Ted Haggard, the "fallen star" of New Life Church and former president of the National Association of Evangelicals, is starting a brand new church in Colorado Springs.But boy, oh boy; there are sure a whole lot of red flags about the project.
Among those red flags are the lack of depth in Haggard's repentance for his moral crimes (an ongoing affair with a homosexual prostitute, cover up lies, illegal use of drugs), the yearning for public attention and financial support, his denial of the peculiar abomination which is homosexuality, and his very distorted sense of the biblical teachings regarding holiness and judgment.
On the latter point, for instance, Haggard says, "I don't judge people anymore" and so his new church will welcome everybody, including those who are "gay, straight, bi, tall, short, whether you're an addict, a recovering addict, or you have an addict in your family."
"I want to foster an atmosphere where people see one another with compassion and feel what each other is going through instead of judging, evaluating or analyzing. I think that may be important, that function, but it's just not for me anymore. I'm finished with it."
He does draw the line at conducting homosexual marriages. That's because he explains that "God's ideal plan for a marriage is the union of a man and a woman." Note the use of the word "ideal" rather than "only" or "commanded."
But Haggard goes even further to de-emphasize the crucial nature of the issue by adding a belittling parallel. He says that it's also "God's ideal that all of us have our weight under control" but that doesn't always happen either.
Homosexual activity compared to weight control? And yet Ted Haggard wants the people of Colorado Springs to trust his theological acumen?
Actually, Haggard says that he will be co-pastoring the new church with his wife, Gayle -- she who has stood bravely by him through the scandal and their resultant exile.
But that's not the only woman who provided critical support. So did Nancy Pelosi's filmmaker daughter.
"Alexandra Pelosi gave me the break that rescued my life," Haggard says of the director of the HBO documentary about him. "If she wouldn't have done that, we'd be in a little trailer in the Arizona desert somewhere trying to peddle insurance."
Another element of the Haggards' new endeavor that will raise eyebrows is their plan for a new style of offering -- something that smacks less of church than it does a casino. For every week, 10% of the total money given in the collection will, in turn, be given to a church member whose name is drawn at random.
"Spin the wheel, deacon Jones, and let's see who the Lord chooses to bless this week!"
There is a catch to the deal, though. The winner only gets to keep 25% of the money. The rest he must give away, either to a charity or to other people. But the winner does get to select where the rest of the money goes.
Well, within limits. There would be a veto power established. Not by the pastors, of course -- remember, they're not into making judgments. No, the veto power would go to a committee made up of the previous 7 winners. That committee would then be able to say no if (to use Haggard's example) the winner wanted to give the money to "Maharishi Someone" who had a "camp in India where they're all doing sweat lodges.'"
But what about a situation where the winner wanted to designate the offering's money to an organization like Inside/Out, which supports and advocates on behalf of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered youth?
"Haggard insists the congregation would support that."
Like I said, there's red flags aplenty with the new (or maybe not-so-new) Ted Haggard church.
