By Sean Alfano
New York Daily News
September 25, 2010
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/09/25/2010-09-25_eddie_long_baptist_megachurch_bishop_used_academy_to_learn_intimate_details_of_t.html
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| Bishop Eddie Long has denied all accusations of sexual impropriety leveled in lawsuits. |
A revered, anti-gay marriage Baptist pastor accused of having an appetite for sex with teen men used his megachurch's academy to seduce his alleged victims, according to a new report.
Four men have lawsuits pending against Long alleging sexual abuse by the bishop of the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in suburban Atlanta.
At the LongFellows Youth Academy, Long put the boys through grueling physical workouts and drilled them on being financially and sexually responsible adults, instructing them how to calculate interest rates and making them take vows of sexual purity, The Associated Press reported.
The boys also carried a "SEX Self-Check Card" in their wallets which included their favorite Scripture passage and "3 things you could be doing instead of having sex."
The attorney who filed the civil lawsuits against Long said the academy "became a place where the bishop could learn the intimate details about these young men."
The men, who were 17 and 18 at the time of the alleged abuse, say Long lured them with trips, cars, cash and jewelry.
In the latest lawsuit, filed by Spencer LeGrange, Long is accused of giving the then-17-year-old a sleeping pill during a trip to Kenya and then engaging him in sexual acts.
Long denies all allegations and will address his church Sunday for the first time since the lawsuits were filed, AP reported.
"Our position about the lawsuits has not changed. Bishop Long categorically denies the charges," spokesman Art Franklin told CNN. "We believe that it is unfortunate the young men have chosen to take this course of action. The defense team will review the complaints and respond accordingly at the appropriate time and in the appropriate forum."
Contact: salfano@nydailynews.com
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