Having just stepped into another minefield, I have to admit that I am less and less concerned with the ongoing errors of the LRC (others are dealing with those quite well), but more and more concerned about how we have simply replaced one kind of dogma for another. Maybe not as extreme a dogma, but dogma nonetheless.
We are too often busy lobbing well-deserved grenades over the LRC’s fence to notice that while we may have moderated our position on Christianity, we still have so many of the problems with it that we never imagined were there until Lee and his lackey’s told us about them. We have jettisoned “the ground” but somewhat condemn ourselves to actually proving Benson’s (and others’) claims that you just can’t go on anywhere else.
Why? Because they have a choir. Or they have a rock band. Or they actually say the words “go to church.” The list goes on and on. We continue to determine that the errors of denominationalism are what we were told because we can find evidence of some spiritual or doctrinal error occurring inside of some of them in some locations (assemblies). Or we distrust even elders because we know of an elder that (fill in the blank with whatever evil or error).
We want to encourage the LRC membership to feel free to jump ship, then turn around and declare that most of everything else is no better. If that is the case, if your particular city doesn’t have and real dealings with Anaheim (as far as the average member can tell) and has some real spiritual camaraderie, why exchange the devil you know for a different devil?
Are we that unhappy with where we have gone? Is it really worse than that little group in Corinth that Paul had to chastise so severely? In most cases, I bet it is not.
Yes, you can find issues with some of the older denominations. I note that there is about to be another split in the Lutheran ranks over the recent ordination of an actively gay preacher/priest. It is unfortunate that there is no one with the status of Paul to kick that in the head. But there isn’t. But the fact that this happens is not proof that the LRC is right. Or more importantly it is not proof that the LRC is the “only true church.” And it does not make any other group (and maybe even member assemblies of that group) spiritually unfit.
It is interesting that when we first linked-up with the LRC in the early/mid 70s, there was a significant movement underway that brought many Christians together despite their preferences in meeting or doctrine. To some extent, it was precursor to much of the breaking down of walls between groups that has increased over the years since.
But the LRC offered a different way. Form yet another sect and specialize in pointing at everyone else’s flaws.
Reminds me of a song from the Sesame Street movie, “Follow That Bird.” Oscar the Grouch sings the "Grouch National Anthem" which includes the lines:
Let this be your grouchly cause
Point out everybody’s flaws
Something is wrong with everything
Except the way I sing
Doesn’t take much modification to make it an anthem for the LRC. The question is, have we completely stopped singing it?
I keep finding that I have not. And then for some period of time after each realization, I struggle to reset my mind, by the Spirit, to have the mind of Christ rather than just the mind of Lee. I’m sure that it will continue.