LA SIERRA: Four resign after recording emerges

Educate Truth shares the following article from Press Enterprise as a service to readers.

Friday, June 17, 2011
By David Olson

Two top La Sierra University administrators, a part-time biology professor and a member of the Riverside college’s board of trustees have resigned after a recording of a private conversation among them emerged. The tape included derogatory comments about leaders of the university and the Seventh-day Adventist Church, with which La Sierra is affiliated, and references to alcohol consumption, which is grounds for termination for university employees, according to a report this week in Spectrum Magazine, a Roseville, Calif.-based Adventist publication.

Lenny Darnell, the board member who resigned June 10, inadvertently emailed to Spectrum the recording of the private conversation along with his recording of a meeting between La Sierra faculty members and officials with the church’s education division, said Spectrum Editor Bonnie Dwyer.

Darnell had not realized that his cellphone’s recorder was still on when he and the three other men who resigned discussed the April 21 meeting, Dwyer said.

Darnell was unavailable for comment.In addition to Darnell, Jeff Kaatz, La Sierra’s vice president of development, Jim Beach, the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and Gary Bradley, a professor of biology, resigned. (Read more)

56 thoughts on “LA SIERRA: Four resign after recording emerges

  1. Shane Hilde was quoted in the Press-Enterprise article: “Shane Hilde, who founded a website in 2009 that has been critical of Bradley and the university administration on creationism, said he was not celebrating. Our goal is never to get people fired,” he said. “Our goal is to change the way things are taught. This is not a good situation and I really feel for the people who lost their jobs.”

    Does anyone think Shane might be bearing false witness? For those of us who watched him post the recordings and make comments on them last week we certainly know better. And Shane is not the only one here who is celebrating. Others are downright giddy.

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  2. P Kent – no, I do not think there is lying going on by Shane Hilde. I think the real problem is YOU are trying to stir up a judgmental spirit. Judge not, lest you be also judged is God’s specific command.

    What Shane Hilde has said is very clear. What is motivationally true for him in his heart is between him and God alone. The same is true for you & each of us.

    My advice to you is to obey God, and please apologize and cease passing judgment of another’s motives. That will not end up well for you.

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  3. Professor Kent’s Student:
    Shane Hilde was quoted in the Press-Enterprise article: “Shane Hilde, who founded a website in 2009 that has been critical of Bradley and the university administration on creationism, said he was not celebrating. Our goal is never to get people fired,” he said. “Our goal is to change the way things are taught. This is not a good situation and I really feel for the people who lost their jobs.”

    Does anyone think Shane might be bearing false witness? For those of us who watched him post the recordings and make comments on them last week we certainly know better. And Shane is not the only one here who is celebrating. Others are downright giddy.

    Do you read other people’s thoughts? Can you read other people’s motives? No. So then you owe Shane an apology. You need to take his comment at face value. Why is it that those liberal/progressives who claim to be the most open minded are in fact some of the most closed minded people in the world?

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  4. D. Fender: You need to take his comment at face value.

    That is exactly what he did, and he compared it with other statements and saw the obvious fact that Shane lied to the reporter. But what can we expect of people with such (lacking) integrity?

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  5. Where have I been! Cocooned in a cruise ship to Alaska, is where, and they charged extra for WiFi, and it was expensive enough already.

    So I just now got the news: Messrs Kaatz, Beach, Bradley, and Darnell, and Weiner have all been self-e-exposed and resigned, Weiner taking, er, longer to do it. But never mind Weiner.

    An award is surely due Spectrum for its investigative journalism and courageous leakage of everything but the GPS data, but that would have been a felony in California, as is, we are told, Luke 12:3 (look it up).

    But seriously, what was spoken into the ear of a Smartphone and shouted on the housetops is but an aliquot of sessions at our more enlightened centers, medical and academic, both in private, where the bonhomie of a band of brothers overflows (more chardonnay, anyone?) if not biblical brotherly love despite the calls for it, and at “contemporary issues” Sabbath School Classes (more lemonade?), with less badmouthing of the system and more of doctrines (“you still believe the Investigative Judgment? I feel sorry for you”), the message being as bald as the televised sermon is bland. How do I know? How does a refried bean know a burrito? Didn’t occur to me to record anything.

    Thus our shaking time could have been ushered in not with a blog bang after all but with an uncertainly intelligible MP3 whimper, forthwith deleted from the web if not heavenly records.

    More Châteauneuf-du-Pape, anyone, as in the days of Noah?

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  6. Adventist Kid, the only people lacking integrity of recent (and glaringly so), is Bradley, Beach, Kaatz, and Darnell. Shane has nothing to gain from this whole matter. He doesn’t work for the church. He has nothing to gain from this, except a headache that Motrin won’t fix. He (and many others) is (are) just tired of you liberals and progressives trashing our church and its beliefs and trying to drag everyone else down with you. ENOUGH! It is time to bring the SDA church back to faithfulness. It is time to finish the work Jesus gave us.

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  7. Adventist Kid, the conservatives are not lurking around every corner in the shadows recording and collecting data to publish. If the Infamous 4 did not want their private discussion to be known publicly, then they should have not spread it around to become public. There are many faithful SDA’s that are tired of the nonsense and are going to finally work to get our church back on track and back to the purpose of providing a positive alternative to this world’s evil.

