| Author | Message | ||
| Lisa_boyldavis Registered user Username: Lisa_boyldavis Post Number: 31 Registered: 3-2005 |
I just wanted to share something so interesting to me. I went to an alumni weekend at Gem State Academy and on the way back home in the airport with hundreds of people all around these two guys were standing there talking about the law, and grace, and how one guy had found these commentaries that explained how you can't determine that we are not under the law anymore because certain texts were to be interpreted with a particular set of texts. I sat there shaking my head. I saw one of the men at GSA(Adventist), and realized a couple things. First of all, it's amazing to me how many thinking SDA's (and there is a difference  ) are dependent on outside sources to support their traditional distinctives. The reformation, and incredible loss of life during the reformation was all about this very issue... that we poppers are not dependant on an intellectual to interpret the Bible for us, that the Bible speaks for itself by way of the Holy Spirit. I was also struck by the fact that this conversation on the law vers Grace must be so wide spread among Adventists right now that I'd even hear one in the AIR PORT of all places. I think this FAF movement is more than a fragment of the church... Some of the conversations during alumni weekend really made me think about where most SDA's are. I picked up bits and pieces of conversations that included people mentioning how they hated the news, it frightened them, and they wouldn't let the kids listen to it. How they hated politics, how they hated religious discussions - they were stressful, I had comments about how my life was sheltered because I seemed shocked when they mentioned church friends who had approached them (a couple) about swapping partners - they said they told them they are not into that, but still hang out with these people because the guy just happens to be a flirt... that's just how he is, etc.... and if a conversation about the Lord was brought up there was a change of subject or an uncomfortable joke. Fear of the news is in direct correlation to end time abuse all of us have experience by hearing about the end of the world in context to the Catholic Church since childhood. Hate of politics is from the same twisted logic. Discomfort of discussions on religion and the Lord are left-overs from never feeling quite safe to dig or to learn or to search... might find something that would take them out of the church.... and immoral rebellion or comfort with it and sneering at someone surprised with those behaviors are remnants from trying to be cool and bad with friends at church and academy. God, save these poor lost people, so wrapped up in reacting to the law that they don't know you and LIFE EVERLASTING. In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen. Lisa | ||
| Esther Registered user Username: Esther Post Number: 194 Registered: 5-2004 |
Lisa, Your thoughts really resonate with me as I face my alum in a couple of weeks. And I know the same exact things will surface. Not only that, but i see this every day in the office. The fear of the news and of the Pope's death. And I just see so much emptiness. Praise God for His love and His Salvation which is open to anyone who seeks for Him! | ||
| Bob Registered user Username: Bob Post Number: 164 Registered: 7-2000  |
Lisa, you make an accurate observation when you call them "lost people." I think sometimes we get so caught up in arguing doctrinal differences with SDAs that we lose sight of the very real possibility that we may be arguing with "lost" that is, unconverted, men and women. Our arguments are wasted on them, because only those born of the Spirit have spiritual understanding. I think that rather than debate, we would do well to find ways to share the simple Gospel of Jesus with them, for their salvation. I try to keep it personal when I talk to SDAs. If they don't really know the Lord, of course they will take refuge in argumentation - that is all they have! | ||
| Melissa Registered user Username: Melissa Post Number: 834 Registered: 7-2003  |
Bob, that is a very interesting observation about the argumentation. I've often wondered about that.... | ||
| Foreverscout Registered user Username: Foreverscout Post Number: 32 Registered: 3-2005 |
Hey Lisa, >about swapping partners< You don't lead a sheltered life, just a clean and decent enough one to be shocked. I am shocked right along with you. I went to my 20 year reunion, just a regular secular high school one, and the worst thing any of us did was to get drunk and make too much noise. Foreverscout | ||
| Susan_2 Registered user Username: Susan_2 Post Number: 1754 Registered: 11-2002 |
Sorry I can't contribute more often but I had to throw out my intermet machine so now I only get to look at this site when I'm at the library. SWAPPING PARTNERS? And, they think they are the truth because they have the law. What about the law of honoring your wife, honoring your husband? And, I don't care how much they rationalize it, no matter how private they think it is, it will affext the children and the rest of their families as well as their relationship with their own spouse. It's so weird. I'm in my mid-50's. I sat through many sermons at SDA churches about freedom of religion. Yet, when I actually began to practice this feedom of religion and my SDA kin found out I was attending a non-SDA church then it seems like all that talk about freedom of religion is just hot air. Like their spirits. | ||
| Heretic Registered user Username: Heretic Post Number: 39 Registered: 2-2005 |
Here's a quote from Dale Ratzlaff's wife, Carolyn, about this subject: ----- "I want to go on record before this congregation that I am in full harmony with this stand for religious freedom within a church that fights for religious liberty outside the church." ----- How true is that?! | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 1731 Registered: 12-2003  |
Wow--another one of Carolyn's profound observations. She seems to have a knack for those. Thanks for sharing it, Heretic! Colleen | ||
| Susan_2 Registered user Username: Susan_2 Post Number: 1762 Registered: 11-2002 |
Is it fact that the SDA religious liberty branch of the denomination works very closely with United for Seperation of Church and State as well as the ACLU? | ||
| Loneviking Registered user Username: Loneviking Post Number: 334 Registered: 7-2000 |
Yes, Susan, they do. In fact, they can arrange to have speakers from either one come to the church for a morning service 'sermon'. I heard one of these in the Redlands SDA church and the speaker was from 'Americans United for Seperation of Church and State'. | ||
| Susan_2 Registered user Username: Susan_2 Post Number: 1769 Registered: 11-2002 |
Colleen, I would think it would be great to do an article in Proclamation! about the partnership (trinity?) between those three-the SDA, United for Seperation and the ACLU. Loneviking, I had thought maybe it was a denominational thing but I wasn't sure. About a year ago I sat in the local SDA church through the entire SAt. morning service and the entire service was about how the ACLU, the SDa and United for Seperation wetre the only three groups in the United States promoting religious liberty. But, I thought at the time maybe it was just the nutball that the local church as as its pastor so I was wondering if it really is demoninational. All this talk from SDA's about religious freedom is just a lot of hot air. Just read the latest thread that Lisa put on here. I can only figure SDA's don't consider religious freedom whwen it comes down to their own adult children. i have never lived in a heavely SDA populated area but I have heard those areas are very repressive to people of minority faiths. |
