| Author | Message | ||
| Freeatlast Registered user Username: Freeatlast Post Number: 254 Registered: 5-2002 |
I had long forgotten about this one: "Dark heavy clouds came up, and clashed against each other. The atmosphere parted and rolled back; then we could look up through the open space in Orion, whence came the voice of God. THE HOLY CITY WILL COME DOWN THROUGH THAT EMPTY SPACE (emphasis mine). I saw that the powers of earth are now being shaken, and that events come in order. War, and rumors of war, sword, famine, and pestilence are first to shake the powers of earth, then the voice of God will shake the sun, moon, and stars, and this earth also. I saw that the shaking of the powers in Europe is not, as some teach, the shaking of the powers of heaven, but it is the shaking of the angry nations. {CET 111.2} I remember my parents pointing me to the center star of Orion's belt and assuring me that was where Jesus lived and would come back from. They went so far as to claim that astronomers had attempted to look deep inside that star but found the light too bright for their observations. The falsehood and heresy within the writings attributed to Ellen White (I never refer to them as "Ellen White's writings", by the way) never ceases to amaze me. Thank God for freeing me from this train wreck of a theological system! | ||
| Chris Registered user Username: Chris Post Number: 528 Registered: 7-2003 |
I was also taught that Jesus would come through the middle star in the belt of Orion, Freeatlast. I used to be fascinated with Orion as a kid because of this. I can't hardly glance up at Orion without thinking of that now. It's a little irritating that even the constellations over my head still have an Adventist spin on them :-) Chris | ||
| Pw Registered user Username: Pw Post Number: 246 Registered: 6-2004 |
Good thing Ellen didn't say that the city would come from the Milky Way because that's chocolate which has caffeine in it, and that's forbidden. | ||
| Melissa Registered user Username: Melissa Post Number: 663 Registered: 7-2003 |
Does dark chocolate have caffeine? Cuz all kinds of research is now saying that it's "good" for you .... | ||
| Jeremy Registered user Username: Jeremy Post Number: 223 Registered: 10-2004 |
Actually, EGW had no clue about caffeine! She condemned coffee and tea as "stimulants" but had no idea it was due to "caffeine." She never condemned chocolate and even had it available in her house. Jeremy | ||
| Pw Registered user Username: Pw Post Number: 247 Registered: 6-2004 |
That would explain why there are no pictures of her smiling....chocolate stained teeth. | ||
| Raven Registered user Username: Raven Post Number: 153 Registered: 7-2004 |
I'm not trying to stick up for EGW or defend her, but no one smiled in pictures back in those days. It was considered proper not to smile for a photo, but to look serious and dignified instead. | ||
| Susan_2 Registered user Username: Susan_2 Post Number: 1297 Registered: 11-2002 |
Freeatlast, My really super-spun SDA aunt used to take me outside at night when I was a little girl and point to Orion and tell me with awe that was where Jesus lives. I remember asking her once when I was around eight years old how she knew that. Again, with total awe she told me, "Because Sister White said so". She actually referred to EGW as her sister. I never have been able to put a handle on it but that aunt always gave me what I call the heebee-jeebees. I would avoid being alone with her. I would go to great lengths to stay away from her. I have pretty much come to the conclusion I got the total creeps from her because whenever she managed to get me alone, and remember I was a very young child at this time, she would start telling me Sister White says this and Sister White says that and it was always the really scarry stuff that EGW said that my aunt quoted to me. She started in with this talk once to my dad (her brother) and my dad told her to shut up, that he didn't have no sister named White. After that it was like there was an unspoken truce between us-we left her alone at family gatherings and she avoided me and my dad. Yeah, I got all that same trash taught to me. The one that still irritates me is that my 5th grade teacher told my class there never were dionasaurs. That satan put those bones there to fool people to not believe in creation because if people didn't believe in the creation story then they wouldn't believe in keeping Sabbath. Well, my favorite magazine at that age was National Geographic (it's still one of my favorites). And, I knew National Geographic was a whole lot smarter than my stupid teacher so at age 11 and in the 5th grade I made up my mind when I grew up I wasn't going to have anything to do with my parents stupid religion ever again. Unfortunatelly, whenever I'd hear the rantings of SDA's about freedom of religion I always understood that to mean that whatever religion I would embrase when I grew up would be welcomed with open arms by my SDA loved ones. I found out though when SDA's say they are for freedom of religion it does not mean that they want their SDA raised kin to actually practice this freedom. It means the SDA's want freedom to be SDA and act like SDA's and that's the end of it. | ||
