November 13, 2008 8:47 AM
Haggard claims he was abused as a child
It seems Ted Haggard will always be with us.
Unable to avoid the limelight, Haggard says he was the victim of sexual abuse as a child.
Haggard made the remarks in two recent sermons in Morrison, Ill., ABC television reported Wednesday. Haggard said one of his father's employees "had a sexual experience with me" when Haggard was 7, according to audio recordings of the sermons posted on the ABC News Web site.Haggard said he later became "a conservative Republican, loving the word of God, an evangelical, born-again, spirit-filled, charismatic, all those things.
"But some of the things that were buried in the depths of the sea from when I was in the second grade started to rage in my mind and in my heart," he said.
In 2006, Haggard was fired as pastor of the 14,000-member New Life Church in Colorado Springs when a former male prostitute alleged they had a cash-for-sex relationship. The man also said he saw Haggard use methamphetamine. Haggard also stepped down as president of the National Association of Evangelicals.
He has said some of the allegations were exaggerated but he has never offered specifics.
Wonder how Haggard, who plans to start an insurance agency in Colorado Springs, wound up back in the pulpit? Does his claim of sexual abuse make him any more sympathetic?
November 13, 2008
9:05 AM
Shaggy writes:
"Haggard claims he was abused as a child"
Looks like jay and Ted both have something in common!
November 13, 2008
9:22 AM
gr8fuldude writes:
A lot of years ago, I went out with a lady who had been abused as a child. We had been involved for months before she mentioned this. She told me very privately, and was essentially reaching out for support and understanding. I respected her for it, and I was honored that she would care to so confide in me.
To confess this from a pulpit has nothing to do with becoming more sympathetic. In my opinion, it has everything to do with a narcissist who is trying to extend his fifteen minutes of fame. I truly feel badly for his wife and children who will wind up pretty scarred by this whole thing.
Also, (and I am sure Hogar will find the exact scripture), but I seem to remember something in the Bible about confessing your sins to God alone. Nothing about airing your dirty laundry from the pulpit. I also remember something to the effect of "when you pray, do so in private, not in public as the hypocrites do"...
Just some food for thought.
November 13, 2008
9:24 AM
jay writes:
i always smile when haggard the hypocrite makes the news.
November 13, 2008
10:25 AM
JW writes:
I think you guys are too hard on Haggard (snicker*)
The poor bastard is in an ideological trap where he cant be himself. Imagine if you really believed that God hated your deisres for whom ever you are attracted to, and so you forced yourself to live a lie. If you can empathize with that, you can perhaps get a shot of how bad the guys life probably sucks.
Ted Haggard's life has got to be one of the crappiest lives a person could CHOOSE, for themself, to live.
I feel sorry for the F*@kwit. Not alot though. If he had a set, hed just divorce his wife, tell all the judgemental pricks in his Church to pound sand, and run off to a big city where gays arent hated and he could live a happy life.
November 13, 2008
10:42 AM
Anonymous writes:
gays are hated in the big city too
November 13, 2008
10:49 AM
Shaggy writes:
JW, it is spelled f*#kwit, not f*@wit.
WTHR those Liberal Professors teaching you anyways?
November 13, 2008
10:57 AM
JW writes:
"gays are hated in the big city too"
Its alot less prevelant. Compare Colorado Spgs. to New York or San Francisco.
November 13, 2008
11:00 AM
JMH writes:
I agree with JW... Due to his "cult", he can not be himself, and thus, is one unhappy man.
As far as his abuse claims, I am sorry to hear that. But it has been my expierience (as gr*fuldude points out), most people who have had this sort of abuse don't talk about it with many people or any for that matter...
Kinda makes me think he is using it as an excuse to hopefully get his "flock" back to paying him... I would hope I am wrong, but...
November 13, 2008
11:22 AM
Kevin J Jones writes:
It's a bit hard to take this seriously, but if it's true it would fit the sad self-perpetuating pattern of abuse and victimization among many male homosexuals.
According to the writer Dale O'Leary, "Over 40 per cent of males who self-identify as homosexual (“gay”) before age 18 have been victims of sexual abuse or sexual assault."
Further, of those aged 17-22, 22 per cent reported beginning anal sex with men before the age of 15.
The acceptance of this kind of behavior helps persuade victims of sexual abuse that their abusers were doing nothing wrong. Talk about hateful!
November 13, 2008
11:24 AM
LetsThink writes:
This is exactly worries me about the proposal that homosexuals be allowed to adopt a child.
What example will they observe? And how will that inculcation damage their view of proper sexuality??
November 13, 2008
12:01 PM
jay writes:
kevin did you honestly just try to quote O'Leary?
garbage in, garbage out, people.
wow.
http://fathersforlife.org/Table_contents_gj.htm#Gay_Issues
November 13, 2008
4:59 PM
RR writes:
A lot of men and women were sexually abused as children. There is no scientific evidence to suggest that this has a bearing on sexual orientation. Ted Haggard is gay and I feel so sorry for his family (especially his wife) as he continues to try to be "cured." That's just not going to happen, again no scientific evidence that this is possible. What bothers me about his very public claim is the implication that what he did wasn't really his fault. It's time that Haggard becomes a man and takes full responsibility for what he did without trying to imply that it's the fault of someone else, you know those "evil gay men." It just sickens me that this obviously self hating gay man is trying to blame his reprehensible behavior on someone else. Regardless of what else he says bringing this up so publicly is another way for Ted to say "poor me, it wasn't really my fault." Shame on him again. All our sympathy should be with his wife, not him. Grow up Ted.
November 13, 2008
7:25 PM
HolierThanThou writes:
When all else fails in that lifelong quest to dodge responsibility for your own shortcomings, blame your parents...
November 14, 2008
4:31 PM
Dirk Digler writes:
It's more likely that he abused children himself. Anyone who buys meth from a male hooker shouldn't be speaking from the pulpit. He is a fine representative for the conservative christian movement in this country.