The Mind Benders - What Jack Sparks Actually Said

[Nell]

Copyright (c) 1977, 1979, 2nd Edition

Years ago I found and purchased a copy of The Mind Benders online. I have scanned the LC section into a .pdf attached below in 3 parts because of the large size of the original .pdf.

It's a very interesting historical perspective. One of the things that helped me boot myself out was the realization that everything they said about us (the LC) was true.

At the end of LC3 is a newspaper response by the LC from "somewhere". Maybe Austin. The listed phone number does not provide the area code...it's that old!

Nell

[Nell]

The .pdf was too large to post one big chunk.

Copyright (c) 1977, 1979, 2nd Edition

[Nell]

Chunk #3

Nell

Copyright (c) 1977, 1979, 2nd Edition

[Trapped]

So very helpful to read this. Thank you so much for posting this, Nell.

I, unfortunately, do agree with the (incredibly angry, that should itself be a huge tip-off to readers) letter at the very end that Jack did too much comparing to what historical Christianity believes, rather than comparing to what the Bible says. I'm not saying it renders his conclusions wrong; I'm just saying it would have been a stronger base if he'd used the Bible as the base. But aside from that, his description of everything else is SPOT ON. And whichever local church fanatic wrote the letter (it sounds like a Kerry Robichaux product, although I'm not sure how old he would have been back then) has zero legs to stand on as they vitriolically accuse Jack of "Jesus plus..." while they themselves virtually abandon Jesus in favor of Witness Lee alone.

As one whose whole life was encompassed by this thing.....I will state that Jack Sparks, MindBenders, has truthfully and accurately described the environment, teachings, mind-altering practices, viewpoints, beliefs, fearful threats, hypocritical responses, and arrogance of the local church movement.

Trapped

[Zezima]

Thanks for sharing this, I’ve always heard whispers but never had the chance to read it. It paints a good picture of the movement.

I finished it and though “that was it?” Living stream went to court over that?” It’s a small section of a larger book. What fickle souls. Jesus prayed for his enemies while they nailed him to the cross.

[Paul Vusik]

Thanks for posting this Nell, first time reading that.


I agree 100 percent with the writer of that book. It’s a snippets of each of the satanic teachings that exist there. No wonder they took him to court and destroyed the evidence by claiming a court victory! What a frauds!
I will say that not only he is correct on all his points, I probably would have used a biblical term to identify it as the synagogue of satan, because that’s what it is. No truth! No God! Nothing but a shell, waiting to be crushed, as it will be.

Also interesting, that they point to the Catholic Church as a mother whore, but when they could not prove biblically their teachings on man becoming gods, they went straight to the Catholicism to take their doctrine as a proof text. So much for not being the daughter of a whore, as they claim all Christians are.

And this quote here:
“Have you seen God, Christ, the Church, and the Churches? The sisters must forget about their husbands, and the brothers must forget about their wives. We must forget about our preoccupations and see God, Christ, the Church, and the churches. Hallelujah!”

If that doesn’t describe the total abandonment of all issues regarding home, family, community, children, marriage, relationships with people, elitism, and other countless testimonies of people who are, or where in this scam, then nothing will wake up anyone from the deception of the spirit of recovery.

[TLFisher]

Originally Posted by Zezima

Thanks for sharing this, I’ve always heard whispers but never had the chance to read it. It paints a good picture of the movement.

I finished it and though “that was it?” Living stream went to court over that?” It’s a small section of a larger book. What fickle souls. Jesus prayed for his enemies while they nailed him to the cross.

This was my sentiment too. Living Stream sued over that? Much of the text is very accurate in teaching and practices within the Local Churches.
Perhaps something can be said how the Local Churches want to be perceived publically is vastly different than their speaking within the meeting halls.

[Zezima]

Originally Posted by Nell

Copyright (c) 1977, 1979, 2nd Edition

Years ago I found and purchased a copy of The Mind Benders online. I have scanned the LC section into a .pdf attached below in 3 parts because of the large size of the original .pdf.

It's a very interesting historical perspective. One of the things that helped me boot myself out was the realization that everything they said about us (the LC) was true.

At the end of LC3 is a newspaper response by the LC from "somewhere". Maybe Austin. The listed phone number does not provide the area code...it's that old!

Nell

Was there really a time when people just surrounded someone and called Oh Lord Jesus non stop in attempts to convert them?

[gr8ful]

Originally Posted by Zezima

Was there really a time when people just surrounded someone and called Oh Lord Jesus non stop in attempts to convert them?

While I didn't see a group of "OLJ" chanters surround people, in the mid-80s I did see The Gospel Team stand a visitor up at a Gospel Meeting and badger them into repeating "OLJ". Actually bullying the poor visitor into repeating the phrase -- and why not, since just saying the phrase would save them, right? End justifying the means, right? I was new, but this left an ugly memory. No one stopped the "Gospel Team" member from doing this.

[Nell]

Originally Posted by Zezima

Was there really a time when people just surrounded someone and called Oh Lord Jesus non stop in attempts to convert them?

Yes. Sparks was accurate and it happened often...as gr8tful described. We used to have "love feasts"...bring food and have a gospel meeting. Go out and bring people in from off the streets and feed them. In Austin it was generally UT students. I remember one case where a young man was so psyched out that he blurted out a string of expletives at the "preacher" and ran out the door. It was ugly.

Nell

“O Lord Jesus, O Lord Jesus, O Lord Jesus.” On it went. It was beginning to become clear to you what they wanted. You were supposed to join in. The friend who had invited you was smiling at you and encouraging you with his hand to join in. The heat was on. It was all of them against you. You could feel the flush of embarrassment coming up your neck and face. How did you ever get yourself into this? “What kind of a heathen am I anyway?” you ask yourself. You better do something. They're not about to give up. It could be a long night.

