What it’s all about:
The Seventh Day Adventist church arose out of a movement that took place back in the 1840’s led by a man named William Miller. Miller was a Baptist who self-converted to Adventist after his thorough reading of the Bible led him to discover prophecies of the coming of Christ. He focused mainly on a passage in the book of Daniel:
“Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who was speaking, ‘How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled underfoot?’ And he said to me, ‘For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.’” Daniel 8:13-14
Daniel 8:14 became his obsession (I added verse 13 for a little context) as he tediously calculated (via the very popular day-year principle) that 2300 days really meant 2300 years. He determined that the start date would be 457 B.C. when the decree to rebuild Jerusalem by Artaxerxes I of Persia took place. It was 1818 when Miller made the discovery, through his calculations and interpretations, that the second-coming of Christ would be in 1843. He spent the next few decades honing in on his discovery and eventually began lecturing the public on his findings in 1831. (Source) He gathered and attracted many followers (known as the Millerites) but, after the prophesied date came and went and others attempted to predict new dates based on different calendars and those dates came and went without issue, most of the Millerites fell off the bandwagon and went back to their initial religions.
Some Millerites did stay, however. These people decided that the text did not intend to show us the exact date or year in which the coming of Christ would occur, but merely when the cleansing process would begin. These people became known as the Adventists due to their emphasis on the imminent second-coming and later, became known as the Seventh Day Adventists due to their strict observance of the Sabbath Day. The church really took off when a woman named Ellen G. White had a spiritual vision in which she realized that the church needed international expansion. She created a missionary program and “by 1945, the church reported 210,000 members in the US and Canada, and 360,000 elsewhere; the budget was $29 million and enrollment in church schools was 140,000.” (Source)
The problem was most people viewed the church as a cult due to its unorthodox belief systems (the sabbath day is now on a Saturday?!) and its strangely large amount of church leaders living by Arian doctrine. But, after the church adopted the Trinity in the early 20th Century, all was good by the protestants and it began to take an even stronger foothold. (Source)
Today, the Seventh Day Adventist church preaches mostly about how much god loves you and how safe you are in his hands. Their website says things like, “God keeps a family album-and your picture is in it. God loves you and has a plan for your life.” (source) and is constantly reassuring its readers/followers that god is always there for them. They still put a huge emphasis on the Sabbath Day with many of its followers never doing anything secular, whether for leisure or work, on Saturdays outside of church functions and gatherings (I should note that certain things like nature walks and family activities are encouraged on sabbath days). Also, the second coming of Christ is still central to the church in many ways. They teach that death is only a “peaceful pause before the resurrection” saying, “death is almost like a wintery promise of spring.” (source) They believe (similar to the Jehovah’s Witnesses I talked about here) that when you die you are simply awaiting the return of Christ to take you home and the “millennium” of the 1,000 year reign of Christ over Earth will be a time in which all the wicked will be judged.
Some distinctive teachings include the doctrine of an investigative judgement, in which god will individually look back on all the things you have said and done in your life to determine whether or not you are worthy of being saved and continuing on to heaven.
Also, they include foot washing in their practice of partaking in the Lord’s supper. This is supposed to symbolize the commitment to love others as Jesus loves them. (source) They only initiate the practice of taking the Lord’s supper about 4 times a year, however, and they are made to segregate themselves by gender in order to complete the ritual (although, some married couples are allowed to participate together).
Baptisms are completed with a full body dunk to symbolize “dying to self and coming alive in Jesus. Seventh-day Adventists practice full immersion baptism because by being fully buried beneath the water [they] symbolize that God’s grace fully fills [them] with His new life for the future.” (source)
Why it’s harmful to society:
Seventh Day Adventists are living in a state of constant anticipation for the coming of Christ. I would argue that living in this state would be scary and stressful, especially for children who have a limited understanding of the doctrine. Imagine growing up thinking that your death is imminent and could happen at any moment! Not that this isn’t the case with or without religion, but who in their right mind would remind their children of that? Also, wives are commanded (by the Bible, of course) to be completely submissive to their husbands, however, the church is much more lenient on things like birth control (as long as its intended use is not for abortion purposes) and even abortion if it is being considered for reasons other than birth control, convenience or gender selection.
Another cause for concern is how rapidly they are spreading. Today, missionaries are reaching people in over 200 countries! As of June 2011, the church was said to have 17,214,683 members with only 7% of them residing in the United States. It is one of the fastest growing religions in the world because of its missionary efforts in developing countries (mostly in Africa and in the Central and Southern Americas). (Source) Is it just me or does it seem wrong to travel to developing countries offering much needed medical attention and food while indoctrinating the people with your religious beliefs? If I was poor, starving, sick and uneducated and someone came offering a remedy to my misfortunes while speaking about the second coming of Christ, I think I would start believing, too!
Another bummer, although not detrimental, would be the sabbath observance on Saturday as opposed to Sunday. Pretty much everything is already closed on Sundays anyway (heck, you can’t even buy a car in the state of Colorado on Sundays!) so wouldn’t it be easier to follow the strict sabbath rules? Think of all the things they are missing out on! But, I guess that isn’t really the point, now is it?
Why it’s not as bad as the others:
Seventh Day Adventists put a huge emphasis on health. Most follow strict diets, with about 35% of members adhering to vegetarianism. They abstain from all foods listed as “unclean” in the Bible as well as alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs. They are encouraged to get adequate exercise as well as plenty of rest to take care of their bodies and, because of this, research is finding that Adventists live significantly longer than most people do.
