Quote:
Originally Posted by awareness
bb & Freedom,
You guys that grew up in the local church prove that what I saw happening back in the late 1970s, became the only results possible, when Witness Lee, and the elders, began to declare that Witness Lee was the oracle/apostle/authority on the earth : a movement that went from Spirit led, to a movement that's man/men led.
Now I admit that it was probably Lee led from the beginning. And that it was my idealism's that gave me the impression that the local church was Spirit led ; my idealism's and that of the brothers and sisters that were caught up in the same or similar idealism's.
I now conclude that being idealistic makes us see things that aren't there. And since they aren't there, but are mere illusions, we're eventually going to be disappointed by them.
I remember well how difficult is was coming out of the local church. I don't think I could possibly imagine what it would be like coming out after growing up in the local church (nor like Lisbon and Ohio, that were in 40 and 30 yrs, respectively.)
So I stand with you brothers, all of you, on your journey and struggle to work your way out of the local church. Just remember that what you find after leaving will prolly be like a rebound relationship: temporary. And that coming out of the local church is like the growing of a new life; and that that new growth is unpredictable. So decide and commit carefully, and be careful with idealism's. And good luck. I stand with you, in heart, mind, and spirit.
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I get the sense that you place a lot of the blame on yourself and your idealism which led to following Witness Lee which in turn led to many negative experiences in life. I feel that the Lord wants to tell you that you shouldn't blame yourself, as he also told me when he exposed to me how much I dwelt on regrets and self blame for foolish decisions made in the past, also stemming from idealism.
Children are by nature trusting and idealistic and Jesus implies that the kingdom of heaven is filled with children, so Jesus can't be against these qualities. Unfortunately this nature allows children to be easily taken advantage of and misled, and concerning the people who do such things to children, Jesus says, it would be better for them not to live but to commit suicide! (Matthew 18:6)
Perhaps idealism can lead us either to doom or to life. God also likens us to sheep and sheep are born with the need to follow something, perhaps idealistically so. Maybe the problem lies in who we were actually following and not the mechanism God gave us to do so. Witness Lee was advertising Jesus but he was really selling us himself and at best a leavened version of the real thing.
If Witness Lee was a false shepherd, then perhaps God struck him down in our hearts by exposing him for who he was. Now that us sheep have been scattered perhaps we are all in the process of trying to hear the voice of the true Shepherd so that we can come to him to have life.
In Ezekiel 34 God seems to place the blame on false shepherds rather than faulting sheep for their idealism in following or trusting the wrong thing. On the other hand Jesus does remind us to be wise and to look out for wolves in sheep's clothing so that we are not deceived.
Ezekiel 34
... What sorrow awaits you shepherds who feed yourselves instead of your flocks. Shouldn’t shepherds feed their sheep? 3 You drink the milk, wear the wool, and butcher the best animals, but you let your flocks starve. 4 You have not taken care of the weak. You have not tended the sick or bound up the injured. You have not gone looking for those who have wandered away and are lost. Instead, you have ruled them with harshness and cruelty. 5 So my sheep have been scattered without a shepherd, and they are easy prey for any wild animal. 6 They have wandered through all the mountains and all the hills, across the face of the earth, yet no one has gone to search for them.
7 “Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 8 As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, you abandoned my flock and left them to be attacked by every wild animal. And though you were my shepherds, you didn’t search for my sheep when they were lost. You took care of yourselves and left the sheep to starve. 9 Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord. 10 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I now consider these shepherds my enemies, and I will hold them responsible for what has happened to my flock. I will take away their right to feed the flock, and I will stop them from feeding themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths; the sheep will no longer be their prey.