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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.

April 12. 2024 I hope to be able later today to post additional material in response to issues that Gustave has raised. Until I am able to do that, I am locking this thread. I will remove any comments that are placed in this thread by the few people who can post in a locked thread. After I have placed additional material in this thread, I will allow for posts to be made in this thread. In further study of the responses made to me, I believe that I have permission to post them in this forum. So, I will do so, with some explanatory remarks. I am still uncertain as to whether or not I have permission to publish either his name, or position in the SDA denomination. At this time I will simply call him Dr. Paul, (not his real name) and state that he is an SDA Scholar.

This topic is now open. I am reserving my right to respond at a later time, in this space. Others may now post comments related to the above posts.

Adventist Today Magazine is available on the Internet, and may be accessed at: https://atoday.org/magazine-archives/

Spectrum Magazine: As an experiment, the current issue of Spectrum has been placed on the web, for viewing by the public at large. It may be accessed from the following link. I have been given permission to share this. https://media.spectrummagazine.org/app/uploads/2024/04/spectrum-52-1.pdf Some back issues of Spectrum may be accessed from the following link. Additional back issues will be added over a period of time. https://centerforadventistresearch.org/spectrum/ It should be noted that the above link will provide you with access to additional material about Adventism, well beyond this magazine, if you take the time to learn to use that website.

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/

(N) John 17:22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

After a recent review of our financial records, I have determined that I can retire at 97 years of age. At that time, I will be able to live comfortably for eleven minutes.

(N) Matthew 24:44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

(N) Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

(N) Daniel 2:22 He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.

* Elderly man rear-ends an expensive car in front of him at a Stop Sign. * Joe, driver of the expensive car begins to berate the elderly driver and demand $10,000 for the damage. * Elderly man responds that he will telephone his son, John, who trains dolphins, who will take care of the situation. * Joe takes the cell phone and informs John that the wants an immediate $10,000. John responds that he understands and will be there in a few minutes. * John arrives and shortly pounds Joe into a quivering heap. * John then turns to his Father and says: "Dad, for the last time I do not train dolphins. I train Navy Seals.

Sabbath Seminar: On April 6, 2024, at 1:30 PM, Eastern Time, Adventist Today will moderate a discussion seminar, led by Matthew Korpman. All are invited to participate. For information on this seminar, including information on how to join, see the following article: https://atoday.org/atss-did-ellen-white-read-apocryphal-gospels/

Seeking ‘the right side of history,’ Speaker Mike Johnson risks his job to deliver aid to Ukraine WASHINGTON (AP) — Staring down a decision so consequential it could alter the course of history -- but also end his own career -- House Speaker Mike Johnson prayed for guidance. https://apnews.com/article/house-ukraine-aid-speaker-ouster-c525efc953d532242d6d441c55724992?

Brain & Life is a magazine to which I subscribe and it is free of charge. Its purpose is to help elderly people and their caregivers to understand and deal with the changes that commonly take place in the elderly. The URL below links to the current issue. I find it to be helpful in articles which discuss Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), which was a new condition to me, Parkinsons' Disease and on driving an automobile by the elderly. I consider it to be a valued magazine that helps people to better understand the elderly and their needs. I recommend it to clergy, caregivers and older people. Subscribe to it. It is free. I have done so for several years. https://www.brainandlife.org/the-magazine/bl-current-issue/

Women in Combat: I often tell people that I am the first U.S. Army Chaplain in modern times to go into combat with a COED unit. What most people do not know, is that 885 female members of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion served in Europe during World war II. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6888th_Central_Postal_Directory_Battalion NOTE: Later this year a movie about this unit, titled Six Triple Eight will be released to theaters.

Escape From Germany is a movie, released to the theaters on April 12, 2024, that tells the true story of 85 Later-Day Saint missionaries who fled Germany during World War II. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28172032/

Also see: https://adventistreview.org/profile/the-hopeful-film-about-adventist-origins-debuts-in-theaters/

(N) Revelation 15:2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

Comfortable living: The following article reports on the amount of income a single person, in each of the 50 U. S. States would need to live comfortably under the 50/30/20 rule. https://www.bing.com/searchq=addventists+today\&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqBwgGEEUYwgMyBwgAEEUYwgMyBwgBEEUYwgMyBwgCEEUYwgMyBwgDEEUYwgMyBwgEEEUYwgMyBwgFEEUYwgMyBwgGEEUYwgMyBwgHEEUYwgPSAQ02NzA0MTA3NDJqMGo0qAIIsAIB&FORM=ANAB01&adppc=EDGEBRV&PC=EDGEBRV

U. S. Health Care: The following article, written by a physician, will inform you on more aspects than you probably knew existed. https://atoday.org/disease-and-doctors/

Nefarious is a film currently being shown in the theaters that Christians would normally be expected to never view. However, according to the review below, it can be compared to the C.S. Lewis's Screwtape Letters. https://spectrummagazine.org/culture/books-film/nefarious-a-film-review/

There is tension in today’s world between the order of the old age and the chaos of the current age - a sense that we are in a transitory phase and either headed toward rigid regimentalism or anarchy. This in-between time we are currently experiencing is what British-Pakastani scholar Ziauddin Sardar calls “Postnormal times” or PNT.View the full article

Potlucks: According to the writer below, Potlucks may be an unrecognized answer to some of the issues faced by Adventism. https://atoday.org/three-reasons-potluck-could-save-the-adventist-church/

This forum intends to facilitate civil discussion. Civil discussion can be frank. This discussion meets the expected norms of discussion.

