"the Evidence Will All Be Brought Out In A Court Of Law", Danny's strategy? Options

[Pickle]

The following dawned on me:

• Danny has repeatedly spurned all requests for the release of evidence that allegedly vindicates himself, saying that it would all be brought out in a court of law.
• We saw very clearly that whatever evidence was going to be brought out in the ASI hearings was never going to see the light of day. It would be sealed forever.
• Could it be that Danny's repeated promise that it would all be brought out in a court of law was but a ruse, and that he always intended to impose the same kind of eternal secrecy he intended the ASI hearings to have?

I know, I know. Eternal is absolutely positively the wrong word.

"Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known" (Mt. 10:26).

"For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known" (Lk. 12:2).

[Artiste]

Totally agree.

[Observer]

Totally agree.

Was it a wise move to seal the documents, or was it not?

The answer to that depends upon what is in the docuemnts. It just could be that it was a wise move to protect 3-ABN from the damage that they woul follow if the public knew what was in them.

As I do not know what is in them I cannot say. But, I assume that 3-ABN was protecting its interests, and that it assumes that the damage from impounding them will be less than the damage that would follow if the public knew.

That is only an assuption of mine basd in part upon my view that 3-ABN is recieving excelleant legal advice, and that the people who know what is in those documents believe it best to keep that information from the public.

[Pickle]

Good points, Gregory.

Because of my interest in apologetics, I tend to think in terms of how the public will react in this scenario or that scenario. Perhaps one of the earliest references I made to how I felt secrecy would impact public perceptions was the following email to Mollie Steenson written on October 17, perhaps 8 days before ASI voted to get involved:

4) Will they be making public the evidence that supports their findings, or will they only make public their findings?

I ask this last question because from a damage control and apologetic perspective, the only real way to put all the rumors to rest once and for all is to come across as if 3ABN has nothing to hide.

Take for example these phone records, which Pastor Lomacang stated emphatically that he had personally seen. After he promised that we could see them if we stopped by, it has taken more than five weeks to discover that 3ABN will not allow this, and that gives the impression that they either do not exist or that they do not say what he claimed they say.

This is even more so the case since I asked him on September 8 and October 2 and October 3 and October 10 and October 16 whether the hundreds of hours were actual minutes or billed minutes, and though I did get a short reply from him on October 2, he has yet to answer that simple question. The definite impression being given is that there never were hundreds of hours spent on the phone.

I think a lot of these rumors could have been easily avoided or dispelled if 3ABN had handled these PR matters differently. Along these lines, I would suggest that great care be taken in the selection of which respected church leaders examine all the evidence. If it is perceived that the panel is stacked in favor of 3ABN from the very beginning, it will not settle the questions in people's minds, especially if none of the evidence is ever made public. Whether the panel is stacked or not is not as important at this point as how it is all perceived if the goal is to dispel all the rumors, in my opinion.

God bless.

Bob

I still think it is in their best interest from a PR perspective to fess up where necessary, say I'm sorry, and avoid coming across like they have something to hide.

[Artiste]

And I still think that 3ABN will, sooner rather than later, lose enough donations to put them out of business.

Negative publicity coming from sources like Save3ABN.com and BlackSDA and also just people talking among themselves may easily bring about the above results without any further efforts needed.

[Pickle]

I sure hope not, Artiste. But I guess it all depends on how they respond to constructive criticism.

[steffan]

The following dawned on me:

• Danny has repeatedly spurned all requests for the release of evidence that allegedly vindicates himself, saying that it would all be brought out in a court of law.
• We saw very clearly that whatever evidence was going to be brought out in the ASI hearings was never going to see the light of day. It would be sealed forever.
• Could it be that Danny's repeated promise that it would all be brought out in a court of law was but a ruse, and that he always intended to impose the same kind of eternal secrecy he intended the ASI hearings to have?

I know, I know. Eternal is absolutely positively the wrong word.

I can't help but laugh at how you consistently leave out any options that might be construed as 3abn doing the positive thing.
I will put another option here for you.
Could it be that Danny's repeated promise that it would all be brought out in a court is exactly what is going to happen?

[calvin]

And I still think that 3ABN will, sooner rather than later, lose enough donations to put them out of business.

Negative publicity coming from sources like Save3ABN.com and BlackSDA and also just people talking among themselves may easily bring about the above results without any further efforts needed.

I don’t think so. I think 3ABN has taken the best shots from its critics and survived. I think it’s downturn in donation (if this is true) has more to do with them being off Sky Angel and probably to some extend the competition from Hope TV than anything here or at save3abn. Don’t let the 100K views at save4abn or the tens of thousand views here fool you. These numbers do not represent unique hits on these websites. But most probably the same few hundred people returning time after time. Because a few outspoken people feel adamantly that there needs to be a change in leadership at 3abn, don’t get caught up in drinking our own cool aid thinking that we represent the norm in Adventist. I believe we don’t. Most Adventist don’t care about what now is a 3 year old messy divorce and firing of Linda. Even here, there is not much new to talk about that has not already been discussed and discussed again. When I ask people about Linda the usually response is “I heard she was having an affair with a doctor in Europe”. People are not going to take the time to come here and save3abn to educate themselves on the issues; they got other things going on in their lives. Most people in my area are just glad to see 3abn back on satellite again. This is not to say that we have not had any influence.

