A Call for Revival, Repentance & Reformation

[Nic Samojluk]

When Ted Wilson was elected as our new General Conference president, he made a call for revival and reformation. There are visible signs that said revival and reformation has started already among Adventists. This needs to continue, but it must include visible evidence of sorrow and repentance for what we Adventists have done wrong in the past and for what we are doing wrong in the present. There exist sinful policies in our midst which unless repented of and abandoned, will tarnish and stain our mission to the world. The Bible states the following in Amos 5:24:

“But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!”

As God’s Remnant people with the last message to a perishing world, we cannot afford to continue holding to policies which are unfair and detrimental to our fellow human beings. We cannot profit at the expense of the weak and vulnerable members of the human race. We must repent of two great sins which have tarnished the good name of Seventh-day Adventist, and we are not talking merely about our compromise regarding the biblical doctrine of creation.

Sin Number one: Our profit from the killing of unborn babies. You may not be aware, but we have led in the legalization of abortion in the United States. This is a fact that is well documented in the Adventist literature. When the State of Hawaii legalized the practice of elective abortions in 1970, we stated that our church did not approve abortions on demand, but we allowed our Castle Memorial Hospital [CMH] to offer such services to their patients fearing the loss of revenue if we didn’t.

Our North American Division president justified this with the following declaration: “SDAs lean towards abortion rather than against it. Because we realize we are confronted with big problems of hunger and over-population.” [George Gainer, The Wisdom of Solomon? Spectrum 19/4 (May 1989): 38-46.]

Several Adventist hospitals took advantage of this moral compromise with evil and thousands of innocent babies were deprived of life in violation of our own church policy and the biblical injunction against murder.

Sin Number Two: Our toleration of injustice towards patients and hospital workers connected with the Adventist Health System. If this is news to you, perhaps you should watch a video documenting the fact that the management of said Adventist corporation has a policy of deleting any hospital records of events detrimental to the health and rights of both patients and hospital employees.

One day a patient was administered an overdose of a powerful medication and he jumped from the seventh floor to his death. Patricia Moleski, who was in charge of computer records, was ordered to delete the nurse’s report describing this adverse event. She refused, and lost her position. She claims that thousands of similar illegal deletions are routinely done with impunity by the Adventist Health System. There has been attempt at her life, and she is being sued by this 32 billion worth Adventist organization. You can listen to her report by clicking on: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F91hN9nR1KA.

Other Sins: You can add other sins, but if we ignore the two sins I named above, the revival and reformation will be no more than window dressing. Our institutions and our church needs to be protected, but not at the expense of truth and the rights of the most vulnerable members of the human race. The lives of unborn should not be sacrificed for the benefit of the medical institutions our church manages.

A year ago Ted Wilson publicly stated in the City of Redlands that elective abortions in our hospitals are down to almost zero. How can we trust such assertion when our hospitals are not protecting the integrity of their hospital records and when all derogatory material is routinely deleted by those in charge of management?

I personally asked Wilson for help with the procurement of reliable abortion statistics since I was on the verge of publishing my book dealing with abortion. He advised me to write to the person in charge of such issues at the General Conference. I did follow his suggestion, but got no response. I sent additional correspondence to the GC and asked Wilson about the possibility that he might be misinformed about the abortion statistics he has been receiving. More than a year has gone by and I am still waiting for a response from either him or anybody else at the GC.

Likewise, the patients who come to out hospitals expect that their rights and confidentiality will be protected and that they will be notified of any adverse events that might take place affecting their health or their life.

The law demands that patient’s records be truthful and reliable. How can this be achieved when said records are sanitized and when adverse events are routinely deleted? The same applies to the record kept of adverse events affecting the service of hospital employees. They are also entitled to truthful and clean records.

These sins must be acknowledged and repented of. Unless this is done, there will not be true revival worth a dime!

[CoAspen]

* * *

Perhaps 'pride' in ones own self and opinions should be # 1!!!

