For probably close to five (5) years I have been following the developing saga of the issues associated with 3-ABN and Danny Shelton.
In those early days people told me that they were praying to God that 3-ABN and/or Danny Shelton would file a lawsuit that would ultimately result in discovery that would vindicate truth, righteousness and reveal the sinners for what they were. When the litigation was finally filled, there was rejoicing. God, it was said, had caused it to be filed in a manner that gave the defendants the best possible venue for victory. I was interested to see the developing public claims by some that this litigation was in violation of Biblical teachings. As the litigation took place, I noted that the pro se defendants did better than many expected, to include myself. Yet, it appeared to me that they were not likely to achieve the victory that they wanted.
I have listened to the allegations that were made against Danny Shelton, Ralph Thompson and the many others associated with 3-ABN. Some of those allegations seem reasonable to me and others seemed to be devoid of either logic or of substantiation. While I think that Ralph Thompson made some mistakes in judgment, I do not attribute to him that malice that some others seem to attribute to him. He is a man who has contributed much in a positive way to his Lord and to the SDA Church notwithstanding some of what I consider to be mistakes in judgment. While I deny that Linda was guilty of charges that were made against her, I have never criticized Danny Shelton for either the divorce or for the remarriage. I have come to the place where just as I believe that charges made against Linda have not been substantiated, so also charges made against Danny Shelton have not been substantiated.
When I first became involved with this ongoing saga, it was as a supporter of Linda Shelton. I did not believe that she had been treated fairly. I did not believe that she had given Danny Shelton grounds for a divorce in a manner that conservative SDAs would consider to be Biblical. I also believed that even if she had given Danny Shelton so-called Biblical grounds for a divorce she had not been treated in an appropriate manner. That continues to be my position and I continue to support her in those areas of discussion. I began to publicly support Linda because I saw her as a woman, somewhat defenseless, in a conflict against a well organized group of people who were not treating her fairly. I wanted to give her public support in a time of crisis in her life. I saw myself as taking a moral/ethical stand in supporting Linda Shelton. I continued to do so until the time came that I knew that the time had come for me to take a less public role in support of her.
It is those same moral and ethical issues that now compel me to take a public stand in support of the woman whom Danny married--Brandy Shelton. She should not be the focus of attacks. She had nothing to do with any of the issues associated with 3-ABN. If people want to focus on 3-ABN and its management, fine. Do so. Let the chips, so to speak fall where they may. If you want to litigate, do so. Some issues can only be decided by the civil courts and should be so decided. Public opinion and the Church cannot resolve many of the issues that have been raised. A focus on Brandy will do nothing to resolve such issues.