I think this whole Haggert thing is so sad.....

[Roxy66]

I just watched the new tape of him admitting to buying Meth and "getting a massage", with his wife sitting next to him in a car....it made me feel so sad that these people have been so seduced by money and politics that they preach hate to get power.....the most anti-christian things...which we all knew was happening in front of our eyes.

Some of you seem to think I feel sorry for HIM...I don't feel sorry for him, but he has 5 kids and a wife..... being compassionate

[malaise]

1. I think your problem is that you

actually believe any of them is a christian. These are mostly con men fooling innocent people to take their money.

[Roxy66]

5. I see that, but many ignorant followers were taken to town with these people

and by the way....I'm glad some of them are getting a huge slap in the face by the hypocrisy of lies and hate

[malaise]

The more charlatans exposed

the better. Tear down these mega churches.

[MADem]

17. Yeah, they're obscenely opulent...what was it that Bible said about praying in secret?

Matthew 6:5-6: "And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men....when thou prayest, enter into thy closet and when thou has shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret...."

The reference to go into thy closet has been translated in other versions of the Bible as "go into your inner room." "go away by yourself," "all alone," "your private room," "enter into thy chamber," and "go into your room."

http://www.religioustolerance.org/prayer.htm

[Tyo]

21. Thanks, I've been looking for that quote n/t

[partylessinOhio]

9. BRAVO! You speak the truth.

I feel no sadness for these scum Fristians, none whatsoever. They are fakes and have misled so many brainwashed people. They have destroyed our country using "religion" as a way to control minds.

[malaise]

16. Indeed

no rational person should be fooled by these snake oil salesmen. Organized religion is the worst of humanity's evils.
Add.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

38. WTF?! Being a Christian, a REAL Christian

is all about forgiveness and compassion.
The OP demonstrated this beautifully, and you go and shit all over it.
GEEZUS H F'ING CHRIST, whatever this guy is or pretended to be, showing a little sympathy for him and his family shouldn't kill 'ya, and ni fact it might help you (and us).

Man, I am a thoroughly lapsed Catholic/atheist, but I have NEVER forgotten or abandoned those values.

[Redbear]

47. Indeed.

We should be compassionate. Not because he deserves it, but because it is the right thing to do.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

55. You got it! nt

[OzarkDem]

48. As it has always been

and so shall always be.

[Roxy66]

2. I wonder if all these extreme christians feel like taking a long shower

[karlrschneider]

3. You mean he got the massage in the car with his wife sitting there watching?

I heard on the radio a bit ago he claimed he wasn't looking for sex, just drugs. If I wanted some
meth, I probably wouldn't contact a gay hooker to find it...
:eyes:

[gfnrob]

7. Yes, actually it was "couples therapy"

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

4. You feel sad for them?

I don't.

[FARAFIELD]

8. I FEEL SAD FOR HIM ,,,,, not!!!

By the way MODS where is my thread it had a much snappier title. I swear.

[Roxy66]

10. Just trying to rise above the hate they like to spew.....

instead of my urge to say ....serves all you freaks right!!

[skypilot]

6. You should watch the YouTube video...

...of him being interviewed by Richard Dawkins. That might make you feel a little less bad for him. I'll post it if I can find it if you're interested.

On edit: to add link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkUi6dhwWx0

[warrens]

11. Sad?

Well, it made MY day. I have no pity for these fuckwads, not the slightest bit. To me, they're not even human.

[ClintonTyree]

14. WOW.......thanks for the link...........

I found out that I'm today's lucky winner of "gas for a year". :rofl: Those banners crack me up. Do morons actually click on those things? :shrug: They must be aimed at Republicans.
Now, on to the video............

[lapislzi]

24. I thought we were the ones occupying the moral high ground

I guess I was wrong.

What does it cost you to feel compassion for someone who is so fucked up he can't even be who he is...and drags his family through that kind of misery?

While I have nothing--NOTHING--but contempt for hypocrisy in all its forms, I can still feel compassion for another person's suffering. Because suffering he is, as is his family, who are not to blame. Yes, you could argue that they reaped the benefits of his monumental hypocrisy and so are undeserving of any mercy or compassion, but where does that get you? Is that how you would like to be treated after public humiliation? I think not.

/soapbox off

[Irreverend IX]

35. His family are filth just as much as he is.

Feeling compassion for him isn't that far removed from feeling compassion for John Wayne Gacy. Why don't you focus your sympathy on the victims of gay-bashing that occurs because of the hate he helped to spread?