“Research funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health has shown that the average Adventist in California lives 4 to 10 years longer than the average Californian. The research, as cited by the cover story of the November 2005 issue of National Geographic, asserts that Adventists live longer because they do not smoke or drink alcohol, have a day of rest every week, and maintain a healthy, low-fat vegetarian diet that is rich in nuts and beans. The cohesiveness of Adventists’ social networks has also been put forward as an explanation of their extended lifespan.” (source)
This is a really cool side effect of a really strict doctrine in which I see nothing but good coming to society as a result. Another positive aspect of the Adventist religion is their tolerance for other religions and their firm stance on religious liberty. While some have criticized their seemingly exclusive behaviors, the church has time and time again rebutted with its beliefs that all Christians are doing their best to worship the same god. And, while they may not agree with other practices or interpretations, those religions should be granted the same respect and freedom all Adventists desire. (source)
Common Sense 
So it’s an out-and-out Death Cult.
Great reading in-between-the-lines-skills. Have you been to an actual doctrine-keeping SDA church where they sacrifice children on alters and speak in tongues? Neither has anyone else.
Adventism isn’t a cult, nor are they associated with the occult, friend.
Hi Megan,
Death Cult does imply human sacrifices, rather the mindset of the cults followers. They long for death, their own death and the death of everyone and everything. They want it all to end. That, Megan, is a death cult.
*does not imply
You just defined Islam. The fastest growing religion on earth.
What article did you read? Speaking in tongues? Human Sacrifices? Were they mentioned and I missed it after reading twice?
i’m hip!
It isn’t a death cult at all. We worship the living God. We focus on end times prophesy and second coming of Jesus Christ as a positive aspect of humanity, not as a negative. Were do you get the negative connotations in that. We focus on all parts of biblical truth, but prophesy is fulfilling faster and faster and cannot be denied. We look forward to the return of our Lord and Savior. It isn’t something to be feared unless you are wicked in your ways. You should work to understand before you judge anyone by the opinion of a very biased author who isn’t giving you the whole story.
Hi DC
I’m afraid to say, it most certainly is a Death Cult, but then again, Christianity as a whole is. Since the Hammer of the Arians (Bishop Hilary of Poitiers) predicted the mass liquidation of all earthly species in 365 CE Christianity has produced a continuous supply of socially derelict luminaries who’ve longed for nothing short of the total and complete annihilation of our home world. All told, in the last 1,700 years there have been more than three-hundred prominent captains of Christianity who have announced with excited yips of childlike anticipation that their god was about to lay waste to all life on earth. In this generation alone there have been over forty major public incidents where socially-reckless, apocalypse-hungry Christian leaders have proclaimed that their god was here and it was time to die. It’s a ghastly number, but it is a number reflected in the multi-billion dollar Christian apocalypse industry that has in just the last twenty years produced 29 End Times films, 60 documentaries, and some 1,120+ grotesquely warped End Times books, of which the Left Behind series has alone sold over 40 million copies. Add into this mix literally thousands of Christian End Times websites, thousands of blogs, and scores of geographically-specific Christian-only Survivalists groups and what we have is the largest and (somewhat antithetically, albeit hilariously) longest-lasting Death Cult in the history of humanity.
john zande – I have become acquainted with an artistically and intellectually gifted individual who is a Seventh Day Adventist and after, what I can only decribe as courtship, but which, for various reasons, will lead nowhere, I now find that he is trying to tell me that ‘end of times’ are near and that he wants to ‘save’ me. He has even given me a date, which is pretty soon, so I hope to have the final say in this.
He has charm, charisma, but also drinks, has done drugs and has just about done everything that is forbidden by his religion.
What I have observed though is that he was inculcated from the time he was a small child in this faith. He had a violent father, who eventually left the family and I believe he suffered total psychological trauma by being inculcated with a belief system, which is very prescriptive in its rules; there is an obsessive-compulsiveness about its rituals. Above all, it is a life full of rules and prohibitions, casting into the sin bin (resulting in a mountain of guilt) just about everything which makes us human. Sex has an almost sick attraction to those who are ‘warned’ again and again, warned against ‘harlots’ etc. putting young people and particularly young men into a kind of pressure cooker which can only be called ‘abuse’. A young man in particular growing up with those prohibitions will get a very twisted outlook on something that is so fundamental to our human nature; he will either react by doing totally the opposite of what’s required, or get a weird outlook on the opposite sex, predisposing him to voyeurism or romanticising the opposite sex, with resulting hurts, failed relationships etc.
Despite this kind of abuse, to which he willingly submitted and still does, he is a most generous and loving human being, but I believe he would be that kind of person, anyway. The religion has damaged his relationships, he has damaged himself and he is caught in a kind of masochistic ‘rapture’ about being one of those rare individuals who ‘will be saved’ and he will be off into the universe and become a just ruler over ‘others’ – whoever they might be; whilst he is merrily destroying what vestage of life he has on this earth, by drinking to excess etc. Yet he isn’t crazy and I don’t know what to do with him in my life – I also have a ‘belief’, namely that people come into one’s life for a reason and initially he needed a lot of help and still does and it will be worse when the end-of-world prediction won’t come true.
I am almost an atheist, but I daren’t say that, as we really are a little bit too small in this vast universe to make presumptions of one sort or another about the ‘creator of that universe’ – and I want to help this very lovely man, but he sees me as some kind of pitiful creature who will go under when the terrible things happen, which he ‘sees coming’ very soon.
I totally despise this cult and keep wishing they would just all ‘go away’ – maybe the second coming will just whisk them off to Ursa Major, which was a special place for the ancients.
Capridame
Hi Capri, this sounds frustrating to the extreme.
Thanks, John – I needed to get this off my chest. thanks for listening.
I will take the liberty of using one of your quotes, should we finish up in discussion.
He is due here in a few days and will stay with me for a while . . .
but when not ‘religious’ he is a funny, generous and very knowledgeable guy, so hopefully, I can keep him off the apocalyptic scenario.
