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Ian, welcome to the forum. It appears that your primary issue is with members who don't agree with your position on Women's Ordination, and you prefer not to associate with those people who don't think as you do. Do you really think the manmade construct of "ordination" is worth fighting over? "The world is starving for lack of bread. We [the church] have the bread, and we are arguing about who will serve it..."

Campmeeting, it means different things to different people. To me, I always think of the Central California Conference Campmeeting a Soquel, California. That is the one that we always attended. The following story is true, but I was not involved in it in any way. I am reminded of a teen who would find her/him-self alone in a tent at Campmeeting. She/he would hit the beach during the day at Santa Cruz. While she/he was at the beach, he/she would rent the tent out to teen couples on an hourly basis. NOTE: I am intentionally attempting to prevent the identification of the person involved. Any comments as to the parents of the teen would be inappropriate and wrong. Therefore, I ask that no comments about the parents be made. The actual situation was very complex. If such comments are made, I will remove them. All responsible people simply did the best that they could under the actual circumstances and the situations that people were in. So, why am I telling this story? In my family, we spent 10 days at the Soquel Campmeeting every year. It was just something that we did. On weekends, I remember the thousands of people who came in for Sabbath services. I have many memories. I remember the mentally ill people who came. I have many memories. As a clergyperson, I remember being involved in Campmeeting in the Potomac Conference--to include the cost in funding and other resources to have Campmmeeting. But, as a teen at Soquel, I really do not remember substantial spiritual enrichment. I will tell you a story of my involvement at a Potomac Conference Campmeeting. I was placed in charge of the candy sales in the store. I was not overly impressed with the importance of that position, but I understood it to confer upon me the full authority to conduct the sale of the candy in whatever manner I chose to do. So, when a kid would come in with his tightly clutched dollar bill and want to purchase some candy, I would offer to bargain with her/him as to the amount of candy that I would sell for the dollar. Soon the word got out and the kids were descending upon me in mass all wanting to purchase some candy. I sold the entire candy supply out in one day. I was now no longer needed to sell candy.

Another crazy superstition - burying a statue of St. Joseph upside down facing your house in order to expedite the sale of one's home. Many people say this works. I say if it the house sells after you bury Jesus' step-dad, it's coincidence.

See: https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Military/2012/1109/Are-you-smarter-than-a-US-Marine-Take-the-recruitment-quiz/Word-Knowledge-1

I thought that maybe some would take the test and tell us the results.

" He will speak against the Most High and oppress his holy people and try to change the set times and the laws. The holy people will be delivered into his hands for a time, times and half a time." (Dan. 7:25) "He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy those who are mighty, the holy people." (Dan. 8:24) "The invader will do as he pleases; no one will be able to stand against him. He will establish himself in the Beautiful Land and will have the power to destroy it." (Dan. 11:16) "When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed.” (Dan. 12:7) "When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?”Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters,[e] were killed just as they had been" (Rev. 6:9-11) "Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus." (Rev 12:17) "The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months. It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. It was given power to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them." (Rev. 13: 5-7) " The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name."(Rev 13:15-17) Is that a good start?

Welcome! May you find peace with God and with your fellow man as you continue your journey.

aka: Are we not always the most loving people? By the way, please do not answer that.

My Dad was a magician, and so is my brother (who is an SDA minister). My cousin is a professional magician. there's a big difference in *knowing* that you're watching an illusion by a magician, vs. being "led astray" by someone (or an entity) who has ulterior motives in wanting you to believe a lie. Magic (legerdemain) isn't *Magick*... But I realize some do not enjoy the art of magic. Just as I despise April Fools Day — but with AFD, one doesn't know if someone's kidding you or not.

My comments are NOT related to the OP by AKA, who I believe posted accurately. As has been stated by others in this thread, I do not find any connection with the Roman Catholic Church. See: http://www.ancient-symbols.com/symbols-directory/hand_of_fatima.html