Have you seen the HBO documentary, “The Trails of Ted Haggard”? It’s an incredibly sad and disturbing portrait of a man who not so long ago headed the country’s evangelical movement and a 12,000-member church in Colorado.
When I was reporting on religion for the Los Angeles Times, I found it curious how many priests and pastors were closeted gay men. I always thought if those guys all came out of the closet at once, it would change the way the Body of Christ thought about–and dealt with–homosexuals.
But for now, in conservative congregations, a leader who admits to being gay is basically dead to their congregation–unless they are “cured.” HBO documentary shows the disgraced Haggard selling insurance door-to-door to make a living.
And I’m wondering: Where are all the people Haggard helped over the years in ministry? Why wouldn’t one person extend a hand to a national Christian leader who is haunted by his homosexual tendencies? I know they don’t approve of what he did, but what about extending a helping hand and offering him a decent job? Not charity, but a job.
The tortured Haggard obviously has tremendous business skills that could help a variety of businesses. But because he’s gay or bisexual, no one in the Christian world will hire him. What kind of testimony is that?
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12 responses so far ↓
1 kurt // Feb 11, 2009 at 1:08 pm
And then there’s this: http://www.signorile.com/2009/02/more-new-life-church-revelations.html
2 Danny // Feb 11, 2009 at 1:20 pm
It’s been my experience that the more conservative sects, and its members, still practice “shunning of ex-members”. JWs do it, Mormons do it, and of course a lot of fundamentalist churches do it too. It’s a part of the black-and-white mindset of fundamentalism. Once you lose your way, you are now a member of “the others”, and any contact with you might infect the faith of the true believers.
The lack of charity and compassion shown by his former flock is just sad, but understandable since he has bamboozled them before.
3 ProfessorSteve // Feb 11, 2009 at 1:40 pm
I think I basically agree with you. In this area, I think we as Christians have moved away from both the teachings and actions of Jesus.
Two observations: first, in western Christianity, we have a kind of “acceptable” and “unacceptable” list of sins. Gluttony, acceptable. Gossip, acceptable. Homosexuality, not. I could go on, but you get the point. However, before anyone jumps up and down about me listing homosexuality as a sin, it is viewed as such by all standard, historic Christian churches/beliefs, just like gluttony, gossip, adultery, drunkenness, etc. In current western Christianity, divorce is becoming less and less of an issue, so you can be a big, fat divorced heterosexual, but not a thin, married man with homosexual tendencies. We should be consistently accepting and admonishing to all sinners in need of a Savior. Just like Jesus was.
Second point: I am becoming reflexively suspicious of anyone seeking positions of conspicuous leadership. Fame/notoriety/publicity seems to be an almost universal corrupter. Christian leadership and fame don’t sit well together. Maybe this is another of the paradoxes of Christianity: smaller is better. I firmly believe that the best thing for Ted Haggard would be to disappear into anonymity, where he could quietly live out his life of faith and serve his Lord away from the limelight.
God doesn’t need Stars, he desires servants.
4 veganerd // Feb 12, 2009 at 2:59 am
The only reason it is considered a sin by certain christians is because they decided it is. Christians themselves decide the rules of christianity and make up the rules of whatever they want to follow. If you think homosexuality is a sin its because you are homophobic and hiding behind your religion as an excuse. I’m betting there are all kinds of stupid rules your bible dictates but you take it upon yourself to discount them. You can do the same with homosexuality. If you choose not to its because you are a bigot.
5 Craig // Feb 12, 2009 at 5:26 am
Interesting observations!
6 veganerd // Feb 12, 2009 at 10:38 am
Seriously? My comment was deleted! For what? I said nothing that wasn’t true and I certainly wasn’t mean. I didn’t post any adhominem attacks. As a former journalist I’m surprised that you feel the need to moderate speech. I don’t understand it.
7 veganerd // Feb 12, 2009 at 10:47 am
Apparently its back up awaiting moderation again! Maybe it wasn’t your fault! Anyways I still stand by saying that you shouldn’t moderate comments in this manner. It makes it virtually impossible to hold a conversation in response to your posts. Congratulations on making the recent list of atheist blogs. Perhaps you can climb higher on the list by getting rid of this moderation. Take a look at the amount of discussion on pharyngula. Its part of what keeps people going back and a huge reason its #1 on the aforemention list. By all means moderate by banning trolls. But don’t make it so hard to have meaningful discussion. Please consider this.
Thanks
8 ProfessorSteve // Feb 12, 2009 at 11:47 am
Veganerd,
In your first post, you called those who believe homosexuality is a sin (one of many listed in the Bible [Old and New Testaments]) homophobes and bigots.
How does that not qualify as adhominem?
9 veganerd // Feb 12, 2009 at 11:10 pm
calling a person who has biggoted behavior is not an ad hominem attack. i posted an argument against yours. i didnt call you names and say that is what makes you wrong. if i had said youre a stupid christian and that is why youre wrong then you could rightly point out that is an ad hominem. instead i pointed out inconsistencies in what christians believe are sins and that they themselves decide which sins to follow.
for example, how many christians are protesting outside of red lobster? the bible clearly says that eating shellfish is a sin. is there a nationwide campaign to take away peoples rights to dine on king crab and oysters? no they CHOOSE to ignore that rule. when a christian CHOOSES to follow the rule that homosexuality is a sin and use that idea to oppress others rights to marry who they love while telling them they are sinners who are going to hell-this person is engaging in bigoted behavior.
10 Jumper2.0 // Feb 12, 2009 at 11:57 pm
“And I’m wondering: Where are all the people Haggard helped over the years in ministry? Why wouldn’t one person extend a hand to a national Christian leader who is haunted by his homosexual tendencies? I know they don’t approve of what he did, but what about extending a helping hand and offering him a decent job? Not charity, but a job.”
Good question! And why not charity as well? But yes, in the long run, the job would be more beneficial. You reap what you sow, I guess!
11 Tim Stroud // Feb 13, 2009 at 12:10 am
Takes time to earn back trust from people who had been lied to for a long time. Would you stake your own personal reputation on this man so soon? Would you be one of his personal references on his resume?
Give it time.
12 Eauchiche // Feb 13, 2009 at 7:42 am
Good point, Tim. I just read a wikipedia article about Haggard, that makes it sound as though he has not come to full terms yet with his sexuality. If this is true, I would hesitate to hire him as an empoyee, because I would question his integrity. A person who is willing to fabricate their own reality, is someone I would’nt want with my alarm code and a key to my office. This is not because I want to treat him badly. There are many other ways I could help such a person without hiring him.
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