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I see that you're hoping I "get out before its too late", but what you dont realize is that there is nothing else that can grant me more peace than the relationship I have with God now. You say the coonverts are the most fervent and that may be true. Because I know what it is like to live an unspitirual life and to now know of a better life in Christ I'm very enthused about it.....you see Lindsay I have no desire to get out of something that has impacted my life in such a positive way.
You grew up in the church and so you only know of it what was forced into your head as a child, but I challenge you to learn the doctrine and the scriptures for yourself, forget about the church members and all the problems they caused you while growing up.
Although my father and his family were adventists, I wasnt and I wasnt forced, I chose to go into the adventist church because the Lord directed me there and I believe in the doctrine. Trust me I dont look, dress or think like a conventional adventist so yes I too have faced problems that you and others on this site have faced but I REALLY DONT CARE, I love what God is doing with my life......so Lindsay I hope you open you heart before its too late.
I've been 7th day Adventist all my life and I can't stand going to church, I wear make-up and my ears are pierced. Should I find another religion? I feel guilty because my husband also grew up in the church and I feel that I'm influencing him negatively because he won't go to church without me. I just can't seem to change the way I feel.
Seek the Lord. He wants you to fall in love with Him because he loved you first. He displayed it by giving his life for you. Let Jesus teach you, you won't get bored with Him I guarantee it. He alone can save you, so learn from Him. Jesus Christ proclaimed a kingdom. Church won't save you nor will any other religious ritual, only faith in Christ will save you. A relationship with Jesus isn't just a once a week thing, it's a life. The best decision I ever made was to follow Him. He offers life to the fullest, and in the 1 year that I have had a relationship with Him, It has been the greatest adventure and the greatest blessing. So get past church, seek the one who loves you enough to die and suffer for you, then make a decision on what to do with His guidance. I hope this helps, be blessed.
Please, this is a forum to discuss things openly, not to try to convince people. We have our own minds and we have our minds made up. You can certainly give your take on things but trying to tell us over and over something we don't believe in is real, is not part of it. If I tried to persuade you to believe in something you know doesn't exist, wouldn't you feel pressured and get defensive? Well it's the same for an atheist. We(I'm talking about us, atheists) checked out all the info and turned it all upside down several times and we still don't believe in a god or higher power.
I see that you're hoping I "get out before its too late", but what you dont realize is that there is nothing else that can grant me more peace than the relationship I have with God now. You say the coonverts are the most fervent and that may be true. Because I know what it is like to live an unspitirual life and to now know of a better life in Christ I'm very enthused about it.....you see Lindsay I have no desire to get out of something that has impacted my life in such a positive way.
You grew up in the church and so you only know of it what was forced into your head as a child, but I challenge you to learn the doctrine and the scriptures for yourself, forget about the church members and all the problems they caused you while growing up.
Although my father and his family were adventists, I wasnt and I wasnt forced, I chose to go into the adventist church because the Lord directed me there and I believe in the doctrine. Trust me I dont look, dress or think like a conventional adventist so yes I too have faced problems that you and others on this site have faced but I REALLY DONT CARE, I love what God is doing with my life......so Lindsay I hope you open you heart before its too late.
Sorry just me, but it is too late. I know the scripture and doctrine and I can still quote it. I LOVE living an unspritual life and I have no plans on going back. I am a confirmed atheist. I prefer logic and science to the emotional goings on I grew up with and don't get me started on their pet prophet Ellen White.
Hey Lindsey, you saying that someone should get out of the church before it is too late, is the same thing as a believer telling you to hurry up and find God before you burn in hell for eternity.
Hey Lindsey, you saying that someone should get out of the church before it is too late, is the same thing as a believer telling you to hurry up and find God before you burn in hell for eternity.
Your probably right there.
I do feel concern though for people who I feel are being taken advantage by what is in reality a sect type religion.
Your probably right there.
I do feel concern though for people who I feel are being taken advantage by what is in reality a sect type religion.
I hear ya. Honestly, I did grow up as a believer, but if I went through what you and Red describe, I might be right there with ya. I don't know. Some people can just take things way to far. I was raised to think of God as being more loving, rather than just being totally fearful of him.
