Shepherding Words "From The Co-Workers In The Lord's Recovery"

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Freedom

I briefly skimmed through these, and it's hard to believe that LC people can remain content reading these things without demanding better answers. In regards to much of the external criticism that the LC has faced in the past, it seems like their standard response has always been to say that those people didn't know what they were talking about or that they were deliberately mischaracterizing the LC.

Years ago I remember reading things that didn't seem to make much sense, e.g. the justification for suing brothers under the guise of "appealing to Caesar." But I was taught to "trust the brothers." And a good amount of group think definitely existed in those days. Besides Titus Chu had a reputation for calling out everyone, as if he and Lee alone were the only faithful brothers on earth. Who was I to demand better answers?

It was only years later that I learned from reading Speaking The Truth in Love that TC backed down to WL in order to protect Philip Lee, and then kowtowed to WL by threwing John Ingalls under the bus. That side of the story was never relayed to us.

With the strict and regimented hierarchy in the Recovery, WL really only had to control about a dozen brothers around the globe, and he could basically get away with anything. Remember the motto: "We do as we are told!" Problem was, some of these brothers followed God and not man, even though they had once believed that "following this man's vision was the same as following God."

[Freedom]

Originally Posted by Ohio

Years ago I remember reading things that didn't seem to make much sense, e.g. the justification for suing brothers under the guise of "appealing to Caesar." But I was taught to "trust the brothers." And a good amount of group think definitely existed in those days. Besides Titus Chu had a reputation for calling out everyone, as if he and Lee alone were the only faithful brothers on earth. Who was I to demand better answers?

Yeah, I think definitely a lot of people in the LC don't think it's their place to be asking the type of questions that really need asking. It does seem as though that people in the LC are starting to realize that things don't quite add up (whether they will admit to it or not). The shepherdingwords.com site didn't pop up for no reason. Ron Kangas didn't go on an angry rant during the summer training for no reason. The minute people in the LC start asking questions, it threatens the very existence of the LC.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Freedom

Yeah, I think definitely a lot of people in the LC don't think it's their place to be asking the type of questions that really need asking. It does seem as though that people in the LC are starting to realize that things don't quite add up (whether they will admit to it or not). The shepherdingwords.com site didn't pop up for no reason. Ron Kangas didn't go on an angry rant during the summer training for no reason. The minute people in the LC start asking questions, it threatens the very existence of the LC.

These Blendeds are their own worst enemies. Ron Kangas has been blaming everybody else for decades. He aims at everything that moves. He even took potshots at his own wife. Oh the arrogance found only in Laodicea.

We heard broken promises coming out of Anaheim for decades. Don't they think people remember anything? And young people tend to move around the country for education and jobs. Don't they think that news of what they did to destroy all the Midwest LC's would be talked about? It's one thing to sue another publisher for calling them a cult, but what about when you sue your brothers in the Midwest?

[Freedom]

Originally Posted by Ohio

These Blendeds are their own worst enemies. Ron Kangas has been blaming everybody else for decades. He aims at everything that moves. He even took potshots at his own wife. Oh the arrogance found only in Laodicea.

Something tells me that the LC collapse has already begun. They have zero ability to self-reflect, and such a system can only last so long. To me it seems apparent that they have become desperate, willing to go to any lengths to defend themselves.

Even in the past, their attacks were generally limited to prominent leaders, not the rank and file members. But recently those like Ron have shown that they will stop at nothing, even if it results in an extremely tragic outcome.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Freedom

Something tells me that the LC collapse has already begun. They have zero ability to self-reflect, and such a system can only last so long. To me it seems apparent that they have become desperate, willing to go to any lengths to defend themselves.

Even in the past, their attacks were generally limited to prominent leaders, not the rank and file members. But recently those like Ron have shown that they will stop at nothing, even if it results in an extremely tragic outcome.

The Blendeds really are those "with Lee." They were with him for years, publicly and privately. By now, all of these ones are also well aged, passed on, or expelled in past storms. How can they continue with those in the lead who were with those who were with Lee?

[Trapped]

Originally Posted by Ohio

The Blendeds really are those "with Lee." They were with him for years, publicly and privately. By now, all of these ones are also well aged, passed on, or expelled in past storms. How can they continue with those in the lead who were with those who were with Lee?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't "co-worker" initially mean decades ago "the brothers who were co-working with Lee"?

[aron]

Bringing this quote from another thread, as my reply is more relevant here:

Originally Posted by Freedom

When these articles get put out, they really aren't fooling anyone, including those in the LC. It is simply propaganda telling people what to believe. Whether it is out of fear or it is out of stupidity, LCers choose to believe what they are told.

I think that these articles only address the concerns of a minority, who are willing to receive what is said on face value, and "sail on", as Witness Lee urged. Most will probably look to multiple sources of information, and try to reconcile them. And as more information emerges,
from non-DCP sources, these articles are then seen as little more than brief (perfunctory) talking points.

I was interested to see, for example, an article on Eastern Lightning/Church of the Almighty God (EL) sect. DCP of course unequivocally denies any commonality whatever. But if you read this forum, someone posted here about the similarities. Deceptive recruiting practices are used in both (see the Jo Casteel testimony). Complete unquestioning submission to group leadership is expected. Etc.

Even where DCP appears to have distance, it certainly isn't as far as they wish! They write that WL "loved" the word of God, whilst EL categorically dismisses it. How could they not be more dissimilar, right?

Yet if you read RecV footnotes, probably 2/3 of the Psalms (100 chapters, a lot of material) gets dismissed out of hand as "fallen human concepts", completely at variance with NT reception of the same material. Not to mention similar issues with James, Peter, Proverbs, Job, etc.

And I remember reading that one of the slogans when the LSM entered China was, "The age of the word is over, it is the age of the spirit". Now, they will deny that, or say it was a rogue operative, but that's what was happening. Yet they deny any responsibility whatever. I doubt that. They managed the message carefully, from what I remember. People were not supposed to deviate from the script. Dong Yu Lan and Titus Chu followed Lee very closely, and their methodology was taken right from the LSM playbook.

As did, it seems, most of the Krazy Kults that LSM's efforts led to. One article reviewing 12 mainland cults, tied 8 of the 12 back to Witness Lee and LSM actions. He himself said of one, "They worship me as a god." This was the Lord Changshou Shouters. And of course he disapproved. But he could not [would not] see how his efforts had brought such catastrophes. He was Deputy God, after all. He simply could not err.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Trapped

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't "co-worker" initially mean decades ago "the brothers who were co-working with Lee"?

To be honest with you, I viewed "co-workers" as the older paid staff, and "full-timer" as junior paid staff. Everyone in the Recovery was "with Lee," whether in Anaheim or not.

I knew one "co-worker" who left the program and was forced to support himself working on a commission. He told me that for the first time he was living by faith.