Ex-SDAs Trying to Reclaim SDAs

[Gerr]

I was trying to find if there was an SDA church in a certain town and came across the website of ex-SDAs "ministering" to SDAs, i.e. trying prove to them/us that the Sabbath has been done away with, done in the name of God of course. Have you ever heard of ex-Lutherans, ex-Baptists, ex-Catholics, ex-whatever who are formally organized to specifically "minister" to the group they left? What do you think of these ex-SDAs doing the work of the powers of darkness in the name of God?

Gerry

[carolaa]

I think most of them are very sincere. And I think we have probably done a really poor job of defending our positions to their satisfaction. And I think there are often *other* factors entering in with these people, particularly how the church treated them when they were members. For instance, their sincere questions were met with hostility and arrogance and (in the case of former church employees) threats to their livelihoods. Now they are *recovered* and in a safe environment, and they want to share that experience with others. They've had a conversion experience, so to speak, and are eager to share it. I know a few of these people, and that's my impression of them. The important thing is to stay friends with them and keep praying, because I've seen some come back after many years.

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

I came across one anti-SDA website with a forum when I was trying to make up my mind about Adventists. They can be very convincing.

The only other minister-to-the-ex-Christian websites that I know about are ones who target the pagan ex-SDA, pagan ex-Catholic, pagan ex- Lutheran, pagan ex-AoG, etc.

[pacunurse30]

I think some of them don't have 100% positive motives. I find many of them have such anger and negative feelings towards SDA's that it's difficult to see them as coming to you in the name of the Lord. I've been on the "former SDA" websites and most of it is extremely negative. They also make the assumption that the rest of us who are still in Adventism are as utterly miserable as they were in it. This really annoys me. They also assume that every SDA has the same experience within Adventism that they did. I read things like we don't know what it means to know the joy of salvation; we don't believe in divine healing; we don't believe in praise and worship, etc. I understand perfectly well that there are subcultures within Adventism. Within those subcultures are different views and experiences. However, the former SDA is oblivious to this. They only focus on what was done, said, or experienced by them and the people around them.

[nuff sed]

It is amazing the thought that now that you don't have to "Obey" God you are free to "love " Him.

[carolaa]

It is amazing the thought that now that you don't have to "Obey" God you are free to "love " Him.

Of course, if one truly loves God, one will obey Him. But I think it is sometimes necessary for people to abandon the restraints in order to discover a God they can love. Some of these people have grown up knowing only the rules and not having a relationship. When they leave and find the relationship, they are eager to share it, but sadly they assume one must leave the church, as well as its teachings, to find the relationship.

[Woody]

Thank you Carolaa for your thoughts. I also think that many of them are sincere. My academy Bible teacher is one of the leading Anti SDAs online ... Dale Ratzlaf.

But praise God we are saved by WHO we know ... not WHAT we know.

You can find all kinds on each side of the spectrum. Try going to the extreme conservative web sites. They say that we are Babylon. They are very hateful. I am just saying that there are sincere on both sides and the hateful on both sides.

But I consider both sides to have a wrong image of God that has been presented to them. I don't feel that God will condemn them for that. We can't know how WE would react if the same had happened to us. But GOD does. That is what matters.

If we can't reach out and love both extremes ... then who are we?

[Dr. Shane]

I have met many in AA that call themselves "recovering Catholics." That is because they learned about the grace of God.

Many ex-Adventists have had a bad experience with individuals in the church. Perhaps their parents, school teachers, church leaders or pastors. No one in the church is perfect and in some areas the church is quite cold. These people sometimes find other denominations that are much warmer and not judgmental. They then use their negative experience in the church to judge the entire church and organization. Whether or not that is fair, it is a reality. Some of these people are quite angry and bitter and others have found joy in the Lord in their new denomination and simply assume it would have been impossible to find such joy within the Adventist church.

[Guest truthseeker007]

It s interesting that a lot of ex-sda grew up as adventists. It is my theory that these people have focused only on what Ellen White said and have never exposed themselves to the "real" world. Once they are confronted with evolution, the overwhelming majority of Christianity that teaches that the law has been done away with and the mood of freedom and sins that the heart secretly desire, they tell themselves that they can t all be wrong and start to hate what they used to love.

I would not feel comfortable preaching that the law was nailed to the cross and stuff like that.

The SDA church is the only body of consistent protestants with a more than logical endtime scenario, prophecies that have been fullfilled in the past and are being fullfilled right now! and a message of love that leads to harmony with the principles.

The only reason i can find to leave the Seventh Day Adventist church is because of worldliness. Once they have rejected the holy spirit they are victims of their own judgemental hearts.

[Guest truthseeker007]

Keep in mind that it s just a theory. Of course there are a lot of sincere people out there that decide to leave the SDA church but it is mindboggling how anyone could teach that it s OK to sin and decides to take the easy way by totally qouting Ellen White out of context or even make things up. I have investigated a lot of anti Ellen websites and by their hatred you could almost recognize the anger of satan himself. Ellen White already said a long time ago that this would happen. If you need a rational confirmation that the Seventh Day Adventist church is truly God s endtime church I can certainly reccomend everybody to watch the videos from Professor Walter Veith:

http://video.google.nl/videoplay?docid=-...earch&plindex=3

[pacunurse30]

I don't think most of them think it's okay to go out there and sin it up. That's a misconception that a lot of SDA's have of people who don't think the law is binding for Christians. They do believe that the things addressed in the NT are binding (fornication, adultery, homosexuality, etc). However, they do not believe that the Sabbath is one of the binding commandments. They believe that Jesus' law is Love. The thing is, the bible has defined love for us. Love is the fulfilling of the law. In other words, you don't break the last 6 commandments because you love your fellow man. As an SDA, I also believe that fulfilling the first four is showing love to God. However, they just don't see that. Rather than argue with them, I just pray that God will reveal his word to his people in his own timing. I believe that he will do that. My problem is with people who are assuming that I can't have the joy and freedom that they know being a Seventh Day Adventist! I am not missing out on anything! I'd like to know what exactly I am missing out on by keeping the Sabbath, abstaining from unclean foods and alcohol! Trust me, I have been in the world, and I've tried it all. I am not missing anything by living my life this way. And I do not feel burdened or miserable.