The SDA church has hired an outside auditing firm to process surveys from former SDAs, and their reasons for leaving the church.
I just filled my survey out with lots of comments.
I told them, that as a friend of the late Walter Martin, he would be disappointed in the direction the SDA church has taken with regard to EGW and 1844. The SDA church at its core functions as a cult as evidenced by the practical reliance on EGW as an infallible interpreter of scripture, which Martin feared.
I expressed my outrage with all the scandals, especially David Dennis.
I also expressed my admiration for Desmond Ford, and how he was cast aside because of his faithfulness to the gospel.
Thanks for sharing this Stan. I didn’t get the survey in the mail (maybe my name isn’t off the books yet?), but I really appreciate you sharing it with us.
I did not receive anything in the mail but I did take the survey about a week ago. I EMPHASIZED the reason I left was purely due to their theology and not ‘hurt’ feelings.
It seems that they’re (still) desperately seeking reasons (excuses) why their church has such a high attrition rate.
I’m glad you all are taking this seriously to fill out. Sadly, I really don’t know what the purpose of it is. Change? I doubt that. I think the church just wants to settle it in their own mind (if it can be) that people have not drifted away due to doctrinal issues as opposed to being hurt as Jonvil has said. What exactly they will think or do when they see the vast majority have left due to doctrinal reasons, who knows? Most likely ignore it like they have so many other times.
I’m glad you all are taking this seriously to fill out. Sadly, I really don’t know what the purpose of it is. Change? I doubt that. I think the church just wants to settle it in their own mind (if it can be) that people have not drifted away due to doctrinal issues as opposed to being hurt as Jonvil has said. What exactly they will think or do when they see the vast majority have left due to doctrinal reasons, who knows? Most likely ignore it like they have so many other times.
I am pretty sure you are right guibox. I know when I turned my letter in no one responded. I listed in detail why I could no longer remain an Adventist. Two of our children have also written reasons for leaving and no response. Our one son did have contact with the pastor, but he was not responsive to issues. I truly believe Adventism is a throw away society. I have seen this happen to the rank and file of the church. Teachers are especially vulnerable.
I’m glad you all are taking this seriously to fill out. Sadly, I really don’t know what the purpose of it is. Change? I doubt that. I think the church just wants to settle it in their own mind (if it can be) that people have not drifted away due to doctrinal issues as opposed to being hurt as Jonvil has said. What exactly they will think or do when they see the vast majority have left due to doctrinal reasons, who knows? Most likely ignore it like they have so many other times.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this one Guibox. I was wondering what you might have been thinking about the whole thing looking at it from the inside. Correct me if I’m wrong, but the survey isn’t only for “formers,” but for “currents” as well, right? Have you considered submitting your thoughts also?
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this one Guibox. I was wondering what you might have been thinking about the whole thing looking at it from the inside. Correct me if I’m wrong, but the survey isn’t only for “formers,” but for “currents” as well, right? Have you considered submitting your thoughts also?
Nate
Actually, the first time I heard about this was from here. I haven’t received anything or been asked to fill anything out. From my experience, the church isn’t too interested in what we have to say. For example, women’s ordination has been the big issue thanks to Doug Batchelor’s sermon in February. The GC made a point to quash any discussion on the matter before the next big GC where 8 delegates from the world conference cast a vote and put to death any hope of it coming up at this years Conference. Somehow a few people can speak for the whole church? Hmm. The church is not ready or willing for change. I believe Jan Paulson is (he does support women’s ordination) but it sounds like they are itching to replace him and he can only do so much if the rest of the church is not ready for differing views.
I have found the Church to be the opposite of what most here are saying. It’s not that I haven’t noticed the kooks, fanatics, and ones who don’t care. But I have been honest about why I left for a while, and even knowing all that, they welcome me with open arms. I think that the reasons people leave are many and varied, and not usually traceable to just doctrinal disagremment. I know there are people in the Church who do care about such surveys; but when it comes to “change” it depends what one means by that. The survey is happening because people do care.
I have found the Church to be the opposite of what most here are saying. It’s not that I haven’t noticed the kooks, fanatics, and ones who don’t care. But I have been honest about why I left for a while, and even knowing all that, they welcome me with open arms. I think that the reasons people leave are many and varied, and not usually traceable to just doctrinal disagremment. I know there are people in the Church who do care about such surveys; but when it comes to “change” it depends what one means by that. The survey is happening because people do care.
Well, already I am cringing at the recent appointing of Ted Wilson as GC president. He is quite conservative and I believe his election is a backlash against the LSU theistic evolution bru-ha-ha and the rearing head of women’s ordination trying to take shape. The SDA church is heading for another era of obscurantism I’m afraid. Just when Paulsen was making some headway.
I have found the Church to be the opposite of what most here are saying. It’s not that I haven’t noticed the kooks, fanatics, and ones who don’t care. But I have been honest about why I left for a while, and even knowing all that, they welcome me with open arms. I think that the reasons people leave are many and varied, and not usually traceable to just doctrinal disagremment. I know there are people in the Church who do care about such surveys; but when it comes to “change” it depends what one means by that. The survey is happening because people do care.
Well, already I am cringing at the recent appointing of Ted Wilson as GC president. He is quite conservative and I believe his election is a backlash against the LSU theistic evolution bru-ha-ha and the rearing head of women’s ordination trying to take shape. The SDA church is heading for another era of obscurantism I’m afraid. Just when Paulsen was making some headway.
