| Author | Message | ||
| Treasurehntr Registered user Username: Treasurehntr Post Number: 91 Registered: 7-2007 |
I have a new assistant in my Dept. at work. He's a former SDA. He was baptised at 11 and spent almost 10 years in the church. Guess what!? We have virtually no common ground from our SDA experience. He knows nothing about Adventism except not eating pork and the Sabbath. He was not aware of EGW, the SDA position on the RC Church, 1844, or the full requirements of the health message. Perhaps he was one very lucky young man to depart Adventism so unscathed. To him leaving was as easy as changing from one religion to another, one where he found true faith. By God's grace he does not have any lasting damage from Adventism, My point is this. Adventism appears to be sugar coating it's message just long enough to recruit new members, baptize them, and flood the church books. | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 6343 Registered: 3-2004  |
Why am I not surprised?? It goes along with the other deceit practiced. Diana L | ||
| River Registered user Username: River Post Number: 3985 Registered: 9-2006  |
You know, it just dawned on me as I read these posts, I wonder if I will meet with former Adventist at the Church I will go too here, there being an Adventist community near by. It could be, if it happened to treasurehnter it could happen to me. River | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 6346 Registered: 3-2004 |
That is right. It could happen to you and you will be ready to greet them with open arms. I pray it does!! Who knows what our awesome God has in mind??? Diana L | ||
| Gmatt Registered user Username: Gmatt Post Number: 40 Registered: 3-2005 |
We don't live in or near an Adventist community, but I am aware of at least six former Adventist couples/families who are members of the church we attend. It is so heart warming to see them fully immersed in worshipping our indescribable God! | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 6347 Registered: 3-2004 |
God has let me meet two younger couples at my HUGE church with one of the couple being a former SDA. We have an occasional former SDA minister visit our church. He is a minister of another church now. I have not met him. A friend did and told him about me. God is calling people out and they are responding. Thank you awesome God. Diana L | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 9277 Registered: 12-2003  |
Yes, Treasurehntr--many converts do not know the scope of Adventism. In fact, most don't really "get it" at first but, if they're serious about it, they'll "get it" after baptism. The problem is that for most converts, even those who don't know the details of it, the spirit of Adventism holds a claim on them--and they are not aware that what they got into is a seriously evil deception. Strong words, I know--the kind many people say reflect a "bitter", "angry" attitude--but true nonetheless. And River, it is possible you could meet some formers at your church. God has a way of bringing those we need to talk to into our lives! Colleen | ||
| Surfy Registered user Username: Surfy Post Number: 472 Registered: 11-2007 |
I would guess that your friend that was an adventist for 10 years did not attend church school and academy. They had a way inserting beliefs into kids heads. Interesting, I had a discussion with a group of adventists today. I asked if they believed that Ellen White was a prophet...no. I asked about other doctrines...no. I then said, "Then you are not adventists." "Oh, yes we are", they all said, "we just believe different that they do". That's my point. You are not adventists then. Yes we are. Round and round we went. Bottom line is that they still believe they are adventists even though they do not hold to anything more than a few beliefs. They don't even keep the sabath even though they try to make their kids keep it. One guy even said that he was born a Mexican and could not change it and he was born an adventist and could not change that either. Strange what that church does to people/us. Surfy Surfy | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 9280 Registered: 12-2003 |
Surfy, I used to feel that way, too. I was more "Adventist" than I was American, wife, mom, or any other identity. It was my definition. Sigh. Colleen | ||
| Joyfulheart Registered user Username: Joyfulheart Post Number: 443 Registered: 10-2006 |
The elders ar my church feared - and did some pretty mean things to me because I didn't believe the doctrine and they were afraid I would spread it around. Michigan Adventism must be a whole different thing than you guys have in CA. I remember Tom Mostert writing a letter that someone posted here a while ago. It said in essence 0+0+0+0+0+0=0. In that article, he said that many had in essence drained the Adventism out of Adventism and that their Adventism was no longer Adventism. I will say though that I was most definitely not told everything up front when I went to the prophecy seminar. Jay Gallimore, MI conference preseident, told the elders of my church to get people baptized right away after the seminars and that the other stuff would come. Sabbath sermons at my church became in essence prophecy semianrs designed to kind of prime the pump for up coming evangelistic series or reinforce beliefs to the new people. Adventism cannot stand scrutiny. It cannot stand honest investigation. It is indeed their very identity. I've been coming back to this verse over and over during the last several days and pleading for God to draw my friends to Him. "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. John 6:44 I'm realizing that in spite of all the things I did to show them truth - the most important thing I can do is pray (fervently and often - and even with fasting) that the spiritual stronghold on them will be broken. | ||
