Vanessa Long’s on-again, off-again divorce of Megadaddy Bishop Eddie Long is on again, her day-long saga trumped only by the news that her husband is taking a leave from his gay sex shenanigans the pulpit at his megachurch.
On Friday, Vanessa Long announced that she knew how to quit her husband, even if it took her about a year after allegations of Long’s gay sex romps with young men surfaced to settle on the option.
Later in the day, though, Long’s New Birth Missionary Baptist Church spit out a statement that said not so fast, the Longs are toughing it out. No divorce.
Hours later, Vanessa Long’s attorneys said actually, she is quitting the muscle t-shirt wearing Long. For real.
Not to be quieted, Megadaddy issued a statement even later on Friday to express his love for his wife and baby mama.
“Vanessa is, and has always been, a loving, dedicated and committed wife and mother,” Long said. “My love for her is deep and unwavering. It remains our sincere desire to continue working together in seeking God’s will in these circumstances.”
Then, sensing that the spotlight was taken from him for even a moment, Long made this announcement on Sunday: He’s taking a leave of absence from New Birth “to take care of some family business.”
In typical Long-speak, though, his announcement from the pulpit was less than clear – he said he hadn’t “stepped down” but “stepped up” – kind of like that time when he said he would fight the gay sex allegations leveled against him, only to ink a confidential financial settlement with five young men he apparently sexed up.
Confused? Let’s see how the church tried to clear things up with its own statement about Long’s status.
“Rumors that Bishop Eddie L. Long has stepped down as senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church are completely false,” according to a statement from the church. “As Bishop Long stated in his earlier comments, ‘Vanessa and I are working together in seeking God’s will in our current circumstances.’ As any loving and committed husband would do, Bishop Long will take some time to focus on his family but he will continue to be the senior pastor of New Birth.”
Good thing, then, that Long’s “see no evil” congregation cheered him on, even if they weren’t sure what was happening.
