Quote:
Originally Posted by aron
Even if you had no prior information about this movement, the fact that they incessantly prop up their human leaders, their "character" and "person" and "constitution" is a huge red flag, for reasons outlined in Ohio's post. The subsequent uncovering of the shenanigans, going back over decades, confirms the initial assessment. I got fooled. They seemed to be genuine Christians ...
|
I, of course, still believe that they all are genuine Christians, at least all the leaders I knew back in the 70's, 80's, and 90's. Reading the NT carefully one can see that many Christian leaders will fail us, falling into sin, immorality, or financial corruption. Dangers abound. Beware of false teachers and prophets. We should be careful never to interpret these ones in scripture as fakes or non-Christians. Apologist Ravi Zacharias is a recent example of a well-respected Christian who fell into sin. Many more can be cited.
Back during the "new way" of the late 80's, when I went to Taiwan to participate in the Lord's "up-to-date" move, there was a scandal breaking over the news concerning televangelists Jim and Tammie Bakker. Regularly I was reminded by LC and LSM leaders, and WL himself, that the Recovery was altogether holy, pure, godly, and absolutely free from any sort of financial, sinful, or moral corruption as we saw played out on the media.
I believed it all.
I got fooled too! How could I know? Am I responsible for that which I was unaware of?
Fast forward to the Midwest Quarantines, which really started behind the scenes after WL passed, and gained momentum after Y2K. Now we all had the internet, the old Bereans forum began, and even Plymouth Brethren writings were now available. The written accounts of a number of well-respected former members, like John Ingalls of Anaheim, were digitized and posted for internet availability. The number of honest and believable testimonies that became available during the quarantine was overwhelming.
It was a light shining in a dark place, the rotten spirit hidden in LSM past.
On several occasions WL told us all from the podium concerning John Ingalls that "
People Change." Yes, they do. But it was not John Ingalls who changed. He was faithful unto death. It was WL who changed.