| Author | Message | ||
| Carol_2 Registered user Username: Carol_2 Post Number: 191 Registered: 2-2002 |
Here's a link to the beginning of the story....I just wanted to share it with those that have never been SDA, to kind of give you (or attempt to) an idea of what it was like being a child in the SDA system.....the fear we had. http://www.serendipityrancher.com/now.htm Ugh, I just got the shivers......reading this really made me thankful for where God has brought me. I'll be interested in the non-SDA reactions to this..... Love and prayers to all, Carol #2 | ||
| Jeremy Registered user Username: Jeremy Post Number: 112 Registered: 10-2004 |
WOW! I can't even read all of that. I am so glad I never read that when I might have been convinced that it was the truth! It's absolutely terrifying to read, even knowing that it's pure fiction!!! I can't imagine a child reading that thinking that it's truth and that that was what was going to actually happen! I would be sooo terrified!! Adventism is pure ABUSE! Mental, emotional, spiritual, physical, and child ABUSE! What an abusive cult! If anyone doesn't think so, they should definitely read that, with the understanding that that is traditional SDA teaching. Jeremy | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 969 Registered: 12-2003 |
Oh, my goodness. I hadn't read that in years--but it all came back to me. How desperate--"If only I could know for sure that I was saved!" This story IS Adventism. You know how "they" say, "truth is stranger than fiction"? Adventism is a great example of that adage. It looks and sounds good to anyone on the outside, but the truth hidden inside and revealed only to the faithful is bizarre and frightening and confusing and unbiblical. Praise God He leads us to Himself and that the Holy spirit witnesses to our spirits that we are, indeed, sons and daughters of God. WE can KNOW we are saved!! Colleen | ||
| Vchowdhury1 Registered user Username: Vchowdhury1 Post Number: 80 Registered: 7-2004 |
Reading that exerpt from "NOW" brings back a flood of scary memories of the book when we were all required to read it at Lynwood Academy, and in Pathfinders. All I can say is that I'm so greatful that my 11 year old son does not have to grow up in the sda organization and be subject to this type of fear and nonsense. --Valerie | ||
| Pw Registered user Username: Pw Post Number: 185 Registered: 6-2004 |
Wow, I didn't expect this kind of response to that Sonlight book. Why I remember this story is beyond me, I haven't read it since 1985 or 86. However, helovesme2 is right, I may have been getting 2 books confused. Still, it's a very creepy book....you'd think Stephen King wrote it. | ||
| Esther Registered user Username: Esther Post Number: 85 Registered: 5-2004 |
I've read that book too, and also the more recent ones the church has published (recent being the last 10-15 years). It strikes me amusing that SDA's have such a big problem with the Left Behind Series (I'm not advocating it), but they write their own misconstrued end-time events books to drum up fear and fascination with things to come. So many inconsistencies...  | ||
| Another_carol Registered user Username: Another_carol Post Number: 261 Registered: 12-2002 |
As I am on the CARM forum and this was discussed there someone gave this site of what happened to the author. Thought it might be interesting to you. http://www.steps2life.org/php/view_article.php?article_id=218 I find it very interesting especially select parts of which I will include this one: Finally, a new manager was brought into the Press. Shortly thereafter, in October 1973, Management sent Lorna Tobler a letter stating that they had agreed that she was to be terminated with two weeks severance pay so that she could join her husband in Germany. Lorna responded, "this action would certainly be viewed by the law as a reprisal." Five days later the Press officially "clarified" the use of the word ëterminatedíóstating that they only meant she was free to go if she chose. However, the new boss visited Lorna, and a clear threat was made. Either she moved to Germany immediately or "something terribly serious will happen." In December, a letter from the General Conference, was sent to all SDA publishing houses instructing them not to accept articles or manuscripts written by Merikay, "because of her tendency to ignore Christian counsel," and Lorna received a very strong letter from the German Conference stating that she must come to Germany immediately. In January 1974, Lorna met with the Board Chairman. She showed him the letter she had received and asked if that meant her husband would lose his job. "Well, those are some of the hazards," he replied. "That sounds to me like some little game or something," Lorna stated. He replied, "Itís not a little game, itís a big game!" IMO this is playing with people's lives and it is very sad. I have felt this since day one with my son-in-law becoming involved with the SDA