Quote:
Originally Posted by Ohio
The old adage about mushrooms -- "kept in the dark and fed manure" -- has obvious application when considering why LC members stay or leave. What worked for centuries with oppressive regimes -- lies and hiding the truth -- can no longer be counted on. The internet information age has changed all that.
My own story proves that. I survived the storms and chaos of the late 80's, with Philip Lee molesting sisters, WL covering for him and slandering all those who spoke up as leprous rebels, because I was a "mushroom." I was kept in the dark, and fed WL manure. Simple as that. I was not alone. Hundreds or thousands were with me in that "cave."
After the rays of sunshine, mostly via internet accounts, finally reach those cave-dwelling "mushrooms," each member responds differently. Ingalls wrote his fact-filled account and left, maintaining his joy in the Lord. Some find greener grass in poor poor Christianity. Some struggle even believing in God. Many 2nd gen saw this played out in the Midwest and shook their head in disgust: How can you talk oneness and then have this nasty divorce? What's wrong with worshiping the Lord with guitars and skits? How can you condemn Christianity when you are worse? Etc.
The problem with the Recovery lies primarily with its deceptive leadership. They talk love, but spew hatred. They talk liberty, but enslave its members. They talk "local," but weild controlling headquarters. The hypocrisies and the disconnects just abound systemically throughout the Recovery. The decades' worth accumulation is now far too much to hide.
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Interestingly enough, these so-called fellowship sessions seem to be targeted at the demographic of FTTA trainees, graduates, "young working saints", etc. Those who probably don't know so much about what went on in the past. And maybe longtime members don't know all the details either, but they at least might have some skepticism or indifference to these calls for increase.
I have heard stories from people who are still in the LC about the "new way" and funny enough they basically indicated in a covert way that it was all just a bunch of hype. Things like going door to door baptizing people and then never hearing from the person again. In essence, when people have gone through decades of that kind of stuff, they either become indifferent to it or they stick around because they derive some kind of value from the environment, friendships, or sitting through the same old recycled 2-3 hour messages time and time again.
People like Minoru must realize what is going on. But they also have a lot to hide, all the dirty stuff that they can't admit has happened. They just keep digging the hole deeper and deeper.