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  8. Adventist Kid, what is more disingenous and lacking integrity than an professor signing a contract agreeing to support and protect the interests of the SDA church in the classroom and in their lifestyle, and then doing the opposite?

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  9. Does anyone think Shane might be bearing false witness? For those of us who watched him post the recordings and make comments on them last week we certainly know better. And Shane is not the only one here who is celebrating. Others are downright giddy.

    No, I do NOT think Shane is “bearing false witness.” And, I know of nobody who is “giddy” about this situation.

    I spent the weekend down in the Bay Area and spoke with many people, including four SDA pastors, most of which are in total shock about this matter, especially those who have not been following this problem closely.

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  10. Wesley Kime: Thus our shaking time could have been ushered in not with a blog bang after all but with an uncertainly intelligible MP3 whimper, forthwith deleted from the web if not heavenly records.

    The Bible talks about those who set nets and traps for others – being caught in their own nets.

    Some Bible readers will find those texts instructive.

    in Christ,

    Bob

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  11. BobRyan: The Bible talks about those who set nets and traps for others – being caught in their own nets.Some Bible readers will find those texts instructive.in Christ,Bob

    Bob, if you’ve heard the tape, you will realize that’s EXACTLY what happened!

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  12. Faithful Disciple: Adventist Kid, what is more disingenous and lacking integrity than an professor signing a contract agreeing to support and protect the interests of the SDA church in the classroom and in their lifestyle, and then doing the opposite?

    I agree. Not only a professor, but a Dean, Vice President, and a member of the Board. Listen to the tape and hear how just about every segment of our SDA Church in North America is attacked.

    The worst was mentioning three other SDA colleges and making a statement, complete with vulgarity, to address how they felt about a certain one.

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  13. Personally, I have heard many a call on this site for the firing of those TEs in or connected with LSU. Perhaps the most loud and adamant of the bunch coming from me. I don’t recall Shane or Sean ever asking for them to be fired. I know they have often stated that these people should not be teaching TE on the church’s dime. That doesn’t mean to say they are asking for firing, however.

    It never ceases to amaze me how the “progressives” as they like to be called, go after Shane and Sean whenever something goes wrong for them.

    This whole situation, in my humble opinion, was allowed to happen by God Himself to rid LSU of some strong influence to the bad. The administration did nothing, the conference did nothing, and the GC did next to nothing. If I heard the recording correctly, they were bending so far over backward not to hurt anyone’s feelings that they were pretty much impotent in fixing the situation. There comes a time for plain speaking, and if this isn’t it, I fail to see what would have to happen to be it. I think there are a lot of SDAs out here who are pretty fed up with all this wishy-washy political correctness. We have often called for action.

    There is a time for cleansing. Now would be the acceptable time. Let’s just quit putting all this on Educate Truth. They are merely the messengers, not the problem.

    The problem lies at the door of the TEs who are teaching heresy in LSU. People like Adventist Kid and others who have no problem attacking Chist’s church and His true followers, always wind up snivelling about how the TEs are being treated badly. It is a fact of life, AK, that if people cause trouble, they can only expect some kind of strife. The TEs are setting themselves up against the church, yes, but ultimately, they are setting themselves up against God. Do you think God will tolerate this forever? Personally, I would be afraid–very afraid–to oppose God in anything. (Think the Flood, Sodom and Gommorah, etc.) These people are supposed to be so educated and smart–can’t they see this?

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  14. I think Sean and Shane have been very kind in this whole process. They have only wanted LSU to teach our Church’s beliefs. That has been their call. They have only pointed out how unethical it is to voluntarily agree to be a professor, voluntarily sign a contract that says that the professor must correctly represent the church, and then do the contrary. And they are right. Those who get paid by the church should teach what the church believes. If they won’t, then they should voluntarily go elsewhere. That is called being a quality person. Staying, and working against your employer, contrary to your signed contract, is unethical. That is where we are. It is clear to me that it is the employees of our church that don’t believe our beliefs, and don’t want to believe them, need to go. Nothing unkind, nothing mean, just get with the team that represents your beliefs.

    “I asked the meaning of the shaking I had seen, and was shown that it would be caused by the straight testimony called forth by the counsel of the True Witness to the Laodiceans. This will have its effect upon the heart of the receiver, and will lead him to exalt the standard and pour forth the straight truth. Some will not bear this straight testimony. They will rise up against it, and this is what will cause a shaking among God’s people.” – {CET 176.1}

    All church members need to heed this statement because it is where we are today.

    Maranatha!

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  15. I sure hope and pray that these resignations will lead to a “cleaner house” at LSU–A University in our church that faithfully upholds the Bible origins and all 28 7th day Adventist beliefs. But its far from over and evolution is certainly not the only weirdness happening at LSU.

    I am a junior at the University Of Nevada Reno, and a year ago I tried to enroll at Walla Walla. I was and am fully qualified, but I nearly went into shock at the way they treated me in the process.

    My old criminal record was being held against me with no regard for my re-conversion and re-baptism. I was actually denied entrance solely based upon that criteria alone–by my own church!

