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Question: What does it mean when the husband states that he will make all of the decisions? Answer #1: Well in our marriage I would point out “no dear, I will decide what divorce lawyer I hire to dump you.” Answer #2: I did know a woman whose husband said that and she said OK. she then did nothing. He wanted dinner he decides what it is and cooks it. She badgered him with questions constantly even calling him at work to ask. “What time should I take a shower” then calling back to ask “what soap should I use” then calling back to ask if she should shampoo her hair then it was what towel, the blue one or the green one. The moment he hit the door she was asking “should I sweep the kitchen?” “what are you going to buy for dinner” “what soap for the dishwasher” “ when should I clean the toilet,” She spent most of the day compiling decisions for him to make. After a week of making all the decisions he crawled down from his idiocy and literally begged her to make most of the decisions he really didn’t want her calling him at work during a meeting to ask if their daughters hair should be braided or not or if their son should wear his sandals or closed shoes. I think the final straw was when she called his office during the lunch hour and left a message with the receptionist saying she started her period should she use a pad or a tampon. The receptionist put it up on the message board open and almost everyone in the office got a peek and teased him about it. Thanks to Quora and Angela Birch for the above question and answer. 6

Sister Bertken was a devout Roman Catholic, born in 1457. The following article suggests that her life has something to contribute to us today. https://atoday.org/the-two-windows-of-sister-bertken/

The People of God: In the following article, Loren Seibold challenges us to think beyond what he calls the norms. https://atoday.org/gods-many-many-people/

Gustave: That is why I made my post telling all that it was a joke. I realized that some might not understand.

Surprised he lived this long.

Rachell, the various denominations are divided as to the nature of the bread that Christ used for the Last Supper. * I note that in one post you say: " I told you that "artos" is unleavened." and is a second post, you say: "Artos" is WITH leaven>" I assume that one is a typo. However, let us look at the actual definition of the Greek words. * Artos is the common bread of a family meal. It is considered by many scholars to always be leavened bread. Thiis word tells us that Christ celebrated the Passover with the common bread served at a family meal. * Azumos is a term that references unleavened bread. https://www.onthewing.org/user/BS_Last Supper - Unleavened Bread.pdf#:~:text=The Greek for what we read as "unleavened,and not on bread%2C e.g.%2C I Corinthians 5%3A8. Rachel, I do not know where you got your definitions of the Greek words. But, I will tell you: Never use either Strong or Young to define the meaning of a Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek Biblical word. They are used to tell us how such a word has been translated, which is quite different from telling us what that word means. For the Greek, your best source of the Greek is the so-called Arndt & Gingrich. Always use a lexicon.

Wow. I never thought about that. The way you expressed it is an eye opener. All of the Dispensationalists I have read on forums are elated that they will not have to pass through any tribulation.

Consider: As I followed up on a reference to a SDA leader, I noted that he had a nicely trimmed beard, cut to a short length. As I reflected on this, I realized that he was also bald. I wondered if there is any relationship between bald males who also like to demonstrate that they are able to grow facial hair?

Dr. Diehl did more to improve the lot of the sick and suffering in his 77 years than most people would do in several lifetimes. It's not always the length of life that matters. Quality is important!

Thanks for that Kevin! Based on your comments I re-read Life Sketches where those quotes came from and then re-read LOCRP-01. I've got some other files in a folder I put together some years ago I also need to read. I'll definitely respond again but not until I review what you've said against the materials I've collected.

Guinea Worm Disease is a tropical disease caused by drinking unfiltered water in Africa. In 1986 3,500.000 people were affected by it. In 2022, a total of 13 people in the entire world are known to have been affected by it. This is due to the work of organizations such as The Carter Center, and others. For more information see: https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/guineaworm/index.html NOTE: Currently The Carter Center is working on River Blindness.

Yes, perhaps, but a problem is that Ellen G. White was a female leader in the SDA denomination. One can debate whether or not she was ordained. But, it is unlikely that any informed person would argue that she was neither female nor a leader in this denomination. Some might say that she never held an elected office. But, it is clear that she was given, the same credentials, over a period of several years, that we give SDA pastors. If we consider SDA male clergy to be SDA leaders we must consider EGW to be a SDA female leader.

