| Author | Message | ||
| Vchowdhury1 Registered user Username: Vchowdhury1 Post Number: 2 Registered: 7-2004 |
Thank you all for your welcome! I am greatly looking forward to participating in your forum and discussions. I'd like to say that since leaving the SDA church and their legalistic views, I've become a Christian. And believe me, it was not easy after 35 years (my dad is also an SDA minister). I love the Lord with all my heart and continue to praise him for his many blessings. Thank you all for any encouragement and support that you will have to offer now and in the future. | ||
| Belvalew Registered user Username: Belvalew Post Number: 9 Registered: 7-2004 |
Here I am again. Please forgive, but I was reading from the bottom up. I just came across Tuija's statement and I couldn't agree more. Once you have really tasted the goodness of the Gospel, there is no way you would go back to the incomplete worship methods you had been in before. | ||
| Susan_2 Registered user Username: Susan_2 Post Number: 728 Registered: 11-2002 |
Vchowdhury1, Welcome. I hope this message board will bring blessings to you. It's cool getting new people on here. Then us oldsters read the same stories that we posted at the beginning. As far as 2 Cor. 2:16 goes- well, I'm still planning on cashing in the next time I hear an Adventist offer a huge sum of $ for Bible proof that we don't have to keep Sabbath. It used to be that they'd offer $1000 for a text that says we don't have to keep Sabbath. Now the offers are $1000 for a text that says the holy day of worship was changed to Sunday. Welcome. | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 273 Registered: 3-2004 |
Welcome Vchowdhury. It is always heart warming to see how God moves people out of the SDA church into his open arms. You can ask anything, ask for prayers, for clarification on Bible texts and some one is always there to help you. Just remember, our God is an awesome God. Diana | ||
| Sabra Registered user Username: Sabra Post Number: 136 Registered: 10-2001 |
Jeannette, The only thing you can do is pray and let Jesus shine through you. Only the Holy Spirit can open eyes and remove the veil. There is nothing you can say to change their mind. They are blinded, by their own choice to reject the sacrifice of Jesus. If a person ever realizes that only Jesus can save, all of their theology on what we must do to be saved goes out the window. That process is salvation, it's a miracle and the only way a person can understand the things of God. When I prayed for God to show me what He wanted me to see my life was changed. I was trying to prove the Sabbath to some neighbors and exhausted after a week of study and only finding grace. Finally, it dawned on me to ask God what He wanted, wow! What a difference. He gives wisdom to anyone who asks. Diana, He indeed is AWESOME! Don't be discouraged, God knows all, He has it all figured out, rest in Him. Welcome Belvalew and Vchowdhury1! Sabra | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 321 Registered: 3-2004 |
The more I learn from the Bible and read on this forum, the more I am convinced that the SDAs, as sincere as some can be and some can be very sincere, are so afraid of loosing salvation if they give up the Sabbath(the supposed seal of God). The fear tactics used on them about the RCC is to frightening to them to give God a chance. They lose sight of Jesus and never learn that He is all we need. Or maybe they never did have their eyes on Him because of the EGW filter(I like that description), like I was before learning of EGW. This is just my perception of many SDAs, including my family. But, God got through to me and I know He will get through to many others. He is indeed an awesome God. Diana | ||
| Tealeaves Registered user Username: Tealeaves Post Number: 79 Registered: 5-2004 |
This past month my husband sent a bunch of pictures to his grandparents (devout SDAs) along with a letter. We don't keep in close contact with them, usually. The letter gave highlights about what is going on with us, and talked about the amazing things God is doing in our life, my husband's business, etc. They returned a disappointing letter to us, it cautioned him "not to overlook the religious and spiritual in our lives", as if he had said nothing at all about what God is doing as the head of our family! Then they said they want to send our kids a bunch of monthly SDA propaganda for children "so that they get proper spiritual instruction." (these are the grandparents that already send us every kind of monthly SDA literature they can get their hands on.) So my husband plans to write them back and tell them NOT to send anything else, that we are being very attentive to their spiritual needs on our own, and don't desire any more SDA literature. It is disappointing. It is literally as if do not see or hear anything unless it has the SDA stamp of approval on it. | ||
| Susan_2 Registered user Username: Susan_2 Post Number: 771 Registered: 11-2002 |
