Comment on Defining Adventism: A poll by Lydian Belknap.
I agree that the choices in the above poll are poorly worded.
A person can sit in the pews and have certain struggles with one or more of our beliefs and still be considered an Adventist. (But I really feel it would be better for him/her to settle what they believe and what they don’t before they join the church. But we are all humans and sometimes questions arise AFTER we are baptized. In this case they shouldn’t be criticized or condemned but prayed for and gently worked with.)
But when it comes to teaching, preaching, etc., well, that’s an entirely different situation. Unless we really believe what we claim to believe we should have no part in any such activity. Our children’s salvation is at stake and that must be our first consideration. End of discussion!
HOWEVER, I have a real problem with some of the textbooks that are being used in our grade schools. When a young woman in one of our academies who took a Daniel course in her senior year was shocked to learn that Daniel in the Lion’s den was a true story and not just another fairy tale like Cinderella then we have to face some hard truths about our own educational system–from grade one on up! This girl had been an Adventist ALL HER LIFE and had ALWAYS attended Adventist church schools! When I checked current Bible textbooks for our grade schools several years ago I found most of them could be used in almost any “Bible believing†church school of any denomination (probably except the Catholic schools.)
When I was a child (MANY long years ago!) our Bible books were definitely “Adventist!â€
3rd grade….When the World was Young
4th grade… From Egypt to Canaan
5th grade… The Last of Old Testament Times
6th grade…. The Life of Jesus
7th grade…. The Gospel to all the World
8th grade…. God’s Great Plan (From the fall of Lucifer to the earth made new.) We covered the WHOLE Bible in those formative years!
These all had workbooks that went along with them as well as Spirit of Prophecy readings on the subjects. This was followed in academy by going over the same ground in a somewhat different manner. (Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond our control I had to attend a public high school from grades 10-12. so I will be forever grateful for my grade school Bible training!) Then I went on to Southern Junior College, Washington Missionary College and after I married, PUC, from which my husband and I both graduated. I truly treasure all of those years and felt very fortunate to have wonderful, Godly Adventist-believing teachers and I still treasured each one!
My questions to all teachers, ministers, and conference officials are these: Are those now teaching evolution in our schools products of the early Biblical training they DID NOT received in their formative years? If so–HOW CAN WE EXPECT THEM TO CARRY, AND PASS ON,THE “TORCH OF TRUTH†IF NO ONE GAVE IT TO THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE?
Truly, we are Laodicea–the one “church†God had absolutely nothing good to say about! Truly, “we have met the enemy and HE IS US!!†(I find it rather ironic that three of our leading evangelists today were not raised “Adventist†but studied their way in on their own when teenagers–Shawn B., Doug B., and David A.!)
Table of Contents
Recent Comments by Lydian Belknap
A New Endowment Program for Adventist Education
So here I sit–a “very old lady”–totally confused and not having a clue as to whether to donate or not–or where to donate if I should.
As things stand now I think I will just continue putting my own little amount to my current “missionary out reach” of buying “Steps to Christ” and “Who Do You Think You Are?” and passing them on to the clerks in the stores where I shop or other people I meet that I think would like them.
If and when you folks decide on what, how and where to help in this very worthy project let me know and I’ll do what I can then.
A New Endowment Program for Adventist Education
I just noticed that there is such a program in place in northern California but I would want one that is nation wide. After all, if our kids aren’t already in danger here in the southern union also (as well the rest of the US) it’s most likely only a short matter of time till they will be.
A New Endowment Program for Adventist Education
I am far from a wealthy person who could and gladly would donate large sums of money to such a program but I could and would gladly donate some if such assurances were solidly in place. I’m sure there are many “old folks” like me “out there” who feel the same way. (Is there already such a program in place? If so please post all needed information.)
