"Undermining my electoral viability since 2001."

Evangelical Leader Likes To Party With Tina

Ted Haggard, leader of the biggest Evangelical Church in America, and a regular chit-chatter with President Boosh (good background from Harpers magazine), apparently likes to get high on meth and down with male prostitutes:

The accusations were made by Mike Jones, 49, of Denver, who said he decided to go public because of the political fight over the amendments.

"I just want people to step back and take a look and say, 'Look, we're all sinners, we all have faults, but if two people want to get married, just let them, and let them have a happy life,"' said Jones, who added that he isn't working for any political group.

Jones, who said he is gay, said he was also upset when he discovered Haggard and the New Life Church had publicly opposed same-sex marriage.

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

Jones 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, who snorted methamphetamine before their sexual encounters to heighten his experience.

This is going to be a hard thing for a lot of people to deal with, and it's too bad this guy's life is probably ruined now, that his family's going to be all weirded out. Still, I find it hard not to appreciate the irony, especially considering I think what Haggard was doing with his life previously was destructive to society.

Someday, when we as human beings cease to be sheep and blind-believers in significant number, this sort of thing is going to stop being so surprising. Those who thunder hardest against what they consider sin and vice are usually battling some internal discrepancy in themselves.

Responses

I suspect, at least from the article, that the allegations Haggard admitted to were probably crystal-meth related. Though, of course, I wouldn't be surprised if he was a haggardly heaving bottom.

The response from one of his parishioners about it being political...

HA!

I love that refrain, from whatever quarter. Of course it's political, you dolt. It always is. And, unlike the Foley thing, there's not even a whiff of irresponsibility or illegality in sitting on the information until an opportune time arises. As long as it's true, of course.

I think "massage" might mean "he blew me." Or it could be the old "if you're on top it doesn't mean you're gay" thing.

And why in God's name would you buy $200 worth of meth from some stranger if you never used? Curiosity? That just doesn't wash.

FWIW, crystal and gay sex are about as popular a combo as peanut butter and chocolate in NYC and San Fran. Dunno about Denver.

A rampant conservative I know said yesterday that Haggard needed to go anyway because he believed in global warming and giving priority to anti-poverty work.

So even if he did get an oral massage, there were people who wanted him out anyway.

I still can't believe he went the "I didn't inhale" route. If it's not believable from good ol' Bill, it ain't gonna be believable from Tim Haggard. At least he didn't put the two together and say "I did not inhale that man's cock."

"Those who thunder hardest against what they consider sin and vice are usually battling some internal discrepancy in themselves."

you got something to tell us about your inner conservative demons...about your secret desire to be The Man...

Well, if you're talking to me, there is no "inner conservative." I'm definitely more conservative than my age cohort, especially here in New York City. I'm definitely not a progressive of Josh's stripe, nor a stereotypical "New York Liberal." Of course I'm also not as conservative as my cohort in my home state of Georgia (or most people in Georgia).

Generally I'm fiscally conservative and socially liberal, and I flirted with the Libertarian party for some time until I realized that no matter how much of their philosophy I felt sympathetic towards, they were completely nuts.

In fact, this election season, my vote is going to be split evenly between Democrats and Republicans. Unfortunately there were no strong candidates in third parties for whom to vote.

And "sexually immoral."

I feel a lot of sympathy towards him and his congregation. Him because there are millions of Americans who would have accepted him for what he is with no reservation. His congregation because many of them are a part of the millions of Americans who would force people to be what they aren't.

you got something to tell us about your inner conservative demons... about your secret desire to be The Man...

Oh man. You know I really want to be the man. I mean, the best thing I've done lately is officiate a wedding. How much more "the man" does it get than that? Just wait until I have a compound and 15 child-brides...

I feel a lot of sympathy towards him and his congregation. Him because there are millions of Americans who would have accepted him for what he is with no reservation. His congregation because many of them are a part of the millions of Americans who would force people to be what they aren't.

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