Dear Tealeaves, Your husbands grandparents are very normal-for SDA's, that is. I also have kin who believe any Christian reading material or Christian t.v. programs and even to the extent of including Christian singers on tapes and radio stations in the car, that these all don't count as real and true spiritual istruction. I had a SDA kin in my car once. I put a tape of Christian music into the tapeplayer. Finily the relative said something about not recognizing the voice and asked who was singing. I told her. Then she asked if the singer is SDA? I said, "I don't know. I doubt it though because I bought the tape over here at the local Christian bookstore and generally SDA musicians only sell through the ABC." I got the non-verbal body language that the music I'd put on was not unacceptable. So, I think the grandparents are typical SDA grandparents. You could let them mail the magazines and then toss them in the trash when they come. I only say this because they might get very offended if you tell them your position and then alienate themselves even more. I hope I'm wrong on this but that's how some people I know would react. | ||
| Cindy Registered user Username: Cindy Post Number: 624 Registered: 7-2000 |
Tanya/Tealeaves, Their response is sad, isn't it? But typical of the Adventist midset... I think it may be helpful to ask that they don't send anymore Adventist literature. By doing so, perhaps it will help in their DENIAL of facing facts! (the "Truth" of JESUS as Enough!) These false conclusions seem to be prevalent in their (and my parents) minds): 1. you may be persuaded to return to the "remnant truth"...you are just confused and misguided... And also, 2. you are not following Christ because you are not following Adventism. Sometimes a humble bluntness/boldness is, in the long run, most appropriate. God's Spirit will impress you as to what your next course will be. grace always, cindy | ||
| Tealeaves Registered user Username: Tealeaves Post Number: 81 Registered: 5-2004 |
We may have to actually ask them to stop sending stuff, as Cindy suggested. They have been sending stuff for YEARS, and I am getting tired of tossing it out. I have even written to the magazines themselves and asked them to take us off their lists, but that was successful in stopping only the Signs of the Times. The Adventist Review keeps coming, and the publication office says that someone else must be sending it directly to us (a conference or something) because we aren't even on their mailing list. I tend to agree, that maybe we ought to take a stand agains tthe propaganda, to really all out say that Christ is enough for us, and the other stuff isn't just not needed, but we really don't agree with it and don't want our kids exposed to it. Maybe a little "hardball" is in order to get the message across, and really stand up for Christ. Thanks, all, for the words, you have given me the "shot in the arm" I needed to really stop feeling uncomfortable and actually do something about this. -tanya- | ||
| Freeatlast Registered user Username: Freeatlast Post Number: 206 Registered: 5-2002 |
My folks put me on Jan Marcussen's mailing list and I receive his cult update every other week. After reading through a couple dozen of them (I'm a religious studies minor in college), I now leave them sealed and pay the $0.37 for a stamp and forward them to my folks. Where the envelope has something to say from Pastor Jan (example: "Mark-of-the-Beast" or "Spirit of Prophecy") on the outside, I Sharpie through it and write something like "Reform Dress", "Shut Door", or "Amalgamation". I figure that since they send me stuff, I have every right to send them stuff, even if it is the same stuff they're sending me. Furthermore, I take the opportunity to point out the errors of SDAism every two weeks. IN addition, they see that I'm not even opening the envelope. Before I send it along, I pray for them and the others who are similarly deceived. Works for me... | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 499 Registered: 12-2003 |
Freeatlast--I had to laugh--something about getting a Marcusson mailing with Amalgamation sharpied on the envelope just strikes me funny! Tanya, I agree with Cindy; I believe sometimes we do have to be pointed and direct and ask people to quit sending the stuff. It really is not rude to request that certain things not be in your home. We somehow understand that we can ask people not to smoke in our homes, but we can't quite believe we can ask them not to put their literature in our homes. We fear hurting them or creating a rift between us, yet they are the ones breaking a boundary and insisting we receive what we believe is wrong. If a rift develops as a result of your kindly standing for truth in your home, then that rift is part of what happens when we take the arrows for Christ. It's not fun, but sometimes we have to do it. Praying for wisdom for you, Colleen | ||
| Jeannette Registered user Username: Jeannette Post Number: 35 Registered: 3-2003 |
I'm home from the beach and am trying to catch up with all the threads. I really missed you all,. I had asked you all to pray for me as my mom was going with me to the beach. She mentioned only once about the sabbath, she again asked me about the verse in Isa about all flesh coming together on the sabbath and she answered herself, yeah I know it also mentions the new moon. I had Cultic doctrines and Sabbath in Christ with me so I showed her a few verses in Galatians and Romans etc. She brought with her her SS lesson and some tapes by Pastor Bullon and she never got them out of her suit case. This really surprised me because she never, ever fails to read her SS lesson. She read her bible as usual a.m. and p.m but not her SS lesson, maybe (I am hoping with all my heart) the seed is beginning to sprout. I am praying that LAM will have these two books translated into spanish real soon. I tried to translate some for my mom but it was too difficult I don't know enough spanish to do them justice. Please continue to pray for her, for my sister and for me. BTW my son asked if he and his daughter could go to church with me tomorrow. In awe of Him Jeannette | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 351 Registered: 3-2004 |
