Questions about Zip Codes and children's ages mixed with a lot of abuse at Colorado Confidential.
[New information added at end of post. 8/26/07, 10:10 PM]
Apparently KRDO consumer affairs reporter Tak Landrock has been in ongoing contact with Ted Haggard, and he believed the letter (see my earlier post) was genuine enough to go with the story. And so did experienced reporters at the Colorado Springs Gazette and the Associated Press. (AP religion editor Eric Gorski used to write for the Gazette and was the Denver Post reporter who covered the Haggard scandal as it broke last November. Eric should be close enough to the story to have reliable intuitions.)
Nevertheless, some people posting comments at Colorado Confidential are questioning the letter's authenticity.
The Zip Code for the alternate address in Scottsdale is not an Arizona Zip Code--although a 9 is just one key away from an 8. And the ages of Ted's children don't exactly match the ages another reader calculated based on information in the Wikipedia article on Ted--but then Wikipedia is not always the most reliable source and more than one father in history has been hazy about his children's precise ages.
No sign yet, however, that Ted or anyone close to him has denied that the letter is the genuine article. And KRDO broke the story almost four days ago.
In addition, readers at Colorado Confidential point out that with a slight adjustment in the Zip Code, that Scottsdale address is a private drop box operated by a fund-raising company. The letter may not be exactly from Ted's hand, but from an agency representing him. That could explain the question about the children's ages.
By the way, don't click on the Colorado Confidential link unless you want to scroll through a lot of abusive comments and--ummmm--colorful language.
[Updated 8/26/07, 10:10 PM]
Apparently the letter is genuine. I just received the following e-mail from Tak Landrock at Channel 13.
Hi David,
I just read your blog and I can tell you 100% that the e-mail from Pastor Ted Haggard is from him. I spoke with him on the phone Saturday evening.
Tak Landrock
NEWSCHANNEL 13
share thisPosted by David Neff on August 26, 2007 4:02PM
Comments
Mr. Neff:
Where are these 'overseers?
To oversee someone in distress is to manage, to shepard, to supervise, to direct.
What's the story behind their silence and lack of information?
Posted by: BD at August 27, 2007
Not sure the overseers of New Life have any need to be involved. They fired him, right? Or did they make his severance pay contingent on him taking / not taking certain actions?
Posted by: Jenk at August 27, 2007
Whenever I see the word "overseer" I can't help but think of Edward G. Robinson in "The Ten Commandments". There's also a serious question - why didn't these same overseers anticipate this situation? Not "overseeing" closely enough?
Posted by: Zen Curmudgeon at August 29, 2007
Exactly what is wrong with a man getting a job and earning a living, like the rest of the world does? So he was a Pastor. when alimony was being established and i was left with 3 little kids while their adulterous pastor father said "I DON"T HAVE ANY Money"....the judge said "ANYONE WHO CAN SeLL SALVAtION can sell cars or insurance."
Posted by: Joanne at October 23, 2007
I was concerned and very interested about New Life's response as well. I found a link through Google to Christianpost.com specifically stating the overseers response to Ted Haggard's request for money. They described it as inappropriate and unacceptable. Amen to that and thank you New Life overseers.
Posted by: Starr at October 29, 2007
Its a shame how some of you say you are Christian and you are bitter. This is a man, even though he fell, God can still use him. Some of you fall everyday, but SHHH don't say anything about your sin, but you want people to quickly forgive you, but you dont want to forgive him. You cannot be forgiven, if you cannot truly forgive him. Remember the gifts and calling of God is not taken back, I pray for Ted and I pray that God will take the gift on the inside of he and his wife and use them again. Remember David fell in the bible, he committed adultry and he killed the woman husband and God still used him. I have a question, do you read Psalms? Why not?
Posted by: Keith at December 16, 2007
Thank you very much for the last comment from october 2007! I am not the only one who is still praying for people, who did something wrong! Sin is sin! Who is so almighty to decide what kind of sin is bigger or smaller! Arrogance and Bitterness makes yourself worse, doesn`t change the situation! Doesn`t matter if the letter was good or bad, the question everybody should ask themselves, what are the overseers really? Are they perfect? Did they do everything right? Who decides what kind of sin is more worse or less? NewLife? Overseers? Ted? Me? I think we will be surprised about the upcoming things in the future around this story and many will fall into another "How could they?" just as the did with Ted. We have so much time we can use for good until we see the fruits of it (maybe it will be soon? Some have been visible already!), let`s work on ourself and enjoy Life with God. Thanks for reading and let`s look first into our own life, before we decide about Ted or any others!
Posted by: Roy at March 27, 2008
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