Evangelical Leader Accused of Gay Affair

Oy. Mike Jones, a male escort, claims that he has had a three-year “sexual business relationship” with Ted Haggard, founder and senior leader of the New Life Church in Colorado Springs, president of the National Association of Evangelicals, and one of Time magazine’s 25 most influential Evangelicals in America. Jones also alleges that Haggard “used methamphetamine in his presence on several occasions.”

Haggard, of course, denies the charges. “I am steady with my wife. I'm faithful to my wife.”

I don’t know what the evidence of this relationship is, although I’m presuming Jones provided something more than his word during the two months he was speaking to the television station. I can’t imagine an NBC affiliate would run the story on hearsay alone. Nonetheless, at this point, it’s an accusation only.

Haggard is a virulent homophobe, who, as Pam says, “worked hard on a federal marriage amendment, and he was on the batphone with the White House on a regular basis.”

Every Monday he participates in the West Wing conference call with evangelical leaders. The group continues to prod the President to campaign aggressively for a federal marriage amendment. "We wanted him to use the force of his office to actively lobby the Congress and Senate, which he did not adequately do," says Haggard. He is also working to broaden his group's agenda. A document issued last fall offered a theological justification for civic activism by U.S. Evangelicals, calling on them to protect the environment, promote global religious and political freedom and human rights, safeguard "wholesome family life," care for the poor and oppose racism.

Even if the accusations aren’t true, Haggard’s still getting exactly what he deserves. It’s because of people like him, who endeavor to demonize gays, that accusing someone of having a gay affair is such a Big Fucking Deal. Obviously, if you’re married and not cheating, being accused of an affair is a big deal on its own, but being accused of a gay affair is just all kinds of scandalous to people like him and his followers. And it’s their own damn fault.