[plschwartz]

The hypocrisy of evangelical "Christians" in their hate of others who would disagree with them is becoming increasingly like pus-filled cankers on their bodies. Love Jesus they suggest but kill anyone who might threaten them, mixing Christ and Caesar,
They read only the parts of the Bible that agree with them.
Now another "Christian" leader is surely a paradigm of their hypocricy.

A Colorado TV station reported last night that Rev. Ted Haggard, a major figure in the evangelical movement who has not hesitated to cross over into the arena of secular politics, allegedly had an ongoing sexual relationship with a gay former male escort.

Haggard denies it.

Haggard, the founder and senior leader of the New Life Church in Colorado Springs, is one of the country's most prominent evangelical religious leaders, in part because of the very active role he has taken in national politics. Haggard is not as recognizable as James Dobson, who is also based in Colorado Springs, but Haggard is arguably just as influential within evangelical and conservative political circles, talking to President Bush or his advisers every Monday.

Last year Harper's ran a lengthy article featuring Haggard, and the magazine has helpfully posted the piece on its website today.

First Mark Foley, now Ted Haggard? It's hard to conjure up anything else that could further depress the turnout of conservative evangelicals.

talkingpointsmemo

[Littlefield]

Yea., Linskyjack had this on the gay thread .I am waiting for another Jimmy Swaggert apology but nobody can outperform that crying performance

[linskyjack]

Yes, this belongs on the Are Gays Sinful---You have to laugh.

[poochee]

This is the first time I have heard of Haggard.

[Littlefield]

I think he was the preacher that was hard on the Air force in Colorado about Christians .

[plschwartz]

Ted Haggard Steps Down Amid Gay Sex Allegation

By Catherine Tsai

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) - The leader of the 30 million-member National Association of Evangelicals, a vocal opponent of same-sex marriage, resigned Thursday after being accused of paying for sex with a man in monthly trysts over the past three years.

This handout photo released by New Life Church shows the Rev. Ted Haggard, president of the National Association of Evangelicals, in Sept. 2005 in Colorado Springs, Colo. Haggard, the leader of the 30 million-member National Association of Evangelicals, a vocal opponent of same-sex marriage, resigned Thursday after being accused of paying for sex with a man in monthly trysts over the past three years.

The Rev. Ted Haggard, a married father of five who has been called one of the most influential evangelical Christians in the nation, denied the allegations. His accuser refused to share voice mails that he said backed up his claim.

Haggard also stepped aside as head of his 14,000-member New Life Church while a church panel investigates, saying he could "not continue to minister under the cloud created by the accusations."

"I am voluntarily stepping aside from leadership so that the overseer process can be allowed to proceed with integrity," Haggard said in a written statement. "I hope to be able to discuss this matter in more detail at a later date."

He also told KUSA-TV late Wednesday: "Never had a gay relationship with anybody, and I'm steady with my wife, I'm faithful to my wife."

The allegations come as voters in Colorado and seven other states get ready to decide Tuesday on amendments banning gay marriage. Besides the proposed ban on the Colorado ballot, a separate measure would establish the legality of domestic partnerships providing same-sex couples with many of the rights of married couples.

Mike Jones, 49, of Denver told The Associated Press he decided to go public with his allegations because of the political fight. Jones, who said he is gay, said he was upset when he discovered Haggard and the New Life Church had publicly opposed same-sex marriage.

"It made me angry that here's someone preaching about gay marriage and going behind the scenes having gay sex," said Jones, who added that he isn't working for any political group.

Jones, whose allegations were first aired on KHOW-AM radio in Denver, claimed Haggard paid him to have sex nearly every month over three years. Jones also said Haggard snorted methamphetamine before their sexual encounters to heighten his experience.

Haggard and his attorney, Martin Nussbaum, did not return calls Thursday night from the AP.

Jones said that he had advertised himself as an escort on the Internet and that a man who called himself Art contacted him. Jones said he later saw the man on television identified as Haggard.

He said that he last had sex with Haggard in August and that he did not warn him before making his allegations this week.

Jones said he has voice mail messages from Haggard, as well as an envelope he said Haggard used to mail him cash, though he declined to make any of it available to the AP.

"There's some stuff on there (the voice mails) that's pretty damning," he said.

Haggard, who is about 50, was appointed president of the evangelicals association in March 2003. He has participated in conservative Christian leaders' conference calls with White House staffers and lobbied members of Congress last year on U.S. Supreme Court appointees after Sandra Day O'Connor announced her retirement.

After Massachusetts legalized gay marriage in 2004, Haggard and others began organizing state-by-state opposition. Last year, Haggard and officials from the nearby Christian ministry Focus on the Family announced plans to push Colorado's gay marriage ban for the 2006 ballot.

At the time, Haggard said that he believed marriage is a union between a man and woman rooted in centuries of tradition, and that research shows it's the best family unit for children.

"Homosexual activity, like adulterous relationships, is clearly condemned in the Scriptures," the evangelicals association says on its Web site. The Bible says homosexuality is a sin that "brings grave consequences in this life and excludes one from the Kingdom of God."

Haggard's resignation from the NAE seems unlikely to do lasting damage to the organization, an umbrella group for a diverse and independent-minded membership. At his own church, Haggard's decision to step aside — if it became permanent — would have a more profound effect.

