Adventist Separation

[StormyOne]

I would say neither Black clergy nor laypersons actually
pushed the start of Regional conferences. To be exact, the
meeting at the Stevenson Hotel was called by the White lead-
ers. Most of the Black ministers and workers in North Ameri-
ca were asked to attend. For the most part, they didn’t even
know why they were being invited or what this meeting was
all about. So I cannot say that either laypersons or clergy were
pushing the start of Regional conferences. They did not know
that the Regional conferences were going to be organized
when they went to that meeting in Chicago. Regional confer-
ences were introduced by the General Conference, not the
Black brethren at the time

http://72.14.209.104/search?q=cache...ld&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=10&gl=us&client=firefox-a

here are several articles tracing the history of Regional Conferences in the SDA Church, you can view it either in pdf format (better) or the regular html....

 

[Sophia7]

Thank you for the link, Stormy.

 

[TrustAndObey]

But Stormy, if you recall, when we asked for contact info to express our concerns, you and your friends told us that both sides wanted it this way. Both sides don't. I don't want it this way and it shouldn't be this way.

 

[StormyOne]

But Stormy, if you recall, when we asked for contact info to express our concerns, you and your friends told us that both sides wanted it this way. Both sides don't. I don't want it this way and it shouldn't be this way.

I believe we told you to contact your conference president and ask them about it. Likewise ask your pastor and see what he says.

 

[Loveaboveall]

I am not sure how the separate conferences started... but I do know why they continue... MONEY. I have suggested several times that the churches need to orgainze events together to promote the gospel in our area. The conferences are completely separate and from what I understand the blacks give considerably more tithes and offerings and spend more on youth and pathfinders, etc. Why would they want to unite with the "white" conferences when they are doing just fine without them, and in reality would be on the losing end of the money because they in essence would be sharing the wealth that was given by the black churches.

On the cultural side. I completely understand the separateness and have no real problem with it. What is funny is that I know a couple black/white, where the white wants to go to a black church and the black wants to go to a white church. It is all about where you feel most comfortable. It is definitely a different worship style.

At andrews you have just about every kind of church, korean, philipino, black, white etc. Some are language based and others are more culturally based. People naturally are attracted to what they are used to which tends to lead to groups of like individuals. That is how people work.

 

[honorthesabbath]

That may be what you were told, but that is not the truth. What happened was that for years black ministers asked to be included or become a part of the leadership structure of the sda church. The white leaders responded by suggesting that regional conferences be formed where blacks could be leaders. Thus the idea was started and implemented by the white leaders of the church, and this was 60 yrs ago.

It is unfortunate that the TRUTH about how the separation was started has been obscured. When we discussed this earlier on this forum this information was shared and there were some here who disagreed with the information.

Thanks for the corection of my statement. As I said--I wasn't 100% sure how it all came about.

A while back in this forum and in another forum I was involved in-I thought that this is what the BSDA's had told us. So I may have gotten it backwards.

But while we are discussing this--why then do the blacks have such a web forum? Isn't this in itself having a seperatist attitude? Why call yourselves the "BLACK" SDA's? I wonder what the response would be if someone started a "WHITE" Sda forum?

Just a thought!

 

[honorthesabbath]

"Let's face it--these 3 major groups are very different in their approach to worship and music styles and they don't want to give them up. For instance, I really don't care for Hispanic type music and I would not want to have to be subjected to it each service and I'm sure they feel the same way about "English" hymns and music."

When I was an Adventist, I did visit Spanish services. They sang the same songs the English services sang, only in Spanish. So there is really no difference in the SDA music. Unless things have changed since I last visited a Spanish church.

Then you better qualify what type of Hispanic music as there is music from Spain, Cuba, and each of the South and Central American countries and each is different.
Now if you are talking about the native music from Mexico with the guitars, trumpets, well I hear Mexican music and I just have to dance around the room.
Just my 2 cents worth.
DRL

I have not attended a Hispanic SDA church. My experience came from when I was Pentecostal and went to a couple of their services. And yes the music was the typical Mexican style 'rumba'. I didn't care for it. Of course--being charismatic back then--the worship 'activity' seemed normal to me. I would shun it now, knowing what I know.

 

[TrustAndObey]

Honor, I think we both know we'd never get away with naming a forum "WHITE" SDA.

Stormy, I did talk to my pastor when this was such a hot issue on here, and he told me basically what you and your friends did...that the African Americans wanted it the way it was.

Now if they have discrimination issues FOR wanting it that way then we need to speak out about it. I don't like it one bit.

My church has an interracial couple, and races from all over the world. It's a small church yet there's a lot of diversity.

No one has ever been turned away from my church or been made to feel uncomfortable at all. In fact, I swear some of the members in my church think about throwing themselves in front of visitor's cars when they say they're not staying for potluck.

 

[StormyOne]

Honor, I think we both know we'd never get away with naming a forum "WHITE" SDA.

