Thursday, March 19, 2009
Religion Divorce Is Not The Answer
Posted by Dan Savage on Thu, Mar 19, 2009 at 7:57 AM
Take it from Ted and Gayle:
Former evangelical pastor Ted Haggard and his wife are planning another TV appearance, this time to talk about their marriage. The two are in Los Angeles taping an appearance on the Universal Fox show "Divorce Court," to be broadcast nationally April 1.... The Haggards say their marriage and Christian faith are stronger than ever, and they want people to know that divorce is not the answer.
Christ on the cross—haven't the Haggard children, and the nation, suffered enough? Why on earth would the Haggards keep putting their kids through this crap?
The couple will be paid an undisclosed amount for the interview, the latest in a series of public appearances that started in January when Ted Haggard began promoting an HBO documentary about his time in exile. He also has appeared on the "Oprah Winfrey Show" and "Larry King Live."
Oh right. Once a money-grubbing piece of shit, always a money-grubbing piece of shit. The man never did an honest day's work in his life, and he's not about to start now.
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1
You're a little shit Savage. These people have no fucking money and you want them to fucking starve to death because they were once rich?
3
Haggard is a little piece of shit and so is his wife. She will stay with him as long as he is a money making machine. I wonder how much of his recent money is going to buy prostitutes and illegal drugs.
5
@1
I think the idea is that he'd like Ted to try earning an honest living instead of piggybacking around on his moment of infamy and exposing his family to further ridicule and misery. The idea - unless I'm much mistaken - is that Haggard was, is, and shall probably remain a sleazy amoral hypocrite, not that he and his ought to starve.
I think the idea is that he'd like Ted to try earning an honest living instead of piggybacking around on his moment of infamy and exposing his family to further ridicule and misery. The idea - unless I'm much mistaken - is that Haggard was, is, and shall probably remain a sleazy amoral hypocrite, not that he and his ought to starve.
6
Isn't that how the new economy works? Everyone is infamous for 15 minutes, at around $20 grand per second.
10
the slog will be filled with these jealous, bitter trolls until comment registration starts and then the slog will be full of jealous, bitter trolls with a user account.
14
I'm starting to believe that conservatives don't care one bit about hypocrisy, as long as your story *now* gibes with their agenda. Kind of like how you can spend your life thieving and destroying, but if you ask for foregiveness on your deathbed, Jebus will give you a wink and a smile and let you right on through into the kingdom of heaven.
15
Oh Big Sven, after these last two days, is starting to believe that CONSERVATIVES don't care one bit about hypocrisy.
Geeeee! Good job!
You can go back to pretending like there has been no indifference to hypocrisy here on Slog now.
Geeeee! Good job!
You can go back to pretending like there has been no indifference to hypocrisy here on Slog now.
17
@5 / 2 I don't know exactly what you saw in Trials of Ted Haggard but I saw him try to do exactly that: make an honest living. What do you think he's been doing for the last 3 (three!) years? If all he wanted was to capitalize on the scandal he could have done that years ago. He's hard up for cash and needs to keep going. What would you do?
18
That seems a bit harsh... from what I remember, he tried to get real work, but no one would hire him (he made a funny comment in that documentary about how he thought he might get a specific job if they don't Google him), and ended up selling door-to-door.
In his situation, faced with an "undisclosed sum" for a one-day appearance or a minimum wage job, I don't particularly fault him for choosing the undisclosed sum. For everything else, yes, of course he's a hypocritical douchebag.
In his situation, faced with an "undisclosed sum" for a one-day appearance or a minimum wage job, I don't particularly fault him for choosing the undisclosed sum. For everything else, yes, of course he's a hypocritical douchebag.
20
How, specifically, was #8 threatening? Indifference to the tragedy of an assholes family is threatening?
I guess you don't understand that your message in this post is exactly that. You expect Ted Haggard to be able to get a job right now? That will support his family? He lived and breathed the Church. Who are you to say he didn't perform hard work?
You both do the exact same thing (or at least you did). You preach. To your choir. That's it. Nobody else gives a shit what you have to say. You get on planes, you complain about having to wait at airports, you find your crowd, you preach your shit. Wow that's fucking hard work.
I guess you don't understand that your message in this post is exactly that. You expect Ted Haggard to be able to get a job right now? That will support his family? He lived and breathed the Church. Who are you to say he didn't perform hard work?
You both do the exact same thing (or at least you did). You preach. To your choir. That's it. Nobody else gives a shit what you have to say. You get on planes, you complain about having to wait at airports, you find your crowd, you preach your shit. Wow that's fucking hard work.
