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Originally Posted by aron
In Chinese culture, it's not the Western, egalitarian, "We hold these rights to be self-evident, that all men are created equal" idea that forms the basis of the social contract, but rather that people are valued only so much as they add value to the system, or network, of human relations.
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In Asian society, I see a great emphasis on belonging to a social web of reciprocal relations.
Here is Teresa Zimmerman-Liu:
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Originally Posted by Nigel Tomes
T. Zimmerman-Liu’s other paper seeks to “describe in detail how an indigenous Chinese Protestant group—the Local Churches—reconstituted guanxi during the twentieth century. It will show how in the process of redefining guanxi to make its members committed Christians, the Local Churches also Sinicized Christianity.” (Teresa Zimmerman-Liu, “From ‘Children of the Devil’ to ‘Sons of God’: The Reconfiguration of Guanxi in a 20th Century Indigenous Chinese Protestant Group,” p. 1, Department of Sociology, University of California, San Diego, Working Paper) She also asserts that, “The Local Church founders further sought to emphasize the elements of scriptural and historical Christianity that would most appeal to their audience of Republican-era (1911-1949) Chinese people.” [T. Zimmerman-Liu, “From ‘Children of the Devil’ to ‘Sons of God’...” p. 2 (emphasis added)] Again she says, “The Local Churches reconstituted guanxi relationships among their members, and they also Sinicized their version of Christianity.” (T. Zimmerman-Liu, “From ‘Children of the Devil’ to ‘Sons of God’...” p. 3 )
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Now, the Bible also presents us with parables of one-talented, two-talented, and five-talented servants. And Paul said that as star differs from star in glory so do the believers. Some shine more brightly than others. (1 Cor 15:41)
But the Asian model needs a "Spritual Giant" (LSM term), a "super apostle" (Paul's term) to give it social cohesion. And the rest of the Body, the People or Party or Church or whatever they call it, are defined in how they prop up the Maximum Brother. So in the PRC you had Chairman Mao. How could you not support Chairman Mao? Even today, 40 years after his death, you cannot criticize Mao. Social cohesion demands that we uplift the center and head. So a person becomes the stand-in for the State.
And the LSM variant was that "the ministry" should be supported. They called it "the practicality of oneness". How could you say that you are one, if you don't support the ministry? So a fallen, fleshly man becomes the stand-in for the kingdom of heaven. To me it's a completely culturally-derived model. It's "normal" for Nee and Lee, because that's their culture. And they did an impressive job of selling it to the naiive Westerners. Some of us even held on through all the "storms" and "rebellions" and "turmoils" that such a model engendered.