[OBW]

I see your perspective. I never suggested that outsiders had a hand in everything that was going on in Houston.

But there were always things that the scripture taught that did not square with ministry teachings. Or with the practice, which was considered right, was out-of-sync with certain teachings which were also considered right. So how were those made to coexist? There was some kind of contradiction of one that used an overlay, such as "its not about right and wrong, but the spirit" or "deputy authority is always right."

These kinds of things are an insidious control. You become entrenched in a world that is contradictory but are given a reason to accept it. Since outsiders will not go along with the contradictions, you become isolated and at the mercy of those providing the contradictions. And in terms of control, it has begun at a low level. The comments about the leadership really deals with the fact that they, even at dates in the 70s, knew the whole story — or more of it — and had to deal with those who were trying to be more "absolute" for the LRC and might recognize the contradictions. So they were given things to say that would make it better. The things that put the contradiction front and center, but provided a reason to accept it. The less absolute were willing to ignore some of the contradiction, not because they didn't see it, but because they thought something else was more important and a little stupidity could be tolerated.

But if we always looked at the single thing put in front of us "today" and accepted that as a discrete truth, then looked at its contradiction on another day and then accepted it as a discrete truth, we may simply have never realized the contradiction. So if right and wrong are unimportant, only the spirit, then how do we reconcile that the mind set on the Spirit, walking by the Spirit will fulfill the righteousness (the "right") of the law. For many, they just don't think about it that way. For those that do, they end out like AZ, frustrated at the contradictions. Yes, he was probably happy with a few back in the late 70s, but became thoroughly frustrated with them by 89.

But even in the 70s, it began a level of mental control. Then the events in Berkley, Chicago, Houston, Austin, Anaheim, and others at Memorial Day started a move of control. The exertion of authority over the elders started then. Then the following year, when they chased off Max, it was increased. We did not see it. But the elders did.