I've stayed away from the Ted Haggard story because I just wasn't sure if it was political hoopla (which it could be) and I hate to see anyone raked across the coals without proof because the allegations are not only compelling, but devastating if the man is innocent.
This is a man who, until yesterday, was the president of the National Association of Evangelicals and helped mobilize a great deal of the evangelical vote to get Pres. George Bush elected. He was named by Time magazine as one of the most influential evangelicals in this country and was even interviewed by Tom Brokaw at one time.
But now Haggard has admitted to "some indiscretions" and then there is that whole he was smoking meth thing also attached to it to "heighten" his experience.
Did I tell you that meth is one of the biggest enemies my community has? That's another story for another time.
CNN has Haggard on video denying the entire thing, but a voice expert reviewed voice mails that Haggard's accuser, Mike Jones, had, and he said that it appears to be the same voice of the famous evangelical pastor.
Fox News has actually beat CNN on reporting about the indiscretions.
Here is a snippet of their report:
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 acting senior pastor at New Life, Ross Parsley, told KKTV-TV of Colorado Springs that Haggard admitted that some of the accusations were true, but Parsley did not elaborate. A telephone number for Parsley could not be found late Thursday.
We, at this point, do not know which accusations Haggard admitted to. Was it the relationship with Jones or was it using meth?
We will probably know within time.
I think the pastor doesn't get it. People cannot have it both ways. First of all, this is not an indictment against this huge church. These are allegations against one man, who apparently spoke out boths sides of his mouth but he was their leader. But this man preached against homosexuality and he needs to be held accountable.
The "Do as I say, not as I do" thing is getting really old. It appears hypocrisy has reared its ugly head once again.
¶ 11/03/2006 06:10:00 AM
I'm sure he'll write a best seller while he's in rehab & laugh all the way to the bank.
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