Quote:
Originally Posted by Hope
The tragedy was that the mistakes were with real people not with objects.
|
Brother Hope,
I do appreciate the fellowship and note that you have at least partly answered my speculative reasonings and questionings along this line, for which I thank you.
I think anyone in a leadership role ends up in situations like you describe but the weight in the case of the Local Church is multiplied by the feeling that the leader is, for lack of a better term, the acting God in the situation. Kicking things up the hierarchy makes perfect sense in that case. I don't have anything to help, maybe the guy who's closer to God has something.
I'm impressed by your story, receive your self-reporting and deeply sympathize. I'm going to be like that young sister's husband and not be an elder.
However, some men in authority arrive by grasping at power and, despite some teachings regarding being the slaves, would be instead little kings. I believe I heard brother Lee speak to this a number of times as a problem, not only with the ambitious elders but also with their wives who would comport themselves like First Ladies. I have to wonder, then, about the actions of those who did not take things as seriously as you did.
Your premise in addressing these things here, especially as they might touch Dallas, is that others were as you were (and are). And I think my query basically goes to the issue of how one got clothed with the mantle of "Deputy Authority" in the eldership in the first place since clearly some things did happen in some places that did not comport with good practice on a number of levels.
That you and others close to you struggled under a heavy yoke, as the oxen, is praiseworthy and in and of itself covers over a large number of mistakes in my book, including, perhaps, the wearing of such a yoke in the first place.
You have repeatedly spoken of "Deputy Authority" and as I understand that concept to have been taught and practiced, by virtue of obtaining a title by some means (I know not how), one's working became the expression of God's own will and thereby required the obedience of the saints and mistakes, if there were any that occurred purely, were covered by that same system.
Correct that impression, please, if it needs correcting.
My thought following this is, given Lee's general public identification of improper ones holding the position of eldership and the doctrines of obedience and the covering of mistakes, wouldn't this naturally produce a fertile ground, easily recognizable to most, for abusive situations of many kinds to develop?
Please note: this is expressly not directed to holding you or your close co-workers in your locality accountable for anything so please do not become defensive. I think everyone here, including those that have given you the hardest time here, recognize that you have always done and still do your best before the Lord and we are all thankful to Him for your portion.
Instead, I'm speaking of, say, an environment in another locality which would produce an inquisitorial approach to teenage hormones. You disclaim personal involvement in such things and declare your constant struggle to remain apart from them. Haven't you in this implicitly acknowledged that you knew such things were transpiring?
I'm not accusing you of anything in this, as if you could stop it by railing against the system or something. You left at your appointed time and that was surely from the Lord. I'm just really probing now to see if you honestly believe my prior story just could never have happened. Because the details you have provided here about seeking advice from "superiors" on how to give these practical points of help really seem to reinforce my prior speculations.
I apologize if I caused offense to you with my prior postings, or perhaps even with this one. I just don't think there's anything in the Elders' Training books about how to deal with teenagers in general and my realization is that the informal hierarchical and clerical system which did provide such information was not really well calculated to meet the actual need. (To say the least.) Which I kind of thought was the point of this whole subforum. (Which I take issue with in several ways myself.)
The system of "Deputy Authority" is self-perpetuating and self-replicating and demonstrably chews up the real people and spits them out. My story was an example of how that reasonably might come to pass in the circumstances. I believe you yourself are still stuggling to understand how it might have happened otherwise.
The Lord bless and preseve you, brother Hope.
YP0534