It’s not super juicy or anything. Still, I have to confess.

Something about “Bishop” Eddie Long doesn’t hit me right. And I put “Bishop” in quotes because it just seems so incredibly out of character for the Baptist Church.

Mavis and I were raised in a strict Baptist home. Dancing, card playing, social drinking and the like were all generally frowned upon. (I came to call it the Religion of “No.”) We were always taught that “self” means nothing, and that promoting one’s position in the church or setting one human being above another was prideful; a sin. Yet, there is a section of the Baptist Church machine that features this human hierarchy – bishops and the like – and I must confess, it hits me wrong.

I was going to give Eddie the benefit of the doubt — after all, he didn’t set up the ladder that apparently leads straight to heaven — until I read excerpts from an interview with the Atlanta Journal Constitution:

“We’re not just a church, we’re an international corporation, ” Long said. “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.”

Well good boy, Eddie. I’m sure Jesus is proud.

I guess I should still be in the giving-the-benefit-of-the-doubt phase. I mean, nothing’s gone to trial yet. And maybe the four men leveling the accusations are in cahoots to extort him. I wouldn’t know why. He’s just a humble pastor.

OK, OK. Stop being a snooty wonk, I know. I confess: I’m just jealous of his Rolexes and bling and thousand-dollar suits and mansion and fast cars.

Speaking of lucrative vocations — I have to get ready for school. Yay! It’s almost the weekend.