| Author | Message | ||
| Philharris
Registered user Username: Philharris Post Number: 1868 Registered: 5-2007  |
This forum has come to mean much for me and I would like to try and explain. I have been out of Adventism for many years. Long since before a lot of you were born, I have been away from the bondage of SDA theology. While I did spend the better part of ten years ‘in the world’ I have been fellowshipping in the orthodox Christian family of God so long, it is sometimes hard to remember the underlying significance of the cultic doctrines that I was raised under. Here, on the forum, those of you who are “newbie’s” in your escape from this past of mine share experiences and thoughts that parallel my own. I felt lost, unwanted and without hope when I first left Adventism. When I joined the real family of God, it was like pasting from the night to a ‘golden day of sunshine’. But, for the most part, my local Christian friends have little understanding about this past of mine. They say things like’ “Why focus on false teachings when you are grounded on the true gospel”? Here, I have found a family that does understand. Here, I no longer feel alone in my thoughts. Here, I can talk about things like this and people understand. We all have a need to be needed. Even when we are asking for some kind of help or advice, we are helping each other. Many times here on the forum, one of you who are just out of Adventism or questioning their doctrines and practices, add much needed insight into my own experiences. At times like this, I get “light bulb” moments into my own experiences and simply share my own new understanding. During this past year, I have been doing Quarterly commentaries. Without the growth in my life by having each of you share your own walk with the Lord and exciting new discoveries in the Word of God, I could and would not attempt to do this. While the credit should be directed to the Holy Spirit, it is clear to me, his working is to a great extend through gifts he has imparted upon each one of you. We are family. All my life, it has been hard to share my love for others. I was trained early on to hide my true feelings, especially love for someone other than myself…true agape love. To share was to get hurt. Now, I love many people I haven’t even met. Originally the name, Fearless Phil, referred to my driving skills in a negative way. Now, it is a positive and reflects my willingness to speak ‘truth in love’. Now, it is your turn. What does this forum mean to you? Fearless Phil | ||
| Flyinglady
Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 7621 Registered: 3-2004  |
I have been out of adventism for almost 6 years now. I found this forum through links from some where after reading Dirk Anderson's website about EGW. At the time I found it I thought I was the only one who had left adventism to follow Jesus. When I came on here in March of 2004 I was reassured that I was understanding salvation, through God's grace, correctly. So what does it mean to me? It is a place I can come to and know that I will be understood when I say anything about my adventist past. It seldom bothers me. I think that is because God cleared those cobwebs away with my 12 step program. I had not lived an SDA life style for a long time and forgot lots of the doctrine. I remember bits and pieces when it is mentioned, like the IJ. That has changed since I studied it in school. I enjoy reading when people rejoice about finally finding Jesus and no longer believe adventism. I cry with those who are sad, hurting or are bothered. I enjoy sharing the unexpected adventures God sends my way. I enjoy reading the discussions. This forum is the first thing I come to when I turn on my computer. I love all of you on here. I know that if we do not meet here, we will meet in heaven. Our awesome God has us in His hands and will never let go of us. Diana L | ||
| Hec
Registered user Username: Hec Post Number: 646 Registered: 3-2009 |
I am very thankfull for this forum. One of the worse parts of leaving SDA is the fact that one feels alone, lonely, not belonging. This forum provides a "church" where one feels that one belongs. The funny thing is that even though I have not met anyone in person, I feel like you are my brothers/sisters and I have learned to love you in Christ. I am also learning to feel your love. That's one of my shortfalls: I have a very hard time feeling loved. Maybe is part of the SDA heritage: I have to perform to deserve love. Right now being unemployed, I am not performing much, and I don't feel I deserve much, but this forum is helping me to feel the love of Christ even if I don't deserve it. Only in eternity will we know how much good this forum has done to many of us. Hec | ||
| Pegg
Registered user Username: Pegg Post Number: 478 Registered: 2-2006 |
