Yervant1 Posted November 3, 2006 Report Share Posted November 3, 2006 Evangelist Ted Haggard has admitted he bought methamphetamine and received a massage from a male prostitute. But he maintains he never had sex or used the drug. CTV.ca News Staff Rev. Ted Haggard, president of the National Association of Evangelicals, is seen in this Sept. 2005 file photo. (AP / Erik Stenbakken / New Life Church) Haggard, an outspoken a vocal opponent of gay marriage, resigned from his post as the president of the U.S. National Association of Evangelicals after accusations from the gay escort hit airwaves. On Friday, the 50-year-old pastor denied having sex with Mike Jones, a 49-year-old male prostitute who told a radio station Haggard paid him for near-monthly sexual trysts over the past three years. He admitted to having a massage from Jones, however, after being referred to him by a Denver hotel. Haggard also admitted to reporters that he bought the drug out of curiosity, but he threw it away. "I bought it for myself but never used it," he said. "I was tempted, but I never used it." Haggard has resigned as president of the 30 million-member association Thursday after the accusations were made public. Haggard, a married father of five, temporarily gave up his post as the senior pastor of the 14,000-member New Life Church pending an investigation. "I am voluntarily stepping aside from leadership so that the overseer process can be allowed to proceed with integrity," he said in a statement. "I hope to be able to discuss this matter in more detail at a later date. In the interim, I will seek both spiritual advice and guidance." In an interview with KUSA-TV, a CNN affiliate in Denver, on Wednesday night, Haggard said that he had never had a gay relationship. "I'm steady with my wife. I'm faithful to my wife," he said. Rev. Ross Parsley, who temporarily assumed Haggard's post, said late Thursday that there has been "some admission of guilt," but not to all of the allegations. "There has been some admission of indiscretion, not an admission to all of the material that has been discussed, but there is an admission of some guilt," said Parsley, the New Life Church associate senior pastor. Carolyn Haggard, spokeswoman for the New Life Church and the pastor's niece, said a four-member church panel will investigate the allegations. The board has the authority to discipline Haggard, including removing him from ministry work. The allegations come as voters in Colorado and seven other U.S. states get ready to decide Tuesday on amendments that define marriage as being between one man and one woman. Aside from the proposed ban, a separate measure would establish the legality of domestic partnerships that would provide same-sex couples with many of the rights of married couples. Jones said he decided to reveal details of their relationship because of Haggard's public stance against same-sex marriage. "I just want people to step back and take a look and say, 'Look, we're all sinners, we all have faults, but if two people want to get married, just let them, and let them have a happy life,'" Jones told the Associated Press. "It made me angry that here's someone preaching about gay marriage and going behind the scenes having gay sex," said Jones, who said he advertised himself as an escort on the Internet and in newspapers serving the gay community. Jones claimed he saw Haggard about once a month for trysts that lasted no more than hour and cost $200 in cash. Jones said he was contacted by a man who called himself Art, who snorted methamphetamine before their sexual encounters to heighten his experience. Jones said he later saw the man on television identified as Haggard. When asked if he had proof to back his claims, Jones said he had kept voice mails from Haggard on his answering machine, as well as an envelope containing money from him. Jones, who said he no longer worked as a prostitute, described himself as a Christian and said that although he was a registered Democrat he had voted for Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush for president. Haggard also denied the allegations of drug use Wednesday. "I have never done drugs, ever -- not even in high school," he told KUSA. Haggard, 50, was appointed president of the evangelical association in March 2003. He has long been a leading figure among American evangelical Christians. Time Magazine included him in its list of the "25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America" while Harper's Magazine described New Life last year as "America's most powerful megachurch." After Massachusetts legalized same-sex marriage in 2004, Haggard and others began organizing state-by-state opposition. Another prominent religious conservative leader blasted the media for reporting a "rumour" based on "nothing but one man's accusation." "Ted Haggard is a friend of mine, and it appears someone is trying to damage his reputation as a way of influencing the outcome of Tuesday's election -- especially the vote on Colorado's marriage-protection amendment, which Ted strongly supports," said James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, also based in Colorado Springs. Haggard, who is often credited with rallying conservative Christians behind U.S. President George Bush for his 2004 re-election, talks to Bush or his advisers every week, according to Harper's. Jerry Falwell, a prominent conservative Christian and Republican Party stalwart, was quick to play down Haggard's role among evangelicals. "He (Haggard) doesn't really lead the (evangelical) movement. ... He is the president of an association that is very loosely knit and I've never been a member of it," Falwell said in a CNN interview on Thursday. With files from The Associated Press Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MosJan Posted November 3, 2006 Report Share Posted November 3, 2006 we should send people like him to IRAQ to "Fight" - let him serve his country and fellow believers from Iraq or Afghanistan... