It is easy to take the wrong message back from Ted Haggard. Do not. Here is the only lesson that counts.
MEN ARE BORN GAY.
You see, if anyone, ANYONE, would not want to be attracted to men - it would be Ted Haggard. He thinks he is going to burn in hell for this. He knows he is destroying his family, his wife and 20,000 plus that lean on him. And still, he his physical desire was overwhelmingly to be with a man.
And there is a special place in the afterlife for people who dedicate their lifes to ruins other people's lives. And Ted will preach there.
The Colorado Amendment he is campioning this year - and will undoubtedly pass - covers not just the definition of "marriage", but also disallows civil unions. It forbides the state from covering domestic partners in it's health plans. It may try to reach into any business that has a state contract (as Virginia's law does).
This law will take a full set of people, born with an attraction to the same sex, and says to them - you are not worthy of the full set of payments that the government offers. If you have a child, and you die, you have no voice in where that child goes next. If you and your partner support each other in a committed relationship, doing civic, socicitial, and family good - that isn't worht shit. That is exactely the same as paying for sex 1 a month for 3 years because it is disgusting dirty and wrong.
And Ted Haggard, as a Christian Minister to thosands and head of the National Evangelical Church says, "God made a disgusting, vile, horific mistake with you. And (lust in your heart and all) you have no choice but to live a degrading filthy life before going to hell. You can do no good in the world as a gay person."
Somewhere God's message of love thy neighbor has gone horribly astray. Religion in the form of Catholics, Evangelical Christians and Muslims have decided that Men who lie with Men do not deserve an Afterlife, Normal Life or Any Life (respectively). But if God made me this way then he is less than aloof and indifferent. He is just plain mean.
I personally CHOOSE to believe that the messengers are screwed up. I personally CHOOSE to believe that God isn't that nasty. And I personally CHOOSE to live and upstanding, decent and honest life. Part of which happens to be that I am committed to Ed.
Don't let the hate, and the contrition and the amusement at Ted's downfall overshadow the truth here. Think about that if you ever get stuck having to vote that gay's should have no rights to make a committment (cival unions or otherwise).
I am Scott Mitchell, and I sadly approved this message.