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Hobie, I understand EGW in light of what the Bible plainly says. I don't try to interpret Scripture in light of what EGW says. It is not unusual for people to do that, hence the confusion over issues such as this. If you read and thought about the Biblical evidence I presented in the above post and still prefer what you think Sr. White said, I'm sorry for that. The Bible is much easier to understand than what she said on this topic. I wish you well in your journey.

I had noticed that Paul often starts and/or ends his letters giving honor to God, Jesus, and sometimes the Holy Spirit, so I went through them to check. Here is my report, using the ESV. New Testament books greetings and closings (G = God, J = Jesus, S = Son, H = Holy Spirit) G JS H Romans 1:1-8 G J Romans 16:25-27 G J 1 Corinthians 1:1-4 J 1 Corinthians 16:23 G J 2 Corinthians 1:1-2 G J H 2 Corinthians 13:14 G J Galatians 1:1-3 J Galatians 6:18 G J H Ephesians 1:3, 13 G J Ephesians 6:23 G J Philippians 1:2 J Philippians 4:21, 23 G J Colossians 1:1-2 G JS H 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 10 J 1 Thessalonians 5:28 G J 2 Thessalonians 1:1-2 J 2 Thessalonians 3:18 G J 1 Timothy 1:1-2 G J 1 Timothy 6:11-16 G J 2 Timothy 1:1-2 G J Titus 1:1-4 J H Titus 3:5-6 G J Philemon 3 J Philemon 23 (Jesus G JS Hebrews 1:1-2 G J Hebrews 13:20-21 G J James 1:1 G J H 1 Peter 1:2-3 G J 1 Peter 5:14 (Jesus) G J 2 Peter 1:1-2 G JS 1 John 1:3-4 G J 1 John 5:20 G JS 2 John 1 G JS 2 John 9 G JS Jude 1 G J H Jude 20, 25 G J Revelation 1:1-2 G J ? Revelation 22:17-21

i suppose it is easy to think that since we may consider Luther to be the Father of the Reformation that he rejected all of his Catholic background. I think that such would be false. I would suspect that he maintained some of his Catholic background. In my experience, I find that converts to Adventism from a Catholic background maintain some of their Catholic faith and practices. In short, I suspect that Luther probably maintained his Catholic understanding of the Ten Commandments. I suspect that this is what scholars from the Lutheran church would say. NOTE": Catholics and Adventists do not disagree on every aspect of the Christian faith.

Keep in mind that the central purpose of Club Adventist is to provide a place for people of differing views to discuss them in a civil manner. This generally involves a comparison of differing views. So, yes, we do address LGBTQ issues. However, we do ask that such discussion do not use adverse language in reference to such people. God loves all persons including LGBTQ people. On a personal basis, I am probably a bit more conservative than you might think. I welcome civil discussion here on all issues.

Yes. the SDA denomlination whilch on some levels rejects women lin ministry has a co-folunder who is a female! [NOTE: On other levels of the SDA denomination women aare fully accepted in ministry. ] The public at large fails to understand this incostent reality. That is a valid point. Elen White was issued the credentials of an ordained minister, for a number of years. No, she did not pastor a SDA Church as she ministered to the denomlination as a whole. We have many men in administration who are considered clery and do not pastor SDA congregations.

The so=called lSabbth l School Qluaterly ils the published recommendation for SDA congregations to use in their Sabbath Schoool clases.. SDA Congregations are free to use other mteriL. Many do use other material, including non=SDA material.

As to other related ilssues: * All people who wish to worshilpl in a lSDA congregation in peace, are welcomed to attend. I p[ersonally know of some homosexuals who attend SDA Congregatios but are not members. * Homosexuals who remain celebate are welcomed to be baptized and become mebbers. 8 There are a few ccases where a non-celebate homosexual has been baptized and allowed to become a SDA member. Such is rare and a viiolation of policy.

As to the policy related to homosexual SDA Clergy, it is simply this: Homosexuals may be ordained as SDA Clerlgy only as long as they remain celebate. If they do not remain celebate their ordination will be revocked. We do have some who do remain celebate. We have revoked the ordination of some others who did not remain celebate.

Norway is my heritage. I've seen him once when he left a church service and went to his car, and three or four times as he stood on the palace balcony for the 17th of May Children's parade. When my Grandma was a child she marched in that parade for his Grandfather King Haakon. And of course I grew up knowing about his Father King Olav. My heart breaks as he falls to sleep. My prayers to his family, his son King Haakon VIII, and to our country. While many royal families are full of scandal, this family has tended to be devote believers. I hope this continues.

