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When we dwell in the new earth, do you think we will build cities or dwell in gardens as did Adam and Eve...? Would we even build houses for that matter? I know there will be the New Jerusalem city. I am not dogmatic about any position just interested to see what others think - any scripture would be great :)

What if death brings life?

In this life, as humans we have no "Delete" button, no system reset. We really don't get any do overs. But what about God? What is forgiveness from God's perspective? A delete? Resurrection? A system reset? Redemption? A chance to start afresh, a do over?

Interesting idea to consider, universalism... While it seems, from my limited human perspective, highly unlikely that it will be the final reality of this earth's history, the question is not ours to determine. What if... God did just that? Is it possible? Does God have the ability - power, authority, wisdom and grace to do just that? Does God have limitations in what he can do? Is my weak will stronger than God when it comes to redemption? Can an all wise God persuade even the most hardened sinner to accept salvation? Can he take the worst of humanity and recreate them in His own perfect image and erase all trace of evil from their soul and preserve what little redeemable bit is left? Can God create a rock so big even He cannot lift it? I have to believe in a God who has no limitations in what He can do... And simply trust that He knows what is best. Even if it is to save the worst possible being. If that is possible there is reason to hope when all else seems absolutely hopeless and impossible from my tiny myopic human perception. I have a hard time seeing beyond the end of my nose. But what about God?

was that, like, a surprise???

Sorry. There is NO SUCH THING as the "New York Catholic Catechism"... There are so many misquotes and outright lies from false sources on the beliefs of the Catholic church. It doesn't do anything for the credibility of anyone to perpetrate such things. Moreover, it creates a miasma of distrust and phoniness...

You have to ask other blacks what civil rights they are looking for. We are not monolithic in thought. I can't answer for them. I haven't participated in protests. It is a waste of time, as I've stated over and over. You're not going to get answers here. I doubt if you're going to get answers in your lifetime. This whole world is a complicated mess. Speaking of civil rights, or the bill of rights, religious hatred and bigotry is stronger than racial hatred. To the tune of hundreds of millions tortured and killed for believing a certain way. One group's rights are abrogated one day, the next day it will be your group. IOWs keep your boots on cowboy your day is coming too.

That isn't really the whole story regarding our history. Yes, some of that perhaps happened. But many others departed willingly and on good terms. Actually the Millerites fragmented and dispersed after the Great disappointment. Some returned to their old churches, some banded together to form other groups. And even those who remained a part of the Millerites that became known as Advent believers continued to interact with their own churches and other churches. But the Millerites didn't as a whole simply regroup and reorganize. As for "no choice but to form another organization", that is also not really the case either. You do realize it was nearly 20 years after the Great Disappointment of the Millerites that a growing segment of Advent believers finally got together as the Adventist denomination and actually formed a new organization in 1863. But even then there actually was very strong resistence to forming a new and separate denominational organization. You also mistakenly make it sound like that this group of rejects and outcasts from other denominations started all over as a new denomination completely fresh in discovering Truth without any reference to their old doctrines and beliefs. The truth is that they all came bringing those, some of which were not in dispute, others which were restudied and refined. And a few new beliefs and doctrines emerged among Adventists. But much of what we have, including our worship forms, structure, and doctrines are common to various other denominations as a result. As has been said many times before, we have far more in common than we have that is distinctly different. And even after the Adventist denomination was organized, the early Adventists continued to interact with other denominations, meeting with them and preaching in those churches. Ellen White herself was a much sought after speaker by other denominations and often preached in their services on Sunday. I just read an acount from one of her letters from 1891 where she was telling of a large non-Adventist meeting that she and a number of other Adventist leaders were attending. In her letter she made positve reference to a well known, at the time, woman preacher from another denomination that was speaking. And EGW was encouraging others to come to that meeting. I think EGW was more ecumenically minded than many assume. In addition to the above, she encourages Adventists to work "shoulder to shoulder" with those of other churches in activities for the common good, such as the temperance movement and other welfare ministries. She also encouraged our pastors to fellowship with and pray with the pastors of other churches. She also spoke of pastors of other denominations positively, referring to them as fellow shepherds of the flock of Christian believers. She also encouraged coming together with other beleivers on "common ground" which seems to be a basic ecumenical idea.

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