While the minister was on a 1997 trip to Africa, his wife, Deborah Lyons, discovered he had purchased a $700,000 waterfront home with a mistress, Bernice Edwards, a convicted embezzler who worked as public relations director for the national convention. Deborah Lyons set the home on fire.Help Me out here folks, this sounds like one of those women who just does not understand her place...
The resulting investigation unmasked Henry Lyons' use of his leadership role to access millions of dollars to finance his lavish lifestyle. Officials estimated the minister took about $4 million to buy luxury homes and jewelry and support his mistresses.
Lyons was convicted of racketeering and grand theft in 1999. He resigned as president of the National Baptist Convention and pleaded guilty to federal charges of tax evasion, fraud and making false statements.
[ cf Convicted pastor seeks leadership post ]
Would this be a bad time to talk seriously about the various defects in the Cult Of Masculinity that is a central dogma in the Dominionist Cults....
Or would that be, well, forgetting to Blame Gays for Destroying Heterosexual Marriages, and ruining our White Christian America....