The process of de-humanization

[NightEternal]

I always read with interest the reactions and attitudes my fellow Adventists manifest in regards to the formers.

(Pardon for the overused term 'formers'. I realize 'Christians' would be more acceptable, but it just helps to clarify whom is under discussion here.)

What I often see playing out is a process of de-humanization. No longer are formers regarded as human beings with thoughts, feelings and personalities. They are now lumped into one homogenized mass comprised of what I will call THOSE WHO LEFT US . I don't know what prompts this fear or paranoia on the part of the accusers. Perhaps it is the rubber-neck, car wreck phenomenah playing out. Maybe it is the foreboding fear of 'there but for the grace of God go I'. Regardless of the source, it is embrassing to see happen. THOSE WHO LEFT US have no hope you see, and are, essentially, the walking damned. Let's just be honest and come right out and say it. That is the understanding many Adventists hold.

Vsions of the lepers of Bible times come to mind, shut out from the city, having to ring a bell and cry out 'unclean' to warn the approaching Israelite, chosen few, remnant populace.

I recieve the magazine Proclamation in the mail and read it from cover to cover:

http://64.226.233.122/proclamationBack.html

But I always flip to the back and read the letters Dale Ratzlaff recieves first. It never fails to make me cringe when I read the hateful responses of Adventists. No reasonable, well thought out rebuttals, no responses of 'I disagree, but I still consider you a person made in the image of God.'

For the most part, it is just scathing condemnations of hate and offers of a one way ticket to Hell. Many are not even coherent letters with proper spelling, almost as if the person was trying to type through a fog of rage. Sometimes, unbelievably, they include a condemning EGW quote in thier letter.

Remind me again of what sort of effect this is supposed to have on a man who has rejected her completely??? Think a little bit people...

Is this the best our church can do? Emotional, knee-jerk reactions? Occasionally I will come across a letter that does not make me ashamed to be an Adventist, and for that I am thankful.

The ironic thing is that I see Ratzlaff showing more concern for Adventists. Maybe you disagree, but read for yourselves the general tenor and mood of his words and the letters of the SDA's. I notice a vast difference myself.

Perhaps it is time that THOSE WHO LEFT US instead became fellow Christians who's journey of faith has led them in a different direction.

 

[TrustAndObey]

Night, I love you dearly, but you are really bad about generalizing. I've never sent a hateful letter to Dale Ratzlaff, and have never even thought about it. Please stop saying things like "is this the best our church can do?" when obviously not every member has even considered sending hate mail to ANYONE.

And do you honestly think Ratzlaff would include kind letters from Adventists for the world to see?

Secondly, I don't condone misspelling. Bwahaha.

 

[TrustAndObey]

Which brings me to another point......

What I find really odd about people that leave the Adventist church (although I still consider them very much human beings and always will), is that some of them, at least in my limited experience, suddenly start believing in immortal souls, the rapture, that Sunday is somehow holy, etc etc.

I have always just found it really odd that they would go from being Adventist into almost the complete opposite extreme.

Then again, I have to stick myself into the mix, and consider that I went from Baptist to Adventist, so it probably looks like I went the opposite extreme as well. The only difference is that I hadn't read the bible when I was Baptist (and this post is absolutely NOT a slam against Baptists....I still love my Baptist brothers and sisters very much).

I have absolutely no problem with someone that has left the Adventist church...unless their intent is to get me to leave as well. That's the truth.

In fact, the only time I even make a fuss at all about non-Adventists is when they break the rules of this forum and debate in here.

I defend Adventism to my family, my friends, in GT...so really the last place I feel like defending it is in the Adventist-specific forum.

This should be a safe haven, like jtbdad has pointed out.

On that note.............

 

[Eila]

Which brings me to another point......

What I find really odd about people that leave the Adventist church (although I still consider them very much human beings and always will), is that some of them, at least in my limited experience, suddenly start believing in immortal souls, the rapture, that Sunday is somehow holy, etc etc.

I personally haven't known a former SDA that changed their viewpoint on the nature of man, the end time, or the Sabbath suddenly. For me personally it took 8 years of questionning and study for some beliefs to change and even more years for others and there is tons I still don't have figured out

 

[NightEternal]

Please note, TrustAndObey, that I said there were a few letters that were not like that.

Of course not EVERYONE in the church falls under this category. Do I really need to always clarify that I am speaking only of a certain segment? I usually formulate my topics with the assumption that people already understand it is not the whole SDA church down to the last person under discussion.

I am happy for those here who don't regard formers this way.

 

[Loveaboveall]

Trustandobey hit it on the head! Do you really think that Ratzlaff would include heartfelt letters when he is trying to lead people away from the church? By putting in letters that put members of the church or who hold to a belief opposite his in a bad light than that reinforces the readers that he is right and they are wrong by their attitudes.

As I told Tall in his "goodbye" thread: many people of many faiths will be saved, it is all about your love for Jesus. There may be a very small portion of adventism that believes only adventsits will be saved, but again that is a very small portion.

 

[TrustAndObey]

Personally, I don't know a single Adventist that thinks JUST Adventists will be saved.

In the end, whatever the modern-day Babylon is (and I agree with Maco on this one), God's people will be called out of her. He won't let His people believe in false doctrine.....

 

[freeindeed2]

I personally haven't known a former SDA that changed their viewpoint on the nature of man, the end time, or the Sabbath suddenly. For me personally it took 8 years of questionning and study for some beliefs to change and even more years for others and there is tons I still don't have figured out

I concur.