    During the process, God sent me a clear message to withdraw my application and He actually worked a miracle to return my 40.00 application fee to me. I clearly understood the LORDs leading here.

    I won’t go into all the sordid details, but the Lord saved me from much grief; of that I’m sure.

    History now repeats itself on a huge scale;

    “Students are sent from a great distance to attend the college at Battle Creek for the very purpose of receiving instruction from the lectures on Bible subjects. But for one or two years past there has been an effort to mold our school after other colleges. When this is done, we can give no encouragement to parents to send their children to Battle Creek College. The moral and religious influences should not be put in the background. In times past, God has worked with the efforts of the teachers, and many souls have seen the truth and embraced it,
    and have gone to their homes to live henceforth for God, as the result of their connection with the college. As they saw that Bible study was made a part of their education, they were led to regard it as a matter of greater interest and importance.” {5T 21.3}

    There is also a problem with Jesuit Spiritual exercises in some of our colleges. Derek Morris is a well known promoter of these spiritualistic exercises–most unabashedly so. I have no problem at all naming him as a spiritualist. He’s on the Hope Channel, has books published by the R&H; and recommends the Andrews Study Bible which has at least one more spiritualist professor at Andrews who teaches Spiritual Formation and is exposed by Amazing Discoveries, who also provided hie perverted commentary to this Bible.

    Derek writes, “For much of the Christian era the practice of spiritual direction was confined to Catholicism, particularly monasticism and the Society of Jesus [the Jesuits]. In recent years, there has been a revival of interest in spiritual direction as a resource for spiritual formation among both Catholics and Protestants. A leading Protestant advocate of spiritual formation is Tilden Edwards, director of the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation in Washington, D.C. [CC note: Adventist Chaplaincy Ministries is promoting the Shalem Institute as the leading place for studying to become a Spiritual Director. Shalem is staffed with Roman Catholic nuns who are experts in the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, with Episcopal priests, psychiatrists, etc.] As I began my own prayer search for a spiritual friend, I came across the significant work by Tilden Edwards, Spiritual Friend: Reclaiming the Gift of Spiritual Direction. I [Derek Morris] strongly recommend this book as a valuable resource…(http://www.sdadefend.com/MINDEX-S/Spiritual-form.pdf).

    http://www.revivalsermons.org/forums/index.php?action=printpage;topic=3592.0

    “Spiritual Formation: A movement that has provided a platform and a channel through which contemplative prayer is entering the church. Find spiritual formation being used, and in nearly every case you will find contemplative spirituality. In fact, contemplative spirituality is the heartbeat of the spiritual formation movement.” http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/spiritualformation.htm

    At La Sierra
    RELP 345 Spiritual Formation (2-4)
    Personal spiritual growth is fostered through the study and practice of the spiritual disciplines and the principles of Christian discipleship. Students are also exposed to an understanding of the work of God’s grace in the process of spiritual formation in both clergy and congregation. (http://www.lasierra.edu/index.php?id=3016&print=1

    Could this be the contemplative spirituality that originated from the Jesuits? It’s at Andrews and Southern Adventist College…or at least was when Derek Morris was there.

    Over and over again the following EGW text just burns itself in my brain;

    Satan will work his miracles to deceive; he will set up his power as supreme. The church may appear as about to fall, but it does not fall. It remains, while the sinners in Zion will be sifted out–the chaff separated from the precious wheat. This is a terrible ordeal, but nevertheless it must take place. None but those who have been overcoming by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony will be found with the loyal and true, without spot or stain of sin, without guile in their mouths. . . . The remnant that purify their souls by obeying the truth gather strength from the trying process, exhibiting the beauty of holiness amid the surrounding apostasy (Letter 55, 1886). {7BC 911.6}

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  16. Tony Campolo, professor emeritus at Eastern University and founder of the Evangelical Association for the Promotion of Education, will be the featured speaker for Black History Weekend at Walla Walla University, held Feb. 1–2. [2008] A Sabbath afternoon forum, “The God of Intimacy and Action: The Challenge to Welcome and Embrace Diversity,” is jointly sponsored by the Black Faculty and Staff Fellowship, the Faculty Development Committee, the School of Theology and the Association of Adventist Forums. http://www.gleaneronline.org/103/1/34188.html

    Tony Campolo says in his book Letters to a Young Evangelical: “Intimacy with Christ has developed gradually over the years, primarily through what Catholic mystics call “centering prayer.” Each morning, as soon as I wake up, I take time–sometimes as much as a half hour–to center myself on Jesus. I say his name over and over again to drive back the 101 things that begin to clutter up my mind the minute I open my eyes. Jesus is my mantra, as some would say. The constant repetition of his name clears my head of everything but the awareness of his presence. By driving back all other concerns, I am able to create what the ancient Celtic Christians called “the thin place.”… After a while, an inner stillness pervades.”

