ELL: SIL Corruption

[Matthew McDaniel]

> Commentary on SIL and their connections.

Definitely CIA, little wonder they are so often anti native and racist.

>
>
> In recent weeks we have received an astonishing number of letters and
> emails "taking us to task" for our last series of articles on Colombia, a
> two part series which dealt with (1) what's happening in Colombia; (2) how
> the United States got there; (3) Colombia's place in America's "New World
> Order" System; (4) the evangelical community's involvement in what's been
> happening there; and (5) the spread of America's "New World Order" System
> northward from Colombia and Latin America into the United States.
>
> Many of our readers were quite angry with the fact that we had not spared
> the evangelical community - and most especially the Wycliffe Bible
> Translators - insofar as our reporting was concerned.  We were accused of
> being "negative" and "unloving;" in addition, we were told that we were
> being "divisive" and "hateful."  Typical of the letters and emails that we
> received was one from John H. Schlosser of Stanwood, Washington.  He wrote
> the following letter to one of our co-workers, Stephen Bradley:
>
> "On October 13, 2000 you (i.e., Bradley) circulated a report by S.R.
> Shearer.  It was noted that "much of this report was derived from 'THY WILL
> BE DONE' by Gerald Colby and Charlolette Dennett.
>
> "It so happens that Mr. Robert Schneider, who is mentioned by name in the
> said report [Schneider was an employee of SIL], is a fellow-resident of
> mine in our senior community.  I shared your report with him.  He in turn
> gave me a copy of the Wycliffe critique of the book, 'THY WILL BE DONE',
> which I am enclosing herewith for you.  I believe you will agree with me
> that the charges against Wycliffe and other missionaries are without
> substantial foundation.  I regret that you have shared in circulating
> charges that have injured the sacrificial labors of dedicated Christian
> missionaries.
>
> "'Speaking the truth in love' should deliver us from using innuendo or
> rumor against fellow Christians'.
>
> "Sincerely in Christ,
>
> "John H. Schlosser"
>
> Mr. Schlosser then enclosed the Wycliffe critique by Arthur Lightbody which
> contained 10 BRIEF points of rebuttal under the title "Significant Errors
> of Fact" which were anything but significant and in reality related to very
> MINOR points of dispute dealing with controversies as to whether this or
> that meeting took place between operatives of Wycliffe (or SIL) and
> operatives from the CIA or other government agencies [Wycliffe denies that
> some (but not all of them) took place, though other documentation proves
> that they did indeed take place], some aspects as to how SIL obtained their
> Helio Courier aircraft (a plane built specifically for use by the CIA which
> "somehow or other" fell into the hands of SIL), etc. [For those who are
> interested, an actual copy of Lightbody's critique of "THY WILL BE DONE"
> can be obtained, by writing to the Wycliffe Bible Translators at P.O. Box
> 2727, Huntington Beach, California 92647; you may obtain a copy of Colby
> and Dennett's 960 page book at any public or university library.]
>
> Mr. Lightbody admits in a cover letter that introduces his 10 point
> critique that it (i.e., his critique) was not meant to be a "comprehensive
> response" to the book - and he was certainly right on that score.  The fact
> is, his response is so lacking in any real substance that it leaves one
> breathless as to its deficiency and lack of depth.
>
> The truth is, "Thy Will Be Done" has been critiqued on numerous occasions
> in scholastic circles throughout the country and has been found to be free
> of factual error - and so much so that Lightbody writes that Colby and
> Dennett should be "COMMENDED" insofar as their exposes of the machinations
> of big business in Latin America - but with regard to Wycliffe, Lightbody
> says, they (i.e., Colby and Dennett) somehow or other got it wrong; and
> more than that, insofar as the book pertains to Wycliffe, Colby and Dennett
> are to be considered "UNTRUSTWORTHY."  What's this?  They are trustworthy
> when they are criticizing other people, but not when they are criticizing
> Wycliffe? - Not hardly!
>
> Finally, there is the normal charge in matters like this that Colby and
> Dennett are "out to get the Christian community."  But nothing could be
> further from the truth.  Neither Colby nor Dennett are "anti-Christian" -
> and they find much to commend in Wycliffe.  What they find so abhorrent is
> that a group like Wycliffe could have allowed itself to have been so
