| Author | Message | ||
| Bob Holland |
Former Adventist Forum members may be interested in knowing how to obtain an audio cassette entitled "Identifying A Dangerous Religious Group." This audio tape presents firsthand testimonies from people who have been delivered from darkness and the fear of spiritual abuse. If you are concerned about a friend or loved one who is involved in a religion that is cultic, you may want to obtain this tape! The tape costs $6.95, and should be ordered as Item # 1025 from: Discovery House Publishers P.O. Box 3566 Grand Rapids, MI 49501-3566 1-800-653-8333 On-line ordering: http://www.dhp.org For discussion purposes, what specific characteristics of SDAism do you personally think are the most dangerous? For myself, I think the most dangerous is the very slick public relations campaign that the SDA denomination carries on to minimize and cover up the more bizarre and unbiblical aspects of its teachings and practice. Because of Adventism's highly professional PR image, it is difficult for many non-SDA Christians to believe that Adventism is spiritually dangerous. Often they have been taken in by the official "image" the church projects in the media, as many of us were when we were SDA. | ||
| maggieb |
Bob, I absolutely agree that the devious Madison Avenue marketing approach that SDA takes makes it dangerous, because people are so trusting. It took decades for the picture to "develop" in my mind of what was really going on. What SDA is doing amounts to a scam and a con game. I would say it more gently if I could. While there are good people in the church, to the extent that they are silent about what they know, they are colluding, in my view. I would like to see people stop sending money to this corrupt organization. I would also like to see it stop "evangelizing" more victims. Perhaps the "grassroots" people can turn it around if they get their consciousness raised sufficiently, and get over "the death of outrage", but I have no hope whatsoever for the GC. Maggie | ||
| Bob Holland |
Addendum to my previous message: If you prefer to read rather than listen to the material on "Indentifying A Dangerous Religious Group", go to this web link: http://www1.gospelcom.net/rbc/ds/q1101/q1101.html | ||
| Susan |
Bob, thanks for the info., I'll check it out. In answer to your question about the most dangerous part of adventism, I would have to say that the sense of low self-esteem is the most damaging. Having been born into this cult, I was forever feeling like I couldn't measure up (and was often reminded of my inadequacies). This form of spiritual abuse is terrible. When people are given this warped and unbiblical view of God, it can have eternal consequences. It's only by the grace of God that I now have Jesus as my life-support. I know so many SDA's that have rejected God altogether. It's only since I've been understanding what true Christianity is and since I've been studying the bible deeply, that I am realizing just how messed up the SDA church really is. I think a part of me grieves the normal life I wish I had. It would've been so wonderful to grow up with a true image of God. But now I know how critical it is to impart biblical truth to my daughter. The cycle of damaging spirituality stops with me. My dream is to pass on a biblical, Christian heritage to future generations. God willing, it will come to be. I could go on for hours about this topic. I think that suffering from low self-esteem is very difficult. But also, it's a crime that so many have been spiritually wounded (while others profit!). I pray daily that all those wounded by this cult, will one day hear the call of God and will follow Him instead of crazy teachings. | ||
| Thomas |
I believe the most dangerous practice of the SDA church is the constant mantra that they are a "bible believing" church and that E.G.W. always told people to look to the bible and check her messasges by the bible. This is most deceiving of all of their practices, because they then teach her writings AS the bible. By the time members are fully "instructed" in their "bible studies", they no longer know the difference. In this way, they take seekers eyes OFF of Jesus and put them firmly ON the church doctrines, ON the "writings" and ON "Sister White" as their prophetic source of truth in the last days. If only we could get these people to study the bible AS IT'S WRITTEN in it's entirety, and not piecemeal and verse added to verse, as they teach it. After so many years, I don't think this will ever be possible. Once my brother and I were having a discussion about the gospel (ie law vs. grace). I asked him to show me from the Bible, what he believed, I told him that I didn't care what EGW said, only what the bible said. He handed me the bible and said "please don't take her away from me, it's all I have.". Nuf said! | ||
| Colleen Tinker |
I agree with Thomas. Claiming to be "Bible believing" when the Bible is interpreted by EGW is falsehood. I grew up hearing Ellen quoted often as saying (ironically) that the most dangerous deception is truth mixed with a little error. I guess she knew! It makes me think of something a friend of mine said once: "Satan tipped his hand in Adventist theology." | ||
| Susan |
Bob, WOW!!! What a great on-line booklet! I just checked in out and it's quite good. I even ordered one. Thanks for suggesting it. I would highly recommend this booklet to all of you. I've always considered Jim Jones' group and others like Wacco to be labeled "dangerous religious groups". I'd never thought of the SDA church in the same category (spiritually abusive and cultic yes, but not really dangerous). It's amazing how many similarities there are with the "dangerous religious groups" and with the SDA's. Scary, huh? |