The God of the Gaps
While browsing my rather voluminous file of articles to “save” I ran across this jewel—I think it is worth saving and thinking about–especially the last statement by Darwin himself:
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Darwin’s Theory of Evolution
While Darwin’s Theory of Evolution is a relatively young archetype, the evolutionary worldview itself is as old as antiquity. Ancient Greek philosophers such as Anaximander postulated the development of life from non-life and the evolutionary descent of man from animal. Charles Darwin simply brought something new to the old philosophy — a plausible mechanism called “natural selection.” Natural selection acts to preserve and accumulate minor advantageous genetic mutations. Suppose a member of a species developed a functional advantage (it grew wings and learned to fly). Its offspring would inherit that advantage and pass it on to their offspring. The inferior (disadvantaged) members of the same species would gradually die out, leaving only the superior (advantaged) members of the species. Natural selection is the preservation of a functional advantage that enables a species to compete better in the wild. Natural selection is the naturalistic equivalent to domestic breeding. Over the centuries, human breeders have produced dramatic changes in domestic animal populations by selecting individuals to breed. Breeders eliminate undesirable traits gradually over time. Similarly, natural selection eliminates inferior species gradually over time.
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Darwin’s Theory of Evolution – Slowly But Surely…
Darwin’s Theory of Evolution is a slow gradual process. Darwin wrote, “…Natural selection acts only by taking advantage of slight successive variations; she can never take a great and sudden leap, but must advance by short and sure, though slow steps.” [1] Thus, Darwin conceded that, “If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed, which could not possibly have been formed by numerous, successive, slight modifications, my theory would absolutely break down.” [2] Such a complex organ would be known as an “irreducibly complex system”. An irreducibly complex system is one composed of multiple parts, all of which are necessary for the system to function. If even one part is missing, the entire system will fail to function. Every individual part is integral. [3] Thus, such a system could not have evolved slowly, piece by piece. The common mousetrap is an everyday non-biological example of irreducible complexity. It is composed of five basic parts: a catch (to hold the bait), a powerful spring, a thin rod called “the hammer,” a holding bar to secure the hammer in place, and a platform to mount the trap. If any one of these parts is missing, the mechanism will not work. Each individual part is integral. The mousetrap is irreducibly complex. [4]
Darwin’s Theory of Evolution is a theory in crisis in light of the tremendous advances we’ve made in molecular biology, biochemistry and genetics over the past fifty years. We now know that there are in fact tens of thousands of irreducibly complex systems on the cellular level. Specified complexity pervades the microscopic biological world. Molecular biologist
Michael Denton wrote, “Although the tiniest bacterial cells are incredibly small, weighing less than 10-12 grams, each is in effect a veritable micro-miniaturized factory containing thousands of exquisitely designed pieces of intricate molecular machinery, made up altogether of one hundred thousand million atoms, far more complicated than any machinery built by man and absolutely without parallel in the non-living world.” [5]
And we don’t need a microscope to observe irreducible complexity. The eye, the ear and the heart are all examples of irreducible complexity, though they were not recognized as such in Darwin’s day. Nevertheless, Darwin confessed, “To suppose that the eye with all its inimitable contrivances for adjusting the focus to different distances, for admitting different amounts of light, and for the correction of spherical and chromatic aberration, could have been formed by natural selection, seems, I freely confess, absurd in the highest degree.” [6]
Footnotes:
1. Charles Darwin, “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life,” 1859, p. 162.
2. Ibid. p. 158.
3. Michael Behe, “Darwin’s Black Box,” 1996.
4. “Unlocking the Mystery of Life,” documentary by Illustra Media, 2002.
5. Michael Denton, “Evolution: A Theory in Crisis,” 1986, p. 250.
6. Charles Darwin, “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life,” 1859, p. 155.
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I don’t think Sean could have said it better himself!
Walla Walla University: The Collegian Debates Evolution vs. Creation
Sean, I guess I “bit off more than I can chew” when I subscribed to some of your other options.
All I can handle is the ^way it used to be”–like this column still is. Please put me back to this mode of information and I will be very happy. Thanks.
