Is the Great Controversy Scenario outdated?

[Adventtruth]

..... When I do post on such topics these days, I usually end up regretting it because I don't feel like putting the effort into following up if people reply to my posts.

Thats how I feel about it as well. I guess the thing I hate the most besides the follow up is the Adventist bashing and name calling I've seen on many of the boards.

AT

 

[AzA]

I can't say that I ever agreed with all of the traditional Adventist teachings (at least when I actually thought about them), but most of them didn't seem quite as bizarre to me while I was an Adventist as they do now.

I understand this. It reminds me of the color illusion experiment I learned in physics.

Color a grey square. Set it on a white background.
Color another grey square. Set it on a green background.

The grey squares now look different.

Context matters!

 

[Joe67]

I understand this. It reminds me of the color illusion experiment I learned in physics.

Color a grey square. Set it on a white background.
Color another grey square. Set it on a green background.

The grey squares now look different.

Context matters!

AzA,

The relationship of colors is interesting. A flat paper wheel equally divided into the 3 basic colors of the prism, as it spins it reaches a speed where the eyes only see the wheel as white. As it slows then the colors begin to appear.

This illustrates much concerning the Lord our God and his Christ and the manifold wisdom in Jesus Christ.

Joe

 

[StormyOne]

I understand this. It reminds me of the color illusion experiment I learned in physics.

Color a grey square. Set it on a white background.
Color another grey square. Set it on a green background.

The grey squares now look different.

Context matters!

It also highlights how difficult if not impossible it is to predict the future... as I was telling my brother the other day, christians act is if what was written over 1000 yrs ago will remain unchanged, that everyone will stick to the script as it was written back then.... there is no guarantee, and we have no idea what players are still in play and which have shuffled off to the sidelines...

 

[Sophia7]

I understand this. It reminds me of the color illusion experiment I learned in physics.

Color a grey square. Set it on a white background.
Color another grey square. Set it on a green background.

The grey squares now look different.

Context matters!

That's a good illustration.

 

[ricker]

I also have a hard time anymore understanding how people can believe some of these things. I can't say that I ever agreed with all of the traditional Adventist teachings (at least when I actually thought about them), but most of them didn't seem quite as bizarre to me while I was an Adventist as they do now.

I have an atheist brother who was also raised an Adventist. In discussion with him I have brought up the end times GC scenario which he agrees is highly unlikely. The thing is he also thinks a second coming of a risen Saviour is also preposterous. Something to think about, I guess.

God bless, Rick

 

[Princessdi]

Well, so many thoughts............First of all within most of these text are my thoughts exactly.

I don't believe that "we" follow even our own thoughts out to their logical comclusions. By our own doctrine, we have a being who is personified disobedience(sin), yet believe this same being will follow a script we have placed before him requiring his own final destruction. Why is this?

I was also talking to one of my friends on Sabbath after SS, and we were wondering why we have not "learned more" about God. Why we have not advanced. Whya re we relying upon information givien hundreds and even thousands of years ago. Not saying they don't have their place, but should we not jhave added to them by now?

Now, my favorite little charaters in the Left Behind series were the little creatures God borrows from hell to torment the undecided........Sci-fi heaven!!

 

[AzA]

The relationship of colors is interesting. A flat paper wheel equally divided into the 3 basic colors of the prism, as it spins it reaches a speed where the eyes only see the wheel as white. As it slows then the colors begin to appear.

This illustrates much concerning the Lord our God and his Christ and the manifold wisdom in Jesus Christ.

Absolutely, Joe. There is multiplicity, and there is one.

 

[AzA]

Now, my favorite little charaters in the Left Behind series were the little creatures God borrows from hell to torment the undecided........Sci-fi heaven!!

I didn't know there was a series -- are these the movies? Or something else?

 

[Byfaithalone1]

From a Spectrum article:

Hate Speech? | Spectrum

thoughts?

In my mind, something that is outdated was valid for a limited time period, but that time period has passed. I can't find any evidence to confirm that the great controversy mindset was ever valid.

BFA

 

[Byfaithalone1]

When my hubby talked to several of the Adventist seminary professors a few years ago and read some recent dissertations in an attempt to resolve his doubts about the validity of the IJ, I was amazed at how they danced around the issues.

My experience has been similar. This is why I take a rather dim view of alleged strides toward change within the denomination. It appears to me that the denomination leaders, including the more progressive academics, are still trying to reconcile their world view with Ellen G. White. This certainly results in some creative interpretive dancing.

BFA

 

[Byfaithalone1]

Some of my local Baptists insist that persecution will come to them through hate speech and anti-discrimination legislation.
Many, many, many groups have some rationale for why in the end they will be the victim. It's interesting to me, though, how rarely anyone imagines that they will be the persecutors.

The Mormon church has a long history of being persecuted and marginalized in the US, and individual Mormons still experience that to one degree or another. But that doesn't stop the church from using its own weight to lobby against other marginalized groups or to persecute dissenters in its own ranks.

Adventism is no different in this regard.

No SDAism is not unique in its climactic "end of time" fears. The brand espoused by SDAism (and certain other groups) leads to guilt and, ultimately, hopelessness. Within SDAism, law keeping becomes a key ingredient in making sure you're "ready" or "safe to save."

BFA

 

[SoldierOfTheKing]

It could be right, or it could be wrong, but in neither case would it be "outdated".

 

[Joe67]

No SDAism is not unique in its climactic "end of time" fears. The brand espoused by SDAism (and certain other groups) leads to guilt and, ultimately, hopelessness. Within SDAism, law keeping becomes a key ingredient in making sure you're "ready" or "safe to save."

BFA

BFA,

The problem is the anticipated 1000 years of happiness for professed christians and the seeking of happiness for the humanists and christians.

Clarify the "hope" of the gospel and the additions would be cut off by the spirit of judgment and the subtractions would be driven out with the spirit of burning.

Joe

 

[Avonia]

The brand espoused by SDAism (and certain other groups) leads to guilt and, ultimately, hopelessness.

I would say the larger issue is apathy - doing nothing in the moment because it "won't matter anyway."

 

[Princessdi]

"Left Behind" is a series of 10 books, and I think 3 movies based on the boo, might be only two movies. Well, I guess I need to catch up myself, there are 16 books int he series. here is the Amazon link:

Amazon.com: left behind series set 1 16: Books

I didn't know there was a series -- are these the movies? Or something else?

 

[Byfaithalone1]

I would say the larger issue is apathy - doing nothing in the moment because it "won't matter anyway."

If hopelessness had a variety of destinations, wouldn't one of them be apathy?

Sadly, hopelessness can lead to even more destructive destinations.

BFA

 

[Byfaithalone1]

It could be right, or it could be wrong, but in neither case would it be "outdated".

I tend to agree.

BFA

 

[Joe67]

If hopelessness had a variety of destinations, wouldn't one of them be apathy?

Sadly, hopelessness can lead to even more destructive destinations.

BFA

BFA,

Abraham hoped, while being against hope.

Rom 4:18
18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
KJV

Now, the professed christian world is hoping in the material world as a fulfillment of the kingdom of God. Like the Jews just before they were destroyed, they are trusting in human inventions and imaginations. They are not departing from iniquity.

Isa 57:10-11
10 Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way; yet saidst thou not, There is no hope: thou hast found the life of thine hand; therefore thou wast not grieved.

11 And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of old, and thou fearest me not? KJV

Joe

 

[Avonia]

If hopelessness had a variety of destinations, wouldn't one of them be apathy?

For sure.