In a new documentary set to air on HBO next month, a disgraced evangelical pastor comes clean. “The Trials of Ted Haggard,” directed by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s daughter Alexandra, was filmed with Haggard’s cooperation — and how.
You may recall that two years ago, Haggard stepped down from his post as president of the National Association of Evangelicals and was sacked as senior pastor of New Life Church in Colorado Springs after a former male prostitute alleged that the cleric paid him for sex and used illicit substances.
I have yet to see the documentary, but published reports say that Haggard speaks onscreen, speaks about his new life. The father of five remains in his marriage for the same of his children and apparently has been living with shame. While he doesn’t speak of his sexual improprieties in detail, he does admit to “sexual immorality” and says, “I really did sin.” Haggard tells of his longtime struggle with his same-sex desires, insisting that he never claimed to be heterosexual.
“The reason I kept my personal struggle a secret is because I feared that my friends would reject me, abandon me and kick me out, and the church would exile and excommunicate me. And that happened and more,” he says in the film.
He also reveals that while he purchased methamphetamine, he never used it.
Haggard’s wife Gayle speaks in the documentary as well, and offers what perhaps is the reason behind the couple’s participation in the production: “I know to restore the honor to our children is to help restore honor to their father.”
That may be a long, hard road. Right-wing Christian leadership isn’t treating Haggard with honor, and most GLBT people probably will say that a man who worked so hard against honorable treatment for us is not worthy of anything resembling honor. Many believe he’s getting his just deserts.
After the scandal broke, the Haggard family fled Colorado for Arizona, where the former preacher confesses thta he is having a tough time making ends meet as an insurance salesperson. “At this stage in my life, I am a loser,” Haggard says.
I suspect Haggard is a loser only if he does not come to grips with his reality and learn to embrace it. If he can emerge from this crisis a better human being, then he will deserve to be honored. He doesn’t have to abandon his family to do it: Many gay and bisexual people end up in marriages with heterosexual partners. (Exhibit A: Me.) Sometimes those marriages work; often they do not. But the real losers are the misguided ones who work to diminish others. The Religious Wrong is filled hypocrites who divide people and spead a message that does not include anything Jesus would champion — things like forgiveness, compassion, and acceptance without judgment.
Haggard could choose to re-up as a fundamentalist Christian soldier — or he could take another road, one that leads to justice for all of God’s children and could help him right the wrongs he committed. That second path leads to honor. At this point in his now-difficult life, the choice is his.
You know what? I hope he makes the honorable choice — and I wish him and his family well.
“The Trials of Ted Haggard” is scheduled to run Jan. 29 on HBO.
I feel sorry for Haggard, I really do. I know what it is like to be disowned and disregarded on the basis of sexual orientation.
I pray that he finds the comfort and courage to admit who he is and live his life honestly.
[...] statistic, or embrace who he is and live with integrity. Truth Wins Out’s Natalie Davis speculates how that might [...]
Wouldn’t it be great if he accepted himself and went on to help other people. If he did, he would likely keep young gay Christians from depression, substance abuse and even attempting suicide. Far from a loser, Haggard could end up a hero.
I hope he comes to a place of peace where he can use his life to make the world a better place.
I’m not as hopeful – I see Haggard as somebody who’s opportunist, and the only way he knows HOW to make a living is by demonizing and/or exploiting others. He’s exploiting himself in making this show, but I see it as the type of self-exploitation David B. would do.
I won’t be surprised if he sets up his own “ex-gay ministry” in the future, which would be even more of a laughing stock than all of Exodus International combined.
Well hell yeah, we’re also in the habit of purchasing methamphetamine we never use.
I know, I know… the poor kiddies in India could do with it more (the money, not the methamphetamine), but, hey, have they heard about Jesus yet??? No — any wonder they are starving.
He’ll be back.
Nothing like a redemption story to bleed the suckers.
That guy is the snake of all snakes, he has not one authentic bone in his body and he will NEVER do the right thing and embrace his homosexuality and truly come out. Will NOT happen because he is too spineless. Sexual abuse oh please, get a life, so what, guys get sexually abused and don’t go gay. He was born gay. Another excuse in the Haggard hypocrisy bin.
Because I hate illiterate religious persecution soooo much, I will go and see his sordid documentary, and smile at his derision. Yes I am human, and there are some terrorists that deserve nothing more.
PS I am glad he is doing the doc, it will put one more nail in the coffin of all illiterate religious persecutors.