Evangelical leader confesses to gay affair

[captainrick]

Here's the Story!

 

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=2625039

 

Talk about getting outed!'

 

Rick

[Jack Scribe]

Here's the Story!

 

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=2625039

 

Talk about getting outed!'

 

Rick

He is kinda cute, however.

 

I was amused that Jerry Falwell held a press conference denying that he was a member of that association. I'm surprised that he didn't allege that the purple Tele-Tubbie was part of a plot to subvert the evangalist and Christianity.

 

What ever happend to the good old fashioned days with Jimmie Swaggart and Tammy Fay's husband banging the female brethern? Amen...say hallelujah!

 

Seriously, I'm offended that ABC News Radio is using this story as the morning lead. This wouldn't be politically-motivated on their part, would it? Hmmm. Nothing like a good queer story to get the juices going with the public.

 

Jack

[captainrick]

Seriously, I'm offended that ABC News Radio is using this story as the morning lead. This wouldn't be politically-motivated on their part, would it? Hmmm. Nothing like a good queer story to get the juices going with the public.

 

Jack

 

 

I think the whole thing is politically motivated. The guy that outed him, this Mike person, admits to being a male prostitute that told the story because he was disgusted that this guy is leading a campaign for an amendment banning gay marriage in Colorado that happens to be on the ballot Tues. Says he was tired of the hypocricy. Come on, he's screwing the guy for three years and he just now figures that out? yeah, right. The story's probably true, but the timing sucks. As for ABC, it's every media outlet. SEX SELLS. And Gay Sex and the head Preacher of all the evangels? Hell, that'll sell more ads than Hillary having an affair.

 

 

Rick

[knotme]

SEX SELLS. And Gay Sex and the head Preacher of all the evangels? Hell, that'll sell more ads than Hillary having an affair.

Hillary having a lesbian affair? We'll have reached a milestone when that added word sells few additional adverts.

 

Regarding your current sig: "Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on or by imbeciles who really mean it". Mark Twain actually said that! Wow! Comforting in a way--I mean, that we're here and all, so it wasn't fatal. No a-bombs back then, of course.

[JamesSavik]

I'm sure that Betty Bowers is mortified.

 

I'm offended that ABC News Radio is using this story as the morning lead. This wouldn't be politically-motivated on their part, would it? Hmmm. Nothing like a good queer story to get the juices going with the public.

 

I agree Jack. Lately the press has been like a bunch of 7th graders at PE that has found out one of their classmates is gay. It's always fun to see a hypocrite take it on the chin, I just have to wonder how much blow-back this is going to cause and to whom.

[DarkShadow]

This is rich! How the righteous have fallen, and continue to fall, over and over again.

 

Is it just me, or does anyone else marvel at the hypocrisy. It seems that those that scream the loudest for moral reform of one sort or another are often raging from someone elses bed.

[Jack Scribe]

I just have to wonder how much blow-back this is going to cause and to whom.

My friend and editor lives in Denver. Here is his 'read' on the story:

 

I'm wondering what impact the Haggard story will have on the political scene. One could hope that his exposure as a lying hypocrite will be beneficial to the gay agenda, but the way fundamentalists think, it probably will only enhance their hatred of homosexuals. I expect the scandal will hurt chances for passage of Colorado's proposition to give legal rights to same-sex couples. The anti-gay marriage amendment will pass with an even larger majority.

 

Different strokes for different agendas.

 

Oie Vay.

 

Jack

[Bobby]

the head Preacher of all the evangels?

 

 

 

 

 

HeHe, I guess we should have known something was up !!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bobby

[Dio]

C'mon folks...it us this long to figure out he was gay? Just look at that smile. He's practically screaming it from the rooftops. I totally wouldn't let him near me in the showers smiling like that!

[C James]

This is rich! How the righteous have fallen, and continue to fall, over and over again.

 

I prefer to say the above as how the self righteous have fallen.

 

Is it just me, or does anyone else marvel at the hypocrisy. It seems that those that scream the loudest for moral reform of one sort or another are often raging from someone elses bed.

 

Doesn't surprise me in the least: Look at all the televangelist sex scandals.

[Matthew]

C'mon folks...it us this long to figure out he was gay? Just look at that smile. He's practically screaming it from the rooftops. I totally wouldn't let him near me in the showers smiling like that!

 

Even so, we don't really know if he's gay yet. The article's layout and the title of this thread are misleading. He has not at all confessed to the affairs being true. The only admission is reported as follows:

"It is important for you to know that he confessed to the overseers that some of the accusations against him are true. He has willingly and humbly submitted to the authority of the board of overseers, and will remain on administrative leave during the course of the investigation," the e-mail stated. A copy was obtained by KMGH-TV in Denver.

 

The accusations included things such as drugs, and the only proof so far lends itself more to drugs than anything else. He explicitly denies having had the affair. I'm not at all saying that means he hasn't, but he certainly hasn't confessed.

Edited November 3, 2006 by Matthew

[Jack Scribe]

Even so, we don't really know if he's gay yet. The article's layout and the title of this thread are misleading. He has not at all confessed to the affairs being true. The only admission is reported as follows:

And now this from Towleroad:

 

Mike Jones, the gay escort who claims he had a three-year sexual business relationship with evangelical pastor Ted Haggard, failed to pass a lie detector test administered early this morning, but the test's accuracy is already begin questioned.

 

"The test administrator, John Kresnik, said Jones' score indicated 'deceptions' in his answers. However, Kresnik said he doubted the accuracy of the test he administered because of the recent stress on Jones and his inability to eat or sleep, according to KHOW producer Greg Hollenback. Kresnik suggested that Jones be re-tested early next week after he was rested."

