Bishop Long is apologizing for a ceremony in which he was wrapped in a sacred Torah scroll and crowned “king,” at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta, GA.
Last week Bishop Long was shown on video in a ceremony where he was wrapped in a “Holocause Torah” and crowned king during a recent Sunday service at New Birth. This ceremony outraged some Jewish leaders in the community.
Since then Long has appologized stating, “While i believe that Rabbi Ralph Messer has good intentions during his message at New Birth, I understand that the ceremony he performed on Sunday, Jan 29th caused harm to the Jewish community, for which I am deeply sorry.
Long goes on to say that “The ceremony was not my suggestion, nor was it my intent, to participate in any ritual that is offensive in any manner to the Jewish community, or any group. Furthermore, I sincerely denounce any action that depicts me as a King, for I am merely just a servant of the Lord.”
The letter Bishop Long wrote was addressed to Jewish leader Bill Nigut, who said, “I thought it was a very heartfelt, sincere, humble apology, and I was very gratified by Bishop Long apparently recognizing what our concern was.”
source: WBTV 3
