COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado — Less than 24 hours after being fired from the mega-church he founded, evangelical Pastor Ted Haggard confessed to a “lifelong” sexual problem.
In a letter read to members of his New Life Church Sunday, Haggard said he is “a deceiver and a liar.” Haggard apologized to his congregation in the letter and asked for their forgiveness.
Don’t remember Jimmy Swaggart, read this.
Interested in more church scandals? Check this out.
I find the conduct inexcusable. However, hasn’t it been fascinating how New Life Church has dealt with this. Immediate suspension, followed by a quick investigation that led to a forced resignation. Wonderful to see church politics work for good, in such a horrible situation.
Haggard had NO business getting behind a pulpit, and the church did it right. Now time will tell if healing comes to the body and the ex-pastor.
UTNG, It seems you are a conspiracy theorist of the highest order. While church's ofter align themselves with what you call 'Ultra-Right Political Agenda's'; this doesn't make every church controversy a political controversy.
Things aren't always as deep as you seem to think they are; or I'm just the most nieve person on the planet.
And am I wrong, but do you take a great satisfaction in these sorts of things. I'm glad it's out and NOT a secret; but I hate it that it happened in the first place.
I wonder if his immediate suspension and “quick investigation” had anything to do with the ultra-right’s political agenda, especially in light of this occuring the week before elections.
I have a hard time reading “church politics” and “work for good” in the same sentence. I have a hard time seeing anything good coming from this situation.
Healing will come about when the Church comes to terms with the fact that God’s children come in all persuasions, and not just the one persuasion that suits a given individual’s frame of morality.
I don't take satisfaction in this incident. But to be honest, I do take satisfaction in seeing the hypocracy of the leader of the NAE exposed. The NAE's ultra-conservative position on many social issues provides a furtile breeding ground for contempt of others who profess a more accepting attitude of diversity, also in the name of God.
Tanya Erzen said it well when she wrote " Many conservative Christians conceive of homosexuality as a choice or a lifestyle. Separating behavior from identity enables conservative Christians to love the sinner and hate the sin, even if at bottom their fears and antipathy toward gay people remain.
The Haggard scandal exemplifies how the Christian Right promotes anti-gay politics in the guise of love and compassion."
we are all sinners who need God’s love and Grace. Instead of calling names and trying to see how it fits our political aganda maybe we should pray for him, his family, and the church. Just a thought
Great Thought!
So the issue here is Evangelical Christianity’s unacceptance of the Gay Lifestyle? Got it.