I tell this little goat story to show how the Law saves us from harm..... Jesus used parables to explain things plainly so the people could understand, and I was struck as I worked on my fence this morning, by how the fence was like Gods law, and I thought I would share it. I have many animals but none have given me more grief than my goats. When I first got them, they were a few weeks old and I put up a fence to keep them safe from the various panthers, bears, bobcats and other wildlife that share the woods with us. The fence was more of a marker for the goats as they soon learned to go under it and wander out in the woods were dangers lurked. They got out and indulged in all their little goat desires and ate lantana and other things which wasnt good for them, then at night they would come home through the front gate and lay on the warm hood of my car or the top, causing me great grief. Then I lost some of them from bloating from what they ate and to wildlife, so I did everything I could to save them from the real dangers in the woods. I put a second fence around them so they were in sight of the house so I could go get them if they got out. I sank the bottom of the fence deeper and cemented it at the base, but they jumped over it. I made the fence higher, so they stood on top of stumps or logs so they could get over it. I told my wife we would have to get rid of the goats because they would not stay withing the fence, and getting out where the panthers, bobcats and other dangers in the woods took their toll, so she said to let her try. She went and sat with them and gave them alfalfa hay to clear out their tummys of the bad stuff they had picked up. She talked to them and rubbed their bellies when they were sick and gave them charcoal for the bloating. Soon the goats stopped jumping the fence and waited for my wife in their pen, and let her hold them and clean their fur or between their horns as that is the one place they cant reach. Now they listen for her voice and come running when she calls and sit with her and listen to her little goat stories she tells them. Something happened that changed the goats, I couldnt put my finger on it but on one thing I was clear, the fence didnt save them from the dangers. Did it help, yes as far as it delineated the cleared land of the farm and their little goat pen where it was safe. But somehow the goats changed in their little goat desires and behavior and they no longer wanted to jump the fence and leave the farm, but instead to stay within the safety of the fence and share their happiness with someone who loves them......

She certainly had a huge impact on America. Possibly the person with the greatest impact in my lifetime. Here is some things many don't know. -------------------------- ....Still, Steinem’s upbringing was colored by her mother’s financial anxieties and her mother consequently suffered a nervous breakdown. Steinem’s parents then divorced when she was 10 and her father moved to California, leaving young Steinem and her sister, Susanne, to take care of their troubled mother.... Before Gloria Steinem was the face of second-wave feminism, she was an anti-communist operative for the CIA and went undercover with Playboy to expose their misogynistic practices. Gloria Steinem is a journalist and activist who rose to prominence as the stylish frontwoman of the women’s liberation movement in 1970s America..... https://allthatsinteresting.com/gloria-steinem ---------------------------- Some have questioned when she stopped working with the CIA She certainly was not a christian.

Times have changed. Years ago, a young woman gave birth out of wedlock. A group of people from church visited her. They asked her to publicly confess to the congregation and apologize. She agreed, as long as other people who were having illicit affairs did the same. She gave some names. The "concerned" brethren and sisters packed it up and retreated. Another case, different church, a young woman was having an affair. She went to the pastor in contrition. He required her to publicly apologize to the congregation, which she did. Sometime later, the same pastor was caught in an adulterous relationship. An apology couldn't save his job. Can't recall if she was pregnant or not. My recollection is that she was not.

"Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us". That being said it doesn't remove the penalty for the trespass. One can be forgiven and still have to pay the price for their sins. I'm certain God forgave Moses for what he did at the rock, but Moses still paid the price for what he did. If a family member stole money from their parents, yes, forgiveness is possible, but that forgiveness doesn't remove the penalty that needs to be paid in all cases.

I was fortunate to learn from Jewish teachers who treasured the word of God, especially torah and tehillim, [Psalms]. The torah teacher employed a sort of call and response. He would translate English verses recited back into Hebrew to locate the verse, then respond. If prayers for the dead did any good, he would be way up on my list. The other gentleman who was kind of a tzaddik taught me enough Hebrew that we could read the Bible together. I would read the verse in Hebrew, then he would free translate it into English and we would discuss it. Another great soul I hope to see in heaven. Learning Hebrew from him was a real spiritual experience, not an academic one. As a young man, he learned Yiddish so he could talk with his Polish grandfather.

