Alternative Spirituality

» Migisi - Haggard Hipocracy?

.
News that megachurch leader Pastor Ted Haggard has been paying for homosexual sex for three years.
.
http://www.crooksandliars.com/
Click on the video: Ted Haggard Talks
.
=========================
.
Article from:
http://www.nationalledger.com/artman/pub...
.
Ted Haggard Steps Down Amidst Allegations of Gay Sex
By Jim Kouri
Nov 3, 2006
.
While sex scandals involving political and church leaders -- Mark Foley and Jimmy Swaggart come to mind -- is one of the media's favorite news stories to cover. It's surprising that a new scandal is getting meager attention. Perhaps the media's full-court press to hand the Democrat Party a huge victory on November 7 is a primary reason why the "gotcha" news media aren't covering a disturbing story.
.
The president of the National Association of Evangelicals and founder and leader of Colorado's New Life Church, Ted Haggard, resigned from the NAE and placed himself on administrative leave from his church as a result of allegations surfacing that he had a three year affair with a male prostitute.
.
Haggard a staunch supporter of President George W. Bush and is credited with rallying evangelical voters behind the Republicans during the 2004 election. He reportedly takes part in regular conference calls with White House staff and was named by Time Magazine as one of the 25 most influential evangelical Christians in America.
.
Mike Jones, a so-called male escort, publicly announced that he has had a homosexual relationship with the top religious leader. He claims that during some of their time together they used metamphetamine, as well. Sex and drugs -- and homosexuality -- once again may have taken their toll.
.
But Jones does backup his statement regarding his sexual liaisons with the Christian leader with an audiotape he recorded of Haggard and him explicitly discussing sex. Jones claims he did this because of Haggard's ongoing battle against same-sex marriage. Jones says he wanted to "out" the church leader as a homosexual and a hypocrite.
.
What should delight the secular-humanists within the media is the fact that Haggard is an outspoken critic of gay marriage and drug abuse. And once the mainstream media get wind of this story, it will be used to connect the GOP with an evangelical leader who's fallen from grace.
.
At first, the respected Haggard told KUSA TV in Colorado Springs on Wednesday night that Jones' accusations are false. But on Thursday, Haggard announced, "I could not continue to minister under the cloud created by the accusations," and thus he threw in the towel.
.
The nationally known spiritual leader, who hosts a Christian-based talk show, said that after consulting with the board of overseers of his church he is, "voluntarily stepping aside from leadership so that the overseer process can be allowed to proceed with integrity." Meanwhile, his tenure as NEA president is over.
.
Haggard's congregation numbers over 14,000 members. It is the largest New Life Church in Colorado. Church attorneys said that under their bylaws, if there is an accusation of immorality, the church official involved should step down and place himself on a leave-of-absence.
.
In a press statement, the church pastor's daughter, Carolyn Haggard, a spokeswoman for the New Life Church, said a four-member church panel will investigate the allegations. She did not identify the board members.
.
"This is really routine when any sort of situation like this arises, so we're prepared," she said. "The church is going to continue to serve and be welcoming to our community. That's a priority."
.
One can only pray both Mike Jones and Carolyn Haggard are both wrong -- that Ted Haggard is innocent, and this is not a routine situation.
.

-- posted by Migisi