Churches That Abuse, by Ronald M. Enroth

[Nell]

http://www.ccel.us/churches.toc.html

This is the first book I read on the topic of spiritual abuse after leaving the LC. Of course, not everything is a fit for the Local Churches of Witness Lee, but there are amazing similarities.

Nell

[Nell]

I was really shocked to see this book years ago when I first bought it. I think I probably looked around to see if Ray Graver was watching me. :o I really used to do stuff like that.

What a sick puppy I was.

Nell

[countmeworthy]

What a sick puppy I was.

Nell

The operating word here is WAS! You are FREE and you are WELL now Nell! I hope there has been breakthrough with your family. If not, let not your heart be troubled. Deliverance is on His way! :hurray: :)

[Nell]

The Boston Movement is an example of the elitist orientation that is so pervasive in authoritarian-church movements. It alone has the Truth, and to question its teachings and practices is to invite rebuke. As Jerry Jones observes:
"When the Boston Movement is confronted with their wrong teachings, its practice is to attack the character and life of the questioner by claiming that he has "sin in his life." Such terms as "prideful," "independent spirit," and "rebellious" are used in answer to the inquirer. The Boston Movement believes that being "independent" or "critical" is sin.4"
The discipling hierarchy becomes a glorified informant network. As such, it is an effective means of control . . . Those being discipled were told what courses to take in school, what (Page 118) field to major in, what career to enter, whom to date or not date, and even whom to marry or not marry.5

The spiritual elitism of abusive churches can be seen in some of the terminology they use to refer to themselves: "God's Green Berets," "God's End-Time Army," the "faithful remnant," the special "move of God." As one ex-member put it, "We believed we were on the cutting edge of what God was doing in the world. I looked down on people who left our movement: they didn't have what it took. They were not faithful to their commitment. When everyone else got with God's program, they would be involved in shepherding just like we were." A former member of a group known as The Assembly (headquartered in Fullerton, California, and discussed later in this book) said, "Although we didn't come right out and say it, in our innermost hearts we really felt that there was no place in the world like our assembly. We thought the rest of Christianity was out to lunch."

Community Chapel's Pastor Barnett regularly reminded his followers that their church was special. "We've got to go on into a new thing that God has promised in his Word that no church has ever come into yet . . . Do you know of any other church in which people are loving each other with that same kind of unconditional love? I don't."

If abusive churches are exclusive and special, it follows that they will be targets for persecution, or so their leaders seem to feel. "It is the earmark of the last-day church that if God has promised it, and we are beginning to experience it, you know the devil's going to fight it."

This is in Chapter 11 of Churches that Abuse. I think this was the first book I read of this type, and I couldn't believe there was someone else just like the Local Church. Truly, there is nothing new under the sun. The tactics of God's enemy are the same.

Nell

[FoundHim]

I have also read this book and did find amazing similarities. For anyone currently in the LC and "loving it", I think you need to take a good hard look at what the LC has Been, as well as what it is today.

Does anyone know of another book that is helpful to others who do not understand what you have been through? I mean believers who never knew o of the LC. I have read some internet articles that were very good, but hard for anyone not in a cult like situation to understand.

I don't know why it is so important to me, to be understood, but it is. Maybe some of you can share your experience.

By the way for anyone who remembers me I am "searching". No longer searching, I found the Truth.

[finallyprettyokay]

Hello to the Poster Formally Known as Searching!!!! FoundHim, I have been wondering how you are. Good to see you!!! :hurray::hurray::hurray::hurray:

FPO

[finallyprettyokay]

I was really shocked to see this book years ago when I first bought it. I think I probably looked around to see if Ray Graver was watching me. :o I really used to do stuff like that.

What a sick puppy I was.

Nell

For I think 9 months, I would wake up in the middle of the night, in a cold sweat. I would have dreams about all the "Brothers" (capital B) lined up, yelling at me, shaking fingers at me, telling me how I was in so much trouble for leaving, blah blah blah.

Yeah, sick puppy. It was hard to get away from it.

You know, the first conference I went to, it was in 1970 (pretty sure), and it was downtown LA, at the Embassy Hotel and next door a conference was going on, and quite a few of the people attending were black, wearing African styles of clothing. I asked someone what it was, who they were. The answer was 'Oh, some group called the People's Temple'. Jim Jones. I have thought about that sometimes, the parallels.

So, hard as it was, at least we didn't end up in Guyana. There but by the Grace ----

toxic.


FPO

[Nell]

Hello all--

I was recently asked, "Is the LC a cult?" I'm bringing this topic Spiritual Abuse Titles to the top to help our guests and members to research this question and reach their own conclusions. There are other titles in this topic which you may find helpful.

This is an extremely inflammatory topic and IMHO should be handled with care and prayer.

Nell