ABC has apparently never heard that phrase, "There are two sides to every story." On Feb. 1, "World News Sunday" helped shamed former-pastor Ted Haggard take shots at the Christian conservatives who he says "shunned him."
Reporter Dan Harris introduced the piece by qualifying Haggard as a former "insider, a powerful pastor at the highest levels of the Christian conservative movement."
Haggard, who made headlines two years ago for getting caught in a gay sex scandal, is now offering advice to the Christian conservative movement; and ABC gave him the megaphone. Here is a portion of Harris' interview with Haggard:
HARRIS: But now, two years after he was fired in a sex and drug scandal, Haggard is back with some frank criticism of a movement he now says is off course. In his first broadcast news interview since he was brought down by a gay sex scandal, Ted Haggard says the movement he once helped lead has gone too far to the right.
HAGGARD: I think the religious right is increasingly impotent right now in America. And that it's going to have to return to the gospel in order to regain strength.
HARRIS: How is it impotent? Because --
HAGGARD: Well, this last election demonstrated that the only thing it did that it's proud of is proposition eight in California. And that's not much to be proud of.
Harris offered no follow up question regarding Haggard's ironic statement that the movement, and not Haggard, is the one "off course," or how a statewide majority passage of proposition eight is "not much to be proud of." Instead, Harris allowed Haggard to continue preaching about the "mistakes" of the church.
"Just as the church made a horrible mistake, several centuries ago, insisting that the earth was flat, I think the church may make a major mistake in our generation saying that sexuality should be this, and nothing else," Haggard declared. Instead of asking whether or not a flat earth and a deceitful pastor who hid a gay sex scandal can even be compared, Harris followed up with "You think the church should tell people its okay to be gay?"
Just moments earlier, Harris pointed out that Haggard used to "rail against homosexuality," showing clips of Haggard preaching that "Its written in the Bible," that homosexuality is a sin.
As a journalist, Harris might well inquire whether Haggard ever believed what he preached, or whether he should be considered credible now. But Harris continued to paint Haggard as a victim. "Haggard is still bitter at the way he says he was treated by fellow church leaders after the scandal," Harris said. "Not just fired, but shunned."
That statement set up Haggard for this hardball question: "You think there's a gap between the leaders of today's evangelical church and what the gospel preaches?" he asked Haggard.
"Yes I do," responded Haggard.
If ABC tried to interview anyone Haggard accused of straying from the gospel, the three minute report didn't mention it.
Harris ended the segment with this doozy: "Some have said that the Haggard case is proof that religion and politics do not mix. Haggard says Christians should be involved in politics, only with a more moderate tone."
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"...the religious right is
February 2, 2009 - 15:21 ET by SickofLibs"...the religious right is increasingly impotent..."
Unlike you, there, Ramrod?
Bad choice of words. Real bad.
I never listened to this
February 2, 2009 - 15:30 ET by bigtimerI never listened to this phony baloney/plastic banana after the first five minutes of first seeing him years ago, not going to waste a second to now.
Just amazing how the leftist msm love these guys on their shows when it suits their own agenda.
You can see right through both of these agenda's.
Disgustingly Pathetic....all of it.
The Bible never said
February 2, 2009 - 16:01 ET by TexasteacherThe Bible never said anything about the earth being flat, so the past church leaders were only going by opinion. The Bible is very specific about homosexuality, so it's not opinion, it's biblical principles. This abomination is infected with liberal "moral relativity". Since he preached on the subject in the past, either he is wrong now or what he preached then is wrong. Since espousing the latter would let him live like he wants, then that is "morally right".
obama's notion of bi-partisanship is telling conservatives to shut up and do what he wants.
Actually, the bible, unlike
February 2, 2009 - 16:14 ET byActually, the bible, unlike the consensus of the day, declares the earth to be round. 740 yrs before the birth of Jesus, by the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah 40:22
He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
and its people are like grasshoppers.
He stretches out the heavens like a canopy,
and spreads them out like a tent to live in.
As to Ted Haggard, he was a disseminator of false doctrine from the moment he first opened his mouth. I realize this is my hobby horse but it's still true. There is a vast difference between the method of salvation recognized by the Apostles and the Lord himself and the drivel that Haggard and others of his ilk, taught. A vast difference.
He's right about one thing...
February 2, 2009 - 16:10 ET by AtillaKahunaTed Haggard is right about one thing: The conservative Christian community did treat this man badly after his failures were made public. The Christian army is the only army in the world that shoots its own wounded. (I can't take credit for the line - my pastor is the first one that I heard say it).
Anyone remember Jim Bakker? Sure you do. He stole all that money and had an affair on his wife, right? He did time in prison for embezzelment, right? He was ostracized by the Evangelical Christian community for decades.
Guess what? He was acquitted on appeal. That's right, he didn't actually do it. Did that matter to the "religious right"? Nope.
Totally flies in the face of what Christ teaches, but it still happens. Bunch of hypocrites. The so-called leaders of the Evangelical movement should re-name themselves the Sanhedron.
I can't say that I'm surprised at his bitterness, but he is still wrong, poor guy.
