Dear Power of Pride,

We’ve lived next door for all our lives. The Bible says to love your neighbor as yourself, and we take this command seriously. In every way possible.

We’re Adventists because we like the love and tolerance. But it seems that not everybody in the church is into love.

There are Adventists who hate themselves, the handicapped, and the world in general. At our church, we pray that the world might have more love.

Theresa & Lauren

!!YOUR ANSWERS FROM POWER OF PRIDE – GAY ADVENTIST NEWS!!

Dear Girls,

The Christian life calls for love:

“[34] A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
[35] By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another”. John 13

In fact, this is a requirement to love your neighbor LIKE YOU LOVE YOURSELF!

37Jesus replied: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22 NIV

ALL THE REASONS IN THE WORLD TO LOVE THEMSELVES AND THEIR FELLOW CHRISTIANS

Seventh-day Adventists have tons and tons of truth. And some pretty neat people in the church:

“You know, but again, the upshot of it is, is I think (slicks back hair), I, and I guess it’s kind of neat that I have the job that I do as the editor of the Bible-study guide.” (Cliff Goldstein, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6lnMNjBFyo

BUT THERE ARE SOME SELF-HATING ADVENTISTS

But in spite of this, there are some Adventists who hate themselves. And their brethren.

COLIN STANDISH PICKED UP ON THIS

Years ago, Dr. Colin Standish became aware of this tragedy: there were “articles which attack self-supporting ministries”. For doing anything wrong? Of course not: “the issue comes down finally to one issue – whether we follow the Word of God or the word of Man”. (Colin Standish, Russell Standish, Tithes and Offerings: Trampling the Conscience, Hartland Publications, 1997, p 9)

AND BERT BEACH KNOWS THE REASON

The issue had been simmering for a while. Simmering until Dr. Bert Beach shone the spotlight on this issue: “Our feelings of inadequacy are, no doubt, often real“. (Bert B. Beach, retired “director of Public Affairs and Religious Liberty for the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists in Silver Spring, Maryland”, No, I Can’t, Adventist Review, 19 Nov 2009, p 14)

AND WIDESPREAD

“Men hate who they are. Guys feel inadequate, like they’ll never measure up to what the world expects from them.”

“If someone praises me for who I am or what I do, I hesitate to accept the compliment because I just don’t see it. I can’t imagine that I actually have something good or worthwhile in me.” (Heather Bohlender, Start a Revolution: Stop Hating Yourself, The Clocktower, 4 Nov 2009, p 2)

WORD IS OUT

Dr. Standish knows. Dr. Beach knows. Word has been getting around.

Now even Union College knows. “Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska, is a Christian institution of higher learning affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church”. http://www.google.co.za/search?hl=de&q=union+college+adventist&start=10&sa=N

Union is a mission outpost located in a war zone where outfits like “18th Street, Bloods, Crips, and Lomas 13″, and the Union College coffee shop cc: beans are competing to supply local addicts. (full story here)

STRONG ACADEMICS

While Union has plenty of strong departments, the journalism division is what puts this college on the map. Specifically — the college newspaper The Clocktower. Talented young writers come from all over the country to develop their skills at this top institution. There are a lot of college papers out there, but none come close to The Clocktower when it comes to hard-hitting investigative reporting.

JOURNALISTIC PHENOMENON

This year’s rising star, Heather Bohlender, has seen enough of this self-hate. She’s written a HUGE article: “Start a Revolution: Stop Hating Yourself”.

SAYING IT LIKE IT IS

“We hate ourselves or some part of ourselves and talk about it to feel better.” (Heather Bohlender, Start a Revolution: Stop Hating Yourself, The Clocktower, 4 Nov 2009, p 2)

HORRIBLE, MEAN, AND STUPID SELF-HATE

“Why are gay men sometimes so horrible, mean and stupid, to me, to everyone and to each other? It seems as though too many of us hate ourselves, really hate ourselves.

Despite all our progress, our gay marriage and Pride parades, too many of us still take self-destructive and foolish risks, too many act as if we think we are worthless pieces of shit.” (Joseph Couture, Gay men need to face self-hate head on, National, 17 November 2008)

DR. SCRIVEN IS “RECONSTRUCTING SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISM”

“Charles Scriven is president of Kettering College of the Medical Arts and chairs the Adventist Forum/SPECTRUM board.” (Alexander Carpenter, Reconstructing Seventh-day Adventism – Charles Scriven, 26 June 2008, http://www.spectrummagazine.org/

podcast/2008/06/24/test)
His publication has confronted this problem head-on:

“There are too many of us who are not sick, or inverted, or perverted, or even “effeminate,” but who just have a knack for falling in love with people of our own sex. When we have been damaged, it has not been due to our homosexuality but to your and our denial of it. The burden of proof now is not on us, to show that we are not sick, but rather on those who insist that we would be better off going back into the closet.” reference

“Owned and operated by Kettering Medical Center, KCMA is an integral part of the educational mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.” http://www.kcma.edu/AboutUs/sdaInfo.html

SELF-HATING ADVENTISTS

Just as in the gay community, the Adventist community includes people who are: “horrible, mean and stupid, to me, to everyone and to each other? It seems as though too many of us hate ourselves, really hate ourselves.” (per Couture, supra)

HATING OTHER ADVENTISTS AND HATING THEMSELVES

We’re talking here about people who can’t stand it when handicapped people attend religious meetings, and, needless to say, love to abuse elderly Adventists. Sure these people get a paycheck from the church. You’d think gratitude would be logical, but no, they call their supervisors “washed up”.

In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. 1 John 3:10

DERISION FOR A PRINCIPLED LIFESTYLE

Consider this graphic from Dr. Scriven’s publication. Its described as a “satirical take on Adventism”. http://www.spectrummagazine.org/
node/926

Satire: “A literary work in which human vice or folly is attacked through irony, derision, or wit.” www.answers.com/topic/satire

There’s nothing funny about not smoking or eating meat. No irony here either. So — its derision!

SELF-HATE IN ACTION

Dr. Scriven’s publication is making fun of the classic Adventist lifestyle.

There are some Adventists who don’t consume alcohol.

In some cases, these Adventists don’t even enjoy smokes, meat eating, movies, or dancing.

And what do these champions of holy living get from Dr. Scriven’s publication? Satire! Derision!

“Those who can’t, and therefore have no business, will make your business their business. Moses was heavily criticized, both openly and by covert murmuring. Even his own family at times complained and conspired against him. That, too, may be our experience. But here’s this from Ellen G. White: “To stand in defense of truth and righteousness when the majority forsake us, to fight the battles of the Lord when champions are few—this will be our test” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 136).” (Beach, supra)

So what does Dr. Scriven think these people should be doing? Partying all the time?

“He says he became a popular figure on the Toronto gay club circuit.

“I thought I was glamorous because I did drugs and partied all the time,” he says. “Everything I did said, ‘Look at me, I’m so cool.’ But what I was really highlighting for everyone to see was what a fucked-up mess I was.”" (Couture, supra)

Dr. Charles Scriven’s website likes to have “cartoon fun”:

“Saying what must be said about Revelation Seminars…

Just when you thought that it was safe to come out again, the Adventist Caricaturist returns with another satirical take on Adventism. This time it is a pithy summary of the whole of Adventism.

You can find more Adventist cartoon fun at the Caricaturist’s website. If you’re feeling lucky.”
http://www.spectrummagazine.org/node/926

MAKING IT UNSAFE FOR CLOSETED ADVENTISTS TO COME OUT

Timid Adventists would really like to come out, and live the life as described by the Great Prophet, but then along comes Dr. Scriven’s publication with its satirical attack on the classic Adventist lifestyle.

If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 1 John 4:20

“Michael De Corte, for example, says he nearly self-destructed before he managed to turn his life around. He grew up in conservative northern Ontario. He was in high school when he came out to his parents. His worst fears were realized.

“My mother’s reaction after I told her I was gay was to tell me that she was afraid friends and family would stop visiting her because they would be scared to use the same toilet seats as me,” he says. “It was particularly devastating to me because I always thought of myself as a mama’s boy and here our relationship was being destroyed. It really hurt.”

De Corte says his self-esteem plummeted as his family and society taught him that gays are bad people.

“What made matters worse was that I lived in constant fear of having the shit kicked out of me at school for being gay,” he says. “It was hell.”" (Couture, supra)

Timid Adventists find that their self-esteem plummets as Dr. Scriven’s publication teaches them that serious Adventists (not just talk, but also walk) are bad people. Those at liberal Adventist schools can come to live in constant fear of persecution for their lifestyle.

And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. Revelation 18:2

AND WHAT IS THE END RESULT OF ALL THIS SELF-HATE?

The insecurities of the self-hating Adventist can have serious consequences.

“When he eventually landed in Toronto he brought his small-town ghosts and insecurities along with him.

“I turned to every addiction imaginable for comfort: cocaine, crack, pot, alcohol, cigarettes, food, you name it, I abused it,” he says.” (Couture, supra)

SOLUTION

There will always be some self-professed Christians who pour out hate and contempt on those trying to live a holy life. But decent people need to band together against this satanic hate.

The church should be a place where sinners are loved, but also a place where those on the upward path should receive acceptance and encouragement, rather than satire and scorn!

STOP THE HATE

“Start a mind-blowing revolution: stop hating yourself. Because the truth is, you are good enough. The world may always ask more of you than you can offer, but whose standards are most important? Do you want to spend the rest of your life trying desperately to keep up with celebrities, your neighbors, your co-workers?

I believe there can be peace within ourselves, but revolution takes time. Remember, you are everything you need to be because you are human, and that’s always enough.” (Bohlender, supra) There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. 1 John 4:18

RELATED READING:

Union College Top Rated for Friendliness and Affection in “a traditional Seventh-day Adventist environment” – Love Comes to Lincoln, Nebraska

Lincoln, Nebraska, Drug Wars: Adventist Union College, Bloods, Crips, and Lomas 13 Compete to Supply Local Addicts

Graphics:

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Dear Power of Pride,

I am writing to thank you for telling us what is really going on in the Church. From Sabbath to Sabbath, I notice that the church is growing more tolerant and accepting of all the various ethnic and lifestyle groups.

But maybe this is going too far. Shouldn’t there be at least some heterosexual theologians? I can understand how the church wants to be all things to all men, but if all the theologians are gay, what does the church have to offer straight church members?

Ann

!!YOUR ANSWERS FROM POWER OF PRIDE – GAY ADVENTIST NEWS!!

Dear Fellow Adventist,

FLAGSHIPS OF FAITH

The Adventist Review is “The flagship journal of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.” http://www.google.co.za/search?q=adventist+review&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a And if you want to find out what a church believes, you just have to check out the flagship.

This prestigious journal occasionally brings in features from “the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s flagship medical facility — Loma Linda University Medical Center”. (Ansel Oliver, Church Chat: Adventist flagship hospital expanding despite economic times, Adventist News Network, 30 Mar 2009) Like on 12 Nov 2009.

A DISTINCTIVE SYSTEM WHICH IS OH SO SPECIAL

“Richard Hart, M.D., DR.P.H., is a president of Loma Linda University.” (Richard Hart, Charting a Different Future, Adventist Review, 12 Nov 2009) He explains that the Adventist system is distinctive: “Many of the current Adventist Church leaders share educational roots similar to mine—a nurturing and supportive childhood and adolescence through our church school system. They understand the issues and can also give personal testimony to the results when this system runs well. What we seem to easily forget is how special this was, and is. Education, as eloquently articulated by Ellen White, is more than just the acquisition of knowledge. It is a preparation for life, a divinely inspired view of the world and its issues”. (Hart, supra)

“special adj. Surpassing what is common or usual; exceptional” http://www.answers.com/topic/special

WHAT MAKES ADVENTIST HIGHER EDUCATION SO SPECIAL

And where can we find a university where “this system runs well”? (per Hart, supra) At Dr. Hart’s Loma Linda, of course!!

Dr. Hart’s distinctive institution is taking a strong stand against the threat posed by “heterosexual males”: “As you know, I that think that today heterosexual males are a far greater threat to society than homosexual men and women combined. Maybe we can jointly sponsor a conference on this issue”. (David Larson, comment of 02 November 2009 at 3:14, http://www.spectrummagazine.org/blog/2009/10/28/hate_homosexuality_love_homosexual_critique_andrews_homosexuality_conference

ADVENTIST MORAL VALUES

“David Larson, PhD, DMin is Professor of Christian Ethics, Theological and Philosophical Ethics, Biomedical Ethics” at Loma Linda. http://www.llu.edu/religion/faculty.page

Ethics “A theory or a system of moral values”. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ethic

“We focus on the mission. Loma Linda’s reputation and legacy also help us recruit. We have so many directors that [have been here for] 35 or 40 years — people who have committed their lives to this ministry and we appeal to that. We also have physicians who choose [to work here] because they want to teach and they embrace our mission. If people don’t want to do ministry in their work they won’t be happy at Loma Linda.” (Ruthita Fike cited in Ansel Oliver, Church Chat: Adventist flagship hospital expanding despite economic times, Adventist News Network, 30 Mar 2009)

Apparently Dr. Larson and his colleagues have been harassed by heterosexual males (as per Larson, supra) who don’t value their ministry (as per Fike, supra). Colleagues like Dr. Alexander Carpenter of Pacific Union College. “Pacific Union College » Academics » Departments » Visual Arts » Faculty » Alexander Carpenter”: “Alexander Carpenter, M.A., instructor, teaches history of art”. http://www.puc.edu/academics/departments/visual-arts/faculty/visual-arts/acarpenter

“Pacific Union College is a Seventh-day Adventist learning community offering an excellent Christ-centered education that prepares its students for productive lives of useful human service and uncompromising personal integrity.” http://www.puc.edu/about-puc

And what does that “Christ-centered education” look like? “I dare someone to read through that entire book on the history of the concept of Sodom. At first, one might grit at the ideas, but by the end, like me, you might find yourself with a greater appreciation for God’s Word and a new understanding of same-gender love.” (Dr. Alexander Carpenter, commemt of 17 June 2008 at 9:21, http://www.spectrummagazine.org/blog/2008/06/16/why_adventists_should_consider_supporting_gay_marriage

MENTAL AND SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT

Yes,friends, Dr. Carpenter challenges his students to develop their minds. And that’s where it all begins! “In his response to delegates, WAD president Gilbert Wari put his index finger to his temple, saying, “Development starts here; prepare your mind for development.”" (Ansel Oliver, Treasurer, a native son, dismisses a poverty mindset in West-Central Africa, Adventist News Network, 10 Nov 2009)

And so dedicated Adventist professors like Dr. Larson and Dr. Carpenter labor on, developing all those minds, and giving the Adventist leaders of tomorrow “a greater appreciation for God’s Word and a new understanding of same-gender love“. (as per Carpenter, supra)

A DEEPLY SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE

“True, Adventist education can’t guarantee that one’s children will be in heaven. But in the spirituality department, it’ll blow our jet skis into the weeds nearly every time.” “Shane Anderson is senior pastor of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in New Market, Virginia.” (Shane Anderson, Are We Killing Adventist Education, Adventist Review, October 15, 2009)

Not everyone can handle all this progress and pride, though: “There are too many of us who are not sick, or inverted, or perverted, or even “effeminate,” but who just have a knack for falling in love with people of our own sex. When we have been damaged, it has not been due to our homosexuality but to your and our denial of it. The burden of proof now is not on us, to show that we are not sick, but rather on those who insist that we would be better off going back into the closet.” Posted by: Alexander Carpenter 17 June 2008 at 5:35 http://www.spectrummagazine.org/blog/2008/06/16/

why_adventists_should_consider_supporting_gay_marriage

““We’re hitting that point hard,” said Mike Ryan, a vice president of the Adventist world church, who is also attending the meeting.” (Ansel Oliver, Treasurer, a native son, dismisses a poverty mindset in West-Central Africa, Adventist News Network, 10 Nov 2009)

A SPECIAL DISTINCTIVENESS

“Our theological perspectives, understood early and well, can provide a framework for facing life issues that will make everything else make sense. This is a gift that no amount of public education can replace, regardless of the quality of lab equipment or class size.

The challenge is that many Adventists don’t value this distinctiveness enough to adequately support it.” (Richard Hart, Charting a Different Future, Adventist Review, 12 Nov 2009)

“Our theological perspectives”?

