Tammy Faye

I never thought I'd feel sympathy for Tammy Faye Messner, the televangelist who gained fame for co-hosting "The PTL Club" with then-husband Jim Bakker. Having lost a family member to lung cancer, I know the nature of the ordeal she will face. I am sorry, and I wish her well in her fight.

Still, I remain angry that she regained society's favor even though she (unlike her ex-husband) never apologized. She helped raise money for a non-existent broadcasting center in Korea. Then she and her husband grossly oversold time-shares in a resort complex and pocketed the cash. Lots of people lost a lot of money.

Today, she blames Jerry Falwell and continues to pretend that she had no idea what Jim was up to. I refuse to believe that Tammy Faye was ignorant. People watching at home were able to figure out the scam; how could she not know?

If my stance seems harsh, I apologize. But the best favor her friends can do for her is to remind her that confession is good for the soul. Now is the time for it.