| Author | Message | ||
| Faith2 Registered user Username: Faith2 Post Number: 22 Registered: 3-2005 |
Although I know that Ellen is not a prophet, I still get very intimidated by quotes of hers that talk about those who leave the church. Does this intimidation ever diminish? | ||
| Jeremy Registered user Username: Jeremy Post Number: 485 Registered: 10-2004  |
Faith2, It certainly has for me. Once I saw that Ellen was definitely a false prophet, I had no fear of her--none of her statements were able to scare me. Now when I see them, I usually just think, "wow, what a cult leader and blasphemer she was"! In Deuteronomy 18, the Israelites were commanded to not be afraid of the false prophets:
So don't get intimidated by those quotes, just realize she is a false prophet and she is getting her due punishment for all of those lies and guilt/fear tactics! Remember, "perfect love casts out fear." (1 John 4:18 NASB.) Also, "For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, 'Abba! Father!' The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God," (Romans 8:15-16 NASB.) Praise the Lord!  Jeremy (Message edited by jeremy on March 25, 2005) | ||
| Dennis Registered user Username: Dennis Post Number: 348 Registered: 4-2000  |
Excellent post, Jeremy! Dennis Fischer | ||
| Praisegod Registered user Username: Praisegod Post Number: 281 Registered: 3-2004  |
Faith2, once I read enough to know that EGW lied about hearing from the Lord and about copying from others, that totally broke any spell she might have had over me. It was further sealed by the White Estate lying to me and covering up which only convinced me there must be a whole bunch more than what I had discovered on my own. EGW was about the easiest thing for me to give up which is amazing for anyone who has known me as I believed wholeheartedly in EGW. So absolutely. You can and will be free! Praise God... | ||
| Faith2 Registered user Username: Faith2 Post Number: 23 Registered: 3-2005 |
Jeremy, thank you so much! Powerful!!! "'But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.' 21You may say in your heart, 'How will we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?' 22When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him." (Deuteronomy 18:20-22 NASB.) I love God!!! He covers all of the bases! I feel like running around my house! What A MIGHTY GOD!!! Thanks to you too PraiseGod! | ||
| Lindylou Registered user Username: Lindylou Post Number: 36 Registered: 1-2005 |
Faith2 - I understand your feelings - There have been times - where deep in the recesses of my mind I heard a little whisper trying to beckon me back to believing EGW - or at least her predictions of doom for those who disregard her words. Those times of hearing the old tapes are gone now! Praise the Lord! What helped me the most was clarifying ONE central core gem of truth for myself- and hanging onto that with dear life! Jesus is my Rock. Romans 8:38-39 does that for me - NOTHING can separate me from the love of God! and I remember all those times in the Bible when Jesus and/or an angel would say, "Do Not be afraid." So take heart like the others have said - "This too shall pass." Hold on tight. Best wishes for a Happy Easter! lindylou | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 1678 Registered: 12-2003  |
Faith, at those moments of fear and doubt, pray and trun to Scripture, just as Linylou and Jeremy have said. Objective truth is in the Bible through the inspiration of the Holy Sprit, and it is the antidote against false teaching. I know I've said this before, but the point at which Richard and I found complete freedom from the guilt and pull of Adventism was when we prayed for God to take away the spirit of Adventism and to put the Holy Spirit in the place in our hearts where the spirit of Adventism had been. There is a spiritual hold on Adventists, and we have to surrender that to Jesus and let Him be our all-in-all. Have a wonderful Easter weekend! Colleen | ||
| Riverfonz Registered user Username: Riverfonz Post Number: 91 Registered: 3-2005 |
I want to second Colleen's message. I am reminded of that song by the Eagles, "Hotel California", and there is that line in the song(which talks about the spirit world), "You can check out anytime, but you can never leave". Even though I am over 20 years removed, still I have to rebuke that spirit I was infected with, but thankfully, in the name of Jesus, we can leave, contrary to the song. I still get thoughts of that "halo around the 4th commandment", but then go to the scriptures to see if those scriptures are still there--And they are! and since it is impossible for God to lie, we claim the promises. The more I study the Bible, the more I see the pattern of false theology in all of its forms; Arianism, JW, LDS, SDA, Word-Faith, etc. These are all old recycled heresies that have been going on forever. Some of you may have noticed the www.johnbunyan.org site that I posted on another thread, but there you can see John Bunyan use the same reasoning we use to refute the 7 day Baptists of his day. All, who have come out of cults of all types experience these same feelings of Intimidation, and Satan just loves trying to make us feel guilty, but let us all rejoice this Easter Sunday in the deliverance we have from bondage of all types. HE IS RISEN, INDEED! I love saying that! Happy Easter! Stan | ||
