The Jonathan Smith Emails To 3abn, and Walt Thompson's replies Options

[Grith]

GJ has posted some emails written by Jonathan Smith, a lecturer at the University of the West Indies in Jamaica to Walt Thompson regarding his concern about 3ABN filing the lawsuit against Joy and Pickle. WT's replies are mostly the run-of-the-mill typical response that has been forthcoming in similar situations. It is Smith's last reply that is so well thought out and succinctly stated that I am placing a copy of it here. I'm putting WT's email to Smith first then the reply.

-------- Original Message --------
From: Walt Thompson
To: Jonathan E. Smith
Subject: Re: 3abn and Lawsuits - Tell it not in Gath
Date: Thursday, July 12, 2007 7:49 PM

Dear Jonathan,

I very much appreciate your comments and quotathions.

I can understand and appreciate your admonition that we drop the charges. I would undoubtedly recommend the same if I were in your shoes. There is an old Indian maxim that says one ought not judge another until one has walked in his shoes for a fortnight. I believe this is still good advice. Jesus too said, "judge not that you be not judged, for with the same judgment you judge, shall it be done unto you (or something like that)." You just cannot know the experience of those on the receiving end at 3abn, nor can you know how you would respond in a similar situation.

Though these experiences have led our board to arrive at a different conclusion, I never-the-less respect yours. God has placed within our hands a ministry and blessed it with the tools to reach the world with the Three Angels Messages. While we acknowledge that God could fight our battles for us and win, hands down, He has elected to honor us to go to battle with Him on occasion to fight for what is right. Believing this, we would be the worst of fools to turn tail and run away.

We cherish your prayers. Though you may not agree - Jobs friends didn't agree with him either - I anticipate when all is said and done, God will confirm our faith as He did Job's.

Sincerely in Jesus' Precious name,

Walter Thompson MD

-------- Original Message --------
From: Jonathan E. Smith
Organization: Management Studies, UWI Mona
To: Mollie Steenson, Walt Thompson
CC: Pastor John Lomacang
Subject: Re: 3abn and Lawsuits - Tell it not in Gath
Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2007 21:44:19 -0500

Dear Dr. Thompson,

Your decision is yours and anyone else involved; I cannot decide for you. Somehow I get the feeling that you believe that a lawsuit may not be the ideal thing but you are going along with it anyway. Note that once you agree to it, you are held responsible for any consequences that may result, both now and hereafter along with the other decision makers.

It is very sad that I sense a certain amount of retribution being sought by this lawsuit, even though Jesus said we should forgive 70 times 7, and that vengeance is His, He will repay.

...

God's words are "My grace is sufficient for thee." ... That can keep you. If you choose not to operate within the grace of God, then you go it alone. I am not saying you are right or wrong with your complaints - that is to be determined when all the evidence is examined. What I am saying is that your methodology is ungodly, unacceptable to God.

Comparison to Job should not enter the picture any at all, since it defeats your thesis. Though his friends accused him falsely, he did not retaliate. If you are like Job you would lay yourself in the arms of God and say "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him." Job 13:15.

What are the ways that Job would maintain? How was Job described? "... that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil." Job 1:1.

In light of 1 Corinthians 6 and the quotes from EGW, I think a lawsuit is evil. If you were like Job you would behave like Job ... this current attitude makes me fear for the souls of the leaders of 3ABN. Do not be railroaded into a decision you may regret. What personal benefit is there in a lawsuit? Can you win? Even if you silence Joy and Pickle, even if you bankrupt them, what prevents people from sending stories all over the place using phantom names and addresses? What prevents stories like what is found in "The Televangelist" (some of which are obviously false, some remain to be proved or disproved) from spreading like wildfire? What prevents 3ABN from spending a lot of time and resources fighting these fires the rest of its time?

A court ruling in your favour is not a victory. It proves nothing - a lot of the outcome is dependent on high-priced lawyers and suspect tactics; it exposes dirty allegations which will bring this sordid mess into the land of the Philistines. There will be great rejoicing in Gath and Ashkelon. God has never approved of a lawsuit between brethren and never will. You have received bad advice ? bad, bad counsel.

This may very well be my last letter to you on this matter; I will still pray for the success of 3ABN but certainly I will not pray for this matter in the way it is handled. My prayer is that God will spare the organization for the good of souls worldwide and for the souls of its staff and friends.