Dr. Charles Scriven is president at Kettering College. http://www.kcma.edu/NewsandEvents/Pacesetter/SprSum09/presMessage.html “As a leading Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender publication, SF Spectrum, is committed to providing the best reporting of news, entertainment and information relative to our community in the SF Bay Area.” http://sfspectrum.org/ “Spectrum (archives) is a quarterly journal published by Adventist Forums, and has been the premier progressive Adventist magazine since its founding in 1969.” (Progressive Adventism, Wikipedia) “Charles Scriven is president of Kettering College of the Medical Arts and chairs the Adventist Forum/SPECTRUM board.” (Alexander Carpenter, Reconstructing Seventh-day Adventism – Charles Scriven, 26 June 2008, http://www.spectrummagazine.org/podcast/2008/06/24/test “Owned and operated by Kettering Medical Center, KCMA is an integral part of the educational mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.” http://www.kcma.edu/AboutUs/sdaInfo.html

Dr. Scriven’s journal has published a call for “Gay Theology Without Apology”. http://www.spectrummagazine.org/node/215

“”We’re hitting that point hard,” said Mike Ryan, a vice president of the Adventist world church, who is also attending the meeting.” (Ansel Oliver, Treasurer, a native son, dismisses a poverty mindset in West-Central Africa, Adventist News Network, 10 Nov 2009) And Dr. Ryan is right!

“Our theological perspectives, understood early and well, can provide a framework for facing life issues that will make everything else make sense. This is a gift that no amount of public education can replace, regardless of the quality of lab equipment or class size.

The challenge is that many Adventists don’t value this distinctiveness enough to adequately support it.” (Richard Hart, Charting a Different Future, Adventist Review, 12 Nov 2009)

Without apology.

Pix:

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Dear Power of Pride,

REAL STORIES AND IN-DEPTH JOURNALISM

This is just a public way of expressing our thanks to Union College, The Clocktower, and Savannah Bowers.

The student body at Union College turns to The Clocktower when we need news and views about the tough issues of our day. Not that sugar-coated PR-style chit-chat you can read on the “official” website.

CRASS INGRATITUDE

Sadly, there are some students at Union who are complaining about Savannah’s hard-hitting investigative pieces. Savannah is not paid for her work at The Clocktower, and I think she’s doing a great job of building Community at Union!

Flash

!! Your Answers!!

Dear Adventist Scholar,

JUST TALKING ABOUT STUDENT INTERESTS

The fact is, The Clocktower would not exist at all were there not local news to report and were there not a demand for news of interest mostly to people at Union College. For otherwise, people could make do with worldly newspapers like the JournalStar.

If you want to know what’s on the mind of Union College students, you need only peruse the pages of The Clocktower.

Strangely, not everyone on campus is pleased with this powerful dose of reality.

UNION COLLEGE PAPER: WHY NOT MJ?

“Firstly, was the article featured in the most recent issue regarding legalization of marijuana necessary or representative of what we believe as Christians? I left a state school that promoted a drug and alcohol-centered lifestyle.

FLOOD OF WORLDLY INFLUENCES AT ADVENTIST UNION COLLEGE (LINCOLN, NEBRASKA)

Here, I pay for and expect to not have to be exposed to such worldly influences.” “the choice to publish such an article makes evident that the writing priorities within the Clocktower staff are not Christian priorities.” (Ellen Hansen, Letter to the Editor – Is the CT Lacking Christian Priorities?, The Clocktower, 14 Nov 2008, p 7)

Would award-winning Clocktower journalist Savannah Bowers be writing about dope if the topic was totally irrelevant to the student body at Union College?

Of course not!

LINCOLN POLICE DRUG SQUAD CHECKED ALL CARS ON THE UNION CAMPUS FOR DRUGS

Might drug use be commonplace on this lovely campus? “Using dogs, Lincoln police inspected the outside of all cars on campus for drugs on Sept. 24.” (Allyssa Gleason, On-campus News Editor, Union Serious About Drug Policy, Police Inspect Cars on Campus, The Clocktower, 14 Oct 2009, p 5)

WEED DETECTED BY DOGS, BUT NOT FOUND / UNION COLLEGE STUDENTS HID THEIR STASH IN TIME

Ah, not just one or two cars. All the cars. And the dogs managed to sniff out some dope? “They found one suspicious vehicle, but no drugs were discovered.” (Gleason, supra) The dogs found a car that had contained dope, but was cleaned out in time.

COMMONPLACE

Drugs are so popular on campus that the Student Handbook devotes pages to the topic: “According to the Union College Handbook Search Policy (p. 42), “Union College retains the right to search any of its property for illegal drugs, controlled substances, alcohol or firearms“. (Gleason, supra) “Union offers a traditional Seventh-day Adventist environment, providing a strong framework for making wise spiritual decisions.” http://www.ucollege.edu/welcome

SO SWAT IS A FAMILIAR PRESENCE ON CAMPUS

And now you’re starting to figure out what kind of a campus this is. The progressive student body is often harassed with drug searches. And where there’s serious trafficking going on, there will be firearms.

Are we talking just a few .22 hunting rifles? Oh, no. This campus has much heavier action than that. So much so that the Lincoln SWAT team is regularly on campus. (Gleason, supra)

WHEN DRUG RAIDS SUCCEED

While they struck out on 24 September 2009, the Vice and Narcotics Unit is often successful when they raid the Union Campus: “The Handbook Substance Use and Abuse policy (p. 47) says, “When [illegal substances] are found in a student’s room or vehicle,
the occupants of the room
or the owner or [sic] the vehicle
will be considered to be in possession”. (Gleason, supra) Note the language. Its not “if”, but rather “when”.

“THAT KIND OF NEIGHBORHOOD”

Things are so hot that the Lincoln police has a dedicated substation for the Union College campus: “Five or six years ago, Lincoln Police set up the 3645 S. 51st St. Union College substation of the Southeast district.” (Gleason, supra)

BLOODS, CRIPS, ETC., RUN LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, DRUG RACKETS

And why was this necessary? “many street gangs that distribute marijuana also commit violent crimes in the state. These gangs include East Side Locos in Grand Island and 18th Street, Bloods, Crips, and Lomas 13 in Lincoln.” (National Drug Intelligence Center, Nebraska Drug Threat Assessment, July 2003)

WAR ZONE

Now you can understand why the Lincoln police use such heavy-duty armaments (see above).

OPEN DRUG DISTRIBUTION ON UNION COLLEGE CAMPUS

“Although marijuana is the most commonly abused illicit drug in Nebraska” (id.), there are much more dangerous drugs which are legal. And passed out like candy on the Union College campus.

“Caffeine is a bitter white crystalline xanthine that acts as a psychoactive stimulant drug”. (Caffeine, Wikipedia) “For more than 100 years the Adventist Church has recommended that people avoid caffeine and other non-medicinal drugs as part of a healthy, balanced lifestyle that includes good nutrition and exercise, as well as attention to the social and spiritual aspects of life.” (Bettina Krause, Ansel Oliver, Studies Warn Against Complacency in Coffee Drinking, Adventist News Network, 21 May 2002)

Which is why Union College, a Seventh-day Adventist institution, sells coffee to its students and staff. http://www.ucollege.edu/campus-services/union-market/food-faq

“Beverages containing caffeine, such as coffee, tea, soft drinks and energy drinks enjoy great popularity. Caffeine is the world’s most widely consumed psychoactive substance, but unlike most others, it is legal and unregulated in nearly all

SERIOUSLY ADDICTIVE DRUG

jurisdictions. In North America, 90% of adults consume caffeine daily.” (Caffeine, Wikipedia)

According to the Prophet Ellen White:

“Tea, coffee, tobacco, and alcohol we must present as sinful indulgences.” (Ellen White, Lifestyle and Activities of the Remnant, Last Day Events, p 81)

UNION COLLEGE SAYS: TRADITIONAL SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST ENVIRONMENT

“Union offers a traditional Seventh-day Adventist environment, providing a strong framework for making wise spiritual decisions.” http://www.ucollege.edu/welcome The sort of environment where harmful drugs are sold to the Adventist students, according to “DeWitt Williams, health ministries director for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America, says he is not surprised by the studies’ findings.

The pervasive use of coffee in today’s society has lulled many people into thinking that caffeine is harmless, he says. But he points to a litany of adverse health problems that have long been associated with caffeine use, including: increases in the rate of irregular heartbeats; decreased blood flow to the liver; increases in cholesterol; and interference with the absorption of important minerals, such as iron. One milligram of calcium is lost for every 10 milligrams of caffeine consumed, he says, and one cup of strong coffee has 103 milligrams of caffeine.” (Bettina Krause, Ansel Oliver, Studies Warn Against Complacency in Coffee Drinking, Adventist News Network, 21 May 2002)

BUT PUSHES SINFUL INDULGENCES (PER WHITE, SUPRA) FOR THE STUDENTS

The sort of traditional Adventist environment where coffee is sold openly at Union College’s very own coffee bar called cc: beans. http://www.ucollege.edu/campus-services/union-market/food-faq

“But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” Matthew 18:6 NIV

ADVENTIST COLLEGE SELLS “THE MOST WIDELY CONSUMED DRUG IN THE WORLD”

“Caffeine is the most widely consumed drug in the world. And because coffee is a major source in the supply line, people advised to avoid caffeine because of certain medical conditions like hypertension should be aware that even decaffeinated brew can come with a kick, UF researchers report in this month’s Journal of Analytical Toxicology.” “First they purchased 10 16-ounce decaffeinated drip-brewed coffee beverages from nine national chains or local coffee houses and tested them for caffeine content. Caffeine was isolated from the coffee samples and measured by gas chromatography. Every serving but one – instant decaffeinated Folgers Coffee Crystals – contained caffeine, ranging from 8.6 milligrams to 13.9 milligrams”. (Decaffeinated Coffee Is Not Caffeine-free, Experts Say, Science Daily, 15 Oct 2006)

For many, caffeine is the entry-level drug. Its a milder stimulant. “Yet so insidious is the work of these milder stimulants that the highway to drunkenness is entered before the victim suspects his danger.” (Ellen White, Counsels for the Church, p 102)

While at least one Adventist university actively advertises “Coffee to Go”, some Adventists think there’s a difference between caffeine-sugar drinks and caffeine-coffee drinks.

ALL THE SAME

The Lord has a different counsel:

“Effects of All Caffeine Drinks.–The action of coffee and many other popular drinks is similar. The first effect is exhilarating. The nerves of the stomach are excited; these convey irritation to the brain, and this in turn is aroused to impart increased action to the heart, and short-lived energy to the entire system.” (Ellen White, Section IV – Other Stimulants and Narcotics, Temperance, p 77)

The Union College student newspaper illustrates Ms. Bowers’ outstanding article with the chart at right. Savannah Bowers points out that some drugs, like alcohol, sugar, and caffeine, are legal. In fact, Adventist colleges push sugar and caffeine. And if they’re all legal, how is MJ any different?

Sister White agrees. Whether we’re talking caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, or MJ, its all the same!

“To use drugs while continuing evil habits is certainly inconsistent, and greatly dishonors God by dishonoring the body which he has made. Yet for all this, stimulants and drugs continue to be prescribed and freely used; while the hurtful indulgences that produce the disease are not discarded. The use of tea, coffee, tobacco, opium, wine, beer, and other stimulants gives nature a false support.” (Ellen White, Chapter XXXVI. – Drugs, Healthful Living, page 247)

WHY NOT A FULL-SPECTRUM “HEALTH MINISTRY”?

Its really doesn’t make any difference. If the college is going to sell caffeine-based stimulants to the students at Union College’s very own coffee bar called cc: beans. http://www.ucollege.edu/campus-services/union-market/food-faq, they might as well stock “healing herbs” as well.

After all,

“The effect of tea and coffee, as heretofore shown, tends in the same direction as that of wine and cider, liquor and tobacco.” (Ellen White, Effects of Stimulants, Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, page 34)

Savannah Bowers has done an excellent job of pointing the bony finger of reproof at this double standard.

“Luther was God’s chosen instrument to tear off the garb of hypocrisy from the papal church and expose her corruption. He raised his voice zealously and in the power of the Holy Spirit cried out against and rebuked the existing sins of the leaders of the people.” (Ellen White, Testimonies For The Church Volume One, p 372)

Savannah Bowers is a modern-day Luther. Christians around the globe need to band together in prayer for her godly work, praying that she will proclaim the Holy Word of the Lord with boldness.

RELATED READING:

Union College Top Rated for Friendliness and Affection in “a traditional Seventh-day Adventist environment” – Love Comes to Lincoln, Nebraska

Christian Journalism UNDER SIEGE at Union College

Progressive Adventist Tupperware Evangelist brings Gay Couple Together

“Those who keep God’s commandments, those who live not by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God, compose the church of the living God.” (Ellen White, S.D.A. Bible Commentary Vol. 7 (1957), p 949)

Pix:

http://latinolikeme.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/marijuana.jpg

http://www.tampabay.com/multimedia/archive/00066/a4s_gundog062109_66574c.jpg

http://lincoln.ne.gov/city/police/about/swat/pic/1989trng.jpg

http://lincoln.ne.gov/city/police/pic/swat3.jpg

http://www.masmenosuno.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/07/crip02.jpg

Newspaper illustrations from The Clocktower of 6 Nov 2008

Outlook, Feb 2008

“The Clocktower is published weekly during the school year by the Associated Student Body of Union College, 3800 S. 48th St. Lincoln, NE 68506 except on weeks containing a break.” (The Clocktower, 14 Oct 2009, p

Dear Power of Pride,

There are a lot of wanna-be’s out there who pretend to serve the Community with news and information, but we know that when it comes to understanding what’s really going on — there is only one: POWER OF PRIDE.

We’ve been reading in the internet about a gay marriage conference at Andrews organized by Nick Miller. It seems the Bible crowd showed up with their verses.

Nick Miller has always seemed like a pretty decent guy, so we were HURT when we read some false, defamatory accusations against this good man.

Mark & Alan

!!YOUR ANSWERS FROM POWER OF PRIDE – GAY ADVENTIST NEWS!!

Dear Fellow Adventists,

In these times of tolerance and alternative lifestyles in the Adventist church, gay love is one of the most popular topics of discussion. Like it was at the “Marriage, Homosexuality and the Church Conference”, October 15-17, 2009 at Andrews University located in Berrien Springs, Michigan. http://www.andrews.edu/mhcconference/ Years ago, when the Bible was written, gay love was punishable by death. (Leviticus 20:13, Holy Bible)

BUT TIMES HAVE CHANGED

The Adventist church has become a gentler, more tolerant place. Richard M. Davidson is the J. N. Andrews Professor of Old Testament Interpretation and Department Chair, Old Testament Department, at Andrews University. http://www.andrews.edu/sem/faculty/davidsonr.htm “Andrews University is the flagship educational institution of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, including the SDA Theological Seminary”. http://www.google.co.za/search?q=andrews+university+adventist&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

TOP ADVENTIST OLD TESTAMENT EXPERT: SOME OLD TESTAMENT RULES DON’T APPLY TO CHRISTIANS

“Of course, it is true that certain parts of the OT, in particular the ceremonial/sanctuary ritual laws and the enforcement of Israel’s civil/theocratic laws, are no longer binding upon Christians.” (Richard M. Davidson, Interpreting Scripture According to the Scriptures: Toward an Understanding of Seventh-day Adventist Hermeneutics, Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, Andrews University, Geneva, 20-21 May 2003, p 18)

AND NOW THE PENDULUM SWINGS TO THE OTHER EXTREME

And so gays play an important role in this church. As one straight church member observed: “But maybe this is going too far. Shouldn’t there be at least some heterosexual theologians? I can understand how the church wants to be all things to all men, but if all the theologians are gay, what does the church have to offer straight church members?” (Ann, Adventist Loma Linda University Top-rated for Spirituality, Power of Pride, 18 Nov 2009)

AN IMPORTANT EVANGELISTIC TOOL

And today we live in an age in which gay marriage has become accepted in the Pacific Union territory. Progressive Adventist strategists are using the church’s gay-friendly theology as a drawing card in evangelism in the Community. And this approach is working:

Todd grew up in the Roman Catholic tradition. He had always dreamed of becoming a priest. But then the pope said, No more gays can become priests. Today, he’s enjoying the Progressive Adventist lifestyle, and is thankful to the Adventist church for bending over backwards to attract gays.

