The Year of Moving Forward

The Year of Moving Forward
At our 4 person wedding reception in DC

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Ted Haggard , Ex-...Whatever

Picture credit http://rspas.anu.edu.au/rmap/newmandala/2008/06/17/

5 Days. Then we will not have to listen to W anymore.

Another person we shouldn't have to listen to is Ted Haggard. You remember him, the evangelical leader disgraced evangelical leader who admitted to paying a male prostitute for sex. Then he went into gayhab or whatever, but he emerged just as tormented as he was when he entered.

Torment is something that the closet does to you. The closet can lead to destructive behaviors as one tries to find ways to satisfy his (or her) natural desires. Mark Foley and Larry Craig come to mind. But Ted Haggard is a special case.

In the article linked above we learn that Haggard confessed to beginning his gay play in the seventh grade. Even those without gaydar (or, for the technos, GPS...gay positioning system) can see that this guy is clearly gay.

"That being said, there is something even more disturbing about the implications of the Haggard episode. Here we have someone who has admitted to having gay sex repeatedly, has admitted to teenage sexual experimentation, and has admitted to ongoing confusion over sexual attraction, and most everyone still allows him to call himself straight."

The author asks what it means that so few are questioning Haggard's story.

"That so few people are challenging Haggard's illogical explanation for the person that he is today is disturbing. It furthers the myth that people choose their sexual orientation.

That is just plain false. Our sexual orientation is a natural part of who we are. The only choice we may make is whether or not we lie to ourselves and those around us
."

Of course it could just be that people have stopped listening to Haggard.

But his story will be told on HBO January 29 when The Trials of Ted Haggard, a documentary by Alexandra Pelosi premieres.

Haggard's story brings up the subject of "Ex-Gay." This "therapy" has been strongly discredited by the American Psychological Association. But nothing says it better than a personal experience. Here Peterson Toscano, from Peterson Tuscano's A Musing, an ex-gay survivor, explains what caused him to go ex-gay. (Warning/disclaimer: while the video is completely harmless and educational, the YouTube video suggestions after the clip are not suitable for work or small children. These links are not chosen by the video producer, rather by YouTube's crazy system)



Pretending one is not gay when one really is gay does not work.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

FIVE MORE DAYS........ I hope Pres. Elect Obama does walk the talk he spoke during his campaign.

I also hope churches begin to pay taxes from not separating church and state ! Now this would be a miracle!

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Joe said...

Randy,
You will be in my prayers, that God might show you the truth.He does not make mistakes.it is awful to mess with one's identity, and those who try should be prosecuted for medical malpractice or practicing with out a license.

Anonymous said...

GREAT SPEECH by a GREAT PRESIDENT. Thanks to this man, no one attacked our country after 911 (...which was a result of Clinton's pathetic attempt at national security).

God BLESS America. Obama is soon to be on the clock. GOD HELP US.

Anonymous said...

Former Pres Sec Scott McClellen is SUCH a goober. Did anyone see him on Coutdown with Keith O? Scott, Keith and Chris Matthews are all ultra-liberal media goobers who have NO CLUE about what a great job Bush has done of protecting us. Do not be surprised if we see an attack on our HOMELAND within 12 months. I think it is almost expected. We are in so much trouble.

Anonymous said...

Well, like the President said, You don't have to agree that he made the right decisions, but you have to agree that he did indeed have tough decisions to make. I agree with you guys though, God FORBID that Obama has a tough decision to make. The man has not backbone whatsoever.

Joe said...

John, Kristi and Bill,
Way to stay on subject. I'm impressed.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Joe said...

Using the example of a single day (or a few days) of cold to refute globsal warming is ridiculous. You are just showing whow you do not understand science. Get some education.

"But his story PROVES that ones CHOOSES that lifestyle. If indeed he were gay, he would be gay. Period."

??? If it "proves" anything, it is just the opposite. If it were a mere choice, then all he would have to do is say "No."


R J, please take a moment and tell me about the decision you made to be straight. About your choice. If Haggaard had to make the choice whether to be attracted to male or female, and if I did, then so did you. So tell us about it. Was ita difficulat decision? Did you consider what it would be like to love a man, and a woman, and then make your choice? Tell me.

Joe said...

Randy and R J,
I deleted your comments because saying that being gay is a choice is a lie, and I don't allow it on here. The rules are posted, read them.

Anonymous said...

Joe, you are the one lying. There is no scientific evidence whatsoever that being gay is anything but a choice. You have a few selected 'theories' that have tried to prove the point, but bottom line is that it cannot be proven. Since it cannot, we have to go back to what the scripture says. God made Eve for Adam. When the scripture speaks of marriage, it talks about a man and a woman leaving their families and becoming one. There is not one single example anywhere in scripture of a homosexual relationship or union that was ordained or blessed by God.
Your removing posts that differ from you opinion is a perfect example of what the gay community does. If people don't believe like you or feel like you or think like you, you won't accept it, yet you expect everyone to accept you.
You are in a dream world my friend.