Not sure what you mean by this You can't mean that Jesus had the law of sin working in his humanity. Romans 7 is very clear that it is impossible to not sin when one is comprised of that nature. Paul say in chapter 8 that he had the "likeness of sinful flesh." He looked like every other sinful being. Adam possessed a human nature minus the law of sin, yet he still sinned. He made a choice without a predisposition to sin, something that none of us can do. We are predisposed to sin. As Job put it, we go astray as soon as we are born. Jesus was not like that. If you think that EGW believed and taught that Jesus possessed a nature exactly like ours, subject to the law of sin, either you misunderstand her or she was wrong. Paul, Barnabas, and Elijah had a nature like ours, evinced by the translation "like passions." Scripture does not say that Jesus had "like passions" with ours.

Researchers at Mass General Brigham have uncovered evidence that the thymus, a small immune system organ long thought to lose its importance after childhood, may play a major role in adult health. Two new studies found that adults with healthier thymuses were more likely to live longer and less likely to develop serious diseases. The research also suggests that thymic health may influence how well cancer patients respond to immunotherapy. The findings were published in two papers in the same issue of Nature and challenge decades of assumptions about the thymus. The results indicate that the organ remains important throughout adulthood and could eventually help guide disease prevention strategies and cancer treatment decisions. "The thymus has been overlooked for decades and may be a missing piece in explaining why people age differently, and why cancer treatments fail in some patients," said Hugo Aerts, PhD, corresponding author on the papers and director of the Artificial Intelligence in Medicine (AIM) Program at Mass General Brigham. "Our findings suggest thymic health deserves much more attention and may open new avenues for understanding how to protect the immune system as we age." What the Thymus Does Located in the chest, the thymus helps train T cells, a type of immune cell that helps defend the body against infections and disease. Because the organ gradually shrinks after puberty and produces fewer new T cells over time, many scientists assumed it played only a limited role in adult health. As a result, the thymus has received relatively little attention in large population studies. Earlier research connected T cell diversity to aging and declining immune function, but those studies were typically small and focused on blood samples. The new research took a much broader approach. Investigators analyzed data from more than 25,000 adults participating in a national lung cancer screening trial, along with more than 2,500 people enrolled in the Framingham Heart Study, a long-running study that tracks the health of generally healthy adults. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260601025352.htm

A new three-year study from researchers at The University of Texas at Dallas' Center for BrainHealth (CBH) suggests that getting older does not automatically mean losing mental sharpness. Instead, the findings indicate that brain health and cognitive abilities can continue to improve throughout life. The research, published in Scientific Reports, a Nature journal, draws on data from The BrainHealth Project (BHP), an initiative launched by CBH in 2020 to better understand how people can strengthen and optimize brain health across the lifespan. Researchers tracked 3,966 adults ranging in age from 19 to 94. This group represented roughly one-fifth of all BrainHealth Project participants. Over the course of three years, participants completed brief training activities that required only five to 15 minutes per day. BrainHealth Index Tracks Changes Over Time To evaluate changes in brain health and performance, the team used the BrainHealth Index (BHI), a patent-pending assessment developed by CBH researchers and first introduced in a 2021 pilot study. The BHI is designed to detect both improvements and declines in brain health. It measures three primary areas: clarity, emotional balance, and connectedness to people and purpose. "The BrainHealth Index brings together about 20 metrics, including validated gold-standard measures like the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire, as well as tasks designed at the Center for BrainHealth to focus on more complex thinking skills," said Lori Cook MS'02, PhD'09, CBH director of clinical research and corresponding author of the Scientific Reports study. "This battery of assessments produces insights into individual brain health and change over time. Progress is measured by comparing results with participants' own earlier scores." Cook, who also serves as an adjunct assistant professor in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, said the findings challenge common assumptions about aging and cognition. "Every brain is as unique as a fingerprint and has potential for growth," Cook said. "This study challenges the prevailing narrative of inevitable cognitive decline, suggesting instead that brain health can be proactively cultivated at any age." Brain Improvement Seen Across All Ages According to the researchers, positive changes were observed even among participants in their 80s, showing that efforts to improve brain health can be beneficial long before symptoms or disease appear and can remain effective later in life. "For too long, we've operated under the outdated notion that we need to wait until something bad happens to our brains before we do anything for them," said Sandra Bond Chapman PhD'86, senior author of the study, CBH chief director and Dee Wyly Distinguished University Chair for BrainHealth. "This study reminds us that our brain is not defined by age -- it is defined by possibility." One of the study's most notable findings involved participants who started with the lowest BrainHealth Index scores. This group experienced the largest improvements over time. "Those who are starting at the lowest level appear to have the most opportunity for growth and may be coming in with more preexisting concerns," Cook said. "As such, they may be more motivated to invest the time needed to see more growth potential. But it is noteworthy that we saw measurable growth even in those entering as high performers." https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260613034222.htm