| Freeatlast Registered user Username: Freeatlast Post Number: 255 Registered: 5-2002 |
Susan we must be cousins because your aunt sounds like my mother! And, yeah, I remember the dinosaur "explanation", that dinosaur bones were Satanic deception to test whether or not we believed in a literal 6-day creation (which, of course, bolstered the 7th day literal Sabbath day rest from sunset to sunset blah blah blah). Twisted Sister White! | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 1194 Registered: 12-2003 |
Twisted Sister indeed... I have to admit I'm laughing as I come to the end of this thread. You know, people who are emotionally or mentally unstable (as it appears she was even without her dubious "guide") cannot be trusted to be rational. They may sound convincing and even use "logical" sounding arugments to manipulate people into honoring their requests and dictums, but whenever we respond to a psychologically ill person as rational, WE act irrationally. No wonder so many of us felt crazy! I'm with you, Chris--I still look at Orion and think of that middle star being the magic place--it's kind of embarrassing now! I'm so glad we can say these things to each other--where else would we not be thought a bit addled?! Colleen | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 902 Registered: 3-2004 |
My brother from Montana reminded, in May, about the middle star of Orion's belt. He thought it was Biblical, I told him it was EGW. But, I do not even remember where Orion is. Susan's aunt sounds like my Dad's only sister. She is one we avoided when ever we could. Like Colleen, I am so glad we have a place we can come to and talk about all this "stuff". And that is all it is when it comes to EGW. I am so glad I have Jesus. He is awesome. Diana | ||
| Pheeki Registered user Username: Pheeki Post Number: 445 Registered: 1-2003 |
Growing up, I could never understand why I liked my Dad's non-SDA family so much and felt so ill at ease with my Mom's ultra-conservative SDA family. It was like they kept us at arm's length and one aunt in particular was very rigid and un-warm. She was a devoted pathfinder leader as I remember and she raised her girls (my cousins) ultra-SDA strict. One of them moved thousands of miles away when she grew up (probably to get away from her parents) and married a anti-establishment mountain man SDA. They lived in the mountains with no running water or electricity...she had her kids at home...a rough life! This also happened to my husband's sister, she had all her kids at home with a midwife, and her husband refused to let her register any of her kids for SS and I think some of them don't even have birth certificates...fast forward 18 years and now some of her kids want to work and drive, etc. and they can't even prove they are US citizens. All this from fearing the time of trouble! How can you be a good citizen when you have been taught to distrust government, other religions, and people all your life? | ||
| Susan_2 Registered user Username: Susan_2 Post Number: 1311 Registered: 11-2002 |
Pheeki, I have read previous postngs of yours about that family. I know many hippies who are doing the very same thing now with their children and I have wondered what will happen to those kids when they are old enough to want a real job or a drives license or anything else. I know one family whose four year old son has never seen an indoor toilet but the child knows how to roll a doobie. I have often thought there really is a lot of similarities between hippies and SDA's. Back to the land, flee to the mountains, vegetarianism, homeschooling, naturalfoods, shunnig society, etc. I hope your cousins find a social security agent who will work with them. I think it's really bent. And, yes, Freeatlast, I am always amazed reading the stories on here how we all seem to have come from the same clones. | ||
| Tdf Registered user Username: Tdf Post Number: 30 Registered: 11-2004 |
I remember sitting in Sabbath School as a 13-year old and receiving lectures from the Sabbath School teacher on how to survive by eating berries and roots during the end of time. I used to think that our potlucks were intended to be a preparation for the end of time. The "food" always looked an awful lot like bark and twigs to me. I also remember carrying a lot of guilt as a teenager. I was convinced that I was not ready for Jesus to come. Looking back on it, the whole picture makes me sad. | ||
| Chris Registered user Username: Chris Post Number: 531 Registered: 7-2003 |
I had a friend in academy who had no SS# because his family didn't want the government to be able to track them down during the time of trouble. His family owned and operated a small broom making shop and both boys worked there because it was basically run off the books and no SS# or documentation was necessary. The boys were taught to avoid taxes and other government entaglements (like most regulatory laws). My friend learned these lessons well. After Academy he started his own business and ran it for a few years before doing nearly 8 years in prison for business related fraud. He's out now and has a beard below his belt becasue the OT forbids cutting the corners of his beard. His wife is only allowed to wear ankle length white dresses (not sure where this comes from). He may be a ZZ-Top-looking-Felon, but hey, he's ready for the time of trouble. Chris | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 1202 Registered: 12-2003 |