Don't know much about parenting but I guess you are going to have a major problem with your daughter if you sneak into her room and remove her property. OTOH, it is your house. You can ask your daughter to take her bag with her and move out or get rid of it if she wants to stay. Or you could change your own mind and develop a closer relationship with your daughter. This is a matter of conscience for you but not for her. I doubt she is a satanist or will become one because of a pentagram. Matters of conscience are important ones, however. You need to realize the problem is not with the symbols but with your conscience. While I respect your disdain, even fear, of things related to the enemy of mankind it is you who are giving those things the power to interrupt your family's harmony. Intrinsically, they are nothing, as Paul said, "An idol is nothing in this world." They have no power, vibration, energy. They are nothing, unless you make them into something.

Leroy Leiske died in 2016, But he should not be forgotten as a SDA leader who helped make the SDA denomination what it is today. See: https://adventistreview.org/news/leiske-remembrance/

I should possibly talk about a creed later. For now, I will mention EGW. A person who joins the SDA Church is asked to believe in the "gift of prophecy," as defined in the Bible, in the chapter on spiritual gifts. Most people associate that spiritual gift with Ellen White. However, the individual is not required, according to our official requirements, to believe that Ellen White had that spiritual gift. Today, there are SDAs who do not beleive that EGW had that gift and many of them remain members of the SDA Church. Some chose to leave the SDA Church.

Advice From a Baptist: In the following article, a Baptist Pastor comments on SDA belief and practice. https://atoday.org/advice-for-my-adventist-friends/

10 Hopes For the Church Of Tomorrow is an article well worth reading. See: https://spectrummagazine.org/views/10-hopes-for-the-church-of-tomorrow/

Christian Nationalism: I have posted before, on this important subject. The following article suggests some additional ways for Adventists to respond to this subject. This article has been distributed by the Rocky Mountain Conference. https://www.rmcsda.org/commentary-an-adventist-response-to-christian-nationalism/

It's just my humble opinion but I think that even the angels and Saints in heaven are unable to fathom God. There would seem to an infinite distance between the finite (everything other than God) and infinite (God). All we can know is that God is ONE and God is the Divine Attributes Sacred Scripture attributes to God. We're told its a great mystery and I'm certain it absolutely is.

Lawrence, born Sidney Liebowitz in Brooklyn, was the son of Max, a cantor and house painter, and Helen. He started singing in the synagogue choir. After dropping out of Thomas Jefferson High School, he won a spot on Arthur Godfrey’s morning radio show and recorded what became a string of solo hits in his smooth baritone. He met Eydie (born Edith Gormezano, the daughter of Sephardic Jewish parents Nessim Hasdai Gormezano and Fortuna Gormezano, in the Bronx) when both were regular singers on “The Steve Allen Show” (later retitled “The Tonight Show”). They married in 1957. The pair won a Grammy Award in 1960 for their first complete duet album, “We Got Us.” https://www.jta.org/2024/03/11/obituaries/singer-steve-lawrence-son-of-a-cantor-and-half-of-steve-and-eydie-dies-at-88?

There has been some discussion of EGWs position on the deuterocanonical books. This discussion springs up from time to time, to include the present. However, in my opinion, it has never become a major discussion. In addition, I do not see an agreement on this subject as to what her position actually was on those books. I am aware that some see a similar connection between the writings of EGW and Paradise Lost. I do not see major agreement as to that being a source. I do not think it would be anything more than a point of interest if it should be decided to have been a source for some of her writings. I consider the major contributions that the 2022 book on EGW and the Historians has made to our understandings of the role and ministry of EGW to the SDA denomination is now available to the average member and is not restricted to scholars, include: * An understanding that much of EGWs writings were not based upon visions that she had received. * An understanding that EGW used editorial assistants that had a much greater role in the production of her writings than had previously been understood by the common SDA member. * A greater understanding of her writings having a basis in secular authors. * Publication of how denominational leaders on various levels responded, both pro and con, to the unfolding revelation of this material. As examples, I include in this Robert Olson, whom I knew very well, and Arthur White, whom I knew less well. NOTE, both have died.