I wish this thread was on the Public Discussion Board, Phil. I think it would be terrific for searching SDAs to know what FAF has meant to our search. Pegg  | ||
| Flyinglady
Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 7625 Registered: 3-2004 |
We can ask Richard to put it on the public discussion board. Will you do that Richard?? I like that thought Pegg. Diana L | ||
| Colleentinker
Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 10521 Registered: 12-2003  |
If it's OK with everyone who has posted here on this thread, Richard will move it. What do you say, Phil and Hec? Colleen | ||
| Hec
Registered user Username: Hec Post Number: 648 Registered: 3-2009 |
Go for it. Hec | ||
| Foofighter
Registered user Username: Foofighter Post Number: 92 Registered: 7-2005 |
Amen and Amen to all of the above. Coming out of Adventism was great. I felt as if I was coming back into normalcy! As I have mentioned, I joined in '76 as a very uninformed, Biblically ignorant, searching young woman. I was the perfect "target", I suppose. Finding FAF was a great help to me, to know that I wasn't alone, or "wrong". That my gut instinct on many things had been right. It is very lonely, because people can't relate to, or understand, what being an SDA is really like. No amount of explaining, or describing, can convey the situation. I suppose only a former Mormon, or JW, can relate. And I don't know any of those! This is a place where your experience is understood completely!!!!! Thank you Richard and Coleen, and all who post here, for a place of refuge. | ||
| Sparrow
Registered user Username: Sparrow Post Number: 87 Registered: 10-2008  |
I seldom post, but when I have a question you are the people I trust. Sometimes I find my answers to my (not posted) questions just by reading threads written by so many of you. The other day I posed my question about whether or not Jesus would touch the earth at His second coming. I can trust you to respond with grace, humor, sincerity, and scripturally. I am thankful for this forum. | ||
| Philharris
Registered user Username: Philharris Post Number: 1871 Registered: 5-2007 |
It is ok with me. Richard, go ahead and move it to the open section. Fearless Phil | ||
| Skeeter
Registered user Username: Skeeter Post Number: 416 Registered: 12-2007 |
To me this forum means a safe place to ask questions, a place of fellowship and friendship where I always feel welcome and accepted. I have come to think of those on here as family. We listen, learn and accept each other with the love of Gods grace. It is a place to share heartaches and joys and to LOL and cry and know that we are sharing each others joys and sorrows and praying for one another. I know I will receive honest Biblical answers to questions. Sometimes with kind yet firm words, sometimes shared along with great humor, but always Bible based answers. When I was new here I did not always LIKE all the answers I got, or the things I would read and I would think "that cant be right.... " only to go to scripture and find that what I had THOUGHT was straight from the Bible was actually something that was from SDA doctrine or given by Ellen White and not based on the Bible at all. At first I made excuses.. but the more I prayed and asked God to show me HIS truth and help me to let go of those things that were false the more I have learned. Those first months were especially hard as I was finding out that so many things I had believed had NO Bible foundation whatsoever. I was dissappointed, angry, hurt, I felt like someone had died and I was going through a mourning process. I still have so much to learn and to unlearn but I know I can count on my forum family to be here sharing Gods word every step of the way. The JOY that comes, the peace at heart when finally being able to let go of the false things I had THOUGHT were true and accept the pure TRUTH of the Gospel of Christ is so amazing :-) Skeeter | ||
| Psalm107v2
Registered user Username: Psalm107v2 Post Number: 456 Registered: 10-2008  |
I'm Ok with the comment I'm about to make being on the regular open discussion group. When I lived in Arizona I regularly worshipped with Concerned Christians which is a group that ministers to ex and exiting Mormons founded by Jim & Judy Robertson (they remind me so much of the Tinkers--a loving couple who has teamed up to bring the good news of the gospel, and minister to people trapped in deception via internet and print) http://www.concernedchristians.com/ We met every week and it was great to fellowship and to share how God had delivered us but that ministry-though it was to share the gospel-ministered to those deceived by the Mormon lie. When I joined here it was like the final piece of the puzzle was put in place. Until I came into this forum, the only former SDA I had ever met was Mark Martin and with 12,000 congregants I think he would be a little too busy to feed the constant need of little old me