| Author | Message | ||
| Yossariana Registered user Username: Yossariana Post Number: 14 Registered: 8-2004  |
I'm not going to advertise for anybody, I just found this and wanted to share...maybe your adventist neighbour fits in this frame. It's not my imagination, I just 'borrowed' it from the official site of the SDA Church. ìWhat to expect from your Seventh-day Adventist neighbor, or, a few answers to frequently asked questions Itís 9:00 Saturday morning and your neighbors have just come out of their front door dressed as though they're going to a symphony concert. But two of them are carrying Bibles! Chances are your neighbors are Seventh-day Adventists on their way to Sabbath morning worship services at their church. That means you're in for a very special relationship, a friendship marked by kindness, openness, and honesty--one that could well enrich your life. You will find your Adventist friends committed to some very specific beliefs about God and about God's relationships with people. They will be genuinely concerned about the needs of others and interested in bettering your community. If you observe them at their workplace, within their families, and at their church, they will be busily involved in many activities. Watch your neighbors closely, and you'll probably notice (at least) the following: ï Their love for God supersedes everything else in their lives ï They worship on Saturday instead of Friday or Sunday ï No beer cans or wine bottles dot their trash ï They value their health ï They appear upbeat and friendly ï They work hard to make the community look great ï They want to hear what makes you and your family happy You will soon discover that your neighbors genuinely like you and accept you as you are. They share their friendship across the back fence, in the marketplace, and at the bus stop. You'll see smiles that come from a depth of peace--in the midst of chaos. That's right, "chaos." Your Adventist neighbors are just like you. They experience the same stresses and disasters that strike everyone else in the neighborhood. Yet you'll notice a difference in how they respond to the challenges. They have a deep inner peace that allows them to look the enemy in the eye and smile. They are looking far beyond today's troubles to the certainties of the future. Because they already know the outcome, they are comfortable with final victory! Peace, strong inner contentment, is a personal trait of committed Seventh-day Adventists. Many Allied pilots saw that peace in the lives of the Adventist Fiji Islanders who rescued them from the jungles during World War II. Residents of Florida, Iran, the Philippines, Somalia, and thousands of other places have seen that peace. It showed up in the lives of Adventist aid workers who helped them "dig out and start over" after earthquakes, tornadoes, fires, floods and other disasters. Your neighborhood will see this peace in the lives of your Adventist friends, even when the well runs dry, a tree falls on the house, or the car is stolen from the parking lot. No, this peace is not a cavalier, "Oh, whatever!" attitude. It is the intense peace that comes from knowing that God has already won the battle against good and evil; that whatever happens here is as "nothing" when compared to the joys of living forever in heaven with God. Sadness? Yes, that's an Adventist emotion, but they believe God's love comforts the sorrowing. Pain? Yes, Adventists experience pain. Their healthy lifestyle does allow them to live longer than others--as studies done on Adventists in the United States have shown. But Adventists still break limbs, contract cancer, fall off their bikes, and lose loved ones. Yet pain, even at its worst, is always accompanied by the healing love of God. Anger? Yes. Even anger shows up in the lives of Adventists. Remember, they're normal people trying to live with God on a chaotic earth! But God is good enough to bring the calming power of His love into each angry situation. Even there the result is peace. Praise, an intense eagerness to thank God for all He is doing in our lives, is another visible trait of Seventh-day Adventists. If you stop by your neighbors' home at breakfast time, you'll probably find someone praying and reading a thought for the day from a book or the Bible while the others eat their meal. Evenings often include a time of thankfulness to God for a good day, Bible reading, and prayer. Many Friday and Wednesday nights your neighbors will participate in Bible study classes, public lectures on religion, or special activities for youth and children at their church. Saturday morning the whole family will join other church members for Sabbath School and a corporate worship service. Don't be surprised if your neighbors invite you to join them at one or more of these activities. Sabbath school is like Sunday school. It is a one-hour time praising God through music, prayers, mission stories, and small group Bible study. During the time there are separate classes for children grouped according to their ages and for adults with varied interests and understanding of the Bible. Music and fellowship are central to each Sabbath school program. You will find Sabbath school to be a "good time" with each other and with God. The corporate worship service, or "church," is a more formal time of worship and praise. During this hour you will hear a practical, Bible-based sermon designed to help you see God more clearly and to provide you with strength to live as a Christian during the week. Church also includes worship music, public and personal prayers, and an opportunity to give tithe (10 percent of one's income) and thank offerings to God. During the prayer time, worship leaders will give you an opportunity to share your personal needs or requests so these can be included in the congregational prayer.