For generations, scientists have viewed the inability to regrow lost body parts as one of the fundamental limitations of humans and other mammals. While creatures such as salamanders can regenerate entire limbs, humans typically heal injuries by forming scar tissue. New research from the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS), however, suggests that regenerative abilities may not be entirely absent in mammals. Instead, they could be hidden within the body's normal healing machinery, waiting to be activated under the right conditions. "Why some animals can regenerate and others, particularly humans, can't is a big question that has been asked since Aristotle," said Dr. Ken Muneoka, a professor in the VMBS' Department of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology (VTPP). "I've spent my career trying to understand that." In a study published in Nature Communications, Muneoka and colleagues describe a new two-step treatment that enabled the regeneration of bone, joint structures, and ligaments. Although the regrown tissues were not perfect replicas of the originals, the researchers believe the approach could eventually help reduce scarring and improve tissue repair after amputations. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260618041508.htm

Researchers in Brazil have created a new biomaterial made from jackfruit latex, pomegranate peel extract, and simvastatin (a statin-based medication) that could offer a more effective way to treat periodontitis, a serious form of gum disease. The team, from the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences (FCMS) at the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo (PUC-SP) in Sorocaba, developed the material as part of an effort to improve treatment options for a condition that affects the tissues supporting the teeth. Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by infection. Over time, it can destroy the structures that hold teeth in place, leading to bone loss and reduced attachment between teeth and surrounding tissues. Current treatments are designed to control infection and inflammation, but they generally do little to regenerate damaged periodontal tissue. Other approaches, including guided tissue regeneration and bone grafting, have been explored, but their results can vary and are often difficult to predict. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260618041508.htm ------------------------------------------------------------ I have a Jackfruit tree in my yard. The fruit is the size of two smaller bowling balls. It is very popular here. When one fruit is ready, we cut it down and cut it up into pieces, then share with the neighbors. Nothing is waisted. Even the seed (about the size of dates) are boiled and eaten. Gum disease is not a problem here.

Adventist Today and Spectrum are two independent publications that do not officially speak for the SDA Church. Each informs as to news that is not easily available, and each evaluates the SDA Church. Both publish a journal that is sent to a few people. Both publish on the Internet that is available to a much larger group of people. Those two publications are different. On May 17, 2026, Spectrum is expected to post a unique article that differs from its past publications in two aspects. You may read that article at: https://spectrummagazine.org/views/opinion/a-catholic-and-an-adventist-disagree-over-trinity-interpretations-yet-find-friendship-online/ * One of the unusual aspects is that the article was written by two different people. I am only one of those people. * The second unique aspect of that article is that the second author is a devout Roman Catholic ho posts on Club Adventist under the name Gustave. Here he freely posts his overall thinking of Adventism. My position is that it is helpful to understand how other people think about us. NOTE: I have decided to unlock this thread even though the article has not yet been posted. I expect that it will be posted later today--Sunday, the 17th.

There are only two movements in Christianity today with spiritual force behind it, Adventism and the church of Rome. The others are letting go of their foundations and drifting towards Rome or worse..

Wow. Wow, Wow, wow

“It is not earthly rank, nor birth, nor nationality, nor religious privilege, which proves that we are members of the family of God; it is love, a love that embraces all humanity. ” EGW So is she saying we do not have to answer 28 questions?

Gustave, I agree. Let's step back a moment and survey the damage done in the Middle East recently. As I watch smuggled videos about Israel, it appears the area above ground is 90% destroyed. Gaza is destroyed, Lebanon is pretty much destroyed. Syria is pretty much destroyed. Iran has been damaged, but it is hard to tell how much. However, things are not over, and I think it is likely to be destroyed like the others. In our lifetime, or the last 250 years, we have never seen war and destruction like this in the Middle East. The destruction is almost as complete as Europe in the 1940s. This is very historic. The Middle East will not recover economically for another 20-30 or 40 years, if the pattern of post-war Europe is followed. What does this mean? Many people are focusing on the trees and not seeing the forest or the future.

