Ted Haggard & Everyone Else

Ted Haggard was president of the National Association of Evangelicals. Now he is nothing, thanks to his alleged foolish behaviour. Did he have sex with an homosexual over three years? Though the jury is still out on the verdict, the evidence appears to be fairly conclusive that he did.

But, for reasons I cannot fathom, both Christians and homosexuals are jumping up and down. The Christians do so with dismay and the homosexuals use it as an excuse for their own behaviour. So, what's the answer?

Each one of us can fail and fall. Each one of us could become homosexual. That is because everyone on this planet, including myself, is what God calls a 'sinner'. That is, we fall short of doing what God demands, and what our consciences require. That goes for Christians, too. Not recognising this simple fact can lead to so many problems!!

The Bible tells us we are all sinful from the moment of our conception. Sin is our inward state. Only those who are predestinated by God can ever escape this state, Meanwhile, some go all the way and become 'wicked'.

In a Sunday study recently, one of our younger members reminded me that many younger gays he has come across do not think of themselves as 'wicked'. Sadly, this is because they have been brought up in a society that seemingly accepts their condition. They are unaware that most of society loathe what they do, but are too intimidated to say so. Again, sadly, a lot of homosexuals are nice folks. Until, that is, gay activists influence them and they become hateful.

Up until last year I worked closely with gays and lesbians. We got on well and the working relationship was normal. Then, I answered a health professor in a professional journal. Literally, all I said was that science research proved that his assertion that homosexuality was healthy and normal, was wrong. That is all I said, short and to the point. And I did not mention morality or Christianity at all.

I was then attacked mercilessly with the most vicious of letters. Immediately, my colleagues conspired to get rid of me, though I was always open to discussion. It was then, after forty years, that I saw the reality behind the gay personality. On just one occasion I said something they did not like - so I was removed from my job! They even tried to get my professional licence removed. Then people wonder why I have a low view of homosexuality!

But, despite that, one gay man came through trumps! I had helped all the homosexuals who worked for me and promoted several. One of them worked as an assistant to me. (In itself this shows I did not hate homosexuals). I helped one in particular. I felt sorry for him. He was young and his parents were of no use. He lived on his own and was very lonely and naive. Somewhere along the line he connected with gays and so he entered the lifestyle.

Interestingly, he would swing from gay to straight every so often. His outward 'style' was flamboyant and almost stereotypically gay. Yet, he was truthful in his character. I could speak to him truthfully and he did the same back. Now THAT is how I wish the current situation was! Instead, most homosexuals think it is cool to lie, deceive and act like thugs.

Anyway, I helped this young man. Despite his gayness I liked him as a person. My colleagues and I tried to make him think twice, because he would jump into sexual relationships with anyone, even in dumpsters, behind bushes, in toilets… dangerous and stupid things. We all genuinely feared that he would quickly end up with HIV. When he applied for a college place, I was the only one to help him with his studies. I arranged his work rotas so that he was free to attend college. And I gave him time off when needed.

As a result, he came to my aid when his fellow homosexuals decided to attack me. He wrote a commendation, saying that I was always professional and balanced, and that I had helped him immensely. Though I had helped every one of the homosexuals who worked for me, all but he wanted to destroy me just because I uttered two words they did not like.

In his commendation, the young man said that whilst he could not agree with my view on homosexuality, he thought it was evil of gay colleagues to try to ruin me because of my view. We all, he said, have the right to freedom of speech, and he wished to uphold it. If all homosexuals had that attitude, I would have no real problem with homosexuals!

So we come back to Ted Haggard…
Very often men who hold high office are tempted, whether they are secular or religious. Some are set-up by those intent on ruining them. (Was Haggard set-up by gay activists so that they could exult when he fell?) And many fall to the temptation. Why is this? How can Christians claim to be against something and then do it themselves? That is easy. It is because everybody (including myself) is tempted by the same things! Even Christians can sin. To suggest otherwise is to be a fool. But falling to a sin is not the issue. The real issue is what they do about it… do they repent or do they arrogantly continue?

