...shouldn't we wait for this to unfold further before we start gloating and finger-pointing? I mean, c'mon folks: with Mark Foley we at least had documentary evidence of his behavior. All we have with Haggard is the word of a self-admitted prostitute. And while he claims that "...he has recorded voicemails and a letter from Haggard, and that he had also witnessed Haggard use methamphetamine," we have yet to hear these voicemails or see this letter and I, for one, am little inclined to believe the meth use allegations until I've seen that hard evidence of his sexual behavior.

Having grown up in the evangelical culture, I'm sure it's true that "Haggard has been preaching against homosexuality with his typical charismatic fire-and-brimstone fervor ever since he founded New Life Church in Colorado Springs. Probably even before then." But I'm hardly willing to assume that "he knows where he's headed" until we have all the facts.

Let's not get all Republican on Haggard just yet, friends and neighbors. The last thing the left needs is to start crowing about Haggard's downfall before we're sure. If Haggard's accuser is proved to be lying our premature schadenfreude just might come back to bite us on the ass.

i dont think so - doesnt his taste run for those on the younger end of the minor barricade?

if rush is gay - and i'm sure there is a very large possibility of this - its children im sure he'd rather be doing than james dobson

"Focus on your own damned family!"

Can it be that their violent crusade against the "homosexual agenda" is but an effort to atone for and cast out what they see to be their own demon, and a reaction to their failure to "overcome" their own sexuality?

Of course not. After all, there's nothing to overcome - its a simple choice to be gay, right?

Oh, yeah, that's right, I guess its not. My bad...

This was the guy who appeared in the documentary "Jesus Camp," right?

If this turns out to be true, can only shake my head and smile.

Ted Haggard, join the march of the hypocrites.

For those interested in learning the depths to which this guy stooped to demonize members of the LGBT community, see www.harpers.org/SoldiersOfChrist.html

"He would never carry on a three-year affair knowing how visible he is."

why not? visibility didn't stop jimmy swaggert or other high-profile religious people who had affairs or engaged in otherwise inappropriate (for their church/faith) sexual activity.

in psychology, there's something called a reaction formation, which essentially is railing against that which you secretly love or participate in, or wish to.

why not? visibility didn't stop jimmy swaggert or other high-profile religious people who had affairs or engaged in otherwise inappropriate (for their church/faith) sexual activity.

Because those were one-time failures that they got caught at. This guy is alleging a three-year affair. No, I'm sorry, but only a stupid person would do that, and even if you disagree with Haggard, he's anything but stupid.

Because those were one-time failures that they got caught at. This guy is alleging a three-year affair. No, I'm sorry, but only a stupid person would do that, and even if you disagree with Haggard, he's anything but stupid.

He wouldn't be the first intelligent powerful man to be brought down by his sexual urges. So, if you think I'm gullible for beliving that it's entirely possible that this guy had this affair, let's see what else has happened since the accusation was made. Well, he resigned from being the head of his church. He resigned as the President of the National Association of Evangelicals as well, permanently. A press conference by church leaders to support Haggard was cancelled shortly before it was scheduled to take place. One would think that fellow church leaders would leap at the opportunity to speak out against a false accusation against one of their own...

Why isn't Haggard threatening a lawsuit against this accuser if he's just lying? Why isn't he thundering his innocence from the pulpit, on the radio, in interviews, and so forth. Are you seriously saying that any random person can come out and accuse a leader of a super-powerful church of having an affair with him, and that leader will make a few weak denials and resign all his leadership positions? Now, who's really gullible here?

I just saw this article from the Denver Post on HuffPost about Ted Haggard stepping down as president of the National Association of Evangelicals.

http://www.denverpost.com/ci_4588998?source=email

Btw, the word "sustentative" in my last post should have been "substantive". My bad.

Mike Jones, the man who claims to be Ted Haggard's former prostitute, has voice messages and an envelope (which may contain viable DNA in the seal). He's also spent months trying to get the media to listen to him. It wasn't his idea to spring this so close to Colorado voting on a piece of hate legislation. And what does Jones have to gain if it's all a hoax? Nothing. In fact, he would have to be insane to make this claim if it wasn't true.

Meanwhile, Haggard's just resigned as president of the National Association of Evangelicals and stepped down from his position as minister. That's Step Number Two in managing the developing revelations. Step Number One was denial. Now that evidence is coming forward, we're on our way to Step Number Three, also known as "rehab". Then, once he's an openly gay man, he'll wonder why he wasted all those years perpetuating hatred and bigotry instead of just living his life like a normal person.

All of us who accepted reality at the beginning of the Foley scandal are accepting it again here. And we'll be right again. Don't those of you who put your faith -- literally! -- in these hypocrites ever feel, gee, I don't know, foolish?

It's required in the church's bylaws until a church investigation by its governing board can be completed. Says so right in the Denver Post article y'all seem to not be reading.