3abn Appeal Options

[LadyTenor]

So today at church, TWO announcements were made, appealing to the congregants to write to Dish Network and request that they put 3ABN on their lineup...mind you, one of these requests came from Wintley Phipps himself.

Apparently, Danny Shelton made the appeal on 3ABN this past Thursday night because Sky Angel has released 3ABN from its contract. According to one of the elders in the church, it would be better for 3ABN to move to Dish Network because the network has 30 million suscribers and would reach far more people than when 3ABN was on Sky Angel.

Now I am all for the Gospel and the Word of God being spread to the far corners of the earth, and 3ABN is more than capable of helping in that endeavor. But as I saw the delight on the faces of people sitting around me at the prospect of 3ABN going to Dish Network, all I could think of is Danny Shelton and the nonsense and unChristianlike behavior that he has shown in the situation regarding his now ex-wife.

I told my husband I will not give 3ABN one red cent. He does not visit blacksda.com, but after hearing what I have told him about what is being discussed here, all he says is that Danny Shelton will be answerable to Someone much higher than any of us....and he is not inclined to donate any money to 3ABN, nor write to Dish Network. We were never interested in 3ABN for other reasons, but now that the Danny mess has come to our attention, we won't support it passively or otherwise...

Is it wrong of me to, in my heart, wish 3ABN fails because it is lining Danny's pocket when it just might expose millions of people to the Gospel (not that Danny should not have to account for his sins like any other church member who might have done what he did)?

Or is this a time when I should just let go and let God??

[inga]

Is it wrong of me to, in my heart, wish 3ABN fails because it is lining Danny's pocket when it just might expose millions of people to the Gospel (not that Danny should not have to account for his sins like any other church member who might have done what he did)?

Or is this a time when I should just let go and let God??

May I suggest some parallel questions?

Is it wrong to wish that a thief "fails" to find more victims?
Is it wrong to wish that an abuser fails to find respectability, giving him access to more victims?
When you see evil being done, is that a time "to let go and let God," or is it a time to do what you can to stop the evil?

If we fail to do what we can to stop evil from spreading and gaining respectability, are we innocent?

Of course, in answering those questions, we need to consider the counsel of Jesus to be "wise as serpents, harmless as doves." It is possible to do damage while trying to stop evil, and we need to be careful. But to stand by and do nothing .... ?

[sister]

LadyTenor, you are now facing the dilemma that many current and former 3ABN employees have experienced. Is it possible to separate the actions of the administration of 3ABN, beginning with Danny Shelton and going on down the list, with the Christ centered programming that it airs? Those of us who have struggled with this quandary have also felt the pangs of indecision in regard to what at first sight appears an irreconcilable dichotomy. One the one hand, there is the carefully hidden corruption that has existed behind the scenes: the fraudulent claims upon which Danny has built up the ministry and his orchestrated campaigns of deceit designed to put into disrepute the reputations of those who choose to question his duplicitous actions. On the other hand there is the Christ centered programming...

There was a time when 3ABN had the monopoly on SDA programming, but it is no longer the only show in town. Now there is the Hope channel, SDA programming without a dictator. It has much of the same programming that 3ABN has from other SDA sources and it is producing more original programming all the time. In addition, if all the SDA’s that are now donating to 3ABN would switch to Hope, it would continue to grow much faster than 3ABN did in the same number of years and there would be accountability for all donated funds. NO MORE SECRETS, which has become the downfall of the house that Danny built.

What if everyone started a write in campaign to get Hope on Dish Network, instead of 3ABN? Then the same 30 million subscribers would still have the same opportunity to have Christ centered programming. It might be much less embarrassing to the church when Danny Shelton’s unchristlike behavior is finally revealed publically. So now you can actively support the spread of the Gospel and leave Danny behind in the dust.

Is it wrong of me to, in my heart, wish 3ABN fails because it is lining Danny's pocket when it just might expose millions of people to the Gospel (not that Danny should not have to account for his sins like any other church member who might have done what he did)?

Or is this a time when I should just let go and let God??

No, it is not wrong to want to see injustice end. Millions of people can still be exposed to the Gospel without lining Danny Shelton's pockets. 3ABN is no longer the only show in town. And I am sure the day will come when Danny will have to account for his sins like any other church member who might have done what he did given the same lack of accountability.

