But let me get back to the quote from Walter Rea during an interview on previously recorded John Ankerberg Show, which can be seen here. It was in response to the book called "Omega" by Lewis R. Walton, published by the SDA church, which book appears to discredit those members who oppose the teachings of the church by implying that they are demons in human form among the pews of Adventist churches. This certainly is a convenient response to opposition, but more so it shows paranoia in the attitude of the Adventist church, which creates unfriendly atmosphere in the church and according to Walter Rea, this book shows that "Anyone who has an IQ over 85 is a threat to the SDA church." It's a funny comment, surely not intended to offend Seventh-day Adventist Christians who are sincere in their faith, but the organization itself. I wish the SDA church had more respect towards the conviction of others, even if it opposes the denomination's teachings. Instead I was told by an Adventist pastor in regards of our difference of opinions not to share any of my changed beliefs with my wife, because "she would not understand", other words insulting her intelligence. According to him this is the right attitude when it comes to hard topics, and he was not ashamed to share that this is the practice he employs in his own household. In the same breath he insulted my own intelligence by telling me that I should stop reading any materials outside of the teachings of the Adventist church whether found on the Internet or any other media, because they will add confusion and possibly lead me astray from the truth.
A person whom I respect and consider a good friend among the Adventists very recently preached a sermon on how we should study our bible. While most of the points he outlined are absolutely essential when doing a bible study, such as authority of scripture, spiritual state of mind, correct translation, taking scripture in context, motive behind the study etc. I can't help but notice that Internet as a source of information was once again somewhat disproved. In fact it was rather insulting to me personally or anyone else who uses the Internet as a platform to share a message or publish a study, as according to the speaker "even a monkey can do it". Once again we see tendency to undermine an individual's ability to approach a publication with a scientific mind and use their own intelligence to compare multiple opinions, test them to the bible and make their own conclusion.
I'm not surprised by this attitude one bit. According to some Adventist pastors the church's own prophet Mrs White discourages them to use any sources outside of the SDA approved reading. On a lower level I can testify to this, as soon as my wife and I became members of the church we were told to be careful what spiritual books we read. Yet at the same time Mrs White "borrowed" material from previously written books, under "inspiration" of course, I guess this makes it OK.
I am also not surprised of the attack on the Internet. I'm convinced that because of the recent information explosion people are finally able to find answers to their questions much quicker than before. Those who are willing to research can find original documents, pictures, transcripts, things that were hidden for many years. Yes, it is true that anyone these days can publish anything they want, so we need to be selective, but at the same time the censoring is gone as well, and let's not be fooled, censoring is often the cause of information darkness and a favorite tool for brainwashing. It is no surprise that over 300,000 Adventists leave the church every year. During the July 2005 SDA General Conference, Bert Haloviak, director of Archives and Statistics for the Adventist world church, made an official statement that "…nearly 1.5 million left membership during the time period 2000 to 2005." The church growth during that time was less than 5%. Compare this with 37% growth in the 1970's.
No wonder Adventist pastors and elders preach the formula:
Sabbath School quarterlies (25% Ellen White quotes) = GOOD
Internet (and other uncensored media) = BAD
George
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I have often wondered why Seventh Day Adventists believe Ellen White was a prophet. Did she predict any events before-the-fact in a way that proved that her message was inspired by God?
Ellen White's prophecies actually discredit her as a prophet, because there are so many failed ones and according to the bible: "When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that [is] the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, [but] the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him." (Deuteronomy 18:11).
When you throw in the plagiarism, the inconsistencies in her statements, contradictions with herself and the bible, the SDA church has a real mess on their hands. They've been doing mind acrobatics in order to deal with these issues for years, but now things are more difficult than ever for them, because of the information available on the internet.
According to the SDA's the remnant church needs a prophet, therefore they have one. "But she's a false prophet..." one would say - that doesn't matter, they've been deceiving people for over century and a half and they'll continue to do that for as long as they can...
You might find my most recent article interesting. It's entitled "Why do Adventists hold such a high regard for Ellen G White?"
Thank you for your comment!
George
the woman has been dead for over a hundred years let her rest in peace. no wonder Muslims call Christians confused. how fruitful will such a discussion be to the body of Christ apart from arguments.
