| Author | Message | ||
| Eyesopen Registered user Username: Eyesopen Post Number: 1 Registered: 4-2007 |
Hi all, Though I'm not new, this is the first time that I can bring myself to post, for the first time. I have been a long-time lurker. Almost since 2000, I think. I was a 3rd-generation SDA until 2001, when the cognitive dissonance was too great to ignore. Over time, I went through a period of great bitterness, because I intensely disliked the inescapable fact that I had been deceived all my my life by Adventism. The anger damaged me and exacerbated the spiritual injuries I had sustained through the years. In reading many posts, I have come to realize that no one in the church treated me bad. I had many more positive experiences than bad. But, the spiritual damage came as a result of the false doctrines I had blindly followed. I can only post on an irregular basis, but I will do my best to be a bit more active--especially since I'm starting this thread. I thank the Tinkers for this online forum where I can listened to others and where I made my way out of the doctrinal bondage of adventism. Thank you, Jesus, for now I can see... | ||
| Grace_alone Registered user Username: Grace_alone Post Number: 620 Registered: 6-2006  |
Welcome Eyesopen! Love the name. Glad you came out of "lurking" mode. I'm looking forward to reading more from you. You're among friends!  Leigh Anne | ||
| Snowboardingmom Registered user Username: Snowboardingmom Post Number: 300 Registered: 11-2005 |
Welcome Eyesopen! Glad you're here!! Grace | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 6140 Registered: 12-2003  |
Welcome, Eyesopen! I'm so glad you've come online. It takes a long time to process out of the deception and darkness of the twisted doctrines we believed. It is a process that takes time, and anger is one of the normal reactions all of us experience. Praise God for His faithfulness to reveal Himself, heal our hearts, and teach us truth. Sometimes the truth is really hard to acknowledge, but when we finally do, the resulting insight and freedom are more than worth the cost of "knowing". As Michael Card says in one of his songs, "It's hard to imagine the freedom we find from the things we leave behind." Colleen | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 3869 Registered: 3-2004  |
Eyesopen, Welcome to FAF. It is so nice when one comes out of lurking and joins us. I am so glad you are here. Keep coming back and tell us more about yourself, when you are ready. Diana | ||
| River Registered user Username: River Post Number: 935 Registered: 9-2006  |
Eyesopen, Thank you for coming on. Like that name. Like Dianne said "When your ready" Praying for you today. River | ||
| Stevendi Registered user Username: Stevendi Post Number: 137 Registered: 10-2006 |
Praise the Lord, Eyesopen! Seek and you shall find! May God's peace and joy be yours always! steve | ||
| Helovesme2 Registered user Username: Helovesme2 Post Number: 965 Registered: 8-2004  |
Welcome Eyesopen, I can understand the feelings of anger and shock you describe at finding out you were raised in deception. Colleen often reminds us that God redeems everything we surrender to Him. I have found this to be true in my own life and rejoice to see He's working in you too. Sounds like you've already made yourself at home here. I look forward to getting to know you better! Blessings, Mary | ||
| Gcfrankie Registered user Username: Gcfrankie Post Number: 14 Registered: 1-2007 |
Welcome Eyesopen I am also fairly new and what a blessing I have recieved and things that I have learned by reading the posts. They have and are very helpful. May God bless you. Gail | ||
| Marysroses Registered user Username: Marysroses Post Number: 44 Registered: 4-2007 |
Welcome I'm a new poster and old lurker. It will be good to get to know you. God Bless, MarysRoses | ||
| Mwh Registered user Username: Mwh Post Number: 620 Registered: 4-2006  |
Welcome Eyesopen, Peace and Grace be with you in abundance! I pray that God will use your activity here to His Glory! In His joy, Martin | ||
| Dennis Registered user Username: Dennis Post Number: 1126 Registered: 4-2000  |
A hearty FAF welcome, Eyesopen! We look forward to getting acquainted with you. Dennis Fischer | ||
| Eyesopen Registered user Username: Eyesopen Post Number: 2 Registered: 4-2007 |
Thank you, friends! And I call you friends because I have read for so many years, that I come to "know" you by how you express yourselves... Sorry it took me so long to post again, but the long work hours keep me away. It is now time, I suppose, that I tell you my story, in the next post. | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 3879 Registered: 3-2004 |
I am so glad you are here. I look forward to reading about your journey with Jesus Christ. Isn't He awesome?? Diana | ||
| Eyesopen Registered user Username: Eyesopen Post Number: 3 Registered: 4-2007 |
Here is my story: I was born a 3rd-generation adventist until my 28th year of life. Within adventist culture, I was born with gread SDA bona fides: my parents met at an adventist college, I have 4 relatives who are still ministers. My grandfather was Conference President and a respected adventist leader for many years. To this day, I have many family members are still working for the church. Because we are Hispanic, our "brand" of Adventism is particularly conservative, almost historic. Unfortunately, until we came to the States, there was simply no way of knowing and understanding those who were bringing out all the evidence about Ellen White's plagiarism. My parents didn't speak English, my grandfather didn't know any English. So, those few pastors who did speak English would be gatekeepers of information to the rest, keeping us from knowing the depths of the deception. Even from an early age I read the Great Controversy, Steps to Christ and many of her books on health. I was a true believer. I can still remember how my grandfather would preach to us that Jesus would come before the year 2000. It was a time when Revelations conferences were the main vehicle used in my country to evangelize the unchurched--other Christians. The fear of not being saved and at the same time seeing those around us enjoy life was confusing; something that many of my friends