Jesse Carey is the Interactive Media Producer for CBN.com . With a background in entertainment and pop-culture writing, he offers his insight on music, movies, TV, trends and current events from a unique perspective that examines what implications the latest news has on Christians.

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Read recent articles from Jesse Carey:

Angels and Demons: A Sublime Detective Story

Kings: Can NBC Do the Bible?

The Twitter Manifestation

No Country for 'Slumdog Millionaire'

Michael Phelps and Ted Haggard: The Connection

Kurt Warner: Beyond the Field

24: Jack Bauer's Moral Dilemma

Godless Advertising Rolls On

The "Mean" Side of Jesus

John Lennon: One of Jesus' "Biggest Fans"

Vigilance Through the Fire

John Lasseter: Stories that Live Forever

Confessions of a Swing Voter

When Hollywood Attacks

A Non-Religulous Response

Unshaken Faith in Shaky Times

The Hope of the Olympics

Church Conflict: Can We Agree to Disagree

Back to School: You've Been Left Behind

Saved by a Basic Instinct

Don't Be Religulous!

Bolt's Retreat to Simple Truths

WALL*E-Mart: What Are We Teaching Kids?

House: Hollywood's R-Rated Faith

5 Favorite Inspirational Films

Movie Review: Disney's Bolt

Kirk Cameron Talks Fireproof

The War on Christmas: Sound Off!

The Secret of the Magi

Batman: This Present Darkness

The Tipping Point of Faith 2.0

The Emerging Church Explained

The Evangelical Identity Crisis

Grace for This American Life

Hollywood Heroics and Blockbuster Faith

Grand Theft Auto: Choose Your Battles

Brian Williams' Unintentional Theology

Five Books of Great Spiritual Journeys

A New Kind of American Idol

The Enlightenment of Ted Turner

The Unlikely Success of Tyler Perry

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Michael Phelps and Ted Haggard Feedback ...

My latest feature on the front page of CBN.com has gotten some interesting feedback through email. You can read "Michael Phelps and Ted Haggard: The Connection" here.

Some readers emailed me and said they don't feel like it is a fair comparison, and that Michael Phelps was a victim of his own insecurity, whereas Haggard should be held to a higher standard because he is a Christian leader.

What do you think? I want to let readers have an opportunity to express their thoughts on the story and how the Phelps/Haggard scandals are being covered.

Thanks! Can wait to hear what you have to say!

Leave your comments below

Print     Email to a Friend    posted on Friday, February 20, 2009 12:01 PM

Comments on this post

# RE: Michael Phelps and Ted Haggard Feedback ...

I see how you could compare the two. They're both high profile individuals who made mistakes. I think its dangerous putting too much expection on ppeople no matter who they are
Left by JD505 on Feb 20, 2009 12:18 PM

# RE: Michael Phelps and Ted Haggard Feedback ...

I thought that you were right on. I appreciate the scriptures also. It should keep us all humble. We do expect more from our spiritual leaders but that is not necessarily a good thing or fair. We need to keep the beam out of our eye before we work on the speck in someone else. I think we need to hold ourselves accountable to a higher degree and forget about holding our neighbor or brother and sister to some unattainable standard that its clear no one can measure up to but Jesus. I think we are looking in the wrong places for heroes and leaders. Jesus is the hero and the leader that doesn't disappoint. He never fails. We put too much attention on celebrity, status, leaders, athletes, etc etc.
Left by paynelss on Feb 20, 2009 1:07 PM

# RE: Michael Phelps and Ted Haggard Feedback ...

Michael Phelps and Ted Haggard: The Connection. Actually there is no connection. This is pathetic that you would compare a pervert Christian Pastor to Michael Phelps because of a picture of him smoking a dope pipe. This is journalism at its worst. Even more pathetic is the fact that thousands of Born Again Spirit filled believers couldn't discern that their leader was involved in so much immorality and this is one of the top "So called Evangelictal Voices"
Left by Jim ham on Feb 20, 2009 1:33 PM

# RE: Michael Phelps and Ted Haggard Feedback ...

Jim, thanks for the feedback. It's OK that you disagree. The point of the article that I was trying to show was that they were connected because they were both people who lived in the spotlight and did something that changed what people thought about them (even though what they've accomplished and what they did are very different). But, I can see where you're coming from with your criticism. Thanks for writing in
Left by jcarey on Feb 20, 2009 2:07 PM

# RE: Michael Phelps and Ted Haggard Feedback ...

I think it has to do with our human tendency to make "idols" of people. We do them no favor. It's a good thing to think often about forgiveness, lest we should find ourselves in such a situation as either of these men.
Left by Fritzie on Feb 20, 2009 2:21 PM

