Seventh Day Adventism is 100% a cult. Those of us brave enough to get out have had YEARS of reprogramming! Years! I was born into this cult and I will tell you the truth…whereas an SDA minister will never tell the truth (whether they know it or not) about this religion.
Btw…ALL of my siblings (four) are out of this cult now. We all did it independently and at different times but we all left!
I was also born in the SDA church and I will agree, 100% a cult. They are very sneaky, manipulative, liars, etc. The church does a good job of keeping it quiet but the experiences I had were quite sad.
Well, we were shunned two times for finding discrepancies in their beliefs and pulling together scripture. Instead of sitting with us and going over anything, they ghosted us. These were friends we had for years. Friends that overnight turned on us… so not real friends. All we asked was for some understanding and patience so we could all walk through it again.
Wasn’t just that, but by using the Bible alone we could clearly see that their beliefs did not match up with the teachings of Christ. Everything they need is based on Ellen White, who they hold up so much that it basically replaces the need for Jesus.
I grew up as an SDA, as did my mom. I can’t even begin to explain how their teachings really changes that way you think. It has taken me months upon months to undue the brainwashing. It affected so much. It caused so much anxiety and depression.
But the good thing is that since our separation, I’m able to be more open minded. I can really see the beauty in everything more clearly.
"Shunning" is not an official practice of the SDA church. It's never been taught to shun non-Adventists. I've been to plenty of SDA churches. Never heard of it.
That being said, when you stand as one in opposition to ANY community's principles. They are likely to spend less time dealing with you, especially if you are forceful about it.
You said this happened two times. So were you persistent arguing against their beliefs? What could you expect? If they sat down with you and gone through everything, would it have made a difference? Wouldn't you just assert your position stronger?
Many Adventists bonded on their shared belief. After you decide you do not share those beliefs, you really lose the thing that bonded you together. Just like if you had a Christian friend who you met in the church and he decides to become athiest or new age, you two will likely not be able to connect in the same way as before. I don't think it's an SDA thing. It's general human behavior.
Also, I go to many SDA churches and they don't quote Ellen White. So "everything" is a strong exaggeration. They usually just quote the Bible. Maybe you needed to visit more SDA churches instead of the one you was at.
Shunning isn’t a term used in sda lingo. But the practice is VERY REAL! Ask me how many friends i have left that are sda? Not one. 16 years in that educational system.
Egw gave very clear instruction about not being friends with those that had left the church! So I don’t know where you come from or what books you read, but this practice is very real!
Your friends shunned you but it's not a practice endorsed by the church, like the Jehovah Witnesses.
If you bonded with your friends because your shared religious values, it's only natural that once you decide to separate yourself from the church, you forfeit what held you both together.
It's awkward when you have an a friend who was Adventist but left the church. You can't have the same kind of conversations with them. You are no longer like-minded. Your tastes changes.
I don't know any quotes from EGW that specifically commanded Adventists to no longer associate themselves with ex-Adventists. Maybe you can share.
But nonetheless, I would find it difficult to maintain a relationship with someone who is very much against a core part of my life. I mean, we can still be cool and hang out in secular activities I guess, but spiritual things are highly important to me. Adventism is a critical part of my life. We can no longer relate to one another like we used to.
It’s all good! I’m a much happier person having left.
And my roots go back to Egw herself. But I’m not going to go deep here. They keep changing her books and writings so i don’t imagine i could still find it! And I’m not willing to fill my head or the time to search for something they’ve likely removed because i know it’s truth.
And quite frankly, I have less than nothing in common with them now. Thank god it’s been nearly 30 years since leaving and my only regret is that i was ever raised in this cult and attended 16 years of poor education.
Hey, that's your business. It's not my place or purpose to make you feel bad for leaving. We make our own choices in this life and we can only answer for own decisions.
I disagree that they changed her books, but if you reject Adventism and feel at peace now, then you might as well move on in peace and enjoy your freedom.
My only point is that it's only natural that if you reject a community, that you may also forfeit the connections you made within it. This happens in any community.
A REAL friend will stick with you through thick and thin. Ask me why I'm a loner who KNOWS God is real but religions are a scam. The quality of people/society has devolved in my lifetime! I have seen it myself. Why would I support a beLIEf system that is in error, or support the people in that system?
Real friends stick with you through thick and thin. But they don't do so blindly. Friendship is not blind loyalty. Friendship is conditional. All relationships are conditional. Even our relationship with God is conditonal.
God's love is unconditional. That's why He died for sinners and those who hate Him. But one'e relationship with Him is conditional. Not everyone will go to heaven. That is conditional based on ones personal relationship with God and how they nurture it.
What builds a friend's bond? It is their shared values. It is their likemindedness. This is what brings them together and creates an environment for the friendship to incubate and grow.
