The History of Philip Lee

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by UntoHim

Benson Phillips may have been a lot of things, but he wasn't dumb. There has been ample testimony on these forums that Benson knew EXACTLY what kind of person Philip Lee was. Even if he didn't experience "the Philip treatment" (as some brothers in Anaheim coined it) firsthand, it was reported to him by others who he had good reason to believe were faithful witnesses. So why would Benson, in his right mind, "follow" Philip Lee? Why wouldn't he do what anybody with any semblance of spiritual maturity, and even a basic understanding of the responsibilities of a Christian leader, would do under the circumstances - Go with others to Philip's boss (Witness) and DEMAND that he be removed immediately from any position of responsibility or influence.

Why didn't Benson do the right thing? Well, aron has given us the answer in the part quoted above. At best he was caught up in the garlic room of Witness Lee's La-la land where the reality of right and wrong are trumped by the subjective "feeling of life" as dictated by the person and work of Witness Lee, and at worst it was all of the above, taking Benson and the rest of us from the frying pan of the La-la garlic room to the fire of a cult-like system of error. My personal opinion is that it was probably something in between. But hey, what do I know, I'm just a 20-year "bitter former member" who can't bring himself to admit that Witness Lee was at one time an anointed minister.
-

Benson did not put up with that nonsense because he was "drugged" with the "feeling of life" in the garlic room, but because Lee made it clear that his "successor" would have to be "absolutely one" with him the same way Lee was with Nee. The exact same description, however, also characterized Titus Chu. Why would he put up with all the abuse from WL and PL, unless he desired to be his "true" successor.

Benson and Titus were really the two rivals for Lee's position. Personally, I still cannot believe that Titus lost. He definitely underestimated Benson. Titus was much more spiritual, scriptural, gifted as a speaker, and respected around the globe, especially in the Asian world, where many were already clamoring, "Nee, Lee, Chu." But Benson controlled LSM in Anaheim, and was as resolved as steel. Furthermore, I believe that Titus was more constrained by the truth and the Lord's righteousness. Benson, however, was free to employ every means possible, just as Lee had done before him, in order to justify the end game. All the events surrounding the Whistler Quarantine seem to prove this.

[NewManLiving]

So much for the Lord's Testimony. They all failed the test starting with Witness Lee. Absolute power corrupts. It is not found in the NT. When in comes right down to it WL was willing to sacrifice the entire Body for oneness with himself, his ministry, and the erroneous New Way. The blendeds have this same spirit. What hypocrisy! There is only one fact: Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life! Everything else is garbage.

Repent for the Kingdom of the Heavens is at hand!

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by NewManLiving

So much for the Lord's Testimony. They all failed the test starting with Witness Lee. Absolute power corrupts. It is not found in the NT. When in comes right down to it WL was willing to sacrifice the entire Body for oneness with himself, his ministry, and the erroneous New Way. The blendeds have this same spirit. What hypocrisy! There is only one fact: Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life! Everything else is garbage.

Repent for the Kingdom of the Heavens is at hand!

I'll never understand how Lee would sacrifice the entire Body for his reprobate, profligate, prodigal sons.

[TLFisher]

Originally Posted by Ohio

I'll never understand how Lee would sacrifice the entire Body for his reprobate, profligate, prodigal sons.

Actually it's quite simple. On another thread there was another writing posted of Steve Isitt's. He quoted WL in saying:

"This is not easy. The local church is not our personal enterprise. The local church is the property of the local saints, not some worker’s business. Some gifted persons put a local church in their pocket."

Contrary to our understanding Witness Lee DID treat the local churches as his personal enterprise. The local churches may have it's directors, but Witness Lee saw it as his personal business. Then and today if a local church doesn't benefit Living Stream Ministry in revenue, it is worthy of being replastered.
The local churches were apparently franchises what were a revenue source for Witness Lee and his children. It's just the revenue was filtered through LSM.

[UntoHim]

Originally Posted by Ohio

Benson did not put up with that nonsense because he was "drugged" with the "feeling of life" in the garlic room, but because Lee made it clear that his "successor" would have to be "absolutely one" with him the same way Lee was with Nee. The exact same description, however, also characterized Titus Chu. Why would he put up with all the abuse from WL and PL, unless he desired to be his "true" successor.

You missed my point (again.) Nothing you post here is contradictory to the part of my post that you even put in BOLD:

Originally Posted by UntoHim

..where the reality of right and wrong are trumped by the subjective "feeling of life" as dictated by the person and work of Witness Lee.

So I'm not sure what you are disagreeing with. Are you saying that objective right and wrong was not superseded by the dictates made clear by Witness Lee? Even to this day the term "the feeling of life" or "the feeling of the Body" are used in such a way. Maybe these terms weren't used in the GLA as much as in So.Calif and Texas when Lee was alive. If so, what other terms were used when people were put in the dilemma of going against their conscience and against the Word of God?

Why would Benson put up with all the abuse? I don't know for sure. Ask him. But I highly suspect, and my 40 years of experience in and out of the Movement tell me, it wasn't just his lust for being Lee's successor, but rather he was under the spell, just like all of us. And that, my dear friend, was the point of my post.
-

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by UntoHim

You missed my point (again.) Nothing you post here is contradictory to the part of my post that you even put in BOLD:

So I'm not sure what you are disagreeing with. Are you saying that objective right and wrong was not superseded by the dictates made clear by Witness Lee? Even to this day the term "the feeling of life" or "the feeling of the Body" are used in such a way. Maybe these terms weren't used in the GLA as much as in So.Calif and Texas when Lee was alive. If so, what other terms were used when people were put in the dilemma of going against their conscience and against the Word of God?

Why would Benson put up with all the abuse? I don't know for sure. Ask him. But I highly suspect, and my 40 years of experience in and out of the Movement tell me, it wasn't just his lust for being Lee's successor, but rather he was under the spell, just like all of us. And that, my dear friend, was the point of my post.
-

Sorry to miss your point! Again!

If we said the same thing, great!