Church Leader Resigns After Gay Sex Claim Evangelical Pastor in Colorado Denies Male Escort's Story of Repeated Trysts
By Alan Cooperman Washington Post Staff Writer Friday, November 3, 2006; Page A16
One of the nation's most influential conservative Christian leaders, the Rev. Ted Haggard, resigned yesterday as president of the National Association of Evangelicals and temporarily stepped aside as pastor of a Colorado mega-church after a self-described male escort accused him of paying for gay sex.
Haggard, an outspoken opponent of same-sex marriage, vigorously denied the allegation. "Never had a gay relationship with anybody, and I'm steady with my wife. I'm faithful to my wife," he told a Colorado television station, KUSA.
But in a statement issued by New Life Church, his 14,000-member congregation in Colorado Springs, Haggard said he could "not continue to minister under the cloud created by the accusations," which were first made public on a Denver talk-radio station yesterday morning.
Although he has avoided endorsing political candidates, Haggard has been a staunch ally of the Bush administration. Some political observers said his resignation was more bad news for Republicans trying to rally their conservative Christian base to turn out for the midterm elections.
"This is one more factor that could increase the disillusionment of evangelicals with prominent leaders on the Christian right and with the political process as a whole, and some may conclude that perhaps their forebears were wise to be wary about politics," said William Martin, a professor of religion and public policy at Rice University and a biographer of the Rev. Billy Graham.
Conservative Christian leaders rallied around Haggard. "I've always admired Ted's Christian character and his ministry, and I find these accusations incredible, frankly," said the Rev. L. Roy Taylor, chairman of the National Association of Evangelicals, which has about 45,000 constituent churches across the country.
Taylor said that the NAE's executive committee will hold a teleconference today to decide how to proceed. He said he may serve temporarily as president of the organization, in addition to his regular duties as the stated clerk, or administrative leader, of the conservative Presbyterian Church in America.
"I'm a minister not a political scientist, so I couldn't predict" what political impact Haggard's resignation might have, Taylor said. "Evangelicals have a serious understanding of the power of sin and human evil, and realize that every person, whether Christian or not, struggles with the dark side," he added.
In his written statement, Haggard said he was "voluntarily stepping aside from leadership" of New Life Church so that its four-member board of overseers could conduct an investigation. An associate pastor, the Rev. Ross Parsley, will take over as the church's acting leader, and "in the interim, I will seek both spiritual advice and guidance," Haggard said.
Haggard declined further comment, but a close colleague at New Life Church said that although he is stepping down as pastor temporarily, his resignation as president of the NAE is permanent.
"Ted realizes this is a pretty consuming situation in terms of media, and in order to make sure the good work of the NAE goes forward without distraction, that is a decision he voluntarily made," the colleague said, speaking anonymously because the church was limiting its comments to the written statement.
Haggard's accuser identified himself as Mike Jones, 49. Jones said in radio and television interviews that he had a three-year sexual relationship with the pastor, who he said came to Denver and paid him for sex about once a month.
Jones told Peter Boyles, host of a talk-radio show on KHOW-AM station, that he has recorded voice-mail messages and a letter from Haggard, and that he witnessed the pastor using methamphetamine. But he did not immediately produce the alleged voice-mails or letter.
Jones indicated that he is going public with the accusations at least in part because Colorado has two questions related to same-sex marriage on Tuesday's ballot. One is Amendment 43, which would define marriage as between one man and one woman, and which Haggard has supported. The other is Referendum 1, which would give same-sex couples more legal rights and benefits.
"Being a gay man all my life . . . I felt it was my responsibility to my fellow brothers and sisters, that I had to take a stand, and I cannot sit back anymore and hear [what] to me is an anti-gay message," Jones said.
John Green, an expert on religion and politics at the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life in Washington, said Haggard's resignation is likely to reverberate more loudly in Colorado than nationally.
"Haggard is a very important political figure in Colorado, and there are tight races there as well as ballot questions that could be affected," he said, citing in particular the embattled reelection efforts of Reps. Marilyn Musgrave and Tom Tancredo, both Republicans. "I think there's less of an implication for what evangelicals might do nationwide, because outside of Colorado he's not directly involved in voter turnout efforts and is seen as more of a religious leader than a political one."
Green also noted that under Haggard's leadership, the NAE has sought to widen the evangelical agenda to include global warming, international human rights and poverty issues. Although non-evangelicals may view Haggard as a diehard conservative, within the evangelical movement he is seen as a moderate, Green said.
"If the allegations are proven true, it could discredit a prominent moderate figure in the evangelical community," he said.
Anglican Church considers future of paedophile priest AM - Wednesday, 31 October , 2007 08:18:00 Reporter: Michael Edwards
TONY EASTLEY: The Anglican Church is considering whether to allow a convicted paedophile to remain a priest.
Advocates for the victims of sexual abuse say the credibility of the Anglican Church is at stake over the case of Robert Sharwood.
The Anglican priest will soon be released from jail after serving a year for sexually abusing a 13-year-old boy, 30 years ago.
The Brisbane diocese is holding an investigation into Sharwood's status as a member of the clergy.
The investigation has invited the victim to re-present his evidence and also warned him he could be cross-examined by his abuser.
Michael Edwards has this report.
MICHAEL EDWARDS: Robert Francis Sharwood met his 13-year-old victim when he was helping the boy's family clean up after floods in 1974.