BUT THE BIBLE CROWD WAS MAKING SOME NOISES

And so the conference was called “To provide a scholarly examination of questions that have been raised about the Church’s position on the Bible’s teaching on homosexual practice“. http://www.andrews.edu/mhcconference/

Raised by?

Colin Standish. Together with his brother Dr. Russell Standish, Dr. Colin Standish wrote the blockbuster book Half A Century of Apostasy (High Wood, 2006). 468 pages of fact-packed action. Laying out the specifics on the “New Theology’s Grim Harvest 1956-2006″. http://www.amazon.com/Half-Century-Apostasy-Russell-Standish/dp/1920892575

STANDISH DOESN’T MESS AROUND

Dr. Standish is getting a little old now, but his Bible-based theology sends cold shivers up and down the spines of these progressive Adventist theologians: “It is the Mount Carmel rea in God’s Seventh-day Adventist Church today, The words of the prophet Elijah, whom God translated, echo in our ears once more.” http://www.amazon.com/Half-Century-Apostasy-Russell-Standish/dp/1920892575

What kind of words?

A CONFERENCE — JUST ON MOUNT CARMEL INSTEAD OF AT ANDREWS

Oh, Elijah arranged a “conference”, to which all the theologians were invited. Theologians who “have abandoned the LORD’s commands and have followed the Baals”. 1 Kings 18:18 (New International Version)

“19 Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”

27 At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.”

39 When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The LORD -he is God! The LORD -he is God!”

40 Then Elijah commanded them, “Seize the prophets of Baal. Don’t let anyone get away!” They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered there.” 1 Kings 18 (New International Version)

ELIJAH HAD A PROBLEM WITH PROPHETS OF ASHERAH

Hmm. “four hundred prophets of Asherah”. 1 Kings 18:18 (New International Version)

Might there be a modern-day group of theologians who mark their worship sites with asherahs?

The basic equipment for a high place worship site consisted of an altar and an asherah. (Silvia Schroer, Aschera, In: Betz, H.D.; Browning, D.S. ; Janowski, B. ; Jüngel, E. (Hrsg.): Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart. Tübingen; Mohr Siebeck; 2003; Bd. 1; 4th edition; p. 1058)

“In the Bible Asherah is often equated with a holy tree or a sacred pole” (Bob Becking, Meindert Dijkstra, Karel J. H. Vriezen, Only One God?: Monotheism in Ancient Israel and the Veneration of the Goddess Asherah, Continuum International Publishing Group, 2001, p. 141)

“21. A grove. Heb. ‘asherim. The word is used more than 30 times in the OT and is consistently rendered “groves” in the KJV. The word is always used in connection with idols (see on Ex. 34:13). It should be translated “sacred trees” or “wooden poles.” These were dedicated to the pagan goddess Asherah, while the stone pillars were objects of worship dedicated to Baal.” (Comment on Deutoronomy 16, The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary in Seven Volumes, Vol. 1, Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1953, p. 1011)

The very substantial asherah pole is constructed with modern building materials, and should last for several hundred years.

HUGE ALTAR

And the altar?

altar n. “An elevated place or structure before which religious ceremonies may be enacted” www.answers.com/topic/altar

At right, you can see a picture of the structure before which religious ceremonies are enacted.

As shown below:

AN ALTAR OF BAAL

And which god might be honored?

“The Early Reformers, when they came out of Rome, removed them as the monuments of idolatry. Luther called the organ an ensign of Baal” (John McClintock and James Strong, Cyclopaedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. 6, Harper & Brothers, 1883, p. 762)

The high place on Howell Mountain is fully equipped with a very substantial asherah and altar.

The basic equipment for a high place worship site consisted of an altar and an asherah. (Schroer, supra)

“In Our Phallic Heritage we are told that ‘All pillars or columns originally had a phallic significance, and were therefore considered sacred.’” (Cathy Burns, Masonic and Occult Symbols Illustrated, Sharing, 1998, p. 341)

“In the Bible Asherah is often equated with a holy tree or a sacred pole” (Becking, supra)

So it will come as no surprise that the college symbol is a holy tree!

The Adventist church equips its college campuses and heathen high places with colossal phallic pillars (as per Burns, supra). So it will come as no surprise that so many Progressive Adventists are gay!

Pix:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/29/64214047_10920d6f02.jpg?v=0

http://www.flickr.com/photos/citywalker/667068448/in/set-72157600560829419/

http://www.pucchurch.org/whoweare/welcome.shtml

http://www.flickr.com/photos/citywalker/667114274/in/set-72157600560829419/

http://www.angwinreporter.com/AR2006-02/organ.jpg

http://www.puc.edu/puc-life/spiritual-life/home

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/06/Pacific_Union_College_Sign_2008.jpg/180px-Pacific_Union_College_Sign_2008.jpgSign_2008.jpg/180px-Pacific_Union_College_Sign_2008.jpg

http://psysr.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/gay-flag.jpg

http://apokalupto.blogspot.com/2009/10/interview-nicholas-miller.html

http://www.thesourcehh.org/images/RichardDavidson_250.jpg

http://www.publishing-solutions.com.au/booklist/religion/half.jpg

Dear Power of Pride,

You make it sound like the world would be a kinder, gentler place if everyone was gay.

Certainly the Adventist church is working towards peace and good will. The theologians are gay, the universities are gay, and for all I know La Sierra is flying the gay flag.

Is homosexuality really the secret to ending wars and social injustice?

Tom

!!YOUR ANSWERS FROM POWER OF PRIDE – GAY ADVENTIST NEWS!!

Dear fellow Adventist,

THE FIGHT AGAINST HATE

GLBT activists have crusaded for years against hate, discrimination, and homophobia. Don’t forget the assassination of Mr. Harvey Milk, one of the first openly gay elected officials in the world.

HATEFUL ATTACK ON SOCIETY’S WEAKEST MEMBERS

But sometimes one of the Community’s own goes bad, and lashes out against the most vulnerable in society.

Dogs? No. Children? Not even.

We’re talking here about the mentally challenged.

“Mental retardation is a developmental disability that first appears in children under the age of 18. It is defined as an intellectual functioning level (as measured by standard tests for intelligence quotient) that is well below average and significant limitations in daily living skills (adaptive functioning).” http://www.answers.com/topic/mental-retardation

EVERYBODY NEEDS SOMEBODY

In the bad old days of hate, members of the GLBT community still had support networks, bathhouses, etc., where they could gather for solace and encouragement.

But making fun of a handicapped person!!! Isn’t it bad enough that an individual is confined to a wheelchair for life, or, say, a mental-health facility??

And to stack scorn on top of that!!!!!!!!

What crass hatred!!

But not just for handicapped. The elderly are also in for bashing.

AN ADVENTIST PROFESSOR

Pacific Union College professor “Alexander Carpenter, M.A., instructor, teaches art history. Carpenter also runs the blog at Spectrum magazine (the journal of the Association of Adventist Forums) online.” http://www.puc.edu/academics/departments/visual-arts/faculty/visual-arts/acarpenter

“Pacific Union College is a Seventh-day Adventist learning community”. http://www.puc.edu/about-puc

SPEAKS TO AN “INSANE NUMBERS GAME”

“This attempt to run Adventism like a pyramid scheme — turning members into marketers — has got to stop. I’m tired of washed up administrators manipulating my generation into doing their work. It is short term thinking stemming from their fear of creative thinking and the kind of theologizing that can turn Adventism into a community witness.

I can still picture that pew — during an Andrews University field school of evangelism — half full of mentally retarded folks who would be added to the reported numbers each night.Let’s get out of this insane numbers game; stop treating members as a sales force; and never promise to change someone’s life if they just watch the screen. Until then that day comes, when enough of the faithful brave change, we’ll just keep throwing our money and amazing facts at the world and blessedly hope that they will come buy our Tupperware.” (Pacific Union College professor Alexander Carpenter, This Evangelism Corrupts Adventism, 10 January 2008, http://www.spectrummagazine.org/blog/2008/01/10/sau)

IS HE TELLING THE TRUTH?

Certainly many Adventist leaders are of retirement age (and beyond). There’s still no reason to scorn them with an appellation like “washed up”.

CARPENTER ERROR: MENTALLY-CHALLENGED PEOPLE CANNOT BENEFIT FROM HEARING THE GOSPEL

He’s wrong. These people are not total idiots!

“Mental retardation occurs in 2.5-3% of the general population. About 6-7.5 million mentally retarded individuals live in the United States alone.“

“Approximately 85% of the mentally retarded population is in the mildly retarded category. Their IQ score ranges from 50-75, and they can often acquire academic skills up to the 6th grade level. They can become fairly self-sufficient and in some cases live independently, with community and social support.” http://www.answers.com/topic/mental-retardation

CARPENTER ERROR: MENTALLY-HANDICAPPED PEOPLE ARE “INSANE NUMBERS”

How narrow-minded. Most can comprehend what is said, and even the most severely handicapped can still enjoy the music.

All they need to do is believe on Jesus. Then when he comes again, these people will get new bodies and fully-functional brains. What a glorious day that will be!

The idea that mentally-challenged individuals should be locked away somewhere far from regular life is outdated. We call on all Adventists, and the nation in general to take a united stand against such depreciating comments directed against society’s most vulnerable members.

Pix:

http://steamworksonline.com/home4.html

http://www.puc.edu/__data/assets/image/0004/31000/Carpenter_Alex.jpg

http://www.faqs.org/health/images/uchr_08_img0862.jpg

Dear Power of Pride,

We have a loving, monoganamous, and committed relationship with each other, and with our church. Seeing as, for obvious reasons, we don’t have children, we often spend time in the evenings reading from the Spirit of Prophecy books.

Sister White speaks very negatively about fiction. And now the Adventist Review is starting to bring fiction stories. What are things coming to in our church??!!

Is this the massive apostasy that will come just before the Second Coming? Should we even read the Review anymore?

Femke & Kirsten

!!YOUR ANSWERS FROM POWER OF PRIDE!!

Dear Fellow Adventists,

AN AGE OF APOSTASY

The present-day situation reminds me so much of the days of Noah:

Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 1 Peter 3:20

ADVENTIST REVIEW FICTION

There is evil on every hand in our modern society. I’ve seen the fiction, and its wrong!

THEORY & PRACTICE

“Adhering to the Biblical teaching that makes no accommodation for homosexual activity or relationships, the Seventh-day Adventist Church believes that sexual intimacy belongs only with the marital relationship of a man and a woman. (Editors, Adventist Review Online Edition, 24 Sep 2009, http://www.adventistreview.org/article.php?id=2858)

LEADING FIGURE IN DENOMINATION TAKES A DIFFERENT POSITION

“Clifford R. Goldstein (b. in 1960) is an American author and editor. He is a leading figure in the Seventh-day Adventist denomination.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clifford_Goldstein

A COGNITIVE KIND OF PERSON

Dr. Goldstein is not “touchy-feely kind of stuff”. Oh, no, he just wants the facts!

GREEK WORLDVIEW

“and I again I think this works I tend to be somewhat of a cognitive kind of person. This is the modernist in me. I’m not this touchy-feely kind of stuff. I WANT THE FACTS!” (Cliff Goldstein, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6lnMNjBFyo)

THE TOUCHY-FEELY CROWD

So how could the editors of the Adventist Review make such a totally false statement?

Are they “touchy-feely kind of stuff” (as per Goldstein, supra)? Do they not want the facts?

It almost sounds like they forgot to check in with the “leading figures in the denomination” (per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clifford_Goldstein). Of course, the Adventist church is a huge organization which spans the globe, so they have more than one leader.

SEASONED ADVENTIST LEADER

Which brings us to Dr. Charles Scriven. He’s the president at Kettering College of Medical Arts. http://www.kcma.edu/NewsandEvents/Pacesetter/SprSum09/presMessage.html
“Kettering College of Medical Arts, occupying a suburban campus near Dayton in southwest Ohio, is a coeducational college owned by the Kettering Medical Center and chartered by the Seventh-day Adventist Church.” http://www.kcma.edu/AboutUs/index.html
This prominent Adventist leader is in the process of “Reconstructing Seventh-day Adventism“. http://www.spectrummagazine.org/podcast/2008/06/24/test

WHO RUNS A PUBLICATION FOR ADVENTISTS

“Charles Scriven is president of Kettering College of the Medical Arts and chairs the Adventist Forum/SPECTRUM board.” (Alexander Carpenter, Reconstructing Seventh-day Adventism – Charles Scriven, 26 June 2008, http://www.spectrummagazine.org/podcast/2008/06/24/test)

A VISION FOR THE FUTURE

Dr. Scriven’s Spectrum publication has published a call for: Gay Theology Without Apology.

And that’s as gay as it gets!!
So what gives? How did the editors of the Adventist Review dream up such fiction?

“Adhering to the Biblical teaching that makes no accommodation for homosexual activity or relationships, the Seventh-day Adventist Church believes that sexual intimacy belongs only with the marital relationship of a man and a woman.” (Editors, Adventist Review Online Edition, 24 Sep 2009, http://www.adventistreview.org/article.php?id=2858)

OUR PRESIDENT GETS IT RIGHT (AS ALWAYS) — ADVENTIST REVIEW EDITORS ARE DISORIENTED

Let’s check with Adventist president Dr. Jan Paulsen, a man of wisdom and experience. “People seem to be disoriented.” (Jan Paulsen, Message from the President, Adventist Review Online Edition, 24 Sep 2009, http://www.adventistreview.org/issue.php?issue=2009-1527&page=2)

WE’VE CONSIDERED THE EVIDENCE CAREFULLY

And must conclude the Adventist Review’s perception does not match with reality. If “the Seventh-day Adventist Church believes that sexual intimacy belongs only with the marital relationship of a man and a woman.“, their top leaders (both current and emerging) would not state beliefs contrary to this:

“I’m sure Jesus looks approvingly on ‘loving, monoganamous, and committed’ homosexual sodomy, don’t you?” Cliff Goldstein (click for citation) Elder Goldstein is a top Adventist theologian:
“I edit the Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guides (the “Quarterly”), the official denominational teaching publication for the world SDA Church; the publisher is the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.” (Clifford Goldstein, Graffiti in the Holy of Holies: An Impassioned Response to Recent Attacks on the Sanctuary and Ellen White, Pacific Press Publishing, 2003, p. 12)

“At the Second Coming God will proclaim, “My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done” (Rev. 22:12).” (Haffner, supra)

BUT THE EMERGING LEADERS?

But what about the coming generation of leaders? Perhaps Bill Knott has checked with them?

“Alexander Carpenter, a fifth-generation Adventist … teaches full-time in the Department of Visual Arts at Pacific Union College. He has been a part of Spectrum since 2004.” http://spectrummagazine.org/about_us

A QUALITY ADVENTIST EDUCATION

“Pacific Union College is affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church, a world-wide Christian community that runs one of the world’s largest Protestant school systems. The college is owned, operated and subsidized by the regional division of the Adventist Church, the Pacific Union Conference.” http://www.puc.edu/about-puc/about-our-adventist-faith

ADVENTIST LEADERS – PRESENT AND FUTURE

Dr. Scriven leads an Adventist college and an Adventist chat club. Dr. Carpenter is an emerging leader. http://www.beatitudessociety.org/blog/alex_carpenter/20080609/883

They have published a special message for the church:

“There are too many of us who are not sick, or inverted, or perverted, or even “effeminate,” but who just have a knack for falling in love with people of our own sex. When we have been damaged, it has not been due to our homosexuality but to your and our denial of it. The burden of proof now is not on us, to show that we are not sick, but rather on those who insist that we would be better off going back into the closet.” Posted by: Alexander Carpenter 17 June 2008 at 5:35
http://www.spectrummagazine.org/blog/2008/06/16/why_adventists_should_consider_supporting_gay_marriage

“In the last days, God’s remnant church will call attention to authentic, biblical worship.” (Karl Haffner, Accepting the Message of Hope, Adventist Review Online Edition, 24 Sep 2009, http://www.adventistreview.org/issue.php?issue=2009-1527&page=16)

Adventist Review editor Bill Knott has made claims about what the Seventh-day Adventist church believes which conflict with what the leaders of the church actually have to say. President Jan Paulsen knows what the problem is: “People seem to be disoriented.” (Jan Paulsen, Message from the President, Adventist Review Online Edition, 24 Sep 2009, http://www.adventistreview.org/issue.php?issue=2009-1527&page=2)

And Dr. Paulsen is 100% right!!!!

