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He is "praying that Pam Spaulding will "turn away from her wicked and sinful promotion of homosexual behavior." (CCLM's web site, 10/15/07)


Ex-gay "Christian" activist James Hartline on Pam:
"I have been mocked over and over again by ungodly and unprincipled anti-christian lesbians."
(from "Six Years In Sodom: From The Journal Of James Hartline," 9/4/2006, written from the "homosexual stronghold" of Hillcrest in San Diego).

"Pam is a 'twisted lesbian sister' and an 'embittered lesbian' of the 'self-imposed gutteral experiences of the gay ghetto.'" -- 9/5/2008



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"A nutty lesbian blogger."
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Haggard and New Life Church involved in another gay sex scandal

by: Pam Spaulding

Sat Jan 24, 2009 at 09:00:00 AM EST


Ah, just when former pastor, meth purchaser and male escort massage enthusiast Ted Haggard was readying for his debut in the documentary about his rise and steep fall on HBO, a new gay sex scandal explodes in his face.
Fresh revelations have emerged that disgraced evangelical leader Ted Haggard had a previously undisclosed sex-for-cash relationship with a young male New Life Church volunteer.

An Associated Press report claims that Haggard was involved in an "inappropriate, consensual sexual relationship" that "went on for a long period of time ... it wasn't a one-time act," according to Brady Boyd, the pastor who succeeded the embattled former leader of the 10,000 member New Life Church in Colorado Springs.

Boyd told the wire service that a young man in his early 20s approached church leaders about the relationship after Haggard stepped down from his post following news of a gay sex-drug scandal involving Denver male escort Mike Jones.

It gets better. Boyd told the AP that New Life reached a legal settlement to pay Ted's former boy toy for counseling and college tuition -- on the condition being that none of the parties involved discuss the matter publicly. As in hush money.

Wayne Besen of Truth Wins Out knows this stinks to high heaven and calls for officials to investigate the church.

"Until conservative churches stop shaming gay people and learn to accept them, we will see more tawdry scandals," said Truth Wins Out's Executive Director Wayne Besen. "These calamities are a direct result of the closet."

Rev. Boyd denied that New Life paid hush money and said, "Our desire was to help him. Here was a young man who wanted to get on with his life. We considered it more compassionate assistance - certainly not hush money."

..."Authorities should investigate to ensure that this volunteer was not manipulated or coerced into silence," said Besen. "The leadership of New Life has little credibility and should not simply be taken at their word. At a minimum, Boyd should resign for using his position of power to pressure a vulnerable member of his congregation into silence."

UPDATE: Here's the message Pastor Boyd sent to the New Life flock:
An Important Message From Pastor Brady

Dear New Life Family,

In the days ahead, there will be new press reports of allegations made by a man who knew Ted Haggard through his involvement with New Life Church. This man has decided to speak to the media about his alleged relationship with Mr. Haggard. Since these allegations were first brought to our attention, New Life Church leadership has reached out to him with compassion by providing him with pastoral care, professional counseling, and financial assistance. We did this with the hope that he would experience healing and move forward with purpose in his life.

At that time, he and church leaders agreed that publishing his allegations or our church's assistance to him would not be in his best interest. This decision was made not as an attempt to conceal wrongdoings, but to protect him from those who would seek to exploit him. His actions now suggest that he has changed his mind.

A few weeks ago, when the news of the upcoming documentary about Mr. Haggard surfaced, this man informed me that he was considering telling the media the details of his relationship with Mr. Haggard. He was obviously upset about the reported content of the documentary and wished to tell his story.

After Mr. Haggard's fall, we received reports of a number of incidents of inappropriate behavior. In each case, we have tried our very best to do the right thing, including disciplinary action when appropriate. Our concern has been and continues to be for every person affected. We renew our invitation today for anyone who believes he or she has been hurt to please come forward.

Our current elder team and all of our overseers have been aware of these allegations and have given us wise, prayerful counsel every step of the way. I regret that we have to revisit the unpleasant issues of the past, but I am convinced we are on the path of healing and great days are ahead for all of us. Thanks so much for your continued prayers and support.

