[countmeworthy]

Originally Posted by Ohio

Here's the problem I have with that phrase.

Lee looked at the stories in the Bible, and pointed out the hypocrisy, unbelief, and mean-spirited evil of the Pharisees and Judaizers, and said "Christ Versus Religion." He wrote a book about it. I read it.

I had the book Christ vs Religion too but I never could get through it! Shoots. I could never get through any of the books by Lee & Nee! (I did glean a little here and there though)

Looking back, the church life in my day (mid 70s) was very different from what was written in the Nee/Lee books. We tried to live the church life but were stifled as Lee's 'word' became 'gospel'. That said, many true believers are leaving the man made church in droves. And they never have been or heard of the LC / Lee or Nee.

The Bible never condemned those awaiting the Savior's birth, whether in the Temple or the fields, as being "religious." Nicodemus was not condemned, nor were those in the Temple when Jesus was 12 years old. The Lord never condemned any of the disciples, His mother Mary, or the thousands who followed Him as being religious or "poor, poor Judaism."

Right ON!! He Himself went into the temple many, many a time! He went everywhere! He taught in the streets, by the seashore, at the hillsides, in people's homes. He is a MAN after my own heart that JESUS!

Lee, however, was different. He uses the generalized "religion" and broad-brushes the whole of Christianity.

AND THAT was his downfall! He & his followers became the pharisees and saducees.

First, he identifies all the evil in the New Testament, and labels it "religion." Secondly, he uses his religion epithet to label all Christians outside of his recovery. Thirdly, by association, the hearers and the readers then identify all these Christians with the evil-doers of the Bible. Se how Lee subtly twisted our thinking?

The Bible never uses religion in this way, but he used it to his full advantage. He condemned any any all Christians as religious, whether they met in homes, in groups, in community churches, non-denominational churches, big churches, small churches, dormant churches, vibrant churches, tongue-speaking churches, non-tongue-speaking churches, newly saved or aged pastors, fruitful or unfruitful, you get the message, all were pathetic, hopeless, helpless, poor, poor, Christianity, and religious, assuring us that God hates religion, and Christ is versus religion.

That's why I disagree that "God hates religion." I threw my book away.

As did I but I still believe and maintain God hates religion. Not religious people.. He hates sin and false worship. There are going to be lots of Catholics going to heaven but when they get there, they won't be Catholics... nor will anyone have a denominational label attached to them, including those who were from the LC/LSM... the no name 'church'.

While Christ vs Religion was 'touched on' and maybe hammered there in the LC, I honestly can say I did not get the true revelation from Lee.

I went to several 'churches'..and tried to involve myself in their activities but at the end of the day, I concluded they were all businesses with a tax deduction, using God's Word for their agenda. That's been my experience. If it has not been 'yours' meaning any former LCr who is attending 'church' now, you are blessed indeed! Also re reading and studying the 7 churches in Revelation ... not from Lee or Nee's teachings has also opened my eyes to understand. God HIMSELF has given me the understanding and revelation.
Praise HIM - the God of ALL TRUTH.