Build-a-poll, (franchises coming to your neighborhood soon) Options

[YogusBearus]

What are the most positive aspects of 3ABN?

It is obvious that we don't have the ability to do a statistically accurate poll by limiting our input to BSDA members only. That said, I think it would be interesting to try to establish some common ground on the very divisive 3ABN topic.

It has been stated many times by both sides of the current 3ABN issues, that they are hopeful that 3ABN continues in some type of ministry representative of the Adventist church. Assuming that to be true, please give your input on the following three areas:

1. What has been an important spiritual benefit to you?
2. Why is it important to the Seventh-day Adventist church that 3ABN continue programming which is understood to be representative of the church? The "Face of Adventism" if you will.
3. What, if any, structural changes need to occur at 3ABN to insure accountability?

Hopefully we can take 10 responses to each category above and post a multiple choice poll. I'm additionally hopeful that, regardless of position, we could all participate in this without acrimony.



-bear

This post has been edited by YogusBearus: Aug 25 2007, 10:02 AM

[SoulEspresso]

I don't watch, but we get people in church frequently who are there because they watched 3ABN. This is a good thing. In answer to the second question, then, the answer is yes.

As for structural changes ... I'm reminded of the situation a couple of GC presidents back in which the head of the church resigned over allegations of financial irregularities in his personal life. He resigned from his office, according to Wikepedia, not because he admitted guilt, but to avoid entangling the church in the investigation. In the meantime he's gone on to found an evangelistic initiative that some find incredibly helpful to the church. (You might not agree but at least he's trying.)

If we're looking for common ground here, I'd say that even if all these allegations are smoke, it would be best for the church and for 3ABN if Danny Shelton resigned. The board probably should, too. That doesn't mean the end of ministry for any of them, as Folkenberg proved. But the church has discussed this situation a lot more than they ever did Folkenberg's problems, because he was wise enough to put God's cause ahead of his own reputation.

[YogusBearus]

POTENTIAL POLL MULTIPLE CHOICE ANSWERS TO DATE

1. What has been an important spiritual benefit to you?

1. I don't currently watch so this does not apply to me.

2. I joined the Seventh-day Adventist church as a direct or indirect result of my exposure to 3ABN programming.

3. Exposure to important health principle programming.

4. General help on Christian journey.

5. Mission programming.

2. Why is it important to the Seventh-day Adventist church that 3ABN continue programming which is understood to be representative of the church? The "Face of Adventism" if you will.

1. People are known to attend a Seventh-day Adventist church as a result of watching 3ABN programming.

2. The worldwide audience is already established that looks at 3ABN as the "Face of Adventism.

3. 3ABN's programming is representative of the true Adventist church.

3. What, if any, structural changes need to occur at 3ABN to insure accountability?

1. The 3ABN Board of Directors and Danny Shelton should resign.

2. Danny Shelton should be replaced.

3. Members of the 3ABN Board of Directors who have failed in their fiduciary duties, should be replaced.

4. The General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists should somehow have more oversight of 3ABN programming to insure that it adheres to church doctrine.

5. Danny Shelton needs to publicly acknowledge his misdeeds.

6. If 3ABN is going to invite people to Seventh-day Adventist congregations through their ministry, they need to be willing to let the church examine their teachings and correct them if need be. College Bible teachers and seminary profs could be convened through the Internet from time to time.

7. A rotating board of laypeople, particularly with business expertise but not members of ASI (too tainted by all this, IMO); church administrators; and theologians.

8. 3ABN's current structure provides adequate accountability.

This post has been edited by YogusBearus: Aug 29 2007, 08:43 AM

[Johann]

I don't watch, but we get people in church frequently who are there because they watched 3ABN. This is a good thing. In answer to the second question, then, the answer is yes.

As for structural changes ... I'm reminded of the situation a couple of GC presidents back in which the head of the church resigned over allegations of financial irregularities in his personal life. He resigned from his office, according to Wikepedia, not because he admitted guilt, but to avoid entangling the church in the investigation. In the meantime he's gone on to found an evangelistic initiative that some find incredibly helpful to the church. (You might not agree but at least he's trying.)

If we're looking for common ground here, I'd say that even if all these allegations are smoke, it would be best for the church and for 3ABN if Danny Shelton resigned. The board probably should, too. That doesn't mean the end of ministry for any of them, as Folkenberg proved. But the church has discussed this situation a lot more than they ever did Folkenberg's problems, because he was wise enough to put God's cause ahead of his own reputation.

