| Author | Message | ||
| Free2dance Registered user Username: Free2dance Post Number: 178 Registered: 2-2010 |
I looked up the Oct 22 date on google and saw a link to an article on Wikipedia. I thought one of the sections was pretty interesting and wanted to share. "Psychological perspective: The Great Disappointment is viewed by some scholars as an example of the psychological phenomenon of cognitive dissonance.[14] The theory was proposed by Leon Festinger to describe the formation of new beliefs and increased proselytizing in order to reduce the tension, or dissonance, that results from failed prophecies.[15] According to the theory, believers experienced tension following the failure of Jesus' reappearance in 1844 which led to a variety of new explanations. The various solutions form a part of the teachings of the different groups that outlived the disappointment. [edit] Bahá'í Members of the Bahá'í Faith believe that Miller's interpretation of signs and dates of the coming of Jesus were, for the most part, correct.[16] They believe that the fulfillment of biblical prophecies of the coming of Christ came through a forerunner of their own religion, the Báb, who declared that he was the "Promised One" on May 23, 1844, and began openly teaching in Persia (Iran) in October 1844.[17] Several Bahá'í books and pamphlets make mention of the Millerites, the prophecies used by Miller and the Great Disappointment, most notably William Sears' Thief in the Night.[18][19][20]" (Message edited by free2dance on October 24, 2010) | ||
| Honestwitness Registered user Username: Honestwitness Post Number: 1037 Registered: 7-2005  |
Hmmm...very interesting, Free. Thanks for sharing! I have witnessed this increased proselytizing activity by my husband, ever since I quit Adventism. He's almost like a man possessed, going to more Adventist meetings and seminars than he ever did, while I was still in the church. I guess this means his cognitive dissonance has also increased. Maybe, he's trying to gain more converts to balance out his biggest loss, which is his wife as an adherent. (Message edited by honestwitness on October 25, 2010) | ||
| Martinc Registered user Username: Martinc Post Number: 187 Registered: 9-2006 |
Fascinating, Free2dance. It's significant that we had a social psychology professor at La Sierra who told us of this very thing. He told us that The Great Disappointment led to, and structured SDA theology, serving to reduce the internal contradictions of those Millerites. I asked him if Festinger's logic could also be applied to the early Christian believers, who's beliefs in a Jewish messiah were disappointed when Jesus was executed. He said that it could, but refused to elaborate. As impressionable SDA psych students, this theory pushed us into a delimma. If we applied Festinger's theory to the SDA pioneers, we felt obligated to apply it to the apostles. Afterall, weren't those pioneers the recipients of "present truth," just as were the apostles? Our professor did not offer any solutions for the tension this placed on our SDA worldview, and our faith in Christ. This superficial analysis made the 1844 debacle virtually identical to the early church, and created doubts about both events. Both 1844 and the resurrection stood or fell together. We were taught that psychology could explain pretty much everything, especially all things religious. We were given a psychological hammer and told everything is a nail. This was one of many things we were fed at La Sierra which paved the way for our agnosticism. Yesterday, a very wise FAF member told me that Adventism, as well as Mormonism and JW, are breeding grounds for agnosticism, and that is why most of the people who leave those groups become agnostic. There are literally millions of religious refugee agnostics out there. Martin C | ||
| Doc Registered user Username: Doc Post Number: 625 Registered: 2-2003  |
I guess a significant difference would be that the IJ is an invisible event in heaven accompanied by no visible signs and with no eye witnesses, totally unobservable by unbiased witnesses. The resurrection of Jesus, on the other hand, had over 500 witnesses (see I Cor 15), who were willing to give their lives for what they knew to be true. I don't think people are usually willing to die for cognitive dissonance. Christianity is based on solid evidence, the life, death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, SDA theology is based on assumptions and excuses. As far as I, as an outsider, can figure. That is what really differentiates the gospel from all man-made religions. The gospel is not a cleverly invented myth! (Paul said that somewhere). Adrian | ||
| Doc Registered user Username: Doc Post Number: 626 Registered: 2-2003 |
Well, this is what happens when one does not bother to check up on things - it was Peter (2Peter 1: 16) | ||
| Martinc Registered user Username: Martinc Post Number: 188 Registered: 9-2006 |
Yes, exactly, Adrian. When the "assumptions and excuses" used to build up 1844 were used as a lens through which to view AD 31, the Christ event became merely a preview of God’s final vindication in 1844. The blazing glory of Jesus was hidden from us. But you're right, Jesus life, death, and resurrection were in-your-face events that didn't require a convoluted rationale such as the IJ. He stands alone in history. Another part of that solid evidence is the amazing fulfillment of OT prophecy by Jesus. Just looking at one aspect of prophecy, the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53 was rejected and killed by His own people in perfect fulfillment of that passage, and brought about the salvation of both Jew and Gentile. Critics are hard put to show how a diverse group of commoners from the Mediterranean could have made a false messiah to so perfectly fit those prophecies, and all the others. As I study that fulfillment, the interconnected themes just go deeper and deeper. Martin C | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 11876 Registered: 12-2003  |
So interesting. Great point, Adrian...and Martin, ditto on that astonishing interconnection of the fulfillments of the messianic prophecies. Colleen | ||
| Gorancroatia Registered user Username: Gorancroatia Post Number: 144 Registered: 6-2010 |
Yes..Disappointment of apostles was temporaly. I always pointed to adventists that when Jesus come for Second time, it will be a THIRD time for Paul because he already have a second time for himself privately! |