| Vchowdhury1 Registered user Username: Vchowdhury1 Post Number: 122 Registered: 7-2004 |
Hello Everyone. I've been away for awhile. This is a very busy time for me. Even though I have not posted on the forum for awhile, I've been reading mostly all the posts from all of you. Faith2, I guess when all of us were in the sda church, its been "drummed" into us and we were "brainwashed" to believe the ramblings of EGW who said that "during the last days...even the very elect will be decieved, and people will start leaving the "truth". When you examine all cultic groups, they in effect, have this same type of "Message". Cultic Groups such as the "moonies", Branch Dividians, JWs, LDS, the "Shepard's Rodders", that Jim Jones cult that drank that poison koolaid years ago, and practically any other legalistic cultic group that you can name has the same message that basically says "If you leave us, you're doomed"! This is how they keep people in. No matter who horribly these groups treat some of their members, they stay out of the fear of being "lost" if they leave the group. For a couple of years after leaving the sda church I had the same "guilt" feelings. I kept thinking "What if THEY'RE right"? And "What if I'm being decieved"? But, I just keep reading the bible. The scriptures tell me that "THEY are being decieved", not me, because I have Christ. Not a bunch of legalistic doctrine in which the majority of it goes against scripture! It basically comes down to who is right? Jesus, Paul, and the Apostles? Or some woman who called herself a prophet, but who plagerized the majority of her writings, and whose thoughts and ideas not only went against scripture, but also whose ramblings went against common sense (especially her racist ideas on the amalgamation of men and beasts, etc. I choose to believe Jesus, Paul, and the Apostles. The bible tells me that there will rise up men who will attempted to change scripture. The sda church has done just that. They say that the seal of God is the Sabbath! The bible tell me that the seal of God is the Holy Spirit. Sda say that duing the tribulation the Holy Spirit will withdraw from the earth. The bible says that "low, I am with you always. Even until the end of the world..." Faith2, just keep reading and studying the Bible, and these feelings of "What if they're right" will pass. I know it finally did with me Praise God! --Valerie | ||
| Faith2 Registered user Username: Faith2 Post Number: 24 Registered: 3-2005 |
Valerie, You are so right. I believe Jesus!!! | ||
| Susan_2 Registered user Username: Susan_2 Post Number: 1752 Registered: 11-2002 |
Valerie, It's so wonderful hearing from you! | ||
| Vchowdhury1 Registered user Username: Vchowdhury1 Post Number: 123 Registered: 7-2004 |
Hi Susan | ||
| Blacksheep Registered user Username: Blacksheep Post Number: 8 Registered: 3-2005 |
What is the difference between a cult and a legitimate religion? | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 1694 Registered: 12-2003 |
Blacksheep, that is actually a good question. For a person who does not believe the inspiration of the Bible and the eternal sovereignty of Jesus, Christianity might be called a cult. I found a very interesting essay, the second chapter of 18 written by Bob Diffenbaugh, on Galatians. It is here: http://www.bible.org/page.asp?page_id=1341 He describes a cult as a religious group banded together by loyalty to a perversion of the gospel based upon an "unholy devotion to a person, a principle, or both". Cultists believe they are one of the elect few, and they seek to convert the church to their point of view. A religious cult deviates from Scriptural teaching about the divinity and identity of Jesus, and it places teaching and Biblical interpretations of a man or woman ahead of the plain teaching of Scripture. The website above also differentiates between an apostate and a cultist. A cultist, as mentioned above, believes he is one of the elect few. An apostate has no particular belief in an absolute truth, and he sees himself as one of the many or the majority. Cults have as their center the teachings and/or personality of a person instead of the person of Jesus and the Scriptures. So, how do we know Christianity is not a cult? The real proof is that a person surrendered to Jesus does not withdraw from the world and from his own human emotions as a Buddhist might do, nor does he pursue self-indulgence and pleasure as his goals. A true Christian really does extend love reconciliation and mercy to those in his sphere, and these things are not done from self-serving motives. A true Christian is not consumed with "being good" or "doing right" in order to obtain salvation or to please his leader. Instead, he worships and honors God who, through Christ the Son, reconciled the world to Himself and credits Jesus' righteousness to the Christ-follower. A cultist will not tend to love the world but will turn inward to serve the cult. A true Christian will be intensely loyal to the Body of Christ but will also feel a drive to extend the truth of the gospel to a suffering world. Christianity does divide people; Jesus said it would. Those who surrender to Jesus are committed to Someone outside themselves, and even if unbelieving