faith in democracy...slowly returning...and a somewhat immature perspective on Ted Haggard
So since I have been old enough to vote, I have been slightly disillusioned with the whole voting thing. This has had mostly to do with guys I voted for losing. Sure that's shallow, but it sucks when you vote for someone (well, actually against someone) twice and things don't go your way. It is also hard to watch the country go in directions that seem...questionable. So I have to say that I'm pretty pleased with yesterday's election results. It makes me feel like the system isn't quite as faulty as I have felt it is. It seems very likely all of a sudden that the entire congress will go for the democrats, thus restoring that whole "checks and balances" things that's been missing for six years.
I also have to say that I am pretty shocked at how quickly after losing congress (at least the House) that Bush decided to dump Rummy. It might be the first bite of humble pie for the Bush administration to start chewing on. Last week Mr. Bush was pretty pro-Rumsfeld. Maybe that was just gas. I do hope that the word "bi-partisan" becomes more than just a catch phrase for the next couple of years. It would be great to see our government actually work for the people who elected them in more than a nebulus "protecting you from the terrorists" kind of way.
So I wanted to comment on the whole Ted Haggard thing. If you want to read a healthy black man's response to the whole situation. Go to postmodern negro's blog. Go ahead. I'll wait. Done? Good. Now for my less healthy take: hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahha!
Okay, sorry. one of my biggest ministry fears is making self righteous, graceless statements in public. The mantle of a pastor/preacher comes with heavy responsibility. using your power to ostracize homosexuals from the community of faith is despicable. Even more so when you have certain skeletons in your own closet. I think as a minister we bear the responsibility of holding the truth of sin, including our own, against the light of Christ. When we take positions of moral superiority, we set ourselves up for big falls. I know that from experience and I have been humbled by it. I hope that this becomes a teachable moment for Rev. Haggard and for all of the big mainstream evangelicals who tend to hold themselves up in a place of moral superiority. I do hope that after some counseling, Haggard can return to a life-giving ministry that opens the door to all God's children. I also hope he is cautious about whom he asks for a massage. Hehe.
More soon, including my eulogy for the 2006 Steelers...
I also have to say that I am pretty shocked at how quickly after losing congress (at least the House) that Bush decided to dump Rummy. It might be the first bite of humble pie for the Bush administration to start chewing on. Last week Mr. Bush was pretty pro-Rumsfeld. Maybe that was just gas. I do hope that the word "bi-partisan" becomes more than just a catch phrase for the next couple of years. It would be great to see our government actually work for the people who elected them in more than a nebulus "protecting you from the terrorists" kind of way.
So I wanted to comment on the whole Ted Haggard thing. If you want to read a healthy black man's response to the whole situation. Go to postmodern negro's blog. Go ahead. I'll wait. Done? Good. Now for my less healthy take: hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahha!
Okay, sorry. one of my biggest ministry fears is making self righteous, graceless statements in public. The mantle of a pastor/preacher comes with heavy responsibility. using your power to ostracize homosexuals from the community of faith is despicable. Even more so when you have certain skeletons in your own closet. I think as a minister we bear the responsibility of holding the truth of sin, including our own, against the light of Christ. When we take positions of moral superiority, we set ourselves up for big falls. I know that from experience and I have been humbled by it. I hope that this becomes a teachable moment for Rev. Haggard and for all of the big mainstream evangelicals who tend to hold themselves up in a place of moral superiority. I do hope that after some counseling, Haggard can return to a life-giving ministry that opens the door to all God's children. I also hope he is cautious about whom he asks for a massage. Hehe.
More soon, including my eulogy for the 2006 Steelers...
we had a good long talk about this in Ethics class. what struck me is that Haggard has been crushed and humiliated by the situation he's worked so hard to create, a situation where you can't be christian and gay, you can't be righteous and gay, you can't even be acceptible and gay. and i don't think he'll see the irony here. i'm afraid he's too deeply convinced of his own bigoted propaganda and ignorant proclaimations. his whole identity is invested in the venom he's been spewing in the name of christ.
and his congregation won't take this as the innoculation it could be. they won't see how their theology not only makes no rational sense but actively destroys lives and drives people from god. they'll just find a replacement who will be a little more transparent about his personal life but will continue telling them the same garbage that haggard told them for so long. and the crusade will continue against gays, progressives, evolutionary biologists, etc.
Posted by
Douglas Underhill |
12:46 PM
I so hope you are wrong on this one, but I know you aren't. The fact of the matter is that Haggard himself has made this out as some incredibly horrible thing he did, and while I agree that he did a horrible thing by cheating on his wife and paying for a prostitute, his folks will interepret that the horrible thing that he did was commit a homosexual act.
My hope and prayer is for a reconciliation of our faith. I would hope that having the love of Jesus Christ as a common denominator would be enough for us. That's idealistic, I know, but I am idealistic at times.
Posted by
dlweston |
1:55 PM
I hear where you guys are coming from and you have ample reason to be pessimistic about Rev. Haggard, his church and the brand of Christianity he represents, but I am not willing to be cynical about this event just yet.
For one thing, none of us really know him on a personal level. I barely know "of" him, let alone know his inner being. For another, dramatic change does happen at times in history and often through people who were the worst examples of the corruption that needs changed before they repented. God is clever and I'm not giving up hope yet.
But beyond these general statements about any person in a crisis I think there are some things about this particular circumstance that might actually lead toward healing and reconciliation rather than renewed hostility. No matter who Haggard thought he was before he MUST be experiencing the worst time of his life right about now. Can you even imagine the kind of turmoil someone goes through when they've been keeping a secret about themselves that is the epitomy of everything they've demonized and opposed in the public arena for years. All of his respect and standing... all of his friends and allies... his family... they all hate him now as he has always hated himself. I truly feel sorry for the man, though I abhor what he stands for, I can't even imagine the temptation to suicide must be immense.
It is possible of course that he will come out of that dark night without repenting, I suppose. But if ever there was a moment in his life ripe for God to move in and make him more like Christ, this is the one. The head pastor of the UCC congregation in Colorado Springs wrote Rev. Haggard a letter saying simply, that they are a congregation who welcomes everyone and they would welcome him though he may not feel comfortable - they would welcome him as one of God's children as much in need of grace as the rest of us.
Frankly, even if Rev. Haggard learns nothing and his church goes on hating... the fact that people who have been abused by him in the past might find the strength in themselves to forgive him, seeing his humanity... it's not all bad.
Posted by
Anonymous |
10:20 PM