I have a few SDA friends who I always like to discuss my Catholic faith with. For a few years they use to always talk about their SDA beliefs, but they never knew I was Catholic, nor did I ever tell them. It was sort of like the fly in the wall scenario. Instead of withholding their true beliefs about the Catholic Church, I heard what was really on their minds.
I’m still friends with them regardless. I truly believe they have good hearts and souls. At the same time, there is no way I’ll continue to sit back and let them tell me and others what the Church believes. I’ve had discussions that literately lasted 3-4 hours non-stop.
What I’ve learned from my SDA exchanges are a few common concepts.
- None knew anything about the origins of the Bible, even though almost everything they believed are very strict interpretations of it.
- None knew, or thought early Christian history mattered when getting to know who Christ was, what he taught, and what he intended for his Church to be in our Christian lives.
- The same accusations against the Church was just repeated like a script: ‘Constantine and the Churchchanged the Sabbath’, ‘Jesus broke the Sabbath so we could know to observe it’ " Those who don’t observe the sabbath will have the mark of the beast" etc etc
- Very few knew or even cared about what founder Ellen White believed, taught and prophesied. They only believe she simplified the Bible and that she was a prophetess. No explanation whatsoever for the prophesies that did not come true.
- This is pagan, that is pagan, if you don’t believe my interpretation, you’re pagan etc.
It made me want to learn more about Ellen White and that whole movement during the 1840’s 2 things came to my mind when I learned more about her.
The foundation of her beliefs was the the Catholic Church went apostate, lost its way and that only they(the SDA) could correct the Churches mistakes. Furthermore, it was the Catholic Church that was in her mind responsible for oppressing all beliefs of SDA and other non Catholic Christians. So the problem in her eyes with Christianity is rooted in the Catholic Church.
The problem with her beliefs is twofold: She almost by implication accepts the belief that the Church was the original true Church, only that she and the SDA were the solution for its apostasy. secondly, at no time in America’s history was this a Catholic nation, certainly not during the mid 1800’s. There’s no way that the Church could be blamed for oppressing Christian beliefs, if protestantism was the dominant religion of this nation. It was Catholics who were oppressed in early US history and even during the 1800’s
The other thing I’ve speculated is after learning about great mystics of our Catholic Church. I believe Ellen White learned about Catholic mysticism as well. The difference between her and our Catholic mystics, particularly the venerated, blessed and holy women mystics was they lead the faithful to the Church, Ellen White used mysticism to oppose many Catholic beliefs and doctrines, she during her time was a modern day Montanist.
I pray for my SDA friends, when I ask them very tough questions, they trip and fumble with many of their answers. Their doctrines are very very difficult to defend, reasonably, historically, and faithfully. With all the information available today, they will have more questions they never had to answer in the past. If you know anyone SDA, encourage them to seek the Truth, never be afraid of what it will reveal.
:extrahappy::dancing::clapping:
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