[Overaged]

sin number 1, sin number 2, sin number 3...Oh goody! Another negative innaccurate, finger-pointing thread on all the "sins" in the church.

* * *

[Woody]

It's spelled A G E N D A and it never ends. It's like the Energizer Bunny.

[Nic Samojluk]

Perhaps 'pride' in ones own self and opinions should be # 1!!!

I agree! Pride is probably the worst sin of all, but this could be the topic of another thread. My emphasis is not on the number but rather on the sin which need to be part of the revival and reformation.

[doug yowell]

Nic is still playing his 1 string banjo.

If the church is still allowing it's institutions to practice abortion on demand then Nic has a valid song to play on that banjo. Since it is well documented that the church has historically been supportive of that practice and has yet to confess and forsake that responsibility it is questionable at best that it has repented from one of it's most publicly noted sins. Whoever confesses and forsakes their sins will have mercy.The continuing stubborn resistance to address SDA culpability and to reform our stand on the moral and health principles that we were founded on will always stand as a reminder to us that we are not yet repentant much less reformed.Nic may be a one man band but that doesn't mean that his note of warning should be dismissed out of hand.

[Overaged]

Originally Posted By: CoAspen

Perhaps 'pride' in ones own self and opinions should be # 1!!!

I agree! Pride is probably the worst sin of all, but this could be the topic of another thread. My emphasis is not on the num ber but rather omn the sin which need to be part of the revival and reformation.

You just said above we could "add our own sins" here to your big #1 and #2. As I have said before, you have many issues with the church. You should quit pretending it's just your perceived ideas about abortion. And btw, you still have not proven any of those.

[Nic Samojluk]

Overaged wrote:

“sin number 1, sin number 2, sin number 3...Oh goody! Another negative innaccurate, finger-pointing thread on all the "sins" in the church.”

Have you considered the fact that all revivals in the Bible were a call to repentance? When was the last time you read the calls to revival and reformation by the Old Testament prophets, the appeals for reform by John the Baptist and Jesus himself? Do you also condemn the work of the reformers? Were the messages of these men of God negative and inaccurate?

Did you watch the video and the testimony of Patricia Moleski? Do you justify the illegal and criminal behavior of the Adventist CEO’s who routinely delete the record of patients and employees? Can’t you see the elephant in the room? Should corporate greed be tolerated by our church at the expense of our hospital patients and employees? Can the Lord continue to bless our work if we ignore moral ethics and the laws of our country with impunity?

Altering the record of patients and employees is against the law. CEO’s should not have access to those records and much less alter them to increase their yearly bonuses. Did you pay attention to the story of the baby which died as a result of overdose of medication whose record was altered to protect—not the patient—but the hospital at patient’s expense? Did you hear Moleski’s claim that the record of thousands of patients and employees were altered with impunity?

If our Adventist system plays fast and furious with hospital records, can we trust our GC president when he tells us that the number of elective abortions is down to almost zero? If we allow lying to take place on a routine basis, how can we expect the world to believe in our message?

Moleski refused to engage in this criminal activity and was fired and our Adventist Health System is determined to ruin her for good. She is being sued for refusing to do evil. Our church is punishing a penniless woman who got the guts to stand up to a rich corporation.

I am calling my church to repentance and you label my work as negative and inaccurate? Do you have some facts in support of your claim?

[Overaged]

OK; and now people, on top of all the rest of it, we are being asked to believe everything we see/hear on You Tube!! Amazing!!

When Nic provides some real evidence; then we may BELIEVE and join him in his finger-pointing work.

[Nic Samojluk]

Overaged wrote:

“You just said above we could "add our own sins" here to your big #1 and #2. As I have said before, you have many issues with the church. You should quit pretending it's just your perceived ideas about abortion. And btw, you still have not proven any of those.”

I have provided you with specific documentation selected from our Adventist literature—hundreds of quotations from our official “Ministry” magazine, from "Spectrum," "Adventist

Today," and from books we have published. I gave you the link to Patricia Moleski whistleblower’s one hour video report. I gave you statistics from public sources. What else do you need? Can you be precise in your demands?

