Ted Haggard scandal

[Ahimsa]

Breaking news:

**Sunday, November 5, 2006

** COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Less than 24 hours after he was fired from the pulpit of the evangelical megachurch he founded, the Rev. Ted Haggard confessed to his followers Sunday that he was guilty of sexual immorality.

In a letter that was read to the congregation of the New Life Church by another clergyman, Haggard apologized for his acts and requested forgiveness. “I am so sorry for the circumstances that have caused shame and embarrassment for all of you,” he said, adding that he had confused the situation by giving inconsistent remarks to reporters denying the scandal.

“The fact is I am guilty of sexual immorality. And I take responsibility for the entire problem. I am a deceiver and a liar. There’s a part of my life that is so repulsive and dark that I have been warring against it for all of my adult life,” he said.

 

[carol_marie]

Hi,
The fact that you brought it up at all is

Actually no - it can be discussed. He is a public figure and it is news, after all. We discuss when a new Priest is accused of wrongdoing so it goes both ways.

Many posters have expressed their sorrow at his apparent sin. We will pray for him and all those involved. It is nothing but sad.

The Pastor who has replaced Haggard was quoted as saying this:
"I am so grateful for the government system in place here at this church. … The speed with which things were dealt with this week has been a testimony to the godliness, to the integrity and authority of the overseers of the board of this church," he said.

I could not agree more. The Catholic Church could learn a thing or two from their example.

 

[exoflare]

cestusdei,

You know I am on your side, but for your own good I’m begging you to let this go. I know it’s hard but please try and offer it up. Seeing this may allow them to discover the plank in their eye, but rubbing more salt in their would just serves no purpose at all. Leave it to God, my friend.

 

[Eliza10]

Might I encourage you, Father, to study the differences between fundamentalists and evangelicals? You routinely use the terms interchangeably, but they are not.
Edwin

Edwin, I think the terms are interchangable - they just aren’t clearly defined for all. Opinions differ, and it depends on who is using them!

Karl Keating wrote Catholicism and Fundamentalism, and in it he defines Fundamentalism as being interchangable with Evangelicalism. I remember that the basis, or one of the basis’ for Keating considering the two terms interchangable was that the Dallas Theological Seminary, from whence come many Evangelical pastors, now considers itself Evangelical, but when founded they considered themselves Fundamentalist. And, then and now, their defining theological beliefs have not changed - only the label of them.

And I don’t think only certain groups can claim sole title to “Evangelist”. Next week in our diocese, Jesse Romero is coming for a conference. He is a “Catholic Evangelist.”

 

[sandmountainsli]

Am I the only person in the world who has never heard of this “Haggard” before?
Until he turned into a John for Homosexual prostitutes I had never heard his name.
WP

 

[ALLFORHIM]

Am I the only person in the world who has never heard of this “Haggard” before?
Until he turned into a John for Homosexual prostitutes I had never heard his name.
WP

Hi,
I had never heard of him either until I saw him on a documentary less then a year ago. I think it was one of those Barbara Walters special about religion. Even when this thread came up I wasnt sure who they were talking about until I saw his picture in the news.

 

[Ahimsa]

Hi,
I had never heard of him either until I saw him on a documentary less then a year ago. I think it was one of those Barbara Walters special about religion. Even when this thread came up I wasnt sure who they were talking about until I saw his picture in the news.

I think the Walters’ special was on various religious ideas of Heaven, and I think I remember Haggard taking the typical fundamentalist/evangelical hard-line approach that no one who isn’t officially Christian in this life will enter into Heaven — though perhaps he phrased it a bit more diplomatically.

 

[WenckebachCath]

Am I the only person in the world who has never heard of this “Haggard” before?
Until he turned into a John for Homosexual prostitutes I had never heard his name.
WP

No you’re not the only one. He must not be totally famous. Never heard of him. But I still don’t know exactly who Karl Keating is, although he seems to have something to do with this website.

 

[Bella3502]

Watch Ted in “Jesus Camp” with young Levi…

Creepy…

very creepy.

 

[Ahimsa]

:bigyikes:

Watch Ted in “Jesus Camp” with young Levi…

Creepy…

very creepy.

 

[Steadfast]

I spoke too soon…

Kudos to those of you who are able to see this in a balanced and charitable way.

To the others, like CestusDei who can only gloat at the downfall of a brother: you deserve everything you get wrt your church hiding and shuffling homosexuals and child molesters in the priesthood.

Everything.

