Evangelical preacher Ted Haggard has been a study in the psychology of hypocrisy. He preached against homosexuality, but then we learned that not only was he cheating on his wife with men, but he was buying meth from prostitutes.
He went through a Christian rehabilitation and once old Oprah that he became straight, but now he’s backtracking a bit and telling GQ that he’s bisexual, but chooses not to act on it (like how people in monogamous relationships are attracted to many people, but don’t act on those urges.)
He also elaborated on his relationship with meth, and with escort and drug dealer Mike Jones (via Perez Hilton):
I think that probably, if I were 21 in this society, I would identify myself as a bisexual.” But, he told GQ’s Kevin Roose: “I’m 54, with children, with a belief system, and I can have enforced boundaries in my life. Just like you’re a heterosexual but you don’t have sex with every woman that you’re attracted to, so I can be who I am and exclusively have sex with my wife and be perfectly satisfied.” About former meth dealer and escort Mike Jones, Haggard says: “We never had sex sex. I bought drugs and a massage from him, and he masturbated me at the end of it. That’s it.” [snip]
He admitted to buying drugs “five or six times” from Jones, but adds: “Sometimes I’d throw it away. Other times, I’d go someplace and masturbate and use it. But it was for masturbation. And that’s one of the reasons why I haven’t been real clear. I don’t want to stand up publicly and say, ‘Hey, I’m a masturbation guy!” “You know, that’s really the core issue here,” he added. “I bought the drugs to enhance masturbation. Because what crystal meth does–Mike taught me this–crystal meth makes it so you don’t ejaculate soon. So you can watch porn and masturbate for a long time.”
Now this is all a little bit TMI, but at least he’s coming off as more honest about his situation and past mistakes.
In case you’re wondering what Ted is up to these days besides describing his masturbation practices to major magazines, he started a new church in his barn. As he said, “Tiger Woods need golf, Micheal Vick needs to be playing football . . . Ted Haggard needs to be leading a church.”
