Quote:
Originally Posted by zeek
Witness Lee was a merciless critic of individualism. I don't remember him ever saying a good thing about it. I think many of us will agree that in this he went too far. But, where do you draw the line? How much individualism is too much. Who makes the call and on what basis? It seems that it always the individual who decides. Is there ever a valid reason to give up that choice?
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I truly agree with the first part. Lee was determined that we stifle ourselves and follow him.
And the second part is always true. We do decide where to draw the line. (Well, unless we are in prison and can't even determine when we will get to eat lunch. But even then, hey can't make you think anything you don't agree to think.)
But there is an aspect of Christianity that does somewhat end aspects of individualism. But nothing like Lee taught. We are asked to terminate our prejudices and love our neighbors — all of them. The liberals and the conservatives. The gay and the straight. The black and the white (and every shade in between). We are asked to conform our lives to one that was righteous.
But that conformity is not like joining the Red Brigade. You don't have to wear a uniform and speak only the stuff provided in the indoctrination materials. It starts with instruction that we are "commanded" to obey. And it provides strength to obey, and grace when we don't. (Very unlike the LCM.) It sets a high standard and challenges us to rise to it, yet knows we will not achieve it in full.
Yet we are never expected to be just like anyone else. We are told that we will have different abilities and charges. We are not all just like all the others. As that great philosopher, Steve Martin once said "
Repeat after me. I promise to be different! I promise to be unique! I promise not to repeat things other people tell me to repeat!"
So the real questions become what kind of individualism is out and what kind is in. And maybe that is not the real question. It is whether you will be an individual who is in, or an individual who is out. And if someone suggests that you can be "in" as long as you check yourself at the coat room, then it is probably a sign that you don't belong because they are not letting you in.