notaxtian Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 I visit a few adventist web sites occasionally in order to understand the things that bothered me growing up. For example, I occasionally visit gleaneronline.org. Gleaner is an adventist magazine published monthly in the Pacific Northwest, and I lived in Washington state for a while. It usually has several articles dealing with future members going through the conversion process. When I read them as a teen I wouldn't think anything of it because it was just some individual or individuals curious about adventism. Usually they would convert within a year or two. Nowdays when I read such things, I see that "process" very differently. To be honest, it now seems a bit disturbing. I recently read online the February 2012 issue of Gleaner and noticed an article about a couple who recently became adventists. My first thought was, "Oh my goodness, they have been pulled into the cult, and their lives will be ruined forever". Here is the linkhttp://www.gleaneron...07/2/43212.html I would like to know what others think about this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agnosticator Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 It's the S.O.S., notaxtian. The Adventists bring nothing new to the table that you already don't know. They are in their own little world that's becoming more and more irrelevant. They continue to evangelize in the USA, but their membership has decreased here and increased in "developing" nations. Maybe you're interested in their antics because you haven't finished working through the effects and issues of being an SDA? IMO, they aren't worthy of my attention, like the J.W. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notaxtian Posted February 26, 2012 Author Share Posted February 26, 2012 It's the S.O.S., notaxtian. The Adventists bring nothing new to the table that you already don't know. They are in their own little world that's becoming more and more irrelevant. They continue to evangelize in the USA, but their membership has decreased here and increased in "developing" nations. Maybe you're interested in their antics because you haven't finished working through the effects and issues of being an SDA? IMO, they aren't worthy of my attention, like the J.W. I wouldn't say that I'm interested, but when I stopped attending church in my early twenties, I thought that I was done with the effects of adventism because I didn't give it another thought. I was happy with my life....for a while. Then in my mid thirties I had a few setbacks and a few "what if they're right" moments that I struggled with for a while. I figured that it was just part of life. Fortunately things seem to be getting better for me as I read other's posts and testimonials. Some of their struggles are similar to mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agnosticator Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 Fortunately things seem to be getting better for me as I read other's posts and testimonials. Some of their struggles are similar to mine. I'm glad you're working through the residual effects. Other Ex-Christians do wrestle with many similar issues as Ex-Adventists do. Though Adventists have some unique doctrines as Mormons and Jehovah Witnesses do (since they were born in the same basic time frame). Before I left the church I was obsessed with researching EG White's visions and personality disorder from the bonk on her head, using the papers in the EGW vault. It was the discovery that she most likely had temporal lobe epilepsy (an ex-Adventist doctor examined her case and concluded this with convincing evidence), that led my way out. There were other things that had me wondering WTF this church was doing to vulnerable minds. When I visited numerous denominations looking for a new church and Christian view that I could accept as a liberal Christian, I observed the same mentality I escaped from with the Adventists. Mind control in other forms of "Us vs.Them", adherence to "correct" doctrines, belief in authority to keep the sheep in line, "we have the Truth", etc. ad nauseam. American Protestant Christians are a twisted bunch for the most part! I had one advantage in that I wasn't raised a SDA. So, your struggle is tougher than mine was. You have to deal with deeper feelings for the church and the people you were with. I know I miss some of those who I was close to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notaxtian Posted February 28, 2012 Author Share Posted February 28, 2012 Fortunately things seem to be getting better for me as I read other's posts and testimonials. Some of their struggles are similar to mine. I'm glad you're working through the residual effects. Other Ex-Christians do wrestle with many similar issues as Ex-Adventists do. Though Adventists have some unique doctrines as Mormons and Jehovah Witnesses do (since they were born in the same basic time frame). Before I left the church I was obsessed with researching EG White's visions and personality disorder from the bonk on her head, using the papers in the EGW vault. It was the discovery that she most likely had temporal lobe epilepsy (an ex-Adventist doctor examined her case and concluded this with convincing evidence), that led my way out. There were other things that had me wondering WTF this church was doing to vulnerable minds. When I visited numerous denominations looking for a new church and Christian view that I could accept as a liberal Christian, I observed the same mentality I escaped from with the Adventists. Mind control in other forms of "Us vs.Them", adherence to "correct" doctrines, belief in authority to keep the sheep in line, "we have the Truth", etc. ad nauseam. American Protestant Christians are a twisted bunch for the most part! I had one advantage in that I wasn't raised a SDA. So, your struggle is tougher than mine was. You have to deal with deeper feelings for the church and the people you were with. I know I miss some of those who I was close to. Thank you for your response, agnosticator. I do my best to deal with life's challenges. I went to several Sunday-keeping churches(as Adventists call them)during college, and it's like you said, the same mentality as Adventism. I recall sitting thru several services and having the same dreaded feeling that I was not right with God or I was a worthless human being, so I stopped attending. I haven't attended any denomination since the nineties and my life has improved because of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackpudd1n Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 ...So THAT'S what those flyers in the mail were for. I got some a while ago- secrets of revelation or some such. I chucked them out, but I did wonder what denomination they were from- there was nothing on the flyer stating which church was running the event. They were trying to make it out to be some sort of historical convention, but I've spent enough time in xtianity to be able to readly between the lines loud and clear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notaxtian Posted March 1, 2012 Author Share Posted March 1, 2012 At this point in my life I am still trying to figure things out. I now realize that adventism ruined my childhood. I do talk about other things, but I have to work on unresolved issues for now, so.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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