www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/2006/11/evangelical_leader_ted_haggard_accused_of_gay_hooker_affair
pay-for-sex relationship with National Association of Evangelicals president Ted Haggard. A gay man and admitted male escort claims he has had an ongoing sexual relationship with a well-known Evangelical pastor from Colorado Springs. Mike Jones told 9 Wants to Know Investigative Reporter Paula Woodward he has had a "sexual business" relationship with Pastor Ted Haggard for the past three years. Haggard is the founder and senior leader of the New Life Church in Colorado Springs. He is also president of the National Association of Evangelicals, an organization that represents millions of people. Haggard is married with five children and an outspoken critic of gay marriage. Jones broke his silence Wednesday morning on talk radio. In an exclusive interview Wednesday night, Haggard denied the claims and told 9NEWS he is prepared for his own church to investigate them. "I did not have a homosexual relationship with a man in Denver," said Haggard. "I don't know if this is election year politics or if this has to do with the marriage amendment or what it is, but I'm not even the guy who will investigate it or question it. I don't know what the dynamics are, but this independent group will come in and do that." Jones started talking to 9 Wants to Know two months ago. He claims Haggard has been paying him for sex over the past three years, even though Haggard preaches that homosexuality is a sin. Jones also claims Haggard used methamphetamine in his presence on several occasions. "People may look at me and think what I've done is immoral, but I think I had to do the moral thing in my mind and that is expose someone who is preaching one thing and doing the opposite behind everybody's back," said Jones.
adds, During an appearance today on the Peter Boyles show on KHOW 630 AM radio, Jones said "After sitting back and contemplating this issue, the biggest reason (for exposing it) is being a gay man all my life, I have experience with my friends, some great sadness of people that were in a relationship through the years" and were not able to enjoy the same rights and privileges as a married man and woman. "I felt it was my responsibility to my fellow brothers and sisters, that I had to take a stand, and I cannot sit back anymore and hear (what) to me is an anti-gay message. This is a typical rationale argued for the "outing" of gay conservatives. It may well be, as Haggard pleads, a despicable lie designed to influence the outcome of voting on a ballot initiative. If true, though, it would be rank hypocrisy of the highest order.
Harper's article from last year asserting that, "The press tends to regard Dobson as the most powerful evangelical Christian in America, but Pastor Ted is at least his equal. Whereas Dobson plays the part of national scold, promising to destroy politicians who defy the Bible, Pastor Ted quietly guides those politicians through the ritual of acquiescence required to save face."
What He Believes") makes no mention of homosexuality but he has certainly been vocal on the subject. The Statement does, however, say that "The Holy Bible, and only the Bible, is the authoritative Word of God. It alone is the final authority for determining all doctrinal truths. In its original writing, the Bible is inspired, infallible and inerrant." Most agree that homosexual acts are sinful under biblical teaching. In Haggard's defense, though, he's not a Good Works kinda guy: "Salvation is a gift from God, not a result of our good works or of any human effort." UPDATE: So far, the blog reaction I've found on this story has been exclusively from the Left, most of it pretty much what you'd expect.
the debate from the substance of the danger of evangelical nonsense to wailing about hypocrisy and homosexuality." More amusingly, he notes the uncanny resemblance between Haggard and "that horndog, Steve Stifler."
Shakespeare's Sister provides this (presumably unintentionally) funny commentary: "I don't know what the evidence of this relationship is, although I'm presuming Jones provided something more than his word during the two months he was speaking to the television station. I can't imagine an NBC affiliate would run the story on hearsay alone.
The leader of the influential National Association of Evangelicals, a vocal opponent of the drive for same-sex marriage, resigned Thursday after being accused of paying for sex with a man. Ted 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."
admitting some of the claims: After Pastor Ted Haggard went public Wednesday night denying allegations of a homosexual affair, senior church officials told KKTV 11News Thursday evening, Pastor Ted Haggard has admitted to some of the claims made by a former male escort. The church's Acting Senior Pastor, Ross Parsley, tells KKTV 11 News that Pastor Haggard has admitted to some of the indiscretions claimed by Mike Jones, but not all of them.
voice expert corroborates the cliams: A nationally known voice recognition expert says he believes voice mails left for a male escort are probably from a pastor in Colorado Springs. Nationally known voice recognition expert, Richard Sanders, compared two similar statements - one made in a voice mail recording and one from an interview of Pastor Ted Haggard conducted by 9NEWS. "Overall, I would say it's probably the same person, from a scientific standpoint," said Sanders, after listening to the voice recordings.
It may well be that Haggard is admitting to the drugs but not the gay pay-per sex. These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.
TrackBack URL NOTE: My spam filter automatically deletes any TrackBacks that do not actually link and refer to this post. Those doing it manually should ensure they have linked the post before sending the TrackBack ping. I can make an accusation that James Joyner has killed, cooked and eaten midgets in my presence while raping their children. But who would you believe, me or the cannibalistic pedophile? It would seem to me that if the accuser has evidence (eg video) or can at least make a list of dates, times and durations that would match to "availability" of Ted to have been in Denver you would have something. I would think that the best defense, assuming Ted is innocent, would be to sue for libel and get the record out under legal rules of evidence discovery.
Permalink James apparently believes (if this story is true) that if you believe in the Bible, you must be a saint. One can believe in the Bible and do things that it says are wrong. The Bible promises forgiveness for one's sins, not that it will protect someone from sinning altogether. You can even beg people to not do the sins that you yourself do, if you believe they are wrong. Oh, and I am sure James will post further on this if it proves to be false.
Permalink The Rock Mountain News says that the accuser has recorded voicemails and a letter from Haggard, and that he had also witnessed Haggard use methamphetamine.
Permalink yaj: Jones has apparently volunteered to take a polygraph. Generally, once these things go public, they sort themselves out pretty quickly. whatever: There is a chasm between not being a saint and having an illegal, adulterous, homosexual affair with a prostitute over a period of three years while loudly denouncing adultery, fornication, whoremongering, and homosexuality. My understanding is that one is expected not only to ask forgiveness for sins but actually repent and stop the sinning.
Permalink My understanding is that one is expected not only to ask forgiveness for sins but actually repent and stop the sinning. So do you think we are going to see a Jimmy Swaggart-style tearful "I have sinned" speech?
Permalink My problem is, I *want* this to be true, b/c it's my pet theory that the loudest & most obnoxious sexual puritans are those with the most to hide. So I am going to be good & remain agnostic, as it were, until we hear something more definite.
Permalink Not that I can imagine an NBC affiliate running with an unsubstantia...
|
http://csua.com/feed/