President of National Association of Evangelicals resigns over gay sex scandal
Sunday, November 5, 2006
On November 2, Ted Haggard resigned from the presidency of the National Association of Evangelicals and his pastorship in the New Life Church after allegations that he repeatedly engaged in homosexual sex with a prostitute (Mike Jones) and used methamphetamine.
Haggard, a critic of gay marriage and homosexuality, is a leading social conservative voice. Author Jeff Sharlet reported that Haggard "talks to. . . Bush or his advisers every Monday" and opines that "no pastor in America holds more sway over the political direction of evangelicalism."
In his church, Haggard preached "we don't have to debate about what we should think about homosexual activity, it's written in the Bible."
On Wednesday Haggard denied knowing the male escort, Jones, but admitted Friday that he had summoned the escort to give him a massage in a Denver hotel room and bought methamphetamine from him. He then followed up and said, "I was tempted, I bought it, but I never used it."
Sources
edit- Laurie Goodstein and Neela Banerjee. "Church leader says he only got a massage Haggard denies paying for gay sex, adds he bought meth but threw it out" — New York Times, November 4, 2006
- Neela Banerjee. "Accused of Gay Liaison, Head of Evangelical Group Resigns" — New York Times, November 4, 2006
- David Crary. "Haggard Case Fuels Debate Over Hypocrisy" — Associated Press, November 3, 2006
- "Haggard steps down amid sex allegations" — Rocky Mountain News, November 2, 2006
- John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge. "Cheer Up, Conservatives!" — Wall Street Journal, June 21, 2005