Bishop Long is presently under scrutiny because several young men accused him of requesting sexual favors in exchange for money and gifts. Naturally this is not accepted behavior in the church for a married man. However his sexual relationship with other males acknowledges a point for the Black religious world. There will never be a gay Black church leader who receives acclaim, and adoration from millions of Black Christians around the world. It has yet to happen and will never happen because of one focal point in the bible that is taken in literal sense by Christians in the African American community. In the bible there are verses that speak negatively of men lying with other men in a sexual way. Therefore the idea of a Black Christian male leading his flock and being gay is unheard of, unthought of and definitely unaccepted.
There are many other rules and instructions for living a good Christian life that the bible provides. We are not supposed to have sex before marriage, sleep with a married person, curse, drink excessively, be lazy in regards to working a job, etc.. The list goes on. However, somehow, being gay and being Black is held with an iron fisted regard. If you are gay and a Black male then the consequences for you are even grimmer. A Black man is not supposed to be gay. So with all of the unwed mothers, alcoholic, and cheaters running around the church, it seems that the gays are being specifically targeted by other Christians as being the low of the low. That is because they are in the eyes of many Black religious individuals. There is an inherent homophobic nature within the Black community that has transplanted itself into the Black church.
This homophobic nature is one that is deeply rooted within the Black community. It is deeper than there never being a gay, Black, male, church leader. Black men are not SUPPOSED to be gay. Black men are not supposed to be feminine or even allowed to show emotion. Any display of such behavior labels you as being soft. Being soft and a Black man are two descriptions that do not go hand and hand in the Black community.
So let’s say that Bishop Long was an unmarried man that enjoyed having consensual sex with other gay older men. He still loved the Lord and led his flock at his mega church with all of his heart but he was gay. Would this be an accepted scenario by the Black community as a whole? Would he have risen to the status and power that he presently has? No. In fact, if he was a gay man that was out of the closet, and wanted to lead his own church he would not have a flock to lead. His popularity would never reach the pentacle that it has now.
Sad but true, the homophobic principles within the Black community forces many Black men to hide who they truly are from family, friends, employers etc.. A gay Black man could never rise to power in the church. He barely is accepted there. Personally, I have no more of a problem with a man being gay and loving God than I have with unwed mothers in the church for example. If gays are sinners and have a do not pass go, go straight to hell imprint on their forehead for breaking one of the many important commandments of God then surely there are many others who also should receive the same shame. Yet they don’t. They are allowed to come to church with their illegitimate children in tow, roll out of their mistresses bed, or fresh from the club after a night of proverbial sinning and still receive welcome arms from the church. Shouldn’t Black gays have the same welcome? It is this prejudice that has forced them to hide in shame of who they are. While so many others wear their sins on their sleeves and lead lives of debauchery Monday through Saturday. Once Sunday morning nears their wings grow and all is accepted. Why the double standard?
Well sista, sad to say I agree with you. A gay black man cannot lead the church because of the phobias involved. As a black male let me tell you why specifically: child abuse and unlawful fornication is prevalent in our community and not often spoken of. Heres the conflict- when one chooses to change their lifestyle for the better and they get "hiti on" by the very person who is supposed to help them, black males become jaded. Not that this sin is any worse than the others, but simply that its much more tangible - and obvious. You already see the disproportionate number of black women to men in churches right? Well this forms the extant males to bolster their masculinity. Unfortunately almost every black church I've been involved with has had a gay-like black male leading the choir or on the down-low in some way or another - and since the choir and preacher accounts for most time in a service it only stands to reason that they should pose as keel examples of what a church man is to be. When they fall from grace, the black man who knows about them will no longer stay. In addition, females are generally more likely to forgive and let live. Being unaffected or not sought after, females r more comfortable and the men are gone. I speak from experience.
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