Apologizing for all the wrong things

Rev Ted HAggard offered his version of an apology:

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) -- Less than 24 hours after he was fired from the pulpit of the evangelical megachurch he founded, the Rev Ted Haggard confessed to his followers Sunday that he was guilty of sexual immorality.

In a letter that was read to the congregation of the New Life Church by another clergyman, Haggard apologized for his acts and requested forgiveness.

"I am so sorry for the circumstances that have caused shame and embarrassment for all of you," he said, adding that he had confused the situation by giving inconsistent remarks to reporters denying the scandal.

"The fact is I am guilty of sexual immorality. And I take responsibility for the entire problem. I am a deceiver and a liar. There's a part of my life that is so repulsive and dark that I have been warring against it for all of my adult life," he said.


I assume what he's apologizing for here is for being gay. No one should EVER have to apologize for being gay.

What Ted should apologize for, but never will -

Ted's lies probably contributed to the emotional suffering of closeted gays in his church. His comments of hatred probably have contributed to suicides, drug use (!), depression, and self-loathing. He HAS contributed to the denial of basic human rights to people outside his congregation. He HAS influenced people to believe that there is something inherantly evil about being gay. He has probably encouraged gay men and women to marry and live a heterosexual lie, which means that the ripples of his self-loathing reached out in widening circles to engulf innocent men and women in emtionally unsatisfying and damaging relationships. He DESTROYED human souls.

Ted, this is why God put Lies on his top ten list of evil things people do. Ted, your lies have hurt other people. Look past your wife. Look past your children. Look past your cushy job and all that lovely money and oooh, the seduction of power and fall on your knees and beg forgiveness not from your church, your family, or from God, but from the people who dispair and suffer because of you. Then go crawl back in your hole.