Well, Neal Wilson, the father of Ted Wilson was one of the most corrupt presidents except for Folkenberg. I wonder if Ted is more conservative than his father, as it was Neal who canned Desmond Ford.
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Well, Neal Wilson, the father of Ted Wilson was one of the most corrupt presidents except for Folkenberg. I wonder if Ted is more conservative than his father, as it was Neal who canned Desmond Ford.
Stan
I was wondering if they were related. Yeah, like George W Bush and Iraq taking the torch from Bush Sr., it sounds like T. Wilson will be following in his daddy’s footsteps with the conservative agenda. However, my brother made a good point that the church has changed radically and the dynamic of the church is much different then when Neal C. Wilson was in power.
Here are two of his main goals in the upcoming years…
“Another priority will be to lift up the Spirit of Prophecy to be more than devotional-level reading, and to employ them for instruction and counsel. Another issue he addressed was the use of Scripture. In interpreting Scripture, we must make sure we are not following the historical critical approach, he warned.”
I guess this is as good a place as any to say why I left. It was while working at a SDA “supporting ministry” that I was asked to rewrite/edit about 75 little pocket evangelism booklets that had been written over the years, starting in the late 1930s, I’d guess.
After reading all 75 little booklets it became clear that the theology could not be “fixed” in order to reconcile adventism with the gospel. Even a ghost writer has to have some integrity, and that was the end of adventism for me.
I was loved in the adventist church, and it was hard to leave. After I left, a couple people that I loved deeply did their best to hurt me, and they succeeded. But that was AFTER I’d already left, so I don’t blame the church for their actions, and I have forgiven them. But I thank God for guiding me to that writing assignment that forced me to come face to face with the theology of adventism, and for such peace that has followed in the years since then.
I also took the survey, and tried to explain briefly that it was theological error--outright heresy--that caused me to leave. It would have been so much easier to just stay and to try to be as comfortable as I could by pretending. But I have kids, and, well, that actually made the decision pretty simple. I’m not going to pretend that everything is alright when it isn’t. God forbid that we would ever be dishonest, especially about the gospel!
Here are a couple of quotes about Ted Wilson that someone posted on FAF, which come from an earlier Adventist Today article:
“He believes very strongly that standing on principle is a must. However, the principles can become very literal at times. He ordered that mustard be removed from the Review cafeteria but not ketchup. (Adventist Church co-founder Ellen White speaks out against mustard but does not mention ketchup.)
According to those familiar with him, Wilson is a consistent opponent of women’s ordination and also opposes women being ordained as local church elders, even though women serving in that role is an official position of the Adventist Church. He chairs the church board of the Triadelphia Seventhday Adventist Church, to which many General Conference leaders belong, and opposes women serving as elders in that church (none serve).”
Ted N. C. Wilson, a vice president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and the son of a former church president, was today elected to serve as president of the 16.3-million member global Protestant denomination.
Then, just 4 short paragraphs after calling it a “global Protestant denomination,” they quote Wilson as saying:
“This is not just an organization, this is not just another denomination. This is God’s remnant church,” Wilson said in an address to delegates after his appointment.
Either they do not even see the contradiction, or they’re unprepared for Wilson’s forthrightness in “blowing the cover” off their standard deceptive descriptions of the SDA Church.
The quote from Wilson continues:
“I do not know everything, but I shall seek wisdom from counselors and from the Bible and from the Spirit of Prophecy,” he said, referring to the writings of church co-founder Ellen White.
“The Spirit of Prophecy is one of the great gifts God has given to the Seventh-day Adventist Church,” Wilson said. “It applies to the past and to the future. And, we are going home soon.”
He couldn’t make it any clearer to onlooking Christians that Adventism is not a “Protestant denomination.”
This is the best thing that could happen--the more outright cultic the SDA “president” is, the easier it will be for everyone to see the truth about the SDA cult.
“This is not just an organization, this is not just another denomination. This is God’s remnant church,” Wilson said in an address to delegates after his appointment.
Either they do not even see the contradiction, or they’re unprepared for Wilson’s forthrightness in “blowing the cover” off their standard deceptive descriptions of the SDA Church.
The quote from Wilson continues:
“I do not know everything, but I shall seek wisdom from counselors and from the Bible and from the Spirit of Prophecy,” he said, referring to the writings of church co-founder Ellen White.
“The Spirit of Prophecy is one of the great gifts God has given to the Seventh-day Adventist Church,” Wilson said. “It applies to the past and to the future. And, we are going home soon.”
He couldn’t make it any clearer to onlooking Christians that Adventism is not a “Protestant denomination.”
This is the best thing that could happen--the more outright cultic the SDA “president” is, the easier it will be for everyone to see the truth about the SDA cult.
Jeremy
Jeremy, your zeal to ‘expose’ the SDA church clouds your opinions. Perhaps only the most cultic amongst us denies that we are a Protestant denomination. Wilson did not say that we are ‘not’ one. He said ‘We are not just another Protestant denomination. I have my doubts that we are not heading into another era of obscurantism like Neal Wison’s presidency but I will withhold my judgment until I see the results. Will he go on an in house cleaning of ‘heresy’? Who knows. I don’t hold out any hope that out of the box thinking, progression or tolerance for progressive and liberal Adventism will occur under his presidency.
