Quote:
Originally Posted by Gideon7
Hello everyone- I hope we are all walking close to Christ today- knowing Him and making Him known- what an adventure and honor! I'm really not sure if this is the best spot for this post- please forgive me if it isn't. I already gave a rather un-brief intro of myself, so I will try not to repeat much of it here. But I would like some responses concerning specifics from your experience in the LC. In essence I guess I’m looking for a possible “smoking gun”.
|
I'm not sure if there was only one puff of smoke or many more, but this is what completely change my attitude and removed all my respect for Witness Lee, his successors the "Blendeds," and Living Stream Ministry.
Back in the late 1980's, numerous events occurred including a serious upheaval in the LC's, which was afterwards characterized by Lee as a conspiratorial rebellion, a literal coup d'taut. Supposedly leaders from Anaheim and around the globe conspired together to overthrow Lee's ministry. We all believed this account for many years. Then I came across an online book called
Speaking The Truth in Love, written by a well-respected and spiritual brother named John Ingalls, who was one of the original founders of the LC movement in the US. John had helped translate the first recovery version, and he also helped compile the hymnal. This brother had a heart as pure as the driven snow. We all loved him. He just recently passed away.
His account explained so many unanswered questions and rumors surrounding those years of turmoil. Witness Lee had placed his reprobate son Philip in charge of his ministry in Anaheim, while he was in Taiwan. The man was abusive, by all accounts unsaved, hot tempered, and molested the female staff. More than once he was caught with women on the ministry property. This was a pattern with a long hidden history dating back to China.
John Ingalls documented his numerous attempts to get Witness Lee to remove his profligate son and to protect the saints. Read his account. The mounting concerns from like-minded men of God around the globe was never a "rebellion" but a response to bullying, abuse, and fleshly activity by the new "Office Manager" Philip Lee, changing the very nature of the ministry. Instead of taking action to protect the saints, Witness Lee rounded up all of his most zealous followers to attack these "whistleblowers," whose only crime was to speak their conscience on behalf of God, righteousness, and His children. Meetings were held, lies were spoken, books were written, it was all pretty ugly. Many leaders were excommunicated and branded rebels, lepers, and worse.
The smoke from this gun can be described as the "poison" which LSM fears most. I hope my brief description of events helped to explain some of what caused me to walk away after 30 years actively serving in the LC's.