[UntoHim]

Originally Posted by Dave

UntoHim…. I don't believe this is lightly moderated.

This forum started about 6 1/2 years ago, and you haven't been around for 6 1/2 weeks, sorry but I'm going to have to let you know that the facts don't back you up on this one, my man. But that does not take away from the fact that you have been a breath of fresh air around here. You have already scattered enough dry bones to make it all worth while!

You’re not crazy about talking about the Bible (see my first quote of you above) nor do you want Politics even though you allowed a very political message to go untouched (you even reposted the link).

I'm so crazy about talking about the Bible that I think that most of the people around this place think that I'm crazy. Seriously, the quote you provided only shows that I don't consider the Bible's authenticity (and inerrancy in a selective sense) to be up for general debate on this forum. This was not an issue in the ministries of Watchman Nee or Witness Lee (or in the Local Church movement since Lee's passing) that I know of, so discussions involving these matters are a distraction, in my view, from the general theme of the forum.

I was one of those lurking former LC people who decided to give it a try. I have posted extensively about my Christian background to include my time in the LC, why I left and my life afterwards although there was not a lot of interest---no posts.

I think there has probably been a lot of interest, it's just that things have gotten a little muddled up with all this political wrangling. I for one am very interested in the path that you have found yourself on since leaving the LC movement. Apparently there is at least one other forum member that has had significant history with you back in the Santa Cruz days, and this really, really intrigues me, and I can't help but think that others wouldn't be interested as well.

The only time you are going to have people post is when there is some controversy. It makes it more interesting. Who are these people lurking, and what do they want to hear?

So there is not enough controversy in discussing the teachings, practices and history of the Local Church movement? Surely you must not be talking about this, right? So you think that only political controversy and controversy surrounding the authenticity of the New Testament counts as controversy?

I know for a fact that a number of current LC members lurk here, and in fact, at the risk of having the LSM secret police version of Homeland Security come after me, I know that certain people who have access to the secured servers at the Living Stream Ministry lurk here. But it's only those curious rank and file LC members that I'm concerned with, and it is not so much what they want to hear, but what they need to hear.

Let me add this. I appreciate your noble goal of having ex-LCers come on the forum and discuss orthodox doctrine, living experiences and related items. It's not going to happen the way you hope only because you will end up with people who believe exactly the same and it will get boring. People who have left have developed different perspectives and within reason I think they should be able to express themselves with other members disagreeing, quoting scripture etc to point out why they disagree.

And I appreciate your noble efforts as well, as misplaced as they may be. You see, as I think I made somewhat clear this morning, the goal is not to "discuss orthodox doctrine, living experiences and related items" - the goal is to have a open and safe place for discussions regarding the teachings, practices and history of the Local Church movement. If these discussions take place (albeit within reason as you say) then I hardly doubt that they would be boring in the least. Yes, there will be disagreeing, sometimes even heated disagreeing, but that's what makes a horse race, right?