    Tony Campolo states that he “learned about this way of having a born-again experience from reading the Catholic mystics, especially The Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola” who developed “a ‘oneness’ with God,” through contemplative practices. Campolo says that when the Reformation took place, we “left too much behind” and that “some Catholic saints” helped to deepen his prayer life. He later reiterates: “Having an intimate relationship with Christ is at the core of being an Evangelical.” He explains there are three things to consider: 1. “Centering prayer,” 2. “Contemplative Bible study” and 3. “Spiritual Disciplines.”
    http://www.fromthelighthouse.com/blog/index.php?cat=24

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  17. Steve: these practices you are talking about are nothing more than the ancient mysticism God forbade us to use. It is the deception that Satan is using to deceive, if possible, the very elect. No wonder the religion departments are so ready to back up the biology departments when they are both so deep into apostacy and heresy. I know that the Adventist ministers have been going to study all this rot at the Robert Schuller college that uses the Willow Creek church’s evangelism methods. We are, in essence, sending our ministers to the Witch of Endor to learn the worldly techniques used by the harlot’s (Rome’s) daughters (Protestants). I tremble to think where all this is leading…no wonder the shaking is almost upon us.

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  18. As far as the resignations go, the La Sierra faculty has apparently unanimously voted in a special session which was called on Friday morning last week to recommend to the Board of Trustees that they not accept the resignations of the three administrative people.

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  19. Dr. Lou, what a noble show of support for their fellow educators! Or does it just go to prove that the evil at LSU has infected the whole campus? Progressives of a feather flock together?

    It seems largely symbolic though since the faculty have no control over the Board of Trustees. What a pickle that puts the Board in though. Do they vote to support their faculty and thumb their nose at the rest of the world church and GC, or tell the faculty that the decision stands? Do you suppose a split from the church is coming for LSU? That would be a very difficult thing since the church owns the land and buildings.

    It is not a great time to be on the Board of Trustees at La Sierra University.

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  20. Ron Stone M.D.:
    @Steve Billiter, Campolo (along with his wife) is also one of the most vocal “gay marriage” and “gay is A-OK” proponents in America.

    Ron, I guess that Tony just names his poison that he likes. What does he say about gay’s who do contemplative prayer? Is he trapped?

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  21. Steve Billiter: Ron, I guess that Tony just names his poison that he likes. What does he say about gay’s who do contemplative prayer? Is he trapped?

    Not sure, but he IS one of the greatest “sellouts” in Christianity. which is why the progressives in our SDA Church love him!

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  22. @ Steve Billiter:

    While I share your concern about Spiritual Formation, I would humbly suggest that you hold off on attacking individuals and stick to issues. Just because you read something on the Internet doesn’t mean it’s true (being a junior in college, you should know that by now). Have you personally discussed these issues with Derek Morris or are you just going by what Vance Ferrell wrote on his sdadefend website?

    I can say that I personally took Derek Morris’ TWO classes on Spiritual Formation the single year I attended school at Southern. I emphasize the fact that I took both classes because only one was required. Anyone who knew me back then could attest to the fact that I was one of the most right-wing students in the religion department that year (I even went to hear one of the Standish brothers when he came to town that year). Yet I never heard Dr. Morris teach ANYTHING in either of those classes that I believed to be heretical.

    The first semester addressed topics like Bible study, prayer (using both the Lord’s prayer and the sanctuary as models), Christian meditation on Scripture (not New Age or mystical in any way), and fasting. During the semester, our only textbook was Steps to Christ by Ellen White. The second semester was based entirely on Bible memorization, and we each had to learn 100 memory verses on various subjects. 

    I was there when certain right-wing Adventists in the community were publishing accusations against Dr. Morris and demanding his resignation or termination. Their accusation was based entirely on the NAME of his class rather than on the CONTENT of his class. Yes, it is true that you can go to any Jesuit seminary and take a class called Spiritual Formation. However, I have a feeling you could also go to any Jesuit seminary and take a class called Old Testament. So, since Jesuits might call their Old Testament class by the name Old Testament, does that mean we should change the name of our class in order to avoid being confused with or called Catholics? That would be silly. The only danger would be when you couldn’t tell the difference in content between a Jesuit class on the Old Testament and an Adventist class on the Old Testament.

    And so again I urge you to focus your criticisms toward issues and not people. If the Roman Catholic version of Spiritual Formation is being taught in an Adventist setting then please, by all means, speak up and sound the alarm. But I can assure you that Derek Morris is not a Catholic or a spiritualist, and his classes that I took contained neither Catholicism nor spiritualism. He is a good man and a faithful Seventh-day Adventist (who even took the time to personally transcribe all of C. D. Brooks’ evangelistic sermons from the old tapes and freely provides them with his recommendation to any young preacher wanting to do an evangelistic series).

    And, by the way, the issue on this site is creation vs. evolution, not attacks on individuals regarding Spiritual Formation. I believe you’ve strayed off-topic. 

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  23. I have personnally discussed the issue of SF with Derek Morris near the first of this year and am convinced he no longer supports SF at all and that his prior association with it was not to the degree that many are using it today.

    I personnally know people who took classes from Derek (classes labeled SF) and have heard it confirmed that the classes did not fully teach what we all now know SF to really stand for based on its real origin.

