In Response to Fuller Theological Seminary's Open Letter Regarding the Local Church (A)

I have been planning to record a video in which I attempt to adequately, succinctly, and clearly communicate to Fuller Theological Seminary's professors my deep concern about their open letter in support of "the Local Church" and Living Stream Ministry, dated January 6, 2005, which can be found at https://an-open-letter.org/PDF/Fuller%20Theological%20Seminary%20Statement%20English.pdf.

I specifically hope to effectively address the following statement these scholars made in that letter:

"Moreover, we also can say with certainty that no evidence of cultic or cult-like attributes have been found by us among the leaders of the ministry or the members of the local churches who adhere to the teachings represented in the publications of Living Stream Ministry."

Several individual authors as well as publishing companies have been sued for accusing "the Local Church" of being a cult. Faithful brothers in the Lord have endured bankruptcy due to lawsuits filed against them by Living Stream Ministry, after they published their concerns.

Knowing this history quite intimately, I have no qualms writing this blog and stating unequivocally that, if not a textbook example of a cult, this group definitely exhibits "cultic or cult-like attributes", evidence of which somehow Fuller Theological Seminary professors failed to find when they wrote that they "unreservedly recommend that all Christian believers likewise extend to them the right hand of fellowship."

If seminary professors and scholars truly seek the truth, and IF there are any "cultic or cult-like attributes"in this or any group, it is important to dialog not only with leading representatives of the group, but also with genuine believers whom those leaders have deemed "rebellious," "evil," "leprous" and "divisive," and have publicly quarantined. It would behoove those who seek the truth about any group that MAY be a cult to interview "apostates" who may be victims of the system, in this case, some who have been shunned by believers who consider (and publicly state and publish) that they are members of the only legitimate network of genuine churches, and that all other "churches" are either the great harlot (the Catholic Church) or her daughters (all other "groups" and denominations). [See Life-Study of Revelation, Message 53 by Witness Lee (1984), as one of many examples.]

What qualifies me to write this, and why would I do so, since I am keenly aware of past lawsuits targeting many who have made similar claims? In brief, I am a lover of Jesus, a lover of God's Word, and a lover of the church. I grew up in the group, from age 5 until my late 40's, when I could no longer survive an abusive marriage to a leader in this group. I am a survivor of sexual assault by the late Philip Lee, the then-manager of the Living Stream Ministry. His father, Witness Lee, and other "co-workers" knew of Philip's sexual assault of multiple sisters and did nothing to protect us victims nor to deal scripturally with Philip Lee. Another thing that perhaps qualifies me is that from a babe, literally [BEFORE my parents found "the church" as described in Watchman Nee's Normal Christian Church Life, which they had read while serving the Lord in Haiti or Jamaica and began seeking for Christians who practiced this, and eventually found "the church in Seattle"] I have known the sacred writings which are able to make us wise unto salvation (2 Tim. 3:15), and I have treasured God's Word, hiding it in my heart all these years. And I ran into an impasse. I could not obey God's Word and comply with this group's teachings and leadership.

Agreeing on a definition of "cult"/"cultic or cult-like attributes"

Firstly, in identifying cults and "cultic or cult-like attributes," there has to be some sort of consensus on what defines a cult; what are "cultic or cult-like attributes"? The purpose of this blog is NOT to thoroughly define and explain cults, but there needs to be a basic premise of the meaning of this loaded term as used in this blog.

Britannica states, "Cult, usually small group devoted to a person, idea, or philosophy. The term cult is often applied to a religious movement that exists in some degree of tension with the dominant religious or cultural inclination of a society. In recent years the word cult has been most commonly used as a pejorative term for a religious group that falls outside the mainstream and, by implication, engages in questionable activities." (https://www.britannica.com/topic/cult)

Cult expert Steven Hassan created a BITE model to aid in the recognition of cults and authoritarian control. Hassan refers to other researchers' work, including that of Robert Jay Lifton, who defined 8 methods used to alter people's minds (Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism, W.W. Norton & Co., Inc., 1963). Based on their work, I would like to submit the following identifying attributes of a cult:

1. A group in which the Behavior, Information, Thought, and Emotion (BITE) of its members are controlled to a degree beyond what is typical in social circles.