church. This amounts to Power and that subsequently leads to money. The sanctity of Life is much more than that. It begins and ends with Love and I see absoulutely none here. BTW Carol 2 thanks for the welcome back. I have been posting at CARM and it takes a lot of my time since I have to make sure what I say is what the Bible says and I spend a lot of time searching for scripture. I also lost half of one of my jobs so I had to pick up more hours at my other one to keep benefits thus I am working about 60 hours a week and something just had to fall by the wayside. I miss fellowshipping here but I feel a need to share with those who might be on the fence about SDA the need for it to be all scripture and give them my testimony of how the Lord has worked in my life. Praise God for believers, Chris Carol | ||
| Carol_2 Registered user Username: Carol_2 Post Number: 194 Registered: 2-2002 |
Hi Carol! I wrote something on CARM for the first time....it terrifies me, but I just had to join in the discussion on the book "Now" and put in my two cents. Of course I did not know what I was doing, and placed my comments as a response to something and it wasn't in the spot I wanted it to be in. I wanted to respond at the tail end of the comments, following up to Pheeki's comments about widespread use of that book when we were kids. Oh well, at least I said my piece and got to vent! BTW, I'm cdfussell on that forum. Love and prayers to all, Carol #2 | ||
| Sabra Registered user Username: Sabra Post Number: 268 Registered: 10-2001 |
Funny you mention those two books. I don't say much to my mom about these things, but we recently got into an e-mail conversation about my childhood and I told her that I was absolutely terrified as a 7 or 8 year old child, so much so, that I wanted to die. I prayed to die. I just didn't want to get thrown into prison or a concentration camp or whatever. They played a tape of "Now" in the dark church one night at "vespers" (what exactly does that word mean anyways?) about the same time they played the movie, "The Hiding Place" and I just put the two together and knew that was my fate! At first she was so compassionate.......saying she never knew and she was sorry etc...I thought just MAYBE she might finally listen to me, But, no. After a few days she wrote back and said she thought about it and it didn't have anything to do with the SDA church, it was just "where you were at the time" whatever that means. In other words, I dont' want to claim any responsibility for raising you in a cult that ruined your childhood and made you grow up with a lot of issues. We haven't had any contact since and I'm really kinda bummed out about the whole entire thing. The WHOLE, thing, ya know? Lord, for THIS, I give You praise. sigh | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 768 Registered: 3-2004 |
Sabra, You can praise God that you were able to say to your Mom the things that you said. You are not responsible for how she received them. I praise God that He brought you through all that with a few bruises. But as Colleen has said, God redeems our past. Thank you God, You are awesome. Diana | ||
| Another_carol Registered user Username: Another_carol Post Number: 262 Registered: 12-2002 |
Just a note about the mention of the "Now" story and "The Hiding Place". One, Now, is a fictional account and it was used to scare people into something that no one really knows for sure about. The Hiding Place is a true story of Corrie Ten Boom and to make you a little more aware of what in fact the message of The Hiding Place is I post a paragraph from her history. Four Ten Booms gave their lives for this familyís commitment, but Corrie came home from the death camp. She realized her life was a gift from God, and she needed to share what she and Betsy had learned in Ravensbruck: "There is no pit so deep that Godís love is not deeper still" and "God will give us the love to be able to forgive our enemies." At age 53, Corrie began a world-wide ministry which took her into more than 60 countries in the next 33 years! She testified to Godís love and encouraged all she met with the message that "Jesus is Victor." The difference in the 2 stories is Jesus. The whole can be viewed at: http://www.corrietenboom.com/history.htm Just wanted to clarify for anyone who might not know the truth behind The Hiding Place. I saw this many years ago and it really made me wonder of my forgiveness for those who have done wrong to me. I pray that I can allow God to do for me what He did for Corrie in forgiving those who hate me and despitefully use me, Another Carol | ||
| Susan_2 Registered user Username: Susan_2 Post Number: 1132 Registered: 11-2002 |
I read the entire posting of the Now paper. Does it really end the way thatit does or is the ending of the paper not included? It just seems to me to not have an end to the story. BTW, The Desmond Doss story is out on video now. It should be quite interesting. He is an awsome and amazing man. | ||
