Quote:
Originally Posted by Igzy
It isn't black and white. That's the whole issue. There was some good and some bad. I think you have the kind of mind that wants to categorize it as one or the other. Others are less comfortable doing that. Ohio is one. He feels like you are leaning on him a bit and he responded to you. Just take his feedback at face value, process it and see what the Lord says to you about it.
To me what makes the LCM such a difficult thing to deal with is precisely because it seemed to have such good things, alongside the bad things. Why the dichotomy? Didn't the Lord say a tree was either good or bad? It seems your approach has been to analyze the good things away, to say they were just emotion or delusion. Maybe some were. But I can't believe they all were. Some of those good things were precious to me. The LCM didn't own them. God did. But it would be sad indeed if we felt we had to abandon them to excise all influences of the LCM just to be "free."
It's the baby and the bathwater question. And we all have to deal with it differently. So Ohio is saying, I think, let him deal with it his way. He's comfortable with that, why shouldn't you be? When you continually qualify his positive comments with negative ones it makes him feel like you are saying he is wrong.
Ohio is a sensitive guy. You are very brainy guy. Brainy guys like you and me tend to step on sensitive people's feelings. So take that into consideration when you comment on his posts. Emotional intelligence is the key here.
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Actually I am extremely analytical like OBW, but that is both a strength and a weakness, depending on how employed. For example, I always excelled in engineering analysis, aced all my classes, given the tough assignments at work, etc. But the downside is to get mired in all the petty details,
"analysis paralysis" if you will.
None of us is perfect, and we are all a mixture at best. I have tried to be fair, as the scripture says,
"I will have mercy on those who show mercy." For example, I have always tried to limits my comments to Lee's actions rather than his unseen motives. Only God can know the hearts. Because I take a middle-of-the-road position, I sometimes get it from both sides, and not just here on the forums.
About the time my wife and I were leaving the LCM a decade ago, we watched a great series of video presentations by a well-respected Christian counselor named Gary Smalley. He has helped many a brother and sister involved in all sorts of difficult relationships. It was he who presented the concept of "treasure hunting" the painful parts of our past. Since God loves us dearly, and has worked all things for our good, it is very beneficial for us psychologically, spiritually, emotionally, and even physically to discover and identify "the good" in our past.
Thirdly, I cannot judge Lee to a higher standard that I would other ministers. For example, I have been to congregations which excessively promoted tongues, to the point where they saw tongues in almost every scripture. I didn't like it, but that was their way, and they have lots of company. Likewise the practices promoted by Lee. Prophecying, or allowing every member to speak, is "a" way, but not "the" way, kind of like tongues is "a" way. There's nothing inherently evil about about any of these promoted ways, and it is only the excessive stress which can be detrimental to believers.