Quote:
Originally Posted by Matt
Hope,
Let me clarify. It is a primary responsibility to take care of a child's environment. Even when a parent tries to put their child in a good environment they cannot control everything. This is very true, but to realize that you did put your child in a bad environment (knowingly or unknowingly) should generate a remorseful response about the environment and not a defensive one that tries to carve out a very, very, very small section of the bad environment as being better. This is what you have done. You've basically said, "We tried to do better and Dallas wasn't as bad as Houston, OKC, etc". The fact is that the whole thing was corrupted and unhealthy for kids.
Let me go straight to the crux of my concern.
Looking backwards do you believe that having your children in the LC environment was a good one for them? I'm asking a specific and direct question to you because your responses are pointing in many other directions towards various generalized anecdotals about others. This can be evasion, so I am just asking the direct question. Your response to this question may shut me up.
As you can tell by now (and before now) this thread has really bothered me. The role I've seen you play on this thread has really bothered me. I know you probably feel the same way about me right now. Sorry.
You used this statement to try and counter djohnson who was making an accusation. The devil's game is to accuse. However, it is also the Lord's job to accuse (or better said, convict). The Lord accuses and convicts the guilty for the purpose of repentance and mercy. The devil accuses for the purpose of condemnation and destruction. So, Biblically speaking it is not just the devil who does the accusing. God does it when it is righteous to do so. So again, I say that your statement in it's context was not Biblical. You were actually on a path towards accusation against djohnson that came a few posts later.
In this case, I think there is a level of righteousness to what djohnson has been saying that the system of the LC was very messed up and it has had a big impact on children who grew up there. Trying to paint one bad situation against the backdrop of other bad situations (among christianity) is evasion. If there was sin (and there was) then it should just be addressed and root causes determined. Roger said this better than I could.
Although, I do realize that there is need for balance I have no stomach for it when it is done BEFORE root causes are established as appropriate before the Lord.
I'm being very direct because to be terribly honest I am watching what appears to be a pattern of evasion in your posting. You are very, very smart and capable of moving around something like this so I am putting myself in the path (not as a pharisee), but as a little roadblock that you can move right around while others wonder what I am doing. I'm doing this in all seriousness before the Lord and not just to accuse, accuse, accuse.
Matt
|
Hello Dear brother Matt,
Just had an appointment not show up. Thus, I have a few minutes. The Lord put you on my priority list today so I will try to give some answers. I may write more later. It is up to the Lord and the environment.
ROOT CAUSE: DEPUTY AUTHORITY, DEPUTY AUTHORITY, DEPUTY AUTHORITY.
Secondary Cause: "The Work" as a parrallel entity.
Third Cause: Bad people gain position in heirarchy and cannot be challenged.
Fourth Cause: All of us have a fallen nature, flesh, old man, body of sin, natural life, some amount of conformation to the age-culture from which we came. But once position in heirachy is established, (see root cause) this side may be unchecked and the bad fruit comes out. Even very sincere Christians are subject to works of the flesh that war against the spirit.
Setting for the above causes to be developed: We are in a spiritual warfare. 98% plus of the dear ones in the local churches have no idea how to fight this warfare. I did not until I learned after I left. What a difference it has made in all areas of my Christian life, family life and business life.
Did anyone on purpose put there children in a bad environment? I hope not but I have done foolish things and seen plenty of foolish things done in regards to the children. (But that is not unique to the local churches. What is a problem is when the problems cannot be addressed. So here we have some common ground. Wow,
(I learned wow from FPO.)
Yes, having my children in the Dallas church environment was very good for them. Some of the finest Christians I have ever known were in the church in Dallas. I could list names and it would be like an honor roll of faith. The local churches were full of wonderful believers. I like to think of the following verse from Psalms when I think of Bud and Judy Philley, Thurman and Dianna Massey, Leon and Mary Ann Hunter, Gary and Chris Brashears, George and Cleo Whitington, Ed and Jerilyn Lamp, Tim and Valerie House, Mary and Milas Lizby, Buddy and Yvone Britt and on and on.
Ps 16:3, As for the saints who are in the earth, They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight. NASB
On the other hand, as the LSM developed (remember it was not always there) I began to isolate my children from the programs coming from So. California. There were some rotten characters who had wormed their way into "the Work". You will have to wait for the book to get the names but you probably already know some. From 1981 until I left Texas in 1986 I kept my children away from anything coming from Anaheim and kept them away from particular bad apple types. If I ever get to it, I plan to zero in on things and evil workers who really hurt children. Just as I have wonderful remembrance of the majestic ones, I am a lot madder at the evil workers than you are. I will speak of their deeds without mercy. The chariots of Jehu are coming. But Jehu made sure that he did not harm any of the servants or prophets of the Lord. Even at the time of Ahab, the Lord had 7,000 who had not bowed the knee to Baal. I will be very specific as to personalities and as to the actions. I do not believe in communist justice. That is if you know the criminal probably lives in a neighborhood then just send the entire neighborhood to Siberia and you know you got the criminal.
Now if you put the above together you know what I will write about. Maybe there is no need to write the rest of the history.
Thanks for the complement but I am not falling for that Matt.
I know you are way smarter than I. I am an old man now and I am experienced enough to know when I am over matched. I just happen to have my own set of information and experiences.
In Christ Jesus there is hope for us all,
Hope, Don Rutledge