î ìWe also hope that you will see in us the power, purpose, and peace that God offers to each human being. Even more, we hope you will find these to be so attractive that you will choose to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. Won't you join us in this lifetime adventure called Christianity?î If you don't believe me...check this out: http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/neighbor/index.html Praise God! | ||
| Jerry Registered user Username: Jerry Post Number: 435 Registered: 6-2002 |
Excellent PR script. I am not sure what you wish to convey by posting this. Please comment. | ||
| Freeatlast Registered user Username: Freeatlast Post Number: 285 Registered: 5-2002 |
Like putting lipstick on a pig... | ||
| Carol_2 Registered user Username: Carol_2 Post Number: 249 Registered: 2-2002  |
I like that Freeatlast! Like putting lipstick on a pig. The script is appalling to me! After living 40 years as an SDA, attending an SDA academy, and working for the church for a number of years, I feel qualified to say that although I do have a few SDA friends that fit the above description, the large majority I find to be arrogant, unfriendly, exclusive (helping better the community!!??) depressing, strange (not at all just like you!) and very likely overweight from eating waaaayyyy too many desserts (to address the health claims.) I could go on.....I'm sure you can relate. It's incredible the lengths they will go to in order to convince outsiders they're just another mainstream Christian church that happens to worship on another day. Ugh. | ||
| Chris Registered user Username: Chris Post Number: 632 Registered: 7-2003  |
I'm thinking that any "non-Adventist" that has the misfortune of living in and "Adventist Ghetto" would just laugh themselves silly reading this. Heck, even when I was a good Adventist living in the College View ghetto I would have laughed. This syrupy propaganda sure didn't describe me. Chris | ||
| Melissa Registered user Username: Melissa Post Number: 715 Registered: 7-2003  |
I think I'd like to puke, personally. When I was ordered to bedrest 8 weeks prior to my due date, my church organized a committee of women who brought me food until 3 weeks after I had delivered...not a single SDA, not even the baby's father's family, brought so much as a carrot stick. When I was in the hospital after delivering, none of his friends came to see him or our baby...but they came to see other friends who had had babies.... Upbeat and friendly....B is one of the most condemning and judgemental people I know. When he walks by someone smoking, he waves his hand in front of his face as though to blow the smoke away and turns his nose up in the air....what smoker on earth would approach him? My dad was smoking a cigar outside one day, and B forced our toddler to stay inside so he wouldn't be contaminated by any potential smoke remnants. And you ought to hear the remarks about overweight people, homosexuals, or anyone not SDA. I used to beg B to pray with me or to study the Bible together as a "family"...not interested. And he would never initiate prayer over any meals. As a matter of fact, my family routinely does it when he's not there, but somehow when he's there, we're uncomfortable and often don't...how twisted. ...you get the idea.... Perhaps he's not a "committed" SDA. Second observation...I know a good many "non-SDA" Christians who would desire to attain those ideals, day of worship irrelevant. Those are lofty goals for any human to attain, even if they would like to.... Nice picture, Yossariana. As Jerry said, excellent PR script...but I don't know any human who fits that description...all good intentions aside. | ||
| Jeremy Registered user Username: Jeremy Post Number: 336 Registered: 10-2004  |
I saw that at their web site recently. I have not read the whole thing, but I find the comment about "10 percent of one's income" to be particularly interesting. Jeremy | ||
| Pheeki Registered user Username: Pheeki Post Number: 475 Registered: 1-2003 |
"June, please see that the Beaver gets his milk and cookies after school!" Talk about the Cleavers! The SDA picture this person has painted makes the Cleaver's look downright pagan! | ||
| Jerry Registered user Username: Jerry Post Number: 436 Registered: 6-2002 |
I would like very much to hear from Yossariana on this. Please do not misinterpret my "PR" remark. Promotion, per se, does not strike me as instantly wrong. The important thing to remember is that we must compare the "PR" to a wider set of facts. I, for one, have met many wonderful SDA's in my 5 to 7 year "interface" with the church. That does NOT, however, mitigate the problems I have seen. | ||