[lapislzi]

49. Why must it be mutually exclusive?

Why would you assume that I do not feel compassion for victims of gay-bashing? How arrogant of you. Don't you dare presume I feel anything.

Notice I did not say "sympathy" (you did). I said "compassion." They are not the same thing at all.

Again, I ask the question: how would you like to be treated if you were in a similar situation?

[Phillycat]

37. I would feel compassion for someone going through a private hell...

if he weren't trying to foist his own private hell onto the REST of us. Fuck him and his hypocrisy! I'm laughing my ass off!! :rofl:

[mondo joe]

44. You see a victim, I see a villain.

He made his own suffering. Maybe he'll learn something from it.

[lapislzi]

50. I don't see a victim

I know he's a villain. But even Gandhi forgave his assassin before he died.

And I hope Haggard does learn something from this. He has an opportunity to redeem his hatemongering and hypocrisy. And I think such an end would be best brought about by compassion, not derision.

Sorry if y'all think I'm a wimp.

[candice]

12. Elmer Gantry should be required reading for all teenagers

...the urge to get rich quick off by impersonating a religious leader is part of the American experience. People shouldn't be taken in by "charismatic" pseudo-Christian con men. Just send dollars directly to reputable charities in Africa and pass donating to the life styles of the rich and famous evangelicals. Then if they get caught at the local motel in a compromising position, you won't feel taken. This story is getting really old, and really should run its course (and not be part of the body politic). There are plenty of modest, true houses of religion, but they usually aren't the epitome of consumer capitalism with TV preachers at the helm.

[mondo joe]

13. I think it's pretty damn funny. I'm laughing my gay ass off.

I do believe in personal accountability, and I can only say he has brought this on himself.

[ronnykmarshall]

15. Same here!

I'll have to say, these neo-cons have good taste in man whores.

:spank:

[malaise]

18. Tune in to MSNBC

The prostitute is reacting to Haggard's rubbish interview. I'll be back. Gone to stock up on some more popcorn and loads of butter. :popcorn: :popcorn: :rofl:

Add.

[KingFlorez]

19. I feel bad for the wife and kids

They have to suffer now just because he wasn't truthful about himself for all these years.

[mondo joe]

20. True, but I'd say better to suffer now than compounding it

with more years.

Furthermore, while the kid didn't do a thing, we don't know what the wife knew herself.

[AlCzervik]

22. i feel bad for his kids, the wife---not so much because i'm sure she's

benefited greatly from the $$$ the flock gives every week and she also enables her husbands anti gay marriage stance, well i don't know that last part for sure, i'm just guessing.

[lapislzi]

27. I'm sure she enjoys their wealthy lifestyle

but it doesn't stop me from having compassion for the public humiliation she must now endure--even if it was self-inflicted. All that money sure won't buy her dignity back, or dignity for her children. She must reap what she has sown, and I expect she will find it bitter.

[Raffi Ella]

23. It is sad.

But if being Gay weren't demonized like it is this wouldn't be such a scandal and he wouldn't have been able to use this issue to gain power/wealth and neither would the Republican Party.Nor would the evangelical crowd be able to so easily crow their bigotry from the rooftops like they do...

The hypocrisy and irony of it all is what saddens/astounds me.I feel for his wife (and for his flock)but she was/is a part of a hate filled agenda just as he was so I have a hard time not feeling,on some level,that this all happened for a reason.

[cwydro]

25. Unbelievable to me

that these creeps think it is better to admit to methamphetamine use than admit they're gay...and I know what you're saying about the wife, but she's no doubt been living in the lap of luxury all these years off the backs of poor morans...hope she gets an HIV test.

[bmbmd]

26. This may be the best thing that ever happened to Rev. Haggard.

Exposed, humiliated, maybe even humbled-perhaps he can come to terms with the Real Ted Haggard. I've thought that Ted was not as mean nor as bigoted as the rest and seemed to have a mind capable of being open. Once he deals with the real sin in his life-lying and hypocrisy-he may be able to minister to all of God's people.He should admit the truth, come out of the closet, and try to heal the wounds he has caused. I wish him well.

[lapislzi]

30. Hmmm...maybe he'll become a christian

walking the walk, instead of just talking the talk.

Wouldn't that be something.

