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	Sex Allegations Made against Bishop Long By Dale Russell My Fox Atlanta September 21, 2010 http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/dpp/news/i-team%3A-bishop-eddie-long-lawsuit-092110 [with video] ATLANTA - Shocking lawsuits have accused a top church leader of sexual misconduct. Two separate lawsuits were filed late Tuesday against Bishop Eddie Long, of the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church. Bishop Long has taken a small congregation in 1987 and built it into a 10,000 seat megachurch in Lithonia. Now, Bishop Long faces the toughest test of his career. Bishop Long is used to preaching to thousands at his New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, in Lithonia. Now, he must defend himself from a lawsuit filed by two former church members. Two lawsuits filed late Tuesday in DeKalb County accuse Bishop Long of inappropriate sexual relationships with two young men from his church. Maurice Robinson and Anthony Flagg, both in their early 20's, claim in their lawsuits that, "Long utilized his spiritual authority to coerce certain young male members and employees of defendant New Birth into engaging in sexual acts and relationships." The suit claims the congregation is likely unaware of the practices. But it also says church money was used to foster the relationships. Robinson, in his suit contends Long used, "monetary funds from the accounts of defendant New Birth to entice the (young men) with cars, clothes, jewelry, and electronics. Robinson, claimed his long time bishop, who cared for him as he was growing up in the church would use "the Holy Scripture to discuss and justify the intimate relationship." The FOX 5 I-Team faxed a copy of the lawsuits to Bishop Long. He had not responded as of Tuesday evening. Twenty days ago, FOX 5's Dale Russell discussed these allegations with a spokesman for the church who said in an e-mail that given the nature of the allegations, they were not prepared to respond on behalf of Bishop Long at that time or give any credibility to what they called potentially malicious allegations.
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