Authority and Submission

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Suannehill

My experience is that Authority and Submission as taught by WN was a very scriptural thing. However, it gets a little muddy in LSM practice, because I believe a great deal of the teaching had cultural roots that were backed with scripture. In other words, the culture dictated the practice, and scripture was used to back them up.

This is the ultimate mixture of leaven -- using the scripture to support cultural practices -- especially when they create nearly unlimited centralized power in one man -- doesn't this current scenario help to explain the formation of the Roman Papal system of old -- in an ancient culture which for centuries considered Caesar as God.

As others have written, the scriptural "power" to enforce these errant concepts of "deputy authority and submission" lie mainly in the story of Noah/Ham and secondarily in the story of Ananias/Sapphira. These continually reinforced the "fear of God" in all the saints.

The "curse of Ham" (or better Canaan, and Nigel did address this topic) was one of the most powerful control devices ever taught in the Recovery -- an entire race of blacks for just a few laughs at the drunken old man. I know I am being a little crude here for effect, but couldn't this be considered the "bottom line." Herein lies the problem -- what if one day I inadvertently "blow a little cold wind" of heartfelt "concern" about the direction things were going, I might be cursed forever.

For many years I remained silent under the effects of this warning. Most of the reason for my silence was godly fear. I was also genuinely ignorant of most things, and even part of that was my choice. LC leadership received the ultimate "free pass" in my heart and my life. I would still be there except for one thing -- people were getting hurt. The accumulation of "hurts" finally caught up to me. But how little did I really know! How much had been hidden away! How many more precious ones had been hurt in all the cover-ups!

The "curse of Ham" needs some serious balance in the leadership of the LC's. The program is skewed to the extreme. Actually I could "cover up" a few "drunken bouts" in Anaheim. Everybody has a bad day or two. Drinking too much wine in the privacy of your own "tent" is not an impeachable offense. Not a good habit, but understandable, all things considered ... but LC leadership has "cloaked" itself with this "curse" of protection far too long.

If the "curse of Ham" were so "God-ordained," then why didn't God Himself honor it with the case of David and Bathsheba? Couldn't David be considered the "acting God" of that age?

An equally troubling point is to consider how many consciences have been damaged and compromised over the years in the LC's by those who could not speak up as Nathan did, and rather remained silent and "one with the ministry."