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#1 | |
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Natal Transvaal
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How can any system change, if it blames the people within it for its own shorcomings? And how can any system thus constructed do anything but continually spit out traumatized souls who tried and failed to please the system's unreachable dictates?
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"Freedom is free. It's slavery that's so horribly expensive" - Colonel Templeton, ret., of the 12th Scottish Highlanders, the 'Black Fusiliers' |
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#2 | |
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Join Date: Mar 2014
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It occurred to me that there are probably many who are also in my shoes. All us "small potatoes" have our reasons for not inviting people to LC meetings, however, no one is going to vocally say why. So the LC has put itself in a position that instead of trying to determine why there is a lack of a normal increase, they instead blame members for the failings of the system that they created. It's easier to call saints "lukewarm" or "passive" rather than to address question of why that is the case. |
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#3 | |
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"Freedom is free. It's slavery that's so horribly expensive" - Colonel Templeton, ret., of the 12th Scottish Highlanders, the 'Black Fusiliers' |
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#4 |
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Yes. Back in 1980 I felt sorry for those I brought into the LC. I shouldn't have done that.
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Cults: My brain will always be there for you. Thinking. So you don't have to. There's a serpent in every paradise. |
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#5 |
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I had a different take on this. When I left in 1978 I did so quietly but those who I had brought in were aware that I had left. If they wished to discuss it with me I would have been open but my concern at that time was this: Okay, I have already made a mistake bringing them in and I am not going to try and bring anyone out---maybe double my mistake since then they would want to know where do we go. Didn't want to go there. Let them decide on their own but if they are interested I would be more than happy to provide my perspective. Of course, none of them every came to me --- maybe the elders labeled me "negative" etc. who knows. Anyway, I was happy not being approached about it. Okay zeek, sometimes you remember things differently and if so you can provide your perspective.
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LC 1969-1978 Santa Cruz, Detroit, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami |
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#6 | |
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Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Renton, Washington
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In context of Freedom's post, the LC/LSM dont' want to take responsibility why there is lack of an increase. Today's LC is a far cry from the mid's 80's when it was easy to invite friends and classmates. Now, there's an unspoken understanding the LC meetings is not for everyone. It's no longer for general believers, but for ones who have a specific appreciation of the ministry. The scope of receiving is so much narrower than it used to be in prior decades. Do elders and coworkers want to be addressed with real explanations why there isn't an increase? Lack of love and a lack of grace. They may ask, what are you talking about? Just allude to former elders and coworkers no longer welcome. Of course of you do, be prepared with the "negative" label. |
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#7 | |
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LC 1969-1978 Santa Cruz, Detroit, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami |
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#8 | |
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Greater Ohio
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When the LC's were indeed "local" churches, it was easy to invite others. The more Lee brought all the LC's under his dominion, the harder it was to invite. The answer was simple. Lee became our center, but Lee never died for me, and neither was I ever baptized into Lee's name. (cf I Cor 1.13) I personally was being trained to "sell" the ministry of Witness Lee rather than the precious gospel of Jesus Christ. In fact, I can still distinctly remember sitting in an Anaheim Corinthians training and bearing the guilty burden that serious problems existed because I had not adequately presented and sold the ministry of Witness Lee to others, including my own friends and family. What a twisted delusion i was living in at that time.
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Ohio's motto is: With God all things are possible!. Keeping all my posts short, quick, living, and to the point! |
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#9 | |
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LC 1969-1978 Santa Cruz, Detroit, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami |
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#10 |
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I think this is certainly one side to the issue, and I think Christians as a whole are becoming more aware of the lack of increase and the opposition to Christians. I don't think that the LC is very aware of what is going on in modern society. As a result, they are willing to put members in the position of trying to gain an increase without making them aware of the challeges that will be facing them.
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#11 |
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To add to my previous post, it has been my experience that when we go out and preach the gospel, it has never been simply preaching the gospel. The goal is always firstly to recruit people to the LC and secondly to get them saved. Case and point: when I've done BFA in the past, the main goal was to get people to accept a free RcV NT. It was never to tell people about God or the Bible. It was to tell them about how their Bible at home (if they even had one) was insufficient and then needed RcV instead. Also things like inviting people to come to a campus Christian club meeting were more of a recruiting effort than a concern over whether people were saved or not.
Anyways my point in saying all this is that in the LC I was never equipped to tell people about the Lord or much less to lead them to the Lord. Maybe things were different in the past. If someone were to ask me a question "How do we know that God exists?", I wouldn't be able to tell them. If I had to defend the basic fundamentals of the Christian faith, I couldn't do that. About the only thing that I could do would be to defend LC teachings. About the only thing that I know how to do in regards to gaining an increase is try to recruit people to develop an interest in the ministry. That's why LSM/BB's/local elders shouldn't be surprised when there is so little increase. Even if there is little increase outside the LC as well. So the LC is dealing with the same issues affecting Christians as a whole, in addition to their self-inflicted issues. |
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#12 | |
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Greater Ohio
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Lee took zero responsibility for his actions and teachings, yet was always so adept at dumping truckloads of guilt, blame, and manipulation on the children of God. One time Lee threatened to terminate his ministry if the saints did not rise up to live by what he was speaking. Too bad he never did keep his word.
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Ohio's motto is: With God all things are possible!. Keeping all my posts short, quick, living, and to the point! |
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