| Author | Message | ||
| U2bsda Registered user Username: U2bsda Post Number: 190 Registered: 11-2004 |
Did you leave the SDA church on your own or did you leave with someone else? I left on my own, but I wasn't alone. I had full support from someone who was not SDA. | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 2851 Registered: 3-2004  |
I left alone. I have only a younger sister here where I live, but she still holds on to something about SDAs, but she has not condemned me or said anything to me about leaving. I just knew I had God's support and love and that He would help me. He did. He is so awesome. Diana | ||
| Freeatlast Registered user Username: Freeatlast Post Number: 485 Registered: 5-2002 |
My Sister and I left together. | ||
| Bb Registered user Username: Bb Post Number: 148 Registered: 7-2004 |
Same here! Even though we live far apart we studied and e-mailed and encouraged one another! But I was alone in my area. | ||
| Bigal Registered user Username: Bigal Post Number: 2 Registered: 9-2006 |
My wife left first. I struggled with the Sabbath issue. We both really did not attend any church for a few years, but in reality I followed her. I thank God for her maturity as I struggled and still do at times with my ingrained past. Alan | ||
| Helovesme2 Registered user Username: Helovesme2 Post Number: 655 Registered: 8-2004  |
I left alone, so far as people in my area, but had the friendship, prayers, and encouragement of several friends in particular, this forum, and a few prayergroups in general. Blessings, Mary Welcome Bigal! Glad to see you here. Hope to hear more from you in the future! | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 4688 Registered: 12-2003  |
I left with Richard. I've always realized this was an amazing blessing. Colleen | ||
| Timmy Registered user Username: Timmy Post Number: 46 Registered: 8-2006  |
My wife and I left together. And yes this was a huge blessing. I started looking at the new covenant first and studying Romans and Galatians. When I first understood that I was probably not an SDA I got physically ill. My wife was a strict veggie and a strict follower of EGW. I just knew our marriage was over. But praise God for lifting the veil from her eyes at the same time he did mine. This was nothing short of a miracle! Then my older sister wanted to 'set us straight,' so she started to study with us and her and her husband saw it right away... so they left. Then a friend and his wife wanted to set us straight, same thing... they are now free in Christ! So three families basically left about the same time. We get together and talk allot about our new found freedom in Christ, the real Jesus. I really feel for those of you who have or had the strength to deal with this venture alone. Even with all the support we have had it is still really hard for us at times. At first I would have anxiety attacks and wake up at night in cold sweats. My wife went into a depression for awhile, but that is all over now. That stuff just proved to me how strong those chains of bondage were and are. "So Christ has really set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law." Galatians 5:1 (New Living Translation) Tim | ||
| Cy Registered user Username: Cy Post Number: 53 Registered: 1-2005  |
I was blessed by several immediate members of my family leaving about the same time as me. I guess I actually was the laggard: my parents and my sister were well along their journey out of SDAism (whoops, I initially typed SADism!) before I actively considered it. I stopped going to church while I was in college. When I started going to church again in 1993, I went because the Holy Spirit was working on my heart and convinced me to follow Jesus. However, I went back to the SDA church because I "knew" it had the truth. Over the next ten years, as I studied the Bible on my own, I learned more of the true gospel of Christ and realized the SDA church was incompatible with that truth. In 2001 or 2002, I realized that I wouldn't have a problem with being disfellowshipped because of my "radical" belief in the gospel. But I didn't start actively on the path out until until I was challenged by my sister to see how rotten the SDA foundation (Ellen White) was. For the next year or so, I kept finding and showing my (non-SDA) wife one crazy, goofy, inconsistent teaching of Ellen White's after another. Thank you, God, for the various Internet sites! For a long time I was emotionally troubled by the SDA requirement to be perfect that had invaded my entire life. Life is so much more pleasant now that I'm in Christ and have His perfection covering me. Cy | ||
| Ardyj Registered user Username: Ardyj Post Number: 9 Registered: 8-2006  |
I am so blessed! My husband is a student of Scripture and found the New Covenant long before I did, but in our conversations and my own studying; guided by the Holy Spirit, we left the SDA church together. Cy, I like the SADism typo! Sabbath was an issue for me until I studied that out, and am just absolutely thrilled in Jesus Christ. My husband and I also were blessed to have two of our children leave virtually at the same time. Being somewhat isolated living in a rather small town, we didn't even realize there were so many others "out there" finding the Truth and leaving the SDA Church. Our daughter related there was a great movement of believers discovering the New Covenant and pointed out your group to us. We so enjoy reading all your experiences and praise God to the very Highest for the presence of the Holy Spirit to guide all those seeking to know Truth. We continue to pray most fervently for the Holy Spirit to touch the hearts of our youngest and his family. | ||
| Randyg Registered user Username: Randyg Post Number: 261 Registered: 12-2004 |