Well here is a post I made on this issue... How Easter was used to replace the Sabbath We see how the name "Easter" never appears in the Greek New Testament. Easter is not a Christian name. It is Chaldean (Babylonian) in origin, a variation on the name Astarte, one of the titles of Beltis, the queen of heaven. It is to be noted that the apostolic church never gave attention to either the date of Christ's birth or the date of His resurrection, other than to note that the latter occurred on a Sunday. Neither of these days was observed by early Christians but as the pagan influence came into the church so did its festivals. In the third and fourth centuries a tremendous debate arose among Christian churches as to when Easter was to be observed. For the Roman Catholic branch it was largely settled at the Council of Nicaea (AD 325) with a formula still followed to this day, which cannot possibly be commemoration of the actual resurrection. In current practice Easter always falls on a Sunday and the Sunday chosen wanders over a period of four weeks ranging from March 22-April 25. Here is a good explanation.. “Easter occurs on different dates each year because, like the Jewish Passover, it is based upon the vernal equinox, that dramatic moment when the hours of the day-light and the hours of darkness at last draw parallel and then the light finally and triumphantly wins out. Thus Easter is always fixed as the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox. It's a cosmic, solar, and lunar event as deeply rooted in religious traditions originating from sun-god worship as one could conceivably imagine.” ~ Tom Harpur “The Pagan Christ”. The point is that the early Christians gave no attention to commemorating the resurrection day of Christ. If they had been serious they would be observing the 17th day of the Jewish month, Nisan, which begins with the first new moon following the spring solstice. Passover among the Jews begins with the 14th day of Nisan. It would not be possible to commemorate the actual day of the month and have it always on Sunday, so the choice was made to have it on Sunday, adjusting the day of the month for convenience. Given this information, although the resurrection of Jesus is a historical event of huge importance, we have no biblical precedent for making Easter a special day of celebration. Now the fact that Sabbath was supplanted by the church at Rome and even the anti-Judaism stirred up by Jewish revolts is well known and documented, and the claim that came out that it was from the 'resurrection', but scripture does not give any change nor was there any 'tradition' from the apostles. The truth is it was used to supplant the Sabbath, and the first day, Sunday has no basis for worship except for pagans as their festival day to the sun. Nothing of Easter was about Christ or His being risen, it was sun worship, 'the sunrise service tradition', is bowing and praying to the rising sun as you can see today. Here is even more on this: "The author of the "Epistle of Barnabas" adduces the occurrence of the Resurrection on the first day as the reason for the observance of this "true day" (xv.). In the meantime the attitude of the Roman authorities had become intermittently hostile to the Jews; and after the rebellion under Hadrian it became a matter of vital importance for such as were not Jews to avoid exposing themselves to suspicion (Huidekoper, "Judaism at Rome"). The observance of the Sabbath was one of the most noticeable indications of Judaism. Hence, while in the first Christian century more or less regard and tolerance for the Jewish day were shown in Rome, even by non-Jewish Christians, in the second century the contrary became the rule (Justin Martyr, "Dial. cum Tryph." ii., § 28). In the East, however, less opposition was shown to Jewish institutions. Saturday and Sunday both were celebrated by "abstaining from fasting and by standing while praying" (Rheinwald, "Archäologie," § 62), In the West, especially where Roman influence dominated, Saturday was turned into a fast-day (Huidekoper, ib. pp. 343-344). The name "Sunday" is used for the first time by Justin Martyr ("Apologies," i. 67) in accommodation to a Roman nomenclature, but with reference to the circumstances that the light was created on the first day (noticed also in the Midrash; Gen. R. iii.: "ten crowns adorned the first day") and that the "light of the world" rose from the night of the grave on the first day of the week. The Christians, accordingly, were obliged to defend themselves against the charge of worshiping the sun (Tertullian, "Apologeticus," xvi.). The celebration of two days (by the Judæo-Christians?) is attested by Eusebius ("Hist. Eccl." iii. 37) and by the "Apostolic Constitutions," which advise the keeping of Saturday as a memorial of the Creation, and of Sunday, the Lord's day, in memory of the Resurrection (ii. 59). Originally, then, Sunday and Sabbath were kept sharply distinct. But, like the Jewish Sabbath, Sunday was deemed not merely a holiday, but a holy day, and hence fasting thereon was interdicted (Tertullian, "De Corona Militis," § 3). Ease of mind (ευφροσύνη, which corresponds to "naḥat ruaḥ"; "Epistle of Barnabas," l.c.) was the proper condition for the day. One should not kneel at prayer (Irenæus, "Fragm. de Paschate"; "Apostolic Constitutions," l.c.); the standing posture, being at first a protest against mourning and ascetic rites (such as were forbidden on the Jewish Sabbath), came to be explained as suggestive of the Resurrection.".... SABBATH AND SUNDAY - JewishEncyclopedia.com Some try to say it was changed by the disciples or their actions or the resurrection, but Sunday has nothing even after the resurrection as the disciples continued with the Sabbath as it was before and Christ tells it it would continue so you have to really bend scripture to fit Sunday as the day of worship. It isnt there.......