| Sabra Registered user Username: Sabra Post Number: 270 Registered: 10-2001 |
I realize the Hiding Place is a wonderful story, but as a little girl, I heard the Now and then saw the Hiding Place and thought my fate was that of Corrie, I was sure I would go to a concentration camp and be beaten and starved since she was a Jew and I was SDA and we both observed the Sabbath. It was just my little 8 or 9 year old mind. I was quite obsessed, or oppresed. I read the Now book over and over and just dwelt on it. Somewhere around that time God gave me Rev. 3:10 and I memorized it and said it over and over to myself. He was always there and I'll be blessed 100 fold! | ||
| Pheeki Registered user Username: Pheeki Post Number: 429 Registered: 1-2003 |
Funny the 2 books should be mentioned together on this forum, because I belive it plainly shows the contrast of a real Christian's experience r/t a member of a cult. The difference in the two are striking! One about faith, hope, love, forgiveness and true courage...the other about no faith, paranoia, no assurance of God's love or salvation. Now, is a microcosm of SDAism. | ||
| Melissa Registered user Username: Melissa Post Number: 590 Registered: 7-2003 |
Was Corrie a jew? i thought they were taken away for housing/hiding jews? | ||
| Helovesme2 Registered user Username: Helovesme2 Post Number: 49 Registered: 8-2004 |
Corrie Ten Boom was not a Jew. I believe she was a member of the Dutch Reformed Church. She and her family were heavily involved in the 'underground' that protected Jews during WW2. She was a very inspirational lady! I think it's understandable though that a child might confuse the matter as appears to have happened to Sabra when she was 8 or 9. helovesme2 | ||
| Freeatlast Registered user Username: Freeatlast Post Number: 237 Registered: 5-2002 |
Speaking of WW2 and the Holocaust, Pastor Jan Marcussen's latest newsletter refers to it as "the persecution of Sabbathkeepers". According to Pastor Jan, it was Satan's supreme hostility towards a group that faithfully kept Sabbath that was the ultimate force behind the Holocaust. Of course he indicates that SDA's are next on Satan's list to persecute to the death. Oh yeah, and the SDA church is now 6,000 years old - per Pastor Jan. What these folks won't claim in order to promulgate their unique worldview... | ||
| Susan_2 Registered user Username: Susan_2 Post Number: 1135 Registered: 11-2002 |
Freeatlast, During the 2000 USA presidential election I personally know SDA's who were so excited about the prospect of having a "Sabbath keeper" in The Wilte House, Senator Joe Liberman. I would point out that Sen. Leiberman is not a Christian, he is a Jew. He is no more Christian than any other religious person who is not Christian. It made n difference to the SDA's in my life. They only saw "Sabbath keeper" and that was the end of the discussion. You know Sen. Lieberman while out campaigning would only get motels within walking distance to the synaguage on Friday nights beause unless it was an emergency he would not travel by car on the Sabbath. His Secret Service agents sure did earn their pay over the Sabbath! | ||
| 33ad Registered user Username: 33ad Post Number: 122 Registered: 10-2004 |
Hi Sabra,(And everyone else) I'm coming late on this here as I was following it on CARM. BTW, I own up, it was I who placed the link on CARM as to what had happened to Merikay. I didn't think it would land back here. Just goes to show. Also Sabra, "Vespers",(meaning Evening Service/Prayers) is a very old church custom (*All the FAF's Sigh*) that goes back many centuries, and is still practiced weekly in most Orthodox churches on Saturday night (From Sunset) to see in Sunday, Much like we Formers used to do on Friday nights to see in Sabbath. There's nothing wrong with the service, it's just the 'connotation' that we attached to it as SDA's. BTW, I havn't deserted you guys. My wife has been away from me during the week for nearly 3 weeks now as she's being trained with a new "Seeing-eye Guide Dog" (Only saw her Sunday afternoons) So as you can imagine, most evenings I've been visiting with her over the phone. She's coming home Sunday with a beautiful 18 month old Golden Labrador. I just hope that "Yat", our cat, doesn't take offence and dissapear. God bless you all, Loren | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 989 Registered: 12-2003 |
Wow, Loren, the details involved in living with and loving a person who is blind and who has a unique relationship with a guide dog must be extremely complex and at times overwhelming. I admire your wife for the drive and independence she demonstrates by learning to work with a guide dog. I knew a woman at one time who was rapidly losing her sight, but she was quite overwhelmed at the idea of getting an animal to help her. What a blessing to both of you, though, that your wife is committed to this level of independence and freedom. You are in our prayers! Colleen |