> tainted by "big business" and the CIA.  AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE AT
> ANTIPAS ALSO FIND SO ABHORRENT!
>
> What are we supposed to say to all this, then? - that it never happened?
> Is this what our 21st Century Christianity is all about? - a "pretend" kind
> of Christianity that makes our modern form of it out to be something that
> it really is not and allows for no criticism?  A kind of Christianity where
> "speaking the truth in love," as Schlosser says, means ignoring our own
> history?  The kind of Christianity where honest criticism is not challenged
> on any kind of factual basis?  The kind of Christianity where truth is
> consigned to the trash heap as "rumor" and "innuendo?"  Is this where we
> are?  Is this what our form of Christianity has become?  God help us all if
> it is!  This kind of Christianity would have made the real Wycliffe - who
> in his day never ceased to criticize the pretensions of Rome (and so much
> so that the minions of the Catholic Church made several attempts to
> assassinate him) - roll over and vomit in his grave!  It would seem to me
> that the so-called Wycliffe Bible Translators should have chosen another
> name - any name but Wycliffe's!
>
> If we choose to ignore history, how then can we ever learn from it?  How
> can we ever repent of it?  If we fail to acknowledge our mistakes, we are
> doomed to repeat them over and over and over again.
>
> The fact is, if - as the Bible suggests - where money is to be found, Satan
> is close by (I Tim. 6:10), then what are we as Christians doing tying
> ourselves to people who are so in love and involved with it? - the kind of
> people that Cam Townsend united himself with.  It is, after all, not a
> deep, dark secret that money corrupts; that it perverts those who become
> involved with it; that the so-called moneyed elite (with whom Townsend
> allied himself with) is a venal and squalid group of individuals - even the
> world recognizes this fact: it's in our literature, it's in our movies,
> it's in our culture. Professor C. Wright Mills of Columbia University
> writes:
>
> "The American elite is not composed of ... men whose conduct and character
> constitute models for American imitation and aspiration ... (This) is no
> set of men with whom members of the mass public can rightfully and gladly
> identify ..."
>
> The very real fact of the matter is, Cam Townsend forgot about all this AND
> RUINED HIMSELF AND BESMIRCHED HIS MINISTRY AS A RESULT - and his
> involvement with the American multinationals doing business in Latin
> America ultimately cost the lives of thousands and thousands of innocent
> people, many of them Christians.  And all the John Schlossers of this
> world, and all of Wycliffe's other apologists cannot absolve Wycliffe from
> what they did.  Only God can absolve Wycliffe - and He will only do that
> when Wycliffe and other ministries like Wycliffe REPENT from what they have
> done, and turn away from the moneyed elite to which they have tied
> themselves.  That's what Wycliffe must ultimately do.  But it is doubtful
> that they will ever do it - they have lied about it for so long, they
> probably have come to believe their own press by now, and all the Gerald
> Colbys and all the Charlotte Dennetts and all the Steve Shearers and all
> the Dene McGriffs of this world are not going to change that.
>
> There is, however, a larger issue that should be addressed here - the
> matter of support for Christian activities like Wycliffe.  I have no doubt
> - and for that matter, I think that neither Colby not Dennett have any
> doubt either - as to Cam Townsend's genuine and very real desire to spread
> the saving message of the Lord Jesus Christ to the lost in Latin America
> and elsewhere in the world.  The same is true with regard to those who were
> (and are) Wycliffe missionaries.  But in their desire to do so, there can
> be no doubt that Wycliffe resorted to the use of allies of a very
> questionable nature - and they were wrong - very wrong - to do so.
>
> But maybe the larger questions is, Why did they feel that they had to?
> Why? - well, the answer goes beyond just Wycliffe and Townsend; it involves
> us - ALL OF US!
>
> THE kind of missionary undertakings that Wycliffe involved itself in are
> very, very EXPENSIVE ones! - much more expensive than most average
> Christians are willing to admit.

----
Endangered-Languages-L Forum: endangered-languages-l at carmen.murdoch.edu.au
Web pages http://carmen.murdoch.edu.au/lists/endangered-languages-l/
Subscribe/unsubscribe and other commands: majordomo at carmen.murdoch.edu.au
----