Kahuna
→ Right Atilla
February 2, 2009 - 16:19 ET by Cool ArrowHe didn't do the wild thang with Jessica Hahn, then call her a whore.
Nah, none of that happened.
And no way did he go to prison for embezzling $158 million from his foundation.
Thanks for setting our version of the facts straight with your own.
Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country - Khalil Gibran
Sin
February 2, 2009 - 16:26 ET by Gothampc"The conservative Christian community did treat this man badly after his failures were made public. "
How did they treat him badly?
I find it interesting that you use the word "failure" rather than sin. Sin is deliberate, a failure is not necessarily intended.
After his sin was made public, do you think that he should have been given his pulpit back? I don't think it's wrong to ask a disgraced pastor to step down for awhile and take a time out.
Totally flies in the face
February 2, 2009 - 16:34 ET by Dan The Man 2Totally flies in the face of what Christ teaches, but it still happens. Bunch of hypocrites. The so-called leaders of the Evangelical movement should re-name themselves the Sanhedron
Apparently you are not familiar with church disciplne or the tenants of being a person holding office or having a high position in the church. Read teh bible it is in there. Haggard was treated very Biblically and according to teh laws God laid down.
Nuke em til they glow then shoot em in the dark.
Actually you are WRONG.
February 2, 2009 - 16:35 ET byActually you are WRONG. Ostracizing Haggard or anyone else who claims to be as preacher and is caught in sin on multiple occasions is handled this way in your bible. The twenty three thousand who fell into fornication and idolatry in the O.T. were killed in one fell swoop by the Lord....
1 Corinthians 10:7-9 (New International Version)
7Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: "The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry."[a] 8We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. 9We should not test the Lord, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes.
Sorry but you're just plain WRONG. The position of Pastor is a lofty one. One that requires the blessing of Christ to even attempt, one that you completely do not understand at all. Even a "brother" or "sister" who is just a congregant, not the pastor, who continually falls into the sin of say, fornication, is cast out! Not coddled. Cast OUT.
The problem is that most of what you think you know about Christ is wrong in the first place. Especially if you think something stupid like "He came to bring PEACE ON EARTH" or some other hallmark card nonsense. The idea of "love the sinner but hate the sin" was started by SATAN. This is so that you will have a church full of unregenerated habitual sinners that have NOT been delivered from their sin.
No different from the devil using priests to change the baptism from Jesus' name to the empty false baptism of "sprinkling" or even immersion in the empty titles "Father Son and Holy Ghost", none of which are "names". I realize that most of you couldn't care less what the bible actually says, preferring to get your religion from "deep within". But my bible tells me that the heart of a man is desperately wicked and cannot be known even by the man himself. My bible tells me that there is a way that seemeth right unto a man but the end thereof are the ways of DEATH. That's the reason that lining up what you THINK Jesus stands for with what he ACTUALLY SAID HE STANDS FOR is probably a good idea. Did you know that a homosexual prostitute in the bible is the lowest thing named?
If the Christian community was supposed to blow perfumed smoke up Haggards butt instead of kicking him out because of this DEEP SEATED perversion, why is THIS in your bible, concerning the treatment of HABITUAL FORNICATORS???? See, you err, not knowing the scriptures. This ain't opinion baby, this is history. Paul addressed thinking such as yours in an epistle to the Corinthian church which was as wrong as you are. He had previously written to them NOT TO KEEP COMPANY WITH FORNICATORS. Hardly, "loving the sinner", huh? In THIS epistle he has to elaborate on the fact that he wasn't talking about the "fornicators of the world", because to get away from them, you'd need your own PLANET. He re-iterates that he was talking about those in the church, who claim to be believers, and he told you to cast the habitual fornicator and YES that would include, homosexual prostitution, OUT.
1 CORINTHIANS 5
9I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
10Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
11But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
12For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
13But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
Perhaps you or your church think they are more "loving" than Paul. Perhaps you think you know more than he did about what Christ wanted us to do and be. But you don't. You are simply deceived by satan who has succeeded , in "leavening" the doctrine of Christ.
I think you are wrong about
February 2, 2009 - 16:53 ET by USA4freedomAttila, I think you are wrong about Jim Baker.
Following a 16-month Federal grand jury probe, Bakker was indicted in 1988 on eight counts of mail fraud,15 counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy.[4][10] In 1989,after a brief five week trial which began on August 28 in Charlotte, the jury found him guilty on all 24 counts, and Judge Robert Potter sentenced him to 45 years in federal prison and a $500,000 fine.[2]:52[11]
He served time in the Federal Medical Center, Rochester in Rochester, Minnesota,sharing a cell with activist Lyndon LaRouche and skydiver RogerNelson.[1]
In early 1991, a federal appeals court upheld Bakker's conviction on the fraud and conspiracy charges, but voided Bakker's 45-yearsentence, as well as the $500,000 fine, and ordered that a new sentencing hearing be held.[11] OnNovember 16, 1992, a sentence reduction hearing was held and Bakker's sentencewas reduced to eight years.[2]:104
In August 1993, Bakker was transferred to a minimum security federal prison in Jesup, Georgia, and was subsequently granted parole in July 1994, after serving almost five years of his sentence.[2]:116,130 Bakker's son, Jay, spear headed a letter-writing campaign to the parole board on his father's behalf, urging leniency
Ronald Reagan, 1962: I did not leave the Democratic party, the party left me.