I officially left Adventism "the denomination" alone 1 year ago. As you all know however, you can never really leave Adventism "the culture" completely because of all the familial and friendship ties, and the life long indoctrination up to your time of leaving. Like a bad case of acne, Adventism leaves scars even after the infection has been eradicated. Much relearning has to take place to clear out the cobwebs of the Ellen White worldview on almost everything. The way we viewed everything, from music,diet,other Christians, other people, entertainment, sports, Friday-Saturday-Sunday, time of trouble, end of probation, end time paranoia,.... has been tainted by the believe that she was smarter than everybody else on every topic. I ran across this quote from Thurber that seems to me to describe many dear Adventist friends that I know "Most people want to believe rather than know, to take for granted rather than find out". This is the dilemma facing most as I see it. Yes I left alone, but God continues to lead, and God continues to take care of those who stay. Moses wondered in the wilderness for many years before God called him to do a great work. Many in Adventism are allowed to wonder as well. I do believe and trust that God through the Holy Spirit will call people out of that wilderness to do a great work. Sometimes one at a time, sometimes as couples or families, and sometime as larger groups. I can only hope and pray that the searching Adventists will recognize the Spiritual freedom and power available to them, and then trust God in His leading. Last Sunday at the Baptist church I attend during communion we sang "Blest be the Tie That Binds". Growing up I always naively thought of that song referring only to Adventists. How wonderful to come to the realization that "our hearts in CHRISTIAN love" had such a larger more inclusive meaning. Again I have wondered off topic, and I apologize. May God continue to bless each of you as you grow in His grace and live in His freedom. Your Brother, Randy | ||
| Honestwitness Registered user Username: Honestwitness Post Number: 151 Registered: 7-2005  |
I left alone almost one year ago. My husband, on the other hand, is still deeply committed to the SDA church. This message board has been a gift from Heaven to keep me from feeling so alone, though. I am extremely grateful for Colleen and Richard's faithful commitment to keeping it so well organized and monitored. And I am very comforted by the love and kindness I read in everyone's posts, even when we disagree on doctrine. Honestwitness | ||
| Javagirl Registered user Username: Javagirl Post Number: 293 Registered: 6-2005 |
Timmy, I also felt "physically sick, when I realized I was probably not SDA". I wanted to stay SDA. I wanted desperately to make it work. (some of you remember my early defensiveness of the SDA church when I first started posting.) I left alone in March. My non-believing spouse found JESUS and TRUTH far more threatening than adventism ever was, and left our 19 year marriage within a week of my announcement that I had surrendered fully to God's call and was leaving adventism. I lost family approval and relationship (being told I was taking my son to hell with me and recieving the mark of the beast.) I lost my church family and many friends and the whole social network of church. I lost part of my income from work related to the adventist church. I left alone, and it cost me a lot. I was just telling some new friends from Bible study today a bit of my story. I cried a lot in the telling. They were tears of joy and gratitude. I have been so immensly blessed in the journey. I have had a lot of loss, but God has been so incredibly present and faithful. He has given me unbelievable joy and peace. It makes no earthly sense to me at all. He truly gives a peace that passes understanding. Its all worth it, and I praise God for his faithfulness and love. God renewed a friendship with a former (carol), and provided many of you on this forum to walk with me thru the transition. I'm especially grateful to those of you who participated in the 21-day prayer and fasting with me. It was shortly after the fast ended, that I left adventism, and I knew without any doubt, that God had called me out. Richard and Colleen, thank you for your ministry. The leaving would have been terribly lonely without this "home base" on days when it was tough. Lori 4excape@bellsouth.net | ||
| Timmy Registered user Username: Timmy Post Number: 47 Registered: 8-2006 |
Lori, Have you read my wifeís' testimony here http://www.ellenwhite.org/testimonycs.htm She is much more elegant than I, and also much more detailed about our journey, I think you could relate to it. I would like to ditto your remark about Richard and Colleen. This forum is much more that just a thread or a 'topic.' It is very much a real live group therapy session that is absolutely priceless for those of us who have experience such a unique situation as this....Thanks you two, you are God sent and awesome! ts | ||
| 91steps Registered user Username: 91steps Post Number: 106 Registered: 8-2005  |
I left on my own, I believe my wife has been too brain washed to leave. Even though she is disgusted with many aspects of church life where she attends. Try as I might I can not get her to apply for another job outside the GC! Long story on that, but I am now afraid our marraige may end over my leaving the church. Not that she has an issue with me leaving, but now she is getting cold feet about leaving, in fact, I can not even get her to attend the Messianic Jewish COngregation I attend. She sure has been brainwashed bad. | ||
| Insearchof Registered user Username: Insearchof Post Number: 92 Registered: 8-2005 |