[TexasLady]

28. I was just picturing all the lies he must be telling his wife

right now. And wondering if she believes him. It looked like, after he admitted to the 'massage' he glanced his eye over to her. I wonder if that was the first she'd heard of it.

He still cheated on her. Massage my EYE!

[helderheid]

29. I feel sorry for his wife for sure. God what her life must be like!

[progressivebydesign]

36. She may have known...

unfortunately, in a lot cases like this, where the man has money and power and there is an expectation of the wife, she may know things.. but feels she can't blow up the entire gig by divorcing the jerk. I think being the wife of someone like that must be total hell.. unless you're that one in texas that through a hissy fit in First Class because there was a spot on the airplance seat.

[Serial Mom]

31. self delete

[Phillycat]

32. If by "sad", you mean "fucking hilarious",

then we are in complete agreement. :rofl:

[Raffi Ella]

33. ha

oh god.This is all so fucked up.I'm laughing cuz Damn!!It IS hilarious that a guy like this would be exposed.AND in some way I think this happening will HELP the Gay issue move along faster BECAUSE my god!Look who's gay!From Congressmen to Preachers!You'll find them in all walks of life!ACCEPT it.
That evangelical leaders themselves would be part of the catalyst to a reluctant acceptance of the gay and lesbian community (which is what I think all these 'gay scandals' will eventually cause to happen)is HILARIOUS.Righteous even.lol.

[brentspeak]

39. What about his family?

Is it really so "f***ing hilarious" that they should be engulfed by all this?

[Phillycat]

40. Um, yep.

:D

This is what happens when you embrace a cultish extremist religion and then try to force all natural human instincts to fit some fucked up ideology.

[brentspeak]

41. Yeah, it's a genuine, knee-slapping laugh riot....

:eyes:

[Phillycat]

42. I honestly cannot stop laughing.

And I can't imagine where your compassion comes from. Yeah, I'm sure he's going through his own private hell, but it's the fact that he tries to force his private hell onto EVERYONE ELSE that makes him impossible to feel sorry for. And the wife and kids reaped the financial rewards of his hateful spew.

[brentspeak]

51. It's partly compassion from where I coming from

But it's also my own personal philosophy of "WWTFFD"? Which is to say, "What would the Founding Fathers do?" If something like this came to the attention of Jefferson, Madison, Adams, and Washington, I'm sure they would have shared a private chuckle over the overwhelming irony of the whole thing. But they would also would have handled it with decorum and dignity in regards to all involved. This guy's pretty much down for the count -- I just leave it at that.

If this was a criminal matter -- Haggard victimizing someone -- I'd feel differently. Or if it was Cheney or Rush Limbaugh getting caught with their pants down, I'd be laughing for days. But, it's not really that kind of situation.

[mondo joe]

43. He did them wrong. He's the villain, and this is his comeuppance.

It's sad for them, but this is what comes of homophobia.

[Raffi Ella]

46. hey...

HE should of thought about his Family before he did what he did.Don't even try and come at me with this "what about his family" crap.Ofcourse I have compassion for those hurt by his actions but in the end?The hypocrisy and lies needed to come out for a number of reasons.

The fact that it came out like this is NObodys fault but his own.The fact he and his wife are a part of a hate filled agenda against the very thing he has been exposed as is not my fault.And it just may help bring an end to all this bullshit from the fundies and the right.So if his wife and children are hurt by it maybe that is all a part of Gods plan.

MAYBE this is happening for a reason.

[WinkyDink]

53. Seems to me Ole TEDDY "engulfed" his family with DECEIT.

The Truth shall make them free, is it not said?

[Pattib]

54. Kids, yes. Wife, no. Sitting smugly like it is all fiction. Dream on lady.

[progressivebydesign]

34. "Massage"? Is THAT what the kids these days are callin' it. n/t

[SoCalDem]

45. I'm sorry too, but what I'm sorry for is for all the YEARS

that she gleefully spent all that mpney they were raking in from a whole bunch of lonely people who probably could not afford to part with the money they sent...Hucksters DO have families, and even though they may not have actively participated in the scam, they did benefit..and probably never gave a care about it ..

It's embarrassing, to be sure, but people do bad things all the time, and their families suffer from the revelation of their crimes..

[WinkyDink]

52. His followers would just as soon see you in Hell. AND they support

the Illegal Invasion of Iraq, I'd be willing to wager.

They and Pastor Ted can all go hang.