[Nell]

What do they want? Witness Lee was a worshipper of knowledge. He taught an expanded version of his knowledge of the Scriptures and he taught his followers the same. We were formerly his students too.

So I'm not much on dreams, but here's one I had on the way out the door a long time ago. I dreamed I was in the really big meeting hall in Irving. Sitting in a circle near the "back" of the hall were sisters. They were sewing denim jeans which were for sale. (I know...it's a dream, but hard to miss the parallel.) The verse came to me "You have made my Father's house a house of merchandise." Then I woke up.

At the time, there was a large presence of the Living Stream Ministry with books being printed downstairs in that hall. There was a significant presence of volunteers "serving the ministry". Members would travel from all over the area, mostly Texas and Oklahoma (to my knowledge), to "serve".
It's undeniable that the LSM is a house of merchandise.

So this "subscription" for money is a continuation of the worship of knowledge as taught by Lee. You can only consume so much printed merchandise. Now the move is toward controlling the digital merchandise.

Here's an interesting discourse by someone Lee used to quote--G. H. Pember in Earth's Earliest Ages, pp. 32-33.
Originally published in 1876

"And it is to be observed that God never, since the fall of Man, revealed anything to gratify a mere thirst for knowledge; but only such matters as may sufficiently illustrate His everlasting power and Godhead; our own fallen condition with its remedy of unfathomable love; and the promise of a speedy deliver deliverance from sin, a complete restoration to His favor, and a never-ending life of perfect obedience and perfect joy.

Knowledge in this life is a gift fraught with peril: for our great task here is to learn the lesson of absolute dependence upon God, and entire submission to His will. His dealings with us now are to the end that He may withdraw us from our own purpose, and hide pride from us (Job 33:17).

But knowledge, unless it be accompanied by a mighty outpouring of grace, causes undue elation. It was the vision of knowledge which filled the breast of our first parent with impious aspirations, and made her follow the tempter in hoping to be as God. ...

...Except by special grace, man seems incapable of bearing the slightest weight of power upon his shoulders without losing his balance.

So, Discombobulated, "How can we be The Gods Expression on earth by these kind of behavior?" Easy answer: "we can't".

Nell