QOTD: Does New Birth's Crowning of Eddie Long as 'King' Reflect Idolatry?
According to The Root, "in a service last weekend at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, the embattled and controversial Bishop Eddie Long received a new title: king. In a video that appeared on YouTube earlier this week, Long was proclaimed to be royalty by a visiting speaker."
Does this video suggest that the members of New Birth have a loyalty to Eddie Long that is overpowering the presence of Christ? Or is this a form of "pastoral idolatry" that can be found in many churches throughout America? Watch this video and let us know what you think!
If you would like additional reading on this topic, please see:
Watch the New Birth Throne: Eddie Long Declared ‘King’ by ‘Rabbi’ written by Anthea Butler on Religious Dispatches.
A Biblical Scholar Rebuts the Claims Made in the Eddie Long Coronation Video written by Wil Gafney on The Feminist Wire.Want to support Urban Cusp? These are some of things that you can do:
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One of my main issues with the Eddie Long saga is the effect this is all having on the representation of the Body of Christ. A lot of folks see this. A lot of folks talk about this. And for a lot of folks, this is a large reflection of a faith tradition with which I identify and hold dear. This actually hurts. It’s intensely disturbing, deeply troubling, and spiritually exhausting to watch this video.
Oh yea and 2 Thessalonians 2.
Peace & Power,
JP
I find the whole thing sad, really; seeing flocks of our brothers and sisters led astray like that. I still find it painfully astonishing even though I have had loved ones fall victim to the same ignorance. Seems to me these people are looking beyond themselves to fill voids in their lives. Should not G_d be sought within the self, anyway? Why do we seem to need intermediaries?
So, I would say yes to idolatry, in spite of my obvious bias. I do find the social institution that is the modern-day church to be sustained by misery feeding on company. Some folks appear to be locked in a bitter cycle of veneration breathing superegos that in turn replace identities, and they, like parasites, destroy their hosts.
…my two cents!
Not sure if this is idolatry or blasphemy…Last I read, the Church has only one head, Jesus. The Kingdom of God has only one king, Jesus. When any church puts a person in the place of the headship of Jesus, the authority Jesus alone holds is usurped.
As a former member of NB, I thought it was utterly ridiculous. It absolutely is idolatry.
The Church is is trouble!!!! This is Idolatry in it fullest form. A complete mockery of the Jewish customs
THIS is not the church. Having a building, a congregation, some titles, and throwing God’s name around does not a church make. It is absolutely idolatry. I would venture to say that Long and his followers have abandoned God. In the New Testament, instructions for dealing with unrepentant sinners is clearly laid out. Rather than repent and confess, Long has pulled a series of stunts for the purpose of covering what he did and drawing more praise to himself. Since they continue to support him in this madness and turn a blind eye to how far astray he is leading them, they are equally lost.