How Much To Throw Out?

[zeek]

Originally Posted by Dave

Throw out nothing. Throw out everything. Find your own way back. After 9 years actively involved in the LC I finally decided I had enough. By active I mean I brought many people into the LC. Not long ago I received an email from someone I brought to Christ and to the LC from one of the colleges I attended in Santa Cruz where Karl Hammond (editor of the Normal Christian Church Life) and I started a church in Santa Cruz with the two of us, our wives and another couple and in two years built it to 125. I met Karl one Saturday night at the Santa Cruz boardwalk while I was passing out tracts (which I did with a friend every Saturday night---I was attending Bethany College at the time which was nearby).

After two years I left the LC in Santa Cruz in the summer 1971 because WL personally asked me to go to Detroit, I guess because I had influenced numerous relatives to become part of the LC in Detroit. Apparently he felt I would be helpful as well as add to the people there among other reasons I suspect. I continued to attend and work the local colleges and universities to bring in people to the LC while in Detroit but it was more difficult mainly because of the make up of the LC in Detroit. After we moved to Ft. Lauderdale because of the migration and then to Miami, my good friend, Don O’Born tried to talk me out of leaving but I was comfortable leaving. Of course, he became an elder later and ended up leaving himself.

When I left the LC I decided I would try and go back to my former denomination so I went to the AOG in Miami and started praying with 2 brothers every morning at 6am. It was a reasonably large congregation and the Pastor asked if I would be willing to take over an adult class Sunday mornings. I agreed and I built a small tabernacle out of balsam wood, velvet etc and began teaching the spiritual meanings of the various aspects of the tabernacle from the Holiest of all, the holy place to the outer court etc. In the end, I didn’t feel comfortable so I left and felt at that point that I needed a break away from this intense religious exposure. Quite frankly, we can lay a lot of guilt trips on each other and I was tired of doing it to others as well as having others do it to me even if it was an unintended consequence of my actions.

Certainly I have evolved and am evolving in my thoughts and my life but I am very happy where I am at this point in life. I am married to a very active wonderful wife, I have been very active in my church and I could care less what you believe as long as you care about others. For me it is deeds not creeds that is the most important.

You, of course, were the one that recruited me to Lee's local church. Did you use sales techniques you had honed as a Bible salesman to proselytize people for the movement? I remember you would talk for hours to potential converts in informal groups. Was that intended to overwhelm them with information to soften them up for a "flooding" experience when they called on the Lord? I mean, you were obviously good at it as you testified to above, so maybe you can shed some light on the techniques of manipulation that you used. That might provide insight to some of the former members and current members who participate on this website. I also recall when the book Snapping played a pivotal role in your leaving the church, you shared with me about the book at the office where we worked. It gave me a lot to think about, even though I didn't leave right away. Did you recognize some of the techniques that you had used on others in that book?