Citizen Haggard
There have been numerous responses to Ted Haggard's scandal. I don't know if all of them are complete, or even if all of them are rational. Like the film Citizen Kane, what we have here seems to be a series of incomplete views of Haggard.
Let me first dispense with the most egregiously stupid one: David Frum has argued that Haggard's hypocrisy is actually an indication of great strength and moral courage. That's why Jesus advocated it... oh wait, never mind. However well-intentioned Haggard was, he needed to come to some kind consistent position on his sexuality.
Andrew Sullivan has (predictably, for someone who is gay, Christian, and conservative) a great deal to say on this situation. Sullivan reveals that Haggard's sexuality was an open secret among the top evangelicals. Additionally, he reminds us that this is what we can expect from those in the closet.
Alastair is some guy (or girl, who knows, it's the internet) of whom I know little other than that he seems to be theologically inclined. He posted on Haggard's affair being the possible result of the "feminization" or "infantilization" of Evangelical Christianity. Since our definitions of masculine and feminine seem to be so related to culture, I'm not sure we can pronounce on this. After all, Haggard would be the pinnacle of classical Greek masculinity - he had money, influence, a family, he was active in the temple life (church) and he had a gay lover on the side. I don't think that we can honestly pin down a definition of masculinity or femininity that would conclusively allow us to say that this is the problem.
Steve of Stupid Church People has written a great open letter in three parts to Haggard. The thing stood out to me was how Steve pointed out that pastors are held to insane standards, and how he, as former pastor felt constant pressure to be a "deceiver and a liar" in front of his congregation. I don't know whether Steve's missive slides of the edge of brutal honesty into the abyss of cynicism, but I can appreciate where he comes from.
Anyway, there are few more things I might want to add to this post, but I just wanted to start covering some of the different interpretations this story has invoked. Finally, I do not believe that homosexuality is a choice (and this case ought to prove that), but I am sure that Haggard does have many tough choices ahead of him - pray for him.
Tags: Ted Haggard
Let me first dispense with the most egregiously stupid one: David Frum has argued that Haggard's hypocrisy is actually an indication of great strength and moral courage. That's why Jesus advocated it... oh wait, never mind. However well-intentioned Haggard was, he needed to come to some kind consistent position on his sexuality.
Andrew Sullivan has (predictably, for someone who is gay, Christian, and conservative) a great deal to say on this situation. Sullivan reveals that Haggard's sexuality was an open secret among the top evangelicals. Additionally, he reminds us that this is what we can expect from those in the closet.
Alastair is some guy (or girl, who knows, it's the internet) of whom I know little other than that he seems to be theologically inclined. He posted on Haggard's affair being the possible result of the "feminization" or "infantilization" of Evangelical Christianity. Since our definitions of masculine and feminine seem to be so related to culture, I'm not sure we can pronounce on this. After all, Haggard would be the pinnacle of classical Greek masculinity - he had money, influence, a family, he was active in the temple life (church) and he had a gay lover on the side. I don't think that we can honestly pin down a definition of masculinity or femininity that would conclusively allow us to say that this is the problem.
Steve of Stupid Church People has written a great open letter in three parts to Haggard. The thing stood out to me was how Steve pointed out that pastors are held to insane standards, and how he, as former pastor felt constant pressure to be a "deceiver and a liar" in front of his congregation. I don't know whether Steve's missive slides of the edge of brutal honesty into the abyss of cynicism, but I can appreciate where he comes from.
Anyway, there are few more things I might want to add to this post, but I just wanted to start covering some of the different interpretations this story has invoked. Finally, I do not believe that homosexuality is a choice (and this case ought to prove that), but I am sure that Haggard does have many tough choices ahead of him - pray for him.
Tags: Ted Haggard
posted by Dan at 10:52 PM
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