Quote:
Originally Posted by Thankful Jane
The brothers who allowed Benson to take action based on false assumptions and false information and who did not tell him the truth, were not showing him mercy. Neither were they loving him. Their silence hurt him.
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TJ, I agree with what you say, but we now have the advantage of hindsight ... and the relative safety of being at home and typing on our computers. There was only one time when I "stood up" to a bully in authority, and I got hurt pretty badly. Actually you "got it" much worse because your wounds were emotional and psychological, which take much longer to heal.
Based on all I know at this point, the best and safest course of action for the abused is to leave and find healing in the Lord. Probably the (continued) experience of abuse reinforces the fact that there is no one else nearby who can adequately "protect" the abused. Down the road, if the anointing directs you to write or make contact with an abuser, then the steps taken should be slow and careful. All the ones I know have taken this course.
I know you will say, "someone should speak up!" Even such a one as George Muller in his prime, nearly succumbed to the power of Darby and his minions. The gifted and scholarly B.W.Newton in Plymouth had already been overcome by Darby's overwhelming onslaughts. When Darby could not "conquer" Newton in the brothers' meetings, Darby took the battle public, persuading the minds of the congregation. Slowly almost all of Newton's supporters took to Darby's side. Imagine the pressure Muller faced a few yers later. Some in his own congregation were against him.
Brothers like JND and TC and BP and WL are powerful men indeed. Their natural talents far outweigh my own. They have great ability to help many and to hurt many. Each of them have done much of both. Hence, some saints love them and some saints hate them. Many saints just can't come to grips with this great paradox.
How could they be both good and bad? The facts of history confirm what I say.
My point has always been that they don't need to act this way. This behavior does not show largeness of heart. They were only hurting their own ministry. The Apostle Paul was not a patten to us in this way.