Jeannette, I have bought a note book to list the prayers for those here on FAF. I just put you and your Mom into it. Also your sister. Does you Mom only read Spanish?? God is good and oh so awesome. Diana | ||
| Susan_2 Registered user Username: Susan_2 Post Number: 773 Registered: 11-2002 |
For awhile a neighbor had me on Jan Marcussen's mailing list. I wrote him a letter telling him I was born into SDA, reared and educated SDA and I now hold my denominational membership at a local Lutheran church, which by his reckening makes me part of the beast so if he wants no contact with the beast he should remove me from his mailng list. I have not heard back from him or his ilk in anyway. I loved my cretive writing classes in college and I like to play with my writing skills. I have several senior citizem and little kid penpals. We use the U.S. Postal Service, not e-mail. I wrote Jan Marcussen several very creative letters about the beast is haunting him, etc., and the enemy knows who he is, etc. I had a bit of creative writing fun. The guy is a total nut. After several letters I got board with it and wrote him the one telling him I'm a Lutheran now and that's just that much less junk mail I have to toss out. Do you think he is really serious about all that stuff he writes? I tend to think no one can truly believe what he prints unless the person is a full-blown paranoid schitzopherenic. I tend to think he's in it or the mone. Think about it-he's sold millions of his National Sunday Law book at 39 cents per book. The guys gotten rich off that trash. | ||
| Jeannette Registered user Username: Jeannette Post Number: 36 Registered: 3-2003 |
Diana: My mom only reads spanish, she understands some english and speaks very little eng. I speak conversational spanish my vocab is not very extensive. I wanted to show her how EGW contradicts herself but some of her books have not been translated or I don't really know their titles in spanish. I would like to contact Rey Cantu and see if he has any materials I could share with her but don't know his address. I am sure the Holy Spirit will intervene. My brother, a FA now agnostic, feels that I should leave my mom alone because she is old and happy in her beleifs. She says she knows that salvation is through Christ and only him. Sometimes I feel the way he does, I don't want her to go through the same desilution we went through at the same time I don't want her to be upset because I go to church on Sun, eat pork, etc. Thanks for putting us in your prayer list. I keep your saying in my mind: We must be good news before we can share the Good News. Jeannette | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 355 Registered: 3-2004 |
Some one on here must know how to contact Rey Cantu. ANYBODY OUT THERE KNOW HOW TO CONTACT REY CANTU SO JEANNETTE CAN WRITE TO HIM??? One thought: you can get her a new modern English Bible that has been translated into Spanish, if there is such a Bible. But, she probably already has a Spanish Bible. I have a real interest as I am of Mexican descent and want our Spanish speaking brethren to know the truth. Both my Dad and Mom died SDA. My youngest brother had discovered about EGW on his own and about the Sabbath and told Mom about it before she died. I was living in Virginia, my brother in Florida and our Mom in California, so we did not see each other very often. I do not know how Mom received it as all I am told is that they would talk about their differences. I am told that Mom would buy many of the books "Steps to Christ" and give them to every one she met. That saying you like did not originate with me. The pastor said it a couple weeks ago in his sermon. I remember it also. Again, I will keep you and your family in my prayers. God does work miracles. God is so awesome and He will help you. Dios te bendiga. I speak a little Spanish. Diana | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 356 Registered: 3-2004 |
Jeannette, Here is a snail mail address and e-mail address for Rey Cantu. Rey Cantu Liberty Chapel P O Box 1014 Alvarado, TX 78009 E-mail: rey_cantu@juno.com I am sure he can help you as you said in an earlier posting. Let us know, okay. Our God is awesome. Diana | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 357 Registered: 3-2004 |
Jeannette, After I did the above internet search, I did another one, so I am writing here again. There are a lot of the things about EGW on the following web site in spanish: www.ellenwhite.org/espanol. When I am tired, I do not think straight, so forgive me for getting this info to you in two postings. God Bless Diana | ||
| Ric_b Registered user Username: Ric_b Post Number: 8 Registered: 7-2004 |
Jeannette, Rejoice that your mother knows the source of her salvation. Take care that whatever you do, you continue to pursue it with prayer, love and compassion. One of the snares of SDAism is the need to always be right and the need to always have people agree with your view. Praise God, He saves people that don't agree with me. |
