Dr. Walt Thompson Admits on March 7, 2005,

"I Have Never Had Evidence
That Linda Committed Adultery"

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In this remarkable series of emails, we have an admission by 3ABN board chairman Dr. Walt Thompson that he still has no evidence that Linda committed adultery. Note that this admission comes:

One year after the crisis began and 8½ months after the divorce became final.
After Linda's allegedly numerous trips to Norway to see friends and receive medical treatment since the divorce.
After the numerous rendezvous Danny claims Linda had with Dr. Abrahamsen in the U.S. and abroad.

Elder Thorvaldsson's Plea to Walt

We first look at Elder Thorvaldsson's plea to Walt, and its recounting of a phone conversation in which Elder Thorvaldsson says that Walt claimed that he wasn't accusing Linda of adultery.

His reference to Melody concerns Danny's daughter by his first marriage, a popular 3ABN personality.

-------- Original Message --------

From: Johann Thorvaldsson
To: Walt Thompson
Subject: Rumors
Date: Sunday, March 06, 2005 11:32 PM

Walt,

It was very interesting to hear you talk about rumors - or against rumors. I have read a number of your private letters to people who feel that you are merely telling rumors, so they write to us to find out what is the truth. I know from personal experience and research that a number of things you tell people are mere rumors or things that took place at a time that has no significance to this case. I sensed that your chronology of events is quite confused. In my way of thinking it is significant if you bury a person before or after he is dead. Would you give your patients anesthetic after the surgery? But in some of your statements of event it appears as if chronology is of no importance. Is that telling the truth? When I pressed this in our talk you indicated that it had no significance. Does your conscience permit you to make such mistakes when it comes to the reputation of a person who has meant so much to 3ABN? Read through your own statements and discover what I mean. If you don't see it I'll point it out to you.

About rumors: I do quite a bit of research. When I hear a rumor of something that seems substantial and has to do with this case, I do not pass this on before I have proof, such as first-person accounts. This applies to such things as Melody's smoking. I first heard of it second hand. I could hardly believe it, so I wanted to be sure it was not true. I personally questioned a witness, to be sure that it was not a mistaken identity, and I was not satisfied until I had it from two different sources, who had not merely heard it, but knew it from first-hand observation. It was then I wrote about it to you, because it seemed that you were the right person to handle it, especially since it concerns 3ABN's credibility.

You seem so quick to call things rumors when they apply to Danny Shelton or those close to him, while any story about Linda you accept as verified. That seemed the gist of our conversation. So what chance does Linda have in a group of so-called believers when they do not act as Christians at all in the way things are handled - through what I have been able to observe personally.

You did state in our conversation that you are not accusing Linda of adultery. It would be nice to have this in writing, because that is what most people understand from the statements you have issued. Now you state that you are merely accusing Linda of having had a relationship with a man. How about all of those accusations of adultery that Danny has made and broadcast around to the world? There is something strange in your whole handling of this case. Something that does not make sense. You mean that a whole board of Christian people have been discussing that since this might lead to adultery you might as well let the world know she has committed a great sin, so she had to be dismissed from 3ABN, nobody could talk to her, and you approved that Danny should remain as president of 3ABN even though he demanded a divorce from his wife. This is not mere rumors - I have all the emails from Danny from that period to prove it. He was not the least interested in saving his marriage, but did everything in his power to get her out of the way, even while publicly asking Mark Finley and others to pray for her return. I have scores of email from Danny to prove this, so - again - this is not rumors. And because both Danny and Linda provided me with daily insights in what was going on, I was not 6,000 miles away, but no further than the screen of my computer. Besides that I talked to both of them on the phone through this period. But you were so afraid that Danny would be accused of lying about the whole case, that you made it impossible for us to testify before the board on June 1, 2004.

Do you think this case will soon be outdated? Not as long as the Lord has called me to give my testimony, because it is no honor for the Church of God to have such falsehood linger. So you might as well do something about it before it is too late. Before it breaks 3ABN.

With great concern,

Johann

Walt Thompson's Reply to Elder Thorvaldsson

Walt makes the following admissions in his reply. We quote his exact words below:

"I have never accused Linda of adultery."
"I do not know whether or not that has taken place ...."
"... it is has never been a factor in my decisions or recommendations."
"The letter ... I wrote to the 3ABN family does not accuse Linda of adultery."
"But that idea was not written into the letter, nor was it intended to be implied."
"... frankly, I have never had the kind of evidence needed whereby to make such an accusation."

If the 3ABN board chairman has never had evidence that Linda committed adultery, how did the board ever permit Danny to remarry and still retain his position as president of 3ABN? If Linda was dismissed for a non-adulterous doctor-patient relationship, how can Danny still be in power an entire year after committing adultery by getting remarried without biblical grounds?

Dr. Thompson claims that Linda's doctor-patient "relationship ... was destroying the ministry," and that's why she had to be let go when she wouldn't comply with his demands. In what ways is Danny's remarriage not destroying the ministry of 3ABN more than Linda's doctor-patient relationship ever did?

-------- Original Message --------

From: Johann Thorvaldsson
To: Walt Thompson
Subject: RE: Rumors
Date: Monday, March 07, 2005 5:21 PM

-------- Original Message --------

From: Walt Thompson
To: Johann Thorvaldsson
Subject: Re: Rumors
Date: Monday, March 07, 2005 3:36 PM

Good morning Johann,

Thank you for your phone call and e mail. Please know that you and your dear wife are in my daily prayers - as is Linda. It is not for anger or retribution that I have taken the actions that I have taken.
[Johann Thorvaldsson] Thanks for writing, Walt. For heaven's sake, why does a Christian gentleman act the way you have if it is not for anger or retribution?

