Quote:
Originally Posted by aron
There were indeed localities where elders heeded Jesus' dictum and encouraged care for those unable to repay in this age, but those elders were going "against the tide", to re-phrase Angus Kinnear.
The tide in the LC was a tide of convention, convenience, and culture. In other words, expedience: everything for the "building up" was entirely of and for this age, fully human in motive and expression. But in its insistence that it was fully divine, and not like the "fallen" and "twisted" and "corrupted" expressions of dreaded "Christianity", it became the worst of all, and the least like heaven.
"As in heaven, so on earth" - not a chance. Where's the love? Where's the respect, attention, care, intrinsic to every creature, especially those made in God's image? No, it became all about "good building material" and uplifting "the ministry".
Look at James: "...if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, "You sit here in a good place," and you say to the poor man, "You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool," have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?…"
Probably not coincidental that Lee despised so much of James' epistle. It exposed the human element as seen in distinction-making aspects of his church-building scheme.
|
As a disclaimer in many of my posts and rants, it's not directed at the general brothers and sisters in the local churches, but at elders, co-workers, etc who are deemed "responsible brothers" and as such are the ones promoting the system.
Aron, asked where is the love? Look no further than the verse in Luke 6:32
If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
This type of love is conditional and reciprocal. If you're one who loves the ministry LSM publishes and only expresses positivity, you'll be loved. Anything less, there's no love.
This LC practice is contrary to the Bible. Nine instances it is said to "love your neighbor as yourself". There's no conditions attached.