OBW — My Journey

OBW · 07-30-2008, 04:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ohio

Mike, I thought your avatar looked a little familiar ...

Wasn't that the album that opened with the line, "Blasting, billowing, bursting forth with the power of ten billion butterfly sneezes ..."?

It was a British tease on the American manned space flight program.

Great stuff!

Yep. That's the one. Never actually thought that much of that particular "poem" — a little preachy.

The most interesting song in that line though was "Floating." Actually quite a kids fantasy song, although I'm sure many thought it iwas about drug culture.

OBW · 08-28-2008, 11:30 AM

I know that I will probably violate this vow once again, but I really need to bow out. The direction has been lost. The few threads of any merit lie unengaged. The ones that get all the attention are entirely too antagonistic and like a witch hunt to attract the LC crowd.

Which is one of the biggest flaws with this forum. We are all alone here. Except for Paul M, I don’t think any of the true LC crowd has even said “boo.” Pat C signed up, but never posted and never visited after that day. We have no real controversy.

So it appears we have to make it ourselves. At one level, I despise all that the LC has done to rob real Christians of a real Christian life. But I’m not here to hit them over the head with a 2x4. They need to see something that is concrete and cannot be denied. They need to see the real scriptures at the same time that they see Lee’s teaching on it. They need to see the truth about the leaders that they assume are doing a godly thing for them. We aren’t going to convince Benson. We might convince someone who is just hanging on. That one may convince another.

They don’t need to see bands of ex-LCers gathering at the end of the block under a broken street light with bats and lead pipes. Some will say this is not happening. But the lack of outside opposition is deafening. They knew this would happen before the migration began. Some said they would not move because they would not have the same protection. They may have been right.

In any case, I need to let the number of unread posts pile up for a while. I note that the BARM super-moderators effectively killed that site. It is a ghost town. The only thing going on is Steward and her KJV (oops, RecV) non-discussion and Pat is still trying to convince BoxJoBox that Jesus is God. It would be a shame that too much enthusiasm coupled with too much freedom ultimately does the same for this forum.

Remember it may be lawful, but not wise.

For now, it will have to do without me. (“You won’t have OBW to kick around anymore” an approximate quote for you history buffs.)

SpeakersCorner · 08-28-2008, 12:53 PM

MikeH,

We'll miss you, brother. Actually, maybe I won't because I really need to bow out myself ... again. It's ridiculous that I spend so much time here. I do enjoy the joust, at times, but what good is it doing me? Sometimes, when I get into a theological discussion, I do get the benefit of having to do some research to support my points. That's pretty good. But often it's just a melee.

I do agree fully with your points about the missing opposition. It seems to me that this forum has become kind of the bizarro LSM: same dogmatic, demonization of the other side. I've tried to play the devil's advocate and I am the most pro-Witness Lee voice here, I believe. But this place needs a Bilbodog in the worst kind of a way. Gosh, I miss that ol' coon dog.

One of the most striking things to me about this site and those who frequent it is how much impact the LC had on them. Some here have been away from the LC for over twenty years (not sure about you, Mike). That's a long time to still be driven to argue things. My take is it's because the LC really did have something, something that none of us finds outside it.

Back in the early 70's there was a conference in St. Louis where the theme was that we've all been "wrecked." I remember coming back to Indy and having a meeting where everybody kept jumping up and saying, "I've been wrecked for the Lord!" What a prophecy! We really have been wrecked. So very few have made it out of the LC into mainstream Christianity. Don Rutledge wrote movingly on how he is pretty much rejected by everyone in the Christian realm: the LSMers, the Christian he meets who always discover his LC past, even other LC churches who aren't in the LSM way anymore. I was deeply touched by that post. I have been wrecked in the same way. I have no where to go but to the Lord.

My hope and my inspiration is that we, the wrecked ones, are like the vessel the potter was working on in Jeremiah 18:

"Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it."

It seems we were marred but it also seems the Lord may be looking us over, considering how to refashion us.

Anyway, goodbye Mike. I may join you.

SC

Cal · 08-28-2008, 02:44 PM

moved to new thread

Cal · 08-28-2008, 02:54 PM

By the way, I'm remiss to neglect saying, Mike take care and may the river of life rise up to meet you.

djohnson(XLCmember) · 08-28-2008, 03:16 PM

Having current LCS members here would sure spice things up but let's not forget how many lurkers there appears to be reading the content. My guess is a lot of these lurkers may be current LCS members who are learning for the first time what a crazy system they are in.

aron · 09-09-2008, 06:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djohnson

Having current LCS members here would sure spice things up but let's not forget how many lurkers there appears to be reading the content. My guess is a lot of these lurkers may be current LCS members who are learning for the first time what a crazy system they are in.

