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News & ArtsFriday, January 23, 2009
News This Story Sounds Familiar
Posted by Dan Savage on Fri, Jan 23, 2009 at 7:43 PM
Ted Haggard had a boy toy...
Disgraced evangelical leader Ted Haggard's former church disclosed Friday that the gay sex scandal that caused his downfall extends to a young male church volunteer who reported having a sexual relationship with Haggard—a revelation that comes as Haggard tries to repair his public image.Brady Boyd, who succeeded Haggard as senior pastor of the 10,000-member New Life Church in Colorado Springs, told The Associated Press that the man came forward to church officials in late 2006 shortly after a Denver male prostitute claimed to have had a three-year cash-for-sex relationship with Haggard.
Boyd said an "overwhelming pool of evidence" pointed to an "inappropriate, consensual sexual relationship" that "went on for a long period of time ... it wasn't a one-time act." Boyd said the man was in his early 20s at the time. He said he was certain the man was of legal age when it began.
Older man, younger man, and... um... a "pool of evidence" that pointed to an inappropriate sexual relationship. It's like déjà vu all over again...
2
Ah, the good news keeps on coming. Now if only someone had the sextape. I'd love to play it outside the Church every time service begins!
8
Yes, but was the boy-toy an adult...or an actual boy when the relationship began? If he was an adult, does it matter? The private sex lives of consenting adults is no one's business but theirs...and possibly their deluded beard-spouses...and the gays who were "cured" of homosexuality by Teddy Bear's church...and the voters he espoused the "evils of homosexuality" to...and maybe also...
11
'he was absolutely sure the man was of legal age,' was he? what *is* the legal age for gay sex in the new life church, anyway? oh! that's right! it's the same age you have to be to BURN IN HELL. well, that's a cheery thought! good work, ted! you lying, bigoted, self-hating closet case. holy hell, dude.
12
It's like about 15 percent of the US wants to live in the 21st century and the rest are bunch of haggard old farts and fuddie duddies.
It's like about 15 percent of the US wants to live in the 21st century and the rest are bunch of haggard old farts and fuddie duddies.
13
Don't know if this was in the Yahoo article you posted, but the Denver paper reports that the church "reached a legal settlement to pay the man for counseling and college tuition, with one condition being that none of the partis discuss the matter publicly." Hush money, in other words.
Sounds like the church isn't any more ethical than Haggard.
Sounds like the church isn't any more ethical than Haggard.
14
@ 13,
Why would they need to pay hush money if the kid was an adult? And college age is, what, 18-22 years old? Sounds like Teddy Bear did his "counseling" whilst the lad was underage to me. After all, if it's out there that Haggard is schtupping hookers and doing meth, then the news he had S-E-X with other guys isn't all that surprising. Well, maybe to his beard-spouse, but not to the rest of the world.
Why would they need to pay hush money if the kid was an adult? And college age is, what, 18-22 years old? Sounds like Teddy Bear did his "counseling" whilst the lad was underage to me. After all, if it's out there that Haggard is schtupping hookers and doing meth, then the news he had S-E-X with other guys isn't all that surprising. Well, maybe to his beard-spouse, but not to the rest of the world.
15
What's inappropriate about this, Dan? The guy had a tryst with a consenting adult. What's the difference between this relationship and the one you were defending in Portland last night?
In October you said most men in their 30s and 40s who chase teenage guys are scum. I wholeheartedly agree. Whether the person is gay or straight, someone in their 30s or 40s who chases teenagers IS a dirtbag.
Haggard is scum but Adams isn't? Come ON, man.
In October you said most men in their 30s and 40s who chase teenage guys are scum. I wholeheartedly agree. Whether the person is gay or straight, someone in their 30s or 40s who chases teenagers IS a dirtbag.
Haggard is scum but Adams isn't? Come ON, man.
16
Dan sees this as a "Christian preachers are scumbags" story.
America may be tempted to see it as a "homosexual men are deceiving cheating perverts" story.
When we start painting with the big messy paintbrush of bigotry it gets hard to stay within the lines.
Regardless of what the bigotry is, it makes a crummy lens thru which to view the world.
America may be tempted to see it as a "homosexual men are deceiving cheating perverts" story.
When we start painting with the big messy paintbrush of bigotry it gets hard to stay within the lines.
Regardless of what the bigotry is, it makes a crummy lens thru which to view the world.
18
It's not really right for either to do what they're doing, but...
If the hammer is gonna come down on somebody, it's gonna be the big fat hatin' hypocrite.
If the hammer is gonna come down on somebody, it's gonna be the big fat hatin' hypocrite.
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