Holy Jesus!
 

Haggard leaves posts amid gay-sex scandal...

Former male escort says he, pastor had 3-year relationship.

A Colorado Springs-based giant of the conservative Christian movement, with direct access to President Bush, stepped down Thursday as leader of the National Association of Evangelicals in the wake of allegations by a former male escort that the two had a three-year sexual relationship.

The Rev. Ted Haggard also took leave as senior pastor of the 14,000-member New Life Church he founded in his living room in 1985.Haggard said in a statement he could "not continue to minister under the cloud created by the accusations."

He said he would step down to allow the church to carry out an investigation and so that he could "seek both spiritual advice and guidance." His three-paragraph statement contained no denial of the allegations by 49-year-old Mike Jones, of Denver.

Jones, a bodybuilder and personal trainer, went public with a general claim of a sexual affair with a prominent pastor on Peter Boyles' morning talk show on KHOW radio Wednesday, but neither he nor Haggard was identified. KUSA's 9News first reported Haggard's and Jones' names Wednesday night.

Haggard, 50, initially denied the allegations, telling 9News Wednesday night that "I've never had a gay relationship with anybody, and I'm steady with my wife. I'm faithful to my wife."

But KKTV in Colorado Springs reported that New Life Associate Senior Pastor Ross Parsley told a meeting of church elders Thursday night that Haggard had met with the church's overseers earlier in the day and "had admitted to some indiscretions."

Developing...

No big surprise to those who know the nature of hypocrisy.

Another one bites the dust - He'll be back in a couple years and the same people who followed him will be falling all over themselves to give him their money.
Sick, sick is what it is. All these guys who say they are preaching the word of GOD are just in it for the money - period.

As exciting as the story is to you, there was really no need to blaspheme.

"Blaspheme"? Who? What? Where?

This should knock the Kerry fiasco out of the headlines, anyway.

Praise the Lord and pass the Astro-Glide?

Or reason not to.

Other than simple respect and courtesy, which vanishes whenever someone gets a chance to mock faith. What if the title was, "Hypocrite fags hang one of their own out to dry"? After all, it's considered reprehensible to out someone against their will. Such a title would be seen (rightfully so) as not only unnecessarily rude, but would be roundly denounced as an unfair judgement of an entire group of people over the actions of one, or a few.

It's only 2 words, but the context is loaded with mockery and derision for a large group of people who don't deserve it. Stealing a page from the judgemental Jesus freaks when it suits us, eh?

Being disrespectful towards others doesn't generally encourage special treatment in return.

When have I been disrespectful on this issue? When did simple courtesy become special treatment? At any rate, your post doesn't answer mine, it strengthens my argument.

I don't believe in blasphemy.

I don't believe in tree spirits, but I don't mock them out of respect for the pagans on this board.

This kind of thing is wrong, and every attempt to make it not wrong looks increasingly simpleminded.

Tree spirits are a dumb idea.

But at least they're frequently drawn as seminude attractive women.

Just hope, HM, that the tree spirits either don't think you are a dumb idea, or have already gone to their winter's rest.

blasphemy is mrnoodle's asshole button