Don't let go LadyTenor! Danny's victims need voices like yours that are willing to plead their case. Individuals like you who love the Lord and who are willing to speak for those whose voices have been silenced. Linda is not the only one under a gag order. For others it is not through signing a contract under duress, but through the circumstances of their current employment. I know of a certain individual who could loose their current position in another Adventist organization if that person where to become too involved publically in the situation involving Danny, Linda and 3ABN.
Like Christ, we can become the advocate of those who have suffered at the hands of Danny Shelton.

This post has been edited by sister: Jul 22 2006, 08:03 PM

[Hersheys99]

I got a letter in the mail from them today on that topic. I personally won't support it & I have to say under present leadership at 3ABN it would be in the best interest it don't air to that many people. Just think of those that once it all falls apart & the damage it could do to new converts.

[inga]

What if everyone started a write in campaign to get Hope on Dish Network, instead of 3ABN? Then the same 30 million subscribers would still have the same opportunity to have Christ centered programming. It might be much less embarrassing to the church when Danny Shelton’s unchristlike behavior is finally revealed publically. So now you can actively support the spread of the Gospel and leave Danny behind in the dust.

Yes, YES!! That's something positive we can do to help HopeTV!

I note that a petition to add 3ABN to the Dish Network line-up is online, but I wonder how much good those online petitions do, because the signatures are pretty easy to forge. (Don't ask me how I know. ) It probably can't hurt to mount such a petition, but email and snail mail directly to the Dish Network would be much more effective, I'm sure.

The online petition for 3ABN is here: http://www.petitiononline.com/3abndish/petition.html Someone could draft a HopeTV petition and put it online at the same place. I wouldn't put my own email address in there, because such a site can easily be used to collect addresses for spamming.

Another idea for those not currently customers of the Dish Network would be to inquire whether you would be able to view HopeTV if you subscribed to their service, and give the URL to their web site. If they received a few thousand such inquiries, it will make an impression, I suspect.


This post has been edited by inga: Jul 22 2006, 10:43 PM

[beartrap]

In the words of an illustrious Evangelist, "3ABN is the face of the church to the world, and Danny Shelton is the face of 3ABN." So lets ask some more questions.

- Do you want Danny Shelton to represent you, your values, your morals, and your religion to 30 million more people?

- Are you comfortable that he is the true icon of the virtues and ideals that you embrace? To 30 million more people?

- Do you believe that the sacrifice of principle is a fair price to pay for numbers?

- Do you want to say to the world "Yes, Danny Shelton represents me. What he is, is what I am."

Because whoever writes that letter to Dishnetwork is saying that, whether they mean to or not.

[beartrap]

"3ABN Cable Rally
Join Danny, Tommy Shelton, Melody Firestone and C. A. Murray

Time:
Sabbath, July 29, 2006

Location:
Santa Barbara Seventh-day Adventist Church
425 Arroyo Road
Santa Barbara, CA 93110
805-967-9615

Contact person: Pastor Pete Geli
Phone: 805-204-0035

Services:
9:30 AM Sabbath School Leonard Westphal
10:45 AM Worhip Service Danny Shelton
2:00 PM 3ABN Cable Rally Danny Shelton, C. A. Murray"

Hmmmm... 80% scandal in the advertised lineup. I think I could make a fortune as an agent for guys like Jim Bakker, marketing them into the Adventist circles. How bout getting some of those Catholic priests like father Geigan, at this rate they would be a huge hit in our political and church circles. If I just took 2% off the top I'd be living on a golf course in Malibu.

[Daryl Fawcett]

We are talking about a time for action in the other topic.

How about those of you, who know personally about Danny Shelton, contacting this host pastor and telling him about all of this?

[Just a Guy]

Should we abandon 3ABN because of its leader? The network has done much good in spreading the gospel to the far reaches of the Earth. Can God not still work through it? Was God not able to work in Israel when the king was wicked?

[Tammy]

Should we abandon 3ABN because of its leader? The network has done much good in spreading the gospel to the far reaches of the Earth. Can God not still work through it? Was God not able to work in Israel when the king was wicked?

Well, I see things a little different, especially with all the info that has been coming out about 3ABN and even about HOW 3ABN got started in the first place - by basically telling lies and calling them "miracles".

Perhaps God doesn't look at 3ABN any different than He does any other denominations "ministry" that finally shows it's true colors? If the Lord didn't have His hand in it from the beginning and I don't see how He could, cause He doesn't use deception, I'm not so sure He'll have His hand in it's ending, either....