When David got rich and relaxed, he lusted after Bathsheba ? he should have been at war. When Solomon got rich and at ease, he bowed to the gods of his wives. When 3ABN starts operating in forbidden waters, a hellish delight will resound in the satanic world as God's resources are diverted from their true cause. Can you truly say then that we are standing on holy ground?

I pray and I beg you to cease and desist before it is too late.

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

All the emphasis is in the original
These are the last two emails. The two emails posted here are the last exchange between WT and Smith. The first exchange can be read at Save 3abn.

This post has been edited by Grith: Jul 27 2007, 07:01 PM

[mikell]

GJ has posted some emails written by Jonathan Smith, a lecturer at the University of the West Indies in Jamaica to Walt Thompson regarding his concern about 3ABN filing the lawsuit against Joy and Pickle. WT's replies are mostly the run-of-the-mill typical response that has been forthcoming in similar situations. It is Smith's last reply that is so well thought out and succinctly stated that I am placing a copy of it here. I'm putting WT's email to Smith first then the reply.
All the emphasis is in the original
These are the last two emails. The two emails posted here are the last exchange between WT and Smith. The first exchange can be read at Save 3abn.

Grith, THANK YOU for posting Jonathan Smith's email is his response to WT. Thank God for people like Jonathan Smith in the SDA Church who is not Star-Danny-TV-Struck, but adheres to what is right!
it looks like on, http://rescue3abn.blog.com nearly at the end of the blog under the heading of, "Is it good for Seventh day Adventists to sue other Adventists...?" just might be applicable here, in being an exclamation-mark in the point Jonathan makes.

This post has been edited by mikell: Jul 28 2007, 02:06 PM

[PeacefulBe]

Such telling emails. A huge Thank You to Jonathan Smith for his efforts with Walter Thompson.

I am reminded of how sad I am personally to see this man who has put so much of his life into our Lord's service say these words:

While we acknowledge that God could fight our battles for us and win, hands down, He has elected to honor us to go to battle with Him on occasion to fight for what is right.

Walt, is this truly the right occasion? Whose lead are you all really following here? Emulating a wealthy 3abn supporter who has garnered much of that wealth by less-than-Christian fighting with the big dogs, as a former BSDA member once glowingly fawned, is NOT following God's counsel by any stretch of the imagination.

You will not be able to surpress the mountains of evidence that something is not right within leadership. You may be able to throw enough money (is this proper stewardship?) at Gailon and Bob to bankrupt them and then feel like you have fought a battle for God but you will be sorely mistaken.

Walt, what if God's true battle all along has been to clean up the formerly hidden sinful behavior of some within 3abn leadership, to do away with a false image and put His own back as leader of this ministry that He is responsible for raising? God has more resources than any man from Minnesota.

This lawsuit and the "Just-the-facts-ma'am"(hardly!) blog, with all too familiar voices spreading all too familiar insinuations and mean-spirited lies just shows the true spirit in charge. The carefully protected image is crumbling Walt. Worshipping that image could have dangerous consequences.

PB

[sonshineonme]

Such telling emails. A huge Thank You to Jonathan Smith for his efforts with Walter Thompson.

I am reminded of how sad I am personally to see this man who has put so much of his life into our Lord's service say these words:



Walt, is this truly the right occasion? Whose lead are you all really following here? Emulating a wealthy 3abn supporter who has garnered much of that wealth by less-than-Christian fighting with the big dogs, as a former BSDA member once glowingly fawned, is NOT following God's counsel by any stretch of the imagination.

You will not be able to surpress the mountains of evidence that something is not right within leadership. You may be able to throw enough money (is this proper stewardship?) at Gailon and Bob to bankrupt them and then feel like you have fought a battle for God but you will be sorely mistaken.

Walt, what if God's true battle all along has been to clean up the formerly hidden sinful behavior of some within 3abn leadership, to do away with a false image and put His own back as leader of this ministry that He is responsible for raising? God has more resources than any man from Minnesota.

This lawsuit and the "Just-the-facts-ma'am"(hardly!) blog, with all too familiar voices spreading all too familiar insinuations and mean-spirited lies just shows the true spirit in charge. The carefully protected image is crumbling Walt. Worshipping that image could have dangerous consequences.

PB

B E A U T I F U L L Y said PB!!!
And, may I add, AMEN!

[runner4him]

Check out the newly added letter from J.Smith to W.T. and W.T.'s response on save3abn. The following words from W.T. are unbelieveable!

Dear Johathan,

I have not been ignoring you.