Ellen White is an authoritative figure in the adventist church just as the constitutional founders of America, she played an important role in the conception of the church. if there i a need to make amendments to the constitution they will be made.
If you have a problem with Ellen white then that is up to you, cause her legacy in the adventist church will live on, just as Luther and every one else. you cannot just erase the names of the founders of America, sorry that is just insane.
apart from her failed prophecies what prophecies were fulfilled?
What has the adventist church done to correct those erroneous views.
it's funny that scientists thought that the function of the brain was to cool the body and the heart the source of emotions. look at science 100 years later the heart is pumping blood and the brain is for cognitive purposes.
if Paul was to be alive today he would weep at the sight of what is happening in the church. they never died preaching the gospel so that we can argue.
people leaving the adventist church is not new, do you know how many non adventist churches close in a year.
do you know why people are leaving Christianity and choosing to be atheists?
we as the body of Christ have much to learn. i have respect for many reformers, Luther, white, watchman nee, azusa street people (they forever changed generations). i think people should respect the woman, she never claimed to be a prophet but inspired of God. she had time on her hands to write all that whether or not you think it was plagiarized. she wrote it and it was published and it has been a blessing to many.
there are better things to talk about than Ellen white.
what have we done to win the souls that are actually lost all we do is argue whether or not a deceased woman was a prophet. millions have given their lives to Christ because of her ministry it lives on a hundred years later.
show me men who have given their lives to Christ through arguments and i will show you atheists.
i have been to many denominational churches, i respect each one of them. two wrongs don't make a right, so will arguing. it makes people angry and and brings division.
A disappointed Christian, wondering why Christians are soo divided.
Jim Crow Laws
Jim Crow laws were laws that imposed racial segregation. They existed mainly in the South and originated from the Black Codes that were enforced from 1865 to 1866 and from prewar segregation on railroad cars in northern cities. The laws sprouted up in the late nineteenth century after Reconstruction and lasted until the 1960s
ELLEN WHITE NEVER TOLD A FALSE PROPHECY. THIS IS TRUE AND IT DID HAPPEN RACIAL LAWS DID SPRING UP AGAIN IN THE SOUTH AND LASTED UNTIL 1960.
I think more respect should be given to any man or woman of God wether you like them or not it's a biblical obligation.
DO YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE PROPHECY SHE SPOKE ON RACISM
Segregation and disfranchisement laws were often supported, moreover, by brutal acts of ceremonial and ritualized mob violence (lynchings) against southern blacks. Indeed, from 1889 to 1930, over 3,700 men and women were reported lynched in the United States--most of whom were southern blacks. Hundreds of other lynchings and acts of mob terror aimed at brutalizing blacks occurred throughout the era but went unreported in the press. Numerous race riots erupted in the Jim Crow era, usually in towns and cities and almost always in defense of segregation and white supremacy. These riots engulfed the nation from Wilmington, North Carolina, to Houston, Texas; from East St. Louis and Chicago to Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the years from 1865 to 1955. The riots usually erupted in urban areas to which southern, rural blacks had recently migrated. In the single year of 1919, at least twenty-five incidents were recorded, with numerous deaths and hundreds of people injured. So bloody was this summer of that year that it is known as the Red Summer of 1919.
Thank you VIP for your input.
But you’ve got to be kidding… You compare apples to oranges, which is typical attitude for SDA church. Are you sure you’re not on a payroll somewhere in the Seventh-day Adventist church…? There is difference between RACISM and SLAVERY. Ellen White clearly states that “Slavery will again be revived in the Southern States” – she did not say racism, which I agree existed many years after her and sadly exists even today. Slavery however ended in the USA with accepting the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1865. Slavery NEVER came back to the Southern or to any other States in the USA, thank God.
I do respect all men and women regardless of who they are, but this will not stop me from exposing things that are wrong, whether is someone’s actions or teachings. Ellen White is not a prophet, her predictions of slavery coming back, depopulation of the earth and many others are clear indications that she did not receive her visions from God, therefore she’s not of God.
