More on Ted Haggard

From KKTV 11 - Colorado Springs:

A sudden about-face in the scandal facing New Life Church's pastor.

After Pastor Ted Haggard went public Wednesday night denying allegations of a homosexual affair, senior church officials told KKTV 11News Thursday evening, Pastor Ted Haggard has admitted to some of the claims made by a former male escort. The church's Acting Senior Pastor, Ross Parsley, tells KKTV 11 News that Pastor Haggard has admitted to some of the indiscretions claimed by Mike Jones, but not all of them.

Which ones? The world wants to know!

Some would accuse me, among others, of schadenfreude. They're wrong. Schadenfreude is a sense of satisfaction in somebody else's misfortune. Schadenfreude would be me being pleased that Ted Haggard broke his leg in a skiing accident. What's happened to Haggard isn't misfortune, it was a choice.

There is no choice in being gay, of course, but nobody forced Haggard to spend his days preaching to a crowd of 14,000 the sinful nature of homosexuality, demonizing gay marriage, and sitting in on conference calls with a White House that rode anti-gay legislation into office. If Haggard hadn't chosen to actively pursue an anti-gay agenda, nobody would care if he had sex with men - though his wife might be angry that he's having sex with somebody out of wedlock.

But he wasn't having sex with a mistress. To get a straight extra-marital affair to count for anything in an election, you have to do something extreme, like choke her.

Haggard set up being gay as a sort of über-sin, one far and away worse than breaking the sabbath, eating shell fish, or taking the Lord's name in vain. (That's why we're not writing laws outlawing NFL games on sunday, cotton-poly blend socks, or Red Lobster.) He's become a victim not of misfortune, but of a concerted effort by a significant portion of this country to marginalize anybody who isn't 'stright.'

There are millions of people in the United States that are victims of the same effort - Haggard's victimhood doesn't make him special. The hypocrisy, the fact that Haggard was/is one of the leaders of that effort makes this story noteworthy.

Hypocrisy is the only reason that news organizations as far flung as the BBC are running this story.

For all those who would see Americans as Pollyannas when it comes to politics, hypocrisy always draws a clear and sharp reaction from the American public. We'll have to wait to see what the fallout from this situation will be.

Ted Haggard Evangelicals Homosexuality Sex Scandal

Ruth Marcus' Column

In the Washington Post:

When mega-pastor Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church opened last year in its new Houston home, the city's former professional basketball arena, a most unlikely guest was on hand for the celebration: House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.), a minister's son who chairs the House Democrats' Faith Working Group, headed to Dallas a few months later to worship with Bishop T.D. Jakes, an African American Pentecostal minister who's been called "the next Billy Graham."

This month, Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean -- yes, that would be the Howard Dean who dismissed Republicans last year as "pretty much a white, Christian Party" -- went on Pat Robertson's "700 Club," asserting that Democrats "have an enormous amount in common with the Christian community, and particularly with the evangelical Christian community." Randy Brinson, founder of Redeem the Vote (think Rock the Vote meets Jesus), met last week with the centrist Democratic Leadership Council.

Democrats these days are a party on a mission that might sound impossible: to persuade evangelical Christian voters to consider converting -- to the Democratic Party.

Ms. Marcus' column is a well reasoned examination of Democratic Outreach to Evangelicals. It explains that Evangelicals make up 25% of the population, a voting block to large to be ignored. It also points out that this group isn't millions of mindless clones. There are moderate and even 'modernist' (they won't use the word liberal) Evangelicals that already self identify as Democrats or Independents more often than Republican.

Ms. Marcus most valuable piece of advice is that one of the best things that Democrats can do to woo Evangelicals is show up. Megachurch services and Christian Radio are largely echo chambers for the GOP because there are no Democrats going there.

Once there, it's important that Democrats not misrepresent the party. (That means you, Gov. Dean.) Democrats have allowed themselves to be painted as the party of gays and abortion. We need to remind people that while we do support equality for all Americans and a woman's ability to have control of what happens within her own body, we're also the party that is at the forefront of reducing poverty, helping the poor and disabled and feeding the hungry. We are the party that's working to save the environment and to keep workers safe on the job.

Ms. Marcus closes with, "So, by all means, let Democrats woo Evangelicals and cast the message in a way that speaks to religious voters. But in doing so, keep in mind: What does it profit a party to gain a demographic but lose its soul?"

We must remember that pandering to Evangelicals will alienate the base. Luckily, the Party Platform already incorporates many Christian Principals. We need to engage the Evangelical community and show them that we share many of their values.

It is unlikely that Democrats can peel off many of the 'traditionalists' Evangelicals, but gains among the 'moderate' and 'modernist' portions of the Evangelical community are certainly possible. The trick is to know how much to push - and when to stop - while remaining true to our ideals.

Ruth Marcus Democrats Democratic Party Evangelicals