| Pheeki Registered user Username: Pheeki Post Number: 477 Registered: 1-2003 |
I can honestly say I have never met an SDA that fits the descriptioin posted above. Most of them don't want contact with neighbors and don't let their kids interact with them to avoid contamination. Most of them have the heart of the Levite who passed the Samaritan in the ditch. Most use the Sabbath and their prophet to beat others over the head with and feel superior because they have the "truth". I too was once just as I described above. I disn't know I was naked and blind but thought I was a guide for the blind! Pride and fear, I have said it before, those are the spirit's I see in SDAism. | ||
| Chris Registered user Username: Chris Post Number: 634 Registered: 7-2003 |
I didn't interpret Yossariana's post as being supportive of this particular PR piece. I interpreted it as "Can ya believe this?!" Chris | ||
| Jeremy Registered user Username: Jeremy Post Number: 337 Registered: 10-2004 |
And deception, don't forget deception!  Pride/arrogance, fear, and deception are probably the three main controlling things in SDAism that the devil uses. Jeremy | ||
| Vchowdhury1 Registered user Username: Vchowdhury1 Post Number: 121 Registered: 7-2004 |
Yes, I saw this "Your Seventh day-Adventist Neighbor" propaganda *!it (excuse my French) some time ago on their website. Its strange, I was an sda for over 35 years. I left adventism almost 4 years ago now. And do you know that in this 4 year period of time since I left I have NOT been CALLED or VISITED by not one elder, deacon, deaconess, bible worker, or pastor !! And to top that off, my dad is 1st elder of my former sda church, and my mom is one of the Bible workers. My mom is always giving lunches for the current pastor of my former church, and I have been invited and have attended several social events at the sda church such as birthday parties, socials, special programs, etc. And do you know that at these events, not one person has come up to me and asked me why I am no longer attending the sda church and offering to spend time with me and talk to me about by absence! Remember when I told you guys about a former married pastor that made my best friend pregnant? Well, some folks from the church DID call me wanting the latest "Scoop" about the scandal. Well, so much for My "Adventist Neighbors". Heck, I can't even get my former church members to talk to me much less some sda neighbor. --Valerie | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 1383 Registered: 12-2003  |
Having lived in or near Loma Linda for twenty years, I have to say that picture doesn't look like reality at all. My impression is that most Adventists in this community are class conscious; manipulators of social circumstances to arrange for their children to be friends with the most polished, well-to-do children at school; casual about church; seldom (if ever) attenders of evening meetings at church; complacent while simultaneously restless and cognitive-dissonant; deeply fearful or depressed; compulsive; and TENSE. Yes, the Christians around them call them "such nice people", but they never really know them. It's all surface-y. What Adventist would let down his public image in front of another Adventist, let alone an outsider? Sigh. Colleen | ||
| Yossariana Registered user Username: Yossariana Post Number: 15 Registered: 8-2004 |
Jerry, By posting this I wanted to start a discussion whereby we could contrast the 'SDA -ideal' with reality. That is not to say there are not many wonderful SDAs, rather I felt the tone of the article was rather 'superior', maybe. It seemed to me that the whole article focused upon 'outside' appearances and interactions when we all know that we stand alone before the Lord. | ||
| Jerry Registered user Username: Jerry Post Number: 437 Registered: 6-2002 |
Chris, I was thinking that (can you believe this?!?) was the likely reason, but I did not want to jump to conclusions. One of the most difficult thing for people to evaluate are anecdotes. I am always sceptical of any organization that relies primarily on anecdotes as "proof" of something. An anecdote can be true, and, at the same time, not prove anything. What it should do is trigger further investigation. For example: I can relate a story where I drank a certain beverage and it immediately started to rain. It may have even happened more than once. However, that does not prove that drinking that beverage has anything to do with the rain. Likewise, even if someone experienced a neighbor behaving in the way described in the article, that does not automatically have any bearing on the "corectness" of their doctrine or even how "pleasant" it is to be SDA. Unfortunately, many people draw those very conclusions based on anecdotes. Thanks, Yossariana. That confirms my (shaky) conclusions. (Message edited by Jerry on February 09, 2005) | ||
| Susan_2 Registered user Username: Susan_2 Post Number: 1482 Registered: 11-2002 |
