Quote:
Originally Posted by ZNPaaneah
Daystar is a critical event in the early history of the LRC in the USA. This event should reveal whether WL merely had poor business acumen or was a fraud.
In looking at this case I would like to focus on WL's actions, not his words.
1. As a business venture promoted to the Saints was this done legitimately, in a way that was above reproach?
2. Was the business carried out in a way that was fully transparent and beyond reproach?
3. When the business failed was a complete and thorough audit done by an independent auditor so that there would be no appearance of evil?
4. Was restitution made so that even though the business suffered a loss, this loss was shared equally by all investors?
5. Was there a public reflection on the errors made with a thorough repentance so that these errors were not repeated?
To me these are the five requirements I have for a man of faith who makes an error due to bad judgment.
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I always say the same thing about our current administration -- pay no attention to what they say,
rather watch what they do.
Corruption in politics is difficult enough to swallow, and how much more in the church of God. Since Witness Lee continually judged the failures in Christianity and constantly proclaimed that his ministry was built solely upon the death and resurrection of Christ and pure and free from any of the degradations of the rest of the body of Christ, (
kind of like that recent claim I heard about having the most "transparent" administration in American history) the numerous reproaches surrounding Daystar are particularly egregious.
Since I believed that Witness Lee was a special oracle from God for the best 30 years of my life, it was especially hard for me to finally accept that Witness Lee and the Living Stream Ministry were just as corrupt as so many other ministries making it into Christian tabloids. Then I read about that first elders/workers conference in January 1974 in the heyday of the Daystar debacle, in which Witness Lee enacted numerous controls over all the other leaders and local churches, and my delusions of being a part of God's "unique testimony" vaporized.
Yes, Lee had received some unique teachings gleaned from his days with the Brethren and Watchman Nee, but no, his ministry was not above reproach. In fact, starting at this point going forward, there was little else but reproach when it came to handling the things of God. There is overwhelming evidence that WL and LSM did not just exercise bad judgment and make a few mistakes. Rather they continually displayed an attitude that they were above the law, and worse, they were entitled to write new law.
In my mind, the way Witness Lee treated those who voiced legitimate concerns based on the word of God is no different than the way our current administration has used the IRS to intimidate and silence their opposition.
Rotten politics at LSM?
Absolutely!