Which brings us close to an answer to your question, girls. Fiction: “An untrue declaration”. http://www.answers.com/topic/women-s-fiction Reading fiction of the sort brought by the Adventist Review is an abuse of the mind: “Minds that have been amused and abused by reading fiction may in nature have an open book, and read truth in the works of God around them.” ( Ellen White, Testimonies for the Church Volume Four, p 581)

You see, girls, this presentation of fiction is nothing new: “Fiction, spurious interpretations of the Scriptures, dishes of fables, are everywhere presented for your acceptance. But great discernment is needed that the girdle should be the golden chain of truth.” (Ellen White, That I May Know Him, p 346)


You read the Adventist Review at your peril.

These people publish fiction when the Prophet spoke against it, and we know who works like that:

“Satan will go to the extent of his power to harass, tempt, and mislead God’s people. He who dared to face, and tempt, and taunt our Lord, and who had power to take Him in his arms and carry Him to a pinnacle of the temple, and up into an exceedingly high mountain, will exercise his power to a wonderful degree upon the present generation, who are far inferior in wisdom to their Lord, and who are almost wholly ignorant of Satan’s subtlety and strength.” (Ellen White, Testimonies For The Church Volume One, p 341)

SO WHAT TO DO?

Why, pray, of course, praying:

1) that the Adventist Review will stop publishing untrue works of fiction;
2) that the leaders of the church may be guided in making personnel decisions consistent with the professed beliefs of the church;
3) that Adventist Church practice may coincide with Adventist Church theory;
4) that we all may be ready to meet the King when he comes;
5) and, of course, “pray for the world church as it fulfills the mission of hope entrusted to it by our glorified Lord. Church members like you are involved in this mission around the world, at times under difficult circumstances. Pray for them that their faith may be strengthened and their work be fruitful to the glory of the Lord.” (Paulsen, supra)

Graphics:

http://www.bethelhillbaptistchurch.org/resources/_wsb_253×241_noah_preaching_2.jpg

http://www.dakotaadventist.org/site_data/667/assets/0008/4128/50-6486___medium.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e2/Jan_paulsen.jpg/200px-Jan_paulsen.jpg

http://www.puc.edu/__data/assets/image/0004/31000/Carpenter_Alex.jpg

Dear Power of Pride,

We in the Community so much appreciate your Christian perspective on the burning issues of the day.

FROM THE BERKELEY GAY VILLAGE

I study business at UC Berkeley, but recently attended a prophecy seminar where we learned that it was time to leave the cities, and enjoy country living.

TO COUNTRY LIVING AWAY FROM THE CORRUPTION OF LARGE URBAN AREAS

Can you recommend a Christian college or university in a rural setting?

Obviously, I am looking for a place where alternative lifestyles and love practices are part and parcel of the community. Also, there should be an abundance of cozy meeting places.

I have big dreams for a future of service in the mission field.

Glenda

!!YOUR ANSWERS FROM POWER OF PRIDE – GAY ADVENTIST NEWS!!

Dear Aspiring Missionary,

ON THE WAY UP

We always like to hear from future missionaries who dream big dreams!

There is an Adventist school which will fit your needs perfectly. Its located in a rural setting, and when the students there dream — the dreams are big!!

ALTERNATIVE LIFESTYLES

This college features quite a variety of lifestyles and orientations. It doesn’t happen often that a traditional man/woman union gives issue to a watermelon!

Now that gay marriage is no longer an option in California, the Community is back to civil unions.

You’re probably dreaming of a school where civil unions are discussed, both in the cafeteria and the classroom.

DREAM NO MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Believe it or not, there is a college out there dedicated to union. So much so that they call the place Union College!!

Its located in Lincoln, Nebraska.

The community is not some sagebrush, one-saloon town — oh, no, its a full metropolis of 225 000 people. Not all of them are gay, but plenty are. The Union College student newspaper carries headlines like:

This very interesting article by Union College student Savannah Bowers gives a flavor of what life is like on this very diverse campus.
“Union offers a traditional Seventh-day Adventist environment”. (David Smith, Welcome to Union College, http://www.ucollege.edu/welcome)

TOP FUTURE THEOLOGIAN WRITING

Ms. Bowers lays a foundation for her article with the historical Adventist position:

OLD CHURCH POSITION

“According to the Seventh-day Adventist website, “marriage was
divinely established in Eden and affirmed by Jesus to be a lifelong
union between a man and a woman in loving companionship”.” (Savannah Bowers, Should Adventists Act on Same-Sex Attractions, The Clocktower, 23 Jan 2009)

MOVING WITH THE TIMES — ALL THINGS TO ALL MEN

And that’s how things were for more than 100 years.

How things were until Brother Goldstein tuned Adventist theology to fit our times:

“I’m sure Jesus looks approvingly on ‘loving, monoganamous, and committed’ homosexual sodomy, don’t you?” Cliff Goldstein (click for citation)

What? Haven’t heard of him before?

“Clifford R. Goldstein is a Seventh-day Adventist author and editor. He is a leading figure in the denomination.” (Clifford Goldstein, Wikipedia)

or in his own words:

“I edit the Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guides (the “Quarterly”), the official denominational teaching publication for the world SDA Church; the publisher is the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.” (Clifford Goldstein, Graffiti in the Holy of Holies: An Impassioned Response to Recent Attacks on the Sanctuary and Ellen White, Pacific Press Publishing, 2003, p. 12)

WINDS OF CHANGE BLOW THROUGH ADVENTIST HIGHER EDUCATION

Its common knowledge that Union College students experience “attractions”:

“It is next to impossible to deny attractions that we feel”. (Luciana Sufficool cited in Bowers, supra)

“Out of 100 Union College students polled, 9 felt Adventists should act on same-sex attractions” (Bowers, supra)

“Union offers a traditional Seventh-day Adventist environment”. (David Smith, Welcome to Union College, http://www.ucollege.edu/welcome)

“If that is what it takes for them to feel complete, I say yes”. (Jennifer Landeros cited in Bowers, supra)

HOOKING UP

If the poll provides an accurate view of the student body, this school could well be the place for you to meet your mate.

But where?

WHERE TO GO

The student newspaper gives you valuable tips on where to go:

“If you ever need privacy for anything, go to the basement of the library. If you need privacy for your business, the same applies. The bathroom in the library basement is by far the most quiet and secretive bathroom on campus.” (Mariella Cosentino, Where to “Go” Part II: Best Bathrooms on Campus, The Clocktower, 4 Nov 2009, p 8 )

FRIENDLY AND AFFECTIONATE CAMPUS

“The 50-acre, tree-covered campus in the College View community is known for its friendly and safe atmosphere“.
(David Smith, Welcome to Union College, http://www.ucollege.edu/welcome)

SO MANY WAYS TO CONNECT

At Union, “You’ll find that you connect in more ways than you imagined.” (Heather Bohlender, Home Again: Adjusting and Resuming Life for SMs (continued), The Clocktower, 3 Sep 2009, p 2)

(text shot from The Rant, The Clocktower, 3 Sep 2009, p 2)

“Union offers a traditional Seventh-day Adventist environment”. (David Smith, Welcome to Union College, http://www.ucollege.edu/welcome)

IS THIS ALL TOO TOLERANT TO BE TRUE?

So much diversity, so much tolerance: “”The church is supposed to be full of love and it is not our place to judge, it is God’s and only God’s,” said Debbie Williams, senior IRR major. “If there was less judging and more loving, maybe it wouldn’t be a problem?”“ (Bowers, supra)

BARE BACK CLUB

At Union, “You’ll find that you connect in more ways than you imagined.” (Heather Bohlender, Home Again: Adjusting

and Resuming Life for SMs (continued), The Clocktower, 3 Sep 2009, p 2)

(text shot from The Rant, The Clocktower, 3 Sep 2009, p 2)

YOUR BEST CHOICE

So if you’re looking for connections, come to Union!

Pix:

http://www.maltagayrights.net/files/gay-flag.jpg

http://bridgeout.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/gay_union_rings.jpg

http://fijilive.com/ecards/icons/Love.jpg

http://fijilive.com/ecards/icons/Love.jpg

newspaper illustrations from The Clocktower of 23 Jan 2009 unless otherwise specified

Other acknowledgments: “The Clocktower is published weekly during the school year by the Associated Student Body of Union College, 3800 S. 48th St. Lincoln, NE 68506 except on weeks containing a break.” (The Clocktower, 3 Sep 2009, p 8 )

Dear Power of Pride,

In these troubled times, the Adventist system of higher education is under attack as never before.

Thank you so much for your positive portrayal of our top schools!

We just love life in the Riverside Gay Village. This very tolerant, diverse community includes a number of gay-oriented university professors.

OUTSIDERS CAN’T STAND THE PRIDE

Our school has been attacked recently. A Bible-oriented evangelist, David Asscherick, had the gall to criticize our school’s academic program.

But that was a one-shot deal.

Now a pesky English teacher (!!) is going after school administration. And that with the most senseless petition: he wants “full disclosure” of what our schools teach.

He graduated from this pink university, and he doesn’t know???

That is so totally common knowledge, thanks to Power of Pride. If an Adventist student absolutely needs a straight school, he can go to Walla Walla. Proud Adventist youth have a number of fine schools to choose from. You need green trees and a cooler climate, you go to PUC. La Sierra is attractive to members of the Community who like palm trees. Loma Linda is the same, with a medical slant.

And, of course, Union offers a rural, wholesome atmosphere to members of the Community who are fed up with big-city life.

We would like to send a message to these people who are bothering our president: Stand down!!! Leave Dr. Wisbey alone, and quite trying to smear the reputation of our school! If you don’t want to be Progressive Adventists, that’s fine. Go ahead and do your own thing at ARISE and Wildwood. But for pity’s sake, quit bothering the Progressive Adventist universities and colleges.

Alex & Michael

!!YOUR ANSWERS FROM POWER OF PRIDE – GAY ADVENTIST NEWS!!

Dear Progressive Adventist brothers,

You tell it like it is. Shane Hilde’s petition is so unnecessary:

FULL DISCLOSURE HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE

“We are concerned in regards to the alleged teaching of theistic macroevolution as fact in some of our Adventist colleges and universities. And we lift our voices in agreement with the open letter from ASI Missions Inc. “that this dialog move to a point where parents and prospective students have a full disclosure of what our colleges and universities are offering so they can make informed decisions and have realistic expectations regarding the philosophy and quality of education being offered.”" (Shane Hilde, Petition to Our Seventh-day Adventist Church Leadership, http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Sixdaycreation/index.html)

That disclosure has already been made!!

Distinguished professors from pink universities like Southern, La Sierra, and Loma Linda have published their philosphy of love in book form.

What are these people supposed to do? Write another book with the same contents but a different cover?

Mr. Hilde may mean well, but his efforts are a bother to the La Sierra management.

And to the professors there. Professors like: Dr. John R. Jones is “Associate Professor of New Testament and World Religions, La Sierra University”. http://adventistsagainstprop8.org/about/ His piece “”In Christ there is neither . .”: Toward the Unity of the Body of Christ” appears in the official disclosure document.

THE BIBLE SPOKE NEGATIVELY ABOUT GAY LOVE, SAYS DR. JONES

“Romans 1:24-27 contains the Bible’s only substantive consideration of homosexual conduct.” (La Sierra University Professor John Jones, Christianity and Homosexuality: Some Seventh-day Adventist Perspectives, p 4-12)

BUT NOT EVERYONE IS TOO IMPRESSED BY THAT

“For most of us under the banner of the new order in Christ, the ancient ritual taboos have largely been emptied.” (Jones, supra, p 4-26)

STRONG COMMITMENT TO PROGRESSIVE ADVENTIST FAITH

Dr. Randal Wisbey runs the Adventist La Sierra University located in Riverside, California in the United States. http://www.lasierra.edu/administration/president/presBio.html

“Finally, as the president of La Sierra University, and as a parent of one of our 1,900 students, I am grateful that La Sierra is a place that is recognized for its commitment to Adventist faith and learning.” (La Sierra University President Randal Wisbey, Open Letter of 18 May 2009)

TO FULL EQUALITY IN GAY MARRIAGE

“From a Christian standpoint, it is fair to ask whether our questions today about homosexuality are more naturally addressed in just those passages that point to the new levels of responsibility Christ brings into all our relationships, especially our domestic ones.” “If under Christ’s lordship husband and wife are led beyond conventional cultural norms to new levels of mutuality and consideration toward one another (1 Cor. 7), ought not the same principles govern the relationships of all couples in Christ?” (Jones, supra, p 4-28)

Yes, friends, Dr. Jones explains that “Sexual expression in the context of loving, same-sex relationships in Christ manifests the qualities of mutuality, equality, respect, and consideration.” (Jones, supra, p 4-28)

WELCOME TO A HAVEN OF “GRACE AND LOVE”

As La Sierra President Wisbey puts it: “it is our privilege to welcome young people in an attitude of grace and love that characterizes our Father’s deep love and passion for each of us.” (Wisbey, supra)

Yes, La Sierra has it all! Passion? Lots of passion.

Love? “Sexual expression in the context of loving, same-sex relationships in Christ manifests the qualities of mutuality, equality, respect, and consideration.” (Jones, supra, p 4-28)

There has been “a full disclosure of what our colleges and universities are offering” (as per Shane Hilde, Petition to Our Seventh-day Adventist Church Leadership, http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Sixdaycreation/index.html)

Any more disclosure than what’s already been done would probably be considered pornography.

We congratulate Dr. Randal Wisbey and his team for their full disclosure. While complete, its been done in a tasteful manner which must be described as art rather than porn.

“The relevant question today is how something is perceived in its contemporary culture.” (George Reid, Steeples and the Church, Adventist Biblical Research Institute, http://biblicalresearch.gc.adventist.org/documents/steeples.htm) Dr. George Reid was director of the Biblical Research Institute of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.
http://www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/documents/cremation.htm

Gay love is commonplace in Berkeley, Guerneville, and Castro. Its perceived as perfectly normal there.

“Guerneville is a popular family destination, gay resort, and camping center in the Russian River Valley.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guerneville,_California

“The relevant question today is how something is perceived in its contemporary culture.” Dr. George Reid

Graphics:

http://www.atoday.com/files/uploads/shane_hilde.jpg

http://www.pe.com/imagesdaily/2008/03-07/wisbey07acjr_1_400.jpg

http://img301.imageshack.us/i/chcovermedjb9.jpg/#q=sda%20perspectives%20homosexuality

http://www.lasierra.edu/news/2008/august/aug_imgs/greer_n_students.jpg

http://www.acc-tv.com/images/globalnews/soc_gaymarriage_1006.jpg

http://www.maltagayrights.net/files/gay-flag.jpg

Dear Power of Pride,

We really appreciate the way you promote the value of a rock-solid Adventist education. We’ve had our ups and downs since we met at La Sierra, and this last year has been a total mess on the stock market, but there’s been one constant in our lives — the solid value we received from our Adventist education.

The monthly tuition checks we wrote were absolutely the most satisfying investment we ever made. La Sierra has a commitment to provide the very finest Adventist education.

And the proof? We have a wonderful relationship and are very active in our local Progressive Adventist church.

Malcolm & Wayne

!!YOUR ANSWERS FROM POWER OF PRIDE – GAY ADVENTIST NEWS!!

Dear Fellow Adventists,

TOP DRAWER ACADEMIC

Dr. Randal Wisbey runs the Adventist La Sierra University located in Riverside, California in the United States. http://www.lasierra.edu/administration/president/presBio.html

His impressive academic credentials include postgraduate work at Andrews University.

CHALLENGED BY UPSTART EVANGELIST

David Asscherick is an Adventist evangelist who is caught up in Bible teachings and Ellen White. He actually believes in these authorities, and had the audacity to complain about Dr. Wisbey’s institution pushing the evolution theory. (full text of Asscherick open letter here)

As Dr. Wisbey puts it, Pastor Asscherick’s “letter undercuts the educational work and ministry of La Sierra University, and indeed the broader system of Adventist higher education“. (Randal Wisbey, Open Letter of 18 May 2009)

ANDREWS ALUMNUS IS A WISE MAN

And Dr. Wisbey is right!! (full proofs here)

CAUGHT IN THE PAST

Brother Asscherick runs around the country preaching out of the Bible. He likes to call out activities like idol worship and “sexual variety” as sins, often offering various Bible passages in support of his position.

