In an entry at his Your Black World blog, Dr. Boyce Watkins asks a salient question about the impact of the apparent coronation of Eddie Long on the lives of his ex-wife, his congregation at the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church and the young men who accused him of molestation. Deciding that it can't be good, Watkins expresses sympathy for them all.
I have no idea what the nature of this ceremony was, and all of the pastors that I’ve asked have no clue what the Rabbi was doing. So, in a contrived and ridiculous display of gluttonous self-righteousness, Long has embarrassed his church even more than any of us thought would be possible.
I feel terribly sorry for Bishop Eddie Long. His strong stances against homosexuality obviously showed that there is a part of himself that he absolutely detests. I feel sorry for his wife, who likely knew about her husband’s deviant ways long before they’d been revealed to the public. I feel sorry for his congregation, who has yet to learn that a man who sleeps with vulnerable children might not be the best person to guide you into the afterlife.
But mostly, I feel sorry for those poor boys who trusted Bishop Long with their lives and their innocence. It hurts my heart that they looked at him like a father, only to find that he was just a dirty old man seeking to use his penis at every available opportunity. I hate the fact that the adults around them were so busy worshipping their charismatic leader that they forgot to care about their young. So, if it appears that I have a personal vendetta against Eddie Long, the answer is “yes.” When children give you their trust and you use it to your selfish advantage, you are serving as the human lifeblood of Satan himself.
Read Dr. Boyce Watkins' entire blog entry at Your Black World.