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I have not viewed the video, so I cannot comment on it. Many years ago the Seventh-day Adventist Biblical Research Institute published a book by a professor, as I remember, Ronald M. Springett, titled: HOMOSEXUALITY IN HISTORY AND SCRIPTURE. It may be purchased today for $8. I consider that book to be a classic and very valuable. That book points out that homosexuality is defined (at the time it was written, which in my thinking carries over into today) in two (2) different ways. One way is to define homosexuality by behavior. If one practices the behavior, one is homosexual and if one ceases to practice the behavior, one is no longer a homosexual. The other definition is based upon orientation and desire. My personal position is that homosexuality should be defined by orientation and desire. Behavior can be changed. Based upon that definition, homosexuality can be "cured." However, orientation and desire has not been demonstrated to be changeable in any major manor. The claims of such are few and far between. They can probably be explained by the reality that sexuality exists on a line that goes from point A to point B. Sexuality is not a fully either or. There are gradations between A & B. The demonstration of this lies with people who are bi-sexual. and asexual. So, now the first question that may be asked is: What is the basis for Matthew saying that he was a homosexual? Is his claim made on the basis of behavior, or on the basis of orientation and desire? That should be followed up by the question as to where he was on the line between A & B. Once that question has been answered, Tom's point is well taken: It remains to be seen. The SDA Church has a history of people demonstrating that their claims of release from homosexuality were unfounded. NOTE: I think that Springett was a professor at Southern Adventist University in the Religion department.

But isn't that just how capitalism works? Fortunes come and go. Big business is competition. Not everyone gets to be the winner.

http://www.amazon.com/Questions-Answers-about-Womens-Ordination-ebook/dp/B00O5KVZSC/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1412610066&sr=1-2&keywords=Questions+ordination

I believe that the SDA Church has a scriptually based set of doctrines; far better than any other church. Does that mean I agree exactly with every position. No, I must study every doctrine for myself; I must own it. So I do have positions which are not always according to the norm of the church; I keep studying because I do not believe I have the final authority for truth. I keep depending upon the promise of the Holy Spirit to guide me to all truth. It is my job to put myself in a position where the Spirit can do that. I do believe that there is still much to learn about the sanctuary doctrine. Sincerely, The searcher.

mince, verb 1. To walk with short steps in a prim manner. "She minced down the street and then entered the five star hotel." ....from Braingle 2. To cut or chop up into small pieces; esp. food; esp. meat. “They dined on mince, and slices of quince, Which they ate with a runcible spoon; And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand, They danced by the light of the moon” - Edward Lear dAb

This is a sad situation. A couple of my close friends have had to deal with this issue. It hurt to see the pain they have gone through. Two of them had "changed" studying Eli Siegel's Aesthetic Realism. However things happened after Mr. Siegel died and for most people the change parts did not work. As my two closest friends, one still finds his change in place (and that he sees it as a change in orientation and desire) the other has not. This is a topic that I have to admit I find uncomfortable to talk about and think about and wish it did not exist (at least wish all my friends were straight). There are those of us who are naturally homophobic. I confess to be one of these. This makes it an even harder issue to face. It is so much easier to talk about Women's Ordination. But face it we must. People are indeed suffering. Yes, we have our proof texts. But there is problems with their contexts. I've seen what my friends have gone through and others and we need to pray for them.

3ABN to Air Two-Hour Special on Ebola This Weekend The Ebola crisis dominates our headlines, and fear of an epidemic is causing governments worldwide to take increasingly drastic measures to contain it. How much danger are we in? What precautions should we take? And what can we do to help the millions of people who are living under the eminent threat of infection? What is our church doing to help? These questions, and many more, are addressed in a two-hour special airing this weekend on 3ABN. Tune in for a frank discussion with Dr. Peter Landless, director of the Health Ministries Department at the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. We will also be discussing this disease with Dr. James Appel and Dr. Gillian Seton, who have been battling Ebola firsthand at the Cooper Adventist Hospital in Monrovia, Liberia. This is a program you won't want to miss! Broadcast Times Friday, October 17, from 7:00-9:00 p.m. CDT (UTC-5) Saturday, October 18, from 2:00-4:00 p.m. CDT (UTC-5) (Repeat)

It's better than having the General Conference set the policy; not as good as letting individual congregations pick their own pastors. What if a congregation is 75% women? Wouldn't it be more prudent (on more than one level) for them to have a woman pastor if a qualified one is available? This is not an absurd scenario. There are many congregations that are more than 50% female.

I would prefer to have Unions have the authority, which is what they now have, in may cases. if authority is given to the Divisions, it may be taken from the Unions. Further, if a GC President wants to do so, it will be easier to select a Division President than that of a Union President.

Whew! Finally. A reasonable proposal. We stopped requiring polygamists to divorce their "extra" wives in order to be baptized, many years ago (finally realizing that our mission work was not to "Americanize" people but rather to bring to them the gospel of Jesus Christ). [Honest, that actually was our practice, in some foreign countries, when I was a child.] So why should we now be attempting to "Americanize" church members by requiring them to submit to male headship of families and churches? There are numerous differences in culture, styles, practices, across the world field. We cannot expect to change long-standing culture. Let's let each division and/or local conference make those decisions based on the local culture in each area. Good suggestion!

Ahhh, come on.... You know Hamas is human rights organization, right? Human rights as in, they can kill any Israeli at any time and blame the Israeli for their actions.

I am SOOOO happy to see you here again! You have been so missed!

D Allen, good to see a post from you. You've been missed.

eudemonia from wiktionary 1. happiness, well-being. 2. A person’s state of excellence characterized by objective flourishing across a lifetime, and brought about through the exercise of moral virtue, practical wisdom, and rationality.

Yes, I think that's it. There's in a sense no such thing as a good death, just a good life. Having lived fully and well...

metanoia (n) the journey of changing ones' mind, heart, self, or way of life

I have found a new word: maudlin which would mean self-pityingly, tearfully sentimental. It is related to Mary Magdalen's weeping.