Haggard Was in Denial About More Than One Thing

Disgraced evangelist Ted Haggard claimed that one of the factors that led to his scandalous behavior with a male prostitute was his state of denial about his sexual orientation. However, that wasn't the only thing he was apparently in denial about.

I once heard Pastor Haggard say (and I'm paraphrasing because I don't remember his exact words) that marriage is the process of meeting someone from the opposite sex and making a lifetime commitment to him or her. Now, I must admit that I did not hear the full context of his remarks at that time. However, if that was where his description of marriage began and ended, then he was certainly confused about that subject. Anyone accepting his description of marriage at face value will likely see theirs end in divorce - in short order.

For Mr. Haggard's (and anyone else's) edification, marriage involves far more than what was apparently ascribed to it by Mr. Haggard. A man can make a sincere lifetime commitment to a woman only if he is wholeheartedly in love with her (and vice versa). Otherwise, this commitment is doomed from the start and the marriage will not last, no matter how determined one is to "make it work." Compatibility, maturity, financial stability, etc. are great things to have in a marriage, but they are simply not enough without love. In addition, loneliness or the idea that "it's time to settle down" are never valid justifications for getting married.

With all of that in mind, perhaps it was a blessing in disguise that Mr. Haggard got involved in his scandal and was ultimately forced from the pulpit. Nonetheless, I still wish him all the best.