Life in the Brothers/Sisters houses

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

How about a thread "Life in the brothers and sisters houses"? I have some experiences that I'd like to chat about and I'd like to know if they were unique or the same as others. I'd really like to know other's experiences.

It all depended on who you were with -- these were the best of times and the worst of times. I liked the fact that the LC's facilitated them, but not when they orchestrated them. To encourage and to even assist was great, but often it degenerated into arrangements that hurt more than helped. How are you supposed to live together in harmony with people you don't even know or like?

Lee also taught us not to have "natural relationships," which really confuses young people. We were taught that it was not necessary to even like the one you marry, since she was to be your "cross" anyway. I think those who survived Lee were those who learned how to compartmentalize their lives in the LC until a suitable exit strategy was implemented.

The early days were much better because the "commune" movement sprung out of the Jesus people movement in the late 60's / early 70's. Brothers and sisters wanted to live together for fellowship. Once corporate living became institutionalized, there became the need to draft "Rules for Corporate Living" or other such nonsense. (Stupid people always think that more laws will solve problems.) Church kids would use the brothers' house to enjoy new found liberties while still being supported by mommy and daddy, who hoped the house would do something for junior which they could not.

[Freedom]

Originally Posted by Ohio

The early days were much better because the "commune" movement sprung out of the Jesus people movement in the late 60's / early 70's. Brothers and sisters wanted to live together for fellowship. Once corporate living became institutionalized, there became the need to draft "Rules for Corporate Living" or other such nonsense. (Stupid people always think that more laws will solve problems.) Church kids would use the brothers' house to enjoy new found liberties while still being supported by mommy and daddy, who hoped the house would do something for junior which they could not.

The era of a non-institutionalized corporate living environment was long before my time. I presume there were still rules like no TV, but I'm guessing that they existed more as unspoken rules that everyone understood. Those who I know that have been around in the LC for a long time seem to attach some kind of spiritual connotation to forgoing "worldly" things like TV, music, etc. For those of my generation, forgoing these same things only happens through pressure and is often met with resentment.

This was exactly the experience I had in the corporate living. The rules were just rules. They didn't hold any meaning beyond being rules, and that's not to say that they should hold spiritual meaning, but without some type of concrete justification for these rules, they are purely punitive. One consideration that I had in retrospect, is that as an college student, I willingly signed an agreement to adhere to certain rules. Yes, I was an adult and no one forced me to do so. Considering the kind of rules there were; no movies, TV, dating, it all seems quite odd that I was willing to give up these things. Where else would you find adults willing to rescind their free will like that?

These days I would never dream of letting someone tell me that I can't watch TV or go see a movie. What was it that made me so happy to willingly give up the right to do those things? I can say that common sense wasn't a factor. If I had common sense, I would have known better. And I don't really see it as a matter of what rules were or weren't followed. It's the principle of it all. A church sponsored communal living situation should be for like minded people with who have common goals. The environment in which I lived was anything but that. It is for that reason that I generally feel resentful towards the environment I was in.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Freedom

The era of a non-institutionalized corporate living environment was long before my time. I presume there were still rules like no TV, but I'm guessing that they existed more as unspoken rules that everyone understood. Those who I know that have been around in the LC for a long time seem to attach some kind of spiritual connotation to forgoing "worldly" things like TV, music, etc. For those of my generation, forgoing these same things only happens through pressure and is often met with resentment.

This was exactly the experience I had in the corporate living. The rules were just rules. They didn't hold any meaning beyond being rules, and that's not to say that they should hold spiritual meaning, but without some type of concrete justification for these rules, they are purely punitive. One consideration that I had in retrospect, is that as an college student, I willingly signed an agreement to adhere to certain rules. Yes, I was an adult and no one forced me to do so. Considering the kind of rules there were; no movies, TV, dating, it all seems quite odd that I was willing to give up these things. Where else would you find adults willing to rescind their free will like that?

These days I would never dream of letting someone tell me that I can't watch TV or go see a movie. What was it that made me so happy to willingly give up the right to do those things? I can say that common sense wasn't a factor. If I had common sense, I would have known better. And I don't really see it as a matter of what rules were or weren't followed. It's the principle of it all. A church sponsored communal living situation should be for like minded people with who have common goals. The environment in which I lived was anything but that. It is for that reason that I generally feel resentful towards the environment I was in.

Things were also different due to technology. My little BnW TV got 3 fuzzy channels and PBS. I really wasn't paying much of a price. Besides life was just too busy with school and work. For about 2 decades of my life i basically lived in a void w.o. TV, and it started after high school, and not with the LC. I really have nearly no knowledge of news, sports, or TV programs from the early 70's to the early 90's.

My prog rock music, however, i began to miss during the height of the new way, which is quite telling. The church life was super busy and demanding, along with work and family obligations, and yet i became emptier inside. Initially i thought the problem was all me, and endured lots of guilt and condemnation in those days.

[TLFisher]

Originally Posted by Ohio

Lee also taught us not to have "natural relationships,"

Who cared what Lee thought. Not by design, but by circumstance the eldest brother in the house and myself spent many a Sunday afternoon at the local Starbucks. As the college age brothers were often being taken care of by responsible brothers.
Not all of our conversations were spiritual in nature, but expressing an enjoyment for football and realizing it's just temporary, but an entertaining distraction from the pressures of life.