The universe and God are so vast that human language can only attempt to explain it let alone define it, much like trying to define the boundaries of the universe or what lies beyond it. We get glimpse of it thought out the Bible, and yet people get so hostile if others do not accept their findings.

As finite creations of an infinite Creator we have been gifted more with the knowledge of what God is NOT. God is a mystery and pretty much all heresies about God flow downstream of people attempting to remove the mystery.

(N) Psalm 34:5 They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.

Police attempted to detain two suspects in a retail theft. They caught one person. The second person ran away. He was wearing a ankle monitor. Police knew at all times exactly where he was. With thanks to the Placer Herald, April 12, 2024 edition.,

We can define God only in terms of what we experience in our human life. God is not limited by our human experience. As to the boundaries of the Universe, Science teaches that there is a finite boundary to what we can explain about the Universe and beyond that we can only speculate, in part by mathematical formulas.

While the identification of Michael as Jesus Christ finds support in certain passages, many scholars and theologians maintain that Michael is solely an angelic being, distinct from Jesus Christ. This is often done to protect the divine nature of Christ and the Christian understanding of the Trinity. Identifying Jesus with the angelic figure Michael, to […] The post Counterarguments Against Michael Being Christ appeared first on Jon Paulien's Blog. View the full article

Please note: If you wish to comment on the Trinity, do it in that forum.

New York City Bridge: Did one almost fall as did the BAltimore bridge? See: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/huge-shipping-container-loses-all-power-near-nyc-bridge-not-long-after-baltimore-key-bridge-collapse/ar-BB1leAGY?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=DCTS&cvid=f0caf09fa1414baa9d1bf5cc3b7bec81&ei=8

Windows 11: Microsoft will not update your Windows 11 computer if it finds certain apps installed on your computer. The following links informs you as to certain apps that you cannot use if you want to update your Windows 11 computer. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/microsoft-won-t-update-your-windows-11-pc-if-it-has-these-apps/ar-BB1lg8RE?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=DCTS&cvid=a8b55fc853614354aa52ce757ccd320c&ei=18

The Hopeful is a 90-minute film, about the beginning of the SDA Church, that will be released shortly. The following is a 47-minute discussion about the film.

(N) Acts 5:32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

The following is an interesting judgment in a religious liberty case. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/nyc-to-pay-17-5m-after-police-forced-women-to-remove-hijab-for-mug-shots/ar-BB1laYIp

Santeria (which I think is basically voodoo ) became a thing in the early 1800's and I think they are big into stuff like this. Never heard of it being a item of religious devotion for Baptists or SDA's before. Probably just Con's trying to see the event and using religion as a means to get their way.

Refletions is a publication of the SDA Biblical Research Institute. It typically publishes articles of current doctrinal interest. You may access the current issue by clicking on the URL below. https://www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/Reflections-85-January-March-2024.pdf You may sign-up to receive a digital copy at the following address: https://www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/

He was an amazing person, a type of politician that we need more of. The world is better because of him. He was a godly man, and a thinker who really loved God and God's world. Once when in Washington DC for Air Force Training, on a day off I got to sit in the senate gallery and he was one of the Senators that I recognized. I did not know this until hearing about his death on the news, but not only was he Al Gore's running mate on the democratic ticked, but despite him being a Democrat, John McCain seriously considered him for his running mate. When I heard of his death, I could not help but tell people "I hope that his death does not confuse people, to hear a good godly man and a politician", that they don't scratch their heads and say "Imagine that, two men in the same grave." Another smile I heard on the news was, since he was a Sabbath keeper, that his staff used to say "Joe Lieberman, working for you 24/6" Death is an enemy, but we can add smiles to our tears when someone has left such a legacy and resting in the blessed hope.

You opinions on this matter are a great example of the collective disillusion that has swept through the conservative movement. Conservatives are increasingly attaching themselves to wild opinions that they have to walk back when the get a moment of sanity or perhaps a word with their advisers. Unfortunately for them they are ensuring that another Bush will get the nod. Jesus did not say the world would hate Christians. He said they would hate his disciples/followers. I don't know where you get "the jews" bit from. The Jews hated Him and demanded his execution. It's quite interesting that Christians give millions to a people who reject Jesus. The Bible has some stiff things to say about those who reject the reality of Jesus Christ. Culture, money and power tops truth and the Word of God for Christianity in the western world. Evangelical support for Israel is the greatest example of apostasy at work.

Who said it was a crime? LOL. You can defend him all you want. That's not a crime either.

No charges necessary. He has condemned himself. But at least he spoke his mind.

Heh. Right. 'Earth Day's Dirty Little Secret' has zero agenda.

OK, no assumptions on my part then. What is the 'take away' message we are meant to get from reading this article? You tell me.