Love,

Pastor Brady

By the way, that documentary will air on January 29, so tune in.  
Pam Spaulding :: Haggard and New Life Church involved in another gay sex scandal
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not hush money??!! PUH-LEEZ!!!
Any monetary settlement that precludes the recipient from discussing the case IS "hush money," regardless of what any lawyer or payer might say.  What really gets me is how the leaders of New Life buried this expense in the church financials with no one in the congregation batting an eye.  Perhaps, if a homohating megachurch goes bust over this deceptive behaviour, fundies will begin to see the error of their ways.

Ha Ha, this was their version of the money.
"It wasn't at all a settlement to make him be quiet or not tell his story," Boyd said. "Our desire was to help him. Here was a young man who wanted to get on with his life. We considered it more compassionate assistance - certainly not hush money. I know what's what everyone will want to say because that's the most salacious thing to say, but that's not at all what it was."

[ Parent ]
No, they'll just regroup.
polish up their image a little and get on with business as usual.  Remember when the Jim and Tammy Bakker scandal was supposed to bring down the religious right?  Didn't happen.  Jimmy Swagggart with that prostitute and her early-teenage daughter?  Forget about it.  Richard and Lindsey Roberts and that male teenager?  No sweat.  And there have been dozens of lower-profile cases in a similar vein.  Haggard's initial fall from grace didn't hurt the Christians much; neither will this.  

"The faithful" are such dyed-in-the-wool suckers, they keep coming back--and forking over their cash--no matter what.  They just take these scandals as signs that they have to pray harder and hand over still more money.  God is in the mix.

Cynic, n.  A blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are, not as they ought to be.  
-Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary


[ Parent ]
True.
The sheeple won't believe any of it and just forgive the little sin they did. Forgiveness is for Christians, not others outside the flock.  These churches are like country clubs and they protect their own.  As long as they pay their dues every week.

[ Parent ]
The news media
They need to pay this guys hush money off back to the church so he can come forward with his story.  If Sarah Palin can write a book and news people pay her and others for interviews why not?  And what about that money news media paid for the baby photos?  Yes, they should pay the hush money back and let him tell his story too.

The fundies have been screaming for Sam Adms to resign
after it came out that he had a consensual affair with a legal adult.  (I know it's not just the fundies, but they've been a very vocal part of the call for Adams to resign.)  Now those chickens have come home to roost.  Good.  I love it when these pernicious dimwits get hoist on their own petard.

Any bets this "young male volunteer" was underage at the time?  There are sure to be more revelations in this mess, and I'm guessing that will be one of them.

Cynic, n.  A blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are, not as they ought to be.  
-Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary


Yes, here in Oregon.
Even the gays have had the nerve to ask for his resignation. I don't see anything different than if a straight guy had done this with a women at that age, and that kind of stuff happens too.  But, it's the gays.......

[ Parent ]
Actually Wes...
while I agree that there seems to be a double standard about the exposure that Adams has gotten, the gays calling for his resignation are angry that he lied and asked the man in question to lie.  By lying as he did he not only broke trust that people had for him in the pursuit of a political career, he also makes it look as though having a consensual gay relationship is something to be ashamed of -- ashamed enough to lie.

Granted, such a question about his sexual relationships was absolutely inappropriate to begin with, but nevertheless he lied about it.  He could have said yes he had consensual sex with a legal adult (and probably lost the election because of it).  He could have refused to answer the question and called it inappropriate (might have hurt his popularity somewhat).  But he chose to lie in the heat of an election...and now the people who supported him want him gone.

As said in Japan, shouganai!

I don't know if I would have been brave enough to tell the truth in his position, but I definitely wouldn't be defending the lie.

"To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best day and night to make you like everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight and never stop fighting." -E.E. Cummings


[ Parent ]
Keep on digging ....
Well, this gets funny - one thing that comes to my mind immediately is: did this really happen or did they want to prevent Haggard from coming back?  

Seems to be a big co-incidence that this is coming to light right at the moment when Haggard goes on HBO and might get some sympathy.  At the same time there is no real evidence - just some imaginary hush money - no names, no details, no nothing.  Another 'nice' co-incidence is that the 'victim' was a boy.  Nice spin - since this is the christianists' image of gays: molesting little boys 24/7.  Also works against every bit of sympathy he might get from more moderate NLC members - since this is not about consenting adults having sex (and taking meth - lol) anymore, but it suddenly involves a child.

What's left is a guy who might be worried that his predecessor gets some positive publicity, maybe some sympathy and understanding for his decisions, maybe even some power in the NLC....

