Soulforce Asks You to Write a Letter of Encouragement to Ted Haggard

[Tragic Rabbit]

Soulforce Asks You to Write a Letter of Encouragement to Ted Haggard

Soulforce has launched a campaign urging LGBT people and straight allies to write letters of concern and compassion to Rev. Ted Haggard, the deposed Pastor of New Life Church and former President of the National Association of Evangelicals.

We acknowledge that many in our community feel legitimate anger toward Haggard and the NAE for their history of religion-based oppression.

However this is obviously a moment of personal, familial, and professional crisis for Rev. Haggard, who has now been referred to the same "spiritual restoration" therapy that has threatened the mental and spiritual well-being of so many gay men and lesbians. We want to make sure that the voices of intolerance and homophobia are not the only voices that he hears during this difficult time.

We urge you to write to Ted Haggard in a spirit of empathy and welcoming. Let him know that there are alternatives to ex-gay therapy, and that LGBT people can live loving, honest, and purposeful lives.

In addition to your letter of encouragement, you can also upload a picture of yourself, your religious community, or your family to share with Rev. Haggard. Soulforce will print and individually mail all letters written in a spirit of compassion and nonviolence.

To write a letter go to Soul Force-write letter

[JamesSavik]

Dear Ted:

Speaking as another terribly afflicted person, one of "those people" that you've made your career dumping on, welcome to the party pal.

Christians are taught to forgive and not judge. I guess you see what bullshit that is now huh?

JS

[Tragic Rabbit]

Concern and compassion, James, concern and compassion. Soulforce is a truly righteous org, please give the letter idea some thought.

Kisses...

TR

[JamesSavik]

Aw TR-

Just let me beat him half-way to death....

[rick]

Please?

[JamesSavik]

Where is a hungry lion when you need one?

[captainrick]

TR and James

Having shared the same intolerance as James here in Mississippi in the 70's and 80's growing up here in the Bible belt of Mississippi, I can certainly understand his vitriolic response. In fact, to some great extent I share it. Payback's just hell, but if I stoop to the same level of judging his hypocricy, as his judgmental attitude of our sexuality, do I not become as bad as he?

The "reparative therapy" as it is called to which he has submitted himself, is simply more of the same vicious attack on homosexuality as his sermons. It is not an indicaton that he has any way admitted to his hypocricy or accepted that homosexuality is in any way compatible with his version of Christianity. He is still living out his little lie, worse, these people keep trying to impose the little lie on others, including our children who are forced into these programs by parents who refuse to accept what their children already know.

Please see the garbage spewed by one of the leaders of the ex-gay ministry known as Exodus at this link

http://www.loveinaction.org/default2.aspx?pid=62

Therefore, until this SOB truly sees the error of his ways, and accepts that his own sexuality is not "a choice" any more than the fact that being left-handed, or caucasion, or blue eyed, etc. is a choice, then excuse the hell outta me if I show little empathy or sympathy, and I will NOT be writing him a letter of support.

Rick

[Graeme]

As a married gay man, I understand a lot of what Ted Haggard has gone through. My faith is of a different nature to his, so I've never gone through the spiritual struggle that he's been through.

However, while I'm not writing a letter of encouragement for him, I'm not condemning him either. If anything, I feel sorry for him and I hope that what he's been through will help others like him realised that they are human, and that just maybe what they feel is not something to ashamed of.

I have been holding off responding to this thread until now because I'm not American and so I've never experienced the detail of what this man has done, but I have a good idea of what he's been struggling with, and he has only my sympathy for that.

[JamesSavik]

Vitriol? I don't think so. I can be a whole lot nastier. Half of what I've said has been in jest. I'll leave it to your imagination to figure out which half.

Christians have forgiveness as a major tenent of their ideology (and tolerence too if I'm not mistaken). Thankfully I am not so afflicted by an ideology.

Haggard's, and like (small)minded religious nuts, demonization of homosexuality has caused a great deal of real injury and suffering. I wonder how many people have listened to a "spiritual leader" like Haggard and gone home and eaten a gun?

Before things fell apart for him, Haggard was not content just to preach against homosexuality, he actually worked politically to deny us our rights. If it were up to him, sodomy laws would still be on the books, gay people would not have the right to work. Forget gay marriage- we would be fighting an uphill battle to stay out of jails, mental instutions or court ordered reparative therepy.

So if some instant karma is falling on his Ted's haggard ass, I promise that I won't throw a party. That would be rude. Please forgive me if I have a smile of smug satisfaction.

JS

[Drewbie]

I agree with james, im sorry I don't feel bad for him.

[Tanuki Racoon]

I agree with james, im sorry I don't feel bad for him.

Neither do I. Some of that hellfire and brimstone may do him good. I'll sit back and watch and enjoy the show.