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Lucias (Lucias)
Posted on Saturday, June 07, 2003 - 5:45 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Well the Portland Adventist Academy has reached a new pinnacle in holding multiple conflicting positions simultatneously.

Apparently EGWs admonition against playing competitive sports, and lawsuits, is not binding. These guys are really out to win friends and influence people.

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In the first-ever ruling of its kind in America, Oregon's state court of appeals says the state's high school activities association must make a reasonable effort to accommodate religion when scheduling sports tournaments.

The Oregonian reports that the case was brought by the Portland Adventist Academy because its basketball team was barred from participating in the state championships.

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http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=32957
Colleentinker (Colleentinker)
Posted on Monday, June 09, 2003 - 10:38 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Ah, my Alma Mater! They have been caught in a massive rationalization for --well, let's just say A LONG TIME!

When I was a student there, the school was just becoming involved in inter-school competitive sports. Since I was completely NOT AN ATHLETE (my most memorable sporting moment was when I struck at the ball during a required game of work-up in ninth-grade PE class, missed, lost my balance, and hit myself on the back of the head with my bat), many of those early discussions went right by me. I do remember, however, the never-quite-resolved talks about whether or not such games could be justified.

Many Adventist schools now play league sports, at least on the West Coast. (I really can't speak for mid-America or points farther east.) I do know that Loma Linda Academy and Mesa Grande Academy in Calimesa play basketball and baseball in the CIF league our school is in. Games involving those schools are scheduled for nights (or days) other than Friday. The SDA schools still don't play league football, however. That's the most traditional Friday night sport, after all.

But you've pointed out a most troublesome reality, Lucias. They've rationalized the competitive sports and the lawsuit issues (both of which Mrs. White dealt with firmly!) while making Sabbath an issue even for those who don't believe.

The underlying conviction that they are special, that they alone are God's people obeying him most nearly perfectly, gives them an unconscious arrogance and entitlement that is both humiliating and humbling to me on this side of leaving.

Praise God for forgiving us and for wasting nothing in our lives!

Colleen
Susan_2 (Susan_2)
Posted on Wednesday, June 11, 2003 - 11:13 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Colleen, I have a ? for you. You say the local sda day school plays inter-school sports with the school where you teach. I'm sure that many of the staff and parents of the local sda schools are aware of your ministry to Formers. Do you ever get any hostility because of this? Does anyone ever make uncalled for comments or ever try to get you back?
Colleentinker (Colleentinker)
Posted on Wednesday, June 11, 2003 - 10:18 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Actually, I haven't experienced anything hostile from people at school or from those who associate themselves with our teams. First, I suspect most of the SDA parents don't know I'm at ACA because they don't interface with the faculty generally at games. Second, many people don't really put my face with the name on the website (if they even know about it!)

I believe two things are operating here; one is that God is protecting the website and us. Second, I believe that many Adventists in this area do not want to read the website becaue it makes them too uncomfortable, so they ignore it if they hear about it. We've experienced people hearing about our Friday night group, calling us about it, saying they'll come, and never showing up. I believe that the sense of personal risk or commitment seems too great to most Adventists. They really don't want to know the truth, so they ignore it.
I do believe that many local people do know about the website, I just don't know who they are. Many have a convenient way of "forgetting" what they don't want to face, also.

Bottom line: God is protecting this ministry and us (that includes Richard and me and all of us who post here!), and he has ways of bringing people here who need to come while keeping people away who might need to be kept away.

I pray every day for the Holy Spirit to be present on this forum, to protect it from deception and other distractions, and to bless and "grow" all those who come here. I pray that God will glorify himself through this forum, and that he will reveal himelf and his truth to all who are seeking it.

I praise God for the way he is leading us, and I pray for all of us to flourish in his mercy and love!

Colleen

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