 

Here is Good Morning America's coverage (via AmericaBlog) of the Haggard scandal which was run this morning. Jones claims that a fantasy Haggard told him about was "to have sex with about 6 young college guys ranging from 18 to 22 in age."

 

And the beat goes on. I think Kitty's family will have interesting topics at this year's Thanksgiving table.

 

Jack

[Jack Scribe]

My friend and editor lives in Denver. Here is his 'read' on the story:

 

Here is an email from my Colorado friend.

 

Colorado is voting on both a gay marriage ban and a proposition to give legal rights to same-sex couples. Knowing how fundamentalists think, I suspect the Haggard story will hurt gay rights on both fronts. They will see Haggard's "fall" as just another example of how the "gay agenda" is destroying American society. And they will pray for him

[Dezlboi]

Regarding your current sig: "Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on or by imbeciles who really mean it". Mark Twain actually said that! Wow! Comforting in a way--I mean, that we're here and all, so it wasn't fatal. No a-bombs back then, of course.

 

I've found Mark Twain's moral/political insights to be inspiring. Check out "The War Prayer". I found it shockingly relevant in our time.

 

-Dez

 

P.S. - I find "outing" someone to be morally reprehensible, whether I think they are a miserable hypocrite or not.

[dkstories]

He who shouts the loudest, has a skeleton in the closet...

[Myr]

It would probably be best to keep this political discussion in the blogs. Especially since any reply I would make would really start a firestorm.

[Dezlboi]

It would probably be best to keep this political discussion in the blogs. Especially since any reply I would make would really start a firestorm.

 

Yeah, it is kinda too bad people can't discuss issues that they disagree on in a respectful way, huh?

[Marty]

P.S. - I find "outing" someone to be morally reprehensible, whether I think they are a miserable hypocrite or not.

I tend to agree with you,, Dez.

 

And. as a Spiritual-Aetheist (if that's not an oxymoron), I'm reminded of one of the quotes attributed to Jesus:

 

Judge not, that you be not judged.

(Matthew v7 Ch1)

 

~ Marty ~

 

[DomLuka]

My friend and editor lives in Denver. Here is his 'read' on the story:

 

I'm wondering what impact the Haggard story will have on the political scene. One could hope that his exposure as a lying hypocrite will be beneficial to the gay agenda, but the way fundamentalists think, it probably will only enhance their hatred of homosexuals. I expect the scandal will hurt chances for passage of Colorado's proposition to give legal rights to same-sex couples. The anti-gay marriage amendment will pass with an even larger majority.

 

 

Strangely enough, the people I associate with who are against gay marriage, are mostly voting in favor of equal rights. It

[rekop1]

C'mon folks...it us this long to figure out he was gay? Just look at that smile. He's practically screaming it from the rooftops. I totally wouldn't let him near me in the showers smiling like that!

 

 

 

 

 

that a good one

[AFriendlyFace]

As for the outing thing, I

[dkstories]

Father, give us grace and mercy. Father, help us this next week and a half as we go into national elections, and Lord we pray for our country. Father, we pray that lies would be exposed. We pray that deception would be exposed.

 

 

The above is a quote from the morning service prayer that this 'pastor' used during last Sunday's services...

[glomph]

Father, we pray that lies would be exposed. We pray that deception would be exposed.

There's an old saying, "Be careful what you wish [or pray] for. You might get it."

 

Strangely enough, the people I associate with who are against gay marriage, are mostly voting in favor of equal rights.

 

That's not necessarily inconsistent, and probablly represents the opinions of a broad segment of the population. I know some gay guys who would vote that way.

 

OK, so here's what will happen:

 

Eventually the guy will say that while nothing sexual happened (he just got a massage and bought drugs he threw away without taking), he does have some tendencies he's been struggling with. He's been strong so far, and even in the hands (literally) of a male prostitute, he did not give into temptation. He'll check himself into Exodus or some similar group for treatment and emerge cured of his homosexual tendencies. (While there, he may minister to the cute young guys who are being held against their wills.)

 

He emerges as the poster child for the organizations cures, and has more street cred than ever with the evangelical Christian subculture. His church gives him a retroactive pay raise and he gets viewers from around the country, and not just in Colorado. He picks the next President.

 

His former accuser joins the White House press corps.

 

His wife's book becomes a best seller.

 

His book is sent as a premium for those who pledge more than $50.

 

Maybe some of the cute young now-ex-gays do internships at his church.

 

James Dobson denounces the new President. Dick Armey calls Dobson a thug.

[Marty]

Father, we pray that lies would be exposed. We pray that deception would be exposed.

The above is a quote from the morning service prayer that this 'pastor' used during last Sunday's services...

 

There's an old saying, "Be careful what you wish [or pray] for. You might get it."

Or, as my granddaddy used to say:

 

Here's hoping you get what you want, and not what you deserve.

 

Not for a moment suggesting that what people here want from the elections is not what they deserve.

[JamesSavik]

Haggard is a public figure. The standard of privacy for a public figure is quite different from a private person.

 

Public figures- like celeberities or people elected or appointed to public office- routinely get criticism for their past actions and/or their personal lives.

 

Any religious leader that has taken a high profile stance against gay rights and then uses a gay prostitute can't hide behind thier privacy. Haggard is fair game and speaking as a gay person, whose rights this twitchy little b@st@rd is on record as attempting to restrict, I say release the hounds.

 

What hasn't been addressed in Haggard's behavior is his use of crystal meth. That a serious felony matter that carries a mandatory minimum sentence.