Christian Zionism Influence In the Local Church

[WitnessMe]

Christian Zionism is the first reason I left the Local Church. Witness Lee's heretical teaching is the second reason. I don't think we can critize Witness Lee's heretical teaching while avoid talking about Christian Zionism in Witness Lee's doctrine, since Witness Lee and Watchman's doctrine is based on dispensationalism framework.

I don't know how radical Zionism is within the U.S. local church community, but it's kind of radical within the Chinese community. I can't even stay and listen to what they say. Since Christian Zionism is in Witness Lee's core teaching, it definintely influenced Witness Lee to have biased view on Ishmael, Hagar, and the Samaritan woman at the well. This is what I found out.

Anyway, what is your opinion on this.

Here is a video from Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac talks about Christian zionism.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9b8NER1K2o&t=8s

Here is a video from Stephen Sizer talks about Christian zionism.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LohMNT_Xtas

[Nell]

Originally Posted by WitnessMe

…
Since Christian Zionism is in Witness Lee's core teaching, it definintely influenced Witness Lee to have biased view on Ishmael, Hagar, and the Samaritan woman at the well. This is what I found out.

Anyway, what is your opinion on this.

WitnessMe,
Please make your case. That is, cite specific references to Witness Lee’s core teaching regarding Christian Zionism, specifically regarding Ishmael, Hagar, and the woman at the well. Include books, chapters and page numbers which prove the bias you believe to exist. Quoting large amounts of text is not necessary. Just provide books, chapters and page numbers.

You have narratives about what others believe, but not what Witness Lee actually said to the Local Church community.


Thanks
Nell

[WitnessMe]

Originally Posted by Nell

WitnessMe,
Please make your case. That is, cite specific references to Witness Lee’s core teaching regarding Christian Zionism, specifically regarding Ishmael, Hagar, and the woman at the well. Include books, chapters and page numbers which prove the bias you believe to exist. Quoting large amounts of text is not necessary. Just provide books, chapters and page numbers.

You have narratives about what others believe, but not what Witness Lee actually said to the Local Church community.


Thanks
Nell

Witness Lee may not be a radical Zionism supporter, but some of the Taiwanese elders in local church are radical Zionism supporters.

This is one of the examples of Christian Zionism docrtine from Witness Lee.

13:28 1But learn the parable from the fig tree: as soon as its branch has become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that the summer is near.
13:29 So also you, when you see these things happening, know that 1it is near, aat the doors.

https://bibleread.online/note/the-go...rk/13/#13_29_1

Witness Lee explains that the fig tree parable refers to the restoration of the nation of Israel in 1948.

Here is an other example of Christian Zionism docrtine from Witness Lee. Since the English version of life study and crystalized study is locked behind pay wall, I can only show you the Chinese version which is free.

https://simplified.lsmchinese.org/cr...matt_cr18.html

[WitnessMe]

Here is an example of biased view on Ishmael and his descendants, and Hagar.
Witness Lee associates Ishmael and Hagar with negative connotations

"These self-made laws are our Hagars. Whether we succeed or not in keeping our laws makes no difference in the eyes of God because in His eyes even our successes do not count."

"Just as the descendants of Ishmael are a problem to Israel today, so the Ishmael that we have produced remains a problem to us."

https://www.ministrysamples.org/exce...H-THE-LAW.HTML

[Nell]

Originally Posted by WitnessMe

Here is an example of biased view on Ishmael and his descendants, and Hagar.
Witness Lee associates Ishmael and Hagar with negative connotations

"These self-made laws are our Hagars. Whether we succeed or not in keeping our laws makes no difference in the eyes of God because in His eyes even our successes do not count."

"Just as the descendants of Ishmael are a problem to Israel today, so the Ishmael that we have produced remains a problem to us."

https://www.ministrysamples.org/exce...H-THE-LAW.HTML

WitnessMe,

Comparing your link above (from Lee) and the content of your links on Christian Zionism in its commonly accepted definition, it doesn’t seem that WLee addresses Christian Zionism at all. Am I missing something?

"These self-made laws are our Hagars. Whether we succeed or not in keeping our laws makes no difference in the eyes of God because in His eyes even our successes do not count."

"Just as the descendants of Ishmael are a problem to Israel today, so the Ishmael that we have produced remains a problem to us."

Your quotes of Lee above on Ishmael and Hagar are IMHO his poor, failed attempts to mold scripture to fit his “ministry”, and little to do with the actual meaning of the verses. This was his way to make people think that his “ministry” was “special”. In this case, nothing to do with Christian Zionism. What do you think?

Nell

[WitnessMe]

Originally Posted by Nell

WitnessMe,

Comparing your link above (from Lee) and the content of your links on Christian Zionism in its commonly accepted definition, it doesn’t seem that WLee addresses Christian Zionism at all. Am I missing something?

"These self-made laws are our Hagars. Whether we succeed or not in keeping our laws makes no difference in the eyes of God because in His eyes even our successes do not count."

"Just as the descendants of Ishmael are a problem to Israel today, so the Ishmael that we have produced remains a problem to us."

Your quotes of Lee above on Ishmael and Hagar are IMHO his poor, failed attempts to mold scripture to fit his “ministry”, and little to do with the actual meaning of the verses. This was his way to make people think that his “ministry” was “special”. In this case, nothing to do with Christian Zionism. What do you think?

Nell

The videos are just to educate the readers about Christian Zionism.

Here is an example of the Christian Zionism influence in Witness Lee doctrine. Unfortunately, the Life Study is in Chinese, if you have English version, it's Matt 63 in Life Study. Witness Lee claimed that the establishment of the nation of Israel in 1948 fulfill prophecies regarding the restoration of Isreal.

https://www.lsmchinese.org/lifestudy/matt63.html


Also, here are the negatives words the Witness Lee used regarding Samaritans, mixed blood, false, decadent.

"The Samaritans claimed to be the descendants of Jacob. At most, they were his descendants by mixed blood."

"The Jewish religion was very sound, proper, real, and genuine, but the Samaritan’s religion was false and very decadent."

https://bibleread.online/all-books-b...ead-online/11/

You see the patterns here? In Witness Lee's mind, Jews are superior, Arabs and Samaritans are inferior. Is Witnees Lee racist, or this is the correct interpretion for the scriptures?

Jews - Pure blood vs Samaritans - mixed blood
Issac - Good guy vs Ishmael - bad guys, trouble makers

Israel is the chosen one, and Abrabs and the rest are the cursed one or the impure one. These are the common ideas within Christian Zionism to justify the establishment of the nation of Israel today.