Another preacher sex scandal

[okiebybirth]

(AP) COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. The Rev. Ted Haggard resigned as president of the 30 million-member National Association of Evangelicals on Thursday after being accused of paying a man for sex in monthly trysts over the past three years.

Haggard -- an outspoken opponent of the drive for gay marriage -- also stepped down as senior pastor at his 14,000-member New Life Church pending an investigation by a church panel, saying he could "not continue to minister under the cloud created by the accusations."

Mike Jones, 49, of Denver told the AP he decided to go public with his allegations because of the political fight.

"It made me angry that here's someone preaching about gay marriage and going behind the scenes having gay sex," Jones said.

Jones, whose allegations were first aired on KHOW-AM radio in Denver, claimed Haggard paid him to have sex nearly every month over three years. He said he advertised himself as an escort on the Internet and was contacted by a man who called himself Art.

Haggard, a 1978 graduate of Oral Roberts University who is believed to be about 50, was appointed president of the evangelicals' association in March 2003 and has been called one of the most influential conservative Christians in the nation.

http://cbs4denver.com/local/local_story_306172921.html

[TulsaDavid]

There are those, who from this hour going back to the original inception of God's true church, have always been bad apples and cast a horrid reflection upon the integrity and standard of true Christianity. I'd say I apologize for them, but how can I make right their evil by apologizing on their behalf? They milk and peddle this precious Gospel of Jesus Christ that I love so much for their own greed and corrupt ways.

In a way, I'm glad the media, the secularists and the non-Christian hold Christianity to the high standard it professes by giving hypocrites a run for their money. This is not glee at their expense; it is simple reaping what one sows.

True Christianity demands integrity and honesty, through and through. Even more so from Christian leaders, who one day will give an account for those they influence, whether in truth or in error.

They are wrong and they do not reflect the high mark that Jesus Christ exemplified to mankind. I offer you no excuses for their behavior.

[sgrizzle]

If christians would hold christianity to high standards, the secular public wouldn't have to be involved.

[Conan71]

Where's Aox with one of his National Enquirer pieces to say that Karl Rove and Bush II were watching gay porn with Haggard?

[TulsaDavid]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle If christians would hold christianity to high standards, the secular public wouldn't have to be involved.

Some of us do. Guys like this would never make it into our pulpits. And they probably wouldn't like what they sometimes will hear from the pulpit, especially things that require brutal honesty, the highest integrity and submission to true Biblical principles.

Jesus said that if anyone wanted to be His disciple, they must deny themselves, take up their cross and follow Him. A lot of leaders in Christianity have yet to learn what "NO" means.

[rwarn17588]

I noticed, TulsaDavid, that you used the word "some."

Which indicates, "not a majority," and thus, the nonsecular have to also get involved to expose hypocrisy.

[TulsaDavid]

quote:Originally posted by rwarn17588 I noticed, TulsaDavid, that you used the word "some."

Which indicates, "not a majority," and thus, the nonsecular have to also get involved to expose hypocrisy.

Yup. You noticed right.

That which is done in secret will be shouted from the rooftops.

[okiebybirth]

"Jesus' earthly representatives have a long history of blowing it. First, there is Peter...and then every other disciple follows his lead. From then until now we have all been pretty poor representatives of Jesus. (There are some notable exceptions to the contrary. But that is why they tend to be called saints or heroes of the faith. Gandhi famously said that were it not for the actions of Christians, he might have been one himself.) "
http://www.beliefnet.com/blogs/jwalking/

Haggard deserves pity for the internal hell he must have suffered trying to hide his homosexuality while all along attacking outside the very thing he hated about himself.  He is spiritually and psychologically destroyed by advancing what he knows to be a lie about homsexuality being "chosen".

Hopefully something good will come out of this, but I'm not holding my breath.  Until somone's sexuality is not used as a tool to get people to vote, we will keep seeing these stories and the shame and hurt that go with them.

[TulsaDavid]

There is not an apostle or original New Testament leader that ever "blew it" that way.

