| Author | Message | ||
| Lyrical Registered user Username: Lyrical Post Number: 53 Registered: 4-2012 |
Last week I received a well known SDA magazine in the mail. I was flipping through it and happened upon a full-page color ad for a Great Controversy book created for kids. The ad states, "Trouble on the Blue Planet takes the themes of the great controversy, adds dramatic art, and speeds up the action for fast, easy reading... it is an engaging way to share end-time truths with both young and the not-so-young." The worst part for me were the illustrations, which are done in a sort-of comic book style. There's a picture on the cover of a boy riding his bike with a very worried look on his face, trying to get away from a line of police behind him holding shields - like you'd see in a riot situation. The images shown of an example page are disturbing - masked people, destruction, a hand gun being pointed point blank at a man's face, someone in a court room wih his bible open... These images immediately triggered the fears I constantly lived with as a youth. I learned as an adult how to suppress my fears and "just not think about it." But, they were always there... lurking. I could find no joy in the promises of Christ and really hoped I'd die before His second coming so I wouldn't have to endure the torture. I couldn't even talk about the "end of time," let alone read the book of Revelation. I would literally panic if I showed up to church and the sermon was related to these issues in any way. I never attended a Revelation Seminar becase I was so afraid. I just didn't want to hear it. I coped through avoidance, but the horrible thing is that my entire life was still controlled by the fear that was instilled in me as a child. It didn't matter if I avoided it as an adult. The underlying belief structure was still there, so the images and fears haunted me. When I saw this ad I had an almost physical sickness overwhelm me. I thought of the children who are/will be spiritually abused by this un-biblical false propoganda. I thought of the innocence lost and the joy of Christ being ripped away from them. My tears are as much for them as they are for the loss of my own childhood... my life. Adventism ripped true life in Christ from me and there are no words to express how horrified I feel to know there are hundreds of thousands of young people being exposed to this. My heart aches... | ||
| Mjcmcook Registered user Username: Mjcmcook Post Number: 593 Registered: 2-2011  |
Lyrical~ Did that "well known" sda magazine happen to be from "Amazing Facts"? I ask, because many years ago when I was still an sda and teaching in a large sda elementary school, a student showed me a "comic-book style" magazine that was published by "Amazing Facts"~ I, even then, found it scarey as well as sickening. I, also, experienced a "Fear" based childhood, much the same as you describe, that held you in it's grip~ The "Good News" is that GOD will be with you, as an adult, to unpack all the baggage~ HE is Faithful that way! Aren't you relieved that your children will have much less to "unpack" than you have? Praying for you~ ~*~mj~*~ | ||
| Lyrical Registered user Username: Lyrical Post Number: 54 Registered: 4-2012 |
MJ, I also remember those "comic-book style" magazines published by Amazing Facts. I hated them! This ad, though, appears to be for a larger book and was in "Adventist World" (The International Paper for SDAs). The book is from the editors of Guide and is published by Review & Herald. I am comforted to know that He is faithful, as I know that it was only by His power that the veil of deceit was lifted from my eyes. I trust that He will work all things to His glory... even the pain of unpacking all the baggage. I am more than relieved that my own children are being spared from the same life I had. They are "unpacking" a lot of their baggage now and it's much easier for them to let it go. I am blessed that they feel safe to talk about it with us and they ask lots of questions. They have no idea just how different their lives will be from the road they started on. PRAISE GOD!! Thank you for your prayers. I need them... | ||
| Got2bfree Registered user Username: Got2bfree Post Number: 39 Registered: 7-2011 |
Publishing images such as you describe in unconscionable! I, too, remember living in constant fear when I was a child. But I also remember the Holy Spirit speaking to me (of course, I didn't know who it was at the time) during especially horrific sermons, "God is not like that." Those whispered messages stayed with me and I left SDAism in my 20's. Thank you, Lord, for showing me the way out. | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 13903 Registered: 12-2003  |
Lyrical, I know how you feel about your kids and their own unpacking. It DOES take much less time when we leave and take them with us. It's amazing..and it's one of the big blessings God gives when we follow Him out. It's so surprising! Colleen |
