[Curious]

John 10:1-10.

I intend to continue a bit about ‘coded’ communication, or ‘double speak’. Jesus approaches us directly, through the gate. He does not climb in some ‘other’ way….indirect, unclear, manipulative, dishonest, or passive aggressive. He comes openly and directly through the obvious means, the gate designed for entry to the pen.

He calls each sheep by name, even though they are gathered together as an assembly, a body of sheep, in the confines of the sheep pen. Even in this picture, it’s clear there is no delegated intermediator to call the sheep. He does so personally, to each one.

The ‘stranger’ is the one standing, or attempting to stand in Jesus’ place, and he’s clearly the bad guy.

Back to my testimony:
After associating with an LC group for an extended time, I realised that there was a strategy behind their influence on me. I noticed them drip-feed their doctrines, some I rejected as I heard them but didn’t say anything. However, I enjoyed the group sharing of thoughts on a scripture. Only at the end of my time with them, was it demonstrated to me by example, that to do so ‘properly’ was to read out the footnotes not express one’s own thoughts. So there were the things I liked, which influenced me towards them, but the doctrinal things never gained a hook.

It was a shock to me when I realised how much they had gotten inside my head. I had begun to behave in CONTRADICTION to my beliefs. I’m going to quote from my personal journal what I wrote at the time:

A person who is not a racist begins to hang out with racist people, long enough to start developing racist attitudes and behaviour, but not racist philosophy. One day they face in themselves what they could see happening. Shocked and puzzled at how this could even happen, they evaluate the influence they have been exposed to. The power that had driven this was that of familiarity…an identification socially with the group which brings a growing feeling of ‘normal’ with the values held within. This influence avoided, (even denied when confronted), any direct expression. It was subversive, not honest and clear. (avoiding the gate and slipping in over the fence around the back of the sheep pen!!) Slippery, sly, dishonest…..descriptive words can be multiplied here.

It in no way declared itself as ‘racist’ but fully intended to impart the same ‘racism’ (prejudice). Removing the analogy of racism now… Even though I never officially joined the LC group I met with, I began to grow uncomfortable with other worship styles, questioning regular worship services, no longer relaxed and open and engaging. I felt guilty going to other Christian events, like I was letting them down or being double-minded, in spite of being very open with them about my other Christian activities.

When I realised this I knew I had to cut contact completely. I felt angry for a time as I felt quite deceived and lied to, about matters of critical importance to me. I worked at separating in my mind, the people I knew, from the ministry itself. I still needed time to deprogram my thinking too, feeling beholden to LC thinking, took a while to shake it off completely.

So that’s part of my story. I was going to title my introductory thread…’curious, but not convinced’ hence my username choice so my comments could always be clear that I have been an outsider looking in, a somewhat independent assessment.

That title sums up my experience with the LC: I was curious about them, I learned about them through direct experience. In the end, I wasn’t convinced.

Finally, I note, in the RecV footnotes, WL ignores completely the scripture where Jesus says ‘my sheep know my voice’. Now I fully know why.