Bonnie, I agree with you that lawsuits are not fun.
But I get the idea that lawyers don't look at them the same way that the parties do. It seems to be a game to them. (I'm not impressed if their game involves trying to ruin some innocent person's life just because their client pays them to do that.)
Now if a party in a suit just happens to have a bit of litigation experience, they may not look at the suit as being such an awful thing. Someone without that experience would tend to be a bit burdened.
Some of you seem to be confused which side of the fence I am on.
I take DS role and that of 3ABN supporters no matter what more seriously than I do LS. That is true because 3ABN and DS are in the public spotlight.They have the far greater responsibility. It is also true I personally take a dim view of most televangelists. When I give my hard earned, limited resources to anyone for a cause,there are certain things I want to know. Doesn't matter whether the answers concern what some may think illegal activity or whether it is perfectly legal but tacky.
If I had unlimited resources and was content with donating a 100.00 and having 50.00 of it go first and foremost to support a cushy lifestyle for someone no problem. But as I am unlikely to reach that goal I watch where I give and who I support.
I want the most mileage out of my dollar. When a televangelist lives a modest comfortable life on my donations, I will believe his heart is where his mouth is. I don't expect them to live in subsidized housing or as Mother Theresa, Existing on one or two meals a day, giving everything else to what she believed in. But nor to I want to support a life most that earn a paycheck cannot live .
Horses, a very expensive hobby is not my idea of promoting the gospel and taking care of the poor. To enjoy riding and owning a horse is one thing. Asking others to support several, while accepting and asking for donations for spreading the gospel is another. For your expensive hobby to be supported by donations is tacky, unless that party is independently wealthy and not using my donation to support.
We have a friend that owns one horse. He estimates that one horse at 80.00 a month to support. Times that by several. Then take in to account you need to hire someone to care for on a daily basis while you are not there. The regular vet, farrier fees,worming, hay, grain,riding equipment. Now in the next breath tell me to donate so the poor lost souls that need to hear the gospel can be reached, or the many starving children. Guaranteed ed you will not get my money. Or tell me about the swimming pool you have to dip your toes in after a hard day riding or caring for the horses as you are almost teary eyed over those lost souls just waiting for you to come with the gospel.
Even at that, if there are those wishing to donate being made fully aware of what their hard earned dollar goes to support first, no problem. Their choice.
When money coming from that type of source is used to support that, or as Jim and Tammy Baker, air conditioned dog houses I do not believe their heart is where the mouth is. I don't believe TB was anymore innocent than her husband in taking advantage of others to live a lifestyle most of us can't. My preference is that she would have had the same accommodations the State of MN provided for her husband.
We have many org that do a lot of good things while doing some of the more questionable. I will not support ADRA either. While no denying the many wonderful things they do, I want to know someone is minding the storehouse first. Not building tennis courts for employee's. Then I believe another, wasn't it along the lines of the sun was in their eyes. I can find many places for my money that go directly to the one hurting or in need.
I believe many start out with the purest of intentions, but like politicians something goes horribly wrong. There are those that are committed to spending wisely and living modestly, but I don't have the time or patience to sift thru the debris to figure out which one will spend my money the most wisely.
Like many ,DS showed his true colors as far as I am concerned with a disgraceful public display by him and those he allowed. Anything else he has to say, no matter how eloquently, he has lost me if I had ever been a supporter.
Never would anyone question where the heart of Mother Theresa was. If asked, she would have received anything she asked I was able to give. DS and others do not have to feel called to live as she did,but I have no desire to support a lavish lifestyle first.
If that lifestyle can be supported by independent means, have at it. Do not beg for mine.
If you are going to prattle on and on publically about the gospel,forgivness and all that goes with it, conduct your personal life accordingly. Doesn't it say somewhere Christ did not defend himself against his accuser's?
Maybe a brief statement about his failed marriage to LS, treat the settlement in a fair manner, and move on would have helped immensely in preventing this
edited to correct sentence