MOVING WITH THE WORLD

The “broader system of Adventist higher education” has a different orientation these days. As Southern professor Dr. Jud Lake puts it: “Everyone of these people were once among us — the present-day critics — and they were burned by a “Sister White says”.” reference

According to Dr. Lake, students can be annoyed if Sister White is cited too often, so “The relevant question today is how something is perceived in its contemporary culture.” (George Reid, Steeples and the Church, Adventist Biblical Research Institute, http://biblicalresearch.gc.adventist.org/documents/steeples.htm) Dr. George Reid was director of the Biblical Research Institute of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.
http://www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/documents/cremation.htm

Don’t you get it, Pastor Asscherick? The system doesn’t ask first, “What does the Bible say?”, but rather, “What does the world say?”

SO, IS EVOLUTION BEING TAUGHT?

So did Pastor Asscherick even know what he was talking about? Is evolution being taught, or is it not?

Well, of course evolution is being taught at La Sierra: “We expect that students will be introduced to the prevailing scientific views within a supportive classroom environment that values the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s contribution to the understanding of biblical creation.” (Wisbey, supra)

KEEPING UP WITH THE TIMES

You see, Brother Wisbey’s university has a “commitment to responsibly address difficult issues and our willingness to consider a variety of views.” (Wisbey, supra)

“Difficult issues”? That’s code for gay marriage. La Sierra University scholar and Adventist pastor Jared Wright has “responsibly addressed this difficult issue”:

“Protecting marriage: Supporters of a ban on same-sex marriage define the issue as protection of marriage. We must note that same-sex marriage is still marriage. Marriage as an institution is not under attack. Rather, it is being affirmed.” (Jared Wright, Why Adventists Should Consider Supporting Gay Marriage, 16 June 2008, http://www.spectrummagazine.org/node/696)

Adventist “Pastor Jared Wright is pursuing a M.Div at La Sierra University.” http://www.spectrummagazine.org/node/696

“At La Sierra, students investigate this process surrounded by faculty, staff, and peers who care about their whole person, not just their academic life. They have opportunities to ask hard questions and to address these issues in a supportive Adventist Christian environment.” (Wisbey, supra)

Faculty like Dr. Fritz Guy.

ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF RESEARCH

“Fritz Guy (born 1930) is a Seventh-day Adventist theologian and Research Professor of Philosophical Theology at La Sierra University in Riverside, California.” (Fritz Guy, Wikipedia)

Research professor?

“I want it to be clearly understood that those of us who teach, those of us who have the privilege of serving at an Adventist university, take our mission and our responsibilities towards our students seriously. Our faculty and campus community give their lives, and the best of their intellect and service, to God through their academic preparation, ongoing research, teaching and mentoring.” (Wisbey, supra)

“La Sierra University is a Seventh-day Adventist institution of higher learning.” http://www.lasierra.edu/whylsu/sda-churches.html

“He has worked as a a college and university professor, an academic administrator, and a church pastor.” “In recent years Guy has positioned himself at the controversial cutting edge of progressive Adventist theology, with lectures and articles exploring the temporality of God, the hope of universal salvation, the theology of creation, and the morality of same-sex relationships.” (Fritz Guy, Wikipedia)

“La Sierra University is a place where academic investigation, Christian faith, and service to others unite.” (Wisbey, supra)

Service to others? Stopping all that intolerance, of course!

“Christians should discontinue their moral condemnation of same-sex intimacy in caring, committed relationships”. (Fritz Guy, Christianity and Homosexuality: Some Seventh-day Adventist Perspectives, pp 4-57, 4-58)

ORTHODOXY UNDER SIEGE: STAND DOWN, DAVID ASSCHERICK!!

As Dr. Wisbey puts it, these Asscherick types “challenge the orthodoxy of those who take on the important and God-inspired task of educating our students in transforming ways that have lifelong impact”. (Wisbey, supra)

A GOSPEL OF LOVE

Why all that hostility? Instead, says Dr. Guy,

“Christians should encourage their congregations to welcome, affirm, and support persons engaged in morally appropriate same-sex relationships”. (Fritz Guy, Christianity and Homosexuality: Some Seventh-day Adventist Perspectives, pp 4-57, 4-58)

A SPECIAL MISSION FOR OUR TIMES

“La Sierra University is a place where academic investigation, Christian faith, and service to others unite. We support the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in powerful ways”. (Wisbey, supra)

What, you haven’t heard of this mission? Let’s check in with the top Adventist theologian.

CLIFF GOLDSTEIN SPEAKS OUT

“I edit the Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guides (the “Quarterly”), the official denominational teaching publication for the world SDA Church; the publisher is the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.” (Clifford Goldstein, Graffiti in the Holy of Holies: An Impassioned Response to Recent Attacks on the Sanctuary and Ellen White, Pacific Press Publishing, 2003, p. 12)

Like La Sierra University professor Dr. Fritz Guy, Elder Goldstein is preaching a message of tolerance:

“I’m sure Jesus looks approvingly on ‘loving, monoganamous, and committed’ homosexual sodomy” (Clifford Goldstein, reference)

“Finally, as the president of La Sierra University, and as a parent of one of our 1,900 students, I am grateful that La Sierra is a place that is recognized for its commitment to Adventist faith and learning.” (Wisbey, supra)

And Dr. Wisbey is right! La Sierra’s commitment to the Adventist faith, as enunciated by the leading Adventist theologians such as Professor Guy and Elder Goldstein, cannot be questioned.

So Brother David Asscherick, grab a board and go surfing!

Related:

BIG BANG Evolution & Adventist Science — Is this the New Official Theology

APPENDIX: WISBEY LETTER TEXT

May 18, 2009

Board of Trustees, La Sierra University

Faculty & Staff, La Sierra University

Leadership Team, La Sierra University Church

Dear friends,

I am writing to share with you my concern and disappointment about a recent letter regarding La Sierra University (“to Adventist church leaders about La Sierra University”) that has received wide distribution on the Internet. This letter undercuts the educational work and ministry of La Sierra University, and indeed the broader system of Adventist higher education, rather than seeking better understanding and clarification of the concerns noted by the writer.

As president I take seriously any charge that La Sierra University is not fulfilling its sacred task and great responsibility to educate our students to be strong, thoughtful individuals whose worldview and hope is grounded in a close relationship with God.

In particular, this letter charges that “naturalistic evolution” is taught at La Sierra University – even while suggesting that evolution should be taught at our Adventist colleges and universities so that our students can better understand the world in which they live. “Naturalistic evolution” is a phrase that either in code or direct definition implies a perspective of “atheistic evolution.”

We reject this implied atheistic charge. Every one of our science faculty share the goal of students experiencing a vibrant Adventist Christian faith while pursuing their education in the sciences.

At La Sierra University, we take seriously the challenge of how to best integrate science education and faith development. Ultimately, our goal is to help students develop a personal relationship with their Creator. We are deeply committed to helping our students find during their experience at La Sierra University a vibrant faith that will deepen throughout their lives and lead them to the life to come. Our success in achieving that goal is demonstrated every year as we watch students being baptized into Adventist Church membership and see our students and graduates engage in lives of Christian service.

We expect that students will be introduced to the prevailing scientific views within a supportive classroom environment that values the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s contribution to the understanding of biblical creation. It is our commitment to our students and to their families that our professors will continue to support learning and encourage conversation in a spirit of openness. In this way we live out our university’s commitment to responsibly address difficult issues and our willingness to consider a variety of views. This grows from our church’s commitment to ever be open to new light.

As an institution of higher education, a Seventh-day Adventist university provides an excellent setting for examining evolutionary process – a subject that is foundational to the modern biological and behavioral sciences. This broad topic will recur throughout our students’ educational experience if they continue on to graduate studies and basic research in these fields, and is of growing importance in biomedical applications. At La Sierra, students investigate this process surrounded by faculty, staff, and peers who care about their whole person, not just their academic life. They have opportunities to ask hard questions and to address these issues in a supportive Adventist Christian environment.

People of faith who look at scientific data can reach differing conclusions and still be collegial as brothers and sisters in the church. The Seventh-day Adventist Church has always benefited from debate and indeed has matured because of it. Faculty in Adventist institutions of higher learning have played an important and sometimes courageous role in extending the boundaries of knowledge in many fields.

We at La Sierra University are continuing to examine how we teach the science relevant to origins in a supportive, Adventist Christian environment. We continue to welcome input made in a spirit of constructive Christian fellowship and which is respectful of scientific integrity – recognizing that while we may not fully agree on everything, our mutual concern is always for unity in love to our Lord and in service to His children. We are also committed to be of ongoing service to our church in this important conversation of science and faith. A number of our faculty have presented papers and have been involved in recent meetings that our church has called to give study to this challenging area.

As the Valuegenesis research spearheaded at La Sierra University has discovered, the ability to ask questions in a caring, open environment is one of the main factors in the decision of Adventist young people to stay in the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

These charges made against us, sadly, are not unique to La Sierra University. Some in our church continue to challenge and question our entire system of universities and colleges. They question our commitment to the important work of Adventist education. They challenge the orthodoxy of those who take on the important and God-inspired task of educating our students in transforming ways that have lifelong impact. I want it to be clearly understood that those of us who teach, those of us who have the privilege of serving at an Adventist university, take our mission and our responsibilities towards our students seriously. Our faculty and campus community give their lives, and the best of their intellect and service, to God through their academic preparation, ongoing research, teaching and mentoring. La Sierra is a vibrant academic and spiritual community that forever transforms our students for God and for a life of faithful service.

La Sierra University is a place where academic investigation, Christian faith, and service to others unite. We support the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in powerful ways, such as:

• The Valuegenesis and CognitiveGenesis studies that originated at La Sierra help us to understand the young people we effectively minister to and with.

• LSU sponsored 11 mission projects this academic year in Costa Rica, Egypt, Hawaii, Honduras, India, Malawi, Mexico, Navajo Nation, Philippines, Tanzania, and Texas. Dozens of students have been involved in Share Him evangelism, and 15 student literature evangelists reach families in our community every day. Hundreds of students have served overseas, from Afghanistan to Vietnam, as student missionaries in recent years.

• La Sierra students and faculty, this past year, provided more than 45,000 hours of caring service to our local community. We earned the coveted community engagement designation from the Carnegie Foundation-one of only 118 institutions in North America to be so recognized.

• The La Sierra University Students in Free Enterprise team recently brought major recognition to the Seventh-day Adventist Church as they progressed to the final round at the 2009 SIFE National Competition in Philadelphia. Their projects helped people in Ethiopia, Thailand, and the United States.

• We will soon have the privilege of participating in the baptism of a number of our students who have been studying this year with our Chaplain and with members of our School of Religion. A few days ago I listened as the father of one of these students who stood before the Pacific Union Executive Committee and thanked God that his daughter was at La Sierra and that she had decided to be baptized.

Finally, as the president of La Sierra University, and as a parent of one of our 1,900 students, I am grateful that La Sierra is a place that is recognized for its commitment to Adventist faith and learning. Every day we dedicate this campus to the Lord. Like the father with his arms open wide in the Alan Collins’ sculpture, The Glory of God’s Grace, that stands at the entrance to our campus, it is our privilege to welcome young people in an attitude of grace and love that characterizes our Father’s deep love and passion for each of us. When I talk with parents who send their children to us, often at great sacrifice, they tell me they do so because they deeply believe in our commitment, as faculty and staff, to provide the very finest Adventist education.

As one parent noted, at a recent alumni event in Northern California, the monthly check she writes for her student’s education is the most satisfying investment she makes.

May we, as a campus community, affirm God’s powerful work that is daily revealed in our teaching, research, and service.

Sincerely,

Randal Wisbey

President

Graphics:

http://www.pe.com/imagesdaily/2008/03-07/wisbey07acjr_1_400.jpg

http://www.acc-tv.com/images/globalnews/soc_gaymarriage_1006.jpg

http://www.maltagayrights.net/files/gay-flag.jpg

http://noelrt.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/cap114.jpg

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/WindowsLiveWriter/Gay_Pride_Parade_NYCR108.jpg

Dear Power of Pride,

Thanks for your great coverage of gay news.

TROUBLED CONSCIENCE

Before we became progressive Adventists, Roy was interested in spiritual things, but got hung up on a guilt trip. There’s some bald-headed TV preacher who’s pretty entertaining, and seems to know the Bible well. But he just practically criminalizes gay love.

A SPECIAL PARTY

But then we learned about progressive Adventism! We were both using the gym at a local bathhouse, when we heard about a Tupperware party.

Most Tupperware parties are hosted by middle-aged women who sell to their female friends — leaving the gay market basically unserved.

Well, we like to cook too. The presenter came right into our gay village, and threw a nice party.

AMAZING FACTS

And he didn’t just have tupperware on offer.

Oh, no, he threw amazing facts at us. Like: same-sex love is cool; the only damage caused by homosexuality is when you deny it; and, yes, even Jesus approves of gay love (when its in a commited relationship).

GETTING ACQUAINTED

We’d seen each other around the Steamworks before, but never really talked. And now, over fruit punch and Tupperware dishes, we got acquainted.

Roy has Queer Nation tattooed across his cheeks. Maurice has a Queer Nation bumper sticker on his Mazda.

Wow! As we got to know each other better, we found that we had SO much in common.

WHICH LEAD TO WEDDING BELLS

A progressive Adventist minister at a nearby college church conducted our wedding/baptism, and then it was honeymoon time!!!!!!!!!!!!

We travelled to Denmark for our special days, and fellowshipped with the progressive Adventist group in Copenhagen. After the service, we walked just a short distance down the street to the Spunk Bar, and got to know these brothers better over drinks.

Maurice & Roy

p.s. Our dream kitchen has plenty of Tupperware containers!

!!YOUR ANSWERS FROM POWER OF PRIDE – GAY ADVENTIST NEWS!!

Dear Progressive Adventist brothers,

Dr. Alexander Carpenter is without a doubt one of the most creative theologians in Adventism today.

Back in January, 2008, Dr. Carpenter issued a call for “creative thinking and the kind of theologizing that can turn Adventism into a community witness.” (Alexander Carpenter, This Evangelism Corrupts Adventism, http://www.spectrummagazine.org/blog/2008/01/10/sau

Well, what could be more creative than a TUPPERWARE PARTY!!!

“Alexander Carpenter, M.A., instructor, teaches art history” at Pacific Union College.
http://www.puc.edu/
academics/departments/
visual-arts/faculty/visual-arts/acarpenter

A QUALITY ADVENTIST EDUCATION

“Pacific Union College is affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church, a world-wide Christian community that runs one of the world’s largest Protestant school systems. The college is owned, operated and subsidized by the regional division of the Adventist Church, the Pacific Union Conference.” http://www.puc.edu/about-puc/about-our-adventist-faith

BUT THE ADMINISTRATORS? WASHED UP?

That’s the Pacific Union Conference run by Dr. Ricardo Graham. http://www.adventistdirectory.org/
view_AdmField.asp?AdmFieldID=PAUC

And what does Dr. Carpenter think of church administrators like the president Dr. Graham? “I’m tired of washed up administrators manipulating my generation into doing their work.” (Alexander Carpenter, This Evangelism Corrupts Adventism, 10 January 2008, http://www.spectrummagazine.org/blog/2008/01/10/sau

You see, Dr. Carpenter is an “emerging leader”. (see Emerging Leaders 2007 Conference: “Reweaving the Dream”, Plymouth Center for Progressive Christian Faith, http://www.plymouthcenter.org/emergingleadersproject.html

Some day soon, Dr. Carpenter plans to take over the reigns of power, and then things will be done in a correct, “non washed up” fashion!!

Seems Dr. Ricardo Graham is a little traditional, and has not yet started attending gay marriage ceremonies.

Dr. Carpenter, the emerging leader, is a popular guest at such happenings.

