Now's good - byHismercy

[leastofthese]

Originally Posted by aron

I disagree. We were told to get out of our mind, period. No qualifiers. As with most of the Lee corpus, what may have originally related to scripture, however faintly, was dubbed down to the point of caricature, or worse. Shouting slogans became the way "out of our minds".

And we did a lot of jumping and shouting and arm-waving to manufacture an exalted state (at least, my group did. And I saw it in Anaheim too). So don't be so quick to try & distance yourself from pentecostalism. As Drake says, "That wasn't my experience."

Aron I agree with most of what you're saying, but I have to jump in because I agree with Drake on a point - I love when that happens! I heard frequent condemnation of Pentecostals (much like what Evangelical was sharing) and, in that, didn't see arm waiving or jumping during my year visiting with the LSM ministry churches (and attending the December "training") in 2015-16.

I remember discussing speaking in tongues in one home meeting. I personally don't speak in tongues and have never attended a church that promoted it specifically as a practice (so no need to lash out at me Evangelical) but these people so blindly follow Lee that they mark all people who speak in tongues as crazy Pentecostals - they didn't even know any individuals who spoke in tongues to make this judgement (at least most of them). I shared my experience and it was met with silence from the older brothers and sisters in the room - this wasn't part of their morning revival so they didn't have much to contribute. Experiencing the Lord through His Word and His Body is so much sweeter than parroting what some dead dude with a questionable Christian Leadership says.

This is a perfect example of the toxic culture in the LSM churches and why brothers and sisters need to be warned - even today - of WHO they are following and WHAT this ministry really is. This ministry is not the Lord's work to build His one true church, Witness lee was not the great Christian leader of a dispensation. All praise to God that this is not our truth.

[aron]

Originally Posted by leastofthese

I heard frequent condemnation of Pentecostals (much like what Evangelical was sharing) and, in that, didn't see arm waiving or jumping during my year visiting with the LSM ministry churches (and attending the December "training") in 2015-16. .

My experience is 20 years ago so maybe it's changed, but back then your loyalty to the program, aka "being in spirit" could be assessed by: a) volume; b) sing-song cadence; c) repeating ministry verbatim; and d) rocking back and forth, head rolling, first pumps and karate chops, and hopping up and down. What I saw from the PRC could most accurately be described as screaming. Like, veins-standing-out screaming.

[leastofthese]

Originally Posted by aron

My experience is 20 years ago so maybe it's changed, but back then your loyalty to the program, aka "being in spirit" could be assessed by: a) volume; b) sing-song cadence; c) repeating ministry verbatim; and d) rocking back and forth, head rolling, first pumps and karate chops, and hopping up and down. What I saw from the PRC could most accurately be described as screaming. Like, veins-standing-out screaming.

Awesome-Karate chops! Man I missed out.

They still practiced pray reading which the brothers demonstrate their connectedness to Witness Lee by the volume of their voice (tongue-cheek). All a dog and pony show to show off for the LSM gang - this according to one Full Timer on the inside. All bark, no Spirit, all talk, no walk. Sad man, sad place. The Pharisees would be jealous. Guy’s like my FT friend tried to shine light, change the culture of Home meetings, but most in the “Church Life” don’t want it. They’re comfortable in the bubble. But there is so much more!

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by leastofthese

Awesome-Karate chops! Man I missed out.

!

You should have seen those awesome Karate chops while fast-forwarding thru the videos.

[Drake]

Originally Posted by aron

What I saw from the PRC could most accurately be described as screaming. Like, veins-standing-out screaming.

Yikes Aron.

That bears very little resemblance to what a have observed in multiple localities over forty years. Then or now. PRC or elsewhere.

If I had experienced anything close to that description I would have been the driver of your getaway car!

Drake

[JJ]

Yes, it's been toned down quite a bit in recent years, but the longer you go back the sort of behavior aron described was quite common in TLR's California churches. Dick Taylor had a fierce karate chop and shouts! And now he's blended, and toned down quite a bit thank God

[Weighingin]

Originally Posted by JJ

Yes, it's been toned down quite a bit in recent years, but the longer you go back the sort of behavior aron described was quite common in TLR's California churches. Dick Taylor had a fierce karate chop and shouts! And now he's blended, and toned down quite a bit thank God

Around 1982, I was looking at tapes and realized that in the testimonies,,there was a lot of empty shouting, hand waving, etc. These were before the turmoil in 1978. After that, those who remained seem to become more sober. One factor was there was sadness in seeing many leave. Also, I felt troubled at that time that I had lacked discernment. I believe others may have also felt this way.