So...

In the last week we have seen the President, desperate to enflame his "base" of supporters in the religious community, once again ignite the flame of bigotry by railing against that great threat to the American way of life, gay marriage, asking voters to send folks to Washington who will at long last pass his 'Defense of Marriage Amendment.' One point for consistency, I suppose, Mr. Rove, but the playbook is showing its age.

In the Colorado corner of this fight, for at least a little while there will be one less person out there bashing the queers...oops...I mean beating the bushes...for support of this "fundamental" issue in American politics...the Rev. Ted Haggard.

Over the weekend, in a letter to his congregants, Ted admitted to "sexual immorality" of an undisclosed nature, admitted he had been lying about it, and accepted his firing as pastor of the 14,000 member New Life Church, having resigned as president of the National Association of Evangelicals. As a part of his penance, he has placed himself under the direction and supervision of the Rev. Dr. James Dobson, Pastor-in-Chief of the "God loves homosexuals enough to send them to hell if they don't get 'cured'" school of American fundamentalism. Do I smell a new future director of Exodus International? Gag a gopher.

Rev. MethMan had this to say in his letter, "I am a deceiver and a liar. There is a part of my life that is so repulsive and dark that I've been warring against it all of my adult life." Since he hasn't been preaching against the use of crystal meth his entire adult life, I'm assuming there that he means he is gay (though, he could also be a straight man who has obsessive compulsive disorder or is a sex addict--one doesn't have to be gay to engage in consentual adulterous same-sex sex, but the exceptions are rare).

Well, sir, as I said in an earlier post, I am sad for your family, I am sad for your congregation, and indeed I am sad for you that you have bought into so narrow an interpretation of God's love and our createdness in the image of God that you cannot see that what has polluted your life and marriage are not your innate feelings of same-sex attraction, but the lies, the lies to yourself, the lies to your family, the lies to your congregation, the lies you have believed about God.

I am even sadder that you will not take a serious look at yourself and your own hypocracy--not that any of us are free of its taint--and get the counseling you need to figure out who you really are and who God is calling you to be. I fear you will not find what you need in Dobson's Dungeon of Damnation.

Perhaps you should take a few moments and read about another man whose sexuality was at issue in the press this week.

Neil Patrick Harris first came to our attention as that adorably precocious teenaged doctor on ABC, "Doogie Houser, MD." Neil has done a number of movies and television shows since then, but most of his work has been on the stage. He currently plays a very straight, eternally horny, second banana on the sitcom "How I Met Your Mother."

Recently, a Canadian press outlet included a gossip entry alleging that Neil had gotten a guest spot on his show for his long-time boyfriend. An unnamed publicist was then much-quoted in the media as saying that Neil was "not of that persuasion."

How did Neil respond to this firestorm that just a few years ago might have meant the end of his career? Did he threaten to sue? Did he manufacture some cover story? Did he suddenly start showing up at public events with large breasted bottle-blondes? No, sir. He called up People Magazine and said,

"The public eye has always been kind to me, and until recently I have been able to live a pretty normal life. Now it seems there is speculation and interest in my private life and relationships. So, rather than ignore those who choose to publish their opinions without actually talking to me, I am happy to dispel any rumors or misconceptions and am quite proud to say that I am a very content gay man living my life to the fullest and feel most fortunate to be working with wonderful people in the business I love."

He was mature, good-natured, and honest.

So Reverend...I'm wondering, who comes off looking reasonable here? Who comes off as happy, stable, healthy, and perhaps even a bit wise?

Ted, here's a little unsolicited advice from one gay pastor to another as you find your way forward...

Having strong opinions is your right...Having a particular interpretation of scripture as your personal moral compass is your right...Unwaveringly arguing that your interpretations and your beliefs as to the will of God are the only "Truth" and then seeking to impose that "truth" on everyone else--either in your church, the courts, or the state house--is the height of arrogance and the depth of self-congratulatory discipleship that Jesus himself attacked time and again in the Gospels.

I pray that in time you will see that your public condemnation of modern science, evolution, women's rights, gays, and progressive Christians was not the best way to "love your neighbor." Indeed, it wasn't motivated by love at all, but by your making an idol of a particular world view.

Dr. Doogie may not be making the world a substantially better place acting in sitcoms and Broadway plays and musicals--though I would argue that he does in a small way...but neither is he polluting it, so far as I can tell.

I wish I could say the same about you...