Does anyone know anything about Adventists? I know very little. They're into all kinds of health things but I think tea and coffee are okay.

I had a pleasant conversation with one of their ministers today. Seems okay.

Has anyone had experience with them? If they're like the Morg, they can count me out.

She doesn't eat pork and she treats Saturday as a holy day of rest. She likes her church but hasn't exactly explained why. I know they're not as aggressive as mormons in collecting tithes. I think they are cultish, but not as much so as JWs and mormons.

I am surrounded by them. There is a 7th Day Adventist university not far from me. They are nice people in so much as they are more social than Mormons. However, they are not particularly flexible when it comes to religion as is common having the true church syndrome. I would rather associate with Adventists than Mormons if given a choice. (Both groups would probably not desire to associate with me if they knew my lack of religious belief.) I play in an orchestra that has 3 Adventists versus 45+ other members. We cannot play concerts on Friday or Saturdays nights due to these folks. I have mentioned this before as we have an excellent group and we are limited to audiences we can perform for due to the Adventists inflexibility. Fortunately I play in other groups.

The ones I know are successful business people. Their health code is vegetarian and no alcohol. The local campus is nice and the students are exceptionally well mannered and seem sincerely happy. They do have real humanitarian activity around the world versus the Mormon church. Last I heard they have 17 million members which is significantly larger than the Mormons.

I forgot to add: On the campus is a slice of a large tree that was cut down. The tree rings are clearly visible. A metal pointer and a note to a particular tree ring states "1840, the year prophecy began".



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/01/2018 04:53PM by Eric K.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seventh-day_Adventist_Church

Well, like anything else, I can agree with some of this and not everything. I would certainly have to visit them many times before I make up my mind.

Sometimes I'm just wary of religion.

vegetarian

Many of them are. One of my late wife's best friends is a life long SDA....and a meat eater. Some years back there was an influx of Filipino family's move into the area and attend their congregation and push hard their vegetarian agenda.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/02/2018 05:20PM by Lethbridge Reprobate.

I work at an SDA school. The staff are lovely, just as Mormons can be, however, they are into their cult just as deeply as Mormons are into their cult. But of course there are some exceptions with some individuals, just as there are some Mormons who skip church, swear, shop on Sunday, etc. Their children's programs run much the way Mormon primary and YM/YW do and there are bible classes much like seminary. They brainwash the young (sound familiar?). They have a higher retention than Mormons, possibly because they have more social events and family events (camps for families, etc.). They are creationists and believe the Earth is 6000 years, and even have special pastors come to the school to teach students (non-SDA students as well) why they think evolution is wrong and why scientists who provide evidence of evolution are anti-god. There is a LOT of sexism where I work too, with staff treating female students very differently to male students and generising about the interests and abilities of genders. In the high school, they even set different work for students, dependent on gender, i.e., girls read a different book to boys for English, and girls do a craft activity while boys do a computer activity. They are absolutely against homosexuality and transgendered people and are outspoken about the LGBTI community's apparent "agenda". They have a strong missionary program that often involves families and youth groups going to countries to provide services while also converting grateful and unsuspecting people from these countries. Where I work, more than half of the school's students are converted immigrants' children. Oh, and Harry Potter is banned but staff are fine with Lord of the Rings, and a lot of staff watch Game of Thrones...so a lot of hypocrisy and focus on specific rules rather than the bigger picture (think Mormons and caffeine).
I have to work here for now, but I definitely jumped out of the pot and into the fire (although it is just a job, I didn't convert or anything), so my advice would be not to do the same if you can avoid it.

All religions are against homosexuality and trans people. All religions are "supposed" to follow their bible literally, and the bible says don't do this/that. That is why many cults are formed, they take the bible/their bible and try to follow it literally word for word and build a lifestyle religion around some things, and if you don't you go to hell. God doesn't differentiate between sins, if you are gay the sin is as bad as if you killed someone. That doesn't sound right to me, but who am I to make that judgement???

They are MUCH less nosy, more respectful, and not always pestering you to GET BAPTIZED.


They have community programs.
They eat at church.
They drink coffee. Normal-Natural
They welcome everybody.

How can they (you) compare?

They have a lot of good points but they can be pretty clannish, just like the Mormons or JWs. They make a big deal about Saturday Sabbath and often go on rants about "Popery" and Catholicism and anything to do with Sunday worship.

