Prosperity Preacher Is Going Down

From the New York Times:

...Bishop Long’s reputation and sprawling enterprises now stand threatened by a sex scandal.

Four former members of a youth group he runs have accused him of repeatedly coercing them into homosexual sex acts, and of abusing his considerable moral authority over them while plying them with cash, new cars, lodging and lavish trips.

So whats the story?  A "preacher" (I shudder to use that title concerning him) who claims that God wants us all to prosper is now being accused by multiple individuals for sexual coercion - homosexual sex to boot. I don't know him personally, but when I read about his lavish lifestyle and what he preaches, I wasn't surprised in the least. *Side note to liberals, this isn't because he's black*

While trying to justify his $3 million salary, he stated:

“We’re not just a church, we’re an international corporation,” he told the newspaper in justifying his compensation. “We’re not just a bumbling bunch of preachers who can’t talk and all we’re doing is baptizing babies. I deal with the White House. I deal with Tony Blair. I deal with presidents around this world. I pastor a multimillion-dollar congregation.”

This very comment shows what type of person he is.  He doesn't run a church, he runs a corporation.  He doesn't care about spreading the gospel and baptizing new believers, no, he cares about hobnobbing with the elites.His congregation isn't a flock - people God has trusted to him to nurture, mature and feed. No, they're just money as far as he's concerned.

But then again, this is how it goes with all of those who preach "prosperity."  Benny Hinn has been shown ever and over again to be a false prophet, yet he lives a lavish lifestyle. And although I don't necessarily support Wikipedea for conservative issues, they're on top of things when attacking anything with a "Christ" label attached. Just click here for a list of recent scandals concerning "Christian evangelists" [sic]. What do the majority have in common? Sexual deprivation and a lust for money.  They also claim to be either "prophets," that they can "heal," or that God promotes "material prosperity." 

However, the truth is that God never promised financial wealth.  Matthew chapter 6, verses 19 through 21 states:

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Indeed, an honest examination of the scriptures reveals that God places His emphasis on the treasures of the spirit, not of the treasures of this world.

Although it saddens my heart to see people like Mr. Long abuse God's word and twist it to their own means, it sickens me to see all of those who blindly follow.  All one needs to do to avoid people like him is open their bibles and do a little study.  Unfortunately, like the blind leading the blind (and liberals following Obama), they'd rather believe what their told, instead of looking for the truth themselves.

That said, my heart goes out to the victims of Mr, Long - not just those who were coerced into sex, but all of those who have followed the message given by this man of Satan.