    I say this not to continue the SF discussion – but rather because the thread so far raises doubt about Derek without providing this closure.

    in Christ,

    Bob

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  24. From my first awareness of what was happening at La Sierra U. I was saddened by the obvious failure of the school to promote Biblical authority and Adventist belief.
    I would be happy to see anyone leave that cannot honestly promote and teach the Bible and the time tested teachings of the SDA Church. I would never rejoice in the loss of someones livelihood but the purpose of La Sierra U. is to be a proponent of SDA teachings, not a trap for unsuspecting SDA students to be taught to lose their faith and learn to disdain the teachings of the church which sponsors the University.
    Parents don’t send their children to La Sierra to lose their faith and be taught what should be considered heresy.
    If faculty are living a life of disdain for the teachings of the Church they should excuse themselves and go teach where their views are honored and expected.
    I am happy that these men resigned. Unfortunately the cancer is much deeper and wider. It looks to me like the whole school needs a cleansing down to and including the possibility of closing its doors.

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  25. Personally, I have heard many a call on this site for the firing of those TEs in or connected with LSU. Perhaps the most loud and adamant of the bunch coming from me. I don’t recall Shane or Sean ever asking for them to be fired. I know they have often stated that these people should not be teaching TE on the church’s dime. That doesn’t mean to say they are asking for firing, however.

    It never ceases to amaze me how the “progressives” as they like to be called, go after Shane and Sean whenever something goes wrong for them.

    This whole situation, in my humble opinion, was allowed to happen by God Himself to rid LSU of some strong influence to the bad. The administration did nothing, the conference did nothing, and the GC did next to nothing. If I heard the recording correctly, they were bending so far over backward not to hurt anyone’s feelings that they were pretty much impotent in fixing the situation. There comes a time for plain speaking, and if this isn’t it, I fail to see what would have to happen to be it. I think there are a lot of SDAs out here who are pretty fed up with all this wishy-washy political correctness. We have often called for action.

    There is a time for cleansing. Now would be the acceptable time. Let’s just quit putting all this on Educate Truth. They are merely the messengers, not the problem.

    The problem lies at the door of the TEs who are teaching heresy in LSU. People like Adventist Kid and others who have no problem attacking Chist’s church and His true followers, always wind up snivelling about how the TEs are being treated badly. It is a fact of life, AK, that if people cause trouble, they can only expect some kind of strife. The TEs are setting themselves up against the church, yes, but ultimately, they are setting themselves up against God. Do you think God will tolerate this forever? Personally, I would be afraid–very afraid–to oppose God in anything. (Think the Flood, Sodom and Gommorah, etc.) These people are supposed to be so educated and smart–can’t they see this?

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  26. Shane Hilde was quoted in the Press-Enterprise article: “Shane Hilde, who founded a website in 2009 that has been critical of Bradley and the university administration on creationism, said he was not celebrating. Our goal is never to get people fired,” he said. “Our goal is to change the way things are taught. This is not a good situation and I really feel for the people who lost their jobs.”

    Does anyone think Shane might be bearing false witness? For those of us who watched him post the recordings and make comments on them last week we certainly know better. And Shane is not the only one here who is celebrating. Others are downright giddy.

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  27. Does anyone think Shane might be bearing false witness? For those of us who watched him post the recordings and make comments on them last week we certainly know better. And Shane is not the only one here who is celebrating. Others are downright giddy.

    No, I do NOT think Shane is “bearing false witness.” And, I know of nobody who is “giddy” about this situation.

    I spent the weekend down in the Bay Area and spoke with many people, including four SDA pastors, most of which are in total shock about this matter, especially those who have not been following this problem closely.

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  28. P Kent – no, I do not think there is lying going on by Shane Hilde. I think the real problem is YOU are trying to stir up a judgmental spirit. Judge not, lest you be also judged is God’s specific command.

    What Shane Hilde has said is very clear. What is motivationally true for him in his heart is between him and God alone. The same is true for you & each of us.

    My advice to you is to obey God, and please apologize and cease passing judgment of another’s motives. That will not end up well for you.

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  29. BobRyan: The Bible talks about those who set nets and traps for others – being caught in their own nets.Some Bible readers will find those texts instructive.in Christ,Bob

    Bob, if you’ve heard the tape, you will realize that’s EXACTLY what happened!

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  30. Wesley&#032Kime: Thus our shaking time could have been ushered in not with a blog bang after all but with an uncertainly intelligible MP3 whimper, forthwith deleted from the web if not heavenly records.

    The Bible talks about those who set nets and traps for others – being caught in their own nets.

    Some Bible readers will find those texts instructive.

    in Christ,

    Bob

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  31. Where have I been! Cocooned in a cruise ship to Alaska, is where, and they charged extra for WiFi, and it was expensive enough already.

    So I just now got the news: Messrs Kaatz, Beach, Bradley, and Darnell, and Weiner have all been self-e-exposed and resigned, Weiner taking, er, longer to do it. But never mind Weiner.

    An award is surely due Spectrum for its investigative journalism and courageous leakage of everything but the GPS data, but that would have been a felony in California, as is, we are told, Luke 12:3 (look it up).

