That was quick work.

Also remember that although he admits to procuring crystal meth and meeting with a male prostitute, he threw the meth in the trash and he thought it was just a regular massage he was getting.

Posted by Judge Smails on 6 February 02007 @ 1pm

But wait! I thought he was never gay, he was just a heterosexual guy who sometimes had sex with a male prostitute. So what’s changed?

Posted by Jim E-H on 6 February 02007 @ 1pm

I remember seeing a news article that blamed the use of Crystal Meth on the resurgence of STD’s (HIV in particular) in the gay community, and that it was popular in those circles as a libido enhancer. I mention this now only because I think it puts Haggards crystal meth story into a new perspective.

Maybe others have already made that connection, but I was slow in putting two and two together.

As for Haggard’s claims of being cured of his “affliction,” I’ve got to wonder- who’s really going to believe any of that? I would like to feel bad for the guy, he seems to have some serious problems. But his (IMO) damaging and irresponsible advocacy of bigotry in the name of religion make any sympathy impossible.

Posted by TrvlnMn on 6 February 02007 @ 3pm

I shudder to think that there may have been a laying on of hands.

Posted by Cory Chandler on 6 February 02007 @ 3pm

Maybe not the best choice of post-homosexual wording…

“Satan, get thee behind me!”

Posted by ha ha! on 6 February 02007 @ 4pm

“You just got to keep the devil… way DOWN in the hole!”

-Tom Waits

Just can’t seem to get that song out of my head for some reason.

:)

Posted by Cory Capron on 6 February 02007 @ 5pm

They’re saying it as if he was cured of a disease. Haggard and his friends are a joke.

Posted by Samhensel on 6 February 02007 @ 5pm

Cory, do you watch The Wire? “Way Down in the Hole” is the opening theme to the show, with each season having a different artist perform it. It’s an awesome match for such an amazing tv show.

Posted by Matt on 6 February 02007 @ 8pm

REALLY?

For the most part (now and then I’ll sit through something or catch the news)I quit TV about two years ago. Somewhere around then we got rid of cable as well. I’ve seen a chunk of the first season (which was one of the best shows I’d ever seen, but I had no idea they had a different version of the song for each following season. Very cool!

Posted by Cory Capron on 6 February 02007 @ 10pm

This gets to one of my main pet peeves about fundementalist evangelicals; their theology is ethically irresponsible. I mean that in the literal sense. I’ve had several tell me that a belief that Jesus saved you is the only ethical requirement to be Christian, and that you cannot be saved by good works. In addition, there is a strong belief that we are all “fallen” so that sin is inevitable.

From this light, Haggard is merely fulfilling prophesy. The truth is that his church needs sinners so they can be “saved”. Once they’ve been saved then they need to fall so they can be “saved” again. If someone falls far enough, then it is publically declared that they were never Really Christian to begin with. In truth, Salvation is offered like a carrot dangling on a string that none of them ever reach. I personally think this is why you see such a preponderance of strip clubs in the Bible Belt.

So, if you get caught with a male prostitute doing meth, then don’t blame your own irresponsibility — Blame JESUS! It worked for Ted!

Posted by Lonnie on 15 February 02007 @ 4pm