The Other 27 Fundamentals

[SnowBird77]

As I was reading Chris Blake's article an idea came to mind. Let us deconstruct them by providing evidence to support the assumption behind each one. For example, the first one says: Forgive us for ignoring, downplaying, and airbrushing our flaws and deficiencies when we should be transparently honest.

I would ask, "Is it true that we have ignored, downplayed, and airbrushed our flaws and deficiencies? Where is the evidence that we have not been transparently honest?

We can do that with all the others. Maybe Blake was not all correct. We won't know until we take a closer look.

 

[moicherie]

Do you want us to talk from personal experince or what we know of our organisation?

 

[SnowBird77]

Do you want us to talk from personal experince or what we know of our organisation?

I think we can more speak from personal experience. We can also post what we have seen in our brethren. In either case, we would have to show how those attitudes are supported by our basic teachings. Indirectly, that would reflect on the organization.

 

[moicherie]

"Forgive us for ignoring, downplaying, and airbrushing our flaws and deficiencies when we should be transparently honest."
Ok - Regional conferences are a blot on the landscape IMO.
I stand to be corrected but I understand the caste system is adopted by out churches in India?

Yet we claim to be the true church who have an official policy of racially segregated services via the regional conferences on Sabbath?... yeah right

 

[StormyOne]

What things might we be compelled to gloss over.... HIV/AIDS is one that comes to mind.... Here is the OFFICIAL position of the Adventist church (so the accusation cannot be made that I am making this up):

How will Seventh-day Adventists respond to this global crisis? How will our church administration, educational system, medical system, and local churches respond? How will individuals respond? By their response to the AIDS epidemic. Seventh-day Adventists demonstrate their mission and purpose. We must question: "Does our mission and purpose closely reveal the face and heart of God as reflected in the life and actions of Jesus Christ?" Desiring to reveal the redemptive love of Christ we need to separate the disease from the issue of morality, demonstrating a compassionate, positive attitude toward persons with AIDS, offering acceptance and love, and providing for their physical and spiritual needs. We should feel ashamed when we see social rejection of people who have AIDS.

http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/other_documents/other_doc1.html

Now the question is have we seen educational programs geared to increase the awareness by members in our churches or is this issue met with silence?

 

[HoneyDew]

"Forgive us for ignoring, downplaying, and airbrushing our flaws and deficiencies when we should be transparently honest."
Ok - Regional conferences are a blot on the landscape IMO.
I stand to be corrected but I understand the caste system is adopted by out churches in India?

Really? Is there any link you can send me with this info?

 

[StormyOne]

probably there is a link... let me see... the info was given to me by some pastors who took a trip there and observed how the church functioned there...

 

[Seraph1m]

As I was reading Chris Blake's article an idea came to mind. Let us deconstruct them by providing evidence to support the assumption behind each one. For example, the first one says: Forgive us for ignoring, downplaying, and airbrushing our flaws and deficiencies when we should be transparently honest.

I would ask, "Is it true that we have ignored, downplayed, and airbrushed our flaws and deficiencies? Where is the evidence that we have not been transparently honest?

We can do that with all the others. Maybe Blake was not all correct. We won't know until we take a closer look.

The only one who would really know the answer to the question without a doubt, aside from ourselves possibly, is the Lord. Man looketh on the outward appearance but God looketh on the heart.