| Author | Message | ||
| Tealeaves Registered user Username: Tealeaves Post Number: 52 Registered: 5-2004 |
The more I study Adventism, the more I am convinced that it isn't just mildly off-track, but actually dangerous. I know I have mentioned this before, but it has really been on my heart, so I'll share again, please bear with me. My husbands entire extended family is SDA. His parents are SDA teachers, his aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents etc. are all very historic and active SDAs. My quandary is: what is our responsibility as far as sharing our faith and what we know about the fallacies of Adventism? They know that we do not attend SDA churches, but they don't ask us about any of it. (Their family discusses NOTHING openly.) I'd love to share with them what we believe, but hesitate to do so unless they express interest. I don't want to push it on them, but I do want them to understand. I am praying especially hard about it right now because his parents are going to be coming in about 2 weeks to stay for a week or so. Any words of advice would be appreciated. I have a lot of literature such as Dale Ratzlaff's books, and the "Adventism, the Spirit behind the Church" video, that is out in plain sight. My husband's first thought was to put it away so they wouldn't be uncomfortable. But his family sees no problem with peppering us with SDA books and magazines, so I don't see why we should hide it. Maybe they will even take a peek at it out of curiosity when we aren't looking. (I hope!) Anyway, your prayers and thoughts are appreciated. We want to follow God's will in this! -tanya- | ||
| Melissa Registered user Username: Melissa Post Number: 369 Registered: 7-2003 |
Tanya, I have the books out in plain sight in my house and when the SDA "in-laws" (though not really, cuz we aren't married) come to visit, they're there. Since my son's father is still SDA it is a bit more challenging. He has been willing to dig up dirt on the authors, but hasn't really wanted to read anything. He did finally read "Cultic Doctrine" and claimed it just further proved the truth of adventism. I only say that to guard your heart about how hopeful you get about this truth you know. Those who don't want to see it will push against it as hard as they can. If they're already questioning, they may ask you about the books, but if they're not questioning, I don't think anything you could say will sway them. Every situation is different. But it seems dishonest to me to change my library books to not offend "the other side". I am against adventism, and I will not try to pretend I am something different. Maybe it's a difference between being "in your face" and subtle, I don't know. That's a choice you need to make for you. B's father and uncle are SDA ministers. It's a little awkward when they come to visit...but I know they are only there to see my son. I doubt they care about the books on the shelves. I made the mistake of being so excited about those books and thought B would just be so interested in reading them...wrong. He doesn't want to see that side of adventism and he says more derogatory things to me now than he ever did before I tried to get him to read the books. Just follow God. He knows the relatives and their hearts. | ||
| Sharon2 Registered user Username: Sharon2 Post Number: 41 Registered: 6-2004 |
I have found my SDA relatives and old friends to be full of questions. I try to answer their questions without saying anything negative about Adventism. Often, they will bring up the negative, or verbalize the contrast between Adventism and what I have told them about my beliefs or my walk with the Lord. | ||
| Cindy Registered user Username: Cindy Post Number: 582 Registered: 7-2000 |
Tanya, Something we've had to decide on recently was to NOT attend Adventist churches if we have Adventist relatives visiting in our home. (Of course, we don't go other times, either!) But we realize that by going to an Adventist church with them, it just continues the "denial" they have in their minds about us really and truly, (absolutely!) leaving Adventism. Just recently, when my parents visited, my husband took them to an Adventist church here in town and then picked them up after the service. This was a big step for us, but a necessary one in light of their repeated refusal to believe we are dead serious about our belief in Christ alone--plus nothing!... especially Sabbath-keeping! I think this action helped somewhat... now they are very sure--and my husband was directly told--that we are "following the Papacy"! grace always, cindy | ||
| Tealeaves Registered user Username: Tealeaves Post Number: 57 Registered: 5-2004 |
Thanks for the tips, guys. I think maybe we, too should decide on whether or not to go to SDA church with them when they visit. They come to our church with us with absolutely no qualms, which I am grateful for. So if my husband or I have to go with them in return, maybe we should be willing to do that. I don't know, we'll pray about that. usually Mike just goes with them, and I stay home because church is during my sons' naptimes. I sometimes get an inkling that maybe his parents are not 100% happy with SDAism, but have never known a life outside of the SDA culture, so they don't squirm much. (They are 3rd generation SDAs who have always taught in SDA primary schools._ At least I get this inkling from Mike's mother. She seems a little more spiritually than legally minded. But there has been no direct evidence of this, only my gut hunch. I will just pray for God to direct us! Thanks for the words of encouragement everyone. -tanya- |