Peter denied the Lord three times, but on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out and 120 followers of Jesus Christ were filled with God's Spirit and felt the fire of His presence in their souls, never did they stray or lose integrity like this Haggard guy. He is nothing like Jesus' true earthly representatives.

Sure, Haggard is eligible for God's mercy just as we all are, but he deserves nothing just like we all don't. That's the beauty of God's love and mercy. God became the man Christ Jesus to pay a debt He did not owe, on behalf of us who have owed a debt we cannot pay. But this has nothing to do with our deserving pity. God offers it to us because we could never deserve it. And it all starts with true repentance, i.e., true owning up, confessing of wrongdoing and changing from those sinful practices.

I don't buy into the "born homosexual", and I don't expect to change every mind of those who do. Humans have free will regardless of propensity, and this man chose the iniquity he has practiced. His spiritual and psychological harm is nothing more than the consequences of his own actions, getting busted and being revealed for hypocrite he is and the debauchery he has indulged in. This is not some victim's dilemma or the product of a ruse about homosexuality being "chosen".

Nice try, but people have more power of choice than that lame excuse.

[okiebybirth]

quote:Originally posted by TulsaDavid


I don't buy into the "born homosexual", and I don't expect to change every mind of those who do. Humans have free will regardless of propensity, and this man chose the iniquity he has practiced. His spiritual and psychological harm is nothing more than the consequences of his own actions, getting busted and being revealed for hypocrite he is and the debauchery he has indulged in. This is not some victim's dilemma or the product of a ruse about homosexuality being "chosen".

Nice try, but people have more power of choice than that lame excuse.

Walk in my shoes before you have your proclamation that homosexuality is chosen.  That is my button having someone tell me something which I know from first-hand experience to be false.  But get on your pedestal and preach away David, just know that it rings hollow to people with real life experiences.  I respect you, but I don't respect your message.

The debauchery is that he cheated on his wife, the sadness is that people out there point fingers and make proclamations without really knowing.  I don't need you to "buy in" to anything, just like I will not "buy in" to your beliefs when my own experience has shown me that the hate preached by people like Haggard is immoral.  

Go ahead and preach, I'll tune out.

[papaspot]

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

Where's Aox with one of his National Enquirer pieces to say that Karl Rove and Bush II were watching gay porn with Haggard?

I've go the pics but it's gonna cost ya. []

[papaspot]

quote:Originally posted by TulsaDavid

There is not an apostle or original New Testament leader that ever "blew it" that way.

Okay, was your choice of words there intentional? [}:)]

[okiebybirth]

Haggert interview:

http://wm.kusa.gannett.edgestreams.net/news/1162580559552-11-03-06-haggard-interview-.wmv

[aoxamaxoa]

Agreed except for the fact he was a WHITE HOUSE INSIDER! A meth freak hanging out in the oval office.

What Wisdom Did Haggard Share with Bush Every Monday?
http://www.lastchancedemocracycafe.com/?p=668


"This scandal should wipe the stupid Kerry "joke" news off the face of the earth, especially if they can link Mr. Haggard to Mr. Bush, as this article certainly does."

Actually, this pales in comparison to this treasonous behavior!
"The campaign for the Web site was led by the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Representative Peter Hoekstra of Michigan. Last November, he and his Senate counterpart, Pat Roberts of Kansas, wrote to Mr. Negroponte, asking him to post the Iraqi material. The sheer volume of the documents, they argued, had overwhelmed the intelligence community. "
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/03/world/middleeast/03documents.html?th&emc=th

[aoxamaxoa]

FROM KOS!!!!
"Now I realize that an alleged scandal involving a gay hooker, a Right-wing evangelical leader, and crystal meth is enough to make the Rita Cosby's of the broadcast news world tremble with excitement. But I thought a story about how our illustrious War President and Defender against Terrorism over rode his own weapons security experts at the behest of the Rubber-stamp Republican Congress and posted highly classified, detailed technical tips for making a fission bomb on the Internet might be worth a mention. "

WEEKEND FROM HELL FOR BUSH.....