Another thought provoking article from Spectrum online.....
what do you think?
No Wonder They Are Glad They Left | Spectrum
what do you think?
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Glad they left....
- Thread starter StormyOne
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- Sep 24, 2005
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I know from personal experience how mean-spirited people can be. That's not why I left Adventism, but I am glad that I left, for other reasons. I think that when people attack others, it often hurts them and damages their credibility more than it hurts whomever they are attacking.
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k4c
Well-Known Member
When you find the perfect church, don't join it because then it won't be perfect anymore. Do you think mean people are only found in the SDA or in one particular SDA church? No they are not. Mean people are in all denominations, work places, schools, neighborhoods, homes and so on. It's up to individual people to ask God to help them make changes in their attitudes.
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your very first sentence proves Sophia's point... the rest of your comment proves that you did not understand the intent of the article... if you read the article...
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- Sep 24, 2005
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Wow, that's some misinterpretation of my comment, and you clearly didn't read the article.
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well I know k4c didn't read the article, so I was making sure that you had read the article, though now I am almost certain you didn't read the article either.... so let's recap, a comment by a poster about an article he didn't read followed by you (MVA) co-signing on the comment by a poster who didn't read the article... interesting indeed.....
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If that is the conclusion you've come to, then you've superficially read the article... is your usual custom to answer your own questions?
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mva1985
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typical response.... "If that is the conclusion you've come to", then somehow I failed to comprehend... why don't you just call me stupid?
Assuming to know something you don't... "then you've superficially read the article"
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Don't need to.... your responses are a clear indication of what you did or didn't read... it is not an assumption on my part that I know something you don't.... I probably know quite a few things that you don't, but that's neither here nor there....
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When a group ( two or more ) begins to suffer loss, acrimony will begin. Then the Lord teaches us the hidden wickedness that's in our hearts when we would do good and find out we cannot perform, and our brother accuses us of wrong doing.
This is the lesson that the Lord taught Moses.
Joe
This is the lesson that the Lord taught Moses.
Joe
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I enjoyed reading this article again.
The presumption that people only leave because other congregants have been cruel, or because the leavers want to engage in some "sin," is a face-saving presumption.
It allows us, the church left behind, to avoid examining ourselves in the way that the article writer has endeavored to do. I respect his effort and his work with Spectrum. And saw just Thursday another personal attack on him because of his work with that group. It's kind of tragic.
The presumption that people only leave because other congregants have been cruel, or because the leavers want to engage in some "sin," is a face-saving presumption.
It allows us, the church left behind, to avoid examining ourselves in the way that the article writer has endeavored to do. I respect his effort and his work with Spectrum. And saw just Thursday another personal attack on him because of his work with that group. It's kind of tragic.
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- Sep 24, 2005
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Yes, it's easy to dismiss people who leave by presuming that. I've encountered those accusations myself. I've also been told several times that if I had really understood Adventist beliefs, I never would have left. I consider that self-serving as well. It is sad when people who are willing to take a look at the real reasons that people leave Adventism are attacked.
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The following Scripture reveals why I left the organization.
1 Tim 6:9
9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. KJV
This is the experience of Jonah.
30 years past I could not shave my head and take the vow with my brethren who are in bondage under the law in the earthly Jerusalem mindset of worship. I could not be all things to all men that some might be saved. I could not be servant to all that I might gain the more. But God had given me faith, yet he had not brought me into his grace. Gradually my faith became self-serving, just like my law keeping had gradually became self-serving.
I was wise in my conceits, thinking that faith through the gospel was the complete end of the will of God. Yet, this faith had come to me from the writings of EGW and her witness to the righteousness of Christ, which the Conference opposed 40+ years past. Now there is a form of acceptance of Christ's righteousness.
At that time I was ignorant of God's purpose in election.
Intellectual knowledge about a quality of God is distinct from being known of God through that quality of God. Many serve the Lord through blood, but they are not known of God in his election, thus they are still in the carnal/childish worship of Jesus through material hopes, even imagining the resurrection in a natural mode. This is better than "works of the law", but it comes short of the glory of God in his purpose in his grace.
Joe
1 Tim 6:9
9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. KJV
This is the experience of Jonah.
30 years past I could not shave my head and take the vow with my brethren who are in bondage under the law in the earthly Jerusalem mindset of worship. I could not be all things to all men that some might be saved. I could not be servant to all that I might gain the more. But God had given me faith, yet he had not brought me into his grace. Gradually my faith became self-serving, just like my law keeping had gradually became self-serving.
I was wise in my conceits, thinking that faith through the gospel was the complete end of the will of God. Yet, this faith had come to me from the writings of EGW and her witness to the righteousness of Christ, which the Conference opposed 40+ years past. Now there is a form of acceptance of Christ's righteousness.
At that time I was ignorant of God's purpose in election.
Intellectual knowledge about a quality of God is distinct from being known of God through that quality of God. Many serve the Lord through blood, but they are not known of God in his election, thus they are still in the carnal/childish worship of Jesus through material hopes, even imagining the resurrection in a natural mode. This is better than "works of the law", but it comes short of the glory of God in his purpose in his grace.
Joe
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Byfaithalone1
The gospel is Jesus Christ!
I've heard these things too.
In my experience, my SDA friends and family seemed to forget about the many reasons why I would have been motivated to stay. I was well known, loved and appreciated within SDAism. By leaving, I was leaving the safety of lifelong relationships to pursue the unknown. I'm not a hero for leaving, but I'm certainly not a villain either.
After I left, my SDA mother -- who views me as being a reasonably intelligent person -- decided that she could convince me to return by providing ample information about the doctrines she felt I misunderstood. Gratefully, she gave that up a couple of years ago. It was doing nothing but frustrating both of us. In reality, she was unable to face the possibility that I had seen SDAism from vantage points that she had never experienced. I can totally understand why she was trying so hard and I believe she was motivated by love.
For certain SDAs, it is inconceivable that a person would leave because they disagree. After all, SDAism has the truth. Any rationale person who understands that truth could not possibly ever decide to leave it. Many of us can easily put ourselves in their shoes because there was a day -- not that long ago -- when we too pitied the person who left SDAism for "doctrinal reasons."
BFA
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