    But seriously, what was spoken into the ear of a Smartphone and shouted on the housetops is but an aliquot of sessions at our more enlightened centers, medical and academic, both in private, where the bonhomie of a band of brothers overflows (more chardonnay, anyone?) if not biblical brotherly love despite the calls for it, and at “contemporary issues” Sabbath School Classes (more lemonade?), with less badmouthing of the system and more of doctrines (“you still believe the Investigative Judgment? I feel sorry for you”), the message being as bald as the televised sermon is bland. How do I know? How does a refried bean know a burrito? Didn’t occur to me to record anything.

    Thus our shaking time could have been ushered in not with a blog bang after all but with an uncertainly intelligible MP3 whimper, forthwith deleted from the web if not heavenly records.

    More Châteauneuf-du-Pape, anyone, as in the days of Noah?

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  32. Faithful&#032Disciple: Adventist Kid, what is more disingenous and lacking integrity than an professor signing a contract agreeing to support and protect the interests of the SDA church in the classroom and in their lifestyle, and then doing the opposite?

    I agree. Not only a professor, but a Dean, Vice President, and a member of the Board. Listen to the tape and hear how just about every segment of our SDA Church in North America is attacked.

    The worst was mentioning three other SDA colleges and making a statement, complete with vulgarity, to address how they felt about a certain one.

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  33. Steve: these practices you are talking about are nothing more than the ancient mysticism God forbade us to use. It is the deception that Satan is using to deceive, if possible, the very elect. No wonder the religion departments are so ready to back up the biology departments when they are both so deep into apostacy and heresy. I know that the Adventist ministers have been going to study all this rot at the Robert Schuller college that uses the Willow Creek church’s evangelism methods. We are, in essence, sending our ministers to the Witch of Endor to learn the worldly techniques used by the harlot’s (Rome’s) daughters (Protestants). I tremble to think where all this is leading…no wonder the shaking is almost upon us.

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  34. Tony Campolo, professor emeritus at Eastern University and founder of the Evangelical Association for the Promotion of Education, will be the featured speaker for Black History Weekend at Walla Walla University, held Feb. 1–2. [2008] A Sabbath afternoon forum, “The God of Intimacy and Action: The Challenge to Welcome and Embrace Diversity,” is jointly sponsored by the Black Faculty and Staff Fellowship, the Faculty Development Committee, the School of Theology and the Association of Adventist Forums. http://www.gleaneronline.org/103/1/34188.html

    Tony Campolo says in his book Letters to a Young Evangelical: “Intimacy with Christ has developed gradually over the years, primarily through what Catholic mystics call “centering prayer.” Each morning, as soon as I wake up, I take time–sometimes as much as a half hour–to center myself on Jesus. I say his name over and over again to drive back the 101 things that begin to clutter up my mind the minute I open my eyes. Jesus is my mantra, as some would say. The constant repetition of his name clears my head of everything but the awareness of his presence. By driving back all other concerns, I am able to create what the ancient Celtic Christians called “the thin place.”… After a while, an inner stillness pervades.”

    Tony Campolo states that he “learned about this way of having a born-again experience from reading the Catholic mystics, especially The Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola” who developed “a ‘oneness’ with God,” through contemplative practices. Campolo says that when the Reformation took place, we “left too much behind” and that “some Catholic saints” helped to deepen his prayer life. He later reiterates: “Having an intimate relationship with Christ is at the core of being an Evangelical.” He explains there are three things to consider: 1. “Centering prayer,” 2. “Contemplative Bible study” and 3. “Spiritual Disciplines.”
    http://www.fromthelighthouse.com/blog/index.php?cat=24

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  35. @ Steve Billiter:

    While I share your concern about Spiritual Formation, I would humbly suggest that you hold off on attacking individuals and stick to issues. Just because you read something on the Internet doesn’t mean it’s true (being a junior in college, you should know that by now). Have you personally discussed these issues with Derek Morris or are you just going by what Vance Ferrell wrote on his sdadefend website?

    I can say that I personally took Derek Morris’ TWO classes on Spiritual Formation the single year I attended school at Southern. I emphasize the fact that I took both classes because only one was required. Anyone who knew me back then could attest to the fact that I was one of the most right-wing students in the religion department that year (I even went to hear one of the Standish brothers when he came to town that year). Yet I never heard Dr. Morris teach ANYTHING in either of those classes that I believed to be heretical.

    The first semester addressed topics like Bible study, prayer (using both the Lord’s prayer and the sanctuary as models), Christian meditation on Scripture (not New Age or mystical in any way), and fasting. During the semester, our only textbook was Steps to Christ by Ellen White. The second semester was based entirely on Bible memorization, and we each had to learn 100 memory verses on various subjects. 

    I was there when certain right-wing Adventists in the community were publishing accusations against Dr. Morris and demanding his resignation or termination. Their accusation was based entirely on the NAME of his class rather than on the CONTENT of his class. Yes, it is true that you can go to any Jesuit seminary and take a class called Spiritual Formation. However, I have a feeling you could also go to any Jesuit seminary and take a class called Old Testament. So, since Jesuits might call their Old Testament class by the name Old Testament, does that mean we should change the name of our class in order to avoid being confused with or called Catholics? That would be silly. The only danger would be when you couldn’t tell the difference in content between a Jesuit class on the Old Testament and an Adventist class on the Old Testament.

