| Author | Message | ||
| Cloudwatcher Registered user Username: Cloudwatcher Post Number: 242 Registered: 5-2009 |
I am reading Eat this book by Eugene Peterson. I came across this illustration that he adapted from a story first published in 1928 by Karl Barth. The parallels to the experience as a Former SDA were too real not to share the story. “Imagine a group of men and women in a huge warehouse. They were born in this warehouse, grew up in it, and have everything there for their needs and comfort. There are no exits to the building but there are windows. But the windows are thick with dust, are never cleaned, and so no one bothers to look out. Why would they? The warehouse is everything they know, has everything they need. But then one day one of the children drags a stepstool under one of the windows, scrapes off the grime, and looks out. He sees people walking on the streets; he calls to his friends to come and look. They crowd around the window ---they never knew a world existed outside their warehouse. And then they notice a person out in the street looking up and pointing; soon several people are gathered, looking up and talking excitedly. The children look up but there is nothing to see but the roof of their warehouse. They finally get tired of watching these people out on the street acting crazily, pointing up at nothing and getting excited about it. What’s the point of stopping for no reason at all, pointing at nothing at all, and talking up a storm about the nothing? But what those people in the street were looking at was an airplane (or geese in flight, or a gigantic pile of cumulus clouds). The people in the street look up and see the heavens and everything in the heavens. The warehouse people have no heavens above them, just a roof. What would happen, though if one day one of those kids cut a door out of the warehouse, coaxed his friends out, and discovered the immense sky above them and the grand horizons beyond them? That is what happens, writes Barth, when we open the Bible ---we enter the totally unfamiliar world of God, a world of creation and salvation stretching endlessly above and beyond us. Life in the warehouse never prepared us for anything like this. Typically, adults in the warehouse scoff at the tales the children bring back. After all, they are completely in control of the warehouse world in ways they could never be outside. And they want to keep it that way.” **** Blessings to you as you "coax" your friends out of the warehouse, and as you bring back "tales" of "a world of creation and salvation stretching endlessly above and beyond us." Amen | ||
| Skeeter Registered user Username: Skeeter Post Number: 1132 Registered: 12-2007 |
WOW !!! Amazing parallel indeed. | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 8737 Registered: 3-2004  |
Thanks for this story. I want to copy and paste it to my FB profile. Diana L | ||
| Indy4now Registered user Username: Indy4now Post Number: 901 Registered: 2-2008  |
"Typically, adults in the warehouse scoff at the tales the children bring back. After all, they are completely in control of the warehouse world in ways they could never be outside. And they want to keep it that way." so true... Cloudwatcher, have you ever seen the movie called "the Village"? It's a little creepy because this village keeps everyone in the village by telling stories of these monsters that live in the woods that surround their village. But the parallels of the story to people living in a cult are similar. vivian | ||
| Cloudwatcher Registered user Username: Cloudwatcher Post Number: 243 Registered: 5-2009 |
Vivian, i haven't seen it, but now I want to. I'll see if it's on Netflix. | ||
| Foofighter Registered user Username: Foofighter Post Number: 140 Registered: 7-2005 |
Cloudwatcher, Good comparison with Adventists and the weird little bubble that is their world. At least for a lot them. Indy4now, I thought the same thing about "The Village". I was on the verge of totally breaking away from SDA'ism. I can't remember exactly the time frame, but I was either just starting to research it, or had already done some. Either way, I thought this was a lot like Adventism. I do remember asking my husband at some point if he had seen similarities between "The Village" and Adventism. He said no. He was a lifer, and left about 5 or 6 years ago, so not sure where he was when I asked him...he does think SDA'ism is wrong and can be bad, but I don't think he sees it in as bad a light as I do. | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 11916 Registered: 12-2003  |
Cloudwatcher, great comparison! For another, similar-but-slightly-different comparison, check out the cover story on this past issue of Proclamation: http://lifeassuranceministries.org/Proclamation2005_SepOct.pdf Chris Lee wrote this parable, "Pilgrim's Voyage", and I've always thought it captured our fears and feelings so well--even to our frustration as we interact with our Adventist loved ones. Colleen | ||
| Stevew Registered user Username: Stevew Post Number: 15 Registered: 2-2010 |
"...so no one bothers to look out. Why would they? The warehouse is everything they know, has everything they need." Funny, I was just saying that to someone the other day. I want to a Chuck Missler/Walid Shoebat presentation here in Australia and once again was amazed to hear stuff that I don't think I've ever heard of in 42 years as an SDA (now in the midst of transitioning out....to something). As I said to my friend, when you think you're part of the 'one true church' there is no need to look elsewhere, or even at what you're being told! I've just felt 'safe' all these years becasue I was born and bred an SDA and so labelled myself as such. Now, however, I'm finding that I feel like I know nothing, and need to learn christianity from scratch. | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 11920 Registered: 12-2003 |
It's true, Steve. We have to re-examine everything. Bit God doesn't waste what we learned as Adventists. He redeems it and transforms it into a biblically-based worldview as we study His word. It's SO worth the effort! Colleen | ||