“Last week I attended the wedding of two Christians lesbian friends (one with an M.Div) who have been together for 14 years. Their legal marriage was such a meaningful ceremony for them and their family and friends gathered around. Tears, laugher, memories and prayers shared – having lived in places where folks don’t know out LGBT Christians“. Posted by: Alexander Carpenter 05 August 2008 at 10:02 http://www.spectrummagazine.org/node/848

This emerging leader has a simple message for the church:

“There are too many of us who are not sick, or inverted, or perverted, or even “effeminate,” but who just have a knack for falling in love with people of our own sex. When we have been damaged, it has not been due to our homosexuality but to your and our denial of it. The burden of proof now is not on us, to show that we are not sick, but rather on those who insist that we would be better off going back into the closet.” Posted by: Alexander Carpenter 17 June 2008 at 5:35 http://www.spectrummagazine.org/blog/2008/06/16/
why_adventists_should_consider_supporting_gay_marriage

PIONEER IN EVANGELISM

In the words of this Pacific Union College professor, “we’ll just keep throwing our money and amazing facts at the world and blessedly hope that they will come buy our Tupperware.” (Alexander Carpenter, This Evangelism Corrupts Adventism, http://www.spectrummagazine.org/blog/2008/01/10/sau

And this approach really works.

pix:

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Dear Power of Pride,

I so much appreciate your real-life views from out-of-the-closet gays who are still active in communities of faith.

LONGTIME DREAM CRUSHED

I grew up in a Roman Catholic home, and had always dreamed of becoming a priest.

I was CRUSHED when the pope said, No more gays can enter the priesthood!

For the first time, I began to look seriously at other religions. Just recently, I stumbled across the Adventists. Do you think that might be something for me?

Todd

!!YOUR ANSWERS FROM POWER OF PRIDE – GAY ADVENTIST NEWS!!

Dear Aspiring Priest,

WHERE GAYS FIND A SPIRITUAL HOME

Absolutely. The Adventists have a large number of gays in their ranks, and their leadership (both in and out of the closet) is positive towards the Community!

Mr. Cliff Goldstein fills a key position at their world HQ: “I edit the Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guides (the “Quarterly”), the official denominational teaching publication for the world SDA Church; the publisher is the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.” (Clifford Goldstein, Graffiti in the Holy of Holies: An Impassioned Response to Recent Attacks on the Sanctuary and Ellen White, Pacific Press Publishing, 2003, p. 12)

This important Adventist leader has come right out and said:

“I’m sure Jesus looks approvingly on ‘loving, monoganamous, and committed’ homosexual sodomy, don’t you?”

• click here for full citation

• click here for proof of context

As you might expect in a huge, worldwide church, not every member is up to speed yet. So don’t expect welcome and full acceptance in every congregation you visit.

SEVERAL PINK UNIVERSITIES

You will feel most comfortable attending a church close to one of their California universities. In particular, the Pacific Union College church should suit you just fine.

“Pacific Union College is affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church, a world-wide Christian community that runs one of the world’s largest Protestant school systems. The college is owned, operated and subsidized by the regional division of the Adventist Church, the Pacific Union Conference.” http://www.puc.edu/about-puc/about-our-adventist-faith

In the recent battle for gay marriage rights in California, the pastor there, Elder Tim Mitchell, took a strong stand for the rights of the Community. He correctly noted that it was a matter of religious liberty.

So go ahead and enroll in the theology program there. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the gay-friendly atmosphere of love and acceptance you’ll find!

But not to sleight the communication department, either. The professor there, Ms. Michelle Rai, is a well-known friend of the Community (see at left).

After the big defeat, they had this to say:

“It is with great disappointment that we acknowledge the results of Californians’ vote in favor of Proposition 8 to eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry.” http://adventistsagainstprop8.org/

PACIFIC UNION COLLEGE NOT ALONE

Another Adventist school with rock-solid credentials is Loma Linda University, where Juhyeok Nam is an associate professor. http://www.llu.edu/llu/faculty/
directory/portfolio_activity.php?uid=jjnam&catid=19

“Loma Linda University (LLU) is a Seventh-day Adventist educational health-sciences institution” http://www.llu.edu/llu/about.html

He has made some HUGE breakthroughs in Bible interpretation!

“As I read the Bible – the Word of God – I find that there are many statements we Adventists do not take literally or apply directly to our lives today.” Juhyeok Nam http://progressiveadventism.com/2008/12/02/

why-i-disagree-with-paul/#more-582

And Juhyeok Nam is right!!

There are those irritating passages against graven images, idolatry, and the like. Sure some of these provisions just happen to be in the ten commandments, but when you’re into progressive Adventism, the Bible can sometimes be a burden!

KETTERING COLLEGE OF MEDICAL ARTS: THE BIBLE IS A BURDEN

“The Bible is at once a revelation and a…burden.” (Charles Scriven, Comment of 30 June 2008 at 5:38, http://www.spectrummagazine.org/podcast/2008/06/24/test)

“Charles Scriven is president of Kettering College of the Medical Arts and chairs the Adventist Forum/SPECTRUM board.” (Alexander Carpenter, Reconstructing Seventh-day Adventism – Charles Scriven, 26 June 2008, http://www.spectrummagazine.org/podcast/2008/06/24/test)

“Owned and operated by Kettering Medical Center, KCMA is an integral part of the educational mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.” http://www.kcma.edu/AboutUs/sdaInfo.html

Now what passages might these learned Adventist academics be talking about as so burdensome?

LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY: GAYNESS IS COOL

“I can choose not to apply specific teachings of Scripture”

“I do not think that the full expression of the homosexual identity is sinful.”

“I find homosexuality and heterosexuality – both as orientations and expressions – as morally equivalent and neutral.” Juhyeok Nam, supra

Dr. Nam “is an associate professor of religion at Loma Linda University

School of Religion in

California, and a commissioned minister of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. He teaches Adventist history and theology.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_Nam

DEEP PSYCHOLOGICAL INSIGHTS

Dr. Nam correctly identifies the issue as one of normalcy:

“Some seem to believe that “normalizing” homosexuality will lead to the end of faith, religion and culture as we know it.” “If our faith, religion and culture really depended on a particular definition of normalcy in sexual orientation, then perhaps they need to receive a major corrective surgery. “ Juhyeok Nam
http://progressiveadventism.com/2008/12/
02/why-i-disagree-with-paul/#more-582

which has found resonance in the Community:

“There are too many of us who are not sick, or inverted, or perverted, or even ‘effeminate,’ but who just have a knack for falling in love with people of our own sex. When we have been damaged, it has not been due to our homosexuality but to your and our denial of it. The burden of proof now is not on us, to show that we are not sick, but rather on those who insist that we would be better off going back into the closet.” Posted by: Pacific Union College Professor Alexander Carpenter reference

Even after the crushing defeat in California this year, Juhyeok Nam is not giving up. He’s placing his hopes on education:

“It is my sincere hope that changes will be made (in my lifetime) to these statements in the direction of grace, acceptance, and normalization of homosexuals and same-sex marriages. Clearly, this change will not happen overnight by some administrative vote coming from the General Conference, and it shouldn’t, for it should not happen by force or intimidation. It ought to and will happen through a shift in the thinking of the laity, especially in the younger generations of our community. Education is, therefore, so crucial – whether at church or at school.” Juhyeok Nam, supra

An education of the sort you can find at Pacific Union College, Loma Linda University, and, of course, at La Sierra. Its all a matter of getting your GAY & LESBIAN INFO — where the flag is flown with PRIDE!

HIGHLY RELEVANT:

Get the latest from Pacific Union College and Loma Linda here – A Special Lesbian Wedding

From the corridors of power – The new General Conference gay liberation theology

Pix:
http://www.atoday.com/files/uploads/cliff_goldstein_pic_.gif
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]]> http://powerofpride.wordpress.com/2009/06/01/adventist-theology-attractive-to-disenchanted-catholics/feed/ 0 powerofpride wordpress hit counter http://powerofpride.wordpress.com/2009/05/20/hosanna/ http://powerofpride.wordpress.com/2009/05/20/hosanna/#comments Wed, 20 May 2009 13:34:26 +0000 powerofpride http://powerofpride.wordpress.com/?p=8 ]]>

“I see the king of glory
Coming down the clouds with fire
The whole earth shakes, the whole earth shakes
I see his love and mercy
Washing over all our sin
The people sing, the people sing

Hosanna, hosanna
Hosanna in the highest

I see a generation
Rising up to take the place
With selfless faith, with selfless faith
I see a new revival
Starting as we pray and seek
We’re on our knees, we’re on our knees

Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you have loved me
Break my heart for what is yours
Everything I am for your kingdom’s cause
As I walk from earth into eternity“

Hosanna
Hillsong United Hosanna lyrics

Dear Power of Pride,

Clifford Godstein does not support gay marriage. In fact, he is passionately opposed to gay marriage. The quote from him that you have on your website here was obviously a sarcastic statement if you actually read everything he wrote in the blog you refernece. Ever hear of sarcasm?

Sean Pitman, M.D.

!!YOUR ANSWERS FROM POWER OF PRIDE – GAY ADVENTIST NEWS!!

Dear Dr. Pitman,

Christian greetings in the precious Name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

First, congratulations on your great ministry in the area of creationism vs. evolution! Your “Geologic Column” is very well documented and attractively illustrated, and we recommend it to all our readers:

http://naturalselection.0catch.com/Files/geologiccolumn.html

You manifest a thorough knowledge of the creation/evolution controversy, and we pray that you may succeed in bringing precious light to millions of minds enslaved by the darkness of error.

Adventists have tried to be friends with everyone. We have invited them into our homes, our churches and our universities, but did not ensure they entered through the Door of Christ so those who could not were excluded. Now our institutions have been corrupted by poisonous lies. The enemy possesses our gates and blasphemes the revelation of Jesus Christ in the Holy Bible.

Few within the circle of this Message are truly born-again. The authority of God’s Word has been diluted by “the letter without the Spirit.”

You think you’ve seen apostasy and lies? You just wait a while. You haven’t seen nothing yet, compared to the total apostasy to come.

THE QUOTE

I find absolutely nothing sarcastic in the quote from our Adventist Brother Goldstein:

“I edit the Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guides (the “Quarterly”), the official denominational teaching publication for the world SDA Church; the publisher is the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.” (Clifford Goldstein, Graffiti in the Holy of Holies: An Impassioned Response to Recent Attacks on the Sanctuary and Ellen White, Pacific Press Publishing, 2003, p. 12)

DEFINITELY NOT SARCASM

But let’s make sure. We check the definition:

“A cutting, often ironic remark intended to wound.
A form of wit that is marked by the use of sarcastic language and is intended to make its victim the butt of contempt or ridicule.” (Sarcasm, answers.com)

There is zero evidence that our Adventist leader Goldstein intended to wound anyone. Also, there is no way that Elder Goldstein would want to make a fellow Christian “the butt of contempt or ridicule“. Dr. Pitman, unless you have any evidence to support your contention that Elder Goldstein was intending to wound or be funny, you are wrong about the sarcasm.

BUT WHAT IF DR. PITMAN COULD PRESENT PROOF THAT ELDER GOLDSTEIN INTENDED TO WOUND

The necessary elements of sarcasm are lacking in this situation.

But let’s play “what if”. What if it had been sarcasm?

“Satan has many helpers. Many who profess to be Christians are aiding the tempter to catch away the seeds of truth from other hearts. … The message that should be regarded as the word of the Lord to them is dwelt upon with trifling or sarcastic comment.” (Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons, p 45)

If Brother Goldstein had fallen into sarcasm, he would be one of Satan’s many little helpers. And we wouldn’t want that, now would we?

“I was shown that here is the danger of young ministers who engage in discussion: They turn their minds to the study of the word to gather the sharp things, and they become sarcastic … Those who engage in debates are not the most successful laborers, and the best adapted to build up the cause. By some, discussion is coveted, and they prefer this kind of labor above any other. They do not study the Bible with humility of mind, that they may know how to attain the love of God” (Ellen G. White, Gospel Workers, p 181)

And where might these discussion laborers be hanging out? “Our goal is to foster community through conversation. This website is the online companion to SPECTRUM, a journal established to encourage Seventh-day Adventist participation in the discussion of contemporary issues from a Christian viewpoint”. http://spectrummagazine.org/about_us That’s the place where our Adventist leader Goldstein gets into debates.

In fact, if our Adventist leader Goldstein loved to debate, and was sarcastic, he would be totally unfit to be a pastor to the flock!!

“Those who love to debate are unfitted for being pastors to the flock. They have trained their minds to meet opponents, and to say sarcastic things” (Ellen G. White, Gospel Workers, pp 184, 185)

Obviously, there are plenty of straight chatrooms available to Elder Goldstein, but no, he went right to:

TOP PUBLISHER

“Charles Scriven is president of Kettering College of the Medical Arts and chairs the Adventist Forum/SPECTRUM board.” (Alexander Carpenter, Reconstructing Seventh-day Adventism – Charles Scriven, 26 June 2008, http://www.spectrummagazine.org/
podcast/2008/06/24/test)

“Owned and operated by Kettering Medical Center, KCMA is an integral part of the educational mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.” http://www.kcma.edu/AboutUs/sdaInfo.html

MOVING WITH THE TIMES

Dr. Scriven’s Adventist Spectrum magazine has carried articles of considerable interest to the Community, most notably:

Gay Theology Without Apology

Why Adventists Should Consider Supporting Gay Marriage

The Community rallies around the flag pictured at right. A flag with a full “spectrum” of diversity. Dr. Scriven’s publication deserves recognition for being true to its name!

HELPING HANDS

All of this would be way too much work for a busy man like Dr. Scriven, so he has help:

“Alexander Carpenter, a fifth-generation Adventist, was home-schooled, church-schooled, public-schooled, and attended a self-supporting academy before graduating from Andrews University summa cum laude (Religion and English Literature) … teaches full-time in the Department of Visual Arts at Pacific Union College. He has been a part of Spectrum since 2004.” http://spectrummagazine.org/about_us

A QUALITY ADVENTIST EDUCATION

“Pacific Union College is affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church, a world-wide Christian community that runs one of the world’s largest Protestant school systems. The college is owned, operated and subsidized by the regional division of the Adventist Church, the Pacific Union Conference.” http://www.puc.edu/about-puc/about-our-adventist-faith

ADVENTIST LEADERS

Dr. Scriven leads an Adventist college and an Adventist chat club. Dr. Carpenter is an emerging leader. http://www.beatitudessociety.org/blog/alex_carpenter/20080609/883

How many Adventist leaders have had the PRIDE to publish a declaration like this?

“There are too many of us who are not sick, or inverted, or perverted, or even “effeminate,” but who just have a knack for falling in love with people of our own sex. When we have been damaged, it has not been due to our homosexuality but to your and our denial of it. The burden of proof now is not on us, to show that we are not sick, but rather on those who insist that we would be better off going back into the closet.” Posted by: Alexander Carpenter 17 June 2008 at 5:35
http://www.spectrummagazine.org/blog/2008/06/16/why_adventists_should_consider_supporting_gay_marriage

Dr. Pitman, you contend that Elder Clifford R. Goldstein has placed himself upon Satan’s ground:

“As soon as a preacher comes down from the position a minister should ever occupy, and descends to the comical to create a laugh over his opponent, or when he is sarcastic and sharp, and rails upon him, he does that which the Saviour of the world did not dare to do; for he places himself upon the enemy’s ground.” (Ellen White, Gospel Workers, p 189)

If what you say is true, Elder Goldstein is not qualified to be a minister of the gospel.

Cliff has always been a great friend of the Gay Community, so obviously gays are going to support Cliff against this unfair accusion.

pix:

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HIGH PLACE IN WINE COUNTRY

Located on a high place overlooking America’s premier wine-producing region, the Napa Valley, “Pacific Union College is a Seventh-day Adventist learning community”. http://www.campusexplorer.com/colleges/4A6C56A4/California/Angwin/Pacific-Union-College/

THE HIGH PLACE

“In early Semitic religions, a place of worship built usually on top of a hill.” http://www.answers.
com/high%20place

ORIGINALLY IN A VALLEY

Pacific Union College was founded in the Sonoma county town of Healdsburg and in 1909 it moved to its current location on Howell Mountain in Napa Valley. http://www.campusexplorer.com/colleges/4A6C56A4/California/Angwin/Pacific-Union-College/

Healdsburg is a little town in the Sonoma Valley located on the Russian River. Its a beautiful, peaceful community http://www.caseranchinn.com/, but was situated too low for Baalistic cult practices.

