Comment on Academic Freedom Strikes Again! by J Sonnentag.
Wasn’t Eve (a woman) the first recorded human “scientist” to conduct an experiment? She was told a new idea and she thought it worthy to test out. Upon observing the results she went to Adam and even though he didn’t think it was a good idea he went along with a replication of the experiment. 😀
Anyway, not all experiments and tests of paradigms (meaning you are “progressive” and open to playing with and testing anything and everything) are apparently worthy of interaction with. . . .
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Recent Comments by J Sonnentag
Changing the Wording of Adventist Fundamental Belief #6 on Creation
Sean, I would just change wording in one place to eliminate baggage some words carry for people (associated with political and other movements – some saying Satan was the first to claim things as not “fair”).
In the next to the last paragraph I would change the word(s) “fair” to “truthful” or “honest.”
Northern California Conference Votes to Act Independent of the General Conference
Thank you for your response.
As the saying goes: “for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” Unfortunately, authoritarianism always breeds the opposite reaction. This is the fact of life. Elder Wilson did not have to make “women’s ordination” “the mother of all his battles” and yet he chose to do so in the first year of his administration (and again during the last General Conference in San Antonio and the last Annual Council). Unsurprisingly, the reaction followed. If I parented my children the way the GC leadership “parents” the Unions I would most likely end up with the rebellion on my hands too.
There are so many more important battles such as six-day creation versus theistic evolution, acceptance of homosexual relationships, denial of substitutionary atonement, etc. These are the battles worth dying for. Instead, because of this bruising, unnecessary battle over ordination, the General Conference has damaged its own authority among much of NAD membership. How can we now speak in one voice against the other issues I mentioned?
Perhaps it is now the time for the highest leadership of the GC to wash the feet of the “rebellious” Union and Conferences’ leaders and make peace with them rather than continue waging war over ordination, as we witnessed during the last Annual Council. The Adventist church in the USA did not collapse following the votes of PUC and CUC in 2012. In fact, the ministry of women received a tremendous boost. The Church may collapse, however, if the GC carries on the threat of grave consequences next year.
It is in the hands of the GC leadership to calm the waters, end the war over ordination (it has proven futile) and focus on mission and other important issues. I truly wish the events portrayed in the video “What Might Have Been” shown before the GC in San Antonio came true. Unfortunately, I do not see that happening at any time soon.
Northern California Conference Votes to Act Independent of the General Conference
Jody Johnson:
Oh no please. Sean is bringing clarity to this issue unlike any other site. I appreciate!
Yes, I agree. Thank you Sean.
Northern California Conference Votes to Act Independent of the General Conference
Sean,
I just happened upon your page by accident and saw your post while researching something on creation. I would urge you to reconsider your decision with regards to your tithe. I live in Michigan and for years my conference has not conformed to the General Conference policy on various issues.
I have considered sending my tithe to another conference several times during the past few years. Each time, after much thought and prayer, I decided to continue sending my tithe to the Michigan Conference. Your decision to redirect your tithe to another conference and calling upon others to do likewise might also be perceived a form of rebellion itself. Is this the direction you want to go?
Have you considered a possibility that God could have actually listened to the prayers uttered during the NCC session? Perhaps this is God’s way of slowly nudging the church at large in the right direction? This decision was not about a fundamental Adventist teaching like the Sabbath, or 6-day creation, where resistance would indeed be in order.
Reformation movements have rarely been initiated from above, if ever. Most begin at the grass roots level. Think John Huss, Martin Luther (read Great Controversy 135, last paragraph on the page), Rosa Parks, or perhaps even Jesus. The religious leaders of His times would have loved Jesus to conform to their policies. And sometimes Jesus urged His followers to do so (Matt 23:2-3a) but then He did not (vs.3b-4). In the end, they crucified Him for nonconformity. In His “rebellion,” however, Jesus was correct!
Good bye and God bless as you make your decision in this matter.