Witness Lee's failures a blessing in disguise?

[bearbear]

If the fiascos that followed Witness Lee (DayStar, Linko, Philip Lee's immorality) had never occurred, the turmoils that followed them leading to a mass exodus of saints never would have happened either. As a result many saints would have probably remained in the LCs abiding in erroneous teachings, blinded by unhealthy LC practices and mindsets such as being the one true church and all the ugly things that come with spiritual pride. Perhaps God is sovereign and let everything unfold *so that* people could leave for greener pastures where the Holy Spirit is more welcome. Jesus said wisdom is justified by her fruit, and the fruit that eventually manifested itself throughout LC history has bore witness to the unhealthy teachings propagated by Witness Lee and perhaps to a lesser extent his predecessor Watchman Nee. It's opened our eyes to abundance of leaven in their ministries and the need for us to run away from MOTA-esque idols and to Jesus, our savior and the author and perfecter of our faith.

Bad things will always happen, perhaps it all depends on how we respond to the inevitable unfortunate circumstances that are bound to unfold in our lives. Maybe what God is hoping for is that we'll be able to respond in a good way. We can either let these things grow into bitterness and resentment, or use it as an opportunity to weep for the pain and suffering of everyone who was hurt (Romans 12:15), but then find strength from God to pray for and love our enemies (Matthew 5:44).

Many in the LCs curse those who leave the movement due to daring to question Witness Lee by labeling them as leprous or rebellious. They are hoping that those who leave will wreck themselves and spiral into a spiritual pit of curses and depression to justify their belief that the LCs are the only approved church in God's eyes. If we let resentment build up this may lead to a self fulfilling prophecy and confirm their sick views on what happens to Christians who decide to leave "the Recovery".

Maybe the best way to fight back is to keep our heads up, abide in Jesus and his words and let our light shine.

Proverbs 25:21-22
If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat.
If they are thirsty, give them water to drink.
You will heap burning coals of shame on their heads,
and the Lord will reward you.

[Lisbon]

Bearbear 1

I wonder just how many LCers know today about Day Star, Anaheim debacle, and other dregs. A lot of this was completely hidden in Texas and I would bet in some other places also. I learned a little about Day Star since I had to be told my $1000 was down the drain. Nothing was ever said publicly in a meeting. Nothing was ever said publicly about the Anaheim implosion. Nothing was ever said about Rosemead, Berkley.

One thing you have to hand it to BP and other leading ones is their ability to hide in a very efective way. That's one thing they did well.

You might just say that's no excuse for our blindness but remember we do believe in the Lord.

Lisbon

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Lisbon

Bearbear 1

I wonder just how many LCers know today about Day Star, Anaheim debacle, and other dregs. A lot of this was completely hidden in Texas and I would bet in some other places also. I learned a little about Day Star since I had to be told my $1000 was down the drain. Nothing was ever said publicly in a meeting. Nothing was ever said publicly about the Anaheim implosion. Nothing was ever said about Rosemead, Berkley.

One thing you have to hand it to BP and other leading ones is their ability to hide in a very effective way. That's one thing they did well.

You might just say that's no excuse for our blindness but remember we do believe in the Lord.

Lisbon

Every abusive leader needs enablers to carry out his agenda, and those Texas leaders provided just the cover that Lee needed. In return, they were promised coveted leadership positions once Lee passed away.

Not only was Texas kept in the dark, but the Great Lakes and the rest of the USA was also. Titus Chu personally knew what was going on in Anaheim, but he too kept things secret, thinking that the coveted leadership role as MOTA-in-waiting was his for the taking.

This is why I have repeatedly stated that recovery leaders deceived us and took advantage of our trust. They expected us to submit to them, but they in return did not serve us well, instead they jockeyed for position to be next in line to lord it over the flock.

[awareness]

Originally Posted by Ohio

Every abusive leader needs enablers to carry out his agenda

When I look back on it, if I'm honest to a fault about it, I have to admit that I was an enabler ; right up to the moment my eyes were opened to the real nature of what I had given my all to : a authoritarian personality cult.

As a matter of fact, at the moment I got "The Vision" that captured me, that, the local church was God's move on the earth, I was mentally, emotionally, and psychologically, predisposed to need someone to be my authority. Someone that could tell me what was true, was right and wrong. Someone to explain what God was/IS doing, from the Bible, that I could give my life to.

In my case this predisposition came from being indoctrinated from diapers in the Southern Baptist church.

In any case, this predisposition enabled me to be an enabler for controlling personalities, that were more than happy to fill the void.

So ... so ... maybe I was just one little cog in the local church system, but I was doing my little part in validating Witness Lee's conclusion that he was the MOTA. Cuz without me, and all the others, Witness Lee would have been nothing. It was we that created Witness Lee as the MOTA.

And yes. In the end, when the whole fabric of the local church failed, it turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Because, it broke me from being an enabler of and co-dependent on, needing authorities figures in my life.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Ohio

Every abusive leader needs enablers to carry out his agenda ...

Originally Posted by awareness

When I look back on it, if I'm honest to a fault about it, I have to admit that I was an enabler ...

Nothing personal buddy ... but I'm not buying this.