If I had known from the beginning, that he is an Adventist, I would never have allowed this friendship to proceed, as I had an experience with a man years ago, who was also an Adventist. He was intelligent, handsome, sexually incapable for reasons I didn’t hang around long enough to find out, but to do with his upbringing, but he never finished an education which would have made him an engineer, because he would have had to sit an extra and vital exam and that was scheduled for a Saturday – hence he ‘couldn’t attend’ because the Sabbath Day is the day of the Lord! When I met him he had no job qualifications and he ended up doing odd jobs, but mostly helping his Mum on Market stalls on Sundays (and he was a man in his early 40s). . . . that belief system has a lot to answer for.
What do you think of a theory someone medically qualified has published – I cannot now remember who – that many of the so-called ‘seers’ have a frontal lobe (brain) injury, which causes, in some instances epilepsy and in some instances ‘visions’?
. . . . apparently Ellen White was hit by a stone on the head when still a schoolgirl and began having visions from that moment on . . . Mohamed was another one who was thought to have suffered from epilepsy and used to withdraw into a cave where he had terrifying visions, which his wife and her cousin explained as ‘visions and relevations from the angel Jabreel’.
Physical punishments, fisticuffs etc. is/was a lot more common among the Ancients, which could account for the prolific amount of ‘seers’ and ‘prophets’, particularly in the Middle Eastern regions. One just needs to dip into the Bible or the Quran to find that physical punishment and stoning is commonly used for all kinds of major or minor misdemeanors.
Capridame
Hi again. Do I know you from somewhere?
so hopefully, I can keep him off the apocalyptic scenario.
Good luck. Beaches and vineyards are good places to distract wandering minds.
I think you’re right; frontal lobe epilepsy, hypnagogia, and even cerebral trauma can produce all the religious experiences. Hell, there are about 27 people alive today all publically claiming to be Jesus. Spice it with some existential anxiety and mortality salience and you have the recipe for a good ol’ religious carnival.
Hi John: Hypnagogia – fascinating, found a website dealing with it – my friend fits all these criteria.
I have been posting to various sites on the internet over the years, initially sharetrading forums, also the odd commentary on musical sites, but lately I have been an avid contributor to the social side of a large sharetrading forum. It doesn’t seem right to name it here, though;
AND
I checked the various ‘living’ Jesus figures around the world – amazing and what’s more amazing is that they find ‘followers’. The tricks our giant-sized brain plays on us!!!
Go well
Capridame
Be well, too.
i’m hip!
Well said, especially that last line. I’m not Seventh Day Adventist, but I’m not intolerant either. What this author said about “scaring children” is beyond ridiculous. And the concern over indoctrination of starving nations, really??? Because the author would never teach HER views to others, right? Uh hem.
read the Bible you will know truth
I have. It’s not very good.
Everyone should take a breath. Judge not lesat ye be judged. There are as many paths to salvation as there are souls in creation. If something or someone is pushing you buttons its all part of God’s plan and is a test for you to stop and ask why this makes you feel reactive causing you to come from aplace of darkness. Insulting, blaming, getting angry, belittling are all worksd of Satan not the Creator. Thats the test, to realize Satan is always right there waiting to take advantage of our Ego’s. Take a breath, don’t react, recognize Satan’s presence trying to test you and stir up your emotions. By not saying anything and letting your ego take control you will receive more light and positive energy. If this offends you its because your ego does not want to be challenged which is exactly how Satan works in the world.
No, it’s not. Not all the information in this article is correct.
By all means, what is wrong?
It’s so interesting how it started (the world is going to end in 1843) and that it’s still going! Clearly with any brand of nonsense you can easily indoctrinate millions of people. The more I learn about religion, the more it worries me.
Least they admitted they were wrong and amended their doctrinal beliefs as a united front according to the bible instead of blindly following one guy. That’s more than most can say.
I always think about that House episode when I think of SDAs.
Reblogged this on paarsurrey and commented:
Paarsurrey says:
Jesus did not die on the Cross; he was put on the Cross but delivered from it in near-dead , nevertheless alive. He was treated, in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea for the injuries inflicted on him on the Cross when he was recovered to travel he migrated to India.
Jesus’ s Second Coming therefore was not physical; it was symbolic. This has already taken place in the form of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1835-1908, the Promised Messiah.
The prophecy of Daniel has therefore been fulfilled.
Thanks
Huh? What religion do you practice that believes Jesus was not dead on the cross and migrated to India? I have never heard of this before…
I am an Ahmadi peaceful Muslim.
For information on Jesus not dying a cursed death on the Cross, you may read the book “Jesus in India” by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad- the Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi, link given below:
http://www.alislam.org/library/books/jesus-in-india/index.html
and also one can view the following documentaries:
God himself tells us that His word is the only one to heed, and that any man who adds to or takes away from, is of Satan. So saying people should read “some other guys book” to find out why “Christ was not dead on the cross” when the Bible CLEARLY states that He was – well, that’s just anti-Christ, now isn’t it. Peaceful or not, I am afraid your prophets and messiahs are blasphemous.
God himself tells us this? I don’t remember him telling me anything. When did he tell us this?
You’re not, by chance, referring to words in a book written by men, are you? Because if so, that’s not “God himself.” Just FYI.
Then there is no salvation…and it’s all a lie..we can just continue to be unsaved wretches..because Mohammed sure can’t save anyone..he’s dead ..and Jesus sure isn’t’ going to come back and tell everyone he fooled his mother and his disciples which would have made him a liar.
I again provide link of YouTube for Jesus in Kashmir;
1. BBC Documentary
2. Jesus in Kashmir (India)-Documentary by Indian Govt.
Allahu Akbar you freak.