Don't get me wrong, I couldn't care less about Haggard's career or NLC's development.  I think I am just too curious and don't trust those Church Inc. corporations at all ;-)


"A number of incidents"
Hmm, this part sounds really interesting:

After Mr. Haggard's fall, we received reports of a number of incidents of inappropriate behavior. In each case, we have tried our very best to do the right thing, including disciplinary action when appropriate.

In Each Case?! How many cases have there been, and involving how many senior leaders of the church? Were all these reports solely about Mr. Haggard (and what kind of a male seraglio did he have going on at that church?) or were there numerous "men of God" involved in dastardly and immoral behavior?

The people have a right to know.  


[ Parent ]
"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord."


Cynic, n.  A blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are, not as they ought to be.  
-Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary


[ Parent ]
Man: "Jesus is coming!"
Woman:  "And he isn't even breathing hard."

[ Parent ]
Just like in South Park
(the "Christian Hard Rock" episode)...

Cartman:(Singing)I want to get down on my knees and start pleasing Jesus, I want to feel his salvation all on my face...


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[ Parent ]
I don't think it's so much a matter of them not wanting Haggard to get sympathy
as it is a matter of them not wanting him to make them look bad.  Haggard has made several public statements implying that they weren't properly "forgiving" of the Mike Jones mess.  Presumably he says more in that vein in the HBO documentary.  By revealing that they had to cover up sex scandals with (implicitly) underage partners, they make him the bad guy.  Or so they must think; just ask Cardinal Law about that little point.  This would certainly be in keeping with the bare-knuckle way these churches deal with anyone who might put them in a bad light.  And if his partners were not underage, there's still the matter of  his serial hypocrisy.

Not that I feel any sympathy for Haggard, mind you.  If his affairs really were with underage guys, he deserves what's coming to him.  Hell, he deserves it just for being a two-faced, lying fraud .  And as for this latest attempt to smear him by his former church...well, all I can say is, I'd be surprised if he didn't employ similar tactics when he was the honcho, and not just in his own local church, either.  I can't imagine the National Association of Evangelicals playing softball with anyone at all, much less a sodomite.

Cynic, n.  A blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are, not as they ought to be.  
-Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary


[ Parent ]
hush money and compassionate financial assistance aren't mutually exclusive.
even if they're telling the truth and really did just want to help this lad move on with his life, i'm sure they were happy as pie that the transaction was happening out of the public eye.  what stands out to me is how incompetent the church leaders were to fork over money and not require anyone to sign a non-disclosure agreement.  incompetence, let me count the ways...

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Lurleen on Twitter.


Why not help him be happy being gay....
...and let all of the church be aware that they should too. Go for it Besen.

It's the Hammer of JUSTICE,
It's the Bell of FREEDOM,
It's the Song about LOVE between,
my Brothers and my Sisters
...All over this Land.


[ Parent ]
The parties did sign a non-disclosure document.
This is blowing up now because the younger man has renegged on his end of the bargain, supposedly because of the forthcoming documentary.  The church could pursue legal remedies against him, but how great would that look in the compassion department?

[ Parent ]
"Renegged"?
You mean RE-FUCKED!!!!!

"Non-disclosure agreement" MY GAY ASS!!  The kid was RAPED and they paid him off to keep him from going to the cops!!!


[ Parent ]
If I recall correctly everyone asserts the young man in question was 18 when he & Haggard first had sex.
If so and the relationship was consensual, it was not rape - grossly inappropriate certainly, but not rape.

[ Parent ]
It just occurred to me that
even if the church was smart and, as you say, had the guy sign a non-disclosure statement, it occurs to me that while he can be required not to divulge the nature of the settlement, he can't be prevented from talking about why he was given a settlement.  Am I on solid legal ground with that notion, or way off base?  In any case you're right though - the church is unlikely to sure him for breaking silence since they need to maintain their appearance of christ-like charity to keep the sheeple flocking in.

Click HERE and sign up: Campaign For Military Partners.

Lurleen on Twitter.


[ Parent ]
I'm no lawyer
and I've not seen the terms of this contract anywhere, but...

A member of New Life Church tells NEWSCHANNEL 13 that Haggard took advantage of him sexually one night. The man, in his early 20's, claims he was paid a large sum of money by New Life Church to keep the abuse quiet. Under an agreement with the church he was not supposed to speak of the allegations with anyone outside the church. If he did, he would violate the agreement and would forfeit the money and could be sued by the church.

http://www.krdo.com/Global/sto...



