Disgraced pastor (Haggard) faces more gay sex accusations

[varun]

Haggard is on Larry King Live this Thursday...


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090124/ap_on_re/rel_haggard_new_allegations

DENVER – Disgraced evangelical leader Ted Haggard's former church disclosed Friday that the gay sex scandal that caused his downfall extends to a young male church volunteer who reported having a sexual relationship with Haggard — a revelation that comes as Haggard tries to repair his public image.

Brady Boyd, who succeeded Haggard as senior pastor of the 10,000-member New Life Church in Colorado Springs, told The Associated Press that the man came forward to church officials in late 2006 shortly after a Denver male prostitute claimed to have had a three-year cash-for-sex relationship with Haggard.

Boyd said an "overwhelming pool of evidence" pointed to an "inappropriate, consensual sexual relationship" that "went on for a long period of time ... it wasn't a one-time act." Boyd said the man was in his early 20s at the time. He said he was certain the man was of legal age when it began.

Reached Friday night, Haggard declined to comment and said all interviews would have to be arranged through a publicist for HBO, which is airing a documentary about him this month...

[aquart]

1. So how's that "cure" taking?

[Lithos]

2. Question

I get the feeling that this seems to focus more on his homosexuality than his hypocrisy and that the term "accusation" seems derogatory in this sense. Why is it an accusation? The problem as I understand it was his hypocrisy not his sexual orientation.

L-

On Edit: I don't know, maybe I'm off-based here.

[Idealism]

4. According to many religious institutions,

homosexuality is a disease, and infectious at that (although they never mention if it is airborne or not!). Hypocrisy isn't a punishable sin, either.

You aren't off-based, the article is quoting Haggard's replacement, and it is obvious what he thinks of homosexuality.

[bluedawg12]

6. Exactly. It's call an "inappropriate, consensual sexual relationship"

the inappropriate part being that it was a same sex relationship, is the spin I sense.

Of course it was inappropriate because he was married.

They also take great pains to make a distinction between this and other clergy who had relationships with minors, so they do point out that the man was 20.

The worst part is, because of this jerk, it will simply increase their vigilance for gays in their midst, instead of asking why a man who claimed to be straight and entered into what might now be seen as an inappropriate, consensual heterosexual marriage relationship felt like he had to live a lie and deny his true self. Instead they'll just put on their Elmer Fudd hats and go a lookin' for Teh Gays.

Thanks Ted, you sorry mess. :grr:

[Double T]

3. Nothing worse than a self righteous religious anti-gay hypocrite that was a closeted gay.

[Rowdyboy]

5. How incredibly sad....you don't have to lie or hide anymore....come on out Ted.....

You're not fooling anyone and you would feel SOOOOO much better. I know I did back in 1978.

[joeybee12]

8. Come out, come out wherever you are!

Yeah, life's too short...it'll make your life a lot easier and happy, Teddy.

[BR_Parkway]

7. Reading the article, sounds like there are more out there besides

this one guy (well ok, we pretty much figured it wasn't a one time thing)

In a letter e-mailed Friday to New Life Church members, Boyd said of the settlement and agreement not to talk: "This decision was made not as an attempt to conceal wrongdoings, but to protect him from those who would seek to exploit him. His actions now suggest that he has changed his mind."

The letter said the church "received reports of a number of incidents of inappropriate behavior" after Haggard's fall. "In each case, we have tried our very best to do the right thing each time, including disciplinary action when appropriate."

Boyd said the "inappropriate behavior" referred to the man who was the volunteer involved with Haggard. After Haggard's fall, another church staff member resigned after admitting to what was described as "sexual misconduct."

(emphasis mine)

Wonder how much the church paid out in "compassionate assistance — certainly not hush money." Does their insurance cover this? Or just the continually fleeced flock?

[bluedawg12]

9. This is really bizarre in a Church with such vicious anti-openly gay conduct

there must be a lot of oppressed, repressed cases out there that Church.

[Chovexani]

12. It makes perfect sense to me

Closet cases of a feather, and all. What better cover for your "sickness" than to join the most anti-gay church you can find?

[bluedawg12]

13. Look at the damage repression and denial of sexuality causes

It damages the person living that lie.

It damages the partner they chose to fool into thinking they are strictly opposite sex atracted when they marry-- and start a family .

It seems even if Haggart were bi-sexual and not gay or straight, he ended up living a lie by pretending he was exclusively straight and he lived that lie in a very militant and anti-gay manner.

