Sign Up!

 

Updated 1/10/2013
2011 Form 990

Updated 6/22/2011
3ABN sued
over Tommy!

Added 3/14/2010
Can 3ABN Survive?

Added 11/16/2010
Judge Rejects
Plea Deal

Updated 4/2/2010
Tommy Shelton
Arrested!

Must Read:
Mom in Pain #1

Mene, Mene,
Tekel, Parsin

The Actual Lawsuit
IRS Criminal Investigation

Jonathan Smith Adds a Little More

"3ABN and Lawsuits – Tell It Not in Gath"

< Prev.Next >

Jonathan Smith, a lecturer at the University of the West Indies in Jamaica, adds additional thoughts about the lawsuit to his previous reply to 3ABN board chairman Walt Thompson.

-------- Original Message --------
From:  Jonathan E. Smith
To:  Walt Thompson
CC:  Mollie Steenson
Subject:  Re: 3abn and Lawsuits - Tell it not in Gath
Date:  Thu, 12 Jul 2007 00:13:42 -0500

Dear Dr. Thompson,

I just want to make an addition.

Tell it Not in Gath

19 The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen! 20 Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. 2 Samuel 1:19-20.

Both Old and New Testament are clear that problems in the tribe of Israel should not be published to God's enemies. When I consider this testimony below, I see so many similarities, it is eerie. Please follow the advice.

You also said:

"This law suit is not about us, but about our duty to stand up in defense of the Ministry to which He has assigned us responsibility. We recognize that there are some who may see our decision to go to the courts of the land as denying the counsel of the Lord. We believe otherwise, having earnestly sought direction from heaven before making any decisions, and then by faith, accepting what we believe His answer to our requests to be."

Yet the lawsuit is not at all about the ministry, I don't think a single thing said was against the ministry of 3ABN, the lawsuit is about INDIVIDUALS, the allegations are about individuals. Please read what Sister White wrote. It was just in store for this occasion:

A Lawsuit Against the Publishing House

"Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more the things that pertain to this life? If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. I speak to your shame. Is it so that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers. Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?" (1 Cor. 6:1-9). . . . When church members have this knowledge, their practice will be of a character to recommend their faith. By a well-ordered life, and godly conversation, they will reveal Christ. There will be no lawsuits between neighbors or brothers. {3SM 303.4}

I call upon you in the name of Christ to withdraw the suit that you have begun and never bring another into court. God forbids you thus to dishonor His name. You have had great light and many opportunities, and you cannot afford to unite with worldlings and follow their methods. Remember that the Lord will treat you according to the stand that you take in this life. . . . {3SM 304.1}

I tell you solemnly that if you take the action which you now purpose to take, you will never recover from the result of it. If you open before the world the wrongs that you suppose your brethren have done you, there will be some things that will have to be said on the other side. I have a caution to give you. {3SM 304.2}

In regard to the case of those who shared large responsibilities with you in the Review and Herald, and who have turned to be enemies of the work, you will not wish to hear the verdict that shall be passed upon them when the judgment shall sit and the books shall be opened, and every man shall be judged according to the things written in the books. I want to save you from following a course that would link you up with those who have linked themselves up with fallen angels, to do all the harm they possibly can to those who love God, and who, under great difficulty, are striving to proclaim present truth to the world. {3SM 304.3}

The Publishing House Not Blameless.—Those against whom you bring your charges know that I have not approved of their manner of dealing with you, and that I have reproved them for their unfeeling management of your case. There are those who have not acted honorably. They have not done as they would be done by. But because of this, should you, in the face of the warnings given, move so manifestly against the instruction given? I beg of you not to cut yourself off from the confidence of your brethren and from taking a part in the publishing work. {3SM 305.1}

I would rather share your loss than to have you push this matter through to the injury of your soul, giving Satan an opportunity to present your case before unbelievers in a most ridiculous light, and to hold up the office of publication in a disparaging light. . . . {3SM 305.2}

God's Cause Injured

Take this case out of the lawyers' hands. It seems awful to me to think that you will go directly contrary to the plain word of God, and will open to the world your cruel work against God's commandment-keeping people. If this action of yours were to tell only against those who have done injustice, the harm would not be so far-reaching; but can you not see that it will arouse prejudice against God's people as a body? Thus you will bruise and wound Christ in the person of His saints, and cause Satan to exult because through you he could work against God's people and against His institutions, doing them great harm.--Letter 301, 1905. {3SM 305.3}

----------------------------------------------
Jonathan E. Smith
----------------------------------------------

< Prev.Next >

Save-3ABN.com
Not © 2008