The Prajapati Affair 003
R Krishnankutty had a private magazine of his own. After discussion with Johnson he wrote an endorsement for the forthcoming series, but he took an about turn as soon as JC Dev contacted him. JC Dev used to be a controversial Brethren Assembly preacher who defected from a Pentecostal cult to the Brethren due to personal problems, but who again defected to the Pentecostal church after enjoying all kinds of privileges among the Brethren for few decades.
Unknown to many, Dev was one of the promoters behind Christava Vedanta Vedi, a Super-Cult formed by the Union of a few peripheral Christian principles with the core of the Vedantic Hindi faith. He immediately realized that if Johnson’s series against the Prajapati Heresy prevails, then his Super Cult will be in trouble. Thus he persuaded R Krishnankutty and launched a massive character assassination against Johnson.
Dev was a wizard with words, and was able to present totally false things in a manner that would convince even the most skeptical person. Krishnankutty made his magazine available for this ongoing and long-term character assassination by Dev. Soon he also joined Dev to do the same thing.
Johnson at that time was the Resident Editor of Suvisheshadhwani, the Brethren publication with the largest circulation. He was also helping the reorganization of Atmaprakashini, another publication. At the same time he had the most widely read Brethren website to which everyone looked for current information. He was also the Chief Editor of Insight India. However, he refused to use any of this media for counter-attack. He stuck to the point that doctrinal issues should be solved through biblical-doctrinal discussion, and not character assassination. He said that his duty is to defend doctrine, and that it is the Lord’s duty to defend the character of a child of God in the face of such vicious attack.
However, neither Krishnankutty, nor Dev stopped their barrage of personal attacks. In fact they realized that in Johnson they have a silent opponent who would speak only on doctrinal matters. They also realized that most of the Brethren public were simply willing to believe any lie that was written against any brother. Soon Paul K Ramakrishnan also joined this attack. Together they continued this character assassination for almost two years.
Very few among the Brethren had the courage to tell these people that they were doing it wrong by attacking a person when the issue was doctrinal. In fact most people preferred to believe their lies for the sake of self-protection, so terrified were they at the thought that they might also be attacked if they spoke out the truth.