Quote:
Originally Posted by OBW
I realize that this is exactly the kind of thing that Lee was constantly trying to teach — a system in which everyone is everything.
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IMHO Witness Lee did this when it served his purpose to do so and created direct followers of him and his agenda instead of their own church and it's administration at the local level. Another way he would undermine the elders is by criticizing them publicly in front of people at his trainings. In this way he created loyalties to his ministry above that of the churches locally.
However when it suited his purpose he would suddenly change and claim special status and authority for himself e.g. the one oracle since 1945, etc. and this view would be advanced by his cheerleaders at LSM.
It sounds something like: "Yesterday I taught that we were all apostles but since you challenged me and my agenda I'm claiming special status above you with authority over you."
An example of this was when he taught we are all policemen and if he ever didn't follow the truth he should be openly challenged and called to account. This was after Max Rapoport was given the boot and he was blaming everyone for not calling Max out. Then in the late 1980's when John Ingalls, etc. called Witness Lee and his son Philip out suddenly everyone being a policeman wasn't in vogue anymore. Now it was all about
: this is my work, it's none of your business, you're just a bunch of school boys, I am the oracle, etc.