An outsider's look into a Local Church

Ohio · 01-14-2016, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aron

This reminds me of a story I heard, I think from GG. He was saying that WL was asking what it was to be builded up. He answered with his understanding. WL said, "No, it's not like that", and proceeded to give his understanding.

This reminds me of a conference with Witness Lee in Cleveland during Memorial Day weekend 1989, soon after the chaos in Anaheim, following the expulsion of John Ingalls and the other Anaheim elders. Supposedly the topic was the book of Colossians. Now, mind you, none of the GLA saints, with the exception of TC who had visited SoCal, had a clue what "really" happened during the recent "storm" which swept through the Recovery.

Lee's topic was "culture." Nobody understood what he was talking about, and all the meager attempts at testimonies were shot down by Lee. After several failures, one brother whom I knew was brave enough to attempt it. Lee quickly shot him down with, "that's your culture." Apparently we were all "cursed" with culture, all of us except for Lee, that is. There was an oppressive confusion which clouded the entire meeting hall in Cleveland of more than a thousand saints. We were made to believe by TC that "brother Lee sees things which we do not." The meeting concluded with us all shaking our heads and walking out.

It was, at best, "folk theology" as aron posted. Actually, in retrospect, it was Lee keeping us all under subjection. We were his kingdom, he was our "king" and we were all "dumb." Since we could not understand what he was teaching us, it was strong proof that we "needed" him, and that no one else could be trusted to help us. Forget about studying the Bible or even using our mind because we were way too steeped in our own "culture" to emerge from this sinking quicksand of helplessness.

Lee may have lost half of the SoCal Recovery due to Phillip's abusive streak, but this was his scheme to keep the GLA in the fold, at least for the time being. What we really needed to hear was a sobering repentance concerning how much damage Lee and son had wrought on God's people, complete with basic details. All Christians can understand that.