The following is a lilting of the materials that are commonly included in the Apocrypha. In some cases, I may have shortened the title from what is the title as included in Bibles. Also, I do not list in the order in which they are included in the Bibles. If you wish to read the following, they are probably all available on the Internet. 1st Maccabees: This book is considered to be the best history that we have of the specific period of time that it describes. 2nd Maccabees: This book is thought to have some historical value for the covered period of time, but not as much as the one directly above. NOTE: Two other similar (3rd & 4th) versions did not make it into the cannon of any present Christian group. The Three Holy Children: This section tells the story of the three who were thrown into the furnace of fire, their conversations while they were in the furnace, and their deliverance. Susanna: This is the story of a woman falsely accused of immoral conduct. Daniel steps in to defend her and proves her innocent. It is an addition to the book of Daniel. Bel and the Dragon: This is a fanciful story of Daniel who destroyed the Babylonian god Bel, and also a dragon god, who was then thrown into the den of lions for 6-days during which God fed Daniel., 1st Esdras: This is a long story of how Cyrus allowed the Jews to return from their captivity in Babylon to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. 2nd Esdras: This book begins with the story of God delivering the Jews from Egypt. It has a focus on End Time Events that differs from the other book. Prayer of Manasses: He is a captive in Babylon. This is his prayer asking for forgiveness. Tobit: This is the story of a righteous man on a journey, accompanied by an angel of God who encounters an evil spirit. He heals people with gall. One person dies at 185 years of age. Tobit dies at 127 years of age. Judith: In this story, God uses the woman, Judith to deliver Israel from the enemy. It differs some, but, is similar to the story of Jael killing Sisera in Judges 4:17-22. Additions to Esther: These additions to the book of Esther expand upon the story of the attempt to kill the Jews and how Esther approached the King to request that they be saved. Wisdom of Solomon: This is simply alleged to be the teachings of King Solomon. Christians would likely agree with much. Wisdom of Jesus son of Sirach or Ecclesiasticus: This is a collection of the teachings of a man named Jesus who lived many years prior to Jesus the Christ. Baruch: this book was written to Jews in captivity in Babylon. It states that such happened due to their sins and assures them that if they repent, God will deliver them and return them to their previous land.

I used to work (at a low end salary) for a high-end art and antiques gallery in Los Angeles. Pieces I worked on were displayed in museums and attracted international attention in the art world. The gallery owner had been collecting art for decades, having been introduced to the art world as a child by his grandmother. Among his holdings was a painting of Philip baptizing the Ethiopian eunuch. He believed it to be an original Rembrandt. In order to validate his belief, he took it to Europe for certification by Rembrandt authorities there. They denied that it was an original Rembrandt, instead consigning it to one of his students or other painter. Disappointed, he returned home to America. Sometime after he returned, he received a letter from the chairman of the art history department of a major university, offering to help him certify the painting for a 10% slice of the sale price. which would have put hundreds of thousands of dollars in his pocket. On another occasion, I bought an inexpensive picture which is still displayed in our home. Several years after the purchase, I saw an identical painting written up in an online news source. The painting was being touted as an original antique painting, a great discovery in the art world. Knowing something about the fakery that goes on, I contacted the gallery advertising it. I never heard back. I did see, however, an article retracting previous claims made regarding the picture. I don't believe my note had anything to do with the retraction. Simply a matter of a "scholar" doing a little homework. Fraud is ubiquitous in the art world, whether it be "antique" furniture, paintings, or whatever. Estate sales are another venue for being duped. Gallery owners routinely "plant" pieces they own to ad some cachet to a piece they haven't been able to sell out of their shop. I once told a client that the piece he was buying was a recent copy rather than an antique. He immediately went to the owner (not the same one that had the non-Rembrandt). He returned and we finished putting the item in his car. The shop owner then reviled me for telling the customer the truth. People want to believe what they want to believe. The religious world is similar, in some respects. I know nothing of the sculpture to which the article refers; however, let the buyer beware

Revelation 14:12 tells us: "Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus."