To me it is irrelevant how many "lurkers", i.e. those who read but do not post, are reading our threads. We are christians; we believed into Jesus Christ and now are on a journey with Him. He is shepherding us to the Father. We post because of our journey with Christ.

Believe in Jesus, follow Him, respect those whom He places alongside. Whether any fence-sitters happen to be swayed by your words is up to Him. Take care of your relationship with Jesus and whatever words that come out of your mouth or keyboard will find their destination. Where that destination is, is irrelevant, to me.

Let me rephrase: we speak because God is doing something. He is saving humankind through the person of His Son Jesus. We are testifying to the power of that great salvation. We don't need to "do" anything, as in persuade lurkers they are in a crazy system. We merely testify to small and great of the wonderful saving power of the love of God in Christ Jesus that has come into our hearts.

What happens to our testimony, and from our testimony, is up to God, not us.

NeitherFirstnorLast · 03-30-2011, 11:59 AM

Quote:

One of the most striking things to me about this site and those who frequent it is how much impact the LC had on them. Some here have been away from the LC for over twenty years (not sure about you, Mike). That's a long time to still be driven to argue things. My take is it's because the LC really did have something, something that none of us finds outside it.

Back in the early 70's there was a conference in St. Louis where the theme was that we've all been "wrecked." I remember coming back to Indy and having a meeting where everybody kept jumping up and saying, "I've been wrecked for the Lord!" What a prophecy! We really have been wrecked. So very few have made it out of the LC into mainstream Christianity. Don Rutledge wrote movingly on how he is pretty much rejected by everyone in the Christian realm: the LSMers, the Christian he meets who always discover his LC past, even other LC churches who aren't in the LSM way anymore. I was deeply touched by that post. I have been wrecked in the same way. I have no where to go but to the Lord.

SC

Ah Saints,

Were you "wrecked"? There was a broadcast today (March 30, 2011) by Chuck Swindoll on Insight for Living on just such a matter as this - and God's Word on the subject from the book of 2nd Peter. It was very illuminating, and in case you can't link to it (http://www.insight.org/broadcast/), please allow me to post some of it here; from March 30th, 2011: "Insights from 2 Peter: Conquering through Conflict". ...It really sounds like he's addressing the LSM local church at some points here; I believe this message was originally recorded back in 1989...

Quote:

Chuck Swindoll of Insight for Living - message mate

Almost as long as there has been the genuine, there has been the counterfeit. Whether
art or money, authentic products or original publications, education or religion,
phonies have been around. Such deception can lead to financial loss — as well as to
destroyed lives. Any act of fraudulence is hurtful, but none is more hurtful than false
prophets and phony teachers who present their lives behind religious masks. War
stories abound of those who have fallen to these deceivers! To the surprise of many, the
Bible reserves some of its severest words for those who act as though they are true but
are indeed false . . . and the first three verses of 2 Peter 2 is a classic case in point.

Counterfeiters are very, very good at what they do. They will bring their deceptions to you
and parade them alongside Orthodoxy so that they look and feel so right, so good.... but at
some point they will ask you to choose. To choose between what you grew up learning and
what they are teaching. To choose between what you've always known and this new thing
that they are talking about. These men are dangerous, and what they are teaching is a heresy.

Starting Your Journey

How do you spot false teachers? Here are three simple tips. First, STOP: deliberately
refuse to follow a teacher just because he or she seems okay. Second, LOOK: make
careful observations into the life of the teacher and his or her followers. Third, LISTEN:

scrutinize everything you hear through the filter of the Scripture.

False teachers destroy lives; they are "mind benders" that can change the way you think.

Let me tell you, there was far far less in the theology that came from LSM than was worth retaining. It was a beautiful mirage, with no substance. It didn't stand on God's Word, but Lee's interpretations. That's why the Saints are so strongly encouraged to read the Word only with footnotes, and to study Lee's "Lifestudies" in place of God's Word. So that your pliable mind can be bent.

Saints, I ask you: Did Lee give up his life for you? Did Lee ransom you from sin? Is Lee your Father, Is Lee the Spirit, Is Lee the Christ? No. Christ ransomed you - and to Christ alone do we bow. You were bought for a price, and you owe your life to Him who bought you, and no other.

This blog talks about songs. Worldly songs can contain a taste of truth (I have enjoyed many myself of course), but they too are 'tainted' (please, I mean no offense using this term, but our very world is tainted - we, humanity, is tainted - sin did this; apart from Christ all things are tainted), and lack real wisdom. Let me quote from a popular Christian song today instead, when I say "It is not about what you've done, but what's been done for you. It is not about where you've been, but where your brokenness brings you to." It should bring you closer to Him.