Heyward Shepherd
Thank for liking my post and logging it on your blog. I however could not locate your blog.
Regards
That was not very nice or intelligent. Obviously didn’t get the message of ANY prophet.
I apologize for his rudeness.
I don’t mind, even if one has called me a freak that does no make me one. It is a truth. May G-d bless you.
Regards
please explain the roman soldier piercing his heart and getting water and blood for me ? cause as far as i am aware that is indicative of catastrophic heart failure
I’ve never heard anyone say his heart was peirced. The Bible says his side was pierced, not his heart. And that is all I’ve ever heard. Maybe this clears that up for you. But if you did a Google search I’m sure you have figured that out already.
its a sign of pulmonary edema. and there is zero chance Jesus was put on a cross and DID NOT die. roman executioners were professionals and were subject to death themselves if they did not execute the convicted as ordered – they never failed.
the chance that “back then” a man was put on a cross for a professional execution and lived through it is nil.
Jesus really died my friend. The Roman soldier who pierced him with his spear realized He was already dead so he did not bother to break His legs. Jesus was already dying when He sweated blood in the Garden of Gethsamane. He died of a broken heart for the human race so that whosoever shall believe in Him will have life eternal.
If you care to study and understand Bible prophecy, only Jesus Christ fulfilled all the 300+ prophecies about the Messiah. There is no other Messiah but Jesus Christ who died on the cross for ALL of us, whether you care to believe and accept it or not.
I was raised Mormon and they were always big about how they (we) were the fastest-growing church. It wasn’t until I started researching things for myself that I realized that the Seventh Day Adventists had been growing a lot faster than the Mormons, and for more years.
That’s pretty surprising actually, especially given the extensive missionary efforts of the Mormon Church. I suppose it’s all about where you go, how in need the people you run into are, and who gets there first! Better to go to a country with little to no religious practices than to a country like Mexico (I personally know a bunch of Mormons that have done their missionary work here) in which most citizens are firmly planted in their religion- like Catholicism.
Yes, it really surprised me. The speed of growth of the Mormon church was presented and accepted as a sign of its divine mandate. To see that a “heathen” church was growing faster was quite a shock, and helped me question how I had always viewed things.
Ever heard of free will? People make their own decisions. Starving African children make their own decisions just the same as chubby white children.
Adventists are harmless and dedicated to pacifism. There is however a religion that we should be more concerned with. Care to guess which one.
That’s becsuse Mormons have a harder time answering a straight-forward question about their beliefs, and in today’s day in age, nobody likes that. Also, in most religions today, it’s all tradition that no one can provide reason for. Tis why atheists are most often considered more logical of people. Most religious people don’t even know what they’re practicing, giving the minority a bad rep. Adventists surprisingly know what they’re practicing and have actual bible-support; that reaches a lot of people. When 1+1=2, and not Joseph Smith+ idk-the-book-he-wrote-that’s-been-amended-3,319 times- said-so-and-then I-prayed-about-whether-it-was-true-and-I-feel-like-it-is-so-that’s-what-I-believe= undefined, people get excited and start telling other’s as to be expected.
That’s amazing because both are cults…offspring of Mother Church Catholicism…the other churches are distant cousins though 7th Days are unique in thinking Jesus was Archangel Michael…they claim “Trinity’ but it’s a different Trinity. Guess one will have to ask God if His Son who was with Him From the Beginning and Is THE WORD and not an angel cares or not.
Appreciate the comments. In reference to whether or not Jesus cares if Seventh Day Adventists consider Him to be an Angel and The Word at the same time, first that’s a moot point because that is NOT what SDA’s believe. We do believe that Jesus was Michael the Archangel in his pre-human form. But the fact that Jesus was the Archangel Michael doesn’t mean that he was a created angel. It means that he was the “head” of the angels, or their commander and chief, so to speak. My understanding of that is that the Archangel Michael and the Word are one and the same. In that form, he, Micheal, who is also the Word is the Creative Agent of the Godhead. That person, for lack of a better term, of the Godhead came down and became a man named Jesus. Not sure if that helps but it’s my best shot and explaining it this morning before I head to church. Get out and take a nice Sabbath walk today and enjoy His awesome creation. Then ask the Lord if that’s true or not…I believe he will answer you. If we don’t get it all perfectly right here, Jesus will clear it up for us when He returns at the first resurrection! Have a blessed Sabbath! Chuck
As George Carlin would say “Holy SHit”
Actually the SDA chruch was founded by Ellen White, a woman. Don’t believe me there is a whole museum dedicated to her. She had “visions” about the “end of times” but mostly of mundane stuff like healthy diets (this is where the vegetarian and vegan stuff comes from).
The Sabbath was observed on Saturday in the Old Testament hence why it is celebrated now on Saturday.
I have never heard nor seen anyone have their feet washed when I attended and SDA church and the school that the church ran. I also asked a friend of mine who it still in the church and she said there is no such thing.
The mission trips that I have personally been on never went around preaching the word of Christ. We actually cleaned up places, built schools, dug wells for communities to receive fresh water, etc.
Nobody thought their death was imminent or anything. The preacher never even said anything like that. So no nobody grew up thinking that.
Wives were not told to be submissive either. If anything they were equals in the SDA church.
Idk where you get your information from you should really fact check before publishing. No I am not some bitter Adventist, I am an atheist thank you. I just don’t like seeing misinformation being spread on either side.