Their vegetarianism can be a little off-putting if you're not already into that, but if you're the type that loves nothing better than an hour long debate on the finer points of vegetarianism vs. veganism and who makes the best veggie loaf burgers, you'll love it.

Also, Ellen G. White is their Joseph Smith. (I suppose the Davidians and the Branch are their FLDS.)

There's a PBS documentary on Adventist hospitals and schools that's been playing over the holidays. While interesting, it seems the SDA make a point of not talking much about their more unusual doctrines in public, sort of like Mormons.

They have some weirder doctrines too, like the whole "investigative judgment" and "heavenly sanctuary" thing which I don't quite understand.

"The investigative judgment is a unique Seventh-day Adventist doctrine, which asserts that the divine judgment of professed Christians has been in progress since 1844. It is intimately related to the history of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and was described by the church's prophet and pioneer Ellen G. White as one of the pillars of Adventist belief. It is a major component of the broader Adventist understanding of the 'heavenly sanctuary', and the two are sometimes spoken of interchangeably.

The investigative judgment teaching was the focus of controversy within the denomination in 1980, when Adventist theologian Desmond Ford had his ministerial credentials withdrawn by the Church after openly criticizing the doctrine. While the Adventist mainstream believe in the doctrine and the church has reaffirmed its basic position on the doctrine since 1980, some of those within the church's more liberal progressive wing continue to be critical of the teaching.

According to a 2002 worldwide survey, local church leaders estimated 86% of church members accept the doctrine, although 35% believe there may be more than one interpretation of the sanctuary belief."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Investigative_judgment

I know she had a turkey for Thanksgiving and she enjoys a boozy after dinner drink on special occasions. I hope these habits don't cause her great guilt because I like her very much and care about her happiness.

The adventists grew out of Millerism, which was a product of the same time and region as mormonism (Miller began preaching his "the second coming will happen by 1843" in upstate New York in 1831).

Ellen White came along after the "great disappointment" -- when the second coming didn't occur as Miller predicted, and the various Millerite groups were in confusion. Charles Taze Russell -- founder of the "bible student" group that became the Jehovah's Witnesses -- was greatly influenced by Millerite/adventist groups.

I recommend reading “The Brothers K” by David James Duncan. It’s a fictional story about a SDA family in the Pacific Northwest. The father is non-SDA. Those of us who have TBM spouses will relate.

The mother is very religious and pious and thinks poorly of her husband. The sons are raised SDA, but each goes his own way.

The book is funny and poignant, it also describes well the cult mentality of those who place an organization above people.

I cried as I read the last chapter because if I proceed my wife in death, I’m sure the scenario will be the same for me. The Sabbatarian’s Boner.

As a group, they have good health because of lifestyle. Loma Linda CA, which has a large number of Adventists, is the only "blue zone" in the USA (community with a high number of healthy and active people over 100).

I am currently reading a book called The Alzheimer's Solution by two neurologists who run a Brain Health and Alzheimer's Prevention Program at Loma Linda University Medical Center. Their program services people from Loma Linda and from nearby San Bernadino. The Loma Linda Adventists have a strikingly lower incidence of Alzheimer's.

I think their religious beliefs are pretty wacky but their lifestyle is worth imitating. Vegetarian, promotion of exercise, lots of community involvement.

You might want to read the book "Visions of Glory" by the late Barbara Grizzuti Harrison, who was raised in the SDA Church. It's a very compelling story. She eventually left the church as a young adult, and the church-imposed stresses that finally broke her may resonate very strongly with ex-mos here.
Harrison was an excellent writer, and she interwove her personal experiences with a great deal of fascinating information about the history of the SDAs and the work they've done in the word.
I highly recommend it.

Logging back in to correct my earlier post. Had serious senior moment(s) when posting.
Harrison's book "Visions of Glory" is excellent, and I still recommend it highly - but she was a member of the Jehovah's Witnesses, not Seventh-Day Adventist.
So sorry for the misleading information!

For a detailed picture of Seventh-day Adventism, simply log unto by blog: https://notesfromdennisfischer.blogspot.com.