Hey, Chris--it's sounds as if he's IN the time of trouble! | ||
| Melissa Registered user Username: Melissa Post Number: 665 Registered: 7-2003 |
You know, I've been considering phone options for my new home. I haven't transferred my traditional land-line yet as I'm considering the options of cable internet and wondering why I would need a phone if I have my cell. Given that, I was exploring cell phone options because I do have a kid and it would be inconvenient to always have to go to one location to use or find the phone. I came across a website that talked about the new phones having gps systems in them for 911 emergencies. It would allow the phone to be tracked wherever it was used from. Maybe it is some of my own "end-time" upbringing where we were taught Christians, and those unwilling to take the mark of the beast, would have difficult times buying/selling, etc. But the idea of a GPS system in my cell phone in some respects is reassuring, and in others frightening ... particularly if I were to not want to be found. The "bad guy" in my childhood scenario was always some unknown group (unlike the general "sundaykeeping population" of the SDA scenario). So, I don't see the boogeyman at every corner, but today's technological advances do look eerily like things that were merely speculation when I was a kid. I remember the 70s show "A thief in the night". It seemed kindof corny, as 70s productions all do these days, but I remember the Christians trying to hide. Even I, in my non-SDA upbringing, used to wonder if I would need to learn to grow my own food if some day I couldn't buy or sell in the name of Christ ... though it wasn't a specific fear instilled in us. I guess I say all that because while the SDA twist certainly has people jumping at shadows (and the extremist stories mentioned here are really far out), the reality is that Revelation does speak to a scary time for the followers of Christ at some point in time. With all joking aside, do you ever look at the Biblical account and today's technology and think "it could happen today?" Not that we should live in fear, we generally look at these technologies as such benefits, but when we are all dependent upon them as a part of our lifestyles, how much power will it give those in authority to control our lives? It does kindof make me catch my breath for a moment...even if I do think the SDA story is generally implausible. | ||
| Susan_2 Registered user Username: Susan_2 Post Number: 1315 Registered: 11-2002 |
I think about those things, too. I have never had a cell phon. I have no desire for one. However, with the GPS if it gets too freeky you coud just throw the phone away. And, Chris, when I was a little kid, this would be 40 years ago, there were two sisters that lived not far from the SDA church my family attended. These ladies were spinsters and had always lived together. They would only wear ankle length, long sleeved, high necked prue white dresses. They seemed like very nice ladies. Peculiar but harmless and nice. The elders of th SDA church told these ladies not to come to that church anymore because if non-SDA's saw them then the people would think all SDA's were weird and the church was trying to ain converts, not drive potential converts away. It was very sad. These ladies then began attending the Church o God (Seventh-day) and were welcomed openly. I know this because my family also attended the C of G (7th-day) and we'd visit with those ladies. We also had a frend atthat time who would go back and forth between the C of G (7th-day) and the SDA who would go t the zoo every week aand preach to the animals. I asked her one time how come she did that and she told me there is a text in the Bible that says to teach God's word to all creatures. You can get a book through the Bible Sabbath Association (the have a website) that has a listing of every Sabbath observing congreation in the US (Only the churches that have sent in the information and want to be included in the book.) with a summary and description of their beliefs. Some are totally spun. In one of the southeran states is one Sabbath-keeping church that practices rattlesnake handeling in its worship services. There are several that require the women members to be outback in their menstral huts during their unclean times of the month, as well as 40 days after giving birth. My cousin has the book so I get to look through it sometimes. You can go to the BSA website and log onto some of these churches. | ||
| Freeatlast Registered user Username: Freeatlast Post Number: 259 Registered: 5-2002 |
That would explain the asian dude trying to preach the gospel to the lions a few weeks back who was attacked by them. So much for doctrine being built upon one isolated text (think Daniel 8:14 and IJ...) |
