[UntoHim]

We do not need to get into theoretical examples or point to the extremes of the Nazis when discussing this matter of control in the Local Church. Those of us who were active members while Witness Lee was around know fully well just how he controlled his followers. (albeit the "why" he controlled is a little fuzzy)

I brought up the matter of "The vision of the church". As I noted, Lee even referred to it as a "controlling vision". For the most part, Local Churchers knowingly and willfully submit to this controlling vision. Why? Because they are told that this is the "God ordained way". Back in the day we heard a lot of talk that it was "God's eternal purpose". Who would not want to be controlled by God's eternal purpose? What Christian would not want to follow the "God ordained way"? This is one of the main reasons that the Local Church draws mostly from the ranks of people who are already Christians - because, after all, what Christian would not want to hop on board to God’s eternal purpose and be the ones to “bring the Lord back” and “give him the bride”? These kinds of concepts are something that unbelievers don’t get excited about, much less be controlled by (at least not initially)

Originally Posted by OBW

And the question that has been hovering for a couple of days now: Where does eliminating any consideration of any kind of control from this discussion take us?

I don’t think djohnson is “eliminating any consideration of any kind of control” (he can correct me if I’m wrong)…I think what he is saying is that we (LCers) voluntarily submitted to being controlled. If this is what he is saying then I agree. However I think it is worth noting that Witness Lee did not simply walk up to the podium and announce that he was some controlling false apostle who was going to lead us into false religion. God’s enemy is much smarter then that (and so was Lee for that matter).

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