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Archive through February 17, 2000Gary Mayo2-17-00  1:29 pm
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Onesimus
Posted on Thursday, February 17, 2000 - 2:33 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Louise: As I was leaving the SDA church, I had so many fears. One of them concerned what people would say about me. Like Colleen, mostly what I experienced is silence. One or two people say they miss me when they see me. One person from work asks me if I am still going to "that (Sunday) church." But I have never heard what I thought that "they" would be saying. I do believe that this has been God's protection. Overall, though, my fears tended to be bigger than the reality of my experience. This is BECAUSE what I have gained by following Christ is SO MUCH BETTER than any sacrifice or any rumor that has been thrown my way. So, Louise, keep your eyes fixed on the Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith.
Jude the Obscure
Posted on Thursday, February 17, 2000 - 3:10 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Louise, when I left the church the first time, fourteen years ago, I was hammered by lots of SDAs. I got letters from people I didn't even know, people who had read my writings, telling me the church was changing in my direction, and wouldn't I please reconsider. A past president of Andrews University told me to "stick with it," meaning the church, throughout my ordeal. I was hammered hardest by people who didn't even attend any more, but who "still believed" the doctrines. My own brother, who hadn't attended regularly for ten years, wrote a letter to the editor of a church magazine where I had published a spiritual article, saying my writing was "of the devil" and meant "to confuse men's minds." A friend who no longer believed a word of it anymore said I was making a big mistake by "leaving publically." This friend "left privately." Another one told the whole Sabbath School class where I had taught -- when I came back for a visit -- that what I had done was stupid. I was cold shouldered by dozens of people I had gone to SDA college and seminary with. My own mother refused to let me visit her with my children in her home half way across the country. A prominant church member came over to my house and lectured my wife and I heatedly for an hour, with strong implications that we were going to hell and taking our two innocent young children with us. I don't mean to scare you, but we're not talking nice-nice here. I guess I shouldn't get started on this. I survived. And my spiritual relationship with the Lord only got stronger the longer I stayed away.

The Lord was with me and will be with you.

Blessings to you,

Jude
Gary Mayo
Posted on Thursday, February 17, 2000 - 4:31 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

All:

I have chosen to remain inside the cult. Maybe I am a little foolish (that can be argued) but I think I can witness better as one of them. I have two main Web sites, one working with SDA's and one working with non-SDA's. I rarely attend SDA Church, as I am only a spectacle, but I do think the members relate better to people "inside" the Church.


MINDLESS ADVENTISM

.
Lynn W
Posted on Thursday, February 17, 2000 - 4:39 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

How do they know you're inside if you rarely attend?

I tried to visit you site, but now it's blocked, did you add a chat room? That would do it on my server.
Gary
Posted on Thursday, February 17, 2000 - 4:56 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

You can't get to my site? try the long address:


http://millennium.fortunecity.com/lincoln/666
Lynn W
Posted on Thursday, February 17, 2000 - 6:32 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Hey, I'm in. I'll be catching up on the reading, so it'll be a while before I post.
Sondra
Posted on Wednesday, February 23, 2000 - 8:51 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Gary, just curious as to how you think you can remain inside and have a testimony. If you are not perceived as taking a stand, then what are you perceived as? I am honestly asking a specific question because at one time I thought the same thing. Where are you getting fed? Where do you get your spiritual food? And what brothers and sisters in the Lord are around you, encouraging you and praying for you? We are not islands that do not need the rest of the body...submitting to one another and being accountable is what the Bible asks us to do. Consider my question something to think about and not a personal attack, Gary, as that is between you and the Lord.
Gary Mayo
Posted on Thursday, February 24, 2000 - 12:00 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The SDA-EGW Historical Society

Mindless Adventism


Hey Sondra!

My most close confident is my Jesus. I do have Christian friends I see every week. I go to Church on Sunday evenings sometimes at a nonSDA Church (Nazarene - I am giving Bible studies to their minister, but he does not know it!). I operate a Web and mail ministry that requires I answer several, and some days many letters everyday from people in distress because of Adventism. We publish and distribute that information all over the world. When you minister to others, some of that aid rubs off on yourself, so I kinda created my own Church in helping others. I receive 200 private calls for help for every single post I get in my forum pages, so the need is great for ministers to help these people.

I think someday every major town on the planet will have a SDA-EGW reading room like the one I have in Lincoln Nebraska, that has everything ever published on and by Adventists, with a librarian to help with questions. When people see the library in my store, at first they think I am a practicing Adventist. They soon learn differently. Many people tell me they were once an Adventist, and now they have rejected God. I pray with and for these people, and make friends with them. What a blessing!!! The look on the faces of people that were once SDAís, when they spot a wall of Adventist literature in a public place is priceless!!! Some people look like they just spotted a ghost!!!

I am perceived as taking a stand, and I am very much distrusted by many for my views. I do think the Church would like to toss me out, but they know I can articulate my views in such a way, that a major split of the local Church (3000 members) would result. That time is coming, and I am ready and willing for that battle.

I have one long term goal that will take on one of two possibilities: Move Adventism from any possibility of being labeled a cult by changing the core of the movement to true Christianity, or if that is not possible,(and it may not be) permanently and completely solidifying Adventism as an aberrant cult and warning the whole world that Adventism is of the devil. I will devote my life to converting Adventism to either hot or cold. Most people walk away from Adventism after they realize what it is. I am using a crow bar to move the whole thing to one side or the other - It is their choice.

I am developing contacts deep inside the Church, and these people are waking up. Some of these people are scared, some are mad, some are disappointed, some are rattled, some are despondent, some are ashamed they were so deceived. It does no good to drive people out of the Church, because it is like a bee hive; it has a life-of-itís-own made up from the members. For every person that leaves, they just baptize another person to take their place. What I am doing is building a conference inside the conference. These people will answer the call of God, when the time is right, to do as God calls them.

Adventism is headed for a major shake-up, and it will be quite a show. Am I the leader of this movement? No I am a bit player, Jesus is the leader. God can do this without me, but I am pleased to play a small part. Anyone wishing to help in this cause, please contact me. We need warriors in this field. Is time short? I hope so!

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