[ Parent ]
just curious
"pastoral care, professional counseling, and financial assistance"

i'm wondering if ex-gay torture was included in the recovery package.

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Lurleen on Twitter.


Haggard, sex for pay
It's all enough to make you hurl. What a sad thing that a man has to be so ashamed and so closeted that he was to pay for sex.

Ted Haggard and Rick Warren
Ted Haggard is a perfect example of what happens when people like Rick Warren get their way.

The only solution is full and equal rights for gays.

Even then, it will take another 50 years before society fully accepts gays and this stuff stops.

The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in time of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality. -- John F. Kennedy (inspired by Dante's Inferno)


Blessed are those with Hush money
for they will have the WHOLE thing blow up in their FACE!

in the best interest of the Hushed,,,my happy ass, notice they didn't even try to own up their interests were served by this DEAL.

New Life Church has been renamed to LETS MAKE A DEAL.

"race, taste. and History finally overcome....and you ain't there"
by Tony Kushner


Let's Make a BackRoom Deal....
....now bend over and grab your ankles and we'll get started...per The Rush

It's the Hammer of JUSTICE,
It's the Bell of FREEDOM,
It's the Song about LOVE between,
my Brothers and my Sisters
...All over this Land.


[ Parent ]
I'd like to know what EXACTLY the young guy found so OFFENSIVE in Haggard's documentary
I wonder if Haggard claimed the meth hustler was a ONE TIME ONLY slip up. This Brady also let slip there were MANY Allegations, are we going to see a huge class action suit of Ted's boys??
I hope I hope I hope.

ROFLMQAO!

Mrs Haggard aren't ya just TIRED of this moron who thought only with  his "Little Ted," embarrassing you and your family?

"race, taste. and History finally overcome....and you ain't there"
by Tony Kushner


Yep
He claimed the hustler was a "one-time only slip-up."

LYING CREEPS THE LOT OF THEM!!!!!


[ Parent ]
Right on Target, PornPig
I recently watched a documentary about New Life, and Haggard states that the "pay to play" was his only time.  So I bet the "boy" is pissed, pissed, pissed.  And who would blame him?


It would truly be funny if it wasn't just a shame...
I went to the newlife website and read the letter and left a comment there. Here is what I wrote:

I am saddened by this incident involving New Life and ex-Pastor Ted Haggard, but not because of the reasons you think. I am saddened because this man had to live a lie based on your churches skewed view of homosexuals. If Mr. Haggard did not harbor such hatred for himself because of his beliefs manifested through your church's teaching and the teaching of other supposed "Christian" churches, then your church would not be going through this ordeal again. It is a shame that your church paid off this young man in order to keep him quiet so that your church would be able to get away from Ted quickly and with as much damage control as possible. It sickens me that once again your church failed in it's obligation to tell the truth. Thankfully the church I belong to loves and cares for me as I am, a gay man in a loving and very committed relationship that is celebrated for its longevity based on the teachings of Christ. Maybe you need to take a look deep inside of yourselves and realize that the sins that Mr. Haggard has committed isn't being gay; Rather his sins are that he lied, cheated on his wife and had you pay off the person that he had a sexual relationship with as a member of the church. I am glad this young man has stood up and decided that Ted is not the victim and neither is the church. It is you and your decisions that have led to this day..... Take a look inside and realize that God created all of us, gay-straight, black-white, young and old alike! In the name of a loving God, James G Philadelphia


looking at and listening to Haggard
I can't IMAGINE there could POSSIBLY be too many humans who would willingly have sex with THAT, even highly paid and stoned on meth...I'd vomit!

"race, taste. and History finally overcome....and you ain't there"
by Tony Kushner


Denial
The problem seems to be denial, but not just in the usual way the closet is denial; the fundies seem to operate like each new scandal is going to be the last one, or that it couldn't happen at their church - even though it probably is.

Mike Jones to a radio station said there were OTHERS....notice PLURAL
Queerty has a story with the quotes

"race, taste. and History finally overcome....and you ain't there"
by Tony Kushner


*snort* Not Hush Money?
Please.  Don't tell anyone your story and we'll pay your way through college?  

What an education.  In the ways of the church.


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