Quote:
Originally Posted by Freedom
Everything felt autonomous. However, later on, I began to see certain 'situations' arise, such as the one publication edict. So then I started to realize that the notion of everyone in the LCM being equal was all just a guise. There was indeed a headquarters that has the power to issue edicts. Everyone in the LCM was on a leash. That leash might be shortened or lengthened, but it's a leash nonetheless.
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Initially, everything felt autonomous, local, egalitarian, participatory. But eventually we saw that there was a headquarters and a leash. There was indeed supreme mastership but it was couched in spiritual guise.
Here's how I understand the contradiction: Watchman Lee, like Witness Lee after him, understood things, and promoted them to others, based on: a) the situation on the ground - the perceived need; and b) his culturally-mediated understanding of the "normal" or proper response. But he was blinded to his bias, and ignored the inevitable reverses and contradictions.
To be shed of Western control, there was the idea of autonomy and locality. But then there was a need for consolidation and coordination so he "discovered" his so-called Jerusalem Principle.
And he chafed under senior co-worker Leland Wang. But it was only after Wang was gone that he "recovered" deputy authority. The gate to supreme mastership now was opened.