"One would hope and pray that this matter would be resolved expeditiously and quickly and he can be restored back to being the pastor of the church and the leader of the NAE," said Michael Cromartie, vice president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, a conservative Washington think tank.

New Life Church member Brooks DeMio, 44, said he thinks Jones is a liar and can't believe Haggard would engage in sex with a man.

"He loves the Lord, homosexuality is a sin and that's not Ted," DeMio said. "His desire is to serve other people and uphold the word of God. ... I don't know him well enough to give a complete character description, but I know him enough to know it's not true."

Carolyn Haggard, spokeswoman for the New Life Church and the pastor's niece, said a four-member church panel will investigate the allegations. The board has the authority to discipline Haggard, including removing him from ministry work.

"This is really routine when any sort of situation like this arises, so we're prepared," Carolyn Haggard said. "The church is going to continue to serve and be welcoming to our community. That's a priority."

Associated Press writers Dan Elliott in Denver and Rachel Zoll in New York contributed to this report.

[Rep]

We have one of those so called protect marriage amendments in Wisconsin. As a member of the state assembly, I am proud to have already voted against it three years ago on forst consideration.

Today, I offered the following to my local newspaper as a letter to the editor.



To The Editor:

Recently a letter was published in the this newspaper authored by Mr. & Mrs. X. In their letter discussing the so called marriage amendment they point out accurately that gay people are unable to marry in this state. Existing law prohibits such marriages.

They wrote, "So we have to ask, what is the purpose of this amendment?"

What a good question to ask. You see, once you begin to answer that question you find yourself asking, "If it is so important to ban something already banned, why was it not banned sooner?"

This referendum could have been held last year. Or, in April we could have voted on the issue. In fact, mid September found the polls open statewide for primary balloting. Why was my marriage of 23 years left unprotected for so long? Why was it placed on this Tuesday's ballot?

The vote is being held Tuesday to gather support for one political parties candidates.

No matter what you believe on the issue of marriage, most of us know it is morally wrong to pit one group of people against another for pure political gain.

Thank you
Rep

[linskyjack]

This is the best part of the whole sordid affair---the words of the Good Rev Haggard:


After Massachusetts legalized gay marriage in 2004, Haggard and others began organizing state-by-state opposition. Last year, Haggard and officials from the nearby Christian ministry Focus on the Family announced plans to push Colorado's gay marriage ban for the 2006 ballot.

At the time, Haggard said that he believed marriage is a union between a man and woman rooted in centuries of tradition, and that research shows it's the best family unit for children.

"Homosexual activity, like adulterous relationships, is clearly condemned in the Scriptures," the evangelicals association says on its Web site. The Bible says homosexuality is a sin that "brings grave consequences in this life and excludes one from the Kingdom of God."

[Littlefield]

I agree if true that is the worst type of hypocrite . As the saying goes dead girl or live boy . This can be applied big time to preachers who say gays go to hell and then turn around and get cauught with the live boy!

[lighthouse]

No problem at all with Homosexuality - until it's pushed on me, then they'll get the same response I'd give a drug dealer attempting a similar thing!

[brendandonhu]

Originally Posted by Rep

The vote is being held Tuesday to gather support for one political parties candidates.

I hope you wrote "party's" in your letter to the editor though

[poochee]

Update

Evangelist steps down amid gay sex claim
By CATHERINE TSAI, Associated Press Writer
Last Updated 9:12 am PST Friday, November 3, 2006

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) - A leading evangelist and outspoken opponent of gay marriage has given up his post as president of the National Association of Evangelicals while a church panel investigates allegations he paid a man for sex.
The Rev. Ted Haggard resigned as head of the 30 million-member association Thursday and also gave up leadership of his New Life Church pending the investigation into allegations he had monthly trysts with a gay prostitute over the past three years.

Haggard, a married father of five, denied the allegations, but the acting pastor of his church later said that Haggard had acknowledged some of the accusations were true.

"I just know that there has been some admission of indiscretion, not admission to all of the material that has been discussed, but there is an admission of some guilt," Ross Parsley told KKTV-TV of Colorado Springs.

Parlsey did not elaborate, but in an e-mail addressed to congregants, he wrote that the church's four-member board of overseers had since met with Haggard.

"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.

Late Wednesday, Haggard told KUSA-TV: "I've never had a gay relationship with anybody, and I'm steady with my wife, I'm faithful to my wife."

The allegations surfaced as voters in Colorado and seven other states get ready to decide Tuesday on amendments banning gay marriage. Besides the proposed ban on the Colorado ballot, a separate measure would establish the legality of domestic partnerships providing same-sex couples with many of the rights of married couples.

Members of Haggard's 14,000-member megachurch were stunned.

Rest at:
http://dwb.sacbee.com/24hour/front/s...12525656c.html

[Littlefield]

James Dobson makes all Christians look bad by saying someone is doing this because of the election and amendment to prevent gay marriage in Colarado.

[poochee]

Originally Posted by Littlefield

James Dobson makes all Christians look bad by saying someone is doing this because of the election and amendment to prevent gay marriage in Colarado.

I agree. Some are just waiting for anything to criticize Christianity as a whole.

[linskyjack]

Poochee---You know how righty is now insinuating (because of the Kerry remarks) that all Democrats hate the troops. How about this one---all right wing religious folk are closet GAYS!!!!!!!!!!!! Their anger originates from their sexual frustration!