Since I'm a Quaker living in conservative Colorado Springs, I can't help but be amazed by the number of high-powered, celebrity evangelicals who rise big and fall hard. After hearing of the various moral transgressions of Pastor Ted Haggard, I began to assess the meaning of his Fall from Grace. Why does this bother me, as a Christian Quaker? We've seen plenty of other celebrity evangelicals fall - Jim and Tammy Baker, Jim Swaggart, and seen others who claim to be fine Christian people be caught in the public glare for their deceptions - such as Pat Robertson and Newt Gingrich. What are Haggard's true moral transgressions? He admitted to buying drugs (illegal) and having some sort of sexual relationship with a gay man (legal). But are those the true problems with his morality?
First of all, Haggard was self-righteous and hypocritical. As he was having a relationship with a gay man, he was also trying to defeat the amendment that would allow equal rights to Gays.
This hypocrisy carries a tremendous harm. For those who are gay, his hatred against them, which also means his hatred against that which is gay in himself, is a sign of inauthenticity. He is living a lie, which hurts his wife, children, and those who believed they were seeing who he truly was. He was out of touch with his true identity, and therefore lacked the integrity that we hope for in our leaders, and hope for in ourselves. We want to be integrated people - people who know who we are, and align our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual lives. When we lose our authenticity, we hope that we find ways to regain it - whether through therapy or through reflection or prayer or meditation or joining a spiritual community that helps us understand, accept, and often transform our lives. Yet, power can corrupt us, and make us forget our inner lives while we allow the externals to pull us into the sin of Pride.
During the last few years, I attended the New Life Church twice, usually attending with my conservative sister who was visiting. Although Pastor Haggard was not the preacher on my two visits, there was a tremendous amount of Pride from the Associate Pastor about Haggard's role in the Government - as an advisor to the President, as the man who had the ear of many Republicans. Although President Bush said that Haggard's role as a presidential religious advisor was minor, this is not what is said by and about Haggard. Either Haggard or Bush are lying about his role -- or perhaps fudging the truth.
He used this power to devalue our constitution by bringing politics into the Church, without any repercussions from the IRS. It was clear, from what was said, and various other ways of communicating their religious politics, that I, as a Christian Democrat attending the church, was not welcome. A Church, and a pastor, are supposed to represent the compassion and love of God for all people. This Church clearly had boundaries about who was accepted, and who was not.
This deceit and betrayal not only hurts the members of his Church and other Evangelicals who trusted a leader. But these high-profile public leaders also present a stumbling block to all non-Christians who see this as one more proof that Christianity is not a religion that deserves their respect.
None of us, of any religion or non-religion, are perfect. For those of us who are spiritual, we struggle with trying to live Spirit-filled lives. On the other hand, hopefully we are not judging others who do what we do ourselves. Hopefully we are not trying to make other people's lives even more difficult by our hypocrisy, while living lives of secrecy, deceit and betrayal. Haggard's judging of others has come back to haunt him, and shows exactly why Jesus and Paul tell us to judge not, that we be not judged.
Perhaps it would be good if many in the Religious Right began to deal with other religious issues, rather than focusing on the issues of abortion and homosexuality. Here is my list of where they could start: Why not talk about Integrity? About authenticity? About being peace-makes, rather than killing the enemy and killing the innocent? About the command to love our enemies, not to torture them? About the command to care for the earth? About the command to love each other and to be kind to each other?
I would be intrigued by how readers are responding to this new scandal. Are you angry? Enraged? Surprised? Confused? Vengeful? Or Compassionate and Forgiving?
By Dr. Linda Seger
Author, Jesus Rode a Donkey: Why the Republicans Don't Have a Corner on Christ