It damages gays and bi-sexuals who live open and consistent lives as it gives ammunition to the bigots and feeds their prejudice, because they see as "gays/bi's" contaminating their Church, rather than, seeing it as people living repressed lives and they never wonder --ever, EVER-- if there had been acceptance of gay/bi sexuality all of these lies and shame could have been avoided.

In another words, after all these revelations it never occurrs to them that the problem is people living a lie because of great social pressures. Everything always seems to be framed in terms of guilt, shame and punishment.

[DarkTirade]

10. ... y'know, it's pretty bad when people who are in denial

have a better sex life than I do. :banghead:

[Chovexani]

11. You know

It's sad, I'm half feeling schadenfreudey but also dreading this because of the inevitable "discussion" that will follow here.

[RetiredTrotskyite]

14. Ted, You NEED to Come Out!! Living in the Light...

is so-o-o-o-o-o-o-o much better than continuing to live a lie!

[Marrah_G]

15. I feel for every gblt person forced to pretend they are something they are not

except for those who turn around and perpetuate the hatred while hiding their own true self.

[GodlessBiker]

16. The gift that keeps on giving.

[SacredCow]

17. He was on TV with his wife last night....

:puke:

I'm guessing that he's wanting to stage a comeback. They were up there saying that he's been in counseling, and when asked if he was gay, he said no- that he was straight, but conflicted or confused... :eyes: He says that he's no longer the judgemental fire and brimstone kind of evangelical, and that he now "understands" gays.

Oh, and in case you were worried, he and his wife are closer than ever...

[TheWraith]

18. I have something really inappropriate running around in my head...

...But I'm going to try to refrain.

[SacredCow]

19. If you're speaking of the newly-found closeness with his wife....

It's probably the same thing that I am thinking...

[TheWraith]

21. Yeah, that's where I was going.

I feel a little guilty about thinking it, since it's not like she's done anything horrible, but still...

[SacredCow]

23. I can't say for sure, but she could be guilty of going along with the charade....

in the hopes of rebuilding the "empire" and keeping her status.

Maybe she's totally sincere, but there aren't a whole lot of women out there (particularly pseudo-Christian ones) who would be so willing to forgive cheating- particularly cheating with another man. Not trying to villify homosexuality here, but I think most women of her type would tend to feel FAR worse about her husband cheating with a man than a woman- it's a double betrayal, in a way.

[Stevenmarc]

26. In her case dogma trumps common sense

Besides if God dumps all of this on her plate then God loves her, it's an act of faith like self flagellation.

[Deja Q]

24. If he likes men, he shouldn't fuck around on his wife and his marriage to her.

Divorce her and find a man and don't cheat on him.

Bet'cha he'd cheat on a male partner all the same.

The man is unmitigated sleaze. Especially if he caught something and gave it to his wife or anyone else, male or female, he's chosen to sleep with; STDs are unfortunately very real.

[TEmperorHasNoClothes]

20. I hate to see gay and accusation in the same sentence

The fact is if bible thumpers didn't villify homosexuality, this would be an issue of cheating.

[TheWraith]

22. Well, it would also be an issue of a 50 year old man making unwanted advances on a 20 year old. nt

[nikkos_71]

25. The truth is

the RW will always try and refute the APA's findings that
homosexuality is not a mental disorder which can be cured. 
There is an organization currently working without the support
of the APA or the APsaA called NARTH, The National Association
for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality.  They claim that
through reparative therapy, like Teddy had I'm sure, the
homosexual would realize their true orientation as
Heterosexual.  They further claim that homosexuality is no
more than Same Sex Attraction Disorder (SSAD) caused by
traumatic sexual abuse or rejection from same sex parents in
their youth.  One of their methods of "curing" the
homosexual is to establish a "non-sexual"
relationship with an older same sex parental figure. 
Miraculously, the homosexual will realize his/her true nature
and be "cured."  While the data they provide in
studies done is questionable at the very least, they claim
that 33% are cured, of course with some same sex desire still
lingering.
  
My theory, is that the religious community knows they are in
danger of becoming extinct.  With the scandals popping up left
and right, sooner or later people will realize they have all
been had.  The man behind the curtain has been yanking their
chain for far too long.  They have to hold on to the idea that
homosexuality is a mental disorder or "unnatural"
phenomenon because the only alternative would be that God made
us this way.  And you know that if God made it, it couldn't be
flawed or unnatural.