The weekend of Ted Haggard's self-destruction, the inevitable result of his choosing not to live the fact of his sexuality with honesty and decency, is the same weekend when Neil Patrick Harris, a beloved television performer who's most recently the breakout star of a hit sticom where he plays a womanizing heterosexual, announces that he's "a very content gay man living my my life to the fullest" in order to correct his own publicist's denial of his true sexual orientation and to confirm his loving relationship with actor David Burtka.

So what are the children of Republicans to take away from all this? If they're gay, the answer is obvious: which one of these two would you most want to grow up to be? If they're straight, they have to ask themselves what they want from gay people: do you want to be deceived by them while they eke out a miserable existence or do you want them to be honest with you while they live life to the fullest -- which can't possibly negatively impact you and can only ultimately benefit everyone?

Neil Patrick Harris is instantly a hero to millions. Ted Haggard will never be a hero to anyone. Harris' work enriches peoples' lives. Haggard will never work in his chosen field again. Harris will spend tonight with a loving, equal partner. Haggard will have to face the wife he's spent decades deceiving and whose life he's ruined.

Haggard is the long-dead past. Harris is the present. Here's to an even better future.

Such Christian forgiveness for one of their own who has "fallen from grace". Such a sense of "we accept you, Ted, wharts and all...". Too bad this sense of acceptance doesn't extend to all of God's creatures, whether gay or straight. As for the notion that the gay community will harden its heart toward evangelicals, pul-leese. Imagine the peels of laughter arising if an ultra-right European wondered aloud why Muslims don't like them.

In the mainstream media, Kerry's garbled joke about bushit's hideous war policy is of equal weight with the perversion of one of Widdle georgie's spiritual advisors, who had a once-a-week conference call with the White House. If you like pointless death and "religious" perversion, vote republikan.

It's all well and good for the members of his flock to talk about forgiveness and redemption, but when I look back over years and years of preachers being accused of various and sundry illicit activities, I can't remember a single one who actually came forward on his own to admit to transgressing.

Instead, every single one of them was first accused, then denied the allegations, then belatedly admitted to some wrongdoing, and only then asked for forgiveness. Wouldn't it be refreshing to see one of these guys admit sin and seek help and forgiveness all on their own?

Pastor Ted's people still seem to believe everything he said. They are not "considering the source" at all. Heaven help us!

Ritter is running for Governor. The former lieutenant colonel you referred to is Jay Fawcett, our next congressman.

What about this Mike Jones? He needs equal time from the media on this little drama. If I read the snippits correctly, he wanted it known that he was loved of God and deserving of a certain bit of regard as are his alternately sexed brothers and sisters. What a novel idea. Bravo to you, Mike Jones.

haggard is yet confused and sorely. his guilt is of lying, hypocrisy and cowardice. to equate same-sex desire with immorality is the rank stunt of a reprobate and dissembler, the continuation of his seething delight in his own misperception of the naughty secret. fucking grow up. rarely is it necessary or suitable to make a pronouncement of one's sexual identity unless it is in context of making sex by which point it is likely understood already. no person of hetersexual bent ever felt need to volunteer what would be incidental information to me and i intend to return the courtesy. i am no more proud nor ashamed of being gay than i am of my love of cairn terriers or citroen automobiles, and my disdain of hateful ignorance and cheap shoes. the thing is what it is. any salacious or prurient context is the inferrence of the fatuous, bored and simple-minded. a better future will be devoid of the discussion as it will be empty of those optional questions of demographics on employment applications. i'm here, i'm a human being and i'm not going away.

I know a family of evangelicals with five children. Two are gay, both ended up with severe problems after being subjected to anti gay talk week after week in church while growing up, and when they came out of the closet (not at the same time) they were both kicked out of the house.

Mrs. Haggard might be well advised to think alot about love. Homosexuality runs in families, you know.

Of not being honest with himself, that is. All the talk of "darkness welling up" is as usual; atrociously misleading and implying the standard victimization ploy by homosexuality and homosexual urges being "dark" and beyond control. I can't believe his wife’s statement either, sure it got a standing ovation but who is the biggest fool? Herself, her congregation or the Lord itself? Haggard is guilty of sexuality, pray for him if you must but pray for what's really wrong with him. He has never been able to accept himself and he appears to have set up a lifetime’s worth of fortification to deny what is obvious. I never really saw this guy or paid any attention to him before but after seeing some interview clips who the Hell couldn't tell this guy was the biggest closet queen this side of the Mississippi?

Oh - my - GAWD!!!!

The bigger question is: What the heck did Haggard do to piss off his boyfriend enough to bring him down?

So, Ted apparently tried over the years to conquer the darkness within (e.g. his homosexual nature) and it didn't take. Well, no shit. No doubt he will keep trying, as his flock and religion will demand,and therefore will never truly lead a contented life. The best thing that could happen is for his wife to wake up and realize she married a gay man and for Ted to get on with his life and not deny who he is.