Quote:
Originally Posted by Igzy
So LC/LSMers in an attempt to claim special status try to draw all kinds of superficial differences between their names and the names of denominations (e.g. saying the name is really a "description"; making an issue of signboards, etc) but fail to see the essential similarities. On the other hand, they do not see the deep and essential exclusivity of claiming that those not in the Lord's Recovery (their movement) are not in God's move, while pointing an accusing finger at the superficial exclusivity of some modern denominations.
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A few years ago when I was just starting to pull my head out of the sand and trying to figure things out, I asked two elders independently from each other if it is purely the fact that we do not "name" ourselves some form of Lee-ites or Nee-ites, as Lutherans or Wesleyans do, that we can say the LC's are not a denomination. I remarked that in following Lee/Nee, we are
in practice doing the same things as others are doing, who we criticize, and I asked if the only reason we can make a distinction is because we don't actually use Lee/Nee's name in our name. To their credit, both elders, not knowing how the other responded, admitted that yes, the practice is the same or at least very similar. I asked what would happen if someone stood up in a meeting and shared from a non-LSM book, particularly week after week, even if the light they received from the book was genuine and their experience of the Lord real and living. They both said that probably at first it would be tolerated but after a few weeks, there would be some comments. (Although when I had a similar conversation with one of them years later he changed his story and said there are some who do not share from HWMR, for example, and are still accepted in the meetings). One elder admitted that we as a group do not do a good job of educating the saints that Lee/Nee is not the basis for our fellowship.
Of course no subsequent education occurred (no doubt because the hammer from Anaheim would come down if they caught wind of it), but at least I appreciated that they could admit the real situation.