Bishop Eddie Long has officially denied allegations he used his authority as a spiritual leader to force four former members of his New Birth Missionary Baptist Church into having sexual relations with him.
Long filed four responses in DeKalb County, Ga., state court Monday to the four lawsuits filed against him. Long is also asking that the lawsuits be dismissed.
In September, after the allegations first came out, Long refused to resign, telling the cheering packed crowd at his church, "We're here today and every Sunday morning. And I'll be here next week."
Maurice Robinson, Anthony Flagg, Jamal Parris, and Spencer LeGrande filed suit against Long in September. In his responses Long admits to taking the men on trips and showing them affection in the form of hug, but denies any kind of sexual abuse took place.
Long is a longtime opponent of marriage equality, and his church counsels gay members to become heterosexual.
