am not a perfect man. But this thing, I'm going to fight," he said. "I feel like David against Goliath, but I've got five rocks and I haven't thrown one yet."
His remarks caused quite a stir on twitter and facebook. I personally thought that his statements were a bit  suspect since he never denied  the allegations that were brought against him. When these "powerful figures" are in negative circumstances, such as his they tend to hide behind their lawyers and escape the consequences for their  actions. One line of Bishop Long that stood out to me was the "I am not a perfect man" which can be interpreted many ways. To me it means even though I have such an elite  role amongst the church community, I too am human and make mistakes. Even though there are 3 sides to every story, his statements does leave many question marks. Either way, hopefully the truth prevails sooner than later.

Bishop Eddie L. Long in HOT water!!!

Bishop Long, a well known pastor who have built a religious empire just outside Atlanta by preaching a blend of the Gospel mixing faith, politics and finance has been slapped with four lawsuits last week alleging he used his position to  coerce young male members of his flock into sexual acts. CNN is reporting that one of the biggest names in the evangelical community is facing allegations he coerced three young men to have sex with him. Bishop Eddie Long of the 25 thousand member New Birth Missionary Baptist church near Atlanta denies the charges. Long says, "Let me be clear: the charges against me and New Birth are false," Long said in a statement read by his attorney on the Tom Joyner Morning show. "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."

If these allegations prove to be true, Bishop Long will most certainly serve as a hypocrite since he is publicly known for denouncing homosexuality.

CNN has reported that a fourth lawsuit has been filed against Atlanta-area pastor Eddie Long, alleging he coerced a 17-year old into a sexual relationship during a 2005 trip the two took to Africa.

There is no doubt that Bishop Long is in hot water!! Even if the allegations prove to be false, there is still negative light that will be shed on him and his church. Of course people on twitter, facebook and other media outlets have their opinions about the situation. Many people believe that he did it and are already condemning the pastor for his faulty actions. I personally never like to judge any serious matter like this until all sources are confirmed. This alleged scandal does open my eyes as well as others, if not open already about the secrets or scandals that can in fact take place in the most sacred places. There has been numerous reports of scandals in churches across the world. So the question is:Who can parents really trust?? When a "so called" pastor or man of GOD can commit sexual acts on  minors.

Bishop Long will address his church community in a sermon on Sunday, 9/26/10. In recent developments, CNN is reporting Bishop Eddie Long now says he will not allow video broadcast of his church service address to his congregation.

Ben Affleck's "The Town" scores BIG in the box office!!

This weekend has been superb for Mr. Affleck who has the number 1 movie in America.According to Entertainment Weekly, Ben Affleck's back in the top spot with his second directional effort The Town, a Boston- set crime drama which he also stars in and co-wrote. The film earned an estimated $23.8 million for its first three days in release, far out-performing the film's expectations. Sources from Entertainment Weekly reported, "The fact that the film also scored a a B+ from exit pollster CinemaScore suggests it will have a solid life after this weekend."

I saw this movie this weekend and I grade it an A. When I saw the trailer for this movie, I was a little skeptical about the movie but my predictions were wrong. As a fan of Ben Affleck it was exciting to see him star in this movie, since it has been a while since he debuted in a movie. The fact that he directed this movie was the icing on the cake. I would say this movie is one of his best works and will reevaluate him as one of the best actors of all time. That statement could be taken as being bias because I am such a huge fan, but there were certain movies of his that didn't quite measure up to his skill set and I admit that. I recommended my family and friends to see the movie. I give it two thumbs up!!  

Lindsay Lohan Failed Drug Test

Sources tell TMZ, Lindsay Lohan tested positive for cocaine last week and that is why she failed her drug test. TMZ reported that Lindsay failed the court-mandated drug test--and according to the terms of her probation, she will go back to jail for 30 days as a result. In total, there were two drug tests she failed, the second was not for cocaine.  In more recent news Lindsay's failed test could possibly hurt her acting career. She was set to star in the film ,"Inferno" which would begin shooting in Louisiana. The recent developments of her drug test will most likely interfere with the production of her new movie.

It's no doubt that Lindsay is a talented actress but her mishaps over the years are affecting her professional life as well as her personal life. So the question is Will Lindsay be able to take full responsibility for her actions and work to make herself a better person? Lindsay actually responded to the latest developments through twitter.
She says, "I am so thankful for the support of my fans, loved ones, and immediate family, who understand that I am trying hard, but also that I am a work in progress, just as anyone else. I am keeping my faith, and I am hopeful.....Thank you all!!!"

"This was certainly a setback for me but I am taking responsibility for my actions and I'm prepared to face the consequences."

"Substance abuse is a disease, which unfortunately doesn't go away over night. I am working hard to overcome it and am taking positive steps forward every day. I am testing every single day and doing what I must do to prevent any mishaps in the future"

"Regrettably, I did in fact fail my most recent drug test and if I am asked, I am prepared to appear before judge Fox next week as a result. "

It's good  to hear that Lindsay is taking account for her behavior but hopefully she really spend some time on helping and working on herself. Maybe this time she will get it together, maybe not. It is ultimately up to Lindsay to make right choices in her life that will benefit her. Of course, she does need a backbone or support system because she is a work in progress.  Will she try to better herself or fall back in the trap of drinking heavily and partying? The world waits....

VMA's Recap

 

Well, Sunday Sept 12th the Video Music Awards premiered on MTV and it was pretty average compared to the other VMA shows. There was a great mixture in genres of performances, which is always great. Lady Gaga stole the night raking up 8 awards!!! Other winners of the night were Eminem, teen sensation, Justin Bieber, 30 Seconds to Mars, and many others. But what really had everyone buzzing was the appearance of Kanye West at the VMA's. It was just a year ago until Kanye shocked the world with his interruption of Taylor Swift's speech. Taylor Swift performed a song "Innocent" which was directed to Kanye West. Kanye West responded with a performance called "Runaway." For the most part the show was good but lacked surprises or that shock value that the VMA's always have. After the VMA's in 2009, its safe to say less surprises is better.