[aron]

Originally Posted by aron

WL appreciated the gospel, promoted it, lived for it. Unfortunately he didn't stop there. For him, the gospel was an vehicle to co-opt the Christian church.

The Christian church was only a vessel to be remade in WL's own image. Apart from his ministry it was supposedly dark and corrupted, and was referred to as satanic, a whore, devilish, etc.

What's revealing to me is the difference in methodology in promoting the cause of co-optation. In China, there was no need for subtlety. There was a kind of blitzkrieg, scorched-earth policy. Get on board or get left behind.

Originally Posted by John Myer

A number of books recently published by Chinese scholars in English document the growth of Christianity in China (including its rapid growth in recent decades). One is Redeemed by Fire by Lian Xi, Professor of History at Hanover College. Xi reports that “In Henan [province] where the influence of the Shouters remained strong throughout the 1980s, many were baptized in the name of Li Changshou [Witness Lee], who they claimed was the ‘victor from the east’ prophesied in Isaiah, the ‘successor to Jesus’ and the one foretold in the Book of Revelation who would open the scroll and its seven seals” (p. 217].2 According to Professor Xi, “The Shouters,” were branded “an evil cult” by the Chinese government. Therefore, the LSM-Taiwan Gospel Bookroom church associated with them was labeled a "counterrevolutionary organization." In 1983, there was a crackdown on “the Shouters” with up to 2,000 arrests.

Admittedly, the Chinese government is not a spiritual entity and therefore not expected to discern the fine points of spirituality. Unregenerate humanity has always misunderstood “Him who was born according to the Spirit” and spoken against the church everywhere. But detection of errors such as those mentioned above hardly require spirituality, just a factual understanding of the historic Christian faith.

In addition, indigenous academic writers have begun to record the recent history of Christianity in China and they are not giving any strain of the LC movement [such as “The Shouters” of Witness Lee] a free pass, or a clean bill of health. Much to contrary, they are seriously questioning whether it is indeed a cult.

No doubt, Living Stream spokesmen would disavow extremes of thought by any of its manifestations in any country. But one can clearly see how attitudes and beliefs already highly questionable only need be coaxed a little before morphing into more bizarre ideas. For years in this country, odd myths floated around the LC Movement, claiming that Witness Lee had a “golden finger.” His Bible translation was a “gold bar.” He was called the “Acting God” and to many, at least in sentiment, his writings were on a par with the canonical writings of scripture. The Chinese proselytes who received his literature and visits from LSM representatives were not stupid. They quickly read between the lines, seeing that Lee was something of an elevated issue, and took it all an extra step.

An article on House-Church Networks in China edited by Tony Lambert, an expert on Christian groups in China and author of China’s Christian Millions (2006), provides information on the Little Flock and the Local Church in China. He notes that in general, older Little Flock leaders on the Mainland have kept to the milder ways laid down by Watchman Nee and denounced Lee’s teachings as divisive, even heretical. He also pointed out that “the Shouters have proved a fertile seed-bed for more extreme cults such as the Established King, The Lord God Cult and Eastern Lightning.” Kupfer adds, “Within some branches of the “Shouters” Li [W. Lee] has been worshipped as the second person of the Trinity, replacing Christ.” (2009).

http://assemblylife.com/witness-lee-...chapter-15.htm

In other areas such as India, a more patient approach was used. Standing Christian assemblies were received as fellows, and their material was respected, as was their leadership. Gradually, however, LSM materials and practices were introduced, "positive" members were identified and leveraged, especially among leadership, and eventually the flock was taken over.

We continued fellowshipping together. Soon they came with some photocopies of some portions of Witness Lee’s writings and gave each one of us a copy. They asked each one to read a sentence. Then every one started telling amen. First, I didn’t take it seriously. I thought about many bible study sessions where we give photocopy of notes or main points. Soon it became a regular affair. Now our meetings started with 15 to 20-stanza hymn from a hymnbook that LSM brothers carried, that was dull and had confusing words. After singing, we started reading the stanzas one by one and they all together told amen. Then we read Witness Lees Book photocopy and said amen for every sentence. Soon, I sensed some trouble. Others in the meeting also sensed trouble in the way we are moving.

We asked the brothers from LSM why we should read only Witness Lees writings, why not other some other Christian authors books? We told them we need to listen the voice of Lord that lead us to a holy living rather than study something someone wrote long ago. We asked them to study Witness Lees writings privately and not in general meetings. We encouraged them to share from Bible what they learned during daily meditation. To my great surprise one brother from LSM told me that Witness Lees writing contain all that is spiritually required for a man. We were surprised because according to us Bible contain all that is required for a man spiritually. I felt undue importance is given to Witness Lee and Christ is pushed to background. This was done in a manner very difficult to detect.

http://www.thethreadofgold.com/Feedback--India.html

Warning: the devil will even use the Bible to usurp the Christian church! Here, one can clearly see the effects of this usurpation process in that fellowship and mutuality were rejected, men were elevated, gifts and callings were suppressed, the Scripture was put toward human ends, and Christ either receded to the background or got distorted into someone's cultural image(s). In China it was rapid and open, in India it was gradual and initially covered by a kind of pseudo-fellowship. But in both cases the result was the same. The flock no longer belonged to Christ but to a ministry.