[aron]

Thank you unreg for stopping by and posting comments and observations.

1. I agree that this forum is too divisive, but that's the nature of anonymous internet forums. People don't have the 'social lubricants' of smiling and gestures, and so misunderstanding of words is common, almost ubiquitous. I like to joke that if Francis of Assisi and Mother Theresa were forum members they'd be 'flaming' one another soon enough.

So i apologize a lot, but not nearly enough, and try to remember the Lord's words "forgive us our trespasses, even as we forgive others" - in other words, try to give the other party the same interest and good will that you would hope they give to you. Try to give them the benefit of the doubt if they seem mistaken or unclear, or overly 'snippy'. I've survived on this forum for a few years and occasionally check out if I find I'm getting too antagonistic towards others, either on the forum or outside of it.

2. As far as 'sorting through trash', that's funny coming from the LC members, as all we got from Witness Lee was how awful the rest of Christianity was. Dark, fallen, deformed, Christless, Satanic, etc. Then when you point out their lacks, it's a shrug and 'Hey, nobody's perfect'.

3. As far as discussion, I've repeatedly raised questions that probably should be raised, and they never get addressed. Jesus taught, try to privately fellowship, and see if the Lord can address it. Then, "you have gained your brother". Then, if not, privately bring another as witness and try again. But at some point, "Tell it to the church". Pretty straightforward.

Many have borne record of attempts at honest and frank fellowship. But it was rebuffed, and the messengers were smeared as "rebels" and ejected. So there it is. Jo and Greg Casteel were long past the point of "tell it to the church", and they did nothing wrong in posting their findings and concerns.

And were their concerns addressed? No. Just more whitewash.

4. Case in point: Daystar. The DCP legal team put out a brief following the Casteel revelations, listing some 'facts' but only those helpful to the LC message. They never said how the money went to Timothy Lee, who was President of Daystar. Why does a minister allow church funds to go to the personal benefit of his immediate family? Even if Daystar didn't go belly-up and the money disappeared, and people were told to consider it a donation, just the fact that Timothy was looking for a bankroll for his latest project and Daddy went to the church members to 'invest' makes the whole enterprise stink. By Titus 1:6 Witness Lee wasn't qualified to be local church elder.

5. Why does the 'revelation' or 'truth' of the 'three parts of man' come from a woman, whose book is sold on LSM website, when women can't teach in church, as everyone knows, and Paul wrote in his epistle. Why did Watchman Nee have close female co-workers and mentors when LC women a hundred years later can't even have local leadership roles? Why the gross hypocrisy?

Etc. There are other points to be raised but this is a sample. My theme is not this or that point, but that such questions have no way to come forth in the LC. The 'oneness' is fake. It's based on asking no questions, even when they should be asked. Look straight ahead, pretend to be happy.

No different to me than the Jehovah Witness or SDA or Mormons or any other mind control cult with their unquestioning adherence to leadership dictates and proprietary 'recovered truths'. And yes there are some very nice Mormons out there, and nice Baptists and Presbyterians and Congregationalists for that matter. To me it's just manipulation, sometimes subtle but oftentimes quite overt.

And there IS a lot wrong with 'Christianity' and much of it should be discussed, publicly, but with respect and consideration and care. And there's also a lot wrong with the LC, as well. Until they realise this, and that they also need to repent and change, then they'll just harden and double down, and say they're being "attacked" and so forth, and they'll get worse and worse. But remember the option to repent is always there.

Peace and grace to you, and again I apologize for being such a poor messenger.