Quote:
Originally Posted by Drake
""Don't you know that I have the power to kill you?" said Pilate (John 19:10). That's the kind of power wielded in churches like the LC. Fear-based power. "
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Let me explicate my "silly notion". People believed into Jesus, but they were afraid of the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin had the power to put them out of the social group, the synagogue. See John 12:42 &c. . .
The LC creates a social group, the "church life". You get job references, job placement (many of us have). You get housing. You get your social group. They are your "true family"; you call them 'brother' and 'sister'. You usually marry someone in the group. Everything in the group is Us; outside is Them.
All this is based on group allegiance. Then the maximum boss does a nutty. What to do? Do you stand up and say what is right, and get put out? Or do you keep your mouth shut, and go on?
That's what I meant by fear-based power. Perhaps Pilate seemed like an extreme example, "silly" to you. But fear-based power is the same, whether it has social stigma/shame/ostracism behind it, or actual violence. Fear is fear. Control is control.
It's not that silly once you grasp what is going on. Temporal, earthly power hides the lack of actual reality.
Jesus took the shame, the humiliation. He never lorded it over anyone. They repeatedly tried to push Him to the forefront, but He repeatedly withdrew. His destiny was clear.
What happens to believers is they become befuddled, and think that somehow earthly greatness is equivalent to heavenly greatness. Jesus was clear: it's not.
That's why I thought the quote by Nee (post # 63) - "Women cannot be great in their persons" - was so interesting. Because it seemed to imply that men, by contrast,
can be great in their persons. Which is not following Jesus at all. And once you buy into the illusion, that you're under a great man, the fear (from inadequacy/powerlessness/shame) behind that illusion starts to control you. The shame is transferred. Jesus took the shame away, but the 'great man' transfers his shame to you.