I made a post on a social media, which was my opinion, that Israel and friends need to liberate Gazians from Hamas just as the Allies and Russia liberated Germans from Nazis. I still believe that. I do not expect everyone else to. If you befriend a Gasian so they will trust you, most would say the same thing. They are aware that Hamas has paid informants who try to abstract that from Gazians and then remove their remaining family from being alive. They may never trust you enough; they all have heard stories, fictional or not, of such. Back to the topic, many long-term friends blocked me over that. I suspect most of them were left-leaning, but I could be wrong. Has anyone else had that kind of experience? Stan

They told their clergy to ensure the will is up to date, as they may end up giving their lives for their neighbours. https://www.npr.org/2026/01/18/nx-s1-5678579/ice-clashes-new-hampshire-bishop-urges-clergy-prepare-wills#:~:text=Bishop Rob Hirschfeld in the,Hirschfeld's comments quickly went viral.

Very well written, thank you. Israel, as a nation, has some of the best laws for the protection of religious liberty. That is seldom talked about. In the Israeli military, there are Muslims fighting against Hamas to protect their country. That is seldom talked about. We have all benefited from the inventions and innovations of the Children of Israel. That is seldom talked about.

In my opinion, America is the richest country in the world, because of the blessings of God. It is estimated that there are 160 million Protestants in the USA. However, I will not be celebrating the 250th anniversary of America. Because I know her role in Prophecy. I can see that time drawing closer and closer.

I recommend the book by HMS Richards, "Feed My Sheep" . It changed my preaching. It was compiled from his training for pastors.

The celebration of the Passover is explained by various conversations by the characters in this episode. It informs viewers that do not have a Christian background what was happening during this feast. In one scene the high priest is dining with King Herod. They are discussing Jesus and it is presented in such a way that the high priest is clearly threatened by Jesus while King Herod sees Jesus as harmless. We know that Jesus was not a threat to the civil government of Rome. He was a threat to the Jewish religious leadership. After the resurrection and ascension, the new Christian sect was such a threat to Jewish leadership that they became persecuted. We see in this story the "church" and the "state". Jesus was not a threat to the state but was a threat to the church. The state is all about power and treasure in this world. The church is about power and treasure in the world to come. The episode comes to a climax with the cleansing of the temple. Jesus overturns the tables and runs the livestock and vendors out. It is very forceful. It is noteworthy that the Jewish people were expecting the Messiah to come and free them from Rome. They expected the Messiah to attack Rome. However, the Messiah did not attack Rome. He attacked the erroring Jewish establishment. During the first season, Jesus met with Nicodemus. The light came on for Nicodemus when he realized the Messiah didn't come to free them from Rome but rather to free them from sin. Cleansing the temple is an active illustration of Jesus freeing us from sin. The Jewish religion had become rigid legalism. Rigid legalism traps us in sin. If Jesus was here today, would He be trying to reform civil government or would He be focusing on the church? The reality is that Jesus is here today as He lives in those that believe in Him. Should our focus be on the civil government or on the church? How can we be free from legalism and fulfill the purpose God has for us at this time?

What kind of person would be willing to lay down his life for an 'undesirable'

Interesting. You have indeed studied this topic.

I have in person and online, we had some here,

"Yes, it is possible for a human to have some organs with an XX configuration and other organs with an XY configuration. This is a common occurrence in individuals with intersex conditions, where the body's reproductive organs and sexual anatomy do not conform to the typical definitions of male or female. Intersex is an umbrella term that encompasses a range of conditions, including Klinefelter syndrome, where an individual is assigned male at birth but has an extra X chromosome, and Morgan's syndrome, where an individual is assigned female at birth but has an extra Y chromosome. These conditions are part of the natural variation in human biology and do not indicate any underlying disease or disorder. " Arizona State University+5

For those interested in knowing how I am related to the above: He is the head of a household related to me. He regularly posts on Facebook.