I believe that God works with honest minds, wherever they are....there are honest souls who are led to Christ even while in the Catholic faith, right? Is it because of the Catholic religion? I don't believe so - it is INSPITE OF the Catholic relgion, it is BECAUSE they are truly seeking for light, and God won't let anyone down who is truly seeking for light, will He?

That is how I see it with 3ABN...how else could it be? Do you really believe that God would give His blessing to a "Ministry" that is built on "miracles" that are really concocted lies for the purpose of getting people to send in their money????

God will reach people wherever they are - if they are truly seeking....INSPITE of the place they are.

I realize the thought that "3ABN perhaps was NEVER of God" is hard for many to accept...but, think about it - just because WE think some Church or Ministry is of the Lord doesn't make it "of the Lord". You can be sure there are many sincere Catholics who put their trust in their Church, just as many SDA's have put their trust in 3ABN...but no matter how sincere those Catholics are or how sincere we Adventists are, it doesn't make the Catholic church God's church or 3ABN God's Ministry.


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The Lord sets men in positions of responsibility to carry out not their own will, but God's will. He gives wisdom to those who seek Him and depend upon Him as their Counselor. So long as men represent the pure principles of His government, He will continue to bless and maintain them as His instrumentalities to carry out His purposes concerning His people. He cooperates with those who cooperate with Him.--Manuscript 81, 1900, p. 12 (Diary, "Solomon's Reign"). {ChL 60.1}


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From what we have been reading does it sound like 3ABN has been operating on "pure principles"? Surely not!


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The Lord sets men in responsible places, not to act out their own wills, but His will. So long as they cherish His pure principles of government, He will bless and strengthen them, recognizing them as His instrumentalities. God never forsakes the one who is true to principle. {CC 188.6}


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"God never forsakes the one who is true to principle."


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Obviously, He does forsake those who are NOT true to principle....and if and when they do that, He no longer recognizes them as His instrumentalities.

[Denny]

I got a letter in the mail from them today on that topic. I personally won't support it & I have to say under present leadership at 3ABN it would be in the best interest it don't air to that many people. Just think of those that once it all falls apart & the damage it could do to new converts.

delete

Should we abandon 3ABN because of its leader? The network has done much good in spreading the gospel to the far reaches of the Earth. Can God not still work through it? Was God not able to work in Israel when the king was wicked?

... Amd Mussolini made the trains run on time

This post has been edited by Denny: Jul 31 2006, 05:19 AM

[summertime]

delete
... Amd Mussolini made the trains run on time

I think that I am saying something that is going to be a bit of a surprise to anyone who has been an SDA all their lives. Even though I went to church regularly and studied my SS lesson pretty regularly, I was what a lot of people would call a 'lukewarm Christian'.. I sacrificed to send my children through our schools and yes, I did without things that I wanted to pay my tithe. I thought that I could feel safe in my old age if I could be certain that I had not broken any of the ten commandments. Sometimes I woud repeat them over before I went to sleep at night to make sure that, just in case I had misstepped along the way, I could ask for forgiveness in case I would not wake up the next morning. Maybe you might call this 'legalism'. But in truth, I never had a personal relationship with Jesus.

THen 3ABN came along and I trusted Danny and Linda to the fullest and I felt that 3ABN had changed my life. For years I went along thinking that everytime I turned 3ABN on in my home, that I was inviting true Christians to share my day and bring Jesus farther into my home. FOr the first time I felt like I knew who Jesus was.

THen all this 3ABN trouble became public and I felt so sorry for Danny because I really believed everything that he and others said about Linda abandoning her mission to the world. I wondered "Where is Linda?" So I began to really read everything that I could about her departure and I realized that Danny not only was untruthful but he was downright dishonest. I personally wrote to him for an answer and his answer was meaningless. I became disallusioned, not only with 3ABN but with all the other speakers who I had trusted and really believed had been sent to the world via 3ABN. THey all seemed to hang on to the story that Danny had been wronged and Linda was an adulteress..To this day I am not sure what they all believe. I don't know who to trust.

