You've got to wonder, how long will it be until people realize that perhaps there's a chance that their so-called 'moral' authorities are SLIGHTLY short of perfect. Yet another scandal in the news, this time, over Ted Haggard, evangelical, and founder and pastor(not anymore) of the New Life Church in Colorado. Ted Haggard was adamant on his position towards gays. He did not treat it as a debate, he said quite succinctly in the movie Jesus Camp that he knew what was the correct opinion, as it was written in the bible. After an discussion of evolution with esteemed scientist Richard Dawkins, he allegedly threatened legal action and accused Dawkins of calling his children animals. One wonders if this is such a harsh thing, regardless of its truth. After all, homo sapiens sapiens, as a species, falls under 'animalia'. What else would be more proper? There are five kingdoms: animalia, monera, protista, fungi, plantae. In fact, were he not to concede the fact that his children indeed, were animals. To say otherwise would be to concede that they were either fungus, bacteria, algae or plants. THAT would be the real insult. Of course, such a religious man, assured that evolution is false, firmly against gay marriage, and unquestionably considering homosexuality to be wrong, of COURSE, this man is now discovered as having had a relationship(cemented around crystal meth, often known as the sex drug) with a male prostitute. Relationship, in these circumstances, surely does not mean they met for tea every other weekend. But what is the pious Pastor Haggard's first response? To lie about it. I'm not sure if he was going for the gusto deal, but on top of the apparant moral wrong he had earlier preached on, we pile crystal meth, and the breaking of 3 commandments(lying, adultery, and covetting: you show me a crystal meth user who doesn't want crystal meth, regardless of WHOSE it is). Not only this, but the first person to come forth truthfully about the affair is a crystal meth using prostitute. I'm not exactly a professional in matters of religion, but I don't think an evangelical 'man of god' should be ceding the moral high ground to well... anyone, let alone a crystal meth using prostitute.
But Ted Haggard is far from the first example of corruption* within the communities we consider most moral. The catholic church has had a longstanding problem with child abuse by priests. Normally, the phrase 'power corrupts' is applied to politics. I think we could make a strong case that it surely applies elsewhere as well.
*To clarify, I do not see homosexuality as immoral, I am simply pointing out the hypocrisy.
