Born an Adventist?

[Morning Glory]

True Believer,

You're funny!! Thanks for the come back and lightening the mood a bit!!

To answer your well placed commnet, having been to "hell and back" in this context would be different for everyone. For me it was living a life that seemed hopeless with no way out, mostly misterable, leading me farther and farther from God. I believer that my parents (and possibly my whole families prayers) were answered in that I finally found the courage to say: enough already. It took the very serious consideration on my part to think: If the God I serve WANTS me to stay in a physically and spiritually life threatening situation....... then that is NOT the God I wish to serve.

In retrospect, I believe that however ill worded my thought process was back then, that God gave me the "out" I needed. I have since done a "180", so to speak, and am in a much better place all the way around.

So, for me, at least, that was what hell was.

Morning Glory

[Ted Oplinger]

I wasn't born an Adventist, but God got me here in His good time.

I try not to think of that too much, Stan. Many Adventists coming through our church doors (I am in a college town) do not appreciate the heritage that is theirs by birth - particularly the youth.

To think of being born into our heritage I can only relegate to the land of "what if?". To think too long on that subject usually brings a tear to my eyes...

Would I have made light of it? or would I be a far stronger Christian today than what the road I did take left me to struggle with?

[GreatLakesGramma]

LHC, I didn't say we shouldn't confess personal failures or sin. I said we shouldn't emphasize the evil in our past. The emphasis should always be on the details of how God reached and rescued us.

I've read Cheri Peters' book. I had her in mind when I decided to say ALMOST never, instead of just plain NEVER. Although she did tell some pretty horrific tales, I felt that the emphasis all the way through was on her search for the answer to her emptiness, and how God worked to bring her to Himself. I'm sure she could have shared many more bad experiences, but she told only enough to give us the picture of how horrible her life really was.

[knockkneedchicke]

I was brought up Roman Catholic. God got my attention and led me to the truths of the SDA Church. It has been more than 30 years and I thank God every day for leading me to the truth. I often wonder what it would have been like to be brought up SDA.

[oldsailor29]

I was brought up Roman Catholic. God got my attention and led me to the truths of the SDA Church. It has been more than 30 years and I thank God every day for leading me to the truth. I often wonder what it would have been like to be brought up SDA.

I'm sure you would get different responses from everybody, but here is some of my perspective. Children in the SDA church are taught bible doctrines from an early age. Parents read bible stories to their children, and bedtime stories with a moral purpose. Lessons from the bible are taken seriously, like the first three years of a child's life are the most important in the formation of character, taken from the story of Moses.

We were taught to memorize bible verses at an early age. I can barely recall being in front of a church gathering, reciting the 23rd Psalm. So that must have been at a very early age, 3 or 4. Later we were taught the chain references of the systematic proof text method of bible study. We marked our bibles so we could easily go from one proof text to the next, and we memorized many of these texts. We played bible games and bonded very strongly. We were all fundamentalists. We listened to "The Voice of Prophecy" radio program, and watched "Faith for Today" on TV. And many SDA families held morning and evening worship, which consisted of short bible reading or EGW reading, and prayer.

I think it is mainly because of our intense fundamentalist training from an early age, that we find it so hard to give up some of the things we learned, and accept Jesus as our source of enlightenment.

Most of the children of my generation (boomers)were raised vegetarian. Although I do remember at an early age, fried chicken being served at a church potluck. The pastor didn't want to make the new converts who brought it feel bad, so he ate some. There was a lot of love for each other in the church. Still is.

In public school, I was the only SDA. I didn't fit in with the others. It wasn't pleasant. We refrained from doing many things on Sabbath. Our parents didn't work, and we didn't play like we did on other days. We had Sabbath games. lol And we rested. Sometimes we would go door to door, passing out religious (SDA) literature. In the fall and into winter, we had the "Ingathering" season. We would all go door to door, asking for donations to help support our missions projects. Our parents would discuss Bible doctrines with each other.

We were "Pathfinders" from ages 9-13. That was a club, sort of like the "Scouts." Unlike the Scouts however, we were coed. We learned various crafts and abilities. We learned to march. We had physical training exercises. we studied nature, went on camping trips, and learned survival skills. Each SDA church had their own group of "Pathfinders." Our particular group learned semaphore flag signals. And we learned how to build sturdy signal towers, by lashing together poles made from saplings found in the forest. And we demonstrated this skill at what was called a "youth congress." This was like a Scout Jamboree. And it was not the political youth congress of the communists. Pathfinder clubs from several states went to Collegedale, TN for this long weekend event.

We had campmeetings. We had summer camps. Seems like we were always learning something.

We were taught to fear the Roman Catholic church, because of the inquisition, and because our church held on the the belief all protestant churches had in the middle ages, that the Pope was the evil little horn of prophecy in Daniel 8:9-11.

Many SDA kids rebelled especially after they became adults. Some of my classmates who were active church kids in academy and college, later followed different paths. I feel like a brother to many of the people I met there. Some of them also feel that way.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention Ellen White. Yes, she was a very important part of our education. Her writings were used to point us to the Bible. She and her editors brought the writings of others together, with her own contributions inspired by the Holy Spirit, in such a beautiful and magnificent way, it is no wonder that many are tempted to try to damage her influence in our church and in the world. I think our early fundamentalist training combined with our discomfort in some of her counseling is highly instrumental in our efforts to discredit her as a messenger of God and discard her writings entirely. I don't see that very much can be done to counteract those efforts. If one gives up fundamentalism and accepts historical critical thinking and biblical exegesis instead, then it all fits together much better. But I don't see that happening unless the Holy Spirit becomes a stronger influence in our church.

Forgive me for rambling here. I am sure you will get many different reports, and mine is far from comprehensive, but I hope this has given you some insight into what it was like being raised a Seventh-day Adventist.

[John317]

I was born into a fifth generation SDA family. My grandparents on both sides saw Ellen White, and my maternal grandfather met her and had a private "interview with her." He was an SDA pastor, evangelist and writer. He wrote pamphlets for the GC and some can be found in the Ellen White Estate. Ellen White stayed in the home of my great-grandparents. Ellen White's grandchildren were friends and neighbors of our family.

When I was 18 I rebelled against Christ and the SDA church and left home. I stayed gone for a long time. But I didn't leave because of anything the church did. I rebelled simply because I wanted to experience life in the real world. I did, too, but I got more than I ever counted on.

When I was about 25, I began to study the Bible and I ended up returning to Christ and the church. But it was a long and winding road back. I came fully back only about 5 years ago. I'm glad I'm back. I wish I had never left and I know now it was a big mistake to ever leave.

[Juanita]

Thanks for sharing, Old Sailor.

I can identify with that. I have almost always found my beliefs about God to be isolating. And, when you've heard what you've been taught is "the truth" all your life, When do you really feel comfortable with your knowledge? I mean what about the Mormons or Catholics or whoever, that have been taught what what they were told is "the truth"? I mean the comparisons between the SDA beliefs and some of the other churches are pretty parellel, but end in very different beliefs.

And, last time I went to SDA church, they announced for everyone to remember to bring their tools the next Sabbath because they would be fixing up neighborhood homes after church. My children were raised in the church, but they don't have but a very basic understanding of scripture...I thought they were learning more in school, summer camp, and church. But, things have changed a lot since I was in HS and College.

Juanita