I hear ya. Honestly, I did grow up as a believer, but if I went through what you and Red describe, I might be right there with ya. I don't know. Some people can just take things way to far. I was raised to think of God as being more loving, rather than just being totally fearful of him.
The way I was raised with SDAs the message was very negative. It was also very patriarchal and I just don't want to have anything to do with either.
I am sick of jumping through hoops for people and having to pretend that I actually swallow what are rediculous beliefs.
People have the right to celebrate how they want to or NOT as the case may be. I do feel badly for people who I think are being led down the garden path but in the end, they refuse to see reality. Its easier to believe in a Santa Jesus, the great manipulator then anything REAL. I make no efforts in day to day life to sway anyone. Its just not something I do.
I hear ya. Honestly, I did grow up as a believer, but if I went through what you and Red describe, I might be right there with ya. I don't know. Some people can just take things way to far. I was raised to think of God as being more loving, rather than just being totally fearful of him.
I have nothing against someone who chooses to believe in a god. What bothers me is when that belief or religion is such a controlling factor in that person's life that they cannot see anything else. I find that this is often the case with SDA church members, even to the extent of being detrimental to their children in many ways.
The SDA church's insidious ways scare me. I think back to what I had to go through as a child living in a family who are SDAs and I truly do not know how I managed to escape. I grew up in an atmosphere of oppression, fear, retribution, punishment, and abuse, all in the name of that church.
If there were a god, I would fall to my knees every day and thank him for allowing me to escape. Nobody else in my family has ever left that church; I am the only one. As a result I am completely ostracized from my family. I have nobody in the entire world except for my two wonderful children. For those people who scornfully say I'm just being rebellious -- would you really cut yourself off from your entire family at the young age of 18 just because you wanted to rebel?
I left my parents' home two days after I turned 18 and I never went back. If I had stayed I shudder to think what my life and my children's lives would have been like. In my opinion it is a cult, plain and simple. It has some good aspects to it (such as healthful living) but they are far FAR outweighed by the evil.
I agree with Lindsey. Get out of that church before it's too late. Since you obviously want to remain a believer in Christianity, please find a religion that is not so mentally oppressive. There are many to choose from, you can do so much better than the SDAs.
I have nothing against someone who chooses to believe in a god. What bothers me is when that belief or religion is such a controlling factor in that person's life that they cannot see anything else. I find that this is often the case with SDA church members, even to the extent of being detrimental to their children in many ways.
The SDA church's insidious ways scare me. I think back to what I had to go through as a child living in a family who are SDAs and I truly do not know how I managed to escape. I grew up in an atmosphere of oppression, fear, retribution, punishment, and abuse, all in the name of that church.
If there were a god, I would fall to my knees every day and thank him for allowing me to escape. Nobody else in my family has ever left that church; I am the only one. As a result I am completely ostracized from my family. I have nobody in the entire world except for my two wonderful children. For those people who scornfully say I'm just being rebellious -- would you really cut yourself off from your entire family at the young age of 18 just because you wanted to rebel?
I left my parents' home two days after I turned 18 and I never went back. If I had stayed I shudder to think what my life and my children's lives would have been like. In my opinion it is a cult, plain and simple. It has some good aspects to it (such as healthful living) but they are far FAR outweighed by the evil.
I agree with Lindsey. Get out of that church before it's too late. Since you obviously want to remain a believer in Christianity, please find a religion that is not so mentally oppressive. There are many to choose from, you can do so much better than the SDAs.
I agree with everything you said. I have no problem with believers, but when their belief causes problems in their lives or the lives of others, something needs to be done.
Sorry to hear about your family. Maybe one day you'll at least get to talk to them. SDA's are very stubborn though, so who knows?
I would say Jehova's Witnesses qualify for cult status. I know somebody who was one and you'd be surprised the kind of things his mom didn't allow in the house. He wasn't allowed to play any video games that involved sorcery or free-roam shooting games like Grand Theft Auto. According to her, they are all "from Satan".
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