Our journeys as formers are different but we all travelled the same treacherous road. Finally somebody--many somebodies understood what I went through. With the recent murder of my nephew I have had a lot of people reach out to me in really meaningful and powerful ways but one of the great helps has been talking with a co-worker whose cousin was murdered and can understand the pain that I bear in a way that others can't. We as former SDAs have been wounded in way that people in other cults have not. We share each other's pain and bear one another's burdens-Galatians 6:2 What is neat about never-beens here is that we can gain an objectivity that is often needed which dovetails into another blessing --a certain amount of accountability. One of the things I like about this group is that we freely discuss the issues and when somebody says something that is misguided/unbiblical we speak up and lovingly guide each other to right speaking/thinking. Sometimes it's more colorful than genteel but the love is there. And oh the prayers for each other here are PRICELESS! Another thing that lifts me is how we share about the love of the gospel. Dale Ratzlaff at the Michigan TOE said "get a bunch of SDAs together for an event and everything but the gospel will be talked about. Get a bunch of Christians together and the gospel is talked about constantly---and that is what I see here. We are a bunch of beggars showing other beggars where we've found bread. Thank God we have the Bread of Life no matter what our backgrounds Enoch | ||
| 8thday
Registered user Username: 8thday Post Number: 1301 Registered: 11-2007  |
Sometimes I feel like I'm too busy to keep up here, and sometimes I don't. But I try to imagine just quitting, and I can't. I have never been involved in another forum for more than a few posts - and this was a new thing for me. We had been out of the church for a long time, and I thought I'd settled everything a long time ago. I came here mostly to find people who understood what I was beginning to go through with family after we left the Hebrew Roots Movement and stopped keeping the Sabbath. Much to my surprise, I discovered many issues that were NOT settled, and a residue of thinking I didn't realize was still there. I have learned SO much it's unbelievable. But more than that - I've learned it's okay to say something stupid, to disagree, and to apologize, and to love each other JUST AS WE ARE. I have never been in an environment like that anywhere. I came here with a mental understanding of Grace, but being here has helped me to see what it looks like lived out. This is truly what I believe true fellowship in the body of Christ is meant to be like, and so few "churches" provide opportunities for members to interact in this way. I know it happens somewhere.. at least I've heard it does.... ha. So many people I have talked to about this forum said they wished their church fellowship was like this. But I won't get started on that. =) I also cannot overstate the calming, grounding, maturity of the Tinkers - which I hope someday to in some small way emulate.. but I will probably never totally "grow up". ha. Colleen is to me the most amazing example of graciousness and tact as well as a channel for a great deal of wisdom. It is SO evident that God has blessed the leaders of this ministry with the gifts to carry it out and I thank God for sending them to us and providing this place to learn and heal. I don't know all of you well - but you are all loved and prayed for!! Sondra | ||
| River
Registered user Username: River Post Number: 5652 Registered: 9-2006  |
When Phil first ask this question, I thought, boy, that is a hard question to answer, and I have been thinking about it ever since. I don’t think I can answer the question. I can’t believe I have been here since 2006. This forum, or really not the forum, but the people on it, have been a blessing beyond what I could measure or even guess at. The healing that this forum has brought into my life cannot be spoken or measured. I just do not have the words except to say thank you. I would like to answer the question Phil, but just too much comes into play. I think the question was directed at the formers anyway, but I do appreciate the question. River | ||
| River
Registered user Username: River Post Number: 5653 Registered: 9-2006 |
Now that I tried to say anything, it made me tear up. | ||
| Skeeter
Registered user Username: Skeeter Post Number: 417 Registered: 12-2007 |
((( River))) | ||
| Richardtinker Board Administrator Username: Richardtinker Post Number: 120 Registered: 4-1999  |
I have moved this thread to the open section at the request and consent of those who have posted. Richard | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 10531 Registered: 12-2003 |
Sparrow and Foofighter, could you please email me at proclamation@gmail.com? Thanks! Colleen |
