Soul-Life, Kundalini, and Watchman Nee

[Jo S]

I also wanted to add this point to my original post.

The bible verse that Watchman Nee/Penn-Lewis misinterpret and use to justify the need to separate and compartmentalize the soul from the spirit is found in Hebrews 4:12;

"for the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

If you continue on to Hebrews 4:13 and add a bit more context, it goes on to state;

"...and there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account."


The Hebrews author isn't teaching an esoteric dividing of soul from spirit, he simply teaches through metaphor that the Word of God penetrates past things that are seen and discerns the things of both the soul and the spirit.

How they conclude "soul is bad, spirit is good" from that verse is baffling but nevertheless it's twisted to justify losing one's soul-life, that is, losing the sense of individuality.

[aron]

Originally Posted by Jo S

How they conclude "soul is bad, spirit is good" from that verse is baffling but nevertheless it's twisted to justify losing one's soul-life, that is, losing the sense of individuality.

We were conditioned by the need to "drop your concepts" and "don't have any opinions", both of which were held as relics of the old man, as dross to be burned, as the fallen soul, to be 'crossed out' in the [LC] church life. All those aspects of one's personality were held with distrust. It was strongly suggested that local churches were to be "absolutely identical" with "no differences whatever".

But the Maximum Leader (ML) got to have an opinion, which was held as the "flow from the throne" in heaven. The ML could hold forth concepts, which were held as divine revelation of eternal truth (no matter if those 'truths' flipped over time). The only one allowed to retain the sense of individuality, as you put it, was the ML, who was evidently fully transformed in his/her soul and alone could freely channel God to the 'small potatoes'. All others were expected to adopt, to some degree or other, the ML's person as their own. I heard stories from China that Little Flock attendees would unconsciously adopt Watchman Nee's speaking style. The same in the LC: the more "Leeisms" the better, with head rolls, heel rocks, hand thrusts, and sing-song tempo, indicated that an attendee was "in spirit" and "one with the apostle".

It's one thing to give up your soul-life, and another thing entirely to give it up to someone who won't give up theirs. That's becoming co-dependent in a dysfunctional relationship.

Opinions and concepts have purpose as approximations and placeholders as we grope toward the light. I was greatly helped by seeing "much discussion" among the disciples, that important decisions were not made by fiat (Acts 15:7). Quite unlike the Local Church, I daresay.

[aron]

Originally Posted by aron

I heard stories from China that Little Flock attendees would unconsciously adopt Watchman Nee's style. The same in the LC: the more "Leeisms" the better, with head rolls, heel rocks, hand thrusts, and sing-song tempo, indicated that an attendee was "in spirit" and "one with the apostle"..

"As surely as Watchman Nee clicked his dentures when he prayed, his admirers clicked when they prayed, dentures or no dentures"

The Anatomy of Preaching by David Larsen p.113

"Nee's popularity rose dramatically, but others dissented from the church's change of emphasis ["Jerusalem principle"]. Nee's own nephew became disillusioned by the growing idolization of Watchman. Lyall even reports that the clicking that accompanied Nee's speech because of his loose-fitting dentures was often unconsciously imitated in prayer."

Secrets of Watchman Nee by Dana Roberts, p.33

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by aron

"As surely as Watchman Nee clicked his dentures when he prayed, his admirers clicked when they prayed, dentures or no dentures"

The Anatomy of Preaching by David Larsen p.113

"Nee's popularity rose dramatically, but others dissented from the church's change of emphasis ["Jerusalem principle"]. Nee's own nephew became disillusioned by the growing idolization of Watchman. Lyall even reports that the clicking that accompanied Nee's speech because of his loose-fitting dentures was often unconsciously imitated in prayer."

Secrets of Watchman Nee by Dana Roberts, p.33

"Even W. Nee's own nephew became disillusioned by the growing idolization of Nee."

That's something we never heard from W. Lee.

[Jo S]

The more I delve into Local Church theology the more I realize the intricacies in the patchwork stitched together by Watchman Nee which seems to be mostly made up of the doctrines of failed Charismatic movements and eastern belief systems.

I was previously focused on Witness Lee's teachings but going to the root and now understanding Nee's mystical outlook on circumstance and his eclectic approach to gaining "light", it's more clear to me how similar his approach to spirituality is to those caught up in the false spirituality of New Ageism.

Here's a great article to read on the New Age in case you're not familiar with it's beliefs

[aron]

Originally Posted by Jo S

The more I delve into Local Church theology the more I realize the intricacies in the patchwork stitched together by Watchman Nee which seems to be mostly made up of the doctrines of failed Charismatic movements and eastern belief systems.

I was previously focused on Witness Lee's teachings but going to the root and now understanding Nee's mystical outlook on circumstance and his eclectic approach to gaining "light", it's more clear to me how similar his approach to spirituality is to those caught up in the false spirituality of New Ageism.

The problem with looking up Nee is that it's hard to get clear objective info. Here is the first website when you Google "Watchman Nee Keswick"

https://faithsaves.net/watchman-nee/

[Jo S]

Originally Posted by aron

The problem with looking up Nee is that it's hard to get clear objective info. Here is the first website when you Google "Watchman Nee Keswick"

https://faithsaves.net/watchman-nee/

It's an interesting read.

It also hit me while reading on a recent thread here (the Body-Christ thread) that LCer's, even one that claims to have left, remains an adherent of modalism.

In the LC it's taught that Jesus, after resurrection, ceased being a human being as you and I. Rather, "the church" or "the body of Christ" literally became Jesus' physical aspect of existence and that the "head" resides in Heaven as "the spirit". That's a form of modalism and it's the same belief you'll find in new age groups that teach "Christ consciousness".

The man Jesus Christ our savior is still, to this very day, in a glorified physical body of flesh contained within his own individual person.

This modalist view of Christ is why movements like the Lord's Recovery believe they have to subdue the earth before his return (dominionism) because they think they are literally his physical body, as if he somehow dissevered during the ascension, and needs to be conjoined again by their works.