| Author | Message | ||
| Zjason Registered user Username: Zjason Post Number: 1 Registered: 11-2005 |
Hi! I'm kind of a newbie around these parts. I've been reviewing a lot of the posts over the last couple of months. Wow. I guess I'm not the only one that has a lot of questions. (questions you don't ask your sda pastor-->Ha.) Last year I began questioning what I used to hold dear and true for the past 10 years since baptism. I posted my questions on clubadventist.com for a while, and got some very helpful guidance there from "liberal adventists" and snarly attitude from others-->how dare I question established adventist doctrine?!) I stopped posting there after they set up a 3$ monthly payment to post on the website... Since then, I have let myself go into "perdition" according to adventist guidelines... I smoked cigarettes up until a few days ago, but quit because I was having difficulty breathing in the morning. I enjoy a nice McDonalds sausage biscuit sandwich every now and then. No big whoop. Other than that, I feel pretty numb about spiritual things anymore...I used to feel love for God, but now I'm feeling trapped and disillusioned... | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 2183 Registered: 3-2004  |
Welcome to FAF Zjason. You have come to the right place to ask questions. God is guiding you and has put those questions in your mind. So, ask away. There is always some one to answer your questions. I have put you on my prayer list. Diana | ||
| Lisa_boyldavis Registered user Username: Lisa_boyldavis Post Number: 139 Registered: 3-2005 |
Welcome Zjason, Your feelings are directly related to Adventism. If you are unable to ask, you are unable to seek and find, and therefore you could care less... especially when the answers are more cyclical and cultic answers and no rational clarity is given at all. We have so been there and done that. My husband's numbness has so bad that he never grew at all until the scales on his eyes were taken off by the Lord and he saw clearly the lies of the doctrine. We have since left just under 2 years ago and I have this deeply spiritual man I never thought I'd ever have. Don't be hard on yourself. We will pray pray pray until God gives you peace. Lisa | ||
| Lynne Registered user Username: Lynne Post Number: 194 Registered: 10-2005 |
Great to see your post! I totally loved God and believed in Jesus when I began as an Adventist. Over the period of about 20 years, at times I felt very disillusioned. I learned the problem for me was, I thought I could never please God. Works and grace didn't mix very well. According to the Adventist Church, we need to do things to please God, like not eat certain things, like worship on certain days of the week... I never got it right, so I thought God wasn't happy with me. The good news that finally reached me was, God isn't like that, and He never stopped loving me. I've been right where you are but it took a long time for me to even look at a web site that said anything bad about the Seventh-day Adventist church. I even thought someone who spoke bad about the Adventist church resembled how the devil looks. It is how the SDA church programs people, to be loyal to them and to not question the doctrine. At times I figured if I didn't eat something right or didn't keep the Sabbath, I might be okay with God if He knew I was going to please Him someday, or if it was in my heart to try and do these things. But as I've learned here, these are only distractions from my focus on Jesus. Grace alone does not cause us to be distressed, it gives us peace. Adventist doctrine didn't give me peace, it didn't give me rest. I had insomnia for years and it is now gone. I eventually even started having some panic attacks (my heart would race for no reason), they are gone too. What I'm learning now is, the way to know what the bible really says, is to read the bible without the influence of Ellen White. No Great Controversy. There is no constant conflict where Jesus and Satan are equal. Jesus rules! Jesus conquered Satan at the Cross. There is no power struggle. I hope you keep posting here and I will certainly I pray for you that you won't feel those bad feelings. | ||
| Zjason Registered user Username: Zjason Post Number: 2 Registered: 11-2005 |
Maybe a little background I could give...I met my wife in high school when our two schools consolidated, she was adventist, I was a "just around the edges" methodist. We went to college together, I became interested in her church's beliefs, bought in to the Daniel and Revelation shtuff by uriah smith, and egw's shtick, got baptized, have been married for 12 years with 4 children, serious marriage counseling a few years ago, and had a wise christian counselor that counseled us separately. She pointed out to me that my wife was steeped in ellen whites stuff and her church's doctrine. I felt my defenses prickle up and thought, "she's nonadventist, of course she's going to say that..." I accepted a book from her to read nevertheless, I forget the title of it, but basically it totally undermined my belief in ellen white's inspiration. And if her inspiration is called into question, what does that do to the rest of the adventist doctrines? Especially about the "coming events"? | ||
| Raven Registered user Username: Raven Post Number: 352 Registered: 7-2004  |
Welcom, Zjason! You said "And if her inspiration is called into question, what does that do to the rest of the adventist doctrines?" You hit the nail on the head. That's the biggest problem with the SDA church, that their foundation is a false prophet. That affects every doctrine and really shapes the entire SDA way of thinking, even for many of those who say they ignore or don't believe in EGW. | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 3192 Registered: 12-2003  |
