Leslie's reaction to the letter distribution. Leslie Clemmons is an ICC member. It is clear that she is afraid of committing slander, despite the leaders' dubious financial track record. How is it actually "sin"? If anything, sounds like another case of ICC guilt.

Proper term would be "libel," since it's written communication. Libel a: a written or oral defamatory statement or representation that conveys an unjustly unfavorable impression b : a statement or representation published without just cause and tending to expose another to public contempt

In this case, there IS "just cause" because leaders were giving only watered down financial info (See below, March 27) and there have been several written complaints about the NYC COC finances sent to the NY State Attorney General.

Anyway, the ones in the darkness are the ones who really should be ashamed and afraid. Let the light shine -- "May God's wrath speak fiercely."

May 12, 2003

Aces churches and NYCOC and to whomever else it may concern:

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

I am writing this letter to confess sin on my part, possibly confront sin on the part of other people, and set the record straight. As some of you may know a letter that I wrote has been posted on the Internet for all to read. This mass display of this letter was by no means my intention and was done so without my knowledge or permission. In fact, the site where this letter has been posted requires membership (a username & password) and I have never been a member of this website. This letter was exclusively given to the sister who told me of the information found in the letter for her review, one brother who was trustworthy in order to let me know his thoughts on the letter, and one sister in a congregation far, far away whom I trusted for her review and thoughts and expressed that I wanted to make sure the information was accurate before I sent it to the church. I was later told that the letter was full of inaccuracies. I never brought it before the church and realized that I did not need to be the one to bring these issues before the church. If anyone should, it should be the person who gave me the information.

Some two weeks ago a sister invited me to come up to her area and spend time with her. She wanted to tell me some things that she had discovered about the church finances and wished to tell me of her recent meeting with Henry Kriete. She expressed to me that she had already talked to the people involved and that they were not admitting to any wrongdoing and that she was now ready to bring it to the church. She encouraged me to bring a bus load of people with me if I wanted. I remember this quote distinctly, because I immediately thought, WORD (pardon the Hip Hop vernacular). I was unable to get anyone to come with me.

After hearing what she had to say, taking in the extraordinary intensity of this information, I asked her repeatedly if she was sure of what she was saying. I even asked her if the information was documented. And she said that what she was telling me was fact. And because of the fact that she tearfully told me that this information involved one of her best friends, I believed her story all the more.

Now is the time to confess my sin. After digesting this information, I grew very alarmed, afraid for the church and the leaders mentioned, and also very angry. And in my anger I sinned for mans anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Let me clarify. In the Bible, God provides for sin offerings even for sins that are unintentional as is the case here. If the unintentional sin is committed by an individual, the guilty person must bring a one-year-old female goat for a sin offering(Numbers 15:27, NLT) I, however, am not the one-year-old female goat in question. But, I am guilty and I must take the responsibility (Leviticus 4:22, Leviticus 5:17) and apologize to everyone mentioned in the letter and anyone else that this has affected. Had I intended the letter to go out to the public, I believe I would have practiced the directives in Matthew 18. Yet, due to the current climate in the church, it was unwise for me to send it to anyone at all. For this I take full responsibility and I profusely apologize to all in concern. I now understand how many of the leaders in the ICOC must feel. We are all guilty of unintentional sins but, that does not prevent us from taking on the responsibility. Probably my greatest sin in this was even listening and getting involved in the first place. However, if all of the leaders in the New York church and surrounding areas would be as transparent as they have always called us to be, then, I am sure that this scenario would not even exist. I never intended to slander anyone but now I find myself involved in what seems to be slander, even though, I dont know what the truth in this situation really is. I have been hurt myself in all of this mostly because I have hurt so many people whom I love. This is the truth. Please forgive me.

Sincerely,
Leslie Clemmons
Member, NYCOC since 1991

http://forums.delphiforums.com/ICCdiscussion/messages?msg=6184.97 "3 MILLION from ACES to ATHENS"

RELEVANT HISTORICAL LINKS:
ICC DF: "3 MILLION from ACES to ATHENS"
ICC DF: "Suing the ICC / NYC COC"