Finally you venture an “O Lord Jesus,” but only with your lips. Smiles and encouragement come from the whole group. They like what you're doing. “That didn't hurt so much,” you muse. You vocalize it softly, “O Lord Jesus.”

p. 220

THE “LOCAL CHURCH”
You're really into it now. You're even enjoying it. You're pulsating back and forth with them. What acceptance! You're a part. You've even got that odd intonation. Your mind is relieved. The pressure is off. Your will has been broken. And it's likely that you have just become the most recent convert to the Local Church.

We have seen that the leaders say if they can get you to say it just once, they're well on their way to getting you. Witness Lee has said:

In other words, whenever we say “Lord Jesus” in a real way, it means that you are in the Spirit. . . we all have to learn to say “Lord Jesus” in the meeting, in our home, and a thousand times a day. We must all say this. If we are going to lose our temper, we must say, “O Lord Jesus”! Then our temper will be gone . . . I tell you, you can become holy just by saying “Lord Jesus.” Whenever you say “Lord Jesus,” you are in the Holy Spirit. (Lee, How To Meet, p.84.)

[UntoHim]

Originally Posted by Zezima

Was there really a time when people just surrounded someone and called Oh Lord Jesus non stop in attempts to convert them?

This is what Witness Lee taught us to do, so this is what we did. Witness Lee also taught us that all we had to do was get an unbeliever to say (or shout) "Oh Lord Jesus" over and over again and they would be saved. I attended and participated in many (maybe hundreds) of "gospel meetings" or "love feasts" where people were surrounded and coerced to "call on the Lord". Only God knows whether or not these people actually got saved. But actually, the real goal wasn't salvation at all, the goal was to turn them into a regular attending member, get them moved into a brother's or sister's house, and finally to become a devout, mindless follower of Witness Lee, attending 5 or 6 meetings a week, and eventually become a fruitful recruiter themselves. This was "The Church Life".
-

[Nell]

A couple more testimonies on this forum backing up Jack Spark’s account regarding LC practices in his book.


Testimony2

[Paul Vusik]

Originally Posted by Nell

Thanks Ohio. My point began with a response to Mr. Sparks' statement in his book "The Mindbenders" that recovery from this Witness Lee/LC system was not possible. I was responding, also, to Paul's apparent belief that recovery from the Witness Lee/LC system was not possible.
Nell

This was what I actually said earlier on this thread, just for clarification.

Originally Posted by Paul Vusik

That’s why very few get out, and out of those that do, very few that are able to deal with the damages and consequences of being exposed to it.

Originally Posted by UntoHim

This is what Witness Lee taught us to do, so this is what we did. Witness Lee also taught us that all we had to do was get an unbeliever to say (or shout) "Oh Lord Jesus" over and over again and they would be saved. I attended and participated in many (maybe hundreds) of "gospel meetings" or "love feasts" where people were surrounded and coerced to "call on the Lord". Only God knows whether or not these people actually got saved. But actually, the real goal wasn't salvation at all, the goal was to turn them into a regular attending member, get them moved into a brother's or sister's house, and finally to become a devout, mindless follower of Witness Lee, attending 5 or 6 meetings a week, and eventually become a fruitful recruiter themselves. This was "The Church Life".
-

One of the first things that I was told, that unless I practice this routine, and drop the way I prayed, it will be hard to access your spirit, or exercise it. For whatever reason, or by Gods mercy it was never a thing for me.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Paul Vusik

One of the first things that I was told, that unless I practice this routine, and drop the way I prayed, it will be hard to access your spirit, or exercise it. For whatever reason, or by Gods mercy it was never a thing for me.

Thank the Lord for that!

Only Jesus is the way. There are no God-ordained ways or methods in the scripture, unless we are speaking of faith, hope, and love. No "way" coming out of WL/LSM/Blendeds ever became "the way" sanctioned by God.

[Sons to Glory!]

Originally Posted by Ohio

Thank the Lord for that!

Only Jesus is the way. There are no God-ordained ways or methods in the scripture, unless we are speaking of faith, hope, and love. No "way" coming out of WL/LSM/Blendeds ever became "the way" sanctioned by God.

Aint that the truth! This week I was fellowshipping with a brother about how quick we (humans) are to make a method of some success we have. We were talking about how many came to Christ through Jonathan Edward's preaching of the fire and brimstone gospel ("Sinners in the hands of an angry God" - God dangling sinners over the roaring fire), even though such an intensive damnation approach was not used by any of the apostles as recorded in the NT. Yet, when there was some success in Edward's approach and the HS used this to convict sinners to repentance, then it immediately became a method that has been carried on to this day. Of course, the LC has been no different in their own way.

[Zezima]

Originally Posted by UntoHim

This is what Witness Lee taught us to do, so this is what we did. Witness Lee also taught us that all we had to do was get an unbeliever to say (or shout) "Oh Lord Jesus" over and over again and they would be saved. I attended and participated in many (maybe hundreds) of "gospel meetings" or "love feasts" where people were surrounded and coerced to "call on the Lord". Only God knows whether or not these people actually got saved. But actually, the real goal wasn't salvation at all, the goal was to turn them into a regular attending member, get them moved into a brother's or sister's house, and finally to become a devout, mindless follower of Witness Lee, attending 5 or 6 meetings a week, and eventually become a fruitful recruiter themselves. This was "The Church Life".
-

The burden always seemed to be to convert people to the Lords Recovery, not to Christ.