[Nic Samojluk]

Overaged wrote:

“OK; and now people, on top of all the rest of it, we are being asked to believe everything we see/hear on You Tube!! Amazing!!

When Nic provides some real evidence; then we may BELIEVE and join him in his finger-pointing work.”

Good point! My answer is: Patricia’s claim is being litigated in court right now. The evidence will be presented as the case proceeds. Justice should prevail, unless big money talks too loud! Did you read the story of Lindy Chamberlain and her Azaria baby? The dingo did it! Nevertheless, it took Lindy three decades to prevail in court. I believe that Moleski will eventually prevail.

Are you aware that one of the judges in the Moleski’s case was asked to recues himself because his wife was on the board of a health system? Are you aware that the poor, Adventist, jobless woman, has received dead threats, her car was set on fire, and that someone attempted to kill her?

The bullet missed her head by inches! She had to relocate for safety. The Adventist 30 billion Adventist corporation is determined to ruin her for good! Is this the message we are sending to the world?

All these are serious allegations by this Adventist whistleblower which should not be lightly ignored.

[CoAspen]

You don't get it do you....... ...for you it's all about what you think is the 'others' sin!!

Perhaps read the story in the NT about the two praying people in the temple that Christ spoke about. Read any commentary you can find on the subject as well. Your posts are comming across as having the issue that one of those 'praying in the temple' persons had.

[Woody]

.

[Overaged]

Your "hundreds of quotations is just spam that means nothing - proves nothing; except that you have no real evidence.

Woody's sign says it all.

[Nic Samojluk]

CoAspen wrote:

“You don't get it do you....... ...for you it's all about what you think is the 'others' sin!! Perhaps read the story in the NT about the two praying people in the temple that Christ spoke about. Read any commentary you can find on the subject as well. Your posts are comming across as having the issue that one of those 'praying in the temple' persons had.”

How can I get it if you are purposely avoiding the issue? This whistleblower is alleging that criminal activity is taking place in our Adventist Health System on a regular basis and you are making me the focus of the problem?

Ted Wilson made a call for revival and reformation. His emphasis was on moving away from teaching the theory of evolution as factual. What I am saying is that true and genuine revival must include avoiding the unjust treatment of patients and employees for the sake of profit.

Is it wrong for me to suggest that we expand the scope of our call for revival and reformation? Are you happy with what is taking place in our own medical institutions?

[Overaged]

How can I get it if you are purposely avoiding the issue? This whistleblower is alleging that criminal activity is taking place in our Adventist Health System on a regular basis and you are making me the focus of the problem?

You keep stating things as "fact;" that simply are not - you have not proven any of this, so yes, we have no other choice here.

[Nic Samojluk]

.

Evidently, you picked the wrong biblical passage. The Bible tells us that we must judge.

“Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment." [John 7:P24]

As you can see, what the Bible condemns is not the right judgment but the wrong kind of judgment.

A good example is what the church did regarding Samuel Koranteng Pipim a week ago. His baptism was cancelled. This is an example of a right judgment which the Bible demands from us.

[Overaged]

We are still waiting for you to prove the "right" part of your tirade.

[Nic Samojluk]

Overaged wrote:

“Your "hundreds of quotations is just spam that means nothing - proves nothing; except that you have no real evidence.”

You have just thrashed the hundreds of statements and reports which were published by our official “Ministry” magazine and similar Adventist which I quoted verbatim imn my book and the comments I have made in this and other forums.

“Woody's sign says it all.”

Woody’s sign says half of the truth. The Bible demands that we do judge, but that we judge right.

[CoAspen]

Hopeless....not getting it...on purpose it would seem.

Pride goeth before a downfall.

[Nic Samojluk]

You keep stating things as "fact;" that simply are not - you have not proven any of this, so yes, we have no other choice here.

Did you watch Moleski's video? Do you really believe that a jobless and pennyless womam is likely to fabricate such serious charges against a 32 billion worth corporation? Do you believe that an attorney would take a case unless there is enough supporting evidence in her favor?