# RE: Michael Phelps and Ted Haggard Feedback ...

Hi, thank you for writing this article.
I thought it was so well written. It not only informed me about two well known people, but it made me feel better about my own mistakes.
Why do we fall flat on our faces sometimes unecessarily? God bless you, alma k. from Pa
Left by Allliemo on Feb 20, 2009 7:45 PM

# RE: Michael Phelps and Ted Haggard Feedback ...

Thank you for your boldness to speak the truth, it seems people forget that grace is never ending with God, the saddest thing Ive ever seen was so many christians judge a powerful man of God, turn their backs, and show so little love, if anyone in the world is without sin, feel free to judge Haggard, until then pray for the man of God who was and is the annointed of the Lord.
Left by jessica cloward on Feb 20, 2009 9:12 PM

# RE: Michael Phelps and Ted Haggard Feedback ...

I really don't see any connection here at all -- the analogy doesn't work. It is really a huge stretch to compare the two -- one is a middle-aged spiritual leader who fell from the pinnacle of national leadership, the other just an immature kid who's a gifted athlete. The man lived a very public life -- he had a very public "holy" persona and a very secret, opposite, unholy life. The kid was just someone who rose to fame through sport. I don't see any hypocrisy in him; he wasn't presenting himself as a moral or spiritual voice or leader.
Left by BostonReader on Feb 20, 2009 10:19 PM

# RE: Michael Phelps and Ted Haggard Feedback ...

How can the "good news" be "you don't have to be perfect" when Jesus says, "Be perfect as your Father in Heaven in perfect"? If he has truly freed us from sin, so that sin no more has dominion over us, as the scripture says, how can it be said that we will continue to be vulnerable to sin? Why then do virtually all the new testament epistles use language expressive of hope for "the perfection of the saints"--or the "establishment or maturity" as some translations have it--in this life?
Left by Gregory Klug on Feb 23, 2009 1:35 PM

# RE: Michael Phelps and Ted Haggard Feedback ...

Interesting feedback. The first reference from Matt 5:48 "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." is specifically talking in the context of loving your neighbor the way God loves everyone. "The perfection of the saints" can be interpreted as Christ's sacrifice: "by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy" (Heb. 10:14). It's only through accepting what Christ did on the cross that we can obtain perfection-not by living flawless lives. Even Paul in Rom. 7 discusses his struggles with sin and Holiness "For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good". Christ does give us dominion over sin, but we live in a fallen world and have a sinful nature:
"So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin." This only confirms the need for God's grace and continually maturity as we daily strive to be holy as he is holy
Left by jessecarey54 on Feb 23, 2009 5:34 PM

# RE: Michael Phelps and Ted Haggard Feedback ...

You know there are a few comments on here that downplay the saints ability to put a religious leader at a high level of expectation, thus leading to great hurt. You know I disagree! I think it's appropriate that the expectations of the people on their leaders be very high. You know the relationship today between a saint and his/her's pastor is very weak. If your pastor isnt' at a level to where he can hurt you, then you don't have a very intimate walk with the man of God. If he hurts you, it's on him, not you! Your feeling of forsakenness from your leader is directly proportionate to your previous level of intimacy with that leader. The most beguiling tactic the devil used out of Haggard's deal was he damaged the level of trust from saints toward their pastor. You havent experienced true Christianity until you start upholding the man of God to where you might just get hurt!

Joey
Left by Joseph81 on Mar 17, 2009 7:29 PM

# RE: Michael Phelps and Ted Haggard Feedback ...

For example;
Classicly quoted passages; "never leave you nor forsake you..." The reason that is so powerful to some is that they actually have that intimate walk with God to where he might actually be able to hurt and forsake them...

Some xians' walk is equivalent to a stranger approaching them in the mall and saying "I will never leave you nor forsake you..." it doesn't mean anything there... However when someone you have put trust into...you love.... you count on....you know... you've followed for years and years... when they forsake you...it hurts and this proves you had a good relationship...

Ted Haggard teaches us alot more than we give him credit for. My heart goes out to him and his family, however I know that their family ties are soaring above the average household today because they are stronger than they were before...

Joey
Left by Joseph81 on Mar 17, 2009 7:39 PM

# RE: Michael Phelps and Ted Haggard Feedback ...

Good comments Joey. I think you're right on about maintaining relationships with pastors and other Christians that are spiritually deep. And you're right that the fear of being hurt or disappointed shouldn't prevent us from developing deeper relationships. I do think it is important to remember that people are people, and no matter who they are, they're still susceptible to mistakes (even if they are called to a greater level of accountability and a higher moral standard).
Left by jessecarey54 on Mar 20, 2009 9:14 AM