IMPRESSIVE HOUSE OF WORSHIP ON HOWELL MOUNTAIN HIGH PLACE

As you drive into the campus, you can see the large temple set in a grove.

But let’s say you came at night, and you needed to find your way to the cultic high place the next day. How can you get oriented?

MARKED BY ASHERAH POLE

Its really not that complicated, since the large asherah pole can be seen from just about anywhere.

The basic equipment for a high place worship site consisted of an altar and an asherah. (Silvia Schroer, Aschera, In: Betz, H.D.; Browning, D.S. ; Janowski, B. ; Jüngel, E. (Hrsg.): Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart. Tübingen; Mohr Siebeck; 2003; Bd. 1; 4th edition; p 1058)

“In the Bible Asherah is often equated with a holy tree or a sacred pole” (Bob Becking, Meindert Dijkstra, Karel J. H. Vriezen, Only One God?: Monotheism in Ancient Israel and the Veneration of the Goddess Asherah, Continuum International Publishing Group, 2001, p 141)

“21. A grove. Heb. ‘asherim. The word is used more than 30 times in the OT and is consistently rendered “groves” in the KJV. The word is always used in connection with idols (see on Ex. 34:13). It should be translated “sacred trees” or “wooden poles.” These were dedicated to the pagan goddess Asherah, while the stone pillars were objects of worship dedicated to Baal.” (Comment on Deutoronomy 16, The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary in Seven Volumes, Vol. 1, Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1953, p 1011)

This very substantial asherah pole is constructed with modern building materials, and should last for several hundred years.

HUGE ALTAR

And the altar?

altar n. “An elevated place or structure before which religious ceremonies may be enacted” www.answers.com/topic/altar

At right, you can see a picture of the structure before which religious ceremonies are enacted.

As shown below:

AN ALTAR OF BAAL

And which god might be honored?

“The Early Reformers, when they came out of Rome, removed them as the monuments of idolatry. Luther called the organ an ensign of Baal” (John McClintock and James Strong, Cyclopaedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. 6, Harper & Brothers, 1883, p 762)

The high place on Howell Mountain is fully equipped with a very substantial asherah and altar.

The basic equipment for a high place worship site consisted of an altar and an asherah. (Schroer, supra)

“In Our Phallic Heritage we are told that ‘All pillars or columns originally had a phallic significance, and were therefore considered sacred.’” (Cathy Burns, Masonic and Occult Symbols Illustrated, Sharing, 1998, p. 341)

“In the Bible Asherah is often equated with a holy tree or a sacred pole” (Becking, supra)

So it will come as no surprise that the college symbol is a holy tree!

RELATED READING:

Egyptian Antiquities Expert Habachi / Obelisks, Steeples, and the Mysteries of Paganism

Counterfeit Worship – High Places, Sacred Groves, Obelisks Corrupt the Youth at Worship Center / Baal Worship Rituals

Baal Worship Practices: High Places, Groves, and Asherah Poles / Modern Day Idolatry Case Study

Steeples, Obelisks, Standing Images, and Idols – Ancient Idolatry Practices Still Widespread

Prophet Jeremiah on Obelisks / Baal’s Shaft (Obelisk) Decorates his Shrine in Chattanooga

Graphics:

http://napavalley.com/visitorsinfo/tour/pages/img_18.htm

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/29/64214047_10920d6f02.jpg?v=0

http://www.flickr.com/photos/citywalker/667068448/in/set-72157600560829419/

http://www.pucchurch.org/whoweare/welcome.shtml

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/citywalker/667114274/in/set-72157600560829419/

http://www.angwinreporter.com/AR2006-02/organ.jpg

http://www.puc.edu/puc-life/spiritual-life/home

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/06/Pacific_Union_College_Sign_2008.jpg/180px-Pacific_Union_College_Sign_2008.jpg

Jesus is the One to live for, and that’s the only way to go. Watch this great video, and read the inspiring story that goes with it!!!

By Leo Tolstoy

In a certain town there lived a cobbler, Martin Avdéitch by name. He had a tiny room in a basement, the one window of which looked out on to the street. Through it one could only see the feet of those who passed by, but Martin recognized the people by their boots. He had lived long in the place and had many acquaintances. There was hardly a pair of boots in the neighborhood that had not been once or twice through his hands, so he often saw his own handiwork through the window. Some he had re-soled, some patched, some stitched up, and to some he had even put fresh uppers. He had plenty to do, for he worked well, used good material, did not charge too much, and could be relied on. If he could do a job by the day required, he undertook it; if not, he told the truth and gave no false promises; so he was well known and never short of work.

Martin had always been a good man; but in his old age he began to think more about his soul and to draw nearer to God. While he still worked for a master, before he set up on his own account, his wife had died, leaving him with a three-year old son. None of his elder children had lived, they had all died in infancy. At first Martin thought of sending his little son to his sister’s in the country, but then he felt sorry to part with the boy, thinking: “It would be hard for my little Kapitón to have to grow up in a strange family; I will keep him with me.”

Martin left his master and went into lodgings with his little son. But he had no luck with his children. No sooner had the boy reached an age when he could help his father and be a support as well as a joy to him, than he fell ill and, after being laid up for a week with a burning fever, died. Martin buried his son, and gave way to despair so great and overwhelming that he murmured against God. In his sorrow he prayed again and again that he too might die, reproaching God for having taken the son he loved, his only son while he, old as he was, remained alive. After that Martin left off going to church.

One day an old man from Martin’s native village who had been a pilgrim for the last eight years, called in on his way from Tróitsa Monastery. Martin opened his heart to him, and told him of his sorrow.

“I no longer even wish to live, holy man,” he said. “All I ask of God is that I soon may die. I am now quite without hope in the world.”

The old man replied: “You have no right to say such things, Martin. We cannot judge God’s ways. Not our reasoning, but God’s will, decides. If God willed that your son should die and you should live, it must be best so. As to your despair ? that comes because you wish to live for your own happiness.”

“What else should one live for?” asked Martin.

“For God, Martin,” said the old man. “He gives you life, and you must live for Him. When you have learnt to live for Him, you will grieve no more, and all will seem easy to you.”

Martin was silent awhile, and then asked: “But how is one to live for God?”

The old man answered: “How one may live for God has been shown us by Christ. Can you read? Then buy the Gospels, and read them: there you will see how God would have you live. You have it all there.”

These words sank deep into Martin’s heart, and that same day he went and bought himself a Testament in large print, and began to read.

At first he meant only to read on holidays, but having once begun he found it made his heart so light that he read every day. Sometimes he was so absorbed in his reading that the oil in his lamp burnt out before he could tear himself away from the book. He continued to read every night, and the more he read the more clearly he understood what God required of him, and how he might live for God. And his heart grew lighter and lighter. Before, when he went to bed he used to lie with a heavy heart, moaning as he thought of his little Kapitón; but now he only repeated again and again: “Glory to Thee, glory to Thee, O Lord! Thy will be done!”

From that time Martin’s whole life changed. Formerly, on holidays he used to go and have tea at the public house, and did not even refuse a glass or two of vódka. Sometimes, after having had a drop with a friend, he left the public house not drunk, but rather merry, and would say foolish things: shout at a man, or abuse him. Now, all that sort of thing passed away from him. His life became peaceful and joyful. He sat down to his work in the morning, and when he had finished his day’s work he took the lamp down from the wall, stood it on the table, fetched his book from the shelf, opened it, and sat down to read. The more he read the better he understood, and the clearer and happier he felt in his mind.

It happened once that Martin sat up late, absorbed in his book. He was reading Luke’s Gospel; and in the sixth chapter he came upon the verses:

“To him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and from him that taketh away thy cloak withhold not thy coat also. Give to every man that asketh thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.”

He also read the verses where our Lord says:

“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth, against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.”

When Martin read these words his soul was glad within him. He took off his spectacles and laid them on the book, and leaning his elbows on the table pondered over what he had read. He tried his own life by the standard of those words, asking himself:

“Is my house built on the rock, or on sand? If it stands on the rock, it is well. It seems easy enough while one sits here alone, and one thinks one has done all that God commands; but as soon as I cease to be on my guard, I sin again. Still I will persevere. It brings such joy. Help me, O Lord!”

He thought all this, and was about to go to bed, but was loth to leave his book. So he went on reading the seventh chapter ? about the centurion, the widow’s son, and the answer to John’s disciples ? and he came to the part where a rich Pharisee invited the Lord to his house; and he read how the woman who was a sinner, anointed his feet and washed them with her tears, and how he justified her. Coming to the forty-fourth verse, he read:

“And turning to the woman, he said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath wetted my feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair. Thou gavest me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but she hath anointed my feet with ointment.”

He read these verses and thought: “He gave no water for his feet, gave no kiss, his head with oil he did not anoint?” And Martin took off his spectacles once more, laid them on his book, and pondered.

“He must have been like me, that Pharisee. He too thought only of himself ? how to get a cup of tea, how to keep warm and comfortable; never a thought of his guest. He took care of himself, but for his guest he cared nothing at all. Yet who was the guest? The Lord himself! If he came to me, should I behave like that?”

Then Martin laid his head upon both his arms and, before he was aware of it, he fell asleep.

“Martin!” he suddenly heard a voice, as if some one had breathed the word above his ear.

He started from his sleep. “Who’s there?” he asked.

He turned round and looked at the door; no one was there. He called again. Then he heard quite distinctly: “Martin, Martin! Look out into the street to-morrow, for I shall come.”

Martin roused himself, rose from his chair and rubbed his eyes, but did not know whether he had heard these words in a dream or awake. He put out the lamp and lay down to sleep.

Next morning he rose before daylight, and after saying his prayers he lit the fire and prepared his cabbage soup and buckwheat porridge. Then he lit the samovár, put on his apron, and sat down by the window to his work. As he sat working Martin thought over what had happened the night before. At times it seemed to him like a dream, and at times he thought that he had really heard the voice. “Such things have happened before now,” thought he.

So he sat by the window, looking out into the street more than he worked, and whenever any one passed in unfamiliar boots he would stoop and look up, so as to see not the feet only but the face of the passer-by as well. A house-porter passed in new felt boots; then a water-carrier. Presently an old soldier of Nicholas’ reign came near the window, spade in hand. Martin knew him by his boots, which were shabby old felt ones, galoshed with leather. The old man was called Stepánitch: a neighboring tradesman kept him in his house for charity, and his duty was to help the house-porter. He began to clear away the snow before Martin’s window. Martin glanced at him and then went on with his work.

“I must be growing crazy with age,” said Martin, laughing at his fancy. “Stepánitch comes to clear away the snow, and I must needs imagine it’s Christ coming to visit me. Old dotard that I am!”

Yet after he had made a dozen stitches he felt drawn to look out of the window again. He saw that Stepánitch had leaned his spade against the wall, and was either resting himself or trying to get warm. The man was old and broken down, and had evidently not enough strength even to clear away the snow.

“What if I called him in and gave him some tea?” thought Martin. “The samovár is just on the boil.”

He stuck his awl in its place, and rose; and putting the samovár on the table, made tea. Then he tapped the window with his fingers. Stepánitch turned and came to the window. Martin beckoned to him to come in, and went himself to open the door.

“Come in,” he said, “and warm yourself a bit. I’m sure you must be cold.”

“May God bless you!” Stepánitch answered. “My bones do ache to be sure.” He came in, first shaking off the snow, and lest he should leave marks on the floor he began wiping his feet; but as he did so he tottered and nearly fell.

“Don’t trouble to wipe your feet,” said Martin “I’ll wipe up the floor ? it’s all in the day’s work. Come, friend, sit down and have some tea.”

Filling two tumblers, he passed one to his visitor, and pouring his own out into the saucer, began to blow on it.

Stepánitch emptied his glass, and, turning it upside down, put the remains of his piece of sugar on the top. He began to express his thanks, but it was plain that he would be glad of some more.

“Have another glass,” said Martin, refilling the visitor’s tumbler and his own. But while he drank his tea Martin kept looking out into the street.

“Are you expecting any one?” asked the visitor.

“Am I expecting any one? Well, now, I’m ashamed to tell you. It isn’t that I really expect any one; but I heard something last night which I can’t get out of my mind. Whether it was a vision, or only a fancy, I can’t tell. You see, friend, last night I was reading the Gospel, about Christ the Lord, how he suffered, and how he walked on earth. You have heard tell of it, I dare say.”

“I have heard tell of it,” answered Stepánitch; “but I’m an ignorant man and not able to read.”

“Well, you see, I was reading of how he walked on earth. I came to that part, you know, where he went to a Pharisee who did not receive him well. Well, friend, as I read about it, I thought now that man did not receive Christ the Lord with proper honor. Suppose such a thing could happen to such a man as myself, I thought, what would I not do to receive him! But that man gave him no reception at all. Well, friend, as I was thinking of this, I began to doze, and as I dozed I heard some one call me by name. I got up, and thought I heard someone whispering, ?Expect me; I will come to-morrow.’ This happened twice over. And to tell you the truth, it sank so into my mind that, though I am ashamed of it myself, I keep on expecting him, the dear Lord!”

Stepánitch shook his head in silence, finished his tumbler and laid it on its side; but Martin stood it up again and refilled it for him.

“Here drink another glass, bless you! And I was thinking too, how he walked on earth and despised no one, but went mostly among common folk. He went with plain people, and chose his disciples from among the likes of us, from workmen like us, sinners that we are. ?He who raises himself,’ he said, ?shall be humbled and he who humbles himself shall be raised.’ ?You call me Lord,’ he said, ?and I will wash your feet.’ ?He who would be first,’ he said, ?let him be the servant of all; because,’ he said, ?blessed are the poor, the humble, the meek, and the merciful.’”

Stepánitch forgot his tea. He was an old man easily moved to tears, and as he sat and listened the tears ran down his cheeks.

“Come, drink some more,” said Martin. But Stepánitch crossed himself, thanked him, moved away his tumbler, and rose.

“Thank you, Martin Avdéitch,” he said, “you have given me food and comfort both for soul and body.”

“You’re very welcome. Come again another time. I am glad to have a guest,” said Martin.

Stepánitch went away; and Martin poured out the last of the tea and drank it up. Then he put away the tea things and sat down to his work, stitching the back seam of a boot. And as he stitched he kept looking out of the window, waiting for Christ, and thinking about him and his doings. And his head was full of Christ’s sayings.

Two soldiers went by: one in government boots, and the other in boots of his own; then the master of a neighboring house, in shining galoshes; then a baker carrying a basket. All these passed on. Then a woman came up in worsted stockings and peasant-made shoes. She passed the window, but stopped by the wall. Martin glanced up at her through the window, and saw that she was a stranger, poorly dressed, and with a baby in her arms. She stopped by the wall with her back to the wind, trying to wrap the baby up, though she had hardly anything to wrap it in. The woman had only summer clothes on, and even they were shabby and worn. Through the window Martin heard the baby crying, and the woman trying to soothe it, but unable to do so. Martin rose and going out of the door and up the steps he called to her.

“My dear, I say, my dear!”

The woman heard, and turned round.

“Why do you stand out there with the baby in the cold? Come inside. You can wrap him up better in a warm place. Come this way!”

The woman was surprised to see an old man in an apron, with spectacles on his nose, calling to her, but she followed him in.

They went down the steps, entered the little room, and the old man led her to the bed.

“There, sit down, my dear, near the stove. Warm yourself, and feed the baby.”

“Oh, I haven’t got any milk. I have eaten nothing myself since early morning,” said the woman, but still she took the baby to her breast.

Martin shook his head. He brought out a basin and some bread. Then he opened the oven door and poured some cabbage soup into the basin. He took out the porridge pot also but the porridge was not yet ready, so he spread a cloth on the table and served only the soup and bread.

“Sit down and eat, my dear, and I’ll mind the baby. Why, bless me, I’ve had children of my own; I know how to manage them.”

The woman crossed herself, and sitting down at the table began to eat, while Martin put the baby on the bed and sat down by it. He chucked and chucked, but having no teeth he could not do it well and the baby continued to cry. Then Martin tried poking at him with his finger; he drove his finger straight at the baby’s mouth and then quickly drew it back, and did this again and again. He did not let the baby take his finger in its mouth, because it was all black with cobbler’s wax. But the baby first grew quiet watching the finger, and then began to laugh. And Martin felt quite pleased.