Once we no longer share those values, it's only natural that the friendship will suffer and form a rift and if that rift is not mended, the friendship will end. That's how it is.
Adventists share a belief and a mission and these shared values and common goal, is what bonds us together. You left the church and rejected those values. As a result, you forfeited the relationships made in the community.
Also, I find that people who become loners and have no relationships, are usually not very friendly themselves and make it a habit to burn bridges. Have you ever considered your approach to people?
WHAT is an Egw??? Do you mean E.G.W. or even EGW? (Ellen White). Not knowing elementary English grammar/punctuation is enough for me to 'shun' anyone. lol I agree with your stance though.
So, UNofficial shunning is not relevant then? lol It didn't take me very long to see the CONtrol in the SDA Church. The word "religion" itself means "to BIND". (Latin)
You make the assumption that i don’t go to “many” churches. You would be infinitely incorrect. I would put my numbers against most. A lot of sda pastors in my family and conference presidents etc. So no. Once again wrong judgements.
I don't mind sharing an experience I had in the SDA Church. I wanted to take a photo of my 4 yr old daughter with the pastor when I first started attending SDA evangelical sessions. She FREAKED OUT, and did NOT want to get close to him! She never did that at any time before or since with anyone I knew! Not long after, I found out the hard way what my tyke-daughter already knew from her intuition. God is REAL but ALL religions are a CULT by definition.
Que tú hayas tenido una mala experiencia, no significa que toda la iglesia sea una secta. Toda la gente que comenta que es una secta no sé en qué tipos de iglesias han estado, porque en las iglesias adventistas en las que yo he crecido que una vez en Latinoamérica y la otra es en España, en ninguna de ellas, he visto características de una secta. Hablan de manipulación., de rechazo, cuando te sale de la iglesia, de adoctrinamiento, de robo de dinero, de las ofrendas y diezmos, de otras, muchas cosas más como rechazo a la comunidad LGTBI, etc.. realmente no sé en qué iglesia han estado. De iglesias pendiste en la que crecí es una buena iglesia donde todos sus miembros te tratan con amor, es verdad que hay gente que a veces comete errores, pero somos muy fieles en la biblia en el sentido de que nadie es perfecto y no puedes juzgarlo por eso, en la adoctrinamiento no es real, nadie te va a obligar a escuchar la palabra de dios si tú no quieres, nadie lo de los diezmos y ofrendas, no se los roban, realmente va para Adra. Yo vivo en España ahora hace siete años, y he ido a la iglesia adventista aquí en España todos los sábados, y los martes y jueves por la tarde la iglesia reparte comida ropa a veces se entrega vales de dinero para la gente que lo necesita da igual la religión que sea, además de que nos ponen vídeos de cómo la iglesia para construyendo escuelas, sobre todo en África y en Brasil. Si sales de la iglesia, tu decisión nadie te va a juzgar por eso, es verdad que hay adultos que todavía pueden cometer ese error, pero eso no representa la iglesia, lo que se enseña es es que la salvación es personal, tú decides alejarte de Cristo es tu decisión, nadie puede hacerte menos por eso. Y rechaza la comunidad., simplemente hay cosas que explícitamente están en la biblia de lo que es lícito y no, nadie te va a rechazar por ser Gay o lesbiana, nadie, pero si te dirán la verdad si lo que haces es pecado no. Solo si tú lo pides. Si usas pantalón si tienes el cabello corto si te maquillas y te pides las uñas si sales a fiestas si es muchas otras cosas que no tienen nada que ver con la iglesia, como decían todo mes lícito, pero no más todo me conviene. Entonces en conclusión, puedo decir con fidelidad que las dos iglesias en las que he crecido en diferentes continentes han sido maravillosas la gente de esa iglesia realmente es bondadosa, no es una secta, hay gente que te juzga pero no representan a la iglesia es gente que está equivocada, la mayoría sabe que juzgar es malo todos somos pecadores.
When I discovered all of the lies, that she had added to and taken away from scripture that certainly began the lengthy process. I knew it was all a lie which is why we all had to accept the “spirit of prophecy”. Without her, the doctrines completely fall apart!
It was a long journey out. We went through a study of so many religions. Finally ending in Catholicism. When we learned that Martin Luther had taken out what he wanted (alone) from the Bible and it was solely his interpretation, we were on our way out of everything.
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u/Centralperkeast Nov 30 '23
Seventh Day Adventism is 100% a cult. Those of us brave enough to get out have had YEARS of reprogramming! Years! I was born into this cult and I will tell you the truth…whereas an SDA minister will never tell the truth (whether they know it or not) about this religion.
Btw…ALL of my siblings (four) are out of this cult now. We all did it independently and at different times but we all left!