It is also a fact that every individual has his or her own most-effective sin. Older Christians used to call this a 'besetting sin'. With some it might be power, with others it might be food, and with others it might be sex. Amongst that lot will be some who are tempted by straightforward adultery; others will be tempted by 'kinky' stuff; others by homosexuality.

I cannot see any attraction in homosexuality. The very idea is disgusting to me. But to others it might be just the thing they harbour in their minds and hearts. So they are tempted by it. I have my own temptations from other sins! Sometimes I fall to them, but mostly I do not. This is because I call on God to stop me entering into the sins these temptations come at me with. That is how all Christians stop from entering into their 'besetting sin'. Once a Christian takes his eye off the ball - living out a pure and holy life - he becomes susceptible to temptations and then sin.

That is what happened to Haggard. Unfortunately, he is not the first to fall, nor will he be the last. We are just human beings, like everybody else. But it does not mean the sin he followed, homosexuality, is acceptable. Nor does it necessarily mean Haggard was an 'hypocrite'. It just means he fell to a particular sin at a particular time. Only if he continually commits the same sin and shouts out against it, does he become an 'hypocrite'.

In the churches there are (or ought to be) disciplinary measures for situations like this. Once such a sin is made public, the Christian should reflect on his sin and repent. The church can then allow him to return. If he does not repent, then he must, after several warnings, be put out of fellowship. If he later repents, he must be tested to see if he is genuine, and then allowed back.

That is what the Bible teaches. This is because it recognises that we are all the same, and all prone to sin. But, we can regain our position by repenting to God. Assuming Haggard is a genuine Christian (i.e. predestinated and 'saved') repentance paves the way to acceptance. But, he must never turn to homosexuality again. It is possible for the same man to fall to the same sin several times. It does not mean he always thinks of that sin, only that he has fallen to the same sin.

Thus, the man would not be 'homosexual'; he is simply a sinner who has been duped into sin! Thus, there is no such condition as 'homosexual'… only people who continue to act out their besetting sin on a regular basis. To repeat, no man or woman is 'born that way'. They just get tempted and fall for the sin. Everyone is equal in their ability to do this!

Unsaved people who are homosexual, can and do change back to normality. But they cannot repent unless they become Christians. Thus they remain sinful and will know God's wrath on judgment day. If they are saved by Jesus Christ, then they can repent of their sin and turn from homosexuality. As homosexuality is not inborn, but is a choice, this is possible, as many changed people prove. Some change back from abnormal sex because they get bored! So, even on a simple human level, change happens!

Inevitably, those who are not Christians shout 'hate speech' and say people like me 'hate' gays. This is not true, even though what they do is loathsome. Homosexuals are just ordinary people who make a very bad choice. We all make bad choices at times, but we can walk away from them if we wish to.

Sadly, gay activists are making even worse choices, as they drive frantically towards wickedness, a ruinous and devastating lifestyle that they are trying to foist onto everybody else. The facts and figures given in other articles are exactly that - facts and figures, and they show the stark reality of what it means to be gay or lesbian. Calling me names does not alter the facts! Indeed, only fools will cling to their emotive notions in the face of such starkness. They do not understand human nature at all; that men and women will choose what is bad for them, even death by AIDS. The fact that they do it, shows just how far down the black pit they have slipped.

Ted Haggard, if he is a true Christian, will reflect on what he has done and will pull back to normality. If he does not, he will decline rapidly into one who prefers deception and sexual depravity, to purity and holiness. Then, he is lost to his sins and will know only heartache and a life spiralling out of control. I have seen it happen so many times.

So, does Haggard 'prove' anything? No, nothing at all, except that we are all prone to sin. Christians cannot 'hate' gays, because to do so would be to hide from the truth - that each one of us could fall in the same way. That we do not, is down to God's mercy.

It remains, then, that homosexuality is an awful lifestyle, a deliberate choice to live against godly laws of nature and of mankind, where even death is preferred to doing as God commands. That is up to them, but once they try to force the rest of us to comply, there will be fighting talk! Haggard has fallen, but he can rise up again if he repents. Christ can take away homosexual desires and give men and women a life that is far superior to homosexuality and its murky offerings.