I’m SDA and always looked forward to the footwashing during Communion service. It happens quarterly.
actually we do feet washing its called communion. we do it every 3 months
Brittney you are as misinformed as the author of this terribly written article. First off Ellen G White is not the founder of the Seventh day Adventist church. No more than Peter is the cornerstone of the church. Christ is the Cornerstone. The formation of Adventism was in whole not credited to any one man or in such misrepresentation a woman. The Church did begin as a movement led by William Miller. Many Adventists misrepresent EGW as equal to the Bible when she is nothing greater than a prophetess of no lesser importance than those found in the Bible. She herself places the Bible as the standard of all doctrine and reform; she does not exalt herself as others have done against her. She places a key role in the Adventist walk in that she continues the prophetic gift in modern or current times and offers a better understanding for the preparation of Gods peculiar people for Christ’s return which all protestant churches taught at their birth: Christ is returning for a peculiar people.
I am trying to think of the percentage of all religions that are totally and completely moronic,,Oh Yeah–It’s100%–the same percentage for the alleged humans the republicans are trotting out for the presidential election
2 things that will end civilization and are decimating it now–right wing corporate greed and religion
well you didn’t bash us to bad..but you forgot one major piece. they are the only church that understands the sanctuary and can preach the whole message. the sanctuary is huge in the bible. it has so many different meanings.. Ive been to a lot of churches but seventh-day Adventist preach truth straight from the bible and can interpret all prophecy and all scripture correctly if you compare to most. id love to see a debate with a seventh day Adventist. my moneys on us every time.
there is a lot of scripture that congregations don’t understand and are dumbfounded. but seventh day advent reveal truth. not just saying that because I’m one. you know truth when you hear it
Read the bible take time you will be surprise the things you learn don’t knock before you try it
From doing my research and being friends with adventists they certainly are a pack of nutters. The seem to be very oppressed and controlled by what they are taught.They believe that all non adventists are the devil,and that they must live to please God to ensure a place in heaven. The ones i know are fanatics about diet and vegetarianism..mad!!
The bible and the bible alone
As long as Adventist claim the Trinity, they are just as much a cult as all the other so called protestants. No such thing in the Bible as a Trinity; three in one and one in three. The Father and son are the God head and there is no third person at all. God’s Spirit is His own Spirit, not a third person.
A lot of this article is quite true, some a little stretched of an imagination and some just not true at all – but any idea that the ‘Sabbath is now Saturday’ would show ignorance for fact, easily checked to find it has always been Saturday, and was changed to Sunday in the 4th century by the pope. If God set aside 1 day for man to remember Him, to keep the day holy and to rest from work, should we not be doing this on the very day He chose???
Deceptions are sugar-coated and gold-plated. Having been born and raised in the seventh-day-adventist church I can say that anyone that has anything to do with adventist beliefs is mentally ill. Hang around them long enough and you will discover the depth and length and breadth of destruction their beliefs hold sway on society, the family, and the individual. But oh you say, look at all the good; sure, a bright flash in the eyes is always blinding and there are none so deaf and dumb and blind as those who self-impose it.
Thanks for an swesome advertisement for the 7th Day Adventist church. Even though some of your statements are slanted, and some details are left out that could lend more clarity to the whole truth about our church, the evidence about God’s remnant church on earth still shines through bright and clear. I will admit that our church is crazy…but it’s “crazy good,” not bad. I actually think you are under conviction and should consider joining our church. You would be a great advocate for the truth once you got all the details you need. I suggest you read the Great Controversy” by Ellen White, as well as “The Desire of Ages.” God bless you brother, and I hope we get to meet sometime. Perhaps we will high- five each other on the way up at the resurrection and the translation of the righteous when Jesus returns. I hope so!
Actually, many missionaries for the SDA church are medical missionaries. There are many SDA doctors and nurses who have served in poor countries. There are also many who serve at teachers. I was a SDA missionary in South Korea for a few years and I was a teacher. I no longer believe in SDA, but I don’t like how this article accuses SDAs of going to poor countries just to convert people and not help them. The church also has ADRA, the Adventist Development and Relief Association, which is much like the Red Cross.
I would suggest that the author currently should go to the Bible then make his suggestions and perhaps go back to an Adventist church and hear the message through open ears
Wow, thanks for sharing this. Despite their delusions, sounds like you think more Adventists in the world will make the planet a better, safer, healthier place to live. Hmmm, better place to live? Healthier? Less crime? May Adventists spread their “delusion” across the planet until Jesus returns! Seriously though, when you get a chance read the the Great Controversy by Ellen White cover to cover. In fact, I’ve included a link below so you can listen to it on audio verse chapter by chapter. I bet it will be one of the biggest blessings of your life. And if you ever feel like stepping out of your Common Sense closet into the Light maybe we can talk about it in person some time. Maybe we can even take a Sabbath hike somewhere and you can experience the blessing of the Sabbath firsthand. I’ll bet you’ll be glad you did! God bless you as you continue to seek the Truth about this life! Chuck
https://www.audioverse.org/english/audiobooks/books/946/the-great-controversy.html
Sent from my iPhone
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the concept of the overview is to use reverse psychology. saying traveling to another country giving needed medicine and food and also including your faith which is why you brought those things is bad? the author is contradicting himself, answering his own question for you.
uDbv,(.)(((‘.”
Looks like something just as ambiguous as my phone hacker presents me with, who, as it turns out, is SDA.
Yea, Adventism is a bit like ANY concerted organization or communal fraternity on Planet Earth: A core of in-commonness along with a bouquet of differences to lend some color. I fear your unbecoming sense of superiority and rather closed-minded prejudice are showing, regardless of what you may doggedly project upon anyone or anything “Christian!”
The bottom line is Jesus Christ. Love one another as Jesus loved us. In scripture Jesus’s disciples saw a man/people casting out demons and healing in Jesus name, the disciples said to the person’s to follow them. But the person refused and therefore the disciples REBUKED the person’s. When the disciples told Jesus about the issue Jesus said not to rebuke those persons because they were doing rightly (Luke 9:50). There is no perfect religion, that’s another reason for God’s grace, as long as the gospel of Jesus Christ is the foundation of any church we may be graceful.