On page 234. of the 2022 book on EGW and the Historians, it mentions EGW dreaming of talking to her dead husband.

Generation of Youth for Christ, (GYC), recently held a meeting, which probably needs an explanation for those who have a limited understanding of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Members of the SDA denomination come from a range of differences in belief and practice. In part, this is due to a fact that people are welcomed who are at different stages of Christian growth. It is also recognized that honest people can differ on Biblical teachings. GYC consists of people whom I would suggest are at one end of the spectrum of SDA belief and practice. Or, to say it in another way: GYC does not represent the majority of SDA members, in my opinion. For a comprehensive report on that meeting, see the following article. https://spectrummagazine.org/news/in-portland-a-new-generation-emerges-at-gyc-event-as-last-generation-theology-remains/

Christian Nationalism: The following article should raise issues that will challenge our thinking. https://atoday.org/religious-liberty-only-for-some/

There are parts of that show that no matter how often you have seen it, just the thought of what's coming up still generates a laugh. Lines such as " Who wrote Swanee River?" Or "'Cause she's a blabber mouth!!!" few other presentations can make the punch line last decades. I think it was channel 11 in New York City, had until recently played the Honeymooners after the 11pm news; causing New Yorkers to never have said "Oh, here's an episode of the Honeymooners I've never seen before." Nor has any New Yorker ever said "Iet's check out what else in on, I've already seen this episode of the honeymooners."

Same with me, there has been plenty things the existing Pope has said I didn't agree with. In this case of the LGBT issue I thought the wording of the document subsequent coverage of it allowed for many to get the wrong idea. At the end of the day each of us respects our respective Pope's when they speak on a matter of Faith and Morals. There have been plenty of times when our respective Pope's have proffered their own opinion on a matter and we are free to disagree and disregard those types of things.

Adventist Today is a magazine that reports on SDA issues and sometimes challenges the Church. If you would like to review past issues, currently all issues published 1993 through 2023 are available on the Internet, at: https://atoday.org/magazine-archives/

Recent headlines and news articles have often commented, sometimes falsely, on the recent statement of the Pope on homosexual couples. The truth of the matter is that the Pope did not in any way state that homosexual marriages was approved by God. Any such inference is false. Rather, the statement of the Pope should be understood as saying that God loves the people involved in such marriages and the Priest, in addition to affirming the love of God for them, is asking God to further lead them in Christian growth. Gustave, you are welcome to comment on my statement.

Faith & Politics is a regular, 30-minute program that is broadcast on the SDA Hope TV. In each program, a moderator and 4-experts discuss issues related to how governmental rules may impact on religious expression. The people expressing their views come from a variety of backgrounds and often include people who are not SDA members. I like the program. In common with the typical practice of Hope TV, schedules and subjects of discussion are not published in a form that is available to the general public.

Adventism in Europe: The following article suggests that Adventism in Europe differs from Adventism elsewhere and what this may mean. NOTE: In Germany, SDA military members are not welcome to worship in German SDA congregations--GM. https://spectrummagazine.org/views/is-there-a-european-adventism-ecclesiological-holzwege-i/

Spectrum magazine recommends 8-books for thoughtful reading by Adventists who are personally involved with the mission and ministry of the SDA Chruch. For those books, see: https://spectrummagazine.org/culture/eight-great-books-we-reviewed-in-2023/

Link to You Tube video on excavations at Shiloh.