I don't think you understand the magnitude of racism, where there is still racism people are in bondage. Just because because it's written in the books that slavery is to end 1865. When did it end, did you know that there where slaves up until 1961. This is not meant to be a racial statement, you are a white man so i don't expect you to be aware of such things. To be told you cannot walk on the same street as a white man. i'm sorry there is no difference between racism and slavery to me one cannot opperate without the other. As long as there was a law that was brought up that would segragate and put place black man in bondage i'm sorry smells like a fish so it must be a racist/slavery fish. you don't need to be paid a full wage to know that you are a slave as long as there is a difference between a white man paycheck and a black man's then the slave master (cheap labour) mentallity has not ended. You cannot call someone a freeman and make them live like slaves.
Afro-Americans
After the Civil War slavery was abolished in the USA by the 13th Amendment and blacks were recognized as full citizens of the USA by the 14th Amendment. But immediately after the Civil War the policy of racism and segregation started in the South. In reality the life of the blacks became even worse than in slavery.
In the 1950s the Civil Rights Movement of the blacks began against racism and segregation. In 1954 segregation in public schools was made illegal. In only in 1956 segregation on public transport was prohibited. WHAT??
She said it would take place it did and that's all you need to know that God is still work through his people. The prophecy did not apply to you so i can understand since you are not african american.
Some of the statements on amalgamation, well those are funny and show me that she was human, and she wrote that from here own perspective and also indicates to me the time and era she lived. Much of medical science was as behind as her statements.lol
her statement on health and death, more people are dying now from disease unlike in her own time. i believe that. all you need to do is to watch t.v visit hospitals. visit other nations then you will know that death is a common friend.
Dear friend VIP, I am white but I have many good friends who are black and all of us feel the same towards racism regardless what color our skin is.
Let us not play with words in attempt to keep the status given to Ellen White by the SDA church.
EGW said SLAVERY will return in the South.
Webster Dictionary says:
SLAVE - a person held in servitude as the chattel of another
SLAVERY - the state of a person who is a chattel of another, the practice of slaveholding
Other words one person having ownership over another.
Webster Dictionary says:
RACISM - a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race; racial prejudice or discrimination
Now these are two different things. If Ellen White meant racism, she would have said so. Besides, racism was already a reality at her time, why would she say it "will again revive" for something that was there already, something that never left...
I hope I'm making myself very clear. I have compassion for you, VIP friend, because you're holding on to something (someone) which forms the very foundation of your faith. If this someone looses the status they have now in your eyes, things will fly off balance and it will become very uncomfortable. I went through this experience and I know many others who did. It's painful to let go...
Regarding Ellen's statement on "soon depopulation" of the earth, please let the facts speak:
Earth population in 1850 - less than 1.3 billion, 1900 - 1.6 billion, 1950 - 2.5 billion, Now - nearly 7 billion.
Ellen is not talking about HOW LONG people live on earth, but HOW MANY people live on earth. She prophesied the total opposite of what we're seeing today. Even if she meant lifespan, lets see the facts on that. According to Encyclopaedia Britannica average lifespan in the early 1900's was 30-40 years (worldwide average), today estimated is 66.12 years. Facts are against Mrs White.
The statement that races came from sexual intercourse between animals and humans is obviously product of Ellen's own ignorance. And I'm fine with that, and we can forgive and forget... If the church admits that EGW is not a prophet of God and that she made many mistakes, I may even consider returning to the Adventist church, of course of they change some of their doctrines. The problem is, Ellen made a statement that she used her own words in describing what was revealed to her from God.
Believing that EGW is a prophetess and admitting that she was wrong on many things is like saying that God is wrong.
This is why the SDA church has a huge issue to deal with and I wish they stopped lying to themselves and to others, correct the mistakes, apologize and move on...
George
As a black man I can say that when I read EGW's comments I find them offensive. VIP are you saying that you are Black and therefore have a better right to comment on EGW and slavery/racism?
If these quotes came from another church leader such as Joseph Smith or mary Baker Eddy then you would have to agree that they are wrong.
Jesus called us to be followers of Him and not "prophets" of the latter day. Remember He warned repetedly of false prophets in the last days
Amen Brother!
Interesting, I read this verse earlier today in Hebrews 1:1-2 "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe."
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