Haggard Gay-Sex Scandal

According to multiple news sources, Rev. Ted Haggard the president of the National Association of Evangelicals, senior pastor of New Life Church in Colorado Springs and one of Time Magazine's Top 25 Most Influential Evangelicals has "resigned Thursday after being accused of paying for sex with a man in monthly trysts over the past three years."

Read articles here, here, with the most in depth article I've seen so far here.

Haggard said the escort, who made the accusation today on Denver talk radio, was lying.

I pray it's not true--a family and church destroyed is never good. So, for those of you out there that are happy about this (I've read a couple blogs like this), you should be ashamed of yourself. However, if it is true, I pray that he'll confess and repent of his sins, and I pray for healing, wisdom and forgiveness for him, his family (he has wife and 5 kids), the church and the organizations he's involved with.

I have three things to say about this:

First, Mike Jones, the man making the allegations of gay sex and drug use, does seem fishy. According to the CBS article, he came forward because of the political fight in Colorado over same-sex marriage, saying "I just want people to step back and take a look and say, 'Look, we're all sinners, we all have faults, but if two people want to get married, just let them, and let them have a happy life'" (though this has nothing to do with Haggard's guilt or innocence, what a bad argument for same-sex marriage). In other words, it's fishy because the "coming out" with this was politically motivated.

Second, Ted Haggard stepping down from New Life & the NAE and seeking spiritual counsel doesn't look good either, but I'm not sure what the logistics are for investigating the matter, although New Life Church explained some of it here.

Third, though as far as the truth of the allegation goes this means nothing, but in an online poll many more people believe Mike Jones (65% to 35%), which means Mr. Haggard's image, for now, is severely tarnished.

***UPDATE: I just read in the FoxNews.com article that "The acting senior pastor at New Life, Ross Parsley, told KKTV-TV of Colorado Springs that Haggard admitted that some of the accusations were true, but Parsley did not elaborate. A telephone number for Parsley could not be found late Thursday." Agh!

***ADDITION: Let me get this straight, Mike Jones' argument is "Ted Haggard, an opponent of same-sex marriage, has been having an affair with a man. Therefore, everyone should vote against the ban on same-sex marriage in Colorado next week." I think that's the definition of a non-sequitur--the conclusion does not follow from the premise.