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Haggard stepping down amid gay affair inquiry
Denver Post ^ | 11-2-06 | Denver Post

Posted on 11/02/2006 2:45:28 PM PST by dogbyte12

The leader of one of Colorado's most popular mega-churches, Ted Haggard, is temporarily stepping down from his leadership role, after allegations from a male prostitute that Haggard solicited gay sex.

Haggard, the founder and senior leader of the 14,000-member New Life Church in Colorado Springs and president of the multimillion- member National Association of Evangelicals, denied the accusations raised by the prostitute on Wednesday.

Today, a press conference by church leaders to support Haggard was cancelled shortly before it was scheduled to take place.

In stepping down, it was emphasized that Haggard did not admit any wrongdoing, but that he felt his effectiveness would be hampered by the cloud of inquiry.

Male escort Mike Jones of Denver told 9News he'd had a three-year sexual business relationship with Haggard.

Jones went public about their alleged relationship Wednesday morning on talk radio.

"People may look at me and think what I've done is immoral, but I think I had to do the moral thing in my mind and that is expose someone who is preaching one thing and doing the opposite behind everybody's back," Jones told 9News.

The station spoke to Haggard outside his home in Colorado Springs, and he fervently denied the allegations. Haggard is married and has five children.

"I've never had a gay relationship with anybody. ... I am steady with my wife. I'm faithful to my wife. I don't know if this is election-year politics or if this has to do with the marriage amendment or what it is," Haggard said.

The Denver Post could not reach Haggard for comment.

Haggard has been one of the major proponents for a state constitutional ban on gay marriage.


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: atheistsareobsolete; christianity; colorado; homosexualagenda; religion; religionisobsolete; tedhaggard
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To: tioga

We do all sin. All of us. It is like an archer looking for a bullseye, and missing the mark. We pick up another arrow, and we aim ourselves the right way again.


41 posted on 11/02/2006 3:11:53 PM PST by dogbyte12
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To: cccp_hater
Seems to me he owes his supporters the truth and nothing else.

Shallow, sightsighted thinking. The kind of thinking that got us gay marrage and abortion on demand.

IF, IF, this is true it will impact th election here in CO.

He OWES those of us he has hurt (IF IF it's true) and he needs to pay ANY PRICE to minimize the impact on this election.

ANY PRICE

42 posted on 11/02/2006 3:13:36 PM PST by Balding_Eagle (God has blessed Republicans with political enemies who are going senile.)
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To: Cedric
May be. If not, we should still be thankful that the Lord is exposing hypocrisy in the body. First Paul Cain (leader of the health and wealth gospel), then Paul Cain (founder of the "prophetic" ministry) and now Haggard (who is a leader in the five fold "covering" movement, John Bevere is one of his members.

All are representative of the popular modern charismatic movement which is long overdue for a purging and purifying that it might become a tree that bears fruit for the Lord. We should of course pray for Haggard's restoration.

We're going to see more and more of this as this age draws to a close I believe.

Heb 12:25-29

25 See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens." 27 The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken-that is, created things-so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our "God is a consuming fire."
(from New International Version)
43 posted on 11/02/2006 3:14:07 PM PST by streetpreacher (What if you're wrong?)
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To: AlGone2001
I seriously doubt this is true.

Why is it so hard to believe that preachers and politicians are any different from the general population? Some of them like gay sex!

44 posted on 11/02/2006 3:14:27 PM PST by vox humana
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Comment #45 Removed by Moderator

To: dogbyte12

the timing of this has absolutely nothing to do win the election being next week /sarc.


46 posted on 11/02/2006 3:15:13 PM PST by balch3
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To: BurbankKarl
Says he went to Oral Roberts...

Are you saying a second Fred Garvin has emerged?

47 posted on 11/02/2006 3:16:31 PM PST by Diddle E. Squat
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To: balch3

It has everything to do with the election. I watched a Denver newscast online. This prostitute came to the Denver Post two months ago. They researched his claims, believed him, and then came out with this 5 days before the vote on same sex marriages. Politics has everything to do with it.

That being said, IF and I repeat IF, a minister of a congregation of 14,000 is paying a gay hooker for sex, it is news.


