Moderators Gregory Matthews Posted December 13, 2019 Moderators Share Posted December 13, 2019 The Internet is full of criticism of the SDA Church. Often, in my thinking, that criticism is simply gossip, that is repeated without being check out for the facts. Recently, a criticism published on the Internet was that a basketball team from Walla Walla University (A SDA School) had played a formal match against another team on Friday evening, during the Sabbath hours. The actual facts were that the match began about I PM on Friday and ended well before sundown (the Sabbath) in the area where the match was played. The person making the criticism lived in another time zone where the Sabbath began several hours later than it began where the match was played. NOTE: The person making the false statements has apologized for doing so. phkrause 1 Quote Gregory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeMo Posted December 13, 2019 Share Posted December 13, 2019 I watch/read a lot of non-SDA spiritual stuff. It amazes me that certain otherwise very good preachers and commentators still consider SDA's to be a "cult". I was listening to John MacArthur last week; and he said that SDA's were a cult because they put the writings of EGW above scripture (a lie); and because the early church did away with the requirement to keep the 7th day holy (a misreading of Acts 15). Another pastor called SDAs heretics because of they don't believe in the unconditional immortality of the soul (a misreading of the entire Bible). If people would only study scripture instead of swallowing what they hear from the pulpit generation after generation and in their classes at the "semitary" (where the truth dies), maybe we could come into better Christian unity. BlessedMan, phkrause and 8thdaypriest 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlessedMan Posted December 13, 2019 Share Posted December 13, 2019 9 minutes ago, JoeMo said: I watch/read a lot of non-SDA spiritual stuff. It amazes me that certain otherwise very good preachers and commentators still consider SDA's to be a "cult". I was listening to John MacArthur last week; and he said that SDA's were a cult because they put the writings of EGW above scripture (a lie); and because the early church did away with the requirement to keep the 7th day holy (a misreading of Acts 15). Another pastor called SDAs heretics because of they don't believe in the unconditional immortality of the soul (a misreading of the entire Bible). If people would only study scripture instead of swallowing what they hear from the pulpit generation after generation and in their classes at the "semitary" (where the truth dies), maybe we could come into better Christian unity. I can relate to this. It would seem that the way Big Media currently destroys peoples reputations and livelihoods has actually been learned from the church at large, who have always done this kind of thing to anyone with a different belief or doctrine. To publically label a group based on a simply doctrinal difference, is just so wrong, on so many levels. Yes, You heard it first from church. BTW, there is no such thing as "unity" if we are basing it on doctrinal agreement; additionally, divisions are an integral part of both OT & NT churches. Scripture tells us it was not always frowned upon and that The Holy Spirit was/is totally capable of working with us, despite the doctrinal differences. Something that certain people and churches need to learn. (this is my without references version. JoeMo 1 Quote (2 Cor 1:3-4) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. Light In The Clouds _____________________________ In Christ; and through The Spirit; "there is always a little Light..." (Micah 7:8). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeMo Posted December 13, 2019 Share Posted December 13, 2019 B/M, I don't need any references; I totally agree with everything you just said (for a change)! The big thing you said that we all must recognize is that there will never be unity in this age in doctrine - IMHO even between two individuals much less two denominations. My wife and I can't even agree on every point of doctrine. But agreeing on absolutely everything is uniformity - not unity. Unity has to do with the heart just as much as the mind. By my read of the NT, the most important characteristic of the church is love. We are to be unified in our love of our Savior and each other. See 1 Cor. 13. There are people on this forum with whom I have big doctrinal differences. That being said, I still care for them deeply because their care for me comes through even though we disagree on some (usually "trivial") piece of so-called doctrine. I hope my care for them comes through in my posts. 8thdaypriest, pierrepaul, BlessedMan and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pierrepaul Posted December 13, 2019 Share Posted December 13, 2019 1 hour ago, JoeMo said: there will never be unity in this age in doctrine - IMHO even between two individuals much less two denominations. I've never encountered anyone who was fully in agreement with himself. BlessedMan and JoeMo 2 Quote God never said "Thou shalt not think". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlessedMan Posted December 13, 2019 Share Posted December 13, 2019 2 hours ago, pierrepaul said: I've never encountered anyone who was fully in agreement with himself. lol, very good point. :) Quote (2 Cor 1:3-4) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. Light In The Clouds _____________________________ In Christ; and through The Spirit; "there is always a little Light..." (Micah 7:8). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8thdaypriest Posted December 14, 2019 Share Posted December 14, 2019 When almost everyone backs away from you because you don't agree with their (flavor of) "orthodox" Christian doctrine, the sense of isolation can be very draining at times. I'm not trying to sound like a martyr here, but there honestly IS no "church" in my small town where I would be welcome, unless I kept my mouth shut about what I believe. But too many folks know about my website, so it's hard to remain anonymous - doctrinally speaking. Not that there aren't a few folks around the larger area who actually like what I believe. But we have not organized into any fellowship or body, so people are spread out. Most still attend their own Sunday churches, (mostly because of social or family pressures). Just saying. . . When we can discuss things in a kind polite loving manner, it goes along way towards filling that fellowship need. JoeMo 1 Quote 8thdaypriest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeMo Posted December 14, 2019 Share Posted December 14, 2019 1 hour ago, 8thdaypriest said: Just saying. . . When we can discuss things in a kind polite loving manner, it goes along way towards filling that fellowship need. To me, this is a "love" issue. If we all absolutely agreed on every point, no matter how trivial, we would run out of things to talk about very quickly. Part of the art of friendly debate is learning how to disagree without being disagreeable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlessedMan Posted December 14, 2019 Share Posted December 14, 2019 41 minutes ago, JoeMo said: To me, this is a "love" issue. If we all absolutely agreed on every point, no matter how trivial, we would run out of things to talk about very quickly. Part of the art of friendly debate is learning how to disagree without being disagreeable. He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth. (Prov 10:17) phkrause 1 Quote (2 Cor 1:3-4) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. Light In The Clouds _____________________________ In Christ; and through The Spirit; "there is always a little Light..." (Micah 7:8). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlessedMan Posted December 14, 2019 Share Posted December 14, 2019 also meant for "she" Quote (2 Cor 1:3-4) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. Light In The Clouds _____________________________ In Christ; and through The Spirit; "there is always a little Light..." (Micah 7:8). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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