VIDEO: Eddie Long Accuser Speaks Out: You Be The Judge (UPDATED)

I've made some updates this post to include not just the first video of Jamal Parrish, one of the [alleged] victims of Eddie Long, but also the videos of comments by his second accuser Spencer LeGrande, and also comments from Long himself, as well as from the plaintiffs' attorney:

The first of the accusers in the emerging Eddie Long scandal has spoken to the media for the first time. In a brief interview outside his home in Colorado, the young man, Jamal Parrish has broken his silence.

Considering the impromptu nature of this interview, and the pressure he must be under with these recent circumstances, I found this man's words to be articulate, courageous, and credible. Yet the video was also somewhat gut-wrenching to watch. To my mind, either this kid is a tremendous actor, or this is someone who's still dealing with a lot of pain. May he and the other 3 alleged victims be in our prayers.

This is my third post regarding the Eddie Long story, and there almost certainly will be more as it unfolds, because this is a story that resonates with me for two main reasons.

I've been personally captivated by this story from the beginning partly because I'd been aware of such accusations against Long for some time, and had solid reason to believe convinced they were true. So to watch this unfold now in the media is intriguing, so say the least. But beyond that, there's the simple fact that is a story that may impact all of American Christianity for some time to come. Anyone who remembers the Jim Bakker/Jimmy Swaggart stories from 20+ years ago will tell you that those stories did serious damage to the image of the church and to  the cause of Christ. The Eddie Long case today has the potential to do the same. For years, skeptics, mockers, and those who hated the church would invoke the names Bakker and Swaggart as they would paint the church and the gospel in the most negative light they could. My fear is that the name Eddie Long will be used similarly; quite simply, he could end up becoming the Bakker & Swaggart of this decade... but with a gay twist -- a prospect that is already causing many church-bashers in the gay community to salivate with anticipation and glee. If you're a Christian in the USA, this story might end up affecting you more than you even realize right now.

There are some who insist that these accusations against Long are just a trick of the Devil. My take on it is this: it's only a trick of the Devil if it's not true. Those who have read my previous posts on this matter can already tell where I stand regarding the truthfulness of these accusations. At this point I'll just post the video here, let the [alleged] victim's words speak for themselves, and let the reader come to his/her own conclusions on this.


The [alleged] victim, Jamal Parrish speaks:


The second accuser tells his side:


Eddie Long speaks to his church Sept 30, 2010.
The attorney for the young men,BJ Bernstein, makes her comments to CNN after the Jamal Parrish video interview.