Obnoxious Bitch

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Dobson to Aid in Counseling Haggard

Call me skeptical, but somehow I doubt that this “restoration” process has as much to do with restoring the spiritual health of the hypocritical, lying, delusional scumbag Ted Haggard as it does with restoring his reputation so that in a few years he can return to his job of manipulating rank and file believers while simultaneously influencing public policy.

By The Associated Press

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.—Focus on the Family founder James Dobson will be one of the people overseeing counseling for the Rev. Ted Haggard, the evangelical pastor who was fired amid allegations of gay sex and drug use, a senior official of Dobson’s organization said Monday.

The counseling process, called restoration, could take years, said H.B. London, vice president for church and clergy at Focus on the Family, a Colorado Springs-based ministry.

“I think it may be more in helping to set the requirements of the restoration, set the ground rules,” London told . [sic]

Haggard was forced out as senior pastor of the 14,000-member New Life Church in Colorado Springs on Saturday after a former male escort alleged they had sex repeatedly and that Haggard sometimes was on methamphetamines during their trysts.

In a statement read at the church Sunday, Haggard confessed to unspecified “sexual immorality,” accepted responsibility for his actions and asked forgiveness.

Dobson will join pastor Jack Hayford of The Church on the Way in Van Nuys, Calif. and the pastor Tommy Barnett of First Assembly of God in Phoenix in overseeing Haggard, according to a letter from Haggard read at New Life services on Sunday.

“Those men will perform a thorough analysis of my mental, spiritual, emotional and physical life. They will guide me through a program with the goal of healing and restoration for my life, my marriage and my family,” Haggard wrote.

Hayford’s spokesman said he was not available for comment Monday. Barnett did not immediately return a call.

(The Church on the Way is one of the 168 houses of worship within a 5 mile radius of my house. Scary.)

Having these particular, powerful leaders of the Evangelical movement “overseeing his counseling” is clearly (to me, anyway) nothing more than circling the wagons and commencing the damage control. I’ve no doubt that Haggard will reappear on the political stage within a relatively short period of time, hat in hand and tears a-streaming, to proclaim he’s been washed in the blood of Jesus and restored, exorcised of the demons that had control of him, or blessed by some other Christ-o-riffic miracle that will convince the flock he’s worthy to return to a position of leadership.

As soon as he can convincingly deny that he loves the cock, to the satisfaction of his “restoration team,” Pastor Ted will be back. Having the endorsement of the high priests of the Religious Right will virtually guarantee he’s welcomed with open arms by the regular church-going folk who hang upon the every word of Dobson, et al.

There is none so blind as he who will not see…