The Last Chaper of A Future and A Hope is now posted!

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Igzy

The whole LC lexicon of authority and leadership needs to be thrown out and re-defined. It's clear what they believe in this area leads to heavy-handed backroom politics, power-struggles and division.

The Lord is so wise. Who else would have thought of defining leadership as servant-hood? You lead, you trust the Lord, and if people don't go along with you, you don't make a fuss about it. You just continue to be faithful. The Lord's sheep will hear His voice of leadership. You don't need to force it on anyone.

That's the model the Lord defined.

It's hard for me to believe that the entire LC system of abuse, control, mistreatment, public shaming and bullying was due solely to comments made by WN about how harshly Margaret Barber rebuked him. First of all, there is no scriptural justification whatsoever, in fact, the Apostle Paul repeatedly testified how he behaved just the opposite. Secondly, the source of this bad pattern was a sister.

[Cal]

Originally Posted by Ohio

It's hard for me to believe that the entire LC system of abuse, control, mistreatment, public shaming and bullying was due solely to comments made by WN about how harshly Margaret Barber rebuked him. First of all, there is no scriptural justification whatsoever, in fact, the Apostle Paul repeatedly testified how he behaved just the opposite. Secondly, the source of this bad pattern was a sister.

It's like a cake, there are several ingredients. ME Barber, Chinese culture, fanaticism, misplaced earnestness, ambition, hubris, and what John Myer called "simple group dynamics."

Once a system takes root that defines blind following as a virtue, and asking questions as a vice, leaders can pretty much lead the group around by the nose, especially when you back it up with threats of "1000 years in outer darkness."

[Cal]

Originally Posted by Igzy

It's like a cake, there are several ingredients. ME Barber, Chinese culture, fanaticism, misplaced earnestness, ambition, hubris, and what John Myer called "simple group dynamics."

Once a system takes root that defines blind following as a virtue, and asking questions as a vice, leaders can pretty much lead the group around by the nose, especially when you back it up with threats of "1000 years in outer darkness."

There's no getting around it. It's a cult mentality. By definition.

The LRC is not the first or currently only place this is happening. There have been a lot of personality cults, from the benign, like the Worldwide Church of God, to the lethal, like the Branch Davidians.

[OBW]

Please tell me that we are not joining the "Christianity is a male religion" firestorm.

Blaming gender is a kind of ad hominem unless you agree that Christianity is simply male/paternalistic.

[Cal]

Originally Posted by OBW

Please tell me that we are not joining the "Christianity is a male religion" firestorm.

Blaming gender is a kind of ad hominem unless you agree that Christianity is simply male/paternalistic.

Only if you try real hard to fan the flames.

I'm pretty sure Ohio meant that given the LRC's low regard for the leadership value of sisters, it is out-of-character (i.e. hypocritical) for them to take signals from M.E. Barber, especially when those signals are about how to lead.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Igzy

I'm pretty sure Ohio meant that given the LRC's low regard for the leadership value of sisters, it is out-of-character (i.e. hypocritical) for them to take signals from M.E. Barber, especially when those signals are about how to lead.

The "brilliance" of OBW is truly amazing at times. He can see things in my posts that I never dreamed of.

Thanks for throwing me the life line.

[OBW]

Originally Posted by Ohio

The "brilliance" of OBW is truly amazing at times. He can see things in my posts that I never dreamed of.

Thanks for throwing me the life line.

I was really wondering about that "sister" comment. I didn't think about it from the LRC context. I was afraid you had gone of the deep end on us.

[TLFisher]

As I'm going through John Myer's text in Chapter 15, I came across this quote that coincides with Ohio's post on another thread.

"The LC Movement is a man-honoring system that creatively tweaks doctrine to fit circumstances. If LC members question the righteousness of certain deeds, they are characteristically told to turn from the Tree of Knowledge and just care for “Life.” Conveniently “life” trumps righteousness when it suits the leaders’ purpose."

Or for that matter when a question is raised that tests their integrity.

I do not receive glory from men; but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves. I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him. How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God? John 5:41-44

[TLFisher]

Okay, I had been hoping someone else would post but there's a portion from Chapter 15 that resonates with my sense of where the Recovery is at.

However, given the attitudes and personalities of individuals who occupy the Movement forefront today, it seems unlikely that humility will prevail from the top. Leaders in the Movement who have been guilty of wrongdoing will eventually leave this world, probably taking their unrepentant trespasses against so many others to the judgment seat of Christ. There, righteousness will no longer be delayed and ministry "spin" does not exist--neither diversionary talk about the tree of life, nor "the feeling of the body."

That will leave the job of repentance to others here today. Groups with a long history of poor dealings against members will do better confessing them in a unified and thorough manner rather than silently sweeping it all under a rug. Nor is it sufficient in the case of the Local Churches, to leave everything up to one cryptic apology from Witness Lee, who, toward the end of his life, felt the need to admit wrong attitudes.
Page 20 of Chapter 15