Saw this coming last week and it just makes me sad. Ted Haggard, the former president of the 30-million member National Evangelical Assn., has gone beyond admitting to buying drugs and having a massage:
"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," he wrote to the 14,000 members of his New Life Church in Colorado Springs. He was fired from the church on Saturday.

His war would have never become public had a gay prostitute not accused Haggard of monthly encounters and illicit drug use over a three year period.

Haggard's confession of sorts comes just days before Colorado voters will decide two ballots measures: one would ban gay marriage in that state and the other would guarantee domestic partner rights. Haggard, the married father of five, was supportive of the gay marriage ban. That's what got him into trouble: when the prostitute saw Haggard on a History Channel show and realized the client he knew as "Art" was an anti-gay marriage religious leader, he came forward to expose what he believed was Haggard's hypocrisy.

In his statement, which is filled with self-loathing, Haggard also said: "Please forgive my accuser. He is revealing the deception and sensuality that was in my life. Those sins, and others, need to be dealt with harshly. So, forgive him and, actually, thank God for him. I am trusting that his action will make me, my wife and family, and ultimately all of you, stronger. He didn't violate you; I did. "

My two cents: I wish Haggard luck. But instead of dealing with himself so harshly, perhaps he should try and love himself and accept himself. It could be very healing for him, his family and his church and might help foster a lot more understanding. The truth is always so much better than living with a bunch of lies.