Pastor Ted's Golden Parachute

Run out of town on a rail, & doubtless paid a handsome sum to stay the hell out of town, Ted Haggard's agreement w/ New Life Church, which he founded & then was booted out of for, well you know, expired at the end of 2007, & he & his family have moved back to Colorado Springs, several yrs. in advance of his "spiritual restoration program's" expected end.

Haggard and church officials clashed last summer after Haggard sent an e-mail to a Colorado Springs television station outlining his plans to work as a counselor at a Christian-run halfway house in Phoenix. The e-mail also solicited financial support. A four-pastor team of overseers said that those plans were unacceptable and that Haggard would seek secular employment instead. Boyd said Haggard was in private business but didn't have any further details. He said there were no plans for him to work again at New Life.

Looks as if he already has a new scam going. He'd be perfect in one of those big-box electronics stores, w/ the corporate polo shirt, a lanyard reading "Pastor Ted, I'm here to serve you!" & issue khakis, wouldn't he? Curiosity compels us to ask what glibertarians think of this whole religion thing. These holy bastards rake in millions of dollars, tax-free, yet do not increase efficiency, or produce anything of value. Indeed, they probably send thousands to long-term counseling or analysis, not to mention the medication so many of their victims need. It seems to be on the same level as panhandling to us. Should this be tolerated?