Everything I have done has been done honestly,
[Johann Thorvaldsson] Perhaps you did, but why not have your honesty adjusted with the religion we were taught at old EMC? I must search deep and wide for the smallest grain of honesty in your actions in this case, Walt. Your integrity is not impressing denomination leaders in this part of the world. One of the Union presidents told me today that they have decided to reject any cooperation with 3ABN, in spite of Claus's claims and Danny Shelton's offer of financial aid to the European 3ABN. Honesty does not seem to be a 3ABN trademark.

prayerfully, and with the only wisdom that I have.
[Johann Thorvaldsson] I can see that! May the Lord have mercy! Danny has now sent me all those arguments you refused to give me on the phone - those "proofs" with which he thinks he is going to crush Linda. If those are all the arguments with which you have made your decisions, they are a very thin dish of soup. I guess you were never aware of this. A surgeon, a pastor, and a lawyer should have more sense than a fifth grader with a calendar and a list of events, but that is all it takes to see how ridiculous your arguments are. Since you lack the wisdom to see this, I hope the Lord will eventually forgive you, after you have come to your senses, and made restitution for the evil you have done.

If I have failed anywhere along the way I am truly sorry, because it has not been my intent to hurt any.
[Johann Thorvaldsson] Why do you then? My phone conversation with you gave me a picture of how you treated Linda, it you talked to her in the same condescending drone as you talked to me, I can well understand where your honesty failed and you need more prayer. Why do I say "condescending drone?" Because in your whole way of talking you clearly assumed Linda's guilt - based on those ridiculous assumptions. It was the same drone I heard from John Lomacang and Nick Miller at that meeting we had.

In all of your actions you made the most ridiculous demands of Linda, regardless of how you interpret it. Since you managed medical school you should have sense enough to see this, Walt. With a man of your education there is no excuse, neither is there for the pastor nor the lawyer. Can't you fathom it?

Linda was cut off from access to any of her friends. Brenda had lied on her. Danny cut off every avenue she had to friends. You kept droning on her that she had better admit the sins she had never committed. Be honest, Walt, even though you claim you never accused her of adultery, that was what Danny was continually accusing her of, as attested by the email I received from him. How could she at this stage perceive that your accusations did not include what Danny said?

Again, you kept droning on her that she must seek counsel. Counsel for what? Danny made it clear in his email that the only counsel she needed was to be told and admit that she was a great whore. This can all be verified, so this is not based on rumors.

In this situation Linda saw there was only one person who could verify her innocence. But you kept condescending the drone that she must not talk to the only person in this world who knew exactly what had happened.

Is it possible for a person to show more disdain for another human being than what you displayed through this whole process? Is it strange that Linda now seeks restitution through a court for the lack of understanding that was never displayed by her fellow believers?

Feeling sorry for your action is good, but is it sufficient? What have you done to Linda through these actions?

I am all for justice and mercy in this case and that all be done to the glory of God.
[Johann Thorvaldsson] Actions are worth more than words in this case. How can you honor God by bringing such disgrace on 3ABN?

I have not acted on theory nor heresay, but only upon the convincing evidence that I have had, much of it personal experience.
[Johann Thorvaldsson] Your words alone are not very convincing.

I have been very close to 3ABN through the years and especially so during this past year. I am pretty much aware to what is truth and what is not. And yes, there are many things that I am not aware of, but I have not based any of my decisons on those things.
[Johann Thorvaldsson] Could there be too many things you are not aware of for you to make an honest decision? Any decent, honest leader has to see a matter from all sides. This is what you have stubbornly refused to do, as far as I can see. You depended way too much on internal evidence, and on counsel from those who were being inundated with false proofs of Linda's guilt. This can never be tolerated in a Christian society, the way I was brought up, including EMC.

So far as accusing Linda of adultery, I will say here again in writing that I have never accused linda of adultery. I do not know whether or not that has taken place, and it is has never been a factor in my decisions or recommendations. Linda was given opportunity over and over again to break off a relationship that was destroying the ministry, and to remain with 3abn. She was furthermore told by myself and others where her decisions were leading, yet she refused to listen to our advice.
[Johann Thorvaldsson] Inhuman advice in this situation. Why can't you see it, Walt?

Only when it became evident that the ministry was at stake did we take the issue to the board for definitive action.
[Johann Thorvaldsson] Yes. All because of Danny Shelton's stubbornness, and not based on common sense wisdom - because you made it impossible to let the board listen to our testimony.

The letter that you refer to that I wrote to the 3ABN family does not accuse Linda of adultery. If any have interpreted it to say that, perhaps you may accept a bit of the credit for reading that element into it. But that idea was not written into the letter, nor was it intended to be implied. In fact, the specific effort was made to avoid making such an insinuation since frankly, I have never had the kind of evidence needed whereby to make such an accusation.
[Johann Thorvaldsson] From the wording it was sorely difficult to discern your intentions, even if you claim you can legally hide yourself behind the jargon used. And how about what you sent to Adventist Today? You will find my response to that on Club Adventist. Thus far I have only received appreciation for the clarification I gave to your thwarted statement, again based on your application of false facts, because there were several aspects you refused to consider. The Lord says, "Come, let us reason together." How can you reason when only applying evidence from one side? How Unchristian!

I hope this will be helpful to you.
[Johann Thorvaldsson] Yes, it really has - to show me how inhuman you have treated Linda. It gives me a deeper conviction that my work is barely started yet. It is so difficult to get through your ingrained bias.

Please give Irmgard my best regards.

Sincerely in the blessed name of Jesus,

Walt T
Walter Thompson MD

Walt Thompson's Reply to Elder Thorvaldsson's Reply