? Pic du jour Photo: Stewart Verdery Reader Stewart Verdery — who's sent us some brilliant parting shots over the years — tells us: "I actually think this was the coolest photo of 2025." "On a transatlantic flight in September into Dulles, I ... happened to look over and see the sunset from 35,000 feet over the Atlantic. Looks like the sun is sitting on top of the clouds."

If you check out the "Jain" religion, they claim that the world is managed by 24 elders. It is one of the oldest religions with documentation of that. They are considered by those who consider things to be the most intellectual groups that have ever existed. uch ofmany of the sciences came from them. I have found them fascinating. Stan

Here is Kirk Cameron who has publicly announced a change in his long-held views on Hell. Previously accepting the view of eternal conscious torment for the wicked, he now rejects it, calling such a fate 'cruel and unusual punishment.' Cameron says that the Bible, especially in its Old Testament writing, does not depict the souls of the wicked as immortal. Instead, the only souls promised eternal life ' immortality' are those granted to believers. https://endtimeheadlines.org/2025/12/kirk-cameron-no-longer-believes-in-eternal-punishment/ ...Kirk Cameron no longer believes in eternal punishment (OPINION) In a recent episode of his show, Kirk Cameron publicly announced a change in his long-held views on Hell. Previously accepting the view of eternal conscious torment for the wicked, he now rejects it

Kevin, I have no ideal as to how long it took you to prepare and write you post above. I thank you for it. It serves a real purpose.

There is a reality that all students of the SDA Church must face. Ellen White is an early cofounder of what is now the SDA Church. I do not believe that she has as much influence on the development of SDA doctrine as some would propose that she had. I will be teh first to say that she played a major role in the administrative development of the SDA Church. She had major roles in our entry into missions, education, healthcare, and publishing. We would not be a denomination of 23 million people today if it were not for her role in our development. I believe that God used her. But, God uses imperfect people. She was not divine. She was human. she was not always correct in her theology. No human is. Other denominations acknowledge that their early leaders were imperfect. Gustave would be the first to acknowledge that there have been Popes who were imperfect. Why can we not do the same. Why can we not admit that Ellen White was a human, who was imperfect, but still used by God. God has used me in spite of my being imperfect., as all humans are.

In recent yars, the U.S. military has failed to meet it/s enlistment goals. https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/careers/the-military-s-recruiting-surge/ar-AA1QhJcb?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=DCTS&cvid=6914e24354594c9f84d681b68dcb3fb2&ei=24 This ended in fiscal year 2025, when most enlistment goals were met.

On a regular basis, Adventist Today hosts a Zoom Conference of some religious issue. After the conference, they are posted on the Internet. Those postings can be accessed at: https://www.youtube.com/c/AdventistTodayMedia Scroll past other material to the following: ATSS Presents. NOTE: The conference on Reclaiming the Prophet is posted in a thread titled Ellen G. White and Adventism.

Hello friends, it's been a while since I've posted and a lot has happened but I want to share what's happened since I've last posted. In 2017, my wife, Denise read me a quote from a devotional called "The faith that I live by." I was searching for answers because I was tired of being a failing Christian. I had been studying the Bible and SOP for years and yet when I honestly looked at my life, there was no victory no satisfaction, just emptiness. I'm sure you all have felt that at some time or another. What I understood and experienced was righteousness by faith. I had studied and even preach on this subject in the past but I was simply passing on information without it making a change in my heart. This video is a testimony (sort of) and it captures what I was learning. It was recorded in 2023. The battery on my camera went dead so the entire sermon wasn't recorded but there's enough to understand what I was saying. it's about 29 minutes long. I do hope you are blessed and encouraged.

A fundamental error that many Christians engage in, including SDAs, is to consider the main focus of the Sabbath to be that of worship. The purpose of the Sabbath, as it began in Eden, was to spend a day with God and to grow spiritually. It was a day separate from the routine duties that Adam and Eve had in Eden. Rather the focus was on God and getting to know God better in a close association with God. Worship is a small part of that, even if important. Worship can be on multiple days of the week. I have probably conducted more worship services on Sundays, than I have on Saturdays. Adventists often have worship services in a series of meetings that are held on multiple days of the week. There is nothing wrong with either my holding worship services on Sunday mornings, or with SDA clergy holding revival meetings on days other than the Sabbath. The spiritual error occurs with Christians, whether Adventist or otherwise, fail to understand the spiritual blessing that we experience in spending the day with God, on the Sabbath that God has established as a special day to commune with us.