would eventually confessed drove them out of the church, in a sad kind of faustian bargain, for they felt they wanted to "live a little" before truly committing to the church. I was taught that I had to strive to achieve a perfect character, Christ-like. Or I may never get into heaven. Of course, as many of you, I could never keep all the "dos and don'ts" that Sister Ellen White said we should. But my faith in her never wavered until the day I found ellenwhite.org. And I don't mean the current website version. I mean the version of the Website when the original founder, Dirk Anderson, was still pro-EGW. That's when my doubts began. Because I had never heard the things he was trying to refute in favor of Ellen White. When the weight of the evidence forced Dirk Anderson to change and he began to expose Ellen White's errors, it floored me. It took me several months before I began to entertain the notion that Anderson might be right. Though he had previously accused SDAs of taking texts out of context, I decided to see for myself, not just believe because he said so. So, I embarked upon a long journey of research. I first bought Walter Rea's book and founded to be scary. Despite his irked tone, it was scary because it meant that SDA officials may have kept things hidden from the rank and file for many decades. What else had they kept under wraps? Next, I read Prophetess of Health, and the same theme kept ringing true. Ellen White's "literary borrowings" were widespread. Or so it would seem. I decided to see for myself what these authors had discovered, so I purchased several books from the purported books she had supposedly "borrowed". Next, I compared the "Conflicto de los Siglos", The Great Controversy... No dice, at first. But then I discovered the peculiar evolution of her writings, how they have been reworked to eliminate previous errors. This re-editing "white-washed" her copying and made it difficult to see where she had copied others in newer versions of her books. And the Spanish version, translated from English, made it even more difficult. So, when I eventually got an old copy of the Great Controversy in English, I began to see clearly that she had copied--with gusto. I was floored. Later, I read the 1919 meetings on EGW, Fred Veltman's research, Graybill's doctoral thesis. I became convinced that the evidence was overwhelming and irrefutable. This moment was almost like Neo in the movie "The Matrix". To this day, when I think I have hit the bottom of the rabbit hole, I still keep discovering new things. I have wondered about in other forums, and SDAs say there is a spirit bitterness among us formers. We just don't understand EGW in her proper, balanced context as a historic founder, a inspired person to offer special guidance for our church today, that she's a New Testament prophet. Pretzel logic. The kind of logic they used to accuse Catholics. I now realize no angels visited EGW with special messages, no visions from Jesus ever happened, no light was shone in her dreams. All made up to turn the embarrasement suffered in 1844 into a mandate from God, to turn Millerites from Disappointed Christians into The Remnant church, better than the rest. What a mind job! It has taken me over 7 years to begin forgiving these folks. Reading the bible is now an open, undiscovered country, full of good news. The testament is in many places, so clear, that I see why SDAs would have to use the "pre-texting" to support their false doctrines... The gospel is so clear, so simple, that I daily experience relief whenever old memories remind me how I lived an adventist life, always trying to live according to all EGW's commandments. I now know I was a sinner who will never get rid of sin on my own. Only by accepting the precious gift of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, can I break free from the bondage of perfectionism. I keep and worship every day, not just once a week, by putting my faith in Christ's redemptive work. It is enough and all-sufficient. My conclusion is that SDA is cultish; adventists love to worship their doctrines. They use their free-will to argue and defend false doctrines rather than admit they are wrong after so many revelations of error. They rather be "right" and justify their sinful and antibiblical forecast of 1844 and keep the hurt on the membership. So I'm moving on. Thank you Colleen and Richard for this site. | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 6162 Registered: 12-2003 |
Eyesopen, thank you for sharing your story. How interesting. What has the rest of your family done with your moving out of Adventism? Do you still have Adventist family in your country of origin? Isn't it absolutely amazing to discover that Jesus actually died for us and completed our salvation?! So glad you're here and that you're posting! Colleen | ||
| Insearchof Registered user Username: Insearchof Post Number: 122 Registered: 8-2005 |
Eyesopen, I like the term you use - 'Pretzel logic'. A very apt metaphor! This is also good - '...adventists love to worship their doctrines.' No matter what subject you bring up with an SDA they will always bring up either (or both!) prophecy and/or the Sabbath - Always! They spend more time communing with their theology than they do communing with Jesus. Truely as sad state of affairs. Welcome! Enjoy the freedom you have in Christ! ISO | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 3884 Registered: 3-2004 |
Eyeopen, It is so good to see another Hispanic out of adventism. Thanks for sharing you story. As Colleen asked, How is you family taking this?? Soy alegre que tu estas agui. How awesome God is when He brings another person to Him. Diana | ||
| Philharris Registered user Username: Philharris Post Number: 68 Registered: 5-2007  |
Eyesopen, Your story is overwhelming to me. You have revealed how the power of God can surpass error and present the real gospel message. Only the Holy Spirit could have done this for you. AS Diana likes to say; "our God is awesome". Thank you for sharing and welcome onboard. Phil | ||
| Cw Registered user Username: Cw Post Number: 136 Registered: 4-2006  |
Eyesopen, thanks for sharing and welcome to FAF. You've really been here a long time just lurking. Great to hear from you. CW |
