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Originally Posted by Unregistered
Hi everyone. My name is Jessica and I am one of Max Rapoport's daughters. My daughter was doing a search on her grandpa's name out of curiosity and came across this thread. I feel to add to it for posterity sake so that someone who actually was there and knew him has a voice in this conversation. There are many speculations as well as half-truths and downright liesregarding my father. No one really needs to speculate because my father was his own worst critic and always owned up to his mistakes. He is passed on now and when he died had no unforgiveness or ill will towards anyone. He continue to serve the Lord every single day of his life until the day he died. He is a wonderful example of God's grace, mercy and redemption. The whole "local church experience" affected our parents obviously negatively at first because people were praying for our deaths and harassing us. As a child the things that stood out to me the most were having paint thrown at our door, threatening phone calls, and being told by friends that they weren't allowed to play with us because we "were at the devil" . These were "my experiences " after we left the LC I am so grateful to God that he liberated my parents from that organization because I know of what has happened to the children about their members and their families and often times these are sad stories to hear. Our family stayed intact and my parents continue to serve the Lord . These two things are their greatest achievements in my book. Furthermore, all of their children have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ another great achievement which they have always been so grateful to the Lord for. It is a free country with free speech but I do ask that if you are going to speak about my parents, keep in mind that their grandchildren and great grandchildren and so on will read these comments possibly some day. So please only speak about your own experience and don't suppose about what you didn't personally experience. Thank you so much and May Jesus bless you all.
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Hi Jessica,
Thank you for sharing about your parents. I am so saddened by the news of your father's passing. My condolences to you and your family.
My name is Doug and I knew your parents during my tenure with the LC during the mid-70'S. Your mother and father were instrumental in setting the hearts and minds of many young people free from the rampant legalism that had so many of us bound. Many of us loved your mother and father for being the real people that they were. There was no pretense. Just intensive confrontation (in love) from your father to stir us up and on in our relationship with the Lord. Because your father was such a prominent figure in Witness Lee's inner circle, those who were ambitious to be leaders were provoked in their flesh to jealousy and contempt for your father. Your dad rocked the LC boat and called out the hypocrisy of the church. For that, he was hated. I thank your parents and credit them for helping me free myself from a hate driven and narcissistic organization. I was just a small fish in the LC pond following the school until your father came on the scene. He exposed the LC for what it really was-a cult-like group so loyal to their leader (Lee) that they set aside all human reasoning and sensibilities and followed this man blindly.
I was in the LC from 1971-1979. Los Angeles, Anaheim and Boulder, Co. Water under the bridge. A lesson learned. God is good. I have much more to share if you would like.
Blessings to you,
Doug P.