UPDATE - 05/26/2010: I've decided to remove this post because it no longer reflects my heart. There are actually a lot of posts here that no longer reflect my heart, especially if you go back to the time that this blog was mostly about politics. I'm not removing them because I want this blog to serve as an expression of my journey. For that reason I suppose I should leave this post here but I just can't. Maybe I'll rewrite it one of these days.
I'm leaving the comments. I think they're valuable.
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3 comments:
I remember your struggles back then...long chats between us about such issues. Do you remember? As long as I had known you, your mind was tortured with such insecurities, and I am so very sorry that you spent so much of your life without peace in your relationship with Jesus. But I must say, in defense of my church Dan, that I NEVER felt as you described or suffered under such false beliefs as you say you were taught. The beautiful revelations you came to later in life were ones that were taught to me by my Seventh-day Adventist grandparents and family members when I was young...And today, the church I attend does nothing but emphasis a God that is strong enough to save you, who is pleased to give you the Kingdom and who did the work of salvation Himself, leaving nothing left for us to do but BELIEVE that God can and wants to save us, that He is God, and that is our only work. God does everything else.
I am well aware of the existence of some groups of legalists in our church who teach a hard to be saved theology, you can find that group in any church or denomination. Their soap boxes may be different but they are legalistic just the same...people who make it hard or put unnecessary qualification or regulations on our walk with God. But I caution you brother, do not spend your energies attacking groups of people who know and love Jesus...do you think you are on a mission from your Savior?
If you want to inspire other's to a closer more secure walk with Jesus than do that and I will cheer you on and support your noble cause, but when you single out a group of people and make blanket statements about what they believe, your lovely message about our Jesus gets tarnished and lost in your personal agenda.
When you say you were taught things by people that made it hard for you to find peace with God, I believe you and again...I am so sorry for that heartache and so glad you have come to see Jesus in His proper light.
I guess, as I grow older, I grow wearier of hearing God's people attacking each other...where is the true understanding of this love that is supposed to be ravishing our hearts? It seems we never stop having a score to settle...but He keeps no record of OUR wrongs. Maybe it's time to cast our file cabnets into the sea of forgettfullness...grow from here and be free...to love...even those who hurt us.
I love you, my friend.
From a Recovering sinner, saved by Grace.
I'm sorry for the tone and negativity of this post. Going back and reading it, it does make me cringe. I am very happy to know that not everyone's experience was like my own. I know I am far from being alone in my experience, but I also know that I am probably in the minority and that most SDA's are probably just as you describe.
When I have talked to my dad about this he has the same kind of bewildered reaction as you do. He also tells me that he never had the kind of experience I did or believed the kind of things I felt I was taught.
On reflection I do think this should not have been a public posting. I know there aren't many people that read this blog, but that is no excuse. I didn't think I was writing it in anger, I thought I was writing it because I hoped it might help others in my situation. Upon reading it again it is full of anger and sarcasm, hardly the fruits of the spirit.
I think you are right in that if I have a desire to help it should be done without specifically calling out a particular denomination. And if I do have issues with the SDA church, or any other group, I ought to take it up with someone directly and in private rather than in a public forum.
Thanks for taking me to task.
I have enjoyed reading your blogs...you are a talented writer with a lot of good things to say.
I have always thought that...hope I didn't offend you with my comments...that was not my intention...I don't know...guess I like a good discussion (or debate) now and then :)
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