| Author |
Message |
Skeeter
Registered user
Username: Skeeter
Post Number: 2005
Registered: 12-2007
| | Posted on Monday, December 24, 2012 - 1:32 pm: |     |
I read the latest Proclamation from cover to cover and then last night at church gave it to our pastor. I have shared a couple with him before and he has commented on enjoying the articles. I think maybe it is time to get his address to Colleen and get him on the regular mailing list (so I can keep my own copies) 
I would have a hard time deciding which article I liked most in this latest issue. The letter from the lady saying Jesus was an Adventist made me shake my head and chuckle to myself, while at the same time making me sad because I think she actually really believes it. Her telling about giving up the jewelry for the church made me remember my MIL telling me about many years ago a sermon being given about the evils of jewelry (incorporating the story of the golden calf)and how the offering plate was passed that day for everyone to put in their jewelry "for the cause of Christ". I remember my FIL remarking on a couple of occasions about how she put her wedding ring in the offering and insisted he put his in too.
I wonder how much of that jewelry was sold and the money used "for the cause of Christ" and how much just went directly into the pastors wife's personal jewelry box..... 
Even Ellen White spoke about the evils of jewelry and often wore a jeweled brooch. I read one time that she excused her wearing because it was a "gift" from a friend. I guess that reason is not good for anyone but the profit . |
Punababe808
Registered user
Username: Punababe808
Post Number: 258
Registered: 4-2012
| | Posted on Monday, December 24, 2012 - 2:28 pm: | |
River, that may been true with mostly SDA 's, however I have numerous kin And friends who are SDB and every one of them would hope first And formost got people to give their hearts today Christ and The Sabbath is thought of Aaasand extraordinary blessing. Sunday gotoworship history For Christians, top. Saturday worship history a special Joyce. |
Punababe808
Registered user
Username: Punababe808
Post Number: 259
Registered: 4-2012
| | Posted on Monday, December 24, 2012 - 8:06 pm: | |
Skeeter, i also was taught jewlery was wrong because of their melting it down for the golden calf. |
Colleentinker
Registered user
Username: Colleentinker
Post Number: 14162
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, December 27, 2012 - 12:17 am: | |
Lyrical, I so identify with your grief and anger and depression and loss. I felt embarrassment and shame when I finally realized Adventism was a cult...yet at the same time, realizing it IS a cult has been really helpful in understanding it and in becoming freed from it. As long as one doesn't really acknowledge it is a cult, or as long as one doesn't really admit it's as sinister and twisted as it is, it retains a hold on one.
It's like an abusive family: until a person admits that what went on behind closed doors was not really "love" and was actually abuse, one is still emotionally bound to the abuser in an unhealthy way. Same with Adventism. We can't really walk away and accept the new life God gives us until we admit the truth: Adventism is evil.
I know many people think this is too strong...but I know it is true. Anything that twists Jesus and His gospel as Adventism does is not "netural unbelief". It is dark and sinister.
Praise God He is faithful! He Himself wakes us up and rescues us!!
Colleen |
Lyrical
Registered user
Username: Lyrical
Post Number: 111
Registered: 4-2012
| | Posted on Thursday, December 27, 2012 - 1:27 pm: | |
I'll never forget the moment I acknowledged the evil of Adventism. I was terrified and it made me sick to my stomach, but I could not deny it, as much as I wanted to. But, somehow, it was acceptance of this harsh reality that led me to experience a freedom that would not have come any other way. The evil cult explanation is the only one that makes sense of the utter craziness of the life I lived (and my SDA life was pretty "average" and benign, compared to some!). The further I am away from it, the more evil and controlling it appears. I watch all the people I know who are trapped in it and I see the death grip the devil has through the subtle twisting of every basic gospel truth. He didn't leave one truth untouched! It makes my heart break... Twisting the truth of Jesus Chist is nothing other than evil. Sadly, there is no other explanation...
Every single day I am more in awe of the power and faithfulness of God for rescuing our little family from the darkest place I've ever known! |
1john2v27nlt
Registered user
Username: 1john2v27nlt
Post Number: 443
Registered: 5-2009
| | Posted on Thursday, December 27, 2012 - 8:06 pm: | |
I am seeing more & more that sdaism claims to proclaim Christ but in actual fact DENIES Christ. It WAS subtle to me, NOW it's glaring. ~ J9 |
Colleentinker
Registered user
Username: Colleentinker
Post Number: 14167
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Friday, December 28, 2012 - 5:41 pm: | |
J9, that's actually profound. It sounds almost like "Duh!", but it's really profound. Adventism denies Jesus. Oh, they purport to teach Him, and they argue strenuously that their Jesus is the same as "our" Jesus. But he is not.
The REAL Jesus never could have sinned or failed, nor did He have a sinful or fallen nature. He was eternal, almighty God, of the same substance as the Father and the Holy Spirit.
The Adventist Jesus is not the Jesus of the Bible.
Colleen |
Gcfrankie
Registered user
Username: Gcfrankie
Post Number: 910
Registered: 1-2007
| | Posted on Saturday, December 29, 2012 - 1:01 pm: | |
The sda church has spent many decades changing their image on the outside so that many people (to the christian world to get rid of the title cultic)see but not on the inside and that is why christians can not understand what ex-sda's have lived through and why it is so hard for them.
Like the rest of you I also go to the letters first. Each letter that attacks I pray over that God will open their eyes to see the real love of Jesus and what his birth and death really means for all of us. These people remind me of the Pharisees who did not want to loose their comfortable way of life than to hear the truth. |
Joyfulheart
Registered user
Username: Joyfulheart
Post Number: 931
Registered: 10-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, December 29, 2012 - 2:43 pm: | |
J9,
That statement possibly more than any other I have read tells what is wrong with Seventh-day Adventism.
