FBCJax Watchdog's lawsuit

[William Thornton]

[Neil Heath]

[Steve Wilcox]

Tom and I have had some offline discussions and I would like to apologize and ask his forgiveness (and any of you if you took offense) to my calling him an obsessive, compulsive, sociopath.

I think this can be resolved without name calling and some understanding of where each side is coming from.

Thanks to Tom for already forgiving me, but I wanted to make it public since I posted the comments in a public manner.

[Haruo]

[fgantz]

[trich]

Neil - correct, that is where I revealed Slyons is the Watchdog.

It was not by mistake or by "hubris" as someone speculated, it was on purpose.

I received a private message that morning from Steve Wilcox that led me to believe he was going to out me, so I thought I would beat him to the punch. I didn't consider it some deep, hidden secret, since if one reads the subpoenas obtained by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office back in October used to find the identity of the Watchdog, which have been hyperlinked at my blog, they will see "Slyons45@gmail.com" listed on the subpoena (http://www.newbbc.accura.net/FBCSubpoenas.pdf), along with Newbbcopenforum. In fact, I assumed that there were some here who knew the connection; I'm surprised that it was a surprise.

How did the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office determine that "Slyons" may have been associated with the Watchdog? That's a good question; I'll share that later on my blog.

Hauro and fgantz - its been about 9 months now that my identity has been known to Mac Brunson and all of the many pastors at FBC Jax, and no phone call for reconciliation. Its been 3 months since Brunson declared me a "sociopath", and no phone call. Its been 4 months since a pastor attempted to set up a reconciliation meeting between myself and Brunson prior to this becoming a media firestorm, and still no phone call. So I don't see any reconciliation occuring outside of the legal processes.

[TimR2]

[Big Daddy Weaver]

I can't believe that the Watchdog is ONLY asking for 15K. After he pays his lawyer or after his lawyer takes 30-40%, what's left? Might even have to pay taxes on that amount.

Watchdog has had to endure a great deal.

[trich]

TimR2: I appreciate your concern. My family is doing fine by the grace of God.

No, we won't just drop it. Are you a pastor? It seems pastors are the ones who give this advice most often to those who are sexually or spiritually abused by clergy: "Don't go to the authorities; it will bring shame on you, and will hurt the cause of Christ." And scripture is given. And they are told "let God deal with that pastor." How ridiculous your statement is to someone who feels they have been treated wrongly by a pastor. I have been told numerous times: yes, you have been defamed by a nationally known pastor in the newspaper, but your name is not greater than the name of Christ, so just drop it. Unbelievable.

Maybe, just maybe, God will use a layman who dared to stand up against the bully pastor and his leaders. Maybe THAT is how God might deal with them, do you think?

And where was the call for Mac to just "drop it" as they sought the WD identity and issued trespass papers against me and my wife? I didn't hear anybody calling for FBC Jax to "drop it" when they issued a Deacon's Resolutoin condemning my actions on the Internet and lie about the circumstances of us leaving the church and asking the church to stand and ratify their resolution - all of that AFTER I had joined another church. No, pastors love to tell others "just drop it", when they themselves don't take their own advice.

And your comment:

"Of course if Dr. Brunson is in the right and he has turned it loose then God is allowing you to ruin your witness by taking him and FBC Jax to court. Do you know what that says to a lost world--a church member is suing a church? It tells them there is no difference in our world than it is in their world."

Amazing. Did not Brunson and his bunch think about what their actions were going to say to a lost world? Didn't someone, anyone in leadership, at FBC Jax, when they issued trespass papers for me, and then for my wife for her "sin" of "associating with a church member committing wilfull church misconduct"...couldn't all of those wise Christian men think of what THEIR actions might say to a lost world? No, obviously they didn't think about that.

When I offered to meet with them with three simple provisions, and they refused, and then they went to the sheriff's office to file official trespass papers against my wife for "church misconduct" - didn't they think what that might say to a lost world? When John Blount told my wife she couldn't attend a church service to see my daughter sing, didn't John think what that might say to a lost world? Did Brunson calling me a sociopath - did he stop and think what that might say to a lost world? His silence since and refusal to retract that statement - what does that say to a lost world?

So really, please, TimR2. Save your "drop it". Its too late. You needed to be telling Mac that last year before this firestorm got started.

[trich]

BDW - you must be referring to the federal law suit against the sheriff's office and state attorney's office. The $15,000 was the minimum amount to sue for in order to bring a case to court, so $15,000 is not an assessment of damages or the amount being sued for - just a mini um amout of damage that must have occured for the suit to be filed. Damages, if any, will be determined by a jury.

[trich]

TimR2:

As I explained on my blog last week, an SBC pastor is going to sue me for defamation as he didn't like me talking about his past troubles on my blog (see http://fbcjaxwatchdog.blogspot.com/2009 ... loves.html).

Perhaps I should give him a call and ask him to "let God handle" everything, and a lawsuit is not necessary? Do you think I will get anywhere with that request from him?

Maybe you could contact him and tell him the disgrace that will be brought to the name of Christ, his witness, and his church, before he actually files suit...I'm sure he will take the advice you gave to me, and just "drop it".