# *AF's Informants

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Posted by AF [AF] on November 08, 1999 at 06:44:43 {Nq8EnQ8RVADjRmAxB/kMdaOt1gg/Zk}:

In Reply to: AF's Informants posted by Adam Covington on November 07, 1999 at 20:00:20:

: I believe the ball is now in your court! Since you now claim to provide credible proof

You certainly have a problem with the English language! Why is that so many JWs don’t seem to understand clear speech? I know what the trouble is: they do understand but they want to twist things around so as to appear to come out on top.

Note that I never said that I would provide credible proof. I said that I possess solid evidence that I myself will accept as proof unless I find contrary evidence, and that if Greg would provide details in private that discounted that evidence, I would change my mind and publicly apologize. Of course, I would no longer trust the people who gave me the evidence.

: for Greg Stafford's association with Albert Schroeder, you now have one of two options.

No, I have a number of other options, and will not pursue yours.

: You must

I “must”? Is that a threat? Or are you somehow invoking a moral imperative? That’s rich coming from a camp that has demonstrated itself all too willing to deceive the public.

: either divulge the names of these two "informants" whom you consider highly credible, or make a public apology for lying on this forum.

A classic “false dilemma”. When people refuse to divulge their sources for good reason, that does not mean that they’re lying. If your proposed dilemma were true, then we could reject out of hand 90% of Watchtower literature because it contains no source references, or incomplete references, and when someone writes to the WTS requesting a list of such sources the request is usually ignored.

The Society itself provides the model in another way for refusing to provide the names of individuals who provide information. If you asked the Society for the names of those who wrote Watchtower literature, would they tell you? No. In fact the names of those writers are often kept secret from the Bethel family itself. Only those who are directly involved in Writing, and those whom those men choose to inform personally, know who has written what material.

I already explained to this public forum, and if I remember right, Greg in an email, why I would not divulge my sources. The ultimate sources are individual JWs in good standing who would be severely injured if I divulged who they were. You and Greg and other JWs certainly understand I will not. You yourself are not posting under your real name, am I right? Why not? What are you afraid of? If you’re not afraid to reveal your identity, then do so on this forum by posting your full name, address and phone number, just as I have done numerous times. Let Greg do the same. If you refuse, then it is clear that you do understand why I cannot reveal my sources.

: You had plenty of opportunities to verify with Greg Stafford what your "informants" have claimed, but chose not to,

What a gross liar you are! I’ve asked Greg several times to provide answers to specific questions on this board which would verify whether my sources are correct. He gave no answers to those specific questions. He suggested in one email that I provide details that would compromise the identities of my sources. I declined for reasons stated above and stated these reasons to Greg. I invited Greg in that private email, and on this forum, to get in touch with me by telephone, since a phone conversation is usually far more productive in this kind of situation because it allows for the normal give and take of conversation. Greg declined.

Here, let’s give Greg the opportunity once again to set matters straight: let him telephone me at home tonight when I return from work, and we’ll discuss this. My number is 914-627-2672 and he should call after 8:00 p.m. EST. By the way, I don’t want our call tape recorded. You understand why.

: and thus posted publicly in hopes of adding to the "sensationalism" of this board.

Um, no. My purpose was to show that Greg is in an unusual situation in being expressly allowed by a Watchtower official to publish his books defending the Society. Previous authors have gotten in serious trouble by defending the Society. Therefore something has changed, and I wanted to spark discussion about why things have changed. What better person to bring out the reasons than the only person in recent times who has published a book defending Watchtowerism?

: So whats it going to be, son? Give us the name of these "two witnesses" or publically apologize for spreading lies on the net! It is now upto you to put up or SHUT UP!

No way am I going to give the names of my sources. The names were given in confidence and I will not break that confidence. Do you want me to break my word? Do you want me to establish a reputation for being dishonest, as certain posters on this board have done?

So, Adam, the ball remains in Greg’s court. He has only to contact me to clear the air.

AF

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