Insert: your name, 2008, and the Republican party.
Hey, we agree on something!
February 2, 2009 - 16:14 ET by moderncommentaries83The Gospel is the Truth of Christ and God's new covenant with His people. In it, you learn several things, including what is and isn't sin. Fornication - any sexual activity outside a loving, life-giving marriage - is a sin. And yes, that includes homosexual behavior.
Christians do, indeed, need to reclaim the Gospel and spread the good news of salvation to others.
But that cannot be done this way
because "more moderate tone" always means "compromising and ignoring core Christian values", rather like how liberals always want Republicans to be "more moderate" (read: just like Democrats).
Recently, avowed atheist and entertainer/comedian Penn Jillette posted a rather moving video of his encounter with a man who gave him a book of Psalms. Jillette's basic point in the video is that if you really believe in Christian teaching and that some behaviors will lead to eternal damnation, you have a moral obligation to warn your fellow man. Jillette himself said that if he wholeheartedly believed a truck was about to run you down, he'd do everything in his power to warn you and save you - up to the point of tackling you to get you out of the way. And he asked a phenomonal question: “How much do you have to hate somebody to believe that everlasting life is possible, and not tell them that?” (see the video here: http://theanchoressonline.com/2008/12/20/penn-jillette-slouching-toward-bethlehem/)
So every time someone who's politically correct, atheistic, liberal, or otherwise offended by traditional, orthodox Christianity remember Jillette's question and don't be afraid to speak the truth. The time to be "moderate" has come and gone...
Aut viam inveniam aut faciam
Just adjust the teachings to whatever YOU want, Ted
February 2, 2009 - 16:14 ET by kufir77Now that he's gotten himself a "taste" of the "other side", he seems VERY willing to compromise his principles to suit his own personal desires. He can't resist his own urges anymore, so he deludes himself into thinking its okay.
I feel sorry for anyone that used to admire this guy. What a fraud. His wife needs to leave him, he'll do it again, he's only sorry he got caught.
Wife!
February 2, 2009 - 16:15 ET by okiehawk44Haggard's wife is either a giant phony or a leech or both.
Your husband had numerous assignations in suck-session with a male-prostitute honey -- don't you get it or are you just brain dead or what?
Just think if reporter Dan
February 2, 2009 - 16:18 ET by Dan The Man 2Just think if reporter Dan Harris interviewing Judas as a former "insider, a powerful pastor at the highest levels of the Christian conservative movement."
Judas, who ratted on Jesus, is now offering advice to the Christian conservative movement; and ABC gives him the megaphone. Here is a portion of Harris' interview with Judas:
HARRIS: But now, after turning in the heretic Jesus, Judas is back with some frank criticism of a movement he now says is off course. In his first broadcast news interview since he brought the criminal Jesus to justice, Judas says the movement he once helped lead has gone too far to the right.
JUDAS: I think the religious right is increasingly impotent right now in America. And that it's going to have to return to the gospel in order to regain strength.
HARRIS: How is it impotent? Because --
JUDAS: Well, this last election demonstrated that the only thing it did that it's proud of is proposition eight in California. And that's not much to be proud of.
Puts this in a different perspective.
Nuke em til they glow then shoot em in the dark.
How does that line go..the
February 2, 2009 - 16:31 ET by USA4freedomHow does that line go..the enemy of my enemy is my friend..........
Ronald Reagan, 1962: I did not leave the Democratic party, the party left me.
Insert: your name, 2008, and the Republican party.
Wasn't it Gay, Left Wing blogs who outed Haggard?
February 2, 2009 - 18:34 ET by OxyConIf my memory serves me correctly, John Aravosis and his Americablog.com website had alot to do with Haggard being outed, and they chastised Haggard for being a hypocrite right wing preacher in denial.
→ OxyCon
February 2, 2009 - 18:45 ET by Cool ArrowIn fact, I believe it was the homosexual callboy meth dealer who outed Haggard.
“Make no mistake, tax cheaters cheat us all, and the IRS should enforce
our laws to the letter. ” Sen. Tom Daschle, 05/07/98
Barney Frank..
February 2, 2009 - 21:54 ET by Sergeant ROCK.. sells meth? Who knew?
Bolton/KEYES 2012
with issues
February 2, 2009 - 21:50 ET by WesenAll that psychotherapy, and he calls himself a dude with issues.
If he were Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton he'd still have a job preaching.
→ Maybe so
February 3, 2009 - 03:07 ET by Cool ArrowI used to listen to Jimmy Swaggart once a week. His messages were always spirited, and he backed up everything he said with Scripture.
I think he believed everything he preached. His temptations just got the better of him. That was sad.
“Make no mistake, tax cheaters cheat us all, and the IRS should enforce
our laws to the letter. ” Sen. Tom Daschle, 05/07/98