Welcome, Zjason! We are truly glad you're here, and we will be glad to talk with you and to address your questions and fears. We have ALL been where you are, and some of us still have the old pangs of fear and guilt. I completely second everything said above. The best antidote I know to the numbness and fear and disillusionment is to read Scripture every day and to pray that God will reveal truth to you. That is a prayer that He loves to answer, and He is completely faithful. He has brought you here, and He has brought your heart and mind to ask those questions. He is in charge. I will also be praying for you and also for your wife. Colleen | ||
| Anotherseeker Registered user Username: Anotherseeker Post Number: 28 Registered: 8-2005 |
Welcome to the forum ZJason and thankyou Father for leading him here. I am only recently out of the Adventist church myself so i am still in the elementary stages. I was VERY touched by your first post and slighty sad BUT i know that this is the start of your re-birth ZJason!! He WILL NOT let you go. Ask him to soften your heart to fully submit to his leading | ||
| Ric_b Registered user Username: Ric_b Post Number: 412 Registered: 7-2004  |
Zjason. I married into the church as well. Also to my high school sweetheart (Raven). When the problems with SDAism became apparent to me, I too was Spiritually numb. I wanted to nothing to do with God, if He even existed. I just ignored and avoided anything to do with church or God. What I want to say though, is that there is Spiritual life after SDAism. In fact, an abundant life that you might not have imagined could exist. You are not alone, many here have felt similar experiences. | ||
| Esther Registered user Username: Esther Post Number: 278 Registered: 5-2004 |
Zjason. Welcome to the forum. When I came here two years ago I was also numb from having all I believed in crash around me with the fall of Ellen. Just trust that God is pursuing you and will never abandon youÖeven when you feel disconnected. ìAsk, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.î Matt 7:7 Praying for you! | ||
| Wolfgang Registered user Username: Wolfgang Post Number: 17 Registered: 10-2005 |
my hubby could relate to you zjason,a little back ground on him is he's always had an issue with the church over the food issue,when we were new members another older couple had been coming to the church and it was pot luck guess what she brought?? yep a big ole ham,and guess who interceded her yep again sister stern and the ham was thrown away and the couple never came back... then there was the summer baseball game fish fry,which my husband and his father provided the fish and it went over great even the pastor ate the fish,but when it was mentioned about having fish at potluck this same pastor said we had to have higher standards and fish wasnt allowed. now when we were first studying it was never brought up not to eat meat in fact it was taught that we just should abstain from the unclean but after you bite and then hooked,line and sinker then your told to have a higher standard,we stayed in for another 10 yrs. and have seen some crazy things and alot of the craziness revolves around food,and perfection,the ss teacher said God cant hear our prayers when we are eating meat and it goes on im sure you all have heard this too. im attending a non denominational church,hubby is not there yet,he deals with alot of pain though,i recently told a sda friend that hubby has not gone to church with me for awahile now,i didnt tell her i was going somewhere else yet,the reason he dosent go is because it bothers him to sit for so long and all the sda churchs i have gone to the sermon lasts forever........ its like they think we are stupid and they have to keep driving it in our heads. any way she suggested that my hubby pray that God would take his pain away just before we went so he could sit for that period of time that he pray he would be faithful and worship Him no matter what my husband has two plates a rod and 6 screws in his back,and deals with alot of pain,some sda even suggest to stop taking pain meds and anti depressents and if he would just get on a vegetarin diet and drink lots of water he would be healed,oh believe me we have heard it all. so zjason we can relate my hubby just started smoking again after quitting for 10 yrs,i unsterstand why he's doing it because of the pain he deals with and being depressed,when i told my sda friend he's smoking she was sad that he's lost his salvation now mind you she is obese,but i guess thats ok. im beginning to sound a little bitter with all this rambling,hope you all can forgive me,but my sda friends whom i do love really arent ready to hear or maybe dont want to hear the negative,i just needed to vent thanks all,dawn | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 2193 Registered: 3-2004 |
Wolfgang, There is nothing in the Bible that says if you smoke you will lose your salvation. That is typical of their(Seventh day Adventist) works oriented relationship with God. I have seen people like your husband with, as I am a therapist, plates, rods and screws in their backs. He has reason not to be able to sit long without pain. I will put you on my prayer list. God understands and He is awesome. Diana | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 3219 Registered: 12-2003 |
Dawn, thank you for sharing some of your struggle and your husband's as well. You and he are dealing with a lotóand no, a vegetarian diet surely won't fix it! I'll pray for you and him. Colleen | ||
| Wolfgang Registered user Username: Wolfgang Post Number: 21 Registered: 10-2005 |
I have been moved more than once here,thanks for keeping us in prayer thanks for taking the time and responding I have shared with a few friends from the SDA church why I have left I sent them a letter and a CD ,you know what they havent even called me,probably afraid Im part of the shaking Im sure,I just thought they would call ,already Im loving you all, again thanks!,Dawn |