At his trial last year, it was heard Sharwood sexually abused the boy hundreds of times over a two-year period. The offences were committed at his home, youth camps and in hotel rooms.
Sharwood was sentenced to 33 months in jail but is set to be released next month. He's been deregistered from practising as a priest in the Brisbane diocese, but he still holds his holy orders.
The Brisbane diocese is holding an investigation into his status. Sharwood has the right to address this investigation. So too does his victim.
This process has outraged Karyn Walsh from the Esther Centre for victims of clerical abuse.
KARYN WALSH: Disbelief, really. I can't believe the Church would put a victim in that position once again when the Church, really, has all the information, through a criminal case, that it needs where this man's been convicted to make any judgment about whether he was suitable for priesthood or not.
MICHAEL EDWARDS: The investigation could strip Sharwood of his holy orders, but the possibility is there that it could allow him to remain a priest.
The Anglican Church would also not rule out the possibility that Sharwood may be able to cross-examine his victim.
However, the Brisbane Archbishop, Phillip Aspinall, says he personally doesn't want any priest convicted of sexual abuse to be able to minister again.
AM understands it's unlikely Sharwood would ever be allowed to practice as a priest anywhere in Australia again.
Karyn Walsh says all churches need consistency on the issue.
KARYN WALSH: I think there is an issue about what different churches do see as to whether a priest should be allowed to return to ministry. In some cases, priests are allowed to still privately be a priest, but not have a public role within the Church. And in other cases they're not allowed to practice at all, so there's no consistency, really.
MICHAEL EDWARDS: Mrs Walsh says in this case, the credibility of the Anglican Church is at stake.
KARYN WALSH: I think the credibility of the Church in relation to sexual abuse is still something that a lot of people don't have confidence in.
TONY EASTLEY: Victims' advocate Karyn Walsh ending Michael Edwards report.
Posts: 5454 | From: Holland | Registered: Aug 2008
| IP: Logged |
The gay men who have chosen to follow Satya Sai Baba, as well as the underage boys who had no choice in the matter as they had to accompany their parents to his ashram, were systematically sexually abused by Satya Sai Baba who had convinced them that this was the express route to enlightenment as he was, after all, God incarnate. Satya Sai Baba was finally exposed as a sexual predator, sexual abuser and a paedophile of the most dangerous possible kind by several of the boys and men who were driven to the brink of suicide by his actions. The world's media published their investugations around the world and his reputation has been irreparably damaged beyond redemption.
Click here to read the testimonies of these boys and men, courageous enough to tell their stories in public and risk attracting the lethal attentions of Satya Sai Baba's disciples. Also available to read is the media scrutiny of the scandal of the sexual abuse conducted by him over several decades ignored by the Indian government, as his ashram is an enormous foreign currency generator on a par with Disneyworld in Florida. Anyone who has travelled or worked in India and conducted business transactions there knows full well how corruption is the norm in all such transactions.
We particularly recommend a visit to www.exbaba.com in order to access a full range of documents exposing the extent of the corruption of this paedophile guru.
Satya Sai Baba - THE FINDINGS
Brian Steele presents an ongoing investigation into claims and realities surrounding Sathya Sai Baba. Visit his pages by clicking here. Highly recommended site well worth the visit.
1988: TV evangelist quits over sex scandal Jimmy Swaggart, America's leading television evangelist, has resigned from his ministry after it was revealed he had been consorting with a prostitute.
In front of a congregation of 7,000 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, he sobbed and confessed to "moral failure" without actually going into any detail.
I have sinned against you and I beg your forgiveness
Jimmy Swaggart
"I do not plan in any way to whitewash my sin or call it a mistake," he told shocked members of his Family Worship Centre.
Turning to his wife, Frances, he said: "I have sinned against you and I beg your forgiveness."
Mr Swaggart's confession is all the more scandalous since he himself unleashed fire and brimstone against rival TV evangelist Rev Jim Bakker a few months ago for committing adultery with minister and secretary Jessica Hahn.
Rev Bakker was subsequently defrocked and fired from his multi-million-dollar Praise the Lord TV station.
This time it was Mr Swaggart's turn to repent after officials from the Assemblies of God church were given photographs showing him taking a prostitute to a Louisiana motel.
They were handed in by rival TV evangelist Martin Gorman who was also defrocked after Mr Swaggart accused him of "immoral dalliances" in 1986.
Mr Gorman, who ran a successful TV show from New Orleans, had launched an unsuccessful $90m law suit against Mr Swaggart two years ago for spreading false rumours.
He also suggested Mr Swaggart was trying to undermine rival TV shows.
Big business
TV evangelism is certainly a lucrative business.
The Jimmy Swaggart Hour is watched by up to two million families and donations raised amount to about $150m a year.
After the Bakker scandal, donations from the faithful dropped dramatically and the same is likely to happen to Jimmy Swaggart's show.
The resignation will also displease Republican presidential contender Rev Pat Robertson. He is currently trying to drum up support in the "Bible Belt" southern states ahead of the Super Tuesday primaries on 8 March.
Rev Robertson has threatened to sue anyone who calls him a TV evangelist and prefers to be described as a businessman.
Posts: 5454 | From: Holland | Registered: Aug 2008
| IP: Logged |
Church Leader Resigns After Gay Sex Claim Evangelical Pastor in Colorado Denies Male Escort's Story of Repeated Trysts
Posts: 5454 | From: Holland | Registered: Aug 2008
| IP: Logged |
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
Printer-friendly view of this topic