I know many of you think the smoking gun, knock out punch will come in these law suits, I don’t remain optimistic.

[steffan]

Good points, Gregory.

I still think it is in their best interest from a PR perspective to fess up where necessary, say I'm sorry, and avoid coming across like they have something to hide.

Unless they have nothing to fess up and say I'm sorry for. A scenerio you haven't thought of?
Let me give you another one on your same old story of John L. saying you get see the bills and then later you couldn't ....yada yada....Did it ever occure to you that between the time you ask and he said yes and the weeks following when he said no, that those involved had heard the stirrings and rumors that you guys were trying to make trouble and they decided to sit it out and see where you were going? Seeing where you did go, it was a very intelligent move for them to make.

[Clay]

I don’t think so. I think 3ABN has taken the best shots from its critics and survived. I think it’s downturn in donation (if this is true) has more to do with them being off Sky Angel and probably to some extend the competition from Hope TV than anything here or at save3abn. Don’t let the 100K views at save4abn or the tens of thousand views here fool you. These numbers do not represent unique hits on these websites. But most probably the same few hundred people returning time after time. Because a few outspoken people feel adamantly that there needs to be a change in leadership at 3abn, don’t get caught up in drinking our own cool aid thinking that we represent the norm in Adventist. I believe we don’t. Most Adventist don’t care about what now is a 3 year old messy divorce and firing of Linda. Even here, there is not much new to talk about that has not already been discussed and discussed again. When I ask people about Linda the usually response is “I heard she was having an affair with a doctor in Europe”. People are not going to take the time to come here and save3abn to educate themselves on the issues; they got other things going on in their lives. Most people in my area are just glad to see 3abn back on satellite again. This is not to say that we have not had any influence.

I know many of you think the smoking gun, knock out punch will come in these law suits, I don’t remain optimistic.

yep... I am thinking the same thing....

[sonshineonme]

I know many of you think the smoking gun, knock out punch will come in these law suits, I don’t remain optimistic.

I do remain optimistic.

[Clay]

I do remain optimistic.

"Do you hear that, Mr. Anderson? That is the sound of inevitability."

[Rosyroi]

Unless they have nothing to fess up and say I'm sorry for. A scenerio you haven't thought of?
Let me give you another one on your same old story of John L. saying you get see the bills and then later you couldn't ....yada yada....Did it ever occure to you that between the time you ask and he said yes and the weeks following when he said no, that those involved had heard the stirrings and rumors that you guys were trying to make trouble and they decided to sit it out and see where you were going? Seeing where you did go, it was a very intelligent move for them to make.

Just one more thing to hide. Too bad they chose to hide again.

Too bad they refuse to chose to break the cycle

Pickle, Thank you for the poll.

Rosyroi

This post has been edited by Rosyroi: May 31 2007, 08:43 PM

[Artiste]

I don’t think so. I think 3ABN has taken the best shots from its critics and survived. I think it’s downturn in donation (if this is true) has more to do with them being off Sky Angel and probably to some extend the competition from Hope TV than anything here or at save3abn. Don’t let the 100K views at save4abn or the tens of thousand views here fool you. These numbers do not represent unique hits on these websites. But most probably the same few hundred people returning time after time. Because a few outspoken people feel adamantly that there needs to be a change in leadership at 3abn, don’t get caught up in drinking our own cool aid thinking that we represent the norm in Adventist. I believe we don’t. Most Adventist don’t care about what now is a 3 year old messy divorce and firing of Linda. Even here, there is not much new to talk about that has not already been discussed and discussed again. When I ask people about Linda the usually response is “I heard she was having an affair with a doctor in Europe”. People are not going to take the time to come here and save3abn to educate themselves on the issues; they got other things going on in their lives. Most people in my area are just glad to see 3abn back on satellite again. This is not to say that we have not had any influence.

I know many of you think the smoking gun, knock out punch will come in these law suits, I don’t remain optimistic.

Calvin, does "I don't remain optimistic" refer to optimisim regarding the demise of 3ABN? Or just present leadership? I'm guessing the latter.

I agree that many of the views at Save3ABN site may be repeats.

It's true that many SDAs have no idea of problems at 3ABN. I have reason to believe, however, that news is spreading even as we sit at our computers speculating about it online.

[Skyhook]

This quote is speaking about the work of the church in spreading the gospel to the world. She makes some points that may apply here. Given some other statements that she made about the "surprisingly simple means" that God will use to finish the work of giving the gospel to the world, I'm not sure it will include sattelite TV.

"There is no need to doubt, to be fearful that the work will not succeed. God is at the head of the work, and He will set everything in order. If matters need adjusting at the head of the work, God will attend to that, and work to right every wrong.... " (R&H, Sept 20. 1892)

This post has been edited by Skyhook: May 31 2007, 11:07 PM