Unlike Alexandra Pelsoi's first documentary on Evangelicals, this documentary on Ted Haggard's post-scandal life, is free of the critical stance of its predecessor. She takes a neutral and, for the most part, impartial stance towards the fallen preacher.
Haggard seems genuinely repentant for his double-life; his commitment to his Christian faith appears to be genuine. Unlike, however, the four preachers who were "appointed" to "supervise" his "spiritual recovery". Rather than following the core Christian precepts of "judge not, lest ye be judged" and "hate the sin, not the sinner," his "redemption supervisors" and successors at the mega-church that Haggard founded, have instead shunned him and not only have failed to forgive him but have, at least as its presented in Ms. Pelosi's docu, continued to actively persecute him. They made him leave his home, "banishing" from Colorado, thus forcing him & his family, into a nomadic existence of hotel rooms and tiny apartments. They also insisted that he refrain from preaching and get a "secular" job despite the fact that he's never held a job outside the ministry.
One of the most poignant parts of this film was Haggard's unsuccessful attempts to find that secular job, whether distributing door hangers for a mortgage "help" service or selling insurance door-to-door.
What shocked me the most, was the treatment meted out to his wife and two teen-aged sons who did nothing wrong except to stand by and love their husband and father in an unconditional and Christian manner (as far I understand the Christian concept of forgiveness as I admit I am not a Christian).
In summary, despite Haggard's failings and formerly hypocritical double life, he and his family have received no succor from their former "friends" and fellow-parishioners. In fact, when he sent an email to a small group of friends asking for donations to help support his family, one of them leaked it to the media who, along with his "redemption supervisors", proceeded to rake him over the coals.
He was never one of those preachers that condemned gays as some evangelical ministers do. Had he, I imagine that Ms. Pelosi would have found video and included it in the docu. Thus I found it doubly ironic that he should be treated so harshly by the men allegedly concerned with his "redemption." One last word on Mike Jones, the man whom Haggard paid for sex and, allegedly, drugs. This drug dealer and prostitute is doing everything he can to capitalize on his illegal behavior and Ted Haggard's misery. I found him absolutely disgusting.
Though I do not share Haggard's beliefs, I can only hope he and his family will be able to find some happiness; and perhaps he'll one day return to the vocation he so clearly loves: preaching to Gospel.
The film is well-worth watching whatever one's opinion of evangelical Christianity is. It shows a man who made huge mistakes and is paying for them in a heart-rending and brutal manner.
Haggard seems genuinely repentant for his double-life; his commitment to his Christian faith appears to be genuine. Unlike, however, the four preachers who were "appointed" to "supervise" his "spiritual recovery". Rather than following the core Christian precepts of "judge not, lest ye be judged" and "hate the sin, not the sinner," his "redemption supervisors" and successors at the mega-church that Haggard founded, have instead shunned him and not only have failed to forgive him but have, at least as its presented in Ms. Pelosi's docu, continued to actively persecute him. They made him leave his home, "banishing" from Colorado, thus forcing him & his family, into a nomadic existence of hotel rooms and tiny apartments. They also insisted that he refrain from preaching and get a "secular" job despite the fact that he's never held a job outside the ministry.
One of the most poignant parts of this film was Haggard's unsuccessful attempts to find that secular job, whether distributing door hangers for a mortgage "help" service or selling insurance door-to-door.
What shocked me the most, was the treatment meted out to his wife and two teen-aged sons who did nothing wrong except to stand by and love their husband and father in an unconditional and Christian manner (as far I understand the Christian concept of forgiveness as I admit I am not a Christian).
In summary, despite Haggard's failings and formerly hypocritical double life, he and his family have received no succor from their former "friends" and fellow-parishioners. In fact, when he sent an email to a small group of friends asking for donations to help support his family, one of them leaked it to the media who, along with his "redemption supervisors", proceeded to rake him over the coals.
He was never one of those preachers that condemned gays as some evangelical ministers do. Had he, I imagine that Ms. Pelosi would have found video and included it in the docu. Thus I found it doubly ironic that he should be treated so harshly by the men allegedly concerned with his "redemption." One last word on Mike Jones, the man whom Haggard paid for sex and, allegedly, drugs. This drug dealer and prostitute is doing everything he can to capitalize on his illegal behavior and Ted Haggard's misery. I found him absolutely disgusting.
Though I do not share Haggard's beliefs, I can only hope he and his family will be able to find some happiness; and perhaps he'll one day return to the vocation he so clearly loves: preaching to Gospel.
The film is well-worth watching whatever one's opinion of evangelical Christianity is. It shows a man who made huge mistakes and is paying for them in a heart-rending and brutal manner.
