The Fall of Ted Haggard

Just like before - another religious liar has destroyed himself, for our benefit. His name is Ted Haggard and for the benefit of us Europeans here's a run down of who he is, and what he had:

1) He had a congregation of 14,000 Evangelical Christians. And was President of the New Evangelical Church - with 30 million members.
2) He "believes" the bible is literally true. And a final authority. Noah's flood happened. Evolution is nonsense. The earth is 6000 years old.
3) He had a phone call with President Bush - Every Monday. Roll that around on your tongue. A weekly conversation with the President of the USA. There are entire countries that get less time than that.
4) Because a really old book says so he "believes" being Gay is a true sin. And fought violently against the right for people of the same sex to marry.

This is his meeting with Richard Dawkins. Despite Dawkin's inability to interview, this is damn insightful.


If you are American you probably know this, if your not then it's doubtful you have heard that this man who fights to limit how people can live out their private lives, this man who fights for intelligent design to be taught in school, who believes the Bible is literal truth, who believes that a man putting his penis into another man sends the all powerful ruler of the universe into a rage. A rage so great he would destroy cities.

Is Gay.

(And a drug user).

Heres what the Daily show had to say about it:


Which sums it up nicely. But I want to add something. It is true that this is a beautifully poignant event that helps "our cause" no end. As Jimmy Kimmel mentions - anyone who truely hates something, who sees something as truely evil, do so because they see it in themselves.

But that isn't the bigger picture. Most Preachers who hate gay people won't be gay (though no doubt the ratio is far above average). What's important is this man preached what he did not believe. He lied to his flock, and himself. And that, I believe, is far more common. I think the majority of Preachers do doubt there teachings, and it is this that makes them all the more fanatical.

This is a sad man, whose religion denied him a honest life, held him back from who he was, and taught him to do the same to others. This man's faith is his chains.

This is his quote of admission:

I am so sorry for the circumstances that have caused shame and embarrassment for all of you....The fact is I am guilty of sexual immorality, and I take responsibility for the entire problem. I am a deceiver and a liar. There is a part of my life that is so repulsive and dark that I've been warring against it all of my adult life....The accusations that have been leveled against me are not all true, but enough of them are true that I have been appropriately and lovingly removed from ministry. — Ted Haggard, letter to New Life Church"

There is a part of your life that is repulsive and dark, Mr Haggard, and you have been warring against it all of your adult life, but it isn't a sexual desire that seen in almost all mammals, it's a religion that taught you it was wrong.