--Dennis Fischer, former SDA minister

A lifelong friend is SDA and has been privy to my adventures in
LDS conversion by coercion as a teenager, excommunication, and
life afterwards. Likewise I've been present while he drew
back and moved on. We have exchanged in discussion our
experiences for more than 4 decades, recently including family
loss.

While there is little we haven't previously discussed it
happens that as I bring to his attention contemporary matters
from RfM he is frequently, if not always, astounded by the
degree of arrogance and ignorance propagated by Mormon policy
and doctrine. It routinely exceeds anything he has
experienced.

BcE

Former SDA and have aunt/uncle/cousins that were raised in it. I boarded with a SDA family for 1.5 years. Attended church, school and Pathfinders during that time.

They had me baptized within 4 months. Not pushy-pushy, but, it was constantly brought up. I basically did it just to 'go along and get along'.

Everything thing we did as a family was SDA oriented, every activity. I didn't realize that until I'd been reading this forum for awhile. Looking back, it's creepy how tied to the church they/we were. I was immersed in nothing but church approved materials, music and movies.

They were very vegetarian, limited tv to 2 hours a week. Church attendance on Saturday and Wednesday, plus Pathfinders weekly. Pathfinders is basically Girl/Boy Scouts combined. Family teachings every night. Prayers before every meal, etc. You get the idea... This is where I learned that I couldn't say 'Gee' or 'Jeez'. No wearing makeup or jewelry, other than a plain wedding band.

In my opinion it's a cult, it seems to fly a little bit more under the radar, cult wise than Mormonism does. But, the behaviors are still the same.

As an adult, I lived in the same neighborhood as the Cumberland Academy in north Georgia. I had several neighbors that I feel were trying to get me back into the church. They dropped me quickly when they realized that I wasn't interested.

I was an outsider, even with my family connections. If someone converts, they're always second best. I find it interesting that
one has to convert to marry an SDA member. The pastors will not
marry a couple otherwise.

Personally, I would give it a pass. Of course, there are nice people in every religion, I would agree that it is very clannish.

I'm here on this forum for two reasons.
1) I'm courious about Mormonism and have been for close to 30 years. I want to understand more about it. I'm fascinated how a religion can control ones life.
2) There really isn't a forum like this for SDA that I've found,
you awesome people help me with the weird feelings (creepy/icky/bleh) that I have concerning that time period of my life.

Thanks for posting that and sharing.

Interesting how similar some of the waking up experiences can be. Mormons are not all that unique.

If someone is in a vulnerable spot in their lives, they are particularly susceptible to wanting to join something.

Dietary rules tend to be a way to measure obedience, much like the Word of Wisdom. It's a way to know who is in the group and who is not. It separates who belongs and who doesn't.

Tip to the vegetarians on RfM...

Seventh-Day Adventist Hospitals have cafeterias, and the food they serve is veg-friendly.

If you are doing long-distance road trips, figure out (in advance) the Seventh-Day Adventist Hospitals on your route.

If you can't find veg-friendly food anywhere else, you know you can find it in one of the SDA hospital cafeterias.

Thanks, Tevai. Now I did not know this, so I learned something new!

fordescape Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thanks, Tevai. Now I did not know this, so I
> learned something new!

You are welcome!!!

I work with many SDA doctors. Several of our nursing supervisors are SDA as well. Because they have a medical school affiliated with their church-operated university, there are quite a few of them in the medical field. Those who don't remain in Loma Linda to practice have to learn to deal with the rest of the world and are not especially judgmental when it comes to patient health habits that conflict with SDA teachings, and they're generally nice enough people.

They tend not to socialize with not SDA doctors unless they're on their way out of the fold. Their children usually attend SDA schools and don't have much to do with the rest of our children. Many of our wives have organized play groups, and try to be inclusive and not to leave anyone out - particularly new families. SDA families usually politely decline the invitations.

They take their Sabbath observance very seriously - much more so than do LDS practitioners; they're about on par with orthodox Jews in that department. While they understand that sick and injured patients must have medical attention, and recognize such as an "ox in the mire" situation, they expect to be the last called in such cases from sundown Friday until sundown Saturday. But then, they're not overly eager to fill in the gap by taking calls on Sunday when it's not their Sabbath. Many of them with whom I work try to pull the religion card to get entirely duty-free weekends. We tend to call them on it. If they didn't want to work many weekends, they should have been dentists or ophthalmologists.