Quote:
Originally Posted by Ohio
Though rayliotta has presented this in "courser" terms than I might use, he is accurate, based on all we now know. Though most of us were not actual witnesses of these events, we do have the accounts and the testimonies of most of the parties involved. We can now read both sides and formulate honest opinions.
I personally believed WL's account of the story, supported by so many "testimonies," which were recorded in Fermentation..., for 15 years. At the time, no brother I knew in the Ohio area, spoke anything different. If they knew better, they were silent about it. Only one opportunistic, and not very well-respected, young worker from the region was even included in the book. In the absence of dissenting opinions, the book was accepted in the GLA as "accurate."
We in the GLA never did have the opportunity to weigh the facts individually. There is a reason that the American judicial system demands a "jury of peers." Common folks like us should be able to discern the facts, without a carte blanche acceptance of one side's version of the story based on the decision of TC in Cleveland, who held to some misguided Chinese principle that, "my father's mistakes are none of my business." That principle, like so many other "human traditions," was used to trump the Biblical mandates concerning "bearing false witness." Using such "principles," WL has continually escaped all culpability. History shows us this pattern of abuse, and subsequent endorsements by regional leaders, allowed WL to continue unchecked from the time of WN's imprisonment until WL's death.
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In my experience I was in Taipei when this took place. It was made abundantly clear to me that even asking for details about what happened would put suspicion on you as being rebellious. We were not allowed to discuss it, we were not allowed to ask saints from the region what was going on, it was very clear that those from Anaheim and the area were terrified to even discuss it and felt that they were under constant surveillance.
To me this is the lesson that I take from this that yes, the Biblical mandate is that we should be able to examine the truth for ourselves and be fully persuaded in our own conscience. Any person or group that tries to prevent you from doing that should be considered extremely suspect (red flashing lights and alarm bells should go off inside your head).