Quote:
Originally Posted by Freedom
Sometimes I wonder what the LC will look like 20-30 years from now. The older members existed in a time before things like the FTTA, campus work, etc. Whatever factors can be attributed to them coming into the LC and staying there for decades are completely different than what the current generation sees.
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I wanted to add some more on this. When the LC was starting out, people joined for various reasons, but it is likely they could at least point to specific reasons for having joined the LC. Today on the other hand, some people are in the LC simply because that's where they grew up, or maybe others joined because they met some students on their campus and liked all the free meals, etc. In other words, I think it would be harder nowadays to find people who belong to the LC because of some particular LC teaching or doctrine that they identify with.
My theory is that if the LC were to make the wise decision to distance itself from things that WL taught or to interact more with mainstream Christianity, it wouldn't be nearly as big of a deal to the younger members than it would be to someone who has been in the LC for 40 years and is 100% convinced on the ground of locality doctrine. Realistically, those are the types of changes that would need to take place if the LC is going to survive or be anything more than some fringe group that people are suspicious of.
Here is a striking thought - what if most of the FTTA graduates and those in similar categories have stayed in the LC afterwards mainly because they've already invested so much of their time in the LC? What if that's the only thing holding them back? The way I see it is that the LC has gone on far too long thinking that they are something special and thinking that their environment/teachings are drawing people in and keeping them there. What I am suggesting is that there are probably lots of reasons LC members stay there that really have nothing to do with what the LC is all about.