I love the smell of hypocrisy in the morning

From the Washington Post:

“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.”

...

There is something immensely satisfying in hypocrisy exposed. Down in the trenches out gay men and women are struggling for equal rights and reversing discrimination… meanwhile this closet case is preaching hate to thousands while he skulks using crystal meth and visiting hookers.

True these allegations have not yet been confirmed but come on, the whole “never had a gay relationship” smacks of code. It was years before I had a relationship too but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t knocking boots. (I love that phrase knockin boots.)

If the Foleys and the Haggards want to spend their lives locked in torment I suppose that’s their right. However, don’t pull me and my family into your unhealthy descent.

So to those who cast us into damnation and hellfire I think you’ll find there’s a special reward waiting for you.