the rix mix

The problem with Ted Haggard isn't that he wants to restrict himself to straight sex with his wife, save his marriage, hold his family together, & preach again. He can do all those. At least he's learned something: he admits now that sexuality is "complex." The problem is that he wants the same religion he had before he scandalized himself, although with a little more of the compassion, understanding, & mercy not shown to him by his righteous peers & followers. That is not complex.

It's also not enough, Ted.

Ted's headed for a pulpit where he'll be preaching, "If I can struggle & change, so can you." But he'll be promoting the wrong kind of change based on the wrong struggle.

What Ted has yet to do is listen to & learn from those orthodox Christians - protestant & Catholic - who found their way to an inclusive form of the religion. In this regard, Christianity is evolving, & there is no turning back. The struggle is for something else, for a change greater than Ted imagines.

Larry King: Do you think this whole story would have been different if Mike Jones were Michelle Jones?

Haggard: Oh, yes. [transcript]

Yes & no. One thought Bill Clinton had handed over the nuclear strike codes to Monica for all the hysteria that generated. Even same sex Christian marriages are expected to be monogamous & faithful. Ted would still have to repent & save his marriage, & he'd still be out of his job at New Life Church. But he wouldn't have to repent & repudiate the sexuality itself.

Ted is unable to accept a different, equally authentic, equally legitimate, equally Christian outcome to that struggle; one that goes far beyond a lukewarm, conditional endorsement of "equal civil rights" Rick Warren hands out. Increasingly, Christian men & women do not struggle with this at all. When they know they are homosexual, they do not try to become heterosexual. They do not become misshapen souls, but live to emit as truly as possible the light God shines through everyone - the unique light which is everyone's true name. They become Christians who happen to be gay or lesbian. Think of their struggle for acceptance, Ted. Certain that they are accepted by God, believing in the resurrected Christ, faithful in their marriages, active in their spiritual communities; how are they not Christian? Why can't they have on earth as it is in Heaven?

Labels: blogging against theocracy, religion, sex