The question is "How do we know that people will not fail to hear the message if 3ABN no longer exists?". With the realization that 3ABN had been dishonest all the time with their miracle stories, I began to distrust everything they all had to say. I had to hang on to Christ to keep me from combining my own lifelong faith with their dishonesty and I felt like walking away from it all. Now I believe that we can equate this story with the question that is asked, "What is going to happen to all these new believers when and if 3ABN tumbles and we may be responsible for a part of it?". Maybe it would be better if they were left with the honesty and truthfullness of other resources like Hope TV, Safe TV and LLTV and others. If they get the message from a dishonest messenger and then find it out, how disallusioned will they be when the truth is known.? They may not have a past lifetime in the SDA Church and our beliefs to hang on to until they separate 3ABN from the rest of our denomination. How many of them will fall along the wayside then?. And can we really blame them if they give, as many of us have given, to 3ABN and now find that we have helped to line Danny's pockets.? God works through our hands and we need to do what he would have us to do. I think that God is asking us to do the part that we feel that He would have us to do.

[Uncle Sam]

I too wanted to believe Danny, he looked like a broken man. I couldn't believe what they said about Linda. I was so saddened by the whole mess. Than when Danny remarried, I lost all faith in him. I don't know if he had grounds to remarry but I felt the whole thing was so secretive. That it makes me wonder what else was done in secret.

I too wrote Danny and John Lomagang. John, I feel, lied to me. We were up there not too long ago, about 2 months ago. I saw many things I was not comfortable with. I have lost faith in 3ABN, which saddens me too. I hope all is resolved and the truth comes out soon. If needed the leadership be replaced or confess of any wrong doing......

[sonshineonme]

I think that I am saying something that is going to be a bit of a surprise to anyone who has been an SDA all their lives. Even though I went to church regularly and studied my SS lesson pretty regularly, I was what a lot of people would call a 'lukewarm Christian'.. I sacrificed to send my children through our schools and yes, I did without things that I wanted to pay my tithe. I thought that I could feel safe in my old age if I could be certain that I had not broken any of the ten commandments. Sometimes I woud repeat them over before I went to sleep at night to make sure that, just in case I had misstepped along the way, I could ask for forgiveness in case I would not wake up the next morning. Maybe you might call this 'legalism'. But in truth, I never had a personal relationship with Jesus.

THen 3ABN came along and I trusted Danny and Linda to the fullest and I felt that 3ABN had changed my life. For years I went along thinking that everytime I turned 3ABN on in my home, that I was inviting true Christians to share my day and bring Jesus farther into my home. FOr the first time I felt like I knew who Jesus was.

THen all this 3ABN trouble became public and I felt so sorry for Danny because I really believed everything that he and others said about Linda abandoning her mission to the world. I wondered "Where is Linda?" So I began to really read everything that I could about her departure and I realized that Danny not only was untruthful but he was downright dishonest. I personally wrote to him for an answer and his answer was meaningless. I became disallusioned, not only with 3ABN but with all the other speakers who I had trusted and really believed had been sent to the world via 3ABN. THey all seemed to hang on to the story that Danny had been wronged and Linda was an adulteress..To this day I am not sure what they all believe. I don't know who to trust.

The question is "How do we know that people will not fail to hear the message if 3ABN no longer exists?". With the realization that 3ABN had been dishonest all the time with their miracle stories, I began to distrust everything they all had to say. I had to hang on to Christ to keep me from combining my own lifelong faith with their dishonesty and I felt like walking away from it all. Now I believe that we can equate this story with the question that is asked, "What is going to happen to all these new believers when and if 3ABN tumbles and we may be responsible for a part of it?". Maybe it would be better if they were left with the honesty and truthfullness of other resources like Hope TV, Safe TV and LLTV and others. If they get the message from a dishonest messenger and then find it out, how disallusioned will they be when the truth is known.? They may not have a past lifetime in the SDA Church and our beliefs to hang on to until they separate 3ABN from the rest of our denomination. How many of them will fall along the wayside then?. And can we really blame them if they give, as many of us have given, to 3ABN and now find that we have helped to line Danny's pockets.? God works through our hands and we need to do what he would have us to do. I think that God is asking us to do the part that we feel that He would have us to do.

amen. me too. diddo on all of this. Most of what you said has been my journey too - only I was never a 3abn follower in any way. Never liked Danny. He always seemed very insincere to me (along with boring and blah). Linda was the one that seemed to be "connected" to Jesus, so listening to her when I did catch it in someones home or online, she always had something of meaning and value to say that was practical and useful. More of a relationship type message from her I think. Anyway, strange to know everything now, isn't it? I think it's reflective of who had what mission all along....

[Jvat]

Uncle Sam, what did you see that you were not comfortable with, at 3ABN recently? Please tell us so we can have more matter to add to the case against 3ABN.