Quote:
Originally Posted by JJ
Yes no fornication. But, come on local church leaders and saints, drop the additions to God’s Word!
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It would be interesting to see if, for example, the Chinese Presbyterian Church also had strict separation rules for young people, and bridged the gap by arranged unions. And then ask, how does this compare to the Presbyterian church otherwise? Do you see my point? Are we talking about the LC here, or merely Oriental culture?
Also, how about absolute control by centralised leadership with all constituent assemblies being "absolutely identical, with no differences whatsoever" (per RecV footnotes) versus allowance of local differentiation and latitude in non-essentials? Is this exclusive to the LC or does this have similarities to other Chinese assemblies and religious systems?
If we can see this as Chinese cultural traits, practices, and values writ large across the fellowship of the LC, then we'd be one step closer to breaking its iron hand. LC leadership says, "This is God" but it is merely their preferences dressed up as God. If my comfort equals your misery, why insist on my comfort?
I mentioned earlier that Chinese culture is not to question leadership. Mao cannot be criticised even 40 years after his death - doing so leads to loss of employment and civic position. Perhaps this attitude of not questioning, even when it is clearly counterproductive (miserable, isolated, lost young people) is culturally-driven.
Order over freedom. Even when the order is not from the Bible but from leadership preferences. This is why the LC is increasingly Asian - it matches their culturally-derived concepts and expectations of what is "normal".
And the great dilemma of the LC is that it can't change, even when it clearly needs to. If a local leader sees a solution to the problem, he or she can't act, even if the Holy Spirit leads. Change can only come from Anaheim, from old men who only care for filled conference chairs and book sales.