Quote:
Originally Posted by Terry
Of course by not being entirely truthful. A Christian congregation may meet in what's labeled as ground of locality, but unwilling to subscribe to a specific ministry. It's that unwilligness that is "de-legitimized".
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Right, it's always something. Maybe the church meeting on the ground of locality does follow Witness Lee, but doesn't follow the BBs in lockstep. The BBs have no compunction in labeling such churches as "rogue" churches. The BBs can pull any rabbit out their hat they want to exert control over churches, and have shown they will.
Basically being branded a non-church is held out as a threat to keep churches in line. This is decidedly not biblical. No "work" or any other body has the right to claim a church isn't a church simply because it failed to go along with some program. The apostles never invalidated churches. Only Jesus has the right to do that (Rev. 2:5)
On one hand it's amazing how effective this strategy is. On the other, for a simple Christian family in a city, simply trying to live their life to the Lord, why would they want to rock the boat? It takes a lot of inertia to take on the risk of being branded, of losing friends, of being displaced, especially when you are not clear on the facts and have being effectively brainwashed that God is going to back the powers that be even when they are flat out wrong.
It's craziness and I ache for those saints who are subjected to such manipulation and control. They are why I post here. God help us all.