Ted Haggard, the megachurch pastor exposed four years ago for his adulterous activities with a male prostitute, is opening a new church.
The former President of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) says that all are welcome to join him, whether they are “a Democrat, a Republican, gay, straight, bi, tall, short, addict, [or] recovering addict.”
Despite the air of inclusivity, he says he still holds up heterosexual marriage as God’s intention, and will not be performing gay marriages.
“Earth is not heaven. And here on Earth, sexuality is very complex and very confusing. … There is a complex process people have to go through between their personal beliefs and their own ideals that they themselves fail at, and I am a glaring example of that,” Haggard said in a press release.
In 2006, Haggard stepped down as Pastor of the 10,000-strong New Life Church when the media revealed details of his drug use and sexual encounters with gay escort Mike Jones. After three weeks of counselling, Haggard announced that he was “completely heterosexual.”
The husband and father of five has always denied being gay, instead characterizing his failures as issues stemming from childhood sexual abuse. In a 2008 documentary, he confessed he still struggles with his sexuality. In 2009, he began a home prayer group that he loosely described as a church, but said he had no intention of building another megachurch.
The announcement of a new, official church comes as no surprise. He has clearly been building up towards a return to this kind of ministry, and with a major documentary, regular news coverage and numerous media appearances over the last couple of years, the preacher’s publicity machine has remained consistently well-oiled.
For more coverage of Ted Haggard, see the Ex-Gay Watch archives.
Having white skin is ideal. Being thin is ideal. Not having an epicanthic fold in the eye is ideal. No nappy hair is ideal.
Having big boobs is ideal.
Procreating is ideal, whether you’re going to be good at it, or actually care for your child.
A whole, long sad history of deciding what is ideal, and what isn’t should be something people who present themselves as on another level should understand.
And should not be engaging in more of the same that’s destroyed lives and caused so much pain, even to his own life.
Other than Jews, mankind’s longest hatred has been of gay people. Gay people are without exception in every aspect of the life of mankind. Those of us with no need to feel superior at the expense of someone else would know better.
There are people of faith who shouldn’t require that need. Indeed, should be enlightening themselves beyond it. Which is the point, to a higher level of empathy and compassion so that these questions of ethics towards another, and in one’s own life…cease to be a matter of such conflict.
But men like Haggard, Nicolosi, Dobson and so on….put on quite a show of being beyond challenge, discussion or dissent. Insulated from the consequences of their activity, or their victims of it.
We see everyday they won’t even own it, not ever. It’s slick cowardice. Only that.
Willful ignorance and very, very careful denial.
Ideal?
These are people who think God only acts in THEIR interests and…image, for that matter.
But, have you all noticed how difficult it really is to get at these men? Even in the very media they whore themselves to?
They truly avoid those whose lives they are affecting. And stay in forums that are friendly to them, or that they control.
We see what happens if they are required to be in a court of law, not a court of public opinion.
Yet, they foment the notion that they are courageous for ‘fighting’ the ‘homosexual agenda’. That they are dealing with something scary and pernicious, and they are the last and best warriors against it.
Of course, this front keeps their bank accounts flush.
If it didn’t work, it would be pathetically funny.
But it’s not funny, and it’s not something that could be ignored.
The images of Carl Walker Hoover, Lawrence King and Sakia Gunn flash before me and I know they couldn’t care less about THESE children.
And are too cowardly and in denial to admit that they are the fathers of the destruction to these children.
Ted Haggard can go take a flying at the moon.
Ideal?
No such animal.
Ted and Gayle Haggard will be on CO radio station KVOR on Friday, June 4, 2010 from 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM and welcome all comments. KVOR 719-540-0740.
Whatever else this may signify, I sense a well coordinated media campaign ahead. Haggard does not seem like the type who can remain out of the center of attention for long, and past misdeeds would make it unlikely that he could manage the kind of church gig he had before. This niche could just be a way to get back something of what he had.
This really strikes me as somewhat cowardly and insincere, and again his history makes it hard to trust what he says.
I read the obituary of the man who founded “Jews For Jesus.” They tended to be on somewhat of a par with the organizations that try to convert gay people.
But take issue with JFJ, in how offensive it is on it’s face. Jews, like gay people, are a minority still looking for safety in a world that is trying to see them disappeared.
As if their presence is an affront, and there has been no willful destruction or disruption to the lives of Jews and gay people.
There IS no choice really in the fight for survival and existence.
Yet, the constant message is: ‘you don’t belong here’ and ‘we have a better choice for you than you do for yourself’.
Which exploits the siege that these respective minorities are under. Which has nothing to do with compassion, but profit for whoever can succeed in creating more subverted Jews or gay people.
Haggard’s agenda is supposed to be about being an example for a better life than being gay.
Which assumes that being heterosexual magically makes you a better person, and accepted person, so therefore entitled and inevitably with a better life.
Yeah, it’s worked SO well for Ted, right?
And all those heterosexuals who were messed up with all the same issues, well I guess we’re supposed to suspend disbelief along with Haggard that sexual orientation isn’t the problem after all.
In high school, my mom once spoke to my therapist, saying something to the effect of “Emily’s got so much she was born into that goes against her it seems.. she’s Jewish, she’s gay, she’s a woman, she’s mentally ill…” My therapist, who is of good humor, responded: “Well, at least she’s not black.”
side note: I didn’t attend therapy because i struggled with my sexuality or the closet; i attended because of mental illness and other issues.
I have several friends with BPD, and depression, it’s something I’ve witnessed closely and it can be a heart breaker sometimes.
And yet, my friend’s ability to triumph comes from several sources. Mostly from loving friends who look out for them. Make sure their prescriptions are on track and watching for signs of distress.
I suppose the good thing is that it’s an organic issue of chemical balances in the body, and how reactive or not, one’s own brain is to any of it. So that there are some medications, and or some other supplements that help with those imbalances.
But loving kindness and affection brings good chemical responses in one’s body that are healthy.
Yeah girl, your struggles sure are something I can respect. And as long as you are the keeper of that experience, I can always learn every time you’re willing to share.
This is discusting! He can NOT say one minute that he is protecting the soul of all of GOD’s children and in the next moment say that gay marriage is wrong! DO NOT GET CONFUSED BY HIS JARGON!
He will preach self hate because he lives in that self hate…..stay away from this man! (unless you are his boyfriend, in which case convince him to free his wife from that turmoil so that she can live her life free of lies!)