Ted Haggard takes responsibility
Up until the Good Morning America interview this morning, whenever hearing the name Ted Haggard, I would have rolled my eyes and hrmmphhed and said something about hypocritical Christians and how I hated that people like that were influencing followers by passing judgments while comitting the very sins against which they preached.
As a refresher, you’ll remember that Ted Haggard was a minister of a 12,000 member super church in Colorado where he often preached that homosexuality was a sin, but in 2006 was exposed by a former lover who claimed Haggard frequently paid him for sex and crystal meth.
At the time, Haggard fought it for a little bit trying to save face, but the evidence far out weighed this discredited minister’s claims. He was removed from his church, apparently rushed off to gay-rehab and little more was made of the situation, save several punchlines to a few gay minister-hires-male-prosititute jokes.
So this morning when watching Good Morning America, I was skeptical and was about to change the channel, but before I had a chance, they showed a glimpse into his life, post rehab. The news of yet another young man surfaced earlier this week, alleging that Haggard exposed himself and preyed upon the man’s young vulnerabilities. It is alleged that the mega-church paid off the man, not to keep him quiet, but more to help him start a new life, go to college and get a good footing in life. Not sure who judges that claim.
But this morning on GMA Haggard and his wife were accountable, apologetic and owned up to his past. I was floored and intrigued. Tonight there is a documentary on HBO called “The Trials of Ted Haggard” which promises to show how Haggard and his wife are trying to move forward. They have bounced from borrowed house to cheap motel, worked several laborious jobs and seem to really be taking the steps to move forward.
In his interview, he flat out told Robin Roberts that he was sorry, that yes he was irresponsible and did take advantage of young worshipers and that it was his actions and he own up to it. HUH? Yep, I was shocked as well. There he was with his whitened veneers, sitting straight up and rather than blaming others, he looked Roberts right in the eye and was…..dare I say….accountable?
When she asked if he planned to return to the pulpit, he said absolutely not – he has too much baggage to haul up there to the pulpit. He said he’s happy just selling insurance for right now.
If you have HBO, I would suggest watching the documentary tonight or catch a repeat when you can. I think it looks to be a very interesting insight into how someone struggling with so many demons has found rock bottom, accepted it and is pulling himself up.
Follow up – I think I need to follow up and reiterate something here as well – I think what Ted Haggard did was inexcusable. His actions, most specifically with young members of his church, were awful and probably scarring to those young men. I am absolutely not condoning his actions or how he let his urges overtake right from wrong.
My point here is that I think it is refreshing for someone like Haggard to admit his actions, say ‘yes what I did was wrong and I am trying to be better’ and do his best to become more responsible.
Read more about his past indescretions and his go-forward plan on CNN also.
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