Yassatiana, I have seen that brouchure at my moms church. They have scores of them in the literature rack for the SDA's to pass out in the local neighborhoods. Yet, at the same time this very same church does not involve itself with any of the Christian outreach programs in this community. We have a home for women of any age who are in a crisis pregnancy situtation and are not able to live with family. These females can stay at the home until the child is one year old or if they need help to put the child up for adoption then this is offered, too. This house and the adult married couple who oversee the home is 100% sponsered finanically by the different Christian churches in the community. The SDA's though are absent in this project. The same is true for several other Christian outreaches in the area. I do have one SDA neighbor. She leaves the book, National Sunday Law by, Jan Marcussian on the bus benches, at the laundrymats and lots of other places around the community. There is a diffence between the SDA's and the other neighbors, that is true. Do you really think your SDA neighbors would come to your Friday night barbeque? | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 1029 Registered: 3-2004  |
Oh, How I laughed, because if I did not laugh I could cry. Jesus was not mentioned. Now, I have not had an SDA neighbor, but I was raised SDA and my Mom did not act the way that article describes. As I am thinking of the SDAs that I know, the one couple that comes closest to the description is a lovely couple, who still communicate with me, who would help anyone in need. Her name is Diana, just like me and we are best friends, still!!! They were and probably still are smiling every Sabbath and every day. I have been in many SDA churches accross the USA and in Montreal, Quebec and that article does not describe the SDAs I saw there. They, for the most part, were serious faced, seeking those with more influence and ignoring those who were not at their level, what ever that was. It made me sad to see it that way, but that is reality. It was hard for me to accept when I realized this is what was happening. It was not until I got into a 12 step program that I learned to accept that behaviour. So I really do love and appreciate Diana and her husband. We are still best friends and I thank God for that. I keep praying that God will take a hold of their hearts and turn them around. I know that will happen one of these days. I will leave that and all SDAs in God's wonderful, awesome hands. Diana | ||
| Dennis Registered user Username: Dennis Post Number: 306 Registered: 4-2000  |
I consider this Adventist PR exposition as NOT being well-written nor appealing. For example, the bold mention of sabbathing and tithing in the article makes it very legalistic and uninviting. Let me explain. Whenever our senior pastor, at First Evangelical Free Church in Lincoln, Nebraska, calls for the offering he makes it a point to tell visitors that the offering bags being passed are not for visitors but only for regular worshippers that have committed themselves to the mission of our church. It is a family affair. The visitors are asked to pardon us for the brief interlude of tending to our church family obligations. Wow, I have never witnessed this type of an offering appeal in SDA churches, have you? Asking a true seeker or visitor for money, only a few minutes after he stepped inside the church, is not an endearing or friendly gesture. Without a dependence on any legalistic tithing codes, our church family consistently gives around $30,000.00 in offerings weekly. We have about 30 part-time and full-time paid personnel plus we support several full-time missionaries overseas. Furthermore, several church-sponsored, short-term mission teams enter other countries annually as well. Oh yes, we have local community outreach ministries as well. This is all accomplished without any reference to old covenant tithing codes. The guilt-ridden word "tithe" does not appear on our offering envelopes. My wife and I serve as greeters in our church. We take our weekly ministry very seriously. One of our pastors meets with us every Sunday morning before we begin greeting incoming worshippers. We pray together that our greeting ministry will touch lives in a meaningful way. We are fully informed about the various classes and programs in our church--including how to get there. We will even walk the visitor to Sunday School or to the worship center. We are made aware repeatedly that greeters give the first impression to visitors. Many times we even open the doors for them as we see them approaching. What a joy it is when a first time visitor confides in us of their longing to know Jesus. We treasure the opportunity to greet with the veteran greeter that greeted us more than five years ago. What a dear lady she is! Truly, first impressions are often lasting impressions. Dennis Fischer | ||
| Pw Registered user Username: Pw Post Number: 300 Registered: 6-2004 |
You know, that statement can also refer to JW's, Mormons or any other religious cult (except the Saturday portion). It's all sugar coated until you taste what's really inside. I did, it was sweet at first, but then made me sick to my stomach. |