[Nic Samojluk]

We are still waiting for you to prove the "right" part of your tirade.

Are you confusing me with her attorney? Proving a case that is litigated is the work of attorneys. While we wait, we need to be wise and weigh the evidence Moleski has submitted to the public. This is what the media and bloggers do while they wait for the verdict.

[Nic Samojluk]

Hopeless....not getting it...on purpose it would seem.

Pride goeth before a downfall.

You stated that we should not judge, yet you have already judged and condemned my ministry a hundred times. Should you not live by what you preach?

[CoAspen]

Originally Posted By: CoAspen

Hopeless....not getting it...on purpose it would seem.

Pride goeth before a downfall.

You stated that we should not judge, yet you have already judged and condemned my ministry a hundred times. Should you not live by what you preach?

Read peoples post a little more carefully! You have been questioned as to your purpose, not condemned. Sorry, have not questioned your ministry '100 times', but have questioned your attitude!!!

[Nic Samojluk]

Read peoples post a little more carefully! You have been questioned as to your purpose, not condemned. Sorry, have not questioned your ministry '100 times', but have questioned your attitude!!!

Since you are questioning my attitude, then you must also question the attitude of this Adventist reporter:

"Part Two: The Whistleblower and the Healthcare Corporation

Submitted: Jun 15, 2012

By Andrews Hanson

I came across Patricia Moleski’s YouTube video about six weeks ago as I was researching another story. The events she recounted were so horrific and bizarre that I was immediately skeptical. I have spent considerable time investigating her story, and I am convinced she is completely truthful.

I’ve been asked a number of times why I as a life-long Adventist would choose to report on a story that sullies the name “Adventist” and calls into question the “good name” of Adventist Health Systems whose mission statement is, “Extending the healing ministry of Christ.”

What motivates me to write this series of potentially damaging reports? Because the Adventist Church has no shortage of critics, from the insightful to the lunatics, I thought you ought to know something about me and my motivation before continuing this series. So here’s my answer.

I have been aware of corporate abuse of power within the Adventist Church since I was nine or ten when an administrator attempted to fire my father so one of his relatives could have the job. In the intervening 60 years, as a college student, a teacher in a junior academy, an elder, a school board member and acting principal, and as a church member, I’ve observed a kind of institutional pecking order in which certain denominationally-employed Adventists accumulated more power and perks, and others got poorer, not just monetarily, but in influence and social standing.

When I protested that this institutional pecking order was wrong, my wife invariably said, “So what are you going to do about it?” And to my shame, I did very little besides bending the ear of a fellow teacher or sympathetic pastor. I attempted to quiet my conscience by telling myself: “I don’t have time to get involved. If those people don’t like the way they’re treated, they can get other jobs.”

Sometimes I reasoned, “It must not be important to those folks.” When I was particularly frustrated by the unfairness of the system, I excused myself from speaking out publically by blaming the victims: “If those people are willing to put up with that treatment, they deserve it!

When a person gets to be 70, a review of the life lived can’t be avoided, and I decided to meet my wife’s challenge and get publically and professionally involved. I fancied myself qualified to be a theological activist, an editorial critic, and a satirist. It never occurred to me that my public commitment would require me to face the realization that a huge, politically and financially powerful organization, flying the flag, “Adventist”, whose mission is “the healing ministry of Christ,” was harming others through what appear to be conscious, premeditated practices. When the realization hit, I was scared. I tried my previous excuses for not getting involved … without success.

And there is a personal reason to pursue this story; something about “standing for the right though the heavens fall.” And, “the want of the world is men who are as true to duty as the needle to the pole.” Those are quotations that have been written on my heart and mind by my Adventist education and my spiritual mentors.

Patricia Moleski is living proof that these are not just words on a page or outdated sentiments."

Source: http://www.atoday.org/article/1244/news/...are-corporation

If you click on the above link, you will also be tempted to question the opinion of the bloggers shose posts appear there.