Mable Dunbar, Ph.D, is the president of Polly's Place Network.
She is a licensed professional counselor, a certified domestic violence counselor, and a
certified cognitive behavioral therapist. She has been watching the ongoing situation at 3ABN with great interest
for quite some time, since many of the issues involved are those
with which she continually deals with in her ministry.
Thank you, Mable, for calling us all to take a stand against sin and for righteousness.
Sunday, February 4, 2007
Dear Mr. Pickle, Mr. Joy and Mr. Matthews:
First of all I want to commend you for seeking truth and
your determination to see that justice and truth prevail in order
to advance the work of the Lord. I write this letter with a
heavy heart, and I am deeply troubled by some of the posts I
am reading on BlackSDA.com
and Save3ABN.com. It appears that
there are Christians who find it difficult to accept the facts
regarding the sexual abuse/molestation charges as documented.
It takes great courage for victims to come forward and admit
that they were molested and abused. When they do so, they need
to be validated and supported for this courageous act. I would
like to affirm Duane and the other victims for being bold enough
to stand firm. I also want to state my appreciation to those
of you who have publicly offered him support and refuse to be
intimidated by threats and innuendos.
I have been counseling abuse victims for over 20 years, and
have seen first hand the devastating effects they experience
as a result of their victimization. If there are victims out
there who need to talk with someone, feel free to contact me
at
PollysPlaceNetwork.com.
Please give me a couple of weeks
to answer you since I will be on vacation.
Note the following statement which is worthy of repetition:
"I believe that there is a devil, and here's Satan's agenda.
First, he doesn't want anyone having kids. Secondly, if they
do conceive, he wants them killed. If they're not killed through
abortion, he wants them neglected or abused physically, emotionally,
sexually ... One way or another, the legions of hell want to destroy
children because children become the future adults and leaders.
If they (legions) can warp or wound a child, he or she becomes
a warped or wounded adult who passes on this affliction to the
next generation."—Randall Terry in Time magazine, October 21,
1991.
And so today we have individuals who are warped or wounded.
They are either passing on or suffering from their affliction
as a result of Satan's agenda.
Since its creation Satan has wanted power and control over
this earth. Through subtle manipulation he deceived Eve into
believing that she could have power and control over her life.
He told her that if she ate of the forbidden fruit she would
be as a god. "For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof,
then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing
good and evil" (Genesis 3:5). So she ate it and gave it to
her husband, Adam. Of course he knew that he should not have
eaten the fruit but ate it any way. He made the choice to disobey
God. When confronted by God about disobeying His command, neither
Adam nor Eve took responsibility for their actions.
"And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, where
art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and
I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. And He
said, who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of
the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?"
Genesis 3:9-11.
Adam and Eve were ashamed of their nakedness, so they hid
themselves. Shame tends to bring blame, so when God asked Adam
to explain his behavior, he blamed Eve. "And the man said, the
woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree,
and I did eat" (Genesis 9:12). When God asked Eve what she had
done, she blamed the serpent. "And the woman said, the serpent
beguiled me, and I did eat" (Genesis 9:13).
It appears that certain individuals are spending time shaming
and blaming victims and the people who defend them. Therefore the
enemy is the one who is being glorified. Shouldn't they be spending
time finding out what can be done to protect our children who
will pass on our legacy? While we need to offer help and support
for the abusers as well, if they are not willing to admit that
they have a problem and get help, there is nothing more that
we can do for them. "Ephraim is joined to idols, let him alone"
(Hosea 4:17). Whatever dysfunctional and destructive behavior
we refuse to give up in order that we can present our bodies
as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God (Romans 12:1)
becomes our idol.
I woke up this morning feeling convicted that since I proclaim
to head up a network that helps victims of abuse, I could no
longer be silent and allow them to be put down and humiliated.
These individuals are God's precious creatures, made in His
image and hold a special place in His heart. People have asked
me what I think about this whole situation with 3ABN. These
are my convictions: It is not good enough for me to wait until
there is resolution and then take a stand. It is not good enough
to keep quiet and hope that things will work out. It is not
good enough for me to rationalize that if an organization is
doing so much good, the bad that it practices should be ignored.
It is not good enough for me to believe that since I am a church
leader I should be silent in order to protect the church's image,
or my position. I don't recall reading anywhere that it is my
mission or responsibility as a Christian or leader to protect
the church. God is quite capable of protecting His church.
"Christ loves His church. ... But His love is not weakness.
He will not serve with their sins or give them prosperity while
they continue to follow a wrong course of action. Only by faithful
repentance will their sins be forgiven; for God will not cover
evil with the robe of His righteousness. He will honor faithful
service. He will abundantly bless those who reveal to their
fellowmen His justice, mercy, and love. Let those who are engaged
in His service walk before Him in true humility, following faithfully
in His footsteps, cherishing the holy principles which will live
through the eternal ages. Let them in word and action show that
they obey the laws which are obeyed in heaven. ...