love ones are angry, the Christ-follower will be loyal to Jesus first rather than capitulating to the love ones' demands. A Christ-follower, however, will not be self-destructive and will have healthy boundaries that respect others' identities and needs rather than debasing oneself for the demands of the leader. True Christianity results in changed lives that become increasingly healthy, confident, giving, loving, and wise. Cults produce people who cannot think or answer logically when detractors question their beliefs. Cults teach that to question the doctrines and to leave the cult results in loss and damnation. Christianity teaches that when a person belongs to Jesus, He secures the believer's salvation; the believer does not maintain his own salvation. Ultimately, true Christianity results in healthy, compassionate people who can extend love and wisdom and compassion under even dangerous circumstances. Cult members live with fear, and fear drives their loyalty. True Christians live with confidence even when threatened because no person can eternally threaten them. (Think Paul in prison writing encouraging epistles to distant church and telling them his chains are nothing compared to the privilege of living for Christ.) I'm sure others will have more cogent points to add to this--these are just the differences that came to mind now. Colleen | ||
| Skip Registered user Username: Skip Post Number: 22 Registered: 3-2005  |
Even though we know that EGW lied and cheated in her "work" and was a false prophet, it can still take some time getting over what she did to our minds. To this day I sometimes have to ask myyself if I got this or that doctrine from EGW or the Bible. It makes it pretty hard to have to stop and ask that same question again and again, but I'm sure that as time goes on it will be easier to get her out of our systems. She sure did do a lot of intimadating when she had full power over the members of the Seventh day Adventist Church. Its the technology that has brought the honest people to the crossroads where they can decide for themselves if they want to believe a lie, or hold to the truth and the Bible above Ellen White. Skip | ||
| Blacksheep Registered user Username: Blacksheep Post Number: 9 Registered: 3-2005 |
She sure did intimidate me! I also get Bible and EGW confused. I liked your answer to my question, Colleen. Will check out the link later. You all seem to gain so much by going to other churches. Just the thot of going into a Sunday church gives me cold chills! | ||
| Thomas1 Registered user Username: Thomas1 Post Number: 173 Registered: 4-2002  |
Blacksheep, Try it! In most cases, the warm reception you will receive from Brothers and Sisters in Christ will make the chills go away. Jesus is the way, the truth, the life. Never let anyone put a shadow in His place! Blessings! <>< Thomas | ||
| Buzz Registered user Username: Buzz Post Number: 4 Registered: 3-2005 |
Blacksheep, we gained so much going to church on Sunday. It took a while to finally take that step so I understand but the people were sooooo enthusiastic about their worship and music it truly has been uplifting and inspiring. We saw people dressed to the "nines" and some in jeans. Everyone was so friendly and smiling and went out oftheir way to make sure we were comfortable, the cold chills quickly became warm acceptance of who we were and the huge smiles on our childrens'faces was worth every chill before entering. This is a church that has grown from 50 people in 1980 to 1850 people in 2004. There is a real thirst for Jesus, and truth from scriptures. We will be praying you do well when you decide to try this. | ||
| Lisa_boyldavis Registered user Username: Lisa_boyldavis Post Number: 25 Registered: 3-2005 |
About intimidation, the thing that has helped me the most is to realize what Paul says about "another Gospel" and to realize that there have been people messing with the pure and simple word, the GOOD NEWS since the beginning of the church, and that EGWHITE was just one of the many, and that I was duped because I was born into it, and that once God showed me that Jesus is the ONLY way to the Father, I am free. PRAISE GOD I AM FREE. LISA | ||
| Dennis Registered user Username: Dennis Post Number: 356 Registered: 4-2000 |
Lisa, My wife and I praise Him for the same reasons. Indeed, we are free in Christ! More and more Seventh-day Adventists are heading for the nearest exit door--thanks in part to the technology of cyberspace. An informational media, like the Internet, does not serve Adventism very well. Historically, the SDA Church has kept its members faithful by controlling information that reaches the pew. Remember how we never knew anything more than what they wanted us to know? Spectrum and Adventist Today magazines continue to thrive due to official information control. Now with the Internet, Kenneth Wood was lamenting this information superhighway on the floor of the last GC Session in Toronto. I remember that they even closed down their official SDA message board just weeks before the GC Session in Toronto. It became impossible for them to control the discussions on the various threads. Basically, they are their own worst enemies. The SDA posters were attacking each other, their church, and their leaders. Dennis J. Fischer |