Yes, I am ready to stand trial before my God for the decisions we have made. I know my God, and I believe I know my heart. I am fully aware of the cost of going against the Word of God. I am also aware of the cost of going against one's convictions and the evidence of His leading in the life. There are many times in life where one must make difficult judgment calls based upon not just one set of admonitions, but upon the whole of inspired counsel.

[Rosyroi]

"There are many times in life where one must make difficult judgment calls based upon not just one set of admonitions, but upon the whole of inspired counsel. " Walt Thompson

Question is who is the inspirer and what was the inspiration?

Answer to first question=Danny Shelton??

Answer to second question=Money, prestigue, fear of losing one's exalted postion...??

(Why do people do what they do even though they know it is the wrong course to take?)

Why should the judgment call be so difficult?

Why did I even bother to ask these questions?

JMHO

Rosyroi

[runner4him]

"There are many times in life where one must make difficult judgment calls based upon not just one set of admonitions, but upon the whole of inspired counsel. " Walt Thompson

Question is who is the inspirer and what was the inspiration?
Rosyroi

When I read that.... I wondered what counsel he was referring to.... then .....if you read some of his correspondence you will see that he quotes the church manual to justify going to court against a brother. So from where I am sitting (and I may be wrong in understanding this but) it looks like as the Board Chairman of a non-denominational ministry preaching a non-denominational message he is using the SDA church manual to justify his decision to file a law suit in a worldly court and acknowledges it is going contrary to the Word of God.

[Panama_Pete]

When I read that.... I wondered what counsel he was referring to.... then .....if you read some of his correspondence you will see that he quotes the church manual to justify going to court against a brother. So from where I am sitting (and I may be wrong in understanding this but) it looks like as the Board Chairman of a non-denominational ministry preaching a non-denominational message he is using the SDA church manual to justify his decision to file a law suit in a worldly court and acknowledges it is going contrary to the Word of God.

Not only that.

But you have ministers of the SDA Church on the board of 3ABN - a non-denominational, independent corporation.

And the Adventist ministers are - apparently -- voting to file lawsuits against members of their own Seventh-day Adventist denomination.

To me, that's like McDonald's employees serving on the board of Wendy's and voting to file a lawsuit against Ronald McDonald.

And, in theory, if you were to confide in your Adventist ministers, would they use that information on the board of 3ABN to file a lawsuit against you -- as the Adventist constituents -- who confided in those ministers in the first place?

I find this confusing from an ethics point of view and I think the Adventist Church has some issues to clear up here.

[Artiste]

I find this confusing from an ethics point of view and I think the Adventist Church has some issues to clear up here.

Yes, please.


******************************************

[Johann]

It has ben estimated that this court case has already cost 3ABN up to a quarter million dollars. Before the end of the year the cost to 3ABN could run up to 1.2 million. The big question is, Who is paying for this? Are Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Smith paying for this with their monthly contributions to this ministry?

[Artiste]

It has ben estimated that this court case has already cost 3ABN up to a quarter million dollars. Before the end of the year the cost to 3ABN could run up to 1.2 million. The big question is, Who is paying for this? Are Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Smith paying for this with their monthly contributions to this ministry?

I thought we had some evidence to that effect.


*****************************************************

[inga]

It has ben estimated that this court case has already cost 3ABN up to a quarter million dollars. Before the end of the year the cost to 3ABN could run up to 1.2 million. The big question is, Who is paying for this? Are Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Smith paying for this with their monthly contributions to this ministry?

If it has cost 3ABN this much, it surely must have put some strain on the Joy and Pickle families. They need our help.

Where has the banner gone? (It should not make any difference to the GC, lawyer letters notwithstanding.)

[watchbird]

It has ben estimated that this court case has already cost 3ABN up to a quarter million dollars. Before the end of the year the cost to 3ABN could run up to 1.2 million. The big question is, Who is paying for this? Are Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Smith paying for this with their monthly contributions to this ministry?

Information I received said it was being paid out of the "general fund".

[PeacefulBe]

Information I received said it was being paid out of the "general fund".

Interesting. Do you consider your source reliable enough to feel assured that this is the case? Is it the 3abn general fund? Where do the funds come from that are put into this general fund?

[watchbird]

Interesting. Do you consider your source reliable enough to feel assured that this is the case? Is it the 3abn general fund? Where do the funds come from that are put into this general fund?

I wouldn't mention it if I did not.

Yes.... that was the words that were used.

Donations, I assume. The point of the information was that there was no "large donor" who was footing the bills.

This post has been edited by watchbird: Aug 20 2007, 07:21 PM