Stormy, I did talk to my pastor when this was such a hot issue on here, and he told me basically what you and your friends did...that the African Americans wanted it the way it was.

Now if they have discrimination issues FOR wanting it that way then we need to speak out about it. I don't like it one bit.

My church has an interracial couple, and races from all over the world. It's a small church yet there's a lot of diversity.

No one has ever been turned away from my church or been made to feel uncomfortable at all. In fact, I swear some of the members in my church think about throwing themselves in front of visitor's cars when they say they're not staying for potluck.

not all blacks want regional conferences to continue, however there remains the issue of "power" and once people taste power, they are usually reluctant to give up that power...

As for forum names, hmmmm while I am tempted to respond, I won't.... you all have a good day...

 

[Riddick]

This reminds me of an indicent that happened to me when I worked in Washington, DC at a hospital. An SDA doctor, who attended the same church as I, worked there also. One day he stopped me in a hall between buildings and made the following comment to me: "The black people should go to the black churches and the Spanish/Mexican to their church." Well, I am of Mexican descent, so I replied, "Doctor, I am not black and I do not speak spanish(at the time I had not learned enough to understand and speak it well). So where should I go." He did not answer me and from then on in church neither he nor his wife spoke to me.
Prejudice is alive still.
I am no longer SDA and that had nothing to do with it.
DRL

the issue here is, do you, to this day, harbor ill-will or resentment toward the doctor. what you have to understand is that we humans all have our own problems. i am not perfect, just as you are not perfect, and that doctor is not perfect. do i resent that doctor because he is worth a lot of money?

the question is, can you move on with your life, and know that well all have our quirks, faults, etc.

 

[honorthesabbath]

Honor, I think we both know we'd never get away with naming a forum "WHITE" SDA.

Absolutely-it seems the ONLY group in this world today who are not allowed prejudice are Caucasians.


Now don't get me wrong--I am not for prejudice from any group--but when someone can get fired for a comment made about another ethnic group--even after an apology--things have went too far.


As a matter of fact--certain groups are now pressing Congress to pass 'hate legislation' that amounts to nothing more than a 'don't criticise' my lifestyle measure. Clergy will no longer from the pulpit call homosexuality a sin. Seems that no one can tolerate being corrected anymore.

Ah--the pendulum never stops in the middle does it?

 

[JonMiller]

To be fair, 'whites' haven't had institutionalized and prevalent discrimination against them throughout recent history. Additionally, there are still many racists today.

While racism is weakening, it isn't gone. There is a history there, to ignore it is to be blind.

JM

 

[StormyOne]

To be fair, 'whites' haven't had institutionalized and prevalent discrimination against them throughout recent history. Additionally, there are still many racists today.

While racism is weakening, it isn't gone. There is a history there, to ignore it is to be blind.

JM

good point and good observation. White people have never had to form something called white sda forum because usually the "forums" that are formed address their concerns from their perspective and rarely from any others perspective.

Going back again to why separate conferences were formed, whites in power rather than integrate and share the power decided unilaterally that a black power structure should be formed so that blacks could have their own. They didn't want to share their "white" power.

Of course the horror stories abound of black sda members showing up at all white sda churches and being told that they should go to the black church and not given admittance. In case you think this is something of the past, it still happens on occasion...

 

[Babymine]

Of course the horror stories abound of black sda members showing up at all white sda churches and being told that they should go to the black church and not given admittance. In case you think this is something of the past, it still happens on occasion...

A few years ago my family was visiting other family in another part of town. When my father went to inquire about the parking around the church he was told the Spanish church was down the street, because obviously
that was the one he was looking for...
Eh hem
Anyway, no worries, we were let in, and apologies all around when the fam showed up. Apparently, shouldve just said that we were related to them hehe. Who knew?
Not a horror story I know, Im sure there is much worse in the world. On every side.

 

[DRL]

Riddick,
I moved on with my life long ago. In fact right after I had that conversation with the doctor. What he said was so ridiculous I laughed at it. I just put it on here because you folks were talking about the separation of the different ethnic groups.
I could be angry at white SDAs and white non SDAs for their prejudice toward other ethnic groups. But I do not hang on to anger because it only hurts me and it gives the person with whom I am angry "rent free space in my head". I do not do that to myself and do not want others to do that.
God taught me long ago not to hang on to anger or other negative emotions. He taught me to recognize them and own them as mine, then to turn them over to Him.
I forgave the doctor, a long time ago.
I learned, long ago, that I am not perfect and neither is any one else. We are all a work in progress.
That reminds me of something I like to share. I am perfect!!!! When my son was about 12 years old we were driving some where and I mentioned that I was perfect. My son agreed with me. Now, when a 12 year old agrees with a parent that the parent is perfect they have something else on their mind. So I asked him his definition of perfect. His definition was people who make mistakes and know how to apologize. With his definition, I am perfect.
Have a God filled day.
DRL