Quote:
Originally Posted by Ohio
This is quite an interesting observation. My initial thought was that those who witnessed abuse kept quiet because ...
- They were taught that it was the "spiritual" way to perfect brothers in the recovery
- They were taught that the brother (either WL or TC or any others) was god's deputy authority in the church
- They were in fear of offending the deputy lest they receive more serious judgment, as Meriam and Ham did
- They were also in fear that, by opening their mouth, they would "get it" next. Fear is a powerful deterrent for sure.
I'm also surprised that 77150 would link folly with abuse. I'm not sure if any "kept silent" because they did not want to be like the abuser. Most held the abuser's power in awe. Unconsciously, many learned bad habits watching their abuse. Bullies do tend to reproduce bullies. I have seen too much of that in others and even in myself, sorry to say.
Your application of "folly" in Proverbs 26 to LC leaders is an interesting one. |
In my experience there was no way to confront the abusive behavior without getting bogged down in the mire. There was the teaching of deputy authority, but I never took that to mean that any elder was a "pope". On the contrary I understood that to mean that if I submitted to the Lord and had my head covered by him, then I also had His authority. So if my conscience told me to speak, and I went to the Lord, and searched diligently to make sure I wasn't being motivated by something other than the Lord, then I was fully in line with the teaching of deputy authority. I don't think I was ever in fear of offending the deputy, nor did I really fear "getting it". Probably my biggest fear was that I had been duped by the LRC.
I think if you look on the behavior from the viewpoint of eternity it is easy to see it as folly. After all, the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord.