| Author | Message | ||
| B. Morgan |
Jude, Usually what is shared here is so well put. that all I need to say is ditto. You especially have been a blessing to me. Your gift of writing in such an articulate manner is remarkable. Truly you have been with Jesus and I am happy to be in your company. I will share in a fuller way soon. Thanks for responding. B. | ||
| Jude the Obscure |
Dear B, I thank you for that, but I think you've missed the point. Ask Maryann, who was also hesitant but is so no more. Also Plain Patti, bless her heart. The point is not that SOMEONE shares. The point is that EVERYONE shares, as they are enabled by the Holy Spirit. Look at Bruce. He admits he has some trouble with spelling and grammar. But he doesn't let that stop him. And, as a result, some of the most informative, most inspiring, most edifying posts have come from him. But whatever your decision about that, I'm still praising God for you. Only blessings all the time from me, Jude | ||
| Susie S |
Hello to all, What an interesting website! Having been an adventist is really like a club that others don't quite understand...I like your name, formeradventist although I am a little partial to the word ex-adventist. Another phrase I've felt appropriate is recovering adventist. I joined an independent christian church five years ago and have become quite involved there since having two small children. The services are so meaningful to me that I really hate to miss. I recently started attending their community bible study which is focused on revelation this year. It made me want to look up the 27 fundamentals just to refresh my memory on what I had been taught. Since I have somehow misplaced my "27 Fundamental Beliefs" book over the years I decided to try the internet. Wow, this has been fun hearing people's stories. By the way, I haven't shared much in my bible study regarding the "true" (sda) revelation beliefs with my current study partners. I feel it to be kind of embarrassing that I grew up believing the mark of the beast was the Sunday worshipers, etc. I also have many positive feelings toward parts of the church and people in the church and feel some hesitation in making them look bad to the christian community. I better stop but just wanted to say Hi and it was fun to read at your site. Susie | ||
| Colleentinker |
Welcome, Mary, B. Morgan, and Susie! You will be in our prayers. There is a reason why God is nudging so many to question what they've believed and is persistently drawing us to himself. It's normal to feel confused for (even a long) time before becoming convicted and even angry. I believe most of us have had greater or lesser periods of anger and/or shame. It's humiliating to realize we defended and believed a lieóand even gave our creativity, years, and money to "further the cause". But God redeems even our shame, anger, doubt, and lost years. The blessings he brings when we walk in truth are unimaginable. Trusting Jesus is the biggest risk and also the most intimate and rewarding commitment of our lifetimes. Praising Him, Colleen | ||
| mary |
Colleen....I just finished reading your story "Walking in the Light", and even though I was not raised in a SDA home, but joined in my later years, I certainly can and do relate to your story. I agree with all you said, and have the same feelings. I feel God is leading me out of the SDA church, but as yet, I don't know where. I shall continue to abide in His Love, and wait patiently for the Holy Spirit to guide me. Please pray that I will make the right decisions. What you said about Jesus being our Sabbath rest just makes sense. Thank you for your story. mary | ||
| Jude the Obscure |
Hi Suzy S, I hear what you're saying about hesitating to make people "look bad" for whom one has "many positive feelings." But don't you think that that motivation should be brought before the Lord for evaluation? I mean, are we doing any favors to people who are unaware they're under an evil spell to let them remain there in their ignorance? When does an appropriate missionary responsibility begin to dig in? This is, of course, between you and God. But I ask you to look at this picture in a somewhat different light. Blessings and welcome here, Jude | ||
| Bette |
I feel like a burden was lifted from my shoulders this morning after finding this website. I can relate to the three stories that are posted and to so much more that I have been taught over the past 49 years. I grew up in an Adventist community here in Florida, attended the same academy that my parents did, went to nurse's training at the local Adventist hospital and followed all the "rules" that I had learned. Then I heard about a non-denomina- tional group that met near my home and I visited it with a friend. I was amazed at the happiness and the smiles on people's faces. They were rejoicing in Christ and knew Him as a friend -- something I had never understood. To me, religion was a series of "NO" answers to everything I wanted to do or where I wanted to go. Here were people that loved church, chose to participate in activities and didn't have to be pushed into going. What a change! Now I am searching - for my birth mother and for a new home where I will get to know my friend and brother, Jesus. I wish we had a FAF group here in Central Florida. There are many of us that live in this area, but we still attend the SDA church because we are each creatures of habit and this is comfortable. The one thing I am not doing, is forcing my daughter to attend. It is her choice. Right now, my three year old granddaughter loves Sabbath School. I will continue to take her when she asks to go. Pray with me that I will know where to fellowship when we move next month. Thank you for your web site and the information provided. | ||
| Colleentinker |
Welcome, Bette! You're not alone anymore; you've just found a family of people walking this road with you! We will keep you in our prayers. Who knows, maybe some day you will be part of forming an FAF group in Florida?! Praise God for how he leads us to himself! Colleen | ||
| Maryann |
Hi Bette, Florida is the state I was born in. I'm envious of you. You are fortunate that there are "others" of you in your area. Just get togather and study! And, keep on visiting our site. I'm sure all of use would like to hear more and how things are going for you and friends. Maryann | ||
| Steve Pitcher |
Hi. Well, I've met with you folks about three months ago, and enjoyed the fellowship. I've been questioning things (seriously) for almost a year now. Things have been pretty rough around home, but they may be calming down now as my wife and I had a heart-to-heart discussion. I may have convinced her that my desire to seek the "unadulterated gospel" outside of SDAism is not just an excuse to sin. I may now be free to visit you folks on the website. (Formerly, my wife looked over my shoulder every time I logged on, claiming I was filling my head with "all those anti-SDA ideas.") I've been sending messages out to folks on the Walter Martin website (Martin was a hero of mine since I became a Christian in 1974. His ministry helped me keep out of much spiritual trouble that came my way once I accepted Christ. My wife didn't question my visiting that website because she knows that I've always been a fan of his and didn't question too much what I was doing on that site.) I've compiled a list of a number of websites regarding SDAism. Praise the Lord for the Internet! It has been a wonderful blessing for me. After working in the computer industry for 23 years, mostly with Intel, I can now say that God is using this technology in a mighty way. Looking forward to sharing and learning more with all of you. God Bless you in your ministry, Steve (Jude 24) | ||
| Maryann |
Hi, Mary, B.Morgan, Maya/Dale and Steve, Somehow I missed this part of the guest book not being around home last wekend. Mary...I fully understand the branded as a "lost heretic" syndrome! I found that you also get branded as "former heretic" when you let some Sunday church's know that you used to be SDA! I figure to let them know right up front, that way I can KNOW how I will be accepted NOW instead of later. I don't think you are being "wishy-washy". Some people take years to get purged. Keep investigating the Sabbath rest we now enjoy. And keep on posting. B.Morgan.....Your description of, "I feel like a child who has been violated in the worst way, and even though she is placed in a loving Christian home with Daddy who is tender and loves her immensely, she is repulsed by his tender touch of affection." I couldn't have said it any better, I know 'zactly where you are coming from! Keep on posting! What part of the country are you from? E-mail me if you would like to talk more Maya/Dale...It's good to some one of your age and experience on this Forum. You asked a great question as a teenager. Also, Brindsmead/Paxton were so important in the 70s and 80s. I lost track of Paxton but Brindsmead has been enjoying the Australian bliss of retirement for the last few years. I would really like to hear more from you. Steve....Welcome. Keep on searching and you will find. Keep the "heart to heart" up with you wife (you are fortunate that you can) and togather you will be twice as strong. Go back and look at the Kristine post's under "Puzzled". Keep us posted. Jude....I wrote all this here on the Forum and didn't lose it once! All this grief I've suffered for months appears to have been a faulty keyboard! Grrrrrrrrr! Y'alls sister in Jesus.....Maryann | ||
| Colleentinker |
Steve--we're so happy to see you here! We've been praying for you and your wife. We'll keep doing so! It would be great to be able to see you again at our meeting. We look forward to your posts! In Him, Richard and Colleen | ||
| Bruce H |
Hi steve I have been praying for you almost daily good to hear from you. Bruce Heinrich | ||
| Jude the Obscure |
Hello Everyone! This is a test. I'm getting help from a pro in order to get back on line. Hope to see y'all soon! In His name, Jude | ||
| LouiseS |
Hello everyone. Sorry I've been out of touch. I'm ecstatic about leaving SDA (March 31), but it has taken a heavy physical & emotional toll. Please pray for my husband, his children & our grandchildren - still in SDA. The Lord has given me a vision for a website that I need to chat with you about when I recover a bit more. (When I say "vision" here, I mean ideas. Don't call me Ellen!!) God bless all you "regulars" who provide kind & loving support. | ||
| Mary |
Hello Everyone, Bet you thought I had disappeared for good, huh? Well, I've been keeping up with my reading, but haven't had time to post. However, today I received the April 2000 issue of the Outlook, and an article caught my eye. Page 3, written by Gary Krause, the communication director for Global Mission. Titled 10/40 WINDOW. The article is talking about the Burmese Buddhists. The last paragraph reads, and I quote "An Adventist meditation center has been built to accommodate new interests among the Buddhists. Sabbath services are conducted in Burmese style, but without images and focusing on God. The liturgy includes a CHANTED commitment to Sabbath-keeping." unquote. Emphasis mine. The first thing that came to my mind was a group of people sitting around in a circle on the floor with their legs folded chanting "WE WILL KEEP THE SABBATH....WE WILL KEEP THE SABBATH." And they said their focus was on God? I don't know...Maybe I have it all wrong, but am I glad I have left the SDA's? You bet I am. mary | ||
| sally |
Hi everyone, I have been reading your web site for awhile now and alot has happened since I started. One good thing I found out from reading this site is that there are former adventists that are still christians! The beginning of our whole questioning of adventism began with me looking at an E.G.White web site that was attempting to show she was not the prophet the S.D.A. church claims she is. I felt I was so well grounded in "The Spirit of Prophecy" that I could objectively examine it. Well a strange thing happened, I agreed with what I saw. I had been a serious student of E.G.White and felt I had gotten very extreme and so was trying to be more "balanced", I blamed myself for being a fanatic and others for being legalistic and fanatical, but I never even considered that the source of it all was Ellen White. What a blessing to discover she was false! Then all her threats..threats of being lost if you reject her and of being deceived ..scary! Thanks so much for all your witnessing on this site. It has been a real blessing. Sally | ||
| Jude the Obsucre |
And thank you, Sally, God bless and love you all the time! Can you share more of your story with us? What specifically about EGW did you find disillusioning? | ||
| sally |
Hi Jude, About Ellen White, there was a time I considered myself very blessed to have discovered Ellen Whites writings. I was raised an adventist, but my family wasn't that much into Ellen White. Later as an adult I discovered that we were supposed to read Ellen White. Thats when the indoctrination process began. I soon realized that "God" had very specific ideas about every detail of my and my families life. About the endless things to be discovered that were wrong. I soon realized the church was in apostasy to God's revealed will. We gradually became more and more isolated. All with a heart to please God and pracitice all the self-denial necessary. To put it in a nutshell it just didn't work. We felt lonely, judgemental,legalistic,even embarrassed about all our reforms ect.Then I began to have bouts of serious anxiety about my children..we just weren't measuring up! I found I could no longer read Ellen White. I prayed God would help me "get my head on straight" about my attitude about Ellen Whites writings. Well Praise God He did!! But not in the way I anticipated! Now we have been looking into other S.D.A doctrines to learn the truth. It's scary, yet wonderful to be free of the control of E.G.White and the whole remnant church philosophy. Thanks so much for asking, it's great to be able to share. God's blessings,Sally | ||
| Maryann |
Hi Sally, Were you raised in or as an adult, were you in the mainstream SDAism or was it an off shoot/self supporting type? You sound a little "left" of the mainstream. Maybe as some have suggested, it has something to do with what part of the country you are from. Great to hear your story. Maryann |