| Surfy Registered user Username: Surfy Post Number: 473 Registered: 11-2007 |
Hey, I grew up in Michigan and attended church school and academy there. That place was definitely twisted. The part you wrote about adventism being drained out of adventism is so true. Most adhere to only a portion of the beliefs. At that point, it's like, why bother. It's either true and you follow it or it is not. Surfy | ||
| Joyfulheart Registered user Username: Joyfulheart Post Number: 444 Registered: 10-2006 |
Surfy, you were a Michigander? I knew I liked you! Did you go to GLAA or Adelphian? Michigan really is a great place - it's just the Adventist theology being promoted here. UUUUUGGGHHH! Pray for us! I'm hoping that what Colleen says is true - that the die hard "Whiteys" (as the head elder used to call them - not realizing he was one himself) will come to Christ more readily than the nominals once they see truth. | ||
| Ardyj Registered user Username: Ardyj Post Number: 93 Registered: 8-2006  |
Colleen, your words really struck me: "I was more "Adventist" than I was American, wife, mom, or any other identity. It was my definition." For those of us who were born and raised in adventism, that is absolutely true. I really think that we who were there, thought we were following Jesus by embracing the "rules" of that church. Those beliefs did define us in every facet of our lives. When I was baptized, at too early an age, that was THE thing to do so God would accept me because I was a member of the "true church". I had my name on the church books so God would be pleased with me when I knew I could never really please Him. What convoluted thinking! When we left sda, a lady who had left the church and then come back to it, and had even gone to the academy and sda college just didn't understand why EGW was such big thing for me. Another dear friend with whom I keep in touch, has said "well, she (Ellen) did say some good things". The sda beliefs are so insidious and deep seated that they are extremely difficult to uproot unless the Holy Spirit has touched the hearts of the person so they sense that something isn't "quite right" and they have the desire to search for the true gospel. This fact is something I have to remind myself of over and over and my husband reminds me also! This situation is so frustrating to me; these poor folks are in such horrible darkness, it breaks my heart. In Christ alone, Ardyj | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 6349 Registered: 3-2004 |
Colleen, I, too, was more adventist rather then American of Mexican descent. What else could I be as I was born and raised in "it". I had the typical thinking that I was special, that I knew it all because of the SDA people being people of the Bible-HA!!! It was not until I left adventism for good 5 glorious years ago that I felt I could really appreciate my Mexican heritage without guilt feelings. It was not until I left adventism that I really felt part of the human race and that I could just be ME. The me God wants me to be with my sinful nature and all my "warts". My awesome God loves me anyway and I am a work in progress. So, I just pray for my family and all SDAs. Only God can break through their shell of EGW and proof texts. Diana L Oh, Ardyj, are you going to the reunion this year? | ||
| Ardyj Registered user Username: Ardyj Post Number: 94 Registered: 8-2006 |
Diana L, It was fun to see you last year at the reunion, and I'm so glad we had the opportunity to meet. You are a very special lady! We're not planning on attending this year; we'll see what the next year brings. Enjoy it as I know you will! We pray that God brings many blessings to the program this year; it is so informative and such a blessing to all. Ardyj | ||
| Wolfgang Registered user Username: Wolfgang Post Number: 261 Registered: 10-2005 |
Joy,where at in Michigan are you? all of my husbands family either went to GLAA,or Adelphian,Wolf last name and McKEnzie last name,did you know any of them. Im near the great Battle Creek ugh Dawn | ||
| Asurprise Registered user Username: Asurprise Post Number: 601 Registered: 7-2007 |
Back when I was an Adventist, I ALSO was more Adventist than anything else; and totally loyal to what I believed. I was more sure than anything that the end times would play out just as EGW wrote in "The Great Controversy," and was ready to run to the hills or be imprisoned for my SDA beliefs in the end times. Treasurehntr, I'm amazed that a person could be an Adventist and not know of all those doctrines. Was he in one of those "celebration" type Adventist churches? | ||
| Jeremiah Registered user Username: Jeremiah Post Number: 421 Registered: 1-2004  |
One of these months I want to visit Walla Walla again. It has been several years since I was there. One of the SDA church buildings there was purchased, remodeled, and is now an Orthodox church with a number of former SDA's in attendance. Their website is http://www.saintsilouan.org/ . On the "location and directions" page there is a photo of the church building. It's rather interesting to see what was once an SDA church now sporting an onion dome and cross. I bet there are former SDA's in the Orthodox churches around Battle Creek, as well. Jeremiah | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 6350 Registered: 3-2004 |
I just went to that web site. It is interesting with an onion dome and cross on it. And that used to be an SDA church. Diana | ||
| Treasurehntr Registered user Username: Treasurehntr Post Number: 92 Registered: 7-2007 |
Asuprise, no he was'nt. He did however attend the African American SDA churches here in St. Louis. I don't know about the rest of the country but here they are somewhat independent of the mainstream SDA community. To escape so unscathed could only be by the grace of God. |