48 posted on 11/02/2006 3:16:44 PM PST by dogbyte12
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To: dogbyte12
There are levels of sin though. Sin is much more than missing the mark. It is a deliberate choice. It is a deep level of depravity that would cause a man to engage in a homosexual affair (of course Haggard is innocent until proven otherwise). It is not on par with stubbing one's toe and saying "damn".
49 posted on 11/02/2006 3:19:25 PM PST by streetpreacher (What if you're wrong?)
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To: dogbyte12

it's nobody's business but the congregation and his family. That the MSM and RATS are trying to influence the election with this is despicable, but not surprisng. They'll stop at nothing.


50 posted on 11/02/2006 3:19:54 PM PST by balch3
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To: dogbyte12
I suspect that a long term homosexual relationship while married with children and professing to be Jesus' representative to a congregation.....well, this guy has committed a mortal sin and needs to worry about his salvation. He has done more then to merely sin or miss the mark. He has serious issues that he needs to clear up with God himself.

A venial sin like laziness or gluttony, yes we get up and move on. This is far more consequential than that.

He didn't just miss the target, he deliberately with forethought and full knowledge committed a serious sin that hurts his church and his family.

Sorry to sound preachy, but he is God's shepherd.....he should be held to higher standards.
51 posted on 11/02/2006 3:22:39 PM PST by tioga
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To: streetpreacher
There are levels of sin though. Sin is much more than missing the mark. It is a deliberate choice. It is a deep level of depravity that would cause a man to engage in a homosexual affair (of course Haggard is innocent until proven otherwise). It is not on par with stubbing one's toe and saying "damn".

Exactly.

52 posted on 11/02/2006 3:22:43 PM PST by The Ghost of FReepers Past (Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light..... Isaiah 5:20)
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To: balch3

Gotta disagree with you. It's like when Jesse Jackson, or Al Sharpton, or Jerry Falwell, or Pat Robertson, or Dr. Dobson say something, they are political ministers. So is Haggard. He has a weekly conference call with the White House. It's as fair game for these folks as for any other politician. They should at least be held to the same standards as politicians. They are ministers for pete's sake.


53 posted on 11/02/2006 3:23:50 PM PST by dogbyte12
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To: The Ghost of FReepers Past

Gotta disagree. If he truly repented now, truly repented if guilty of this sin, those sins would be washed away.


54 posted on 11/02/2006 3:24:59 PM PST by dogbyte12
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To: dogbyte12

Of course, he may indeed be innocent. Time will tell.


55 posted on 11/02/2006 3:25:04 PM PST by tioga
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To: The Ghost of FReepers Past

So, God grades sin on the "curve"?


56 posted on 11/02/2006 3:27:18 PM PST by Cedric
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To: tioga

He doesn't have time. He resigned from his church, the NAE, and they canceled the press conference to support him. He's guilty in the eyes of the public. If he's innocent, he has made all the wrong moves to show that.


57 posted on 11/02/2006 3:28:16 PM PST by bahblahbah
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To: bahblahbah
Who writes letters to their gay prostitute?

What, you never heard of a "Dear John" letter? Oh, that's a letter FROM their gay prostitute...
58 posted on 11/02/2006 3:28:47 PM PST by Stone Mountain
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To: dogbyte12
Gotta disagree. If he truly repented now, truly repented if guilty of this sin, those sins would be washed away.

Well, you can't be disagreeing since you are not addressing what the post actually said. God will forgive even deep depravity if a person truly turns away from it...but if he is guilty, he no longer fits the qualifications to be a pastor as taught in scripture. He has disqualified himself. And he would have biblically released his wife from her marriage vows. And he would still suffer earthly consequences and shame. A true repenter will suffer all of these consequences with grace -- knowing they are just consequences that serve as a deterrent to others.

And a repenter would not lie about it. So if he is guilty of this great depravitiy, he is also guilty of lying about it right now. That's not a repentent soul who lies to cover up his sin.

Let's just hope it isn't true.

59 posted on 11/02/2006 3:31:43 PM PST by The Ghost of FReepers Past (Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light..... Isaiah 5:20)
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To: streetpreacher

That's a great point...you just don't step out of a committed, godly marriage and into a homosexual relationship without taking many small steps of rebellion which lead (eventually) to something like this. Adultery starts with lust. (And some people think flirting is always harmless...)


60 posted on 11/02/2006 3:31:56 PM PST by Bat_Chemist (Ecclesiastes 10:2, NIV)
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