Alright, you all have heard about it. Every news outlet IN THE WORLD has topped their newspapers with this story. Colorado Springs is in the news again... Ted Haggard -the pastor of New Life Church has officially resigned from the leadership role that he played in the National Association of Evangelicals, as well as placed himself on administrative leave for the 14,000 member church (New Life) that he created, here in Colorado Springs.
If you have EVER been to Colorado Springs- you know that there are more churches per capita than almost anywhere else in the nation.
Who is the BIG Grand Daddy of them all? New Life Church. A $19 million auditorium that seats 7,500 people; a $5.5 million World Prayer Center that opened in 1998 that is home to several evangelical Christian nonprofit groups, weekly worship services, weddings and conferences.
With it's renowned "modern" blue-turquoise exterior and HUGE BLUE roof (possibly visible from space...?) one cannot possibly be in Colorado Springs long before driving by it (we often joke that it has its own zip code...)or experiencing the hour long traffic jam before and after Sunday church services.
My family has visited this church on a few occasions. Wow! Very, very large (and quite overwhelming, as it puts any Wal-Mart Super Center to shame...). I have also had the opportunity to meet and speak with "Pastor Ted" on a few occasions- can we all say "Charisma"...?
Why is Ted Haggard in the news? Well, he has been accused of several years of homosexual relatons with a Denver male prostitute and buying "meth" At this time, "Pastor Ted" admits that "bought methamphetamine but maintained he never had sex with Jones and never used the drug" just threw the drug away because he knew it was wrong and only received a massage from the male prostitute.
So, who cares, then? Let's look at all the implications- shall we?
- Ted Haggard is one of the largest religious icons in the nation. He is a prominant religious leader, and friends with Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family (another Colorado Spring-er). Yes. We are all human, but if you are in the public eye- especially in the religious and moral and ethical eye... bahaving- and holding the appearance of behavior (um... how about NOT buying drugs and NOT receiving massages from gay male prostitues??) is very important. His DUTY is to live the most righteous life that he can. He chose that "ideal life" when he began his church.
- He preaches about the sanctity of marraige (He is married with 5 kids) and is one of the LARGEST supporters behind the Colorado ballot measure making marraige ONLY legal between one MAN and one WOMAN. In MY opinion, the fact that he was (possibly) cheating on his wife FAR WORSE than the homosexuality of the affair.
- He avidly OPPOSES homsexuality and is strongly against the other ballot measure that would give gay and lesbian committed-couples (domestic partners) more rights.
"Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast the mote out of thy brother's eye" Matthew 7:5. 
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