[NeitherFirstnorLast]

Chapter 1 Con't: On the Difficulty of Treating Lee's Theology Fairly

"A particular problem of trying to summarize Local Church teaching is worth noting in anticipation of whatever response Witness Lee or his spokespersons may wish to make to this revision of The God-Men. The psychological dynamic or spiritual experience taught by the Local Church is described as a subjective experience giving a "standard of sprituality" that is "extremely vague and obscure". The experience of God is viewed as noncommunicable, noncognitive, nonpropositional. It is sensed, felt, even smelled or tasted...

...When the "vague and obscure" are absolutized, precision, their opposite, is depracated almost as a matter of course. For example, any attempts to approach biblical language as a vehicle of meaning, are routinely relegated by the LC to a status so inferior as to be virtual evidence of a "backslidden" condition. The stress is always on subjective experience. ( NFnL's note: "Get out of your mind, brother!")

...In all of Witness Lee's writings there is not a single major statement that is not elsewhere qualified in several different directions. Sometimes major statements are turned on their heads altogether by the affirmation of contradictory points."

I wanted to excerpt this bit because it shows that the author was familiar enough with Lee's written work that he recognized that giving it a thorough treatment was going to be difficult. He even wanted to offer Lee an opportunity to respond. Remember that SCP went to Anaheim twice and met with Lee's representatives, they sent a telegram and two certified letters, and sought an audience with Lee. They even went for "a third visit to the Local Church's Anaheim headquarters during a Sunday morning teaching session (which) provided an opportunity for our SCP researcher to introduce himself to Witness Lee. Dominating the conversation that followed, Lee expressed anger toward the SCP and defended his teachings. Yet he avoided any direct response to the researcher's questions." (page 10). SCP did what they could to meet with the man and allow him to speak for himself, or even to (at the very least) respond in writing. They were shut down and ignored, despite their due diligence.

As for those who yet revere the teachings of WL, the kind of assessment made here might make you uncomfortable. But is it unfair? We have said this very same thing about WL's teachings many times already on this forum.