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zartonk Posted November 3, 2006 Report Share Posted November 3, 2006 (edited) Oh yes. He only purchased the drug and the man-whore to demonstrate his steel faith and lack of temptation to family & fellow believers. THESE are the "men" buying out the government. Edited November 3, 2006 by Zartonk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yervant1 Posted November 3, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2006 He smoked it, but didn't inhale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gamavor Posted November 3, 2006 Report Share Posted November 3, 2006 Where is America-Hye? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Takoush Posted November 4, 2006 Report Share Posted November 4, 2006 Where is America-Hye? He's hiding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yervant1 Posted November 4, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2006 Where is America-Hye? Ask Hagarag or Khoja. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arpa Posted November 4, 2006 Report Share Posted November 4, 2006 Ask Hagarag or Khoja. Leave him alone. He is still sorting out his Ottoman/Khoja ancestry, the heritage of Mamik-chin-ian and Bagrat-jew-ni ancestry. To not forget the Mongolian/Kilikian blood-fusion, or, his masperpiece ..."Turks and Armenians Are Blood Brothers" cow-manure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Takoush Posted November 4, 2006 Report Share Posted November 4, 2006 Ask Hagarag or Khoja. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Verginne Posted November 4, 2006 Report Share Posted November 4, 2006 And so you see the kind of hypocrites that Bush is involved with, they are dirt like him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Takoush Posted November 4, 2006 Report Share Posted November 4, 2006 And so you see the kind of hypocrites that Bush is involved with, they are dirt like him. Yes and not to mention a C student (that is Bush) to top it off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azat Posted November 4, 2006 Report Share Posted November 4, 2006 we all know what kind of people Bush is involved in and what kind of student he was. screw that... Whats interesting and funny is the type of people these religious people are. They all talk the talk but they all suck(some literary) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Takoush Posted November 4, 2006 Report Share Posted November 4, 2006 Mostly it's the religious heads that suck not the usual Joe, Dick and Harry. There's plenty of religious or non religous people that don't suck and there are plenty of some nice people just the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ED Posted November 4, 2006 Report Share Posted November 4, 2006 jusat one look at the vice president chaney the DICK and wonder why his wife and doughter are lesbos. I miss Clinton days men, at list he knew how to screw properly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Takoush Posted November 4, 2006 Report Share Posted November 4, 2006 Ed; What do you expect from a turk and an azeri lover. All he cares about is Baku's oil, nothing else. Anidzvads yev aghdod mart mene. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yervant1 Posted November 4, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2006 jusat one look at the vice president chaney the DICK and wonder why his wife and doughter are lesbos. I miss Clinton days men, at list he knew how to screw properly He also knew how to humidify his cigars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zartonk Posted November 4, 2006 Report Share Posted November 4, 2006 I miss Clinton days men, at list he knew how to screw properly S#!T! At least he F***ed around like a man and didn't hide behind some god of (a)morality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boghos Posted November 4, 2006 Report Share Posted November 4, 2006 He also knew how to humidify his cigars. By no means a minor art . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phantom22 Posted November 18, 2006 Report Share Posted November 18, 2006 Despite my excellent internet firewall software, some Turk or Azeri keeps hacking my computer with virus worms! Where is America-Hye? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phantom22 Posted November 18, 2006 Report Share Posted November 18, 2006 Arpa, One would think that after all these years you would understand my motivations. Leave him alone. He is still sorting out his Ottoman/Khoja ancestry, the heritage of Mamik-chin-ian and Bagrat-jew-ni ancestry. To not forget the Mongolian/Kilikian blood-fusion, or, his masperpiece ..."Turks and Armenians Are Blood Brothers" cow-manure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stormig Posted November 18, 2006 Report Share Posted November 18, 2006 jusat one look at the vice president chaney the DICK and wonder why his wife and doughter are lesbos. I miss Clinton days men, at list he knew how to screw properly I'd say leave lesbians out of this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DominO123 Posted November 19, 2006 Report Share Posted November 19, 2006 Despite my excellent internet firewall software, some Turk or Azeri keeps hacking my computer with virus worms! They're all after your family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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