    And so again I urge you to focus your criticisms toward issues and not people. If the Roman Catholic version of Spiritual Formation is being taught in an Adventist setting then please, by all means, speak up and sound the alarm. But I can assure you that Derek Morris is not a Catholic or a spiritualist, and his classes that I took contained neither Catholicism nor spiritualism. He is a good man and a faithful Seventh-day Adventist (who even took the time to personally transcribe all of C. D. Brooks’ evangelistic sermons from the old tapes and freely provides them with his recommendation to any young preacher wanting to do an evangelistic series).

    And, by the way, the issue on this site is creation vs. evolution, not attacks on individuals regarding Spiritual Formation. I believe you’ve strayed off-topic. 

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  36. From my first awareness of what was happening at La Sierra U. I was saddened by the obvious failure of the school to promote Biblical authority and Adventist belief.
    I would be happy to see anyone leave that cannot honestly promote and teach the Bible and the time tested teachings of the SDA Church. I would never rejoice in the loss of someones livelihood but the purpose of La Sierra U. is to be a proponent of SDA teachings, not a trap for unsuspecting SDA students to be taught to lose their faith and learn to disdain the teachings of the church which sponsors the University.
    Parents don’t send their children to La Sierra to lose their faith and be taught what should be considered heresy.
    If faculty are living a life of disdain for the teachings of the Church they should excuse themselves and go teach where their views are honored and expected.
    I am happy that these men resigned. Unfortunately the cancer is much deeper and wider. It looks to me like the whole school needs a cleansing down to and including the possibility of closing its doors.

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  37. Dr. Lou, what a noble show of support for their fellow educators! Or does it just go to prove that the evil at LSU has infected the whole campus? Progressives of a feather flock together?

    It seems largely symbolic though since the faculty have no control over the Board of Trustees. What a pickle that puts the Board in though. Do they vote to support their faculty and thumb their nose at the rest of the world church and GC, or tell the faculty that the decision stands? Do you suppose a split from the church is coming for LSU? That would be a very difficult thing since the church owns the land and buildings.

    It is not a great time to be on the Board of Trustees at La Sierra University.

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  38. Steve&#032Billiter: Ron, I guess that Tony just names his poison that he likes. What does he say about gay’s who do contemplative prayer? Is he trapped?

    Not sure, but he IS one of the greatest “sellouts” in Christianity. which is why the progressives in our SDA Church love him!

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  39. I think Sean and Shane have been very kind in this whole process. They have only wanted LSU to teach our Church’s beliefs. That has been their call. They have only pointed out how unethical it is to voluntarily agree to be a professor, voluntarily sign a contract that says that the professor must correctly represent the church, and then do the contrary. And they are right. Those who get paid by the church should teach what the church believes. If they won’t, then they should voluntarily go elsewhere. That is called being a quality person. Staying, and working against your employer, contrary to your signed contract, is unethical. That is where we are. It is clear to me that it is the employees of our church that don’t believe our beliefs, and don’t want to believe them, need to go. Nothing unkind, nothing mean, just get with the team that represents your beliefs.

    “I asked the meaning of the shaking I had seen, and was shown that it would be caused by the straight testimony called forth by the counsel of the True Witness to the Laodiceans. This will have its effect upon the heart of the receiver, and will lead him to exalt the standard and pour forth the straight truth. Some will not bear this straight testimony. They will rise up against it, and this is what will cause a shaking among God’s people.” – {CET 176.1}

    All church members need to heed this statement because it is where we are today.

    Maranatha!

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  40. Professor&#032Kent&#8217s&#032Student:
    Shane Hilde was quoted in the Press-Enterprise article: “Shane Hilde, who founded a website in 2009 that has been critical of Bradley and the university administration on creationism, said he was not celebrating. Our goal is never to get people fired,” he said. “Our goal is to change the way things are taught. This is not a good situation and I really feel for the people who lost their jobs.”

    Does anyone think Shane might be bearing false witness? For those of us who watched him post the recordings and make comments on them last week we certainly know better. And Shane is not the only one here who is celebrating. Others are downright giddy.

    Do you read other people’s thoughts? Can you read other people’s motives? No. So then you owe Shane an apology. You need to take his comment at face value. Why is it that those liberal/progressives who claim to be the most open minded are in fact some of the most closed minded people in the world?

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  41. Adventist Kid, the conservatives are not lurking around every corner in the shadows recording and collecting data to publish. If the Infamous 4 did not want their private discussion to be known publicly, then they should have not spread it around to become public. There are many faithful SDA’s that are tired of the nonsense and are going to finally work to get our church back on track and back to the purpose of providing a positive alternative to this world’s evil.

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  42. Adventist Kid, what is more disingenous and lacking integrity than an professor signing a contract agreeing to support and protect the interests of the SDA church in the classroom and in their lifestyle, and then doing the opposite?

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  43. As far as the resignations go, the La Sierra faculty has apparently unanimously voted in a special session which was called on Friday morning last week to recommend to the Board of Trustees that they not accept the resignations of the three administrative people.

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  44. I have personnally discussed the issue of SF with Derek Morris near the first of this year and am convinced he no longer supports SF at all and that his prior association with it was not to the degree that many are using it today.