| Paulcross Registered user Username: Paulcross Post Number: 101 Registered: 4-2005 |
Indy4now, Regarding "The Village", I was blown away by the parallels when I first saw this movie. I have since used that movie as a tool to open discussion with friends about the "useful myths" SDAism and cults in general use to block out the "...the immense sky above them and the grand horizons beyond them." Cloudwatcher, Thanks for sharing "The Warehouse". Paul Cross | ||
| Indy4now Registered user Username: Indy4now Post Number: 905 Registered: 2-2008 |
I saw that movie before we left adventism... interesting, I didn't apply it to my particular sda church. haha! ... just like a person who's addicted and doesn't want to admit they have a problem! At that time, I did think that there were probably other sda churches or sda institutions that looked alot like "the village" but not "my" church! After we left adventism, we made it a point to watch it again... very scary to see the parallels. To see how they were controlling the village with fear... hmmmm... sounds familiar. I think cults block out skies and grand horizons because of their need to control. Fear, of course is their #1 way of controlling people. I could tell my family till I was black n blue that I have fallen in love with Christ and cannot begin to express the gratitude for what He's done for me. Their response? "What if you're wrong?" That's fear! Paul... interesting that you use that movie as a tool. vivian | ||
| Martinc Registered user Username: Martinc Post Number: 196 Registered: 9-2006 |
Cloudwatcher, thanks for giving us Peterson's and Karl Barth's allegory of the warehouse, it is very fitting for us who are escaping from, or are trying to escape from, our confined cultic existence. It isn't very flattering for us to think we believed that all our needs were being met in the cultic room, but that is what we wanted to believe. The illusion is built right into the place to satisfy our "felt needs." This part of the illustration is very apt. The children (more inquisitive, less indoctrinated minds) discover the existence of the wider world by pulling up a step stool, scraping the grimy window and looking out. They have a view of the wider world, but can't imagine what it means and become bored. That part of the allegory makes sense. The windows are like the testimony of design in nature and occasional flashes of dim inspiration in the great thinkers. But we can't imagine what those pointing believers outside are excited about, and we quickly become bored. Though I may be reading too much into the allegory, I have trouble with some parts of it. One of the "children" is presumably able to cut a hole through the wall and let others through to the outside. This represents discovering the vast world of the truth of God, as found in the Bible. But it doesn't work that way. The most uninhibited and freshest young minds aren't capable of discovering the light of God's word without the Holy Spirit, any more than the most corrupt cult leader can. We need a Person from the Outside, breaking into our stronghold, and giving us the spiritual sight to see His glory. We are capable of digging a deeper basement into agnosticism or another cult. But we can't free ourselves from those cultic walls any more than the Chilean miners could have dug themselves out of their rocky prison with their fingernails. Martin C | ||
| Cloudwatcher Registered user Username: Cloudwatcher Post Number: 246 Registered: 5-2009 |
point taken. When I read that part, I imagined the child opening up a Bible, light emanating from it, and the children walking into it, sort of like they walk into the closet in the Chronicles of Narnia. I don't think any of us assumes that we can, in ourselves, even begin to carve a whole in the wall of the warehouse...anymore than we can take credit for removing the grime from the window. | ||
| Karethamiller Registered user Username: Karethamiller Post Number: 91 Registered: 8-2010  |
This is an interesting discussion. I see things so much differently now that I'm outside...rather like the people outside the warehouse could see the sky but the ones inside could not. I love my view of the sky now! | ||
| Nowisee Registered user Username: Nowisee Post Number: 626 Registered: 5-2009 |
Great discussion. Thanks for the warehouse example, CW--it was new to me. | ||
| Skeeter Registered user Username: Skeeter Post Number: 1137 Registered: 12-2007 |
The warehouse concept was new to me also, but makes sense (now). I have the book and movie both on my list of things to look for next time I get to town.  Francie | ||
| Cloudwatcher Registered user Username: Cloudwatcher Post Number: 247 Registered: 5-2009 |
Colleen, The Pilgrim's Voyage story is goooooood. So many gems in back issues of Proclamation. Have y'all considered doing a BEST OF PROCLAMATION book? I really think these back-issue articles should be on the Proclamation Facebook page (for the rest of us to share and comment). They're too good to sit in a PDF document on your website! I know you have a ton to do already...and I seem to dream up more to put on your plate, daily. Sorry...but think about it. | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 11929 Registered: 12-2003 |
Ohhh--such a good idea, Cloudwatcher! I'll pursue something there... Colleen | ||
| Skeeter Registered user Username: Skeeter Post Number: 1138 Registered: 12-2007 |
YES !!!!! Wonderful idea ! | ||
| Rossbondreturns Registered user Username: Rossbondreturns Post Number: 46 Registered: 10-2009  |
Perhaps the Warehouse needs to be drafty to let in the Holy Spirit. But it certainly works for the most part, I like it very much. | ||
| Nowisee Registered user Username: Nowisee Post Number: 637 Registered: 5-2009 |
I third the motion for a 'Best Of' book...brilliant idea, CW! | ||
| Nowisee Registered user Username: Nowisee Post Number: 638 Registered: 5-2009 |
PS Although it would be hard to choose 'best'..everything is SO good. | ||
| River Registered user Username: River Post Number: 6866 Registered: 9-2006  |
I like the warehouse analogy, I think it's great. It's giving me an idea for another story. I'll title this one "The Recycler" |
