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That's interesting. I never thought about that. Adam was assigned work, but not Eve. Possibly it was her job to look for food :-)

The USA is certainly getting a large amount of bad weather. Interesting to watch from the tropics. Thank you for posting these. It gives me a better perspective on what is happening.

I think the YouTube algorithm is designed to promote controversy or gossip. I could be wrong, but this is my observation. This is why I think it is so wrong to air grievances there.

You wouldn't have the opportunity to do that or even what you described at the Church I go to as it's very structured and follows a rather strict order that doesn't change. Sounds like your experience isn't what should happen at your church according to what others have said here. Sometimes we run into folks who just are not very happy.

I never did anything like that. I never wanted to cause trouble. I just usually don't have a lot to say. I might speak one on one, but that's not how Sabbath-school discussions usually go. In general the pre-selected leader asks questions and the individuals in the group are asked to respond if they want to say something on topic (yes, it sometimes wanders). In most of these assemblies there usually are the same few people who always have something to say no matter what. Maybe their comment is called for or maybe they just like the sound of their own voice, but they never have nothing to say.

This thread reminds me of a situation that I probably shouldn't laugh at but can't help laughing at. Years ago I worked with this guy who was a very interesting character, he smoked pot every day, incredibly hard worker who never even had a sick day and had to be reminded to take vacation time. He was OBSESSED with UFO's and anything alien related. Long story made short He was invited to a fundamentalist Baptist Church and at some point, in the service, the Exodus - where the Israelites were following a pillar of fire at night was being preached this guy stood up and shouted "THAT WAS A UFO"! He was uninvited to go back to that church after that from what he told me. One time I gave this guy a ride home and his apartment had UFO newspapers, magazines and books scattered from hell to breakfast. It was the most amazing thing I think I've ever seen for obsession. Unfortunately, a couple years after he told me about his Church experience, he was terminated because he kept handing customers pamphlets about signing up for a UFO and alien newsletter after being warned multiple times not to do that.

For those who may not be aware of current SDA practices: We generally have a period during our services when all ages meet in discussion classes. Free discussions are encouraged. At an earlier time, all such classes generally followed a set format that included the topic. That format was adjusted for age an as children differ from adults. Presently, in the US, many such classes do not follow the material provided by the Church. In actual fact, many classes discuss material provided outside of the SDA Church.

Coming from a different Church perspective I can say I've never heard of this sort of thing either - One comes to church to assemble with other Christians, be instructed in Christianity and hear the readings of Scriptures, a homily, etc. It's NEVER for the layman to provide commentary and suffer a rebuke for not doing so - that's bizarre.

Never heard of this practice.

The author picked up on a valid and most accurate point - that the Law of God in the Old Testament (1st 5 Books of the Bible) views both the Moral and Ceremonial commandments as a Single unit. Christ fulfilled the whole of the Old Testament and by doing so closed out the ceremonial aspects of the Old Covenant Law. Moral law is instilled into every person regardless of religion - such as not stealing, committing adultery, murdering and such. Ceremonial law requires supernatural instruction - i.e. man is not commanded by nature to observe a Day of Atonement or a seventh day like he is to honor his parents, not to steal, commit murder, etc. According to the Bible Cain knew he did wrong by killing able as well as the Pharoe knew it was wrong to sleep with another man's wife. This speaks to the law written on the heart by our Almighty God.

There must be something to it because about twenty years ago I worked for an Adventist where it was a family business and we were great friends almost as soon as we met. They loved me and I them and their little ones would climb up and sit on my lap at church or other get-togethers. And their older children would ask advice on things I had knowledge in, like tech and shop, maybe even life. It was just like we'd been life-long friends. But after three years of working together, going many of the same places, including church, I was terminated. He said it was because I almost never had anything to say in public places, and that was against GOD's will. He said it would make him look bad to the public if he had one employee who was not doing GOD's will while the rest of them were. He never did give me scripture to back up this theology. I don't know.... I'm still looking for the scriptures that this could come from.

Interesting question. It's one we don't really have an answer to so I guess any answer is basically a personal original! However, I think it was more than just a weekend. We read in Patriarchs and Prophets " God saw that a Sabbath was essential for man, even in Paradise. He needed to lay aside his own interests and pursuits for one day of the seven, that he might more fully contemplate the works of God and meditate upon His power" That seems to suggest to me, that they spent several Sabbaths laying aside their own pursuits and more fully contemplating God's works. On page 50 she gives another clue that Adam engaged in work prior to his fall. "In mental and physical activity Adam found one of the highest pleasures of his holy existence." On page 51 of PP she gives another idea that Adam and Eve spent time learning about scientific wonders of creation. Then if we turn to the book Great Controversy we can deduce a few more ideas on this matter: "Adam is reinstated in his first dominion. Transported with joy, he beholds the trees that were once his delight—the very trees whose fruit he himself had gathered in the days of his innocence and joy. He sees the vines that his own hands have trained, the very flowers that he once loved to care " GC548 From those descriptions it seems they were in the garden for a while. Long enough to explore a lot of the things God had made, long enough to train vines and probably design flower gardens. But not thousands of years, probably not even a dozen years, For one thing they didn't have any children in Eden, yet once expelled they had many sons and daughters. Cain being their first child.