Answering Rafael Martinez: One of (perhaps) a series
In a post to AR-Forum, Rev. Rafael Martinez of the "Tennessee Valley Bible Students" makes the following statement in response to one of my comments:

"Only the paranoiac mindset of a litigious cult group seeking lots of $ to float it's abusive, authoritarian and antichristian backside out of the red ink of desolation it's brought upon itself through shoddy PR that failed miserably would resort to that kind of thinking you seem to be defending." (Spelling and punctuation as in original.)

Mr. Martinez is rarely without opinions. This one, however, is rather astounding. From what I've seen in visiting their facilities and meeting with their leaders, the Local Church, Living Stream Ministry and associated groups are doing well enough, financially, without having to raise outside capital. But even if they did, the longshot of a libel suit seems a stunningly ineffective way to make money, given the up-front costs and no guarantee of success, or even of collecting money from the "losing" side.

Is it possible that the plaintiffs in this case -- having been pre-emptively sued by Harvest House first -- are merely trying to defend their good name? Or would that be too simple an answer?
- posted by Mark @ 12/08/2003 10:18:00 AM