Jesus Christ is Lord; behold - He makes all things new. He cleansed the lepers and raised the dead, do you really believe that He can't do that for you?

In Christ,

NeitherFirstnorLast

08-28-2008, 11:30 AM	#2
OBW Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: DFW area Posts: 4,384	We’ve Lost our Way I know that I will probably violate this vow once again, but I really need to bow out. The direction has been lost. The few threads of any merit lie unengaged. The ones that get all the attention are entirely too antagonistic and like a witch hunt to attract the LC crowd. Which is one of the biggest flaws with this forum. We are all alone here. Except for Paul M, I don’t think any of the true LC crowd has even said “boo.” Pat C signed up, but never posted and never visited after that day. We have no real controversy. So it appears we have to make it ourselves. At one level, I despise all that the LC has done to rob real Christians of a real Christian life. But I’m not here to hit them over the head with a 2x4. They need to see something that is concrete and cannot be denied. They need to see the real scriptures at the same time that they see Lee’s teaching on it. They need to see the truth about the leaders that they assume are doing a godly thing for them. We aren’t going to convince Benson. We might convince someone who is just hanging on. That one may convince another. They don’t need to see bands of ex-LCers gathering at the end of the block under a broken street light with bats and lead pipes. Some will say this is not happening. But the lack of outside opposition is deafening. They knew this would happen before the migration began. Some said they would not move because they would not have the same protection. They may have been right. In any case, I need to let the number of unread posts pile up for a while. I note that the BARM super-moderators effectively killed that site. It is a ghost town. The only thing going on is Steward and her KJV (oops, RecV) non-discussion and Pat is still trying to convince BoxJoBox that Jesus is God. It would be a shame that too much enthusiasm coupled with too much freedom ultimately does the same for this forum. Remember it may be lawful, but not wise. For now, it will have to do without me. (“You won’t have OBW to kick around anymore” an approximate quote for you history buffs.) __________________ Mike I think . . . . I think I am . . . . therefore I am, I think — Edge OR . . . . You may be right, I may be crazy — Joel

08-28-2008, 12:53 PM	#3
SpeakersCorner Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 273	Adios, amigo MikeH, We'll miss you, brother. Actually, maybe I won't because I really need to bow out myself ... again. It's ridiculous that I spend so much time here. I do enjoy the joust, at times, but what good is it doing me? Sometimes, when I get into a theological discussion, I do get the benefit of having to do some research to support my points. That's pretty good. But often it's just a melee. I do agree fully with your points about the missing opposition. It seems to me that this forum has become kind of the bizarro LSM: same dogmatic, demonization of the other side. I've tried to play the devil's advocate and I am the most pro-Witness Lee voice here, I believe. But this place needs a Bilbodog in the worst kind of a way. Gosh, I miss that ol' coon dog. One of the most striking things to me about this site and those who frequent it is how much impact the LC had on them. Some here have been away from the LC for over twenty years (not sure about you, Mike). That's a long time to still be driven to argue things. My take is it's because the LC really did have something, something that none of us finds outside it. Back in the early 70's there was a conference in St. Louis where the theme was that we've all been "wrecked." I remember coming back to Indy and having a meeting where everybody kept jumping up and saying, "I've been wrecked for the Lord!" What a prophecy! We really have been wrecked. So very few have made it out of the LC into mainstream Christianity. Don Rutledge wrote movingly on how he is pretty much rejected by everyone in the Christian realm: the LSMers, the Christian he meets who always discover his LC past, even other LC churches who aren't in the LSM way anymore. I was deeply touched by that post. I have been wrecked in the same way. I have no where to go but to the Lord. My hope and my inspiration is that we, the wrecked ones, are like the vessel the potter was working on in Jeremiah 18: "Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it." It seems we were marred but it also seems the Lord may be looking us over, considering how to refashion us. Anyway, goodbye Mike. I may join you. SC

08-28-2008, 02:44 PM	#4
Cal Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: USA Posts: 4,333	moved to new thread Last edited by Cal; 08-28-2008 at 02:58 PM.

08-28-2008, 03:16 PM	#6
djohnson(XLCmember) Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 318	Having current LCS members here would sure spice things up but let's not forget how many lurkers there appears to be reading the content. My guess is a lot of these lurkers may be current LCS members who are learning for the first time what a crazy system they are in. __________________ My greatest joy is knowing Jesus Christ!

08-28-2008, 02:54 PM	#5
Cal Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: USA Posts: 4,333	By the way, I'm remiss to neglect saying, Mike take care and may the river of life rise up to meet you.