Nothing fails like prayer.

The team appointed to oversee Ted Haggard's "spiritual restoration" after scandal forced him to end his ministry at New Life Church has agreed to his request to end their oversite of his recovery program.

New Life Church issued a statement Tuesday saying it believes the termination of the relationship is premature, but would not say why. Earlier in the process, church leaders had said they assumed that Haggard's recovery could take several years.

The Colorado Springs evangelical congregation that Haggard founded also said it remains convinced that he should not return to any church ministry.

Sigh. It's getting too easy. Guys, just come out already. But remember: teens are still off limits. There are plenty of legal and pretty young men who will be happy to satisfy you.

The chairman of the Republican Party in Brown County faces criminal charges for allegedly fondling a 16-year-old Ethan House runaway and providing the boy with beer and marijuana late last year.

Donald Fleischman, 37, of Allouez, was charged last month with two counts of child enticement, two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a child and a single charge of exposing himself to a child.

Boo has a question. If parents could select the sexual orientation of their children, should they? We're closer to that option than you may think. My question to Boo and everyone who reads this story: if parents could select the race of their children, should they? To me it's the same thing. For the record: I'm 100% in favor of the progress of science. Because I think suppressing science is ultimately futile; if the research isn't done here, out in the open and reviewed by peers, it'll just be done elsewhere. We're going to have to get some politicians who both understand science and aren't afraid to takle the tougher issues it generates, and soon. I have no doubt that in time, technology like this will be availble to humans, and some groups and governments will offer it/enforce its use in their populations. You know wingers here will clamor for it.

Heh. Ted appears to have a bit of an issue. Like Foley, who authored the internet pedophile laws he broke, Ted thought it a good idea to talk about blackmail and wives and "what you did last night." I really need to see this Jesus Camp movie; thank the goddess for YouTube in the meantime.

AP:

The President of the American Psychiatric Association announced today that his organization welcomes and encourages members who work with disaffected Blacks, Jews and other racial minorities seeking to use psychiatric therapy to change their race and ethnicity. President Gerald P. Koocher affirmed a patient's right to help at a Town Hall Meeting at the organization's annual convention in New Orleans. Koocher stated, "APA has no conflict with psychologists who help those distressed by unwanted racial orientation."