The Trials of Ted Haggard Part 1

Surely Ted's "problem" is reasonably compelling anecdotal evidence that being attracted to the same sex is not a life style choice...that is he didn't choose it, he chose evangelical Christianity...but none the less he was chosen...genetically?

The message of the documentary is also a concise indictment of the distinct lack of care for the "unrighteous" demonstrated by Ted's brand of Christianity and should be broadcast in fundamentalist evangelical churches as a moral lesson their bible apparently fails to teach them.

The point I guess is not necessarily the failure of fundamentalist Christians to walk their walk...it is that the walk itself is fundamentally flawed - the literal acceptance of implausible and unnatural moral standards fill otherwise rational minds with a twisted legacy of ancient prejudice and conceit, the only consolation being the relativists dream of escaping such an "objective morality" via grace. The situation is ludicrous. Of course you require grace to be saved ( from something??) because if the standards you set for yourself were not broken everyone would be absolutely miserable, which also explains why they are so frequently broken.

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[rudemood2011]

This is just the reason I am not religious. Ted belonged to a religion that preaches love, forgiveness, redemption, etc. But when Ted needed his religion the most what do they do? They kick him out in the streets, piss on his forehead, kick him in the nuts, threw him in a ditch and left him for dead

[PolemicisTdotNet]

@roliver31483 Bullshit...it is precisely what you are taught as Christians...it may not be what people glean from Oprahfied morality in the guise of spirituality but it most definitely is part and parcel with biblical teaching....at least for some "sins"

[slipknotjake]

Ted just happened to be gay and a pastor. how more random could it get

[JoleneSailer]

What a sick,demented, self absorbed pig.

[Riiye]

@rudemood2011 What nonsense. He was the leader of a 30mill member church that doesn't hate gays or encourage violence against them, but DOES believe it to be immoral. Then they find him taking drugs (a sackable offence in any job) and having sex with prostitutes (gay or straight) - what do you expect them to do? It was hugely embarrassing for the church and they had to cut him off. Even he recognised they could do nothing else.

[zeldaofarel]

If he wasn't a Christian, he could have been a happy gay man. In a way I feel sorry for him, then I remember the money he took from people with false promises.

[TheSeth011]

@rudemood2011 hmm thanks for your thoughts on this. I think I should have asked what are your interpretation of being "religious" or being a "religious person."

In my understanding, the Pharisees found in the Bible were religious, and they persecuted, trapped, and did all kinds of things to Jesus, and even Jesus Himself ran out religious people out of the temples.

Would you consider yourself to be an atheist?

[rudemood2011]

@TheSeth011 I disagree I would be much more apt to go to Church if the Ted Haggard of today was pastor. Mainly because although I am not religous I believe what religous people say about nobody is perfect. Yes Ted knew what he was doing but it was religion that made him feel guilty for what he is. Ted Haggard is gay and it is religous people who try to make gay people feel bad for what they are. I'm so glad that homosexuals are finally starting to get treated like equals

[TheSeth011]

@rudemood2011 he was a pastor who everyone looked up to for support. now, I agree with you that he was mistreated. but he should have knew what he was doing before he did anything like that. He had to be excommunicated.

[jpfrlinguaphile]

I personally know someone just like him.

[jpfrlinguaphile]

I must admit that I admire Ted for his brutal honesty and having the courage to be self-contemplative in front of the public. It has been very insightful to me personally-- most people determine their sexual orientation based on the sexual feelings they experience. There are a minority of people, however, who approach this subject from the other way around. They state they are straight and then say to themselves "therefore, I must suppress these same-sex attractions." Very interesting...

[PazzoGrande]

@rudemood2011 well it's not a bad idea to lead by example -- be religious by being the one to comfort people rather than condemn them