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According to the Bible, Jesus said "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money" (Matt. 6:24). Besides the obvious angle of sexual hypocrisy, the other interesting aspect of the Eddie Long accusations has to do with the question of whose money Eddie was spending on these handsome young men, and the larger issue of religious leaders who gorge themselves like ravenous hogs at the trough of their congregants' donations.

A recent article on LA Late News points out that there appears to be a conflict of interest between two of the defendants in the case: Eddie and his church. Since the accusers charge that Eddie used the church's money to seduce the boys with trips, cars, hotel rooms and other gifts, they may not be able to use the same lawyer. So sad. But my big question is this: Why don't donors care that the leaders of these supposedly Bible-believing organizations are clearly serving Money and not the Lord?

How is it that people who are hard-pressed to keep food on the table, who drop their dollars in the collection plate every Sunday, have nary a qualm about how their preachers are living on their dime?

Actually I think I know at least a couple of the answers...

First, the preacher makes me feel good. That's all that matters. It doesn't matter that he's (or she's) buying Bentleys with my money, he makes me feel good.

Second, he says that if I give him money I'll get more back. I have to have faith.

It's hard for me to feel sorry for these people.

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What's been missing from the fracas over Eddie Long of late? The main issue in the discussion has been the hypocrisy of ministers who rail against homosexuality while nurturing their own homosexual desires. But what about the tidbit found in the charges against him alleging that the preacher used biblical passages to persuade his young victims that sexual intimacy between him and them was OK with God?

"Bishop Eddie Long didn’t just use money, cars, and jewelry, but also the Bible as justification for his conduct, claims plaintiff Maurice Robinson."

I haven't seen any mention yet about which specific scriptures Long may have used, but this may have been one:

"I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; you were very dear to me. Your love for me was wonderful, more wonderful than that of women." (2 Sam. 1:26)

The church I was part of in the early days of my Christian life had a very charismatic preacher who used this passage from time to time. He was eventually fired because he preyed on young men in the same way as Long is accused of.

I ran across an example of another biblical passage used to persuade young girls that sex with their fathers is sanctioned by God here.

What about preachers using the bible to persuade people to part with their money so that said preachers can live in luxury while they themselves struggle to keep the heat on? Happens in virtually every church in the country every Sunday.

Let's talk about what this means.

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I enjoy reading Christopher Hitchens' essays. and this one is excellent concerning Eddie Long and his ilk.

My favorite quotes:

It is not amazing to me that the Bish is still standing and getting moist applause from the pews after the testimony of his boys brigade of LongFellows. (What the hell is that name, if not a giveaway?)

I have a rule of thumb for such clerics and have never known it to fail: Set your watch and sit back, and pretty soon they will be found sprawling lustily on the floor of the men's room.

Read it all here.

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