What happened to believing like a child? I know I’m a child of God and Jesus said [paraphrase] ‘let all the children come to me’. How can you use the words “Allah Akbar and you freak” in the same sentence? My Muslim friend, have you forgotten?
I’m a Christian with a personal relationship with my forgiving God, I believe Jesus was his son and died on the cross so that our sins may be forgiven. I believe in the Holy Ghost that was given to us when God gave us our Roach (first breath/soul/destiny, etc.) I belong to no religion but my faith is cast in stone. My “food” I get from The Holy Bible. Let there be peace amongst ourselves brothers and sisters. May our Lord bless and keep each and everyone of you and yours.
عمل الله
Hey guys, not sure if you’ll get this return email but you’ve sent this before. Much of the content of your email makes Seventh-day Adventists sound like some of the most “crazy in a good way” common sense people on earth: we are healthier, live longer, and get along better with each other and others. And we also allow for others to worship as they wish. Something others will not do for us when the pagan sun day of worship is enforced by law resulting in the mark of the beast. Sunday rest is not supported anywhere in the Bible nor can a change from the 7th day of the week to the first day of the week be substantiated either. To bad you left that out of your email. And while Adventists are tolerant of other religions, we will eventually be persecuted by everyone else for keeping the 7th Day Sabbath, a point that you also did not make at all in your email. You don’t believe it now, but you will remember it when our country violates the separation of church and state and begins to enforce a national Sunday law. Remember that you heard it and investigate our beliefs more deeply then. Perhaps you will then come over to a better understanding of our beliefs and you’ll be ready for Jesus when he comes to take us home. Just so you know, our church is just the natural progression of the true protestant movement that began with Martin Luther in 1517. The SDA church is the final result of God’s efforts to restore all of His true doctrines of the Bible to the people on earth after the were distorted by the Roman Catholic Church (the beast power of Revelation) for 1260 years. We are the only true protestant church on earth that still protests against the beast, the Roman Catholic Church. We also protest against those fallen “protestant” churches who are in reality no longer protestant because they no longer protest against the Catholic church. In fact those so-called protestant churches doctrines now so reflect the beliefs of catholicism that they have formed an “image of the beast.” In other words, they reflect the image of the beast in the same way that a person looking in mirror looks so much like their reflection that you can’t tell the difference. The fact that the so-called protestant churches go to church on Sunday like their mother catholic church who changed the Sabbath to Sunday is one of the strongest examples of that. And, the Catholic Church claims that change as their “mark of authority” over all the protestant churches, except for 7th Day Adventists. And the Catholic Church is right about that, because the Bible teaches that “we are the servants of whom we obey.” Seven day Adventist obey God‘s law in the 10 Commandments. Jesus said “if you love me keep my Commandments.” The 7th Day Sabbath is one of those Commandments, the 4th commandment. The rest of the world follows after the beast in Sunday observance. And yes, 7th Say Adventist are the fastest growing religion on earth, and we will grow faster. That is one reason satan will provoke men to enforce the Sunday law in an effort to stop the 7th Day Adventist church growth that would eventually fill the whole earth. Hopefully you now have a little clearer view of our church. There are many other topics you touched on in your email that were vague and misleading about our beliefs. But that’s OK, at least your mind is turned in the right direction and I’ll be praying for you my brothers and sisters. God bless you, and I hope I see you in the new heavens and new earth, if not before! Chuck
Sent from my iPhone
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I’m Catholic and I promise you, we don’t care that you worship on Saturday, nobody cares, we’re glad your worshiping on whatever day you choose to. Also, the United States and the world in general are becoming more secular. No Sunday laws are coming.
Hey guys, much of the content of your email makes Seventh-day Adventists sound like some of the most “crazy in a good way” common sense people on earth: we are healthier, live longer, and get along better with each other and others. And we also allow for others to worship as they wish. Something others will not do for us when the pagan sun day of worship is enforced by law resulting in the mark of the beast. Sunday rest is not supported anywhere in the Bible nor can a change from the 7th day of the week to the first day of the week be substantiated either. To bad you left that out of your email. And while Adventists are tolerant of other religions, we will eventually be persecuted by everyone else for keeping the 7th Day Sabbath, a point that you also did not make at all in your email. You don’t believe it now, but you will remember it when our country violates the separation of church and state and begins to enforce a national Sunday law. Remember that you heard it and investigate our beliefs more deeply then. Perhaps you will then come over to a better understanding of our beliefs and you’ll be ready for Jesus when he comes to take us home. Just so you know, our church is just the natural progression of the true protestant movement that began with Martin Luther in 1517. The SDA church is the final result of God’s efforts to restore all of His true doctrines of the Bible to the people on earth after the were distorted by the Roman Catholic Church (the beast power of Revelation) for 1260 years. We are the only true protestant church on earth that still protests against the beast, the Roman Catholic Church. We also protest against those fallen “protestant” churches who are in reality no longer protestant because they no longer protest against the Catholic church. In fact those so-called protestant churches doctrines now so reflect the beliefs of catholicism that they have formed an “image of the beast.” In other words, they reflect the image of the beast in the same way that a person looking in mirror looks so much like their reflection that you can’t tell the difference. The fact that the so-called protestant churches go to church on Sunday like their mother catholic church who changed the Sabbath to Sunday is one of the strongest examples of that. And, the Catholic Church claims that change as their “mark of authority” over all the protestant churches, except for 7th Day Adventists. And the Catholic Church is right about that, because the Bible teaches that “we are the servants of whom we obey.” Seven day Adventist obey God‘s law in the 10 Commandments. Jesus said “if you love me keep my Commandments.” The 7th Day Sabbath is one of those Commandments, the 4th commandment. The rest of the world follows after the beast in Sunday observance. And yes, 7th Say Adventist are the fastest growing religion on earth, and we will grow faster. That is one reason satan will provoke men to enforce the Sunday law in an effort to stop the 7th Day Adventist church growth that would eventually fill the whole earth. Hopefully you now have a little clearer view of our church. There are many other topics you touched on in your email that were vague and misleading about our beliefs. But that’s OK, at least your mind is turned in the right direction and I’ll be praying for you my brothers and sisters. God bless you, and I hope I see you in the new heavens and new earth, if not before! Chuck
This is written by someone seriously out of touch with Adventists and Adventism. It is full of misinformation and disinformation with a bit of begrudging accuracy thrown in here and there; and all cooked up with prejudice and a quasi-uncharitable spirit. The sources used to represent what Adventists believe etc. are largely peripheral or taken from Adventist material that is designed for purposes other than to give a clear sense of where Adventists are actually coming from. Overall, this piece seriously misrepresents even the flaws of this Denomination … which all denominations could be said by someone to possess. This is a sadly lacking and caricature of Adventism.
