Comments on Gay For Pray

Just how would said bible-thumpers "prove otherwise"?

And to think all those grannies sending in their money are actually financing a homosexual trist. How fantastically uplifting. I should warn my grannie of this. Maybe she can give that money to me instead so I can buy more fuzzy navels.

And to think all those grannies sending in their money are actually financing a homosexual trist. How fantastically uplifting. I should warn my grannie of this. Maybe she can give that money to me instead so I can buy more fuzzy navels.

mike jones has terrible skin! girl needs to head to aveda, stat!

Who is Mike Jones?

It never fails to amuse me. You can almost predict the scandal based on what subject a person screams the most about.

Drug offenders getting off easy? Rush Limbaugh.

Fags ruining marriage? Ted Haggard.

morality in general? Jimmy Swaggart

And on and on

Don't forget:

Americans lack virtue? Bill "The Gambler" Bennett.

"You can almost predict the scandal based on what subject a person screams the most about."

Totally. Smelt it = dealt it.

Ha! Diana, that's catchy enough to put on a bumper sticker.

Ok I watched that video and even though I'm a straight-shootin' hetero male that Haggard set off my gaydar at full on red alert.

Smelt it = dealt it!

For sure.

I love a phrase or combination of words that generates zero google matches. However, at 20,900 hits, sadly I cannot claim "smelt it = dealt it" as my own.

Watching the video footage of Mike Jones makes me think he is telling the truth. He looks too nervous on camera to be lying. Also, he couldn't possibly be trying to drum up business for himself by appearing on tv in those awful white shorts and that ratty blue polo shirt. Ted Haggard, by comparison, works a talking point about "the marriage amendment" into his smiling denial, making him look at at the very least guilty of being a smarmy bigot.

I forgot about Bennett. There are just too many to keep track of...

In a related vein, I really enjoy reading Oliver North warn, in column after wet-your-pants-with-terror column, about the dangers of an armed Iran. What's Ollie North famous for again? Anyone?

Ollie North is famous for lying to Congress and the American people, selling arms to our sworn enemy, Iran, using the proceeds to fund right wing Central American death squads and participating in a futile cover up.

Naturally he's a Republican hero just like Limbaugh, et al.

We desperately want these claims to be true, but so far it is just one man's word against another. It is best to treat such accusations with skepticism. This story should not have been reported without corroborating evidence.

This could severely hamper Haggard's World Prayer Team's chances at next week's intergalactic pray-off.

http://www.worldprayerteam.org/wpc/wpc?page=about.jsp

Does this mean Ken Hutcherson could be a turd-pounder, or even a turd-poundee?

@15, the TV station that broke the story sat on it for a month to make sure they had enough corroboration to go with it. The hooker also apparently kept voice mails and a letter from the good preacher.

The higher they climb... the harder they fall.

First he says a church group will do the investigation, then he says an independent group, then church group again. Hmm.. but isn't this also a matter for criminal investigation? Prostitution is illegal, and the accuser and admitted prostitute will presumably be charged (talk about sacrifice), so Haggard will also be investigated. Right? Anyone?

18: Denver's 9News says they sat on the story for two months, so let's charitably assume that during that time they obtained corroboration and that they're not playing election politics. But the article Dan links to on their site mentions neither voice mails nor other corroborating evidence. Neither do the short- or full-length videos linked to on their site. If they had voice mails, you'd think they'd play them on air (if that's legal) or at least mention them. (The accuser has also gone on talk radio, so it's possible the voice mails were discussed there.)

19: Yes, this should be a criminal investigation. That would presumably start with the self-proclaimed prostitute, I would think.

19: I understood Haggard to be saying that an independent group within his church -- a group the doesn't report to him -- would investigate. Obviously that wouldn't be a criminal proceeding, but would determine what action, if any, the church should take.

Refresh my memory, if you would...

Wasn't there a similar scandal involving a megachurch on the eastside a few years back that started with an accusation of the minister cruising men in public restrooms in Florida that ended up with a church investigation where several of the members revealed they had been molested by the minister?

Whatever happened with that, or am I getting everything mixed up?

18: Rocky Mountain News is reporting that the accuser said on the Peter Boyle talk show that he (the accuser) has voicemails and a letter:
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5112770,00.html

Note that the news organization is not vouching that such evidence exists; they are merely passing along the accuser's claim that it does. That's a pretty low standard for journalism.

I'm sure if/when some actual evidence arises, someone will comment on it here. Until then, this is just a schoolyard rumor - not something the media should be reporting on. Really, people, if this is your standard for getting behind a story, god help you when it's your reputation on the line.

I understand your sentiment Waitfortheevidence, but we aren't going around proclaiming that homosexuality is a sin and calling for bans on gay marriage. Same with gambling, drugs, etc. If someone accused me of being a pothead, I wouldn't give a S because I don't going around calling for all the potheads to be thrown in prison.

MikeInMo: It seems to me that the principle at stake here does not depend on which side of the issue you are on.

Let's say that you were a national leader in movement to decriminalize marijuana, and that one of your opponents goes to the media with the claim that you are actually a DEA spy and a paid narc. Wouldn't you expect the media to obtain corroboration -- and report having done so -- before breaking the story?

Sorry if we're all smashing anyone's imaginary pretty little right-wing world.

Haggard has temporarily stepped down while his church investigates:
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5112770,00.html

Perhaps he is doing this to reduce the impact of the allegations on his church ... his continuing to lead the church during the investigation would be disruptive to his church and possibly impede an impartial investigation ... but it never looks good to step down in such circumstances. If you're innocent, better to stay put and fight.

Everybody see Jesus Camp? Haggard was the pastor whose service the kids field-tripped to.