Rachel has given us something to think about: * Yes the Greek word is used when talking about the common bread that the family might eat. * Yes, that same Greek word is used in the 14th chapter of Mark in the discussion of the so-called Last Supper. * However, it is also clear that Christ celebrated the Passover with his disciples: Luke 14: 12, 14, & 16. * Mark 14: 16 tells us that it was the disciples that prepared the Passover meal. Do you really thilnk that those disciples would violate the norm for Passover, when it was Passover that they were told to prepare for? noI do ot. The disciples were far from spiritually ready to violate such an important norm. * On the basis of the above, I am left with the thought that the Greek work had a secondary meaning that would allow it to be used for standard Passover bread that was not leavened. * I F that is not true, one would have to say that in the time of Christ faithful Jews used leavened bread to celebrate Passover. I am not willing to accept that as a valid position. NOTE: The Greek word was used 97 times in the New Testament.

Joseph Bates: The following article will probably be the most interesting article that you could read about a person who became an early SDA leader. https://adventistreview.org/magazine-article/changing-the-crew/

Goodby: The following article is well worthy of thought. [I have removed the URL as it did not work--GM.]

I have appreciated the work Little Light Studios does for many years. I have not seen everything they produce, but I believe I have been blessed by the majority of what I have seen. I was a follower of them on a social media outlet. Earlier this year they came out with, what I believe is a very misleading video about The Chosen. I wrote a post here evaluating the video piece by piece. For a while, their anti-Chosen video was popular on social media and I would post a link to my commentary here (Club Adventist) in the comments area of the link to their video whenever I saw it posted. It turns out, I have been removed from the followers of their social media page. That is a first for me I think. One of their administrators must have went into their list of followers, did a search for my name, and then removed me from their followers. I guess I got someone's attention. I take no issue with doctrinal disagreement. We are all different. We have different histories, families and many of us are even from different cultures. We simply are not going to see everything the same way. What most concerns me isn't doctrinal differences but rigidness. When I see a lack of humility which results in rigidness, that is what concerns me far more than doctrinal differences. Most of the videos I have seen produced by Little Light Studios are a total blessing. I think it just goes to show that none of us are not without errors. I do a lot of ministry work but, there are probably things I have done in ministry that were in error. It hurts, but when someone points out those errors to me, I hope with a little time I can be grateful to them for it.