God's love for His church is infinite. His care over His heritage is unceasing."—Ellen
G. White, Sons and Daughters of God, p. 13-14.
For those of you reading BlackSDA
and Save 3ABN and are convicted
that you should do or say something to denounce sin, but are
afraid to be identified, I would like to remind you that "to
him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin" (James
4:17).
For those of us who are leaders in the church, why are we so
silent? So many have remarked that they know that Linda Shelton
is innocent of the charges, yet only one conference allowed
her to speak in one of its churches after her denunciation on
an international network. We need to take a public stand and
call for truth and justice. We are all involved in this situation;
none of us will escape God's judgment: "Verily, I say unto you,
inasmuch as you did it not to one of the least of these, you
did it not to me, and these shall go away into everlasting punishment"
(Matthew 25: 45-46). If you were wrongfully accused, can you
trust your church to treat you fairly, in a Christian and redemptive
manner? What if your answer is no?
God is all powerful, all knowing, all present. He holds the
world in His hands. He wants us to be His disciples and follow
His Son's example in Luke 4:18 to, "preach the gospel to the
poor, heal the broken hearted, preach deliverance to the captives,
recovering of sight to the blind, and set at liberty them that
are bruised." Regardless of criticism, condemnation, censure
or lack of support we must do His will recognizing that He is
the only One who can and will save us.
Being fearful and intimidated by individuals who seem to have
power, control or wealth indicates that we have more confidence
in them than in God. We have been advised, "And fear not them
which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but
rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in
hell" (Matthew 10:28).
"The greatest want of the world is the want of men, [women,
Christians, church leaders, church members]—men [women, Christians,
church leaders, church members] who will not be bought or sold;
men [women, Christians, church leaders, church members] who in their
inmost souls are true and honest, men [women, Christians,
church leaders, church members] who do not fear to call sin by
its right name, men [women, Christians, church leaders, church
members] whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to
the pole, men [women, Christians, church leaders, church members]
will stand for the right, though the heavens fall."—Ellen
G. White, Education, p. 57.
"Never was there greater need of faithful warnings and reproofs,
and close, straight dealing, than at this very time. Satan has
come down with great power, knowing that his time is short.
He is flooding the world with pleasing fables, and the people
of God love to have smooth things spoken to them. Sin and iniquity
are not abhorred. I was shown that God's people must make more
firm, determine efforts to press back the incoming darkness.
The close work of the Spirit of God is needed now as never before.
Stupidity must be shaken off. We must arouse from the lethargy
that will prove our destruction unless we resist it. Satan has
a powerful, controlling influence upon minds. Preachers and
people are in danger of being found upon the side of the power
of darkness. There is no such thing as a neutral position.
We are all decidedly for the right or decidedly with the wrong. ...
There are ever to be found those who will sympathize with those
who are wrong. ... Those who have in the fear of God ventured out
to faithfully meet error and sin, calling sin by its right name,
have discharged a disagreeable duty with much suffering of feelings
to themselves; but they get the sympathy of but few and suffer
the neglect of many. The sympathizers are on the wrong side,
and they carry out the purposes of Satan to defeat the design
of God."—Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3,
p. 327-328.
I have been one of those individuals who can identify with
the previous statement. I have wanted quick resolution, and
wonder why God is taking so long to act (or so it seems). I
have been disappointed that more individuals are not willing
to support ministry to hurting people. The following statement
brings me comfort and reminds me that God indeed is in control.
"It sometimes seems hard to wait patiently till God's time comes
to vindicate the right. But I have been shown that if we become
impatient we lose a rich reward. As faithful husbandmen in
God's great field, we must sow with tears and be patient and hopeful.
We must meet troubles and sorrows. Temptations and wearisome
toil will afflict the soul, but we must patiently wait in faith
to reap with joy. In the final victory God will have no use
for those persons who are nowhere to be found in time of peril
and danger, when the strength, courage, and influence of all
are required to make a charge upon the enemy. Those who stand
like faithful soldiers to battle against wrong, and to vindicate
the right, warring against principalities and power, against
the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness
in high places, will each receive the commendation from the
Master: "Well done, good and faithful servant: ... enter thou into
the joy of he Lord."—Testimonies, vol. 3, p. 327.
Gailon, Gregory and Bob, be encouraged. If what you are doing
is wrong, God will discipline you, but if what you are doing
is right, He will certainly vindicate you. To everyone reading
this, it is my sincere prayer that "God will dwell in your
hearts by faith; that ye being rooted and grounded in love, may
be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and
length, and depth and height; and to know the love of Christ,
which passes knowledge that you might be filled with all the
fullness of God. Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly
above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works
in us, unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout
all ages .... A-men (Ephesians 3:17).
In Christian love,
Mable Dunbar, Ph.D,
President, Polly's Place Network
Licensed Professional Counselor
Certified Domestic Violence Counselor
Certified Cognitive Behavioral Therapist
