Monday, November 06, 2006

Ted Needs Help

The following is from Rev. Ted Haggard's letter to his congregation:
I am a deceiver and a liar. There is a part of my life that is so repulsive and dark that I’ve been warring against it all of my adult life. For extended periods of time, I would enjoy victory and rejoice in freedom. Then, from time to time, the dirt that I thought was gone would resurface, and I would find myself thinking thoughts and experiencing desires that were contrary to everything I believe and teach.
Wow, have you ever read anything more self hating in your whole life? This is what fundamentalism does to people. I am sure Ted could have had a nice life if he had been allowed to accept his true self in a community of caring people. Instead he hid his sexuality under a cloak of religious piety, among people who consider homosexuality a sin.

As a result, Ted felt dirty about himself and bitter and angry at those who had been able to escape the expectations of "normal" society and live as themselves. Haggard used his fundamentalism as a cover for his orientation and as a stick with which to club other gays. Haggard needs to sit down and truly look at his life with honesty and compassion toward himself and others. I have grave doubts he will.
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