Of course I’m out of touch – I’m atheist and I don’t but into any of your precious fairytales. Anyone can research the absurdity of a denomination – even you! Perhaps if you read a little more you wouldn’t be so stuck in your small minded beliefs!
Also, please explain to me how taking info DIRECTLY from the Adventist website is not an actual representation of what you all believe? Why is it on the website then? Or am I supposed to read your website like you’d like me to read the Bible – pick and choose which stories make me feel the most comfortable and then vehemently stand by those and judge and insult the others who disagree? Nah, I prefer to take things at face value. Things are what they are. That’s it.
Missy, are you saying that because you are “Atheist” you are not — as everyone actually is — obliged by common sense and fairness to be genuinely knowledgeable and fair with those you are critiquing or criticizing? What exactly are the “Fairy tales” I’m supposed to believe in? And what small-minded spot am I personally supposed to be so stuck in? Your comments make you sound as though you are part and parcel of the very same highly prejudicial religious bigotry that you so rightfully reject — or even despise — in your purview of Adventism and other “crazy” Christian movements. While I do understand your reliance upon a terribly brief perusal of the formal beliefs of Adventists, a responsible person simply cannot jog through such a cursory expression of belief and convince themselves and others that they have it all anywhere near to clear. What would you think of my conclusions and condemnations (I shudder to ask!) if I tried to sum up and attack Atheistic presuppositions in such a way?
I’m increasingly convinced that many atheists (the new “religion” on the block that increasingly includes many of the same old bigoted attitudes haunting much of Fundamentalist Christianity — yours included, Missy) unquestioningly embrace some pretty imaginative “fairy tales” themselves. I would say that we should all stick conscientiously and much more closely to the core of real science, which at least professes fealty to the basic laws of the actual research-based scientific method and that doesn’t give unsubstantiated obeisance to the imaginative implications so many atheistic scientists and others see as more or less part of their sometimes over-strained take on the natural data surrounding all of us. And I must add that there’s much more to our cosmic origins than the biologically-slanted preoccupations of Darwinism … “Neo” or otherwise …. Lots of unquestionable mystery.
Yes, I’m an Adventist and certainly a Christian and I hope that you will see that what you lump together and thump upon as Adventist or Christian is — as it is in the scientific community — much, much more complex than your narrow views allow. So please don’t hide behind your Atheism, making it a kind of excuse for your inadequate and unfair criticisms. And by the way, I find myself even more viscerally opposed to the ghastly and destructive religion of the Adventist husband that has kicked off our exchanges, than I may be opposed to sensible, decent and well-calibrated atheists.
I hope no-one inflicts such levels of nonsense on the ” neo-religion” of Atheism. Get your facts straight before you attempt any more of this grade school baloney. This is not “common sense”, it’s nonsense.
Atheism is not a “now-religion”. Perhaps you are the one needing to get your facts straight. It must be painful hearing someone on the outside talk about your precious held mythical beliefs. There is absolutely no room for common sense in any religion. All religion is “grade school baloney”.
I did not say atheism is a “now religion, Missy, but a “neo religion.”I have to say again that it’s your facts that need adjustment, though I’m quite sure that all of ours — mine certainly included — are always in need of adjustment and even reformulation.
I must also say that there’s too much stuff these days that masquerades as objective science but that is simultaneously morphing into a new phenomenal world view with less and less scientific objectivity to it and more and more of the old destructive “judgmentalism” that has made so much of conventional religion (such as fundamentalist Christianity and fundamentalist Islam etc.) dangerous and intolerable. Again, I am saying that this kind of “science” or “atheism” — a religious word in itself — most declaredly creates such a potently destructive movement because of the attitudes and hubristic character that increasingly haunts it. It is more and more non-objective (a serious loss to us all and a denial of what it started out to be) and so it is progressively possessed with a kind of negative sectarian fervor that, particularly since Dawkins, is sprouting people who create websites such as this one that encourages thoughtless tirades against people who come short of its supposedly superior belief systems. Where will such oppressive attitudes lead us as a culture? …… I ask this as someone who’s been subject to these sorts of structures all my life. It’s patently detectable in any guise: religious, quasi-religious, quasi-scientific, political, secular etc. etc.
