Ted Haggard, the anti-gay preacher of the New Life Church and President representing 80 million Evangelical Christians was caught in a major sex scandal. He was discovered to be taking methamphetamine's while engaging in gay sex with a male escort and as a result he has suffered and become an outcast due to his outing. Due to his actions the former preacher has a tough time finding a job, friends, and support system to move forward.
Here is a funny song by Roy Zimmerman about the scandal and what Ted Haggard was like:
In light of new people coming forward in the scandal and his upcoming HBO documentary 'The Trials of Ted Haggard' which documents his life after the outbreak of the gay sex and drug scandal, Ted Haggard now for the first time publicly discusses private issues.
Ted Haggard when asked about his sexuality doesn't claim to be "ex-gay", straight and healed, he simply says he is a "heterosexual with issues" or a "heterosexual with homosexual attachments." When asked to define his sexuality he says that "he does not fit neatly into a box" and that he doesn't feel the need to label himself. He now says he believes "he didn't need to be cured, because he wasn't ever sick, and that one cannot avoid having gay thoughts, but can decide whether to act on the behavior."
Whether Haggard knows it or not, he basically just publicly discussed for America the idea of a sexual continuum and queer sexuality. It is very much possibly that Mr. Haggard lies closer to the heterosexual side of the continuum. He also may be downplaying his same-sex attraction in an attempt to be more mainstream and keep his relationship with his wife going.
How will this play out in the minds of Americans? It is helpful or hurtful? Also, is Ted Haggard possibly a spokesperson for the queer identity even though he doesn't know it or intend to be? Or is he just making bisexual identity out to be a "confusion and sexual immorality" the Church has so long claimed it is?
Showing posts with label new life church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label new life church. Show all posts
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Open Forum: Is Ted Haggard A Queer Spokesperson?
Labels:
mike jones,
new life church,
open forum,
preacher,
queer,
queer sexuality,
sex scandal,
ted haggard
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