I have a few LLS DVDs and have heard them on 3ABN. I appreciate what I've seen. Now one thing that I've noticed and worry about is they are doing an excellent job in going after the philosophy and methods of the Dragon in Revelation 12, but I worry that they end up running towards the beast in Revelation 13 for protection. I wonder if this is why LLS treated you this way Dr. Shane. Revelation 12 and 13 have a counterfeit trinity. The 3 aspects of the trinity are God the Father = God as power, God as final authority, God as greatness that the angels need to veil their faces. God the Sun = God as personal friend, God as relationship. These are two objective revelations of God. Then there is God the Holy Spirit = God revealing God's self and working with and guiding our subjective existential experience, and we are all at different stages of growth and the Holy Spirit works with us where we are to point closer and closer to Christ. These three need to be held in tension yet unison with each other in our minds. The counterfeit trinity focuses on the 3 aspects of God but where they are independent of the others and only cooperate to their own selfish purposes. The dragon represents Satan and demonic work directly, with Satan's first deception: that God is not God and therefore has no right to place a law over us. We are to be a law unto ourselves. We have our own truths and you have your own truths. You search for truth inside yourself. You are your own final authority. At best this is some form of Eastern Religion and at worst it is Spiritualism. This was the spirit behind the French Revolution and all that has come from it influencing the world. It is a counterfeit Holy Spirit. All truth is in your subjective experience. In a lot of ways the beast is the opposite of the dragon. While the dragon is all me and my subjective experience; the beast is some organization outside of our selves that we allow to rule over us. A fantastic example has been the Papacy over the ages (Yes, there have been good and faithful Godly people as popes or elsewhere in the system here and there. I have tremendous respect for Pope John XXIII. Thousands if not millions of more Catholics will be in heaven because of him.) But good or bad, the Papacy still wants to be the papacy, telling us what to do and we submit to it's authority. Sadly, too many Seventh-day Adventists are only worried about this attitude and spirit ONLY if it comes from the Vatican. It it comes from a different direction, especially from Adventist fringe groups who complain that we are not faithful for not toeing the line of what they see as important, or even people more central to our church with this same spirit, we tend to welcome them. The beast is a counterfeit God the Father. The lamb like beast, the false prophet, is a counterfeit Christ, a counter fit personal friend helping us to compromise and excuse ourselves, especially in the final crisis. Everyone will find things in the final crisis that goes against our conscience, and the lamb like beast tells us that it is best for our existential experience to go along with the system. I am finding many so called "conservatives" who are falling into this trap. I don't remember the details, but decades ago I heard a non-Adventist radio, I want to say evangelist, but I think he was a guest for the radio program. He gave an excellent critique on how people were coming to being very individual's experience and thus leaving traditional values. If I recall correctly, he pushed for churches to really push the traditional values and to vote for people who will make laws for and enforcement of traditional values. I have not gotten very far into it, but from the liner notes it looks interesting and hopefully useful, but I got a book looking at the French Revolution and how it has been influencing the world today. But the author keeps pointing to enforcing traditional values, and having little room for where people are in their spiritual growth, seeing everything she sees as "liberal" as horribly and totally wrong and we have to purge this our of our society. And in my LLP DVDs they keep pointing out where films have people looking inside to their feelings and to choose to go in that "follow your heart" direction. This is a danger we need to be aware of; and I am frankly surprised as to how many of these so called "family" entertainment movies are pushing this spiritualistic deception. But again they seem to support a "enforce the truth" solution. The American revolution was for freedom through good laws and to protect people's liberty of conscience. The Europe we broke away from had a spirit of telling people what to do. Your religion was pretty much where you were born, and you had your state church and you better toe the line. The French Revolution was based upon the idea that freedom is an absence of law, just looking inside your self for reason and what is right for you, and coming to the conclusion that most people cannot handle freedom so you need to enforce it until you create a generation that can handle it, but for now only the elite are able to handle it. I think you can say that while the demons prefer the spirit of the French Revolution, of the law has been done away with. But this would have been a headache for the demons. They needed to know everyone to design a temptation for each person. The demons hate us too much to want to spend time customizing temptations to us It was a lot easier when they had a Pope to tell people what to do, To just have only one or a handful of deceptions that has mass appeal. They double checked the results of this experiment with Adolph Hitler and the Nazis. When they were done with him they treated him like a lab rat when done with their experiment. They are now figuring out how to again make a mass appeal temptation, but how to make people such as Bonhoeffer or Churchill go along with it. They don't care if this temptation really has captured your heart, or for you to think it's for your best interest to simply go along with it. To have the mark in either your forehead or right hand. In Rome, there were times where the local community was to come and bow before the emperors image and pray to him. Jews (including Christians) were allowed to skip this as long as they prayed for the emperor in synagogue. But not showing up and bowing could make your neighbors wonder about you and your commitment. So rabbis discussed that they had members who would walk past the image, and not bow and pray, but just notice that their sandal needed adjusting so they bow to fix their sandal, but look committed. This is where we get the idea of the mark in the forehead (those who bow and pray to the emperor) or in the right hand (those who bow to fix their sandal.) We are at different stages in our religious and life experience. In the truth about the trinity we know that there is an ultimate truth that we are heading towards; but we can apply truth to our likes, dislikes, and subjective experiences. It is to become a oneness of applying Godly principles to the type of unique individual God has made each and everyone of us. God is willing to work with us as we learn and work with our needs assessment, fight against having contempt, work with our temperaments, love languages, apology languages and attachment styles. Both the objective truth and our subjective experience can work together.

Michael Czechowski is an often little known, but important figure in SDA history. For a brief telling of his story, see: https://adventistreview.org/magazine-article/michael-czechowski/

I didn't blow it off initially. What I stated here was not to worry about it because Bluehost is hosting the site. In the past, when it has gotten attacked, they have shut it down until they got it fixed. What I did yesterday was notify Bluehost and turn the matter over to them. I do pay extra for Bluehost to protect the site and thus far they have done a fine job. Today they notified me the site is clean and was not infected. The issue was with Norton. Norton has been notified and should correct the error on their side. Sometimes even the good guys get things wrong. That has happened where I work too. Our firewall blocks me from accessing sites that are perfectly safe. I have to call the IT support and have them adjust the firewall so those sites are accessible. I think Adventist sites are under even more attack for reasons I have mentioned. We struggle not against flesh and blood.