Adventists are mostly harmless, but particular people can fall victims of organized religions and affect people around them. I’ve been married to an Adventist for 8 years, divorced him and his religious obsession is still affecting my life. I was raised in non-religious family, so was he. Intelligent, responsible, hard working man. But then one day after we already begun to live together, he turned to an Adventist. He begun to pressure us with his ideas on Sunday law, blame me for working on Saturday, told to his boss, who were taking care of him almost as a mother, that she is a lesbian and for this sin will be condemned, try to make us feel guilty for the food we eat (btw I’m vegetarian so is my son, but not for religious reasons), trying to make our son feel guilty for dancing and singing “secular songs”, we could not go for a family hike, for he would pass around those little church papers, saying that we have no time to waste on walks when sinners are dying without knowing God, every friend visit would turn into ceremony and for that reason we lost all our friends, and on and on and on. All that is just a small fraction of his ridiculous actions. After everything he just quit his job and moved out to the country side, praying and building churches instead of supporting his family, My advise- Stay away of any form of organized religion, especially if you easy influenced by all kind of stuff.
So sorry for your experience with toxic and extremist “Adventism.” Sorry for all your pain and sorrow! Your former husband’s religious profile is, I think, very much like the sort of thing Jesus confronted in the religious environment of his day and what inspired the proponents of the “organized religion” of his time to take the action they did when they engineered his crucifixion. Your husband’s outlook is actually found in all kinds of historic and contemporary “religion.” It is also, in effect, omnipresent in secular values and behavior. In the religious world, It has turned or is now turning thousands away from the authentic beauty and coherence of Jesus Christ Himself. It innoculates countless people (including, I think, the proponents of this website) against what Jesus actually was and what he stood for. To find freedom from the misery you describe is absolutely crucial … However, because of the desperation it produces in ones soul and being, it can also lead a searching person to the authenticity of a simple faith in Jesus Christ Himself.
Actually, the Adventist Church is at present engaged in a far-reaching struggle between the almost cruel and definitely destructive religion of your former husband and the pristine faith hope and love that Jesus embodied. We are all on a demanding journey on which “the light shines on in the dark and the darkness has never mastered it.” (John 1:5).
Wow, I’m so sorry you had to go through that. Thank you for sharing your story. I think it is so important that we talk about things like this. How these viewpoints can effect others so negatively and be detrimental to other people’s lives. I’m glad to hear that you were strong enough to get away – some people aren’t. Please don’t ever stop sharing your story, you never know who it might help!
It’s interesting that you suggest that SDA’s, both adult and children must be living in fear of dying at the return of Christ. Why would you think this? The return of Christ is a tremendously good thing, as it provides to every person the reward of their own free choices made in this life. Some to life eternal, others to eternal death. Not everyone will be pleased with the reward, but it will be the result of their own choice. The only SDA that lives in fear is the one who is uneducated or insincere.
If the Bible is fiction(as you say), when I come to the end of my days, I haven’t really lost anything. However, if the Bible is true(as I say) when you have come to the end of your days, you have lost everything.
Everyone need to step back, take a deep breath, and ask yourselves what’s making you so reactive, whats pushing your buttons, why are peoples comments here stiring up your emotions, drawing lines saying thats to far. The only person we can actually help or change is ourselves. This is Satan working through our ego’s steeling our energy from the Creator and laughing at us all. The creator’s deepest message is to love and support one another. Christ’s message was to love and support one another. Any time we are arguing, feeling butt hurt, embarresed, angry, emotional, overly excited it’s our own challenge. Its our opportunity to evelate into the light or fall further down into darkness. We are supposed to ask G_d for help and strength in everything we do in this world of light & dark. There are only two ways of moving through this world. As a Creator (in the image of G_D) or a Destroyer with your words and actions. If your causing someone else to suffer even if your right your still a destroyer. It’s not our jobs to save each other, to change each other, to judge each other. He said judge not least you be judged. I’m sure someone or alot of you want to say ” who the hell is this person”. That’s Satan in your left ear saying “are you just going to sit here and listen to this crap”. It’s ok, G_d forgives all but we have to ask and call on him daily.
G_d bless us all, give us the strength to endure each day, help us stay on middle path (balance) not the high or low road. G_d help us recognize your challenges and over come Satan’s tricks. Amen, Amen, amen
Rob The Mob
So actually you, whoever is writing this massive distortion of the truth, who are dangerous. You spread lies, or as it is called these days, misinformation regarding SDA’s like we teach our children they could die at any moment. In reality we teach to trust fully in God and if something should happen to a child or an elderly person, they will rise again in the resurrection. Death is nothing to fear. While we are alive we are to worship God because He created us and sustains us and we are to share this truth with as many people as are interested. Trusting in Jesus promises peace (Jesus’ peace. Not worldly peace) and of eternal life with God. If this message is truth, and we know that it is, we would be selfish and unworthy to not share it with everyone and anyone who is interested. Wow, aren’t we just horrible people. We minister to widows, fatherless, lost, hurting, ill people, (know anyone like this?) expecting nothing in return except a closer relationship with God. Watch out man, we are dangerous. Neither we nor God forces anyone to believe anything they don’t want to believe. The choice is yours. Most who blow this off as myth or legend, have not really investigated it. They haven’t read the Bible or tried, really tried communicating with God. He says “You shall search for Me and you shall find Me, when you search for me with all your heart.” I would suggest setting aside your preconceived ideas about religion, it has been so corrupted by false teachers who are only interested in getting rich (Joel Osteen, etc.) that it’s hard to trust anyone. But you can trust the Bible 100%. It does not change. Reading it prayerfully, praying sincerely to God asking for His Holy Spirit to guide and direct your heart and mind, and accepting those things you don’t understand as something God will reveal to you in due time. Blessings to you as you study God’s Word.
Where in the Bible is a passage or scripture that claims that ANYONE changed the sabbath from. The seventh day of the week to the 1st day of the week ???? After the creation of the earth which took six days , God rested on the seventh day and proclaimed it a day of rest on that day for eternity…….End of story !!!!!!!!!!! Bernard C Edgell a baptized Seventh Day Adventist!