One of the first rules of the Communist revolution is to corrupt the morals of the youth primarily by illicit sex or a breakdown in the moral code.

In 1974 Time Magazine published a story detailing allegations that Hargis was having sex with high school boys who were part of his "All American Kids" youth choir.  Five students revealed that Hargis invited them to his farm where they had sex.  Hargis avoided responsibility for his behavior citing, "genes and chromosomes," and then later claimed that he had been attacked and defamed by "liberal newspapers."

Similar scandals have plagued the ex-gay movement.  John Paulk, a prominent ex-gay spokesperson who worked for Focus on the Family was featured in a national ad campaign attesting to "coming out of homosexuality."  At ex-gay conferences he claimed ex-gays must  "continue to speak out boldly against the radical homosexual agenda while we minister to those who are trapped in the lifestyle."

In September of 2001, two men who worked for the Human Rights Campaign recognized John Paulk in a gay bar in Washington DC called Mr P's.  Paulk initially tried to flee, then he denied that he knew it was a gay bar, protesting that he was only looking for a place to use the bathroom.  Paulk maintained that even his decision to enter the bar couldn't be blamed on his own volition.   Satan had been working in his life, he said, and gay activists were calling and threatening to ruin him.  This is what drew him into the bar.

Whether Haggard will blame his current situation on threats from gay activists or liberal newspapers remains to be seen.  The notion of redemption built into evangelical theology translates into how prominent figures like Haggard, Hargis and Paulk are dealt with by prominent Christian Right leaders.  John Paulk appeared on James Dobson's radio show to explain the charges against him and come clean even if he later resigned.  The idea is that if Haggard testifies to the "sin" of homosexuality," he can receive forgiveness and redemption from other Christians and from God.  

How will conservative Christians view Haggard?   The Christian worldview that New Life church and the NAE shares understands homosexuality as among the worst of all sins but accepts and forgives the behavior while disavowing gay identity.    Many conservative Christians conceive of homosexuality as a choice or a lifestyle.  Separating behavior from identity enables conservative Christians to love the sinner and hate the sin, even if at bottom their fears and antipathy toward gay people remain.  This distinction enables Haggard to claim "I've never had a gay relationship."

The Haggard scandal exemplifies how the Christian Right promotes anti-gay politics in the guise of love and compassion.  Haggard kept his sexual life secret while he railed against gay rights from the pulpit and in the political arena.   Will conservative Christians blame Haggard's fall on the liberal media or gay activists as they blame the demise of marriage on a so-called "homosexual menace"?  Perhaps conservative Christians inclined to vote for anti-gay marriage amendments will reevaluate their politics when they go to the polls next Tuesday.

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