| Author | Message | ||
| Carracio Registered user Username: Carracio Post Number: 46 Registered: 3-2014 |
Hi all. I was talking to my uncle. He told about someone he knew who became adventist. This person became adventist because his brother, who lived in Australia, got so many blessings. His business gave more profit after he started to close his business on the sabbath. My parents in law, who are also adventist, also told about adventists whose businesses gained more money when they closed on sabbath. Do you recognize these stories of blessing, because of closing a business on sabbath? What do you make of it? | ||
| Resjudicata Registered user Username: Resjudicata Post Number: 377 Registered: 4-2014 |
Confirmation Bias. | ||
| Mjcmcook Registered user Username: Mjcmcook Post Number: 1625 Registered: 2-2011  |
Yes~ I can believe this story! However, it is Not because GOD chose to Bless them more! It is because All the people that could not shop on Saturday had to come back on Sunday!!! "DUH" ! ~mj~ | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 14986 Registered: 12-2003  |
Interestingly, every cult has its miracle stories. I know a woman named Carma Naylor, a former Mormon who has written two books about her exit from Mormonism into Christianity, who said after she left the Mormon church, she was courted first by the Jehovah's Witnesses and then by the Adventists. She actually nearly joined the Adventists. She said that one of the things that initially confused her and then helped her see that the cults are similar was that all of them claim these same kinds of miracles, of confirmations of God, and so forth. She had been brought up to believe Mormonism was authenticated by these stories, and then she learned that Jehovah's Witnesses have them, and Adventists have them...and they're all pretty much the same sorts of miracles and stories. There have always been those "Sabbath authenticating" stories. And almost always, there is no way to validate those stories. They are anecdotal and unprovable. Of course, some might prove to be true....but even if they do, they become evidence to me that subjective experiences are never the validation of truth. God's word is the validation of truth. If people experience "miracles" to confirm an unbiblical "truth", that miracle is not God's authentication. If something does not align with Scripture, no amount of spiritual "authentication" or miracles makes it "true". God's word is our standard. Stories of miracles abound in cults and false religions. They are not the proof of anything. Colleen | ||
| Capross Registered user Username: Capross Post Number: 116 Registered: 7-2012 |
Seems to me if there is miraculous activity that the denomination would not charge for it's Saturday activities. Hospitals stay open and the patients are still charged for Saturday. Pa campmeeting used to charge for Saturday meals at the cafeteria. If you were to go to visit your child at the Pa academy you could eat at the cafeteria and they would charge it to your student's bill. When I was at Andrews they charged for Saturday meals. One of the many reasons I left the church was the Sabbath hypocrisy. All of the things above existed yet they were counseling a young father to require his Saturdays off at work. He was struggling financially with the job. The church didn't seem to care. Cap | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 14988 Registered: 12-2003 |
Cap—really good points. | ||
| Islander Registered user Username: Islander Post Number: 75 Registered: 4-2014 |
Well, maybe ask to look at the 1040 from from the I R S from the last several years before becoming SDA and then the same papers for the years after becoming SDA. That would give proof. Having said that I truly wouldn't expect anyone to comply with such a request. | ||
| Paxel Registered user Username: Paxel Post Number: 28 Registered: 8-2011  |
2 Timothy 4:4 | ||
| Jonvil Registered user Username: Jonvil Post Number: 689 Registered: 4-2007 |
Bovine excrement? | ||
| Islander Registered user Username: Islander Post Number: 76 Registered: 4-2014 |
I heard a lot of those stories growing up. I also heard the same story told the opposite way, that the person who knew the Sabbath truth and refused to follow it went broke. The wild story telling in that denomination abounds. There was a story in the Primary Treasure when I was around in 3rd grade or so. If anyone can access all the old Primary Treasures I'd like to know how. But, anyway my mom sold Avon around our neighborhood at the time. In the story in the PT the family was having a hard time financially. The mother wanted to sell Avon to help the family but she knew promoting vanity was wrong. Lo and behold just before she could go out to conduct her first Avon route the husband was offered a better job. This is a very vivid memory for me because I asked my mom if it was ok that she sold Avon. She just told me the staff at the Primary Treasure will print anything any kook sends in and the issue was never mentioned again. | ||
| Jrt Registered user Username: Jrt Post Number: 1375 Registered: 10-2008 |
I find it interesting as well ....these miracle stories ... The opposite is true ....miracle stories don't validate true "worship of the one true God". Take for example the Exodus ... The Israelite nation had seen God's protection during the plagues, the Red Sea parting, ... Mt. Sinai trembling under the power of a mighty God ... And yet, within 40 days of having their leader gone, they had begun to worship a man made golden calf .... God called them a stiff-necked people ...Yet, they had experienced miracle after miracle ... Miracles don't validate truth ...God's Word does ... Carolyn | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 14992 Registered: 12-2003 |
Oh, Carolyn...that is so well said! You are right. Miracles abound around false teachers. If people ignore or reject the plain word of God, why would He give them a miracle? It's like Jesus said of the Pharisees: they were a stiff-necked, unbelieving nation who were just seeking signs, but no sign would be given them except the sign of Jonah: Jesus Himself would rise from the dead. And remember the parable of Lazarus and the rich man? The rich man, suffering in hell, begged Abraham to send Lazarus to the rich man's still-living brothers because THEN they would believe. The reply? If they don't believe now, even someone coming back from the dead wouldn't convince them. And indeed, Jesus' resurrection did not convince the Pharisees. It only hardened them. God's word confirms Jesus; miracles without submission to God's word would only eclipse Truth. "Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth," Jesus prayed in John 17. Colleen | ||
| Mainexile Registered user Username: Mainexile Post Number: 182 Registered: 6-2008  |
Sounds a little like a weird version of the Prosperity Gospel to me. Financially troubled business owner becomes SDA and starts keeping the Sabbath. Voila....money troubles over. I grew up hearing thousands of these validation stories. I never personally knew any of these fortunate folks. Adventist/Urban legends I think. Now that being said, I'm sure some of these stories are true. Only God knows the heart and I believe there ARE genuine Christians in the SDA church. Does God bless whom He wants? Absolutely! But still I must ask, what about the business next door to aforementioned failing business? Chances are, THAT business owner goes to church on Sunday, yet he is successful and God blesses his business and his family. | ||
| Capross Registered user Username: Capross Post Number: 120 Registered: 7-2012 |
Well I have to say that God does bless me. It is just that I have discovered His blessings are not dependent upon my behavior. Still don't understand why He is so good to me. | ||
| Nowisee Registered user Username: Nowisee Post Number: 1472 Registered: 5-2009 |
I grew up hearing the mission stories about tithing SDAs whose fields weren't eaten by grasshoppers/locusts b/c they were tithing. | ||
| Jdpascal Registered user Username: Jdpascal Post Number: 364 Registered: 10-2003 |
They tell the stories about the hail storm that goes around the "investment field" but fail to tell that it missed the neighbors field as well... |
