AAA to examine LSU
@Professor Kent:

What method would you approve of in dealing with this issue? Apparently talking behind closed doors does not work. I ask this question with the utmost respect.

Also, I must agree with D.Fender that others have brought strange fire into the camp. Whereas the Lord never forces His ideology down our throats, I’m disturbed to hear how others are claiming He’s doing just that by standing His ground, ground that is rightfully His, for He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, and the Founder of that “camp”. Or perhaps His agents on earth should allow this strange fire into the camp? Wouldn’t they then be guilty of falling asleep at their posts? If God’s people neglect to guard the walls of Jerusalem, then the Lord Himself will come down and do the work for us, and it will be more terrible, and we ourselves will have to answer for our neglect. And believe me, I don’t want to have to face my Lord and answer why I neglected to watch my post.

An apology to PUC
@Scott Brizendine: Does PUC have something to hide? The church has a right to know what it’s getting for its money. I really doubt the church is happy with the product, especially after reading most of the posts from students.

@Anon: Dr. Ness’s lecture is just the tip of the iceberg concerning Adventist education. Take a few minutes to really consider the comments by professors in the class and the questions posed by students. You’ll realize that THAT is not the product of only a 50 minute lecture. This one lecture is wake up call to all. Or perhaps our schools should start recording more lectures in order to prove to you that these aren’t isolated incidents?

Like Sean said, Ellen White publicly warned parents to not send their children to the college in Battle Creek…not because kids are dumb, but because the kind of education and mentors they are exposed to is a big deal. Educators and pastors are held to a higher standard because of their influence over not just the youth, but everyone. It matters.

An apology to PUC
@Educate Truth Staff: I appreciate your candor with admitting a fault in judgment for posting the video prematurely. Whereas the church at large has every right to know what their youth are being taught, it’s best to attempt to go through proper channels to avoid the appearance of evil.

I understand that Adventist education is going through a crisis, and that there’s much frustration with church leadership for allowing things to get so out of hand.

What is the laity to do when most of the church leadership and church members appear to be asleep at their posts? Shout at them to wake up, of course. But perhaps a tap on the shoulder would have been a loud enough call to arms for PUC and Adventist education in general? I doubt it, in light of past resistance and rationalization of anti-biblical concepts by
certain elements within the church.

I strongly suspect that the problem so clearly illustrated from Dr. Ness’s lecture is just the tip of the iceberg concerning the crisis in our educational institutions. The fruits of Adventist education on most of these kids who’ve commented on here is indeed disturbing, and bodes ill for the future of the church. It’s unfortunate that it takes a video to wake people up to the realization that there’s a crisis. But even then there are those who still find excuses to dismiss the evidence.

Thank you Sean and Shane for having the courage to sound the trumpet. I hope our leaders and church members will answer the call to defend the walls, because it sure is exhausting being all alone. I want to go home soon.

For real education reform, take a cue from the Adventists
@Eddie: I appreciate your response. It seems to be heart-felt. I’ll admit that I cringe at having to address these issues in a public forum. Would you feel differently if for the mere sake of transparency videos, letters/emails, syllabi and the such were posted on here with no commentary to prevent the appearance of public criticism? Maybe the church needs to see how ugly and widespread the cancer really is. But I take issue with your definition of criticism in this case. There’s criticism of people for the sake of envy and resentment, etc., and then there’s criticism of wrong or good actions (constructive).

I just wonder how you propose to address the issue without considering the people behind the problem? Surely any denunciation of the error will be labeled character assasination. But this isn’t necessarily so. Note how Paul and other apostles publicly “criticized” those spreading error within their ranks. I know you love Dr. Ness, and I also believe he’s a good guy. But we cannot allow the open teaching of error because we like the guy. This is a tough issue to wrestle with, and my heart sinks for these people. But truth is more precious. If we stand for truth then the Lord will bless. He’s powerful enough to correct and save Dr. Ness and anybody else who may be in error (including myself) if the heart is willing.

My brother in Christ, I think we’re both wanting to solve the problem; but we have a difference of opinion. I’m open to Biblical correction. I trust that you’re bringing this to daily prayer as you wrestle with how to fulfill your sacred role of training young people at PUC. People are praying for you all who are sincerely seeking to present the Christ of the Bible. God bless.

For real education reform, take a cue from the Adventists
@Eddie: Ok, Eddie. We can sit on our hands and keep our mouths shut, and shut our eyes and expect God to do all the work we’re supposed to be doing. Lord forbid we take care of anything unpleasant. “And all of God’s people put up with the apostasy because no prophet was sent and Jesus’ time had not yet come.” I don’t see anything of that sort in Scripture. By the way, God did send a prophet who gave us copious amounts of counsel on how to deal with these situations. You are contradicting yourself by demanding that a prophet or Jesus Himself come to put down this apostasy.

If the Master of the house left you in charge and came back to find it a chaotic mess, He’d ask: why did you not keep my house in order?

Would you respond?: I knew your statutes and commands but I wanted You to come and fix it yourself.

Brother Eddie, if you did this, you’d be found to have been a very unfaithful steward. The Master of the house has left us plenty of guidance on how to keep His house in order. Are you prepared to meet Him with excuses for knowing the “rules” of order yet doing nothing? Come on, brother. You can do better than that.

For real education reform, take a cue from the Adventists

Tell Johnny Vance that the Church functioned just fine with discipline issues prior to the internet, and that the internet isn’t the only way to work on this issue.

@Professor Kent: I’m just curious on a couple of points.

1) Does the Spectrum blog get the same criticism from you for its public and vitriolic rants against the church as Educate Truth? If not then I’d be curious to know why they get a pass.

2) If you think that Educate Truth is so bad, then why do you keep on feeding the fire by posting on it? Common sense would say that you’d shun it to prove it’s as irrelevant and as awful as you claim it to be. It’s ironic to note that you’re one of those who’s actually proving Educate Truth’s point.

3) I have yet to see you back up your accusations and rants with Biblical support. Do you just pick and choose at your convenience? There are many of us who want a better way. Please feel free to come up with a solution that will move people in a position of power to action. If not then you’re just playing ring-around-the-rosies with the devil while nothing gets done because there’s a lack of backbone in the house of God.