Sunday, January 28, 2007

Haggard sprung from rehab as 'accuser' visits church

As soon as I saw this headline, I said to myself: "Uh oh."
Haggard's accuser visits New Life Church

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) -- The former male prostitute whose accusations against New Life Church founder Ted Haggard led to Haggard's dismissal as pastor visited the megachurch Sunday.

Mike Jones, who has a forthcoming book, told The Denver Post that several people shook his hand and told him, "God bless you."

"I had read a lot about the church, but there's nothing like seeing it for yourself," Jones told the newspaper. "It wasn't to rub anyone's face in it by any means. I was wanting to get some perspective, to see where they are coming from, what the magnet is."
The story ends with the note: "Haggard and his wife, Gayle, completed a counseling program in Arizona and are back in Colorado Springs."

The reason I said "Uh oh" is that when way-out-there rabble rousers start friendly visits to the fundie churches they've been sparring with, it's usually a short distance to a tearful conversion. In fact, if I were New Life's marketing guy, I would say "Hey, we've got an opportunity here. Haggard -- Jones -- they're the same in everyone's eyes now. Let's team them up!"

Just wait.

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