    I personnally know people who took classes from Derek (classes labeled SF) and have heard it confirmed that the classes did not fully teach what we all now know SF to really stand for based on its real origin.

    I say this not to continue the SF discussion – but rather because the thread so far raises doubt about Derek without providing this closure.

    in Christ,

    Bob

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  45. Adventist Kid, the only people lacking integrity of recent (and glaringly so), is Bradley, Beach, Kaatz, and Darnell. Shane has nothing to gain from this whole matter. He doesn’t work for the church. He has nothing to gain from this, except a headache that Motrin won’t fix. He (and many others) is (are) just tired of you liberals and progressives trashing our church and its beliefs and trying to drag everyone else down with you. ENOUGH! It is time to bring the SDA church back to faithfulness. It is time to finish the work Jesus gave us.

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  46. I sure hope and pray that these resignations will lead to a “cleaner house” at LSU–A University in our church that faithfully upholds the Bible origins and all 28 7th day Adventist beliefs. But its far from over and evolution is certainly not the only weirdness happening at LSU.

    I am a junior at the University Of Nevada Reno, and a year ago I tried to enroll at Walla Walla. I was and am fully qualified, but I nearly went into shock at the way they treated me in the process.

    My old criminal record was being held against me with no regard for my re-conversion and re-baptism. I was actually denied entrance solely based upon that criteria alone–by my own church!

    During the process, God sent me a clear message to withdraw my application and He actually worked a miracle to return my 40.00 application fee to me. I clearly understood the LORDs leading here.

    I won’t go into all the sordid details, but the Lord saved me from much grief; of that I’m sure.

    History now repeats itself on a huge scale;

    “Students are sent from a great distance to attend the college at Battle Creek for the very purpose of receiving instruction from the lectures on Bible subjects. But for one or two years past there has been an effort to mold our school after other colleges. When this is done, we can give no encouragement to parents to send their children to Battle Creek College. The moral and religious influences should not be put in the background. In times past, God has worked with the efforts of the teachers, and many souls have seen the truth and embraced it,
    and have gone to their homes to live henceforth for God, as the result of their connection with the college. As they saw that Bible study was made a part of their education, they were led to regard it as a matter of greater interest and importance.” {5T 21.3}

    There is also a problem with Jesuit Spiritual exercises in some of our colleges. Derek Morris is a well known promoter of these spiritualistic exercises–most unabashedly so. I have no problem at all naming him as a spiritualist. He’s on the Hope Channel, has books published by the R&H; and recommends the Andrews Study Bible which has at least one more spiritualist professor at Andrews who teaches Spiritual Formation and is exposed by Amazing Discoveries, who also provided hie perverted commentary to this Bible.

    Derek writes, “For much of the Christian era the practice of spiritual direction was confined to Catholicism, particularly monasticism and the Society of Jesus [the Jesuits]. In recent years, there has been a revival of interest in spiritual direction as a resource for spiritual formation among both Catholics and Protestants. A leading Protestant advocate of spiritual formation is Tilden Edwards, director of the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation in Washington, D.C. [CC note: Adventist Chaplaincy Ministries is promoting the Shalem Institute as the leading place for studying to become a Spiritual Director. Shalem is staffed with Roman Catholic nuns who are experts in the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, with Episcopal priests, psychiatrists, etc.] As I began my own prayer search for a spiritual friend, I came across the significant work by Tilden Edwards, Spiritual Friend: Reclaiming the Gift of Spiritual Direction. I [Derek Morris] strongly recommend this book as a valuable resource…(http://www.sdadefend.com/MINDEX-S/Spiritual-form.pdf).

    http://www.revivalsermons.org/forums/index.php?action=printpage;topic=3592.0

    “Spiritual Formation: A movement that has provided a platform and a channel through which contemplative prayer is entering the church. Find spiritual formation being used, and in nearly every case you will find contemplative spirituality. In fact, contemplative spirituality is the heartbeat of the spiritual formation movement.” http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/spiritualformation.htm

    At La Sierra
    RELP 345 Spiritual Formation (2-4)
    Personal spiritual growth is fostered through the study and practice of the spiritual disciplines and the principles of Christian discipleship. Students are also exposed to an understanding of the work of God’s grace in the process of spiritual formation in both clergy and congregation. (http://www.lasierra.edu/index.php?id=3016&print=1

    Could this be the contemplative spirituality that originated from the Jesuits? It’s at Andrews and Southern Adventist College…or at least was when Derek Morris was there.

    Over and over again the following EGW text just burns itself in my brain;

    Satan will work his miracles to deceive; he will set up his power as supreme. The church may appear as about to fall, but it does not fall. It remains, while the sinners in Zion will be sifted out–the chaff separated from the precious wheat. This is a terrible ordeal, but nevertheless it must take place. None but those who have been overcoming by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony will be found with the loyal and true, without spot or stain of sin, without guile in their mouths. . . . The remnant that purify their souls by obeying the truth gather strength from the trying process, exhibiting the beauty of holiness amid the surrounding apostasy (Letter 55, 1886). {7BC 911.6}

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