The nation’s most influential evangelical leader Rev Ted Haggard has stepped down from his pulpit pending internal investigation of his alleged three year old paid sexual relationship with a gay male escort. Mike Jones, the male escort who spoke with radio and TV stations about his relationship with Haggard, said that he knew him as "Art" and that the minister liked to take crystal meth to heighten sexual enjoyment. Not any of this is anyone else’s business nor is any of this yet proven. This would not have made national news had Haggard not been an influential religious leader who has the ear of the White House and preaches against gay marriage.
Some suspect that Jones’ allegations are politically motivated because they came just before the elections in which a gay marriage is on the Colorado ballot in the form of Amendment 43 which defines marriage a valid relationship only between a man and a woman. Haggard supports the amendment. Rev Haggard who is married with five children, has denied that he has "ever" had a homosexual relationship. But the acting senior pastor Ross Parsley of New Life, Haggard’s church, told KKTV-TV of Colorado Springs without further elaboration that "Haggard admitted some of the accusations were true." Which ones? The sex or the meth? Actually I don’t much care. The only relevant part in this unfolding story in my opinion, is the clout Haggard wields with politicians and the extent to which he can influence social policies, which according to most reports, are both substantial.
"The timing of the disclosure has stirred controversy, coming days before Colorado voters will decide on two measures related to gay rights and marriage. Haggard is a chief supporter of Amendment 43, which would define marriage as only between a man and a woman, and he has taken no position on Referendum I, which would grant domestic- partnership rights to same-sex couples.
Haggard is unquestionably a national figure. Since founding New Life Church in his basement in the 1980s, the son of an Indiana veterinarian has ascended the ranks of evangelical leaders, taking part in White House conference calls, counseling foreign leaders and being named by Time magazine as one of the nation’s 25 most influential evangelicals."
Right wing hypocrisy on matters of sex and marriage is by now a tired old joke. But they carry on doggedly, don’t they? More disturbing than the holier than thou chutzpah of conservative men of sanctimony is the gullibility of the values voters who fall for their shtik again and again. Not just over issues of homosexuality but even in matters of heterosexual relations, the right wingers would like us to "do as they say not as they do."
During a debate of Florida gubernatorial candidates, Republican candidate and front-runner Charlie Crist made the following comment. (via Gawker)
"[T]here was a downright weird exchange when Crist (like Davis and Linn) explained his opposition to gay marriage. Marriage, he said, is a “sacred” relationship — “like I had, before I got divorced.”
Dick Cheney has repeatedly joked about Kerry’s flip flops – his vote on $87 billion for US troops and the recent botched joke ("was for the joke before he was against it."). I wonder if Cheney will add Crist’s gem to his bag of humorous double talk. I dont’ think so. This one involves a Republican and he is talking about the "sanctity of marriage" – not a laughing matter for conservatives around election time!
Accidental Blogger 