All of us had issues when we got saved, or else why would we need Jesus in the first place? Did not the Lord say that, "those who are well have no need for a physician?" Damaged, deficient, and dysfunctional, yes ...

But that don't make any of us "enablers." Victims maybe, but not enablers. There's a huge difference.

It has been said that we never know a man's character until tests come. That saying could be said of all those brothers who became the early leaders in the Recovery. They came this way because they wanted more of the Lord, more of the Word, and more of the churchlife, than they had where they were at.

Then things happened with Witness Lee. Things went sour at LSM. Lee and company began to act for self gain, what the Bible calls "filthy lucre." These leaders were privy to insider info. They saw and heard things at LSM that aroused their conscience. They had some important decisions to make. Those decisions not only determined their future, but also their own conscience and character, not to mention thousands of unsuspecting brothers and sisters who trusted them and their better judgment.

Each brother responded differently. Some cried foul and walked away. Some struggled to reform the program, staying as long as they could. Some dropped out and decided to write about what happened. Some were too heartbroken to do anything.

But some stayed. They covered up all the problems. They buried their heads in the sand. They did damage control, spinning all the events like politicians do. They hid all the unrighteousness. They white-washed criminal activities. They went on the offensive, smearing the reputations of any whistle-blowers. They worked furiously to maintain Lee's pristine image as the consummate MOTA, and an aging victim of those ambitious and conspiratorial wannabees.

These ones are the real "enablers."

Witness Lee could not have survived without them. Without them, Witness Lee would have been forced to come clean, change his ways, repent for past wrongs, compensate past debts, launder out his sons' debauchery, place his "Office Manager" Phillip on permanent unpaid administrative leave, and put himself and his ministry into God's hands.

But he was not willing to do that. How could he? He was hoping that he was the "acting god" on earth.

[OBW]

Ohio,

I think you are mostly right. We were not the enablers.

At least mostly not.

But as I look back, I now think "what if I had not simply ignored those momentary thoughts when something sounded wrong?" What if I had looked a second time at those verses and let it sink in that they really didn't say what Lee said they did. (And if I had read enough Nee, I should have been saying the same thing about him.)

No we weren't actively responsible like BP and some others. But we were obedient to a fault even when something inside wanted to deck someone or just tell them to go mind their own business. To take their pointless insistence on some ridiculous thing like having your badge on and visible before you get out of your car at the video training and shove it. (I came early one time to unlock the building and make sure that the A/C (or heater) was on well before anyone else would be coming. One of the leading ones came along just after I got there an raked me over the coals for not having my badge on. I bit my tongue. But it was pretty hard. And this was a rather corrupt one that couldn't even manage to front righteousness enough to stick around. He was eventually tossed from another place over money. He was known to do work for the people then have them pay him through the offering box.)

[awareness]

Originally Posted by Ohio

Nothing personal buddy ... but I'm not buying this.

All of us had issues when we got saved, or else why would we need Jesus in the first place? Did not the Lord say that, "those who are well have no need for a physician?" Damaged, deficient, and dysfunctional, yes ...

But that don't make any of us "enablers." Victims maybe, but not enablers. There's a huge difference.

Okay, we were facilitators then ; as proof for Lee to claim to be the MOTA. Lee could point out his following as proof that God was working thru HIM, and that he was therefore the acting God.

Then things happened with Witness Lee. Things went sour at LSM. Lee and company began to act for self gain, what the Bible calls "filthy lucre." These leaders were privy to insider info. They saw and heard things at LSM that aroused their conscience. They had some important decisions to make. Those decisions not only determined their future, but also their own conscience and character, not to mention thousands of unsuspecting brothers and sisters who trusted them and their better judgment.

And they were using us ones with "issues," and in "need of Jesus," for their gain. We were their pocketbook. We were the sheep being fleeced. Didn't our donations enable them?

Each brother responded differently. Some cried foul and walked away. Some struggled to reform the program, staying as long as they could. Some dropped out and decided to write about what happened. Some were too heartbroken to do anything.

Some were heartbroken, walked away, regained their footing, and joined forums to talk about their experience.

But some stayed. They covered up all the problems. They buried their heads in the sand.

This is necessary practice to remain in the local church.

They did damage control, spinning all the events like politicians do. They hid all the unrighteousness.

Ya know, I remember fellowship with bro Paul Ma while in the C. in Santa Cruz. Paul Ma had to know Lee's sordid past, and prolly Nee's as well. But he never said a word about it.

Here was a bunch of young people, headed toward giving up their whole life, while looking up to Lee as a loyal servant of God. They were being duped. Paul Ma had info that would have made them at least think twice about following Lee. Paul Ma covered for Lee. I probably wouldn't have gone any further into the local church if I had access to all the information.

And Paul Ma was independent from Lee, and considered himself Lee's equal, or better. Still he covered. Was he just being a typical Chinese?

All this is too complex to explain.

The likely truth is, that human nature, and its actions, has to be hidden, for the local church recovery movement to exist. Their highfalutin claims can't hold without covering the sins of their human nature. Because, they are claiming to be more than just human. Claims that don't hold in the light of day.