I am finding that leaving is hard for some, not so hard for others. I started the questioning of Adventism and had my wife read Hebrews and give me her take on it. That was it. Just like that, she was done and did not want to go back. I seem to be the one with the struggle. Not that I think there is truth to stay for in the SDA church, but it is hard to let some things go. Or, more accurately, to feel comfortable with a whole new paradigm. We are currently attending a PCA church and really enjoy it. ISO | ||
| Vchowdhury1 Registered user Username: Vchowdhury1 Post Number: 152 Registered: 7-2004 |
I left with my son who was 9 years old at the time, and also with the support and blessings of a best friend who is still SDA, but finds many flaws and deception in the SDA message, EGW and the SDA church itself. Even though my friend still considers hereself SDA, she has not been to an SDA church in years. My immediately family is still strict SDA and followers of EGW. My family and I, however, are still very close even though they refuse to talk about my decision to leave. Whenever I bring up the "New Covenant" and the deceptions of EGW, they change the subject and refuse to speak about it. But in all other areas, we get along great by avoiding any "adventist" talk. Go figure... | ||
| Tisha Registered user Username: Tisha Post Number: 193 Registered: 3-2005 |
When my husband and I left the SDA Church, we wanted to share our joy with my mother. She was unable to drive and had not been able to go to Church (SDA) for quite some time. So we asked her if she wanted to go with us and she did! She learned so much and also began to understand the joy of really knowing Jesus and not just be focused on works. One week as we were driving home from Church, she said she wanted to have her membership changed! We were so happy. Then that week she had some sort of medical event, possibly a stroke. It was never determined for sure. After that she was totally housebound and often confused. I actually sometimes think Satan was trying to keep her away from learning. I don't know, but it makes me "mad" that this happened just when Mom was going to leave the SDA Church. Then my out-of-state sister, who had not gone to Church since she left home (30+ years ago), decided Mom needed to go to a nursing home. We had been caring for her at home, which sis didn't think was good enough. She moved her into an SDA facility where they make sure she goes to church each week (SDA-they have it on-site), have worship every day, no TV, Vegan meals, totally EGW all the way! It is also far away from where we live and in the opposite direction from where we go to Church. So, basically my sister returned mom to the SDA's indoctrination even though sis doesn't care one bit for any kind of church herself!! It is so sad. Every time I visit Mom I remind her to remember what she learned while attending with us, to remember the joy she found in Jesus alone. But it is so depressing where she lives now that Mom is discouraged and depressed. It is so hard to see her there but my hands are tied because my sister fought and won to take over responsibility for Mom's affairs. So my husband and I are alone as far as family go. And my sister is actively trying to undermine our witness to Mom. But we have a wonder new Church Family to encourage us. And I know Mom does know Jesus better from even the short time she was able to attend Church with us. Now, if I could get my adult Children to give it a try again! They are pretty cynical about Christianity after growing up SDA. But they both accepted Jesus when they were teen-agers, so I hope they feel the Holy Spirit trying to reach them. I know they can see the change in me! And they let me take my granddaughter to Church with us, so they aren't totally against it! I want to teach her differently than I did my kids! I keep them all in my prayers. | ||
| Randyg Registered user Username: Randyg Post Number: 262 Registered: 12-2004 |
Vchowdhury1, Your comments reflect my experience quite closely. Whenever I mention the New Covenant to Adventist friends, in our albeit brief, and seldom conversations on religion, I almost always draw a complete blank. Most Adventists that I have talked too have very little understanding of the Covenants, and especially the New Covenant. To accept the New Covenant, found and some aptly described in the New Testament negates the the need for Adventism's most fundamental belief--the Sabbath. If the Adventist Church was to fully embrace the New Covenant it would in effect make it just another Christian Church--- and for people to even want to stay, they would have to start preaching and teaching the Good News of the Gospel, instead of the continual emphasis on "End Time Trouble" and "Salvation By Sabbath". Peace and Goodwill, Randy | ||
| Timmy Registered user Username: Timmy Post Number: 49 Registered: 8-2006 |
Vchowdhury1 and Randy, This is also what we experienced. We even sat down with our SDA pastor and started a conversation with him about the covenants. He stopped us in mid sentence and said he was not prepared to discuss the covenants until he received his information he sent for from the conference. I said, "Can't we just use the Bible and a concordance?" This really blew my mind because this is the same guy that sits up front every quarter and leads communion reading the words of Christ..."This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood." (Lk22:20) He obviously had no idea what he was saying.. or even really cared as far as that goes. It also accured to me at that time that if he were born and raised a Mormon, he wouldn't check his Bible for facts, he would merely "send away to the conference..." This experience set in my mind how cultish the mentality of SDA leadership is.. ts |