The required surgery appeared impossible. A plan was developed. Step by step, over a multi-year period of time, something was accomplished and the next step in surgery was planned. Finally the ultimate surgical step was taken. For the results, see: https://adventistreview.org/profile/what-if-my-son-were-in-that-situation/

It's important to emphasize that the Father is a spiritual being, not comprised of flesh and blood. Jesus plainly said "A spirit hath not flesh and bones" (Lk 24:39). God is a spirit. Not having flesh and bones does not preclude the Father from having a human like form. Revelation 5:1,7 mention the right hand of him that sitteth upon the throne. The Ancient of Days has a hair and head (Dan. 7:9). None of these human like features describing the Father detract from his majesty or deity. Since the Scripture says man was in the image of God, it would be expected that there would be similarities. An image is something that looks like what it represents. It is not of the same substance. That's exactly the case when comparing man with God. The appearance is the same or similar. The substance is not.

I have much respect for S. Bohr

Psalm 2, 7 prophetically applied to Christ is speaking of the Incarnation when Jesus was indeed born "in the flesh". You've no doubt heard the saying that 'wherever you go - there you are'. Well, Christ was the Son prior to the Incarnation according to the Scriptures.

In my opening post, I listed a link to a website that had a complex listing o the legal actions that were going on. As few people have probably read that in detail. I will summarize what is listed as happening. Everything happening is normal for litigation of this type. 1) Each party to this case is entitled to be represented by an attorney. So, every time a new attorney is hired to represent a party, a formal notice is filed to give all parties notice that this new person is actively involved in the litigation. 2) Everyone has to be notified as to who is the plaintiff in this litigation along with the attorneys who are representing a plaintiff. 3) The alleged defendants and the attorneys representing them have to be identified to all. 4) Each defendant has a right to ask to be dismissed as a defendant from the litigation, and the plaintiffs have the right to object to that dismissal. It is normal to have some dismissed while others remain.

God says it is a sign between his people and Him. By keeping the Sabbath it means we are God’s own.

What is in a name: Karen may be thought to be a common female name. In our society today is has assumed a rather negative connotation. From this perspective, one should be careful about using that name. For more information see: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-53588201

Nuggets take home 1st NBA title in rugged 94-89 win over Heat DENVER (AP) — Confetti flying in Denver. The Nuggets sharing hugs while passing around the NBA championship trophy. https://apnews.com/article/nuggets-heat-nba-finals-jokic-99c0f25e6e468a97f8c86330f988933d? Congrats to the Denver Nuggets and there fans 👍👍👍👍👍

Nostalgia is the opposite of resentment. While resentment can make us bitter and cold, nostalgia has actually been shown to reduce stress and act against depression and anxiety. Some psychologists believe that reflecting on positive life experiences is especially beneficial to those that have experienced childhood trauma. This is consistent with the Apostle Paul's advice to the Philippians. "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." (Philippians 4:8). Nostalgia provides a greater sense of meaning in life for many people. Some therapists that use narrative therapy coach their clients how to use nostalgic moments of their past to shape a positive self-image. Our memories are not perfect. We do not want to make up good memories that never existed but we can learn how to move past bad memories while hanging on to the good memories and even allowing those good memories to serve to benefit us in the present.

The phrase "430 Bible study contacts," is not defined. It is open to question. In the past, the mass distribution of The Great Controversy has been ineffective. I documented a case which I as recall it cost into 6-figures and resulted in one baptism. In any case, several examples have had no known baptisms result. We have much better methods of spending money given for evangelism. I wonder why we think that the general public will read a book that they will not purchase, in this television age. Let those who will purchase it do so.

God is with your family in this.