23
@20 I think we all expect Ted to get a job right now, just like the rest of us are either working or looking for work. Let him answer phones or something. Telemarketing. Surely he and his wife can do that for Christ's sake.
25
@21
Same difference, fuckhead. Oh, or is sexuality an actual issue? In the closet, out of the closet, it's none of your fucking business, regardless of how it effects anyone else.
RIGHT DAN?!
Same difference, fuckhead. Oh, or is sexuality an actual issue? In the closet, out of the closet, it's none of your fucking business, regardless of how it effects anyone else.
RIGHT DAN?!
26
25, No it's not the same. People robbing houses work hard, but they aren't doing and honest days work.
When you spend your day's work publicly speaking out against homosexuality, while engaging in it yourself, it is someone else's business.
When you spend your day's work publicly speaking out against homosexuality, while engaging in it yourself, it is someone else's business.
28
you know what? 'lesser' people have their lives and families ruined for far less every day in this country. Most of them don't deserve what's comin' to em, but it happens. Why should the haggards be treated different?
oh, right, they were rich, and therefore deserve to remain so.
oh, right, they were rich, and therefore deserve to remain so.
29
@26
Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.
Do I even need to explain how that works for ECB? Geeeee that stupid yuppie bitch thought someone on Capitol Hill was going to steal her stupid stroller? BRB GOTTA GO GET SOME WINE.
Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.
Do I even need to explain how that works for ECB? Geeeee that stupid yuppie bitch thought someone on Capitol Hill was going to steal her stupid stroller? BRB GOTTA GO GET SOME WINE.
30
29, How does ECB work in a story about Ted Haggard? Do you not have a real counterpoint, so now you are going for the diversion?
32
@30
Different situations involving the same logic. I know that's hard for you to understand, being all closed-minded and all. Turn the cheek for your side, double-up on the other.
Different situations involving the same logic. I know that's hard for you to understand, being all closed-minded and all. Turn the cheek for your side, double-up on the other.
34
32, This is a thread about Ted Haggard, started by Dan Savage, and obviously, you don't have a real point about this story. So, you are desperately trying to steer the conversation away from Haggard.
35
Clearly this moron has his head stuck too far up his ass to get it. Hmm. Sounds like he has an awful lot in common with Haggard, now that I think about it.
36
@28 Do all these lesser individuals also spend their lives preaching hatred and vitriol like Haggard? Do all of these "lesser" individuals demonize other groups of people to enrich themselves?
It's amazing anyone would still listen to that creepy little nutjob. And paying him to keep talking and stay in the public eye is just feeding the nasty little trolls who listen to him.
It's amazing anyone would still listen to that creepy little nutjob. And paying him to keep talking and stay in the public eye is just feeding the nasty little trolls who listen to him.
37
look at their appearance date: April 1st! Clearly, Ted Haggard is the best practical joker in the world. Moral Conciousness as performance art? The joke's on us!
39
aren't his children pretty close to fully grown by now? and doesn't his wife look like a woman who has never been properly laid in her entire life? and isn't ted actually a gay man? sometimes, divorce IS the answer.
40
"Oh right. Once a money-grubbing piece of shit, always a money-grubbing piece of shit. The man never did an honest day's work in his life, and he's not about to start now."
You're referring to Tim Eyman aren't you?
You're referring to Tim Eyman aren't you?
41
@39--
Ted says he's a straight man who likes to have sex with and engage in long-term relationships with other men.
If his wife is willing to live with his relationships outside of the confines of his sacred marriage, why should they get divorced?
@35 -- See my previous comment re: hypocrites and children.
Ted is in trouble not because he said one thing and did another. He's in trouble because he used his power to hurt people and became weakened through his own actions. He's vulnerable to the people he hurt now, so he's paying a price. Hypocrisy is only a fig-leaf to cover the embarrassment of our revenge (however justified).
Ted says he's a straight man who likes to have sex with and engage in long-term relationships with other men.
If his wife is willing to live with his relationships outside of the confines of his sacred marriage, why should they get divorced?
@35 -- See my previous comment re: hypocrites and children.
Ted is in trouble not because he said one thing and did another. He's in trouble because he used his power to hurt people and became weakened through his own actions. He's vulnerable to the people he hurt now, so he's paying a price. Hypocrisy is only a fig-leaf to cover the embarrassment of our revenge (however justified).
42
Keep Ted Haggard and Sarah Palin in the spotlight as much as possible. If I were HBO, I would see that as a great investment. I would also put celebrity scientologists on the air as much as possible for the same reason.
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