And if we go back to the early days of the church - historic adventism - then a General Conference President resigned because his unmarried daughter got pregnant.

[PeacefulBe]

1. I was exposed to 3abn on an incidental basis. I had no desire to view the programming because I was quite bitter about our denomination, but had to watch five days a week as I took care of my grandmother. I started to hear messages about grace and salvation and couldn't resist the call to get to know God again. 3abn is part of the reason I have been a practicing Christian SDA since February, 2005.

2. There is a world-wide audience already in place for 3abn This audience finds their programming palatable. Many in that audience and potential audience see 3abn as the "Face of Adventism". This familiarity with the network is important to maintain so as not to create a void.

3. Those sitting on the BoD should be loyal to 3abn and not Danny Shelton. Any who have made decisions based on loyalty to a man rather than good business practices should be replaced. 3abn should have more conference oversight in the production of their programming to ensure it aligns with the mainstream SDA message.

[Whtz Happenin]

What are the most positive aspects of 3ABN?

It is obvious that we don't have the ability to do a statistically accurate poll by limiting our input to BSDA members only. That said, I think it would be interesting to try to establish some common ground on the very divisive 3ABN topic.

It has been stated many times by both sides of the current 3ABN issues, that they are hopeful that 3ABN continues in some type of ministry representative of the Adventist church. Assuming that to be true, please give your input on the following three areas:

1. What has been an important spiritual benefit to you?
2. Why is it important to the Seventh-day Adventist church that 3ABN continue programming which is understood to be representative of the church? The "Face of Adventism" if you will.
3. What, if any, structural changes need to occur at 3ABN to insure accountability?

Hopefully we can take 10 responses to each category above and post a multiple choice poll. I'm additionally hopeful that, regardless of position, we could all participate in this without acrimony.

-bear

Bear, You need to change your name to Poller Bear. Remember, the one who makes the poll makes the rules. If you try to please everyone, it will become unbearable.

[YogusBearus]

Bear, You need to change your name to Poller Bear. Remember, the one who makes the poll makes the rules. If you try to please everyone, it will become unbearable.

LOL, WH. I'm maybe less interested in pleasing everyone than I am in ploughing some new ground. I had hoped that those who feel that things are fine in the 3ABN camp would feel free to join in on this. I guess we’ll see…

-bear

[Rosyroi]

What has been an important spiritual benefit to you?

Watching 3ABN was a wonderful oportunity for me to gain more insight to where I came from, why I am here, and where I am going. The tv programming helped me to learn how to make the trip more enjoyable starting with the evangelists who helped my spritiual experince;I learned a lot watching the vegan cooking classes; Learning about home health remedys from Dr. Agatha Thrash; Exercising with Dick Nunez. There are many wonderfu programs I can't think of at this moment.

Why is it important to the Seventh-day Adventist church that 3ABN continue programming which is understood to be representative of the church? The "Face of Adventism" if you will.

I don't want to be embarrassed about the "face of Adventism" breaking all the commandments of Exodus 20:2-17. If someone who wanted to learn more about Jesus and His Love for us approached me and asked me about all those rumors about 3ABN and wanted to know why are they breaking the comandments, what am I supposed to say? "Hey 3ABN Admin and board can do what they want. Danny is the prophet. We are suposed to do as Danny says not as he does."?

What, if any, structural changes need to occur at 3ABN to insure accountability?

First of all, Danny Shelton needs to acknowlege verbally on world wide television that he lied saying all those terrible things against Linda Shelton his x-wife and that she is inocent all of the false stories he had made up about her during live TV on world wide television while she was on air and after he banned her from the compound. And that he should make specific statements for each lie. Not just a general statement.

Also Danny needs to publically acknowledge the other allegations on live tv world wide about his cover up about Tommy Shelton with his sexual problems and the financial fiasco Danny created. Also to publically acknowledge the vicitimization against those who did not follow or had questioned Danny Shelton's ethics and activities and orders. And Danny should step down and allow honorable people to take over.

Second, the other Admin and henchmen and Board members who defended, kowtowed, did his bidding, lied, made false statements, covered up sexual, financial, ethicaland/or assisted in victimization should all be replaced and honorable people be put in place.

I don't expect Danny Shelton or any of the other Admin or Board members to say "I am sorry I said this or that or did such and so".

There may be more but this is all I can think of at this time.

