News & Politics - Evangelical leader quits amid male escort's allegations

TokyoNiGHTS · 11-03-2006, 08:00 AM

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The president of the National Association of Evangelicals resigned Thursday after accusations by a male prostitute that the pastor paid him for sex over three years.

The Rev. Ted Haggard said he also is temporarily stepping aside from the pulpit of his church in Colorado Springs pending an internal investigation by the church.

The church official who temporarily has assumed Haggard's post said late Thursday that there has been "some admission of guilt," but not to all of the allegations. He did not give any more details.

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In 2005, Time magazine put Haggard on its list of the 25 most influential evangelical leaders, noting his participation in a weekly conference call with White House staffers and other religious leaders.

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The Rev. Ross Parsley, now the church's acting senior pastor, told reporters Thursday night that Haggard has made a partial admission after the allegations surfaced on a Denver radio station. "There has been some admission of indiscretion, not an admission to all of the material that has been discussed, but there is an admission of some guilt," said Parsley, the New Life Church associate senior pastor.

Evangelical�leader quits�amid male escort's allegations - CNN.com

Here's a guy leading the fight against homosexuality and gay marriage all the while hiring male escorts to have sex with him. Makes you wonder how many other people like him there are out there.

ceilirose · 11-03-2006, 08:10 AM

Last night Haggard was saying it was an election year ploy, he's always been faithful to his wife, never took drugs, etc. etc., etc

I thought it was odd that he resigned rather than take a leave of absence until the charges were investigated. Now I heard this morning that they can identify his voice on his voice mail messages to the male prostitute.

TokyoNiGHTS · 11-03-2006, 12:41 PM

He's admitting that once he contacted this male prostitute but only to get meth which he claims he threw away after. He shouldn't have even bothered coming up with that story, its absolitely laughable.

chicah · 11-03-2006, 03:08 PM

Too sad. This is what happens when you are forced to suppress your sexuality, you wound up hating it because you just refuse to realize that's who you are.

Just look at how many pedophily-cases there have been in church and other places and how some sect leaders brainwash their churchgoers and have sex with them.
If you are open about sexual orientation, sex and other things like that in your home everyone are happy.

S.A.S.H.A. · 11-03-2006, 06:04 PM

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Here's a guy leading the fight against homosexuality and gay marriage all the while hiring male escorts to have sex with him. Makes you wonder how many other people like him there are out there.

That's what I found most interesting about this story.

Sasha

Jacob1983 · 11-03-2006, 10:56 PM

The accuser failed a polygraph.

ceilirose · 11-04-2006, 12:57 AM

It's sad for the people who truly followed him and his church but the guy is a true hypocrite. Campaigning against gay marriage but seeing gay hookers? Buying meth? Are we really supposed to believe he bought it but never used it?

Haggard's story has changed about 4 times in the last 48 hours or so. I don't know what his story will be by Sunday but it will probably an interesting one.

Nayden-fan868 · 11-04-2006, 02:17 AM

I was watching that thing about him on Dateline or Nightline...something like that tonight and that guy is really crazy.

How are you going to say "I bought meth but I threw it away" who's he trying to fool

Ms. Fiction · 11-04-2006, 11:56 AM

I just heard about this. I think it’s hilarious, I don’t know if he did all the stuff he is accused of doing but either way I think it’s funny. Just because someone is anti-gay marriage doesn’t mean they are anti-gay. I’m anti-gay marriage and I don’t have a problem with gay people, I just can’t give them the title of marriage.

Jacob1983 · 11-04-2006, 02:01 PM

I don't know what to think about this story. I do think that it is possible for a person to buy drugs and then feel guilty about it and get rid of the drugs without using them. I mean I'm sure there have been a lot of people that have bought guns because they wanted to kill a person but they couldn't go through with murdering someone because they knew it was wrong. I think the preacher probably has a problem and needs some counseling. Then again the accuser doesn't really seem that credible in my opinion. From what I've heard, it sounds like the accuser is just trying to make the preacher guy's life a living Hell.

I think that's one stereotype that people get if they don't support gay marriage. If a person doesn't support gay marriage, then they are automatically homophobic. I think that's a bad stereotype. I'm personally against gay marriage but I don't hate gay people. I think if gay marriage was legalized then you might as well go ahead and legalize polygamy.

TokyoNiGHTS · 11-04-2006, 02:30 PM

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Originally Posted by Jacob1983 (View Post)

From what I've heard, it sounds like the accuser is just trying to make the preacher guy's life a living Hell.

Something that really isn't all that different from what Evangelists do to homosexuals.

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Originally Posted by Jacob1983 (View Post)

I think if gay marriage was legalized then you might as well go ahead and legalize polygamy.

How is that comparable?

Jacob1983 · 11-04-2006, 02:41 PM

I'm saying that if gay people want to get married then why aren't polygamists coming out and demanding that they have the right to legally take part in polygamy. I'm against gay marriage and polygamy but I think if you legalize one of them then you might as well make them both legal.

Not all clergymen are gay haters.

I personally have never known a preacher that went out of his way to make homosexuals' lives a living Hell. I think the media portrays preachers and evangelists as bigots and that's not always true.
Just because you're against gay marriage doesn't necessarily mean you're a gay hater or homophobic. What about cigarette smoking? A lot of people are against that but does that mean they hate smokers?

TokyoNiGHTS · 11-04-2006, 02:47 PM

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Originally Posted by Jacob1983 (View Post)

I'm saying that if gay people want to get married then why aren't polygamists coming out and demanding that they have the right to legally take part in polygamy. I'm against gay marriage and polygamy but I think if you legalize one of them then you might as well make them both legal.

I'm asking how is that comparable? How is getting married to 1 person cmoparable to getting married to multiple partners?

Not all clergymen are gay haters.

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Originally Posted by Jacob1983 (View Post)

I personally have never known a preacher that went out of his way to make homosexuals' lives a living Hell. I think the media portrays preachers and evangelists as bigots and that's not always true.

It's not? I wouldn't have much problem digging up some quotes from some well known evangelicals to dispute that. Such comments as homosexuals (among other gruops) were the cause of 9/11 or Katrina ect.

Jacob1983 · 11-04-2006, 03:12 PM

I compared gay marriage to polygamy because they are both currently illegal and frowned upon in many parts of America yet supporters of each group want it to be legal. I'm just suprised that there aren't any polygamy supporters coming out and saying that polygamy should be legalized if gay marriage is.

I was trying to say that I've never been to a church service where the preacher had a message about homosexuals. In the church services that I have been to, homosexuality is hardly ever brought up. I have been to churches that are pretty tolerant. My dad is a precher and he never preaches about gays. And my dad is definately not a gay hate either. And I've never ever heard my dad say in a sermon that gay people will go to Hell because they're gay.
Christians and Christianity get stereotyped as being racist and anti-gay. And it's wrong. Not all Christians are like that.

It's pretty easy in my opinion to bash and criticize the church when you don't really know that much about it.

ceilirose · 11-04-2006, 04:17 PM

Haggard has already admitted to buying meth twice and getting massages. He was/is one of the leaders against gay marriage. In fact if he did buy meth I don't see why he can't have charges brought against him.

It's pretty bad politically for the Republicans/Conservatives for it to come out now. But I think that some religious conservatives attached themselves to Republicans to get their agenda passed and some Republicans used them to get elected. It's sad for the people who are true believers but it's good that the truth is coming out now. I never really saw the partnership as being all that truthful anyway.


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