Date Posted:10:26:04 06/09/04 Wed Author: former Subject: Equivocation
Jesus said, "Let your "yes" be "yes" and your "no" be "no." Jesus tells us to be clear and unequivocal in our speech. However, when you attempt to discuss UBF with UBF people, they go into a mode that I will call "auto-equivocation." Suddenly, terms used, definitions, and the vocabulary take on a whole new meaning.
For example, several former members have stated that they would like to discuss UBF. However, none of them really get down to the brass tacks of discussion. They will be too busy to reply or they bring up completely off topic issues or they discuss "vague generalities" about UBF but they won't discuss specific issues. So, they equivocate in that they say they wish to discuss UBF, but in reality all they might wish to discuss is "discussing UBF" if you understand my meaning?
Another example of equivocation is where UBF defenders will say that they are familiar with the problems of UBF, but in fact have not read the most important documents such as the 1976 & 1989 letters as well as James Kim's, Jacob Kim's, Jimmy Rhee's, and Peter Chang's letters or the 2000 declarations. Instead, they will point to a few less decorous postings of several angry members and say that they have "examined the information." Reading a few angry postings or spewings of former members is not equivalent to reading the important documents that are very thoughtfully and calmly laid out by credible and known former leaders.
The equivocation is endless. One member vaguely said that UBF dealt with all past issues of abuse through some sort of secret tribunal that even he could not elaborate on. Secret tribunals where the accused investigate and aquit themselves in secret without even hearing from the victims is NOT "dealing with abuse." Please do not say it is! The alledged abuse all remains undealt with.
UBF members, please take head to Jesus' words. Please speak unequivocably with yourselves and to us. Please, no more double-speak? The pharisees tried to use this over and over again to trick Jesus and to mitigate their own sin, but it does not work. Please speak plainly and honestly from now on. Let your speech be plain. Let your "yes" be "yes" and your "no" be "no" and I will endeavor to do the same.
