Quote:
Originally Posted by Drake
So, by these examples we can see that we first must stand on God's fact... and then by faith those facts are applied to our experience.
|
Okay, but that leaves a lot of leeway for interpretation. Because for the few places that seem to say we are Christ, I can show you many more, and make the argument that while that may be true in some sense, we are still us. So where shall we land this plane? Are we just going to insist that everyone agree with Lee on everything, as you do?
Actually, I'm glad the conversation turned this way because it brings to light a real issue I have with Lee and which I think leads the whole LR into their problems.
Lee had a very impersonal approach to people and God. If you take "Not I, but Christ" to the extreme, then people start to become non-entities, simply colored containers, and little more, to hold "Christ." When you have that view, then those people assuredly become less than people to you. I saw this again and again in the LR and see it to this day. I see it in your attitude sometimes. People are expendable, replaceable and of little real value as individuals. ONLY CHRIST LIVES, taken too far, means we are really not here and so we aren't important. ONLY CHRIST MATTERS, twisted, becomes people don't matter. CHRIST DIED FOR US, if we are literally "Christ," means Christ died for himself. And so forth.
So, again, I see how this view of yours and Lee's dovetails perfectly with a movement which can say THE CHURCH IS CHRIST, yet tread on members of the Church, real people like
JLBW, as if they are nothing.
This is one reason I believe self-esteem and self-value are important, because without them demagogues like Lee can easily twist scripture to make you a cog in their machine.
Because of this, and other reasons, I don't buy your interpretation. I think it's unhealthy and produces bad fruit, and I don't think you've demonstrated at all that it is necessarily true, unless our main priority should be agreeing with Lee--which in your case, it is, and which explains practically everything.