Rosyroi

[Artiste]

1. What has been an important spiritual benefit to you?
   
   The programming became boring after a while and I didn't agree with some of the theology. Selected missions programs were probably the most interesting to me.
   
   
2. Why is it important to the Seventh-day Adventist church that 3ABN continue programming which is understood to be representative of the church? The "Face of Adventism" if you will.
   
   The familiarity of the general audience with the name and programming would have been a plus in the past, but now I think that the 3ABN "brand" has become tainted in many people's eyes.
   
   
3. What, if any, structural changes need to occur at 3ABN to insure accountability?
   
   The structural changes that need to be made are those that Rosyroi mentioned, especially the removal of all persons that have contributed to the oppression of employees and supported Danny Shelton's problematic way of life.

This post has been edited by Artiste: Aug 25 2007, 05:26 PM

[YogusBearus]

3ABN supporters, where are you? If I don't get some input from Alethia, Lee, FHB and others, I will add choices to the poll based on my understanding of your positions.

-bear

[SoulEspresso]

• I enjoy watching people get to know the Lord, regardless of where or how. The truth is that when they come in off the street with a head full of 3ABN programming, they do need further instruction (and correction), in, for example, proper interpretive principles for understanding the Bible.
• If 3ABN is going to invite people to Seventh-day Adventist congregations through their ministry, they need to be willing to let the church examine their teachings and correct them if need be. College Bible teachers and seminary profs could be convened through the Internet from time to time …
• A rotating board of laypeople, particularly with business expertise but not members of ASI (too tainted by all this, IMO); church administrators; and theologians.

What are the most positive aspects of 3ABN?

It has been stated many times by both sides of the current 3ABN issues, that they are hopeful that 3ABN continues in some type of ministry representative of the Adventist church. Assuming that to be true, please give your input on the following three areas:

1. What has been an important spiritual benefit to you?
2. Why is it important to the Seventh-day Adventist church that 3ABN continue programming which is understood to be representative of the church? The "Face of Adventism" if you will.
3. What, if any, structural changes need to occur at 3ABN to insure accountability?

Hopefully we can take 10 responses to each category above and post a multiple choice poll. I'm additionally hopeful that, regardless of position, we could all participate in this without acrimony.

If we're going to come together, both sides are going to have to make concessions. For example, it would be nice if 3ABN's apologists would concede that those who are looking for accountability in all this are not a bunch of flaming liberals out to destroy the historic truths of Adventism, or that calling people to account is not the same as hating 3ABN and wanting it to go away. On the other side (for myself only), I'm willing to concede that at least some of the apologists really do believe that 3ABN's leadership is innocent in all this, and the posters are not being paid or rewarded in any way.

To try to be fair, bear, perhaps two of these three questions can be perceived as begging the question. If I were a 3ABN apologist, I might think

• 3ABN's programming is representative of the true Adventist church.
• 3ABN's current structure provides adequate accountability.

In all honesty, the church rank-and-file are so all over the map on so many issues, I'm not sure there's any way to provide a consistent POV on any Adventist channel. You're going to get the POV of the main people in charge. 3ABN suffers credibility loss in some circles because they're perceived, rightly or wrongly, as somewhat representative of a reactionary conservatism in the church. If the channel were brought under denominational control (I don't see this as being on the table) you'd likely see something fairly conservative, yet more diverse in programming.

My question for FHB, Aletheia, or whoever wants to answer for that POV, is this: If we could ask the leaders of 3ABN what they would do differently in this series of problems, how would they answer?

There's been a lot of shouting at each other over the last few days here, and while I'm not even close to neutral, we're never going to progress with all that. One thing I hope we agree on is that all the players will be able to sit down together at the wedding supper of the Lamb ...

Edited to add answers to the original questions, and for clarity.

This post has been edited by SoulEspresso: Aug 28 2007, 03:49 PM

[SoulEspresso]

for some reason even though I accidentally triple-posted, it didn't show up on the list of threads that I had ...

[YogusBearus]

Thanks SE. Good stuff.

-bear

[Pickle]

And if we go back to the early days of the church - historic adventism - then a General Conference President resigned because his unmarried daughter got pregnant.

Who was that?

[YogusBearus]

And if we go back to the early days of the church - historic adventism - then a General Conference President resigned because his unmarried daughter got pregnant.

You lost me on this one Johann. How does this apply to anything? I suspect you aren't suggesting that this should be a policy of the church today as the sudden vacancies might be quite numerous.

-bear

This post has been edited by YogusBearus: Aug 29 2007, 09:04 AM