Quote:
Originally Posted by Igzy
Dear Plenteous,
This is far from the only story I've heard about these kinds of practices. It sounds just like many others I'm heard of, many from first hand reports, and some I've observed myself. The LC engaged in fanatical disciplinary practices which caused serious psychological damage to many.
Although I cringe at and have learned to filter awareness' hyperbole, I don't doubt for a minute that he was abused along the lines he describes. He's either completely crazy or something serious happened to him.
When I say fanatical I mean having a set of values which cause otherwise decent people to do things that are not reasonable. It is not reasonable to consider speaking against Witness Lee as "poisoning." Why put things in such inflammatory, one-sided terms?
I don't have any reason to doubt that you and your father are generally good people and Christians. But the fact is the LC movement made fanatics of us all. It made us do things to people in Christ's name that someday we will be ashamed of in His presence. Though your father may be a good man in many ways, you may have to deal with the fact that he took part in these sorts of things as well.
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Igzy,
This is a very personal thread that is connected to very specific persons and very specific events.
I can personally attest that an attack on a SPECIFIC man to make an otherwise true GENERAL point about the LC is a very specious approach.
Make the broad points about the LC abuses on another thread.
So far, on this thread, I see
awareness being very accusatory and defamatory toward Dale Jackson. There has not been a vetting of the truth of his assertions. The only thing we have is Dale's brother claiming he is wrong and the thread-author (MicahG) agreeing with him. That puts
awareness in the hot seat, not Dale Jackson.
Plenteous was not defending the LC
writ large. He was defending his brother. That doesn't mean he agrees with the LC abuses you are arguing against. Just because "these practices" (as you say) occurred, even routinely, in the LC,
does not mean that Dale Jackson engaged in them.. You know better.
Peter
P.S. This is not a defense of Dale Jackson. But the point is, there has been NO DISCUSSION OF FACTS. What I see is one man's account and other's agreeing simply because similar events may have happened elsewhere. That's shady, in my opinion.
P.P.S.
Awareness: I don't know how to discuss the things you have experienced. My comments here are not meant as a slight to you or the things you have experienced. I know full well the kind of abuse men have suffered in the midst of men-pleasing-group-think. I don't doubt your experience at all. But we do have a conflict of accounts. I've read enough of your posts to know that you get that means another look and some objectivity is necessary.