Life after the LC

[lojoes29]

Manipulation is huge in the LC. For years my brother and I were told that our mom had deserted us. Here my step mother was and had been intercepting her letters for years.

From phone calls that were listened to, and mail that had to be sorted and reviewed before we got to see it, to trying to keep us in the dark about other cultures.

I was glad that I had a strong will. I knew I needed to leave. From having saints living in our home all the time (once they asked me to return a sex book to the library! I was 14) to watching these young Taiwanese women being married to American men. Neither speaking the others language.

I was mortified that I was going to have to get married to some uber religious guy and move to Taiwan!

I know that some of the kids that I went with are still in the church today, but I hope most got out like I did.

[DistantStar]

Originally Posted by lojoes29

I was glad that I had a strong will. I knew I needed to leave. From having saints living in our home all the time (once they asked me to return a sex book to the library! I was 14) to watching these young Taiwanese women being married to American men. Neither speaking the others language.

Welcome to the forum! Please tell us more about your experience. Each testimony is earily similar, yet unique.

[aron]

Originally Posted by lojoes29

Manipulation is huge in the LC. .

Yes it is, and the children suffer the worst for it. I'm sorry for what you had to go through, even when I was a zealot I felt bad about things that I saw. Children being pressured constantly to get with the program, and to perform. It was a manipulating spirit.

Thank you for having the courage to share your story. You are not alone.

[Freedom]

Originally Posted by aron

Yes it is, and the children suffer the worst for it. I'm sorry for what you had to go through, even when I was a zealot I felt bad about things that I saw. Children being pressured constantly to get with the program, and to perform. It was a manipulating spirit.

Thank you for having the courage to share your story. You are not alone.

I can attest to the manipulation that happens to church kids, it's all too familiar. I've been there. I grew up being forbidden to do all the normal activities that friends got to do. It produced a dependency upon the LC as well as being inadept at interacting with others.

Some eventually see through it, others don't. Those who stick around are usually prodded to attend the FTTA, thus completing their predetermined path in life.

[TLFisher]

Originally Posted by Freedom

I can attest to the manipulation that happens to church kids, it's all too familiar. I've been there. I grew up being forbidden to do all the normal activities that friends got to do. It produced a dependency upon the LC as well as being inadept at interacting with others.

Some eventually see through it, others don't. Those who stick around are usually prodded to attend the FTTA, thus completing their predetermined path in life.

Life of a churchkid often dysfunctional and exposed to church hypocrisy.
Preferences often based on who your parents are or expressing a desire for FTTA. It's showing special attention.

If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? (James 2:3-4)

[Freedom]

Originally Posted by Terry

Life of a churchkid often dysfunctional and exposed to church hypocrisy.
Preferences often based on who your parents are or expressing a desire for FTTA. It's showing special attention.

If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? (James 2:3-4)

My observation was that church kids almost always struggled in the LC, and had a lot of inner-turmoil in regards to whether or not they should remain in the LC. For those who did somehow manage to stay in the LC, the decision to attend the FTTA was usually for the purpose of 'proving' themselves to their parents or peers. There wasn't really any real desire to go otherwise.

[aron]

Originally Posted by Freedom

My observation was that church kids almost always struggled in the LC, and had a lot of inner-turmoil in regards to whether or not they should remain in the LC. For those who did somehow manage to stay in the LC, the decision to attend the FTTA was usually for the purpose of 'proving' themselves to their parents or peers. There wasn't really any real desire to go otherwise.

The whole system is designed to take away choice. First they're told, at about 8 or 10, that to avoid perdition they must believe into and receive Jesus Christ. "You don't want to burn in hell for eternity, do you?"

Then, they're told that only the overcomers will get millenial bliss. "You don't want a thousand years of outer darkness, do you?"

Then, they're told that if they're not "building the Body" then all the sentiments of love and fealty to the Lord are vain. Suddenly it's no longer about faith but rather about works.

And then they're told that any work outside the ministry of Witness Lee and Watchman Nee is vain at best, and divisive and rebellious at worst.

And at every turn, critical and independent thought are discouraged and repressed. In my 'locality' we were told that thinking only produced confusion. "Get out of your mind" was the mantra.

This is the pipeline Gene Gruhler told us about 25 years ago. All designed to push them into the service of an all-too-human publishing house in Ansheim California.

When faced with such a gauntlet, and lacking problem-solving skills to navigate it, some go to meetings once or twice a week, sing a song, share a few sentences on what they enjoyed of Witness Lee's writings, and hope for the best. But a lot of them bail, and abandon the faith entirely. This church, for its size, may produce more determined atheists than any in human history.

[Freedom]

Originally Posted by aron

The whole system is designed to take away choice. First they're told, at about 8 or 10, that to avoid perdition they must believe into and receive Jesus Christ. "You don't want to burn in hell for eternity, do you?"

Then, they're told that only the overcomers will get millenial bliss. "You don't want a thousand years of outer darkness, do you?"

Then, they're told that if they're not "building the Body" then all the sentiments of love and fealty to the Lord are vain. Suddenly it's no longer about faith but rather about works.

And then they're told that any work outside the ministry of Witness Lee and Watchman Nee is vain at best, and divisive and rebellious at worst.

And at every turn, critical and independent thought are discouraged and repressed. In my 'locality' we were told that thinking only produced confusion. "Get out of your mind" was the mantra.

This is the pipeline Gene Gruhler told us about 25 years ago. All designed to push them into the service of an all-too-human publishing house in Ansheim California.

When faced with such a gauntlet, and lacking problem-solving skills to navigate it, some go to meetings once or twice a week, sing a song, share a few sentences on what they enjoyed of Witness Lee's writings, and hope for the best. But a lot of them bail, and abandon the faith entirely. This church, for its size, may produce more determined atheists than any in human history.

Church kids are abnormally sheltered from the outside world. This usually has one of two outcomes. They either reject the LC and religion entirely, or they become dependent on the LC without realizing it. I was one of the latter cases. Having been raised in an environment where celebrating holidays were forbidden and many other normal things were rejected as too 'worldly', it made it hard to relate to anyone. So there was only one thing to turn to and that was the LC. And elders were all too happy to provide their 'guidance'.

[lojoes29]

Originally Posted by aron

Yes it is, and the children suffer the worst for it. I'm sorry for what you had to go through, even when I was a zealot I felt bad about things that I saw. Children being pressured constantly to get with the program, and to perform. It was a manipulating spirit.

Thank you for having the courage to share your story. You are not alone.

Thanks. I'm a survivor. A least I consider myself one.

[aron]

Originally Posted by lojoes29

Thanks. I'm a survivor. A least I consider myself one.

Yes, we are survivors. My prayer, and blessing (if you'll receive such a word) is that not only will you survive, but you will heal, and thrive. May God bless your journey.

[LifeGoesOn]

Originally Posted by aron

Yes, we are survivors. My prayer, and blessing (if you'll receive such a word) is that not only will you survive, but you will heal, and thrive. May God bless your journey.

Yes and amen!