 

[cestusdei]

Please show me on this thread exactly the post where I “gloated”. This is a challenge. Show me clearly where I have gloated or insulted Haggard. Otherwise if you can’t then you owe me an apology.

 

[Saint_Michael]

I spoke too soon…

Kudos to those of you who are able to see this in a balanced and charitable way.

To the others, like CestusDei who can only gloat at the downfall of a brother: you deserve everything you get wrt your church hiding and shuffling homosexuals and child molesters in the priesthood.

Everything.

I’ve been pretty reasoned here as have the vast majority, I do wonder how you can fault Cestusdei, while espousing the vitriol that you do here? Look at this post of yours, you’re blatantly throwing stones which appear to be what you’re mad at Cestusdei for. Compound this with calling Saint Vianney retarded in another thread, and seriously you’re in no position to be calling out others. Most here have been FAR more charitable to Pastor Ted Haggard than any Christian boards have ever been to Catholics, yourself included, you bring the scandal up in most of your posts, including two or three times in this topic alone. Do you do anything other than make noise here? Sorry if if this is uncharitable but hopefully it gets you thinking.

 

[cestusdei]

Still no one can find my “gloating” comments? Although steadfast gives a perfect example of gloating from his side. Please check my posts and show where I gloated.

 

[Karin]

I spoke too soon…

Kudos to those of you who are able to see this in a balanced and charitable way.

To the others, like CestusDei who can only gloat at the downfall of a brother: you deserve everything you get wrt your church hiding and shuffling homosexuals and child molesters in the priesthood.

Everything.

Very nice …nobody from what I have read **especially **CestusDei gloatted about this mans “downfall”…you on the other hand have gloatted …

 

[aurora77]

carol, I was responding to the “lie down with dogs get fleas” remark.

All, I think it is uncharitable to see someone in a collar and shriek “pedophile” at the top of your lungs on a busy street. However, I guess some of you see no problem with it. I, on the other hand, am stuck responding to such things. It is only fair if they bring the issue up to put the ball into their court. Keep in mind, THEY are the ones who bring this stuff up, not me. I refuse to “hide” and not wear my collar. I understand that some guys do and I can’t blame them. But I also won’t let a fundamentalist “hide” from his own scandals if he wants to play that game.

It’s completely uncharitable, but it’s just as uncharitable to use their sex scandals against them. Do you really want to stoop to the level of those who are falsely accusing you? I don’t understand that. As a priest you have a moral responsiblility to take the high road. Jesus ate with sinners, but He sure didn’t act like them!

 

[cestusdei]

So I am acting like a sinner? The quote given contains no gloating. Please, once again, show me exactly where I gloated.

 

[aurora77]

Is it gloating that the next time I am on a plane and a fundamentalist tells me Catholicism is false because of scandals and priests are perverts to say, “well how do you explain Ted Haggard then and what does his situation say about fundamentalism?” I think that is a fair response and would be interested to hear their answer. At the very least it will make them think.

So I am acting like a sinner? The quote given contains no gloating. Please, once again, show me exactly where I gloated.

I never said you were gloating. If anything, it’s a weak, childish argument. Throwing someone’s bad behavior at them and using it to characterize an entire group of people like you say you want to do in the first post here is just as wrong as someone looking at your collar and calling you a pedophile. All I’m saying is that if you act like the people who are being nasty to you, you come off as badly as they do. Take the moral high ground.

 

[SORROWS]

So I am acting like a sinner? The quote given contains no gloating. Please, once again, show me exactly where I gloated.

You are speaking the truth and did not “gloat”. Your posts make a lot of sense, and what you point out is accurate. But we as Catholics are so above that.

STEADFAST:

Your post shows condemnation of the worst kind. If we as Catholics have shown charity with this Haggard fellow, than you should do the same.

How quickly Mr. Haggard was shown the door. Seems to me it was out of sight out of mine. The Catholic Church is a forgiving Church.

 

[carol_marie]

How quickly Mr. Haggard was shown the door. Seems to me it was out of sight out of mine. The Catholic Church is a forgiving Church.

Hang on there. He was removed from his leadership position for admitting to using drugs and having some sort of sexual relationship outside of his marriage.

I applaud the church for removing him. He is in NO position to be leading others when he clearly needs help. I would hardly call it out of sight, out of mind though.

Mr. Haggard has asked for forgiveness - how do you know he didn’t receive it?

I believe the Catholic Church could learn from THIS example of what to do when someone in authority (Priest or Pastor) is caught in such serious wrongdoing. PLEASE don’t even suggest that the Catholic Church handled it’s sex scandal in a better way.