I was so surprised (when I came into the church) to see that Adventists catered to the secular and not spiritual side of Christmas. Celebrating Easter was embracing a pagan celebration of Ishtar. I never understood until I had been out of everything for a while.
Easter can't mean anything to SDA's because to understand and celebrate Easter would imply believing that something happened - that Jesus won the victory, that there is no great controversy, that our sins have been forgiven and that we are no longer under the law.
The cross coujldn't have happened without Jesus' coming. So...to prevent people from questioning and talking about what happened at the cross, they make it a pagan holiday.
Jesus was barely even mentioned at the prophecy seminar I attended - and the called it evangelism! Adventism is about keeping the law - not about Jesus.
I get it now. |
1john2v27nlt
Registered user
Username: 1john2v27nlt
Post Number: 445
Registered: 5-2009
| | Posted on Saturday, December 29, 2012 - 5:15 pm: | |
This is a recent entry into my journal:
It's not about a DAY but about a DELIVERER
It's not about the SABBATH but about THE SAVIOR
Every day is the same TODAY is the day of SALVATION |
Punababe808
Registered user
Username: Punababe808
Post Number: 262
Registered: 4-2012
| | Posted on Saturday, December 29, 2012 - 5:25 pm: | |
In my family growing up we only partisipated in the secular parts of any holiday. In fact, i was taught Easter was sin under any circumstance. But, i still got an Easter basket with candy. It was a very schizophrenic religious upbringing i had. |
Philharris
Registered user
Username: Philharris
Post Number: 2801
Registered: 5-2007
| | Posted on Saturday, December 29, 2012 - 6:52 pm: | |
As a kid I remember being perplexed by being told Easter was pagan and wrong yet it was ok to attend Easter egg hunts.
Phil |
Jrt
Registered user
Username: Jrt
Post Number: 1284
Registered: 10-2008
| | Posted on Thursday, January 03, 2013 - 5:49 pm: | |
I just finished reading Gary Inrig's article in the newest Proclamation ... Very well written and articulated ... He explains the Philipians passage that has been twisted by SDA's so well ... It really refutes the idea that Jesus left His "godness" behind when He came to earth ... That He lived a perfect life - therefore we should be able to, too.
I enjoyed the article very much .... |
Alison1
Registered user
Username: Alison1
Post Number: 148
Registered: 10-2010
| | Posted on Saturday, January 19, 2013 - 10:29 am: | |
Yesterday I had a chance to read the article "Spiritual Abuse Among Religions" and boy it touched a cord in my heart. Because I had recognized that I, too, was a victim of spiritual abuse. First in the Mormon church (during high school times) and then with the SDA church and even when I had studied with the JWs. The abuse is so evident in all three religions. Then in the evening I had gone to my Celebrate Recovery(12-step program) group at the church that I attend. The lesson that was taught was based on Confession.I knew that the Lord was working on my heart and that it was time to start sharing my religious experiences and the abuses I had encountered as well as dealing with the feelings that go with it as well. The first person I had talked to was my pastor. I knew that I had to alert him in letting him know that the teachings of the SDA church were twisted. The first one was on the Trinity. He was so patient with me and listened attentively. I'm hoping that he could see the deviation of SDA doctrine. Then when we went into our separate classes. I finally shared about the abuse I went through. I didn't go into detail but I knew that I was hurting and needed to share. I didn't go into the doctrinal side but dealt with the feelings of betrayal, anger, disappointment, and lost. And there are a lot of mixed feelings as well. When I had gotten home I finished reading the rest of the article (see I had started it before I left but hadn't had the chance to finish reading the whole article). After I had finished reading it I was then in prayer with God.And trying to put the pieces together of all the whys of why I did what I did. Part of the reason is because when my family and I moved from Maryland to Connecticut it caused a sense of disappointment within me. And on top of that we lived in a more isolated area. You had to drive a distance before you could get to the nearest store. And for some reason (after a friend gave me an Osmond Brothers album as a going away present) I had gotten myself involved with the Mormon church. Partly because I didn't have that many friends and I had turned to the church. Not only with the Mormon Church but also with the SDA church as well. Church became my social outlet. And I became enmeshed with all 3 churches at different points in my life. The next part in my prayer was why did God let me go through of this. Did I blame HIM, no I just didn't understand why He could've changed the course of my life.Did I get my answer, kind'a sort of. I cried my heart to God in trying to understand all this fiasco. Did I get my peace? Yes. When God finally said in my heart that HE was always there for me and I just needed the time to find my way back to the God of the Bible. Then finally I was able to sleep peacefully through the night without having any nightmares.This morning I woke up refreshed and renewed with a new sense of purpose that one day I can use my experiences to help others on their course of life out of dangerous churches(cultic). Is spiritual abuse real? yes, And it is very dangerous. It will take time to mend and heal but with GOD all things are possible. |
Mjcmcook
Registered user
Username: Mjcmcook
Post Number: 861
Registered: 2-2011
| | Posted on Saturday, January 19, 2013 - 11:34 am: | |
Alison1~
Absolutely! With GOD~All things are possible!
"One Day at Time!" (I call it, "M&M", Moment by Moment!)
"God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
and the Wisdom to know the difference."
I think I know where you are 'coming from'~
Prayers~
~mj~ |
Alison1
Registered user
Username: Alison1
Post Number: 149
Registered: 10-2010
| | Posted on Saturday, January 19, 2013 - 11:40 am: | |
I would like to add one more thing. I would like to see a sequel article to Spiritual Abuse Among Religions on the process of healing out of the cults. It's one thing to recognize it but it's another in trying to break free and to heal from all of this. And yes, I recognize that it could become a way of life for those of us who were severely damaged (like myself). Food for thought for Colleen and Joanie. |
