[UntoHim]

My goodness, only on LocalChurchDiscussions can a thread with "natural affection" in the title get so contentious and chippy! No worries on my part though - many times the most contentious and chippy threads seem to bring out the hard truth and reality that only comes from "iron sharpening iron". Also, I think part of the reason for the questioning and contentiousness comes from the simple fact that we were never allowed such a luxury in the Local Church. The question mark was a symbol of the Snake. There was room for only one opinion. So now we are all let out into the wild as it were, where we have found out the hard way that we actually did have opinions, reservations and questions about all sorts of things. Now that we are allowed to think for ourselves, we're finding out that not everyone thinks alike.

Originally Posted by Jo S

...but what it's saying to me is that this place is hungry for Lee (or a representative of Lee) to come onto the forum. It's a tell that anger and hatred has a stronghold here and it's at a breaking point.

Although I think Jo has overstated a bit here, there is a point to be well-taken I believe. Anger and hatred are part and parcel of fallen men and women...and that includes those who have been saved and redeemed. Sin, anger, hatred, regret and selfishness are still alive and well within the fallen flesh of the old man, and will be until the day we die. It is our "job" to not let these things remain as a stronghold in our lives. It's part of "working out our own salvation". Yet during the process we need have some understanding and patience for each other and we're doing the working out, especially on an open forum like LCD. We need to pretend that we are all in one big room with many people watching and hearing. Current LC members are watching and hearing. Former members are too. Even members of the general Christian public are watching and hearing. You never know, maybe we're even entertaining an angel or two.

As far as bad practices and false doctrine of the LC's, we're in agreement, but the vitriol here at times is just too much and makes it an unwelcoming place. It's at the point where one feels if they don't have the same amount of animosity toward Lee's kingdom, they're not welcome.

Another fair observation. Again, the simple fact is that not every former member has the same feelings about the person and work of Witness Lee. The gambit runs all the way from the view that Lee was a true apostle and oracle of God that simply had a few character flaws and made a few mistakes, all the way up to considering that the man was a rank charlatan and a religious fraud of the worst kind. Of course I'm stating what is surely the farthest reach of the two extremes, and my experience and observation over 20+ years tells me that the vast majority of former members fall into the majority middle. Another thing to consider would be that fact that some of us have just freshly exited the LC movement and are naturally going to have a different view of things than those of us who have been out for decades. Once again, patients and understanding should be the order of the day.

Rather than exposing lies in the light and love of the truth and for others, they're weaponized with the intent to cause people harm.

Again, probably a little overstated. Again, point well-taken. Unfortunately, I think some of us let our pride and passions get the best of us, and end up accomplishing both of these things - exposing lies in the light and love of truth, while at the very same time causing some real harm to the very people we're trying to help and fellowship with. I'm reminded of a great quote by Tim Keller: Love without truth is sentimentality; it supports and affirms us but keeps us in denial about our flaws. Truth without love is harshness; it gives us information but in such a way that we cannot really hear it.
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