2. There are frequent references to the the distinction between those IN the group and those NOT in the group. Insiders are elevated; outsiders are doomed. The group is considered by its members as special and superior. Those NOT in the group have problems those in the group do not have; "outsiders" are considered lost or degraded. An attribute of cults is exclusivism.

3. Members bond with one another and trust one another based on a belief that they are bad/evil apart from the group; members are convinced their own thoughts cannot be trusted and they must adopt the beliefs of the group over their own considerations.

4. There is a hierarchy, and "higher" members may mete out punishments (labels, ex-communication, public rebukes) and rewards (status, titles, authority) based on conformation to teachings. "Lower" members must always obey "higher" members.

5. The group's teaching/dogma is treated as unquestionable, non-negotiable, and absolute. Alternative viewpoints are not allowed. There is a closed system of logic, disallowing criticism or real input.

6. Language is "loaded" - words and phrases are used in new/unique ways or even created, to communicate supposedly new and profound meaning unique to the group. Language is cliché-ridden. This adds to the group's sense of exclusivity and superiority.

7. The group is more important than its constituents; the beliefs and rules are more important than the members; experiences, conscience, values, integrity, and beliefs (whether inside or outside the group) are viewed as invalid if they conflict with the group's teachings. Doubts, questions, and contradictions of the group's teachings are condemned.

8. The leader is the only one with unquestioned right of membership; others can be cast out if they fall out of favor with the leader. Those who leave may be considered particularly evil, weak or lost, and may be used as examples by being publicly denigrated. Fear of being made such an example keeps members in line, unquestioning of "authority," not wanting to be rejected by, or ejected from, the group. Dangerously, this can be extended in some cults to deciding who has the right to exist.

(Above points are from THE BITE MODEL OF AUTHORITARIAN CONTROL: UNDUE INFLUENCE, THOUGHT REFORM, BRAINWASHING, MIND CONTROL, TRAFFICKING AND THE LAW by Steven Hassan, January 2021, and https://changingminds.org/techniques/conversion/lifton_thought_reform.htm by Changing Works, 2002-2025)

Without going into all the details of how this list aptly describes "the Local Church"/Living Stream Ministry, I will just state that it does, knowing that saying this could be grounds, based on the treatment of many who have preceded me, of being sued. Minimally, people who have stated such things are labeled as "rebellious," "leprous," etc. I am already treated as such, though I am still unaware of any public statement made about me to date.

Plenty of others have been the subject of public humiliation for expressing anything along the lines of what I am saying in this blog.

In solidarity with them, I am writing this.

In assurance of the truth, I am writing this.

Knowing that so many earthly lives and families have been damaged and even destroyed by this group's teachings and practices, I am writing this.

And to address my fellow Christians who have stated, "...no evidence of cultic or cult-like attributes have been found by us among the leaders of the ministry or the members of the local churches who adhere to the teachings represented in the publications of Living Stream Ministry," I am writing this.

I'll end this blog with a quote from Steven Hassan's dissertation (p. 59, 2021):

To be independent thinkers, people require information from a wide variety of reputable sources. Cults indoctrinate members to distrust critics, former members, and any media that is negative.

Sadly, this couldn't be more true related to "The Local Church"/"The Lord's Recovery"/Living Stream Ministry.

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To be continued, Lord willing.

(I read this blog aloud and share a few comments/examples related to the above points as they apply to "The Local Church" here: https://youtu.be/ePTsigB6UTM.

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#lordsrecovery #thelordsrecovery #thelocalchurch #witnesslee #livingstreamministry