Local Church Discussions - View Single Post - RE: Open Letter - Dear Saints in the Lord's Recovery

Cal · 06-24-2019, 09:17 AM

Another thing that struck me about the Soviet Union/Recovery parallels was how the leaders of each uphold ideals and institutions over people. People were a means to the end of accomplishing and defending their grand and abstract ideals.

In the Soviet Union it was "the state," "the party," "victory over imperialism," "the working class," even "the good of all mankind."

In the LR it is "the Recovery," "God's purpose," "God's move," "oneness," "the Ministry."

In each's set of ideals, plain old people, especially any individual, are never held up as nearly important as these abstractions.

GOD IS NOT THAT WAY AT ALL

To God, people are all that matter. He doesn't care for institutions or ideals, only people. He cares for his Church because his Church IS his people, and nothing more. Christ died for people, not ideals or impersonal goals.

What struck me in Chernobyl was how the leaders were all about maintaining the State, and people were means to that end. People were sacrificed liberally for the State. But those people didn't really care about the State as an ideal, they just wanted to live their lives. But, ironically, if anyone saved the day in that situation, it was ordinary people who stepped up and sacrificed.

Institutions and governments come and go, but the people endure. No matter how carved up or administered EuroAsia is, the people there will go on with their lives. It is their values and their relationships that make the whole thing work. They are the backbone and reason for it all.

No matter how the Church is organized, it is the people, the believers, that matter. They are what God sees. They are the ones who endure through all the changes in organization. They are the ones it is supposed to all be for. And they are the ones who clean up the messes.

For all the communist faithful's efforts to maintain the glorious State, the Soviet Union dissolved five years after Chernobyl. All that was left was the people.

No matter what glorious Christian institutions come and go, the people remain. That is the Church.

06-24-2019, 09:17 AM	#84
Cal Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: USA Posts: 4,330	Re: Open Letter - Dear Saints in the Lord's Recovery Another thing that struck me about the Soviet Union/Recovery parallels was how the leaders of each uphold ideals and institutions over people. People were a means to the end of accomplishing and defending their grand and abstract ideals. In the Soviet Union it was "the state," "the party," "victory over imperialism," "the working class," even "the good of all mankind." In the LR it is "the Recovery," "God's purpose," "God's move," "oneness," "the Ministry." In each's set of ideals, plain old people, especially any individual, are never held up as nearly important as these abstractions. GOD IS NOT THAT WAY AT ALL To God, people are all that matter. He doesn't care for institutions or ideals, only people. He cares for his Church because his Church IS his people, and nothing more. Christ died for people, not ideals or impersonal goals. What struck me in Chernobyl was how the leaders were all about maintaining the State, and people were means to that end. People were sacrificed liberally for the State. But those people didn't really care about the State as an ideal, they just wanted to live their lives. But, ironically, if anyone saved the day in that situation, it was ordinary people who stepped up and sacrificed. Institutions and governments come and go, but the people endure. No matter how carved up or administered EuroAsia is, the people there will go on with their lives. It is their values and their relationships that make the whole thing work. They are the backbone and reason for it all. No matter how the Church is organized, it is the people, the believers, that matter. They are what God sees. They are the ones who endure through all the changes in organization. They are the ones it is supposed to all be for. And they are the ones who clean up the messes. For all the communist faithful's efforts to maintain the glorious State, the Soviet Union dissolved five years after Chernobyl. All that was left was the people. No matter what glorious Christian institutions come and go, the people remain. That is the Church.