The woman sat eating and talking, and told him who she was, and where she had been.

“I’m a soldier’s wife,” said she. “They sent my husband somewhere, far away, eight months ago, and I have heard nothing of him since. I had a place as cook till my baby was born, but then they would not keep me with a child. For three months now I have been struggling, unable to find a place, and I’ve had to sell all I had for food. I tried to go as a wet-nurse, but no one would have me; they said I was too starved-looking and thin. Now I have just been to see a tradesman’s wife (a woman from our village is in service with her) and she has promised to take me. I thought it was all settled at last, but she tells me not to come till next week. It is far to her place, and I am fagged out, and baby is quite starved, poor mite. Fortunately our landlady has pity on us, and lets us lodge free, else I don’t know what we should do.”

Martin sighed. “Haven’t you any warmer clothing?” he asked.

“How could I get warm clothing?” said she. “Why I pawned my last shawl for sixpence yesterday.”

Then the woman came and took the child, and Martin got up. He went and looked among some things that were hanging on the wall, and brought back an old cloak.

“Here,” he said, “though it’s a worn-out old thing, it will do to wrap him up in.”

The woman looked at the cloak, then at the old man, and taking it, burst into tears. Martin turned away, and groping under the bed brought out a small trunk. He fumbled about in it, and again sat down opposite the woman. And the woman said:

“The Lord bless you, friend. Surely Christ must have sent me to your window, else the child would have frozen. It was mild when I started, but now see how cold it has turned. Surely it must have been Christ who made you look out of your window and take pity on me, poor wretch!”

Martin smiled and said, “It is quite true; it was he made me do it. It was no mere chance made me look out.”

And he told the woman his dream, and how he had heard the Lord’s voice promising to visit him that day.

“Who knows? All things are possible,” said the woman. And she got up and threw the cloak over her shoulders, wrapping it round herself and round the baby. Then she bowed, and thanked Martin once more.

“Take this for Christ’s sake,” said Martin, and gave her sixpence to get her shawl out of pawn. The woman crossed herself, and Martin did the same, and then he saw her out.

After the woman had gone, Martin ate some cabbage soup, cleared the things away, and sat down to work again. He sat and worked, but did not forget the window, and every time a shadow fell on it he looked up at once to see who was passing. People he knew and strangers passed by, but no one remarkable.

After a while Martin saw an apple-woman stop just in front of his window. She had a large basket, but there did not seem to be many apples left in it; she had evidently sold most of her stock. On her back she had a sack full of wood chips, which she was taking home. No doubt she had gathered them at some place where building was going on. The sack evidently hurt her, and she wanted to shift it from one shoulder to the other, so she put it down on the footpath and, placing her basket on a post, began to shake down the chips in the sack. While she was doing this a boy in a tattered cap ran up, snatched an apple out of the basket, and tried to slip away; but the old woman noticed it, and turning, caught the boy by his sleeve. He began to struggle, trying to free himself, but the old woman held on with both hands, knocked his cap off his head, and seized hold of his hair. The boy squawked and the old woman scolded him. Martin dropped his awl, not waiting to stick it in its place, and rushed out of the door. Stumbling up the steps, and dropping his spectacles in his hurry, he ran out into the street. The old woman was pulling the boy’s hair and scolding him, and threatening to take him to the police. The lad was struggling and protesting, saying, “I did not take it. What are you beating me for? Let me go!”

Martin separated them. He took the boy by the hand and said, “Let him go, Granny. Forgive him for Christ’s sake.”

“I’ll pay him out, so that he won’t forget it for a year! I’ll take the rascal to the police!”

Martin began entreating the old woman.

“Let him go, Granny. He won’t do it again. Let him go for Christ’s sake!”

The old woman let go, and the boy wished to run away, but Martin stopped him.

“Ask the Granny’s forgiveness!” said he. “And don’t do it another time. I saw you take the apple.”

The boy began to cry and to beg pardon.

“That’s right. And now here’s an apple for you,” and Martin took an apple from the basket and gave it to the boy, saying, “I will pay you, Granny.”

“You will spoil them that way, the young rascals,” said the old woman. “He ought to be whipped so that he should remember it for a week.”

“Oh, Granny, Granny,” said Martin, “that’s our way ? but it’s not God’s way. If he should be whipped for stealing an apple, what should be done to us for our sins?”

The old woman was silent.

And Martin told her the parable of the lord who forgave his servant a large debt, and how the servant went out and seized his debtor by the throat. The old woman listened to it all, and the boy, too, stood by and listened.

“God bids us forgive,” said Martin, “or else we shall not be forgiven. Forgive every one; and a thoughtless youngster most of all.”

The old woman wagged her head and sighed.

“It’s true enough,” said she, “but they are getting terribly spoilt.”

“Then we old ones must show them better ways,” Martin replied.

“That’s just what I say,” said the old woman. “I have had seven of them myself, and only one daughter is left.” And the old woman began to tell how and where she was living with her daughter, and how many grandchildren she had. “There now,” she said, “I have but little strength left, yet I work hard for the sake of my grandchildren; and nice children they are, too. No one comes out to meet me but the children. Little Annie, now, won’t leave me for any one. ?It’s grandmother, dear grandmother, darling grandmother.’” And the old woman completely softened at the thought.

“Of course, it was only his childishness, God help him,” said she, referring to the boy.

As the old woman was about to hoist her sack on her back, the lad sprang forward to her, saying, “Let me carry it for you, Granny. I’m going that way.”

The old woman nodded her head, and put the sack on the boy’s back, and they went down the street together, the old woman quite forgetting to ask Martin to pay for the apple. Martin stood and watched them as they went along talking to each other.

When they were out of sight Martin went back to the house. Having found his spectacles unbroken on the steps, he picked up his awl and sat down again to work. He worked a little, but could soon not see to pass the bristle through the holes in the leather; and presently he noticed the lamplighter passing on his way to light the street lamps.

“Seems it’s time to light up,” thought he. So he trimmed his lamp, hung it up, and sat down again to work. He finished off one boot and, turning it about, examined it. It was all right. Then he gathered his tools together, swept up the cuttings, put away the bristles and the thread and the awls, and, taking down the lamp, placed it on the table. Then he took the Gospels from the shelf. He meant to open them at the place he had marked the day before with a bit of morocco, but the book opened at another place. As Martin opened it, his yesterday’s dream came back to his mind, and no sooner had he thought of it than he seemed to hear footsteps, as though some one were moving behind him. Martin turned round, and it seemed to him as if people were standing in the dark corner, but he could not make out who they were. And a voice whispered in his ear: “Martin, Martin, don’t you know me?”

“Who is it?” muttered Martin.

“It is I,” said the voice. And out of the dark corner stepped Stepánitch, who smiled and vanishing like a cloud was seen no more.

“It is I,” said the voice again. And out of the darkness stepped the woman with the baby in her arms and the woman smiled and the baby laughed, and they too vanished.

“It is I,” said the voice once more. And the old woman and the boy with the apple stepped out and both smiled, and then they too vanished.

And Martin’s soul grew glad. He crossed himself put on his spectacles, and began reading the Gospel just where it had opened; and at the top of the page he read

“I was a hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in.”

And at the bottom of the page he read:

“Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren even these least, ye did it unto me.” And Martin understood that his dream had come true; and that the Savior had really come to him that day, and he had welcomed him.

Dear Power of Pride,

I teach at one of our colleges, and keep my classroom presentations to the subject. But in the last year, there have been so many burning issues of interest to the Community, that I’ve gotten pretty deeply into internet activism — using my real name, which was probably a mistake.

I thought I could keep my virtual world separate from my work here at the college, but it seems word is getting around. When I arrived at my office today, I found this card slid under the door.

The college I teach at is very liberal and accepting of alternative lifestyles, but I don’t really think I should come out — after all, who wants to suffer the fate of Grady Smoot?

In academy, I had felt some attraction for guys, but also some for the chicks. But then I went off to a major Adventist university for my college studies. The gay student union was extraordinarily active, and, what shall I say, the flesh is weak.

For grad school, I attended an institution located in the gay village. So much for any of those resolutions!

So I got the idea, maybe I should get with a chick. There are plenty of them in the gay village, and so I got involved. I got to thinking — maybe I’m not so gay after all. But then my girlfriend came out to me as dyke.

Oh, well, maybe I could just stay away from these influences, and read my Bible in my spare time.

The time in grad school was soon over, and I was doing pretty well at keeping things under control.

Until I started attending la church every week. You’ve probably heard about the “lay activities” coordinator in a church, well, the church I attend has a “gay activities” coordinator.

Sometimes I feel so confused and frustrated because I seem to sum up the two genders and plenty of shades of gray in between in my orientation.

I need a personal God who can understand me.

!!YOUR ANSWERS FROM POWER OF PRIDE – GAY ADVENTIST NEWS!!

Dear Adventist professor,

You are not alone! Other Adventist theologians have wrestled with this matter, and come to revolutionary conclusions!!!!

ADVENTIST SEX EXPERT

“God certainly is not masculine. You cannot say God is male. He, He is not.

He is more than both genders, and when God created humanity, he created man and woman in his image so that means both man and woman so therefore God is not male.” (Ekkehardt Mueller, Interview with Dr. Ekkehardt Mueller, Ground 7 News, http://www.mefeedia.com/entry/2704554)

AND GENERAL CONFERENCE BIBLICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE DIRECTOR

Dr. Ekkehardt Mueller is a director of the Biblical Research Institute of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. He is based out of their HQ in Silver Spring, Maryland. http://www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/aboutus.htm

AN AGE OF DIVERSITY

“Genderqueer and intergender are catchall terms for gender identities other than man and woman. People who identify as genderqueer may think of themselves as being both male and female, as being neither male nor female, or as falling completely outside the gender binary. Some wish to have certain features of the opposite sex and not all characteristics; others want it all.” (Genderqueer, Wikipedia)

We live in times when openness about, and acceptance of, alternative lifestyles has become widespread in society. And, of course, in those churches who orient their theology to what the world thinks and does.

ALL THINGS TO ALL MEN

The Adventist church has become popular with the world and the other churches. And now the second-ranking Adventist theologian is reaching out to the genderqueer community with his unique theology. You see, its a matter of being all things to all men:

“Making disciples might require us to do strange things: eat or drink strange mixtures, and be all things to all people so we can win some. This is the call and challenge of discipleship, especially as the gospel goes around the world and into cultures sometimes radically different from our own.”
http://ssnet.org/qrtrly/eng/08a/less06.html

A lot of Christians believe that God the Father has a masculine identity, like most fathers do, but Dr. Mueller says otherwise:

“Now for example some people will claim, and its true, in the Old Testament you have you have very strongly masculine language uh I I actually have a list here clear female references to God clear female references to God in scripture about about 8. Possible female references to God are about 5. And then you have unlikely, and even false, references, where people falsely have said this is a female reference to God. In other words, we don’t have many, but its true that that God is also described as a mother. For example, in Isaiah 63.” (Ekkehardt Mueller, Interview with Dr. Ekkehardt Mueller, Ground 7 News, http://www.mefeedia.com/entry/2704554)

So you see you are not alone!

RELATED READING:

Progressive Adventist Tupperware Evangelist brings Gay Couple Together!

All Things to All Men — Publishing, Eating, and Drinking

pix:

http://oneyearbibleimages.com/jesus_light.jpg

http://library.dts.edu/Images/Sc/luther.bible.1545.L.jpg

http://www.zimbio.com/Mario+Lavandeira/articles/19/Total+eww+to+end+the+night

Dear Power of Pride,

Thanks a lot for your great news and views for the Community. You seem to have a West Coast focus. But surprise, surprise, Southern is pretty good too.

The faculty here is diverse and tolerant. Please let your readership know there’s no need to drive all the way out to PUC to get a quality Adventist education.

Mack

!!YOUR ANSWERS FROM POWER OF PRIDE – GAY ADVENTIST NEWS!!

Dear fellow Adventist

What you’re saying has a lot of truth in it. Certainly for the intersexed and genderqueer, Southern offers a very understanding environment. In addition to a state-of-the-art bathhouse, this university offers instruction from internationally renowned professors with qualifications in gay studies.

LEADING SCHOLARS ON FACULTY

Professors who have published authoritative works dealing with the intersexed and genderqueer communities in the Adventist church.

“A common myth exists that people are biologically ‘either or,’ either biologically male or biologically female. In reality, people are much more complex. Some individuals are positioned along the continuum between male and female.” (René Drumm, The Social Experiences of Gay and Lesbian Seventh-day Adventists, Christianity and Homosexuality: Some Seventh-day Adventist Perspectives, p 3-4) Dr. René D. Drumm chairs the Southern Adventist University Social Work and Family Studies Department. http://swfs.southern.edu/faculty/facultymain.htm

WHAT REALLY GOES ON IN THE CHURCH STORAGE ROOM

Dr. Drumm is, of course, an expert on orientations.

“Among men who engage in anonymous sexual encounters with men, the majority identify themselves as heterosexual and more than half (54-58 percent) are married. In another study that examines sexual labeling of men who have had sex with men and have requested an HlV blood test, 25 percent reported a heterosexual orientation.” (René Drumm, The Social Experiences of Gay and Lesbian Seventh-day Adventists, Christianity and Homosexuality: Some Seventh-day Adventist Perspectives, pp 3-7, 3-8.

Yes, according to Southern professor Drumm, that huge body of 16 million Adventists is considerably more diverse than church PR types are letting on. You may remember when the Adventists set up a gay to straight therapy center. Dr. Drumm didn’t buy into the concept at all. She says “There was and is no ‘cure’ for homosexuality – although church leaders wanted to believe there might be.” (Drumm, supra, p 3-19)

And Dr. Drumm speaks to an important challenge to the Community here — there are still, believe it or not, some of those old-fashioned, Bible-based types who say that gayness should be cured.

Even at Dr. Drumm’s institution, some of these prophets and evangelists are on the loose. Or were, prior to being packed off to a psychiatric facility.

ABSORBED IN EVANGELISM

You see, a radical group of Bible scholars formed the Twelve Disciples commando unit. Their plan was to engineer really creative, attention-getting evangelistic efforts with a large turnout of students. Brother Ezekiel studied by day in the nursing school, but in the evenings he was quite a different man. After those hours and hours of mandatory worships, chapels, and the ongoing message: “You’re not doing enough to witness”, he and his brethren in the Twelve Disciples planned an action so daring that it would finally shake those sleeping students awake!

“They did not harmonize upon every point of doctrine, but all were moved by the Spirit of God, and united in the absorbing aim to win souls to Christ.” (Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p 257)

“Early in the morning on March 8, a male nursing student snuck in to Thatcher South, pulled the fire alarm and eventually made it to the roof of Wright Hall to preach that God was coming”. (Emily Young, Police escort preaching student off of rooftop, Southern Accent, 19 Mar 2009)

You may say, “So what! Adventists have been preaching that for the longest time”. Well, they did. But that was back in the days before Cliff Goldstein and Dr. René Drumm overhauled, and modernized, Adventist theology.

So, the University administration was really glad that students wanted to preach the Old Gospel?

“The servants of God trod a rugged path. Men of influence and learning employed their powers against them.” (Ellen G. White The Great Controversy, p 258)

Not at all. Their amateur security service called in the Collegedale Police to conduct a full manhunt for the evangelistic team. “Campus Safety officers and the Collegedale Police officers looked for the student for almost an hour before finding him standing on the peak of the roof of Wright Hall with his arms outstretched.” (Young, supra)

The Disciples had planned things carefully: ““His plan was to turn on all the alarms, and a huge group of girls and guys in front of Wright Hall would be there, and he would preach to them,” said Justin Wilson, a senior theology major and a friend of the student’s who was at the scene.” (Young, supra)

But that was the plan. The University would have none of it. They wanted the student to forget about his preaching plans. “Collegedale Police Sgt. Darrell Hannah and Campus Safety Officer Joshua Fraker climbed to the roof and tried to convince the student to back away”. (Young, supra)

[26] If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
[27] And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. Luke 14

Brother Ezekiel was willing to bear the cross for the Gospel. And he didn’t have long to wait!

“He did not show any sign of moving away so Hannah slowly came up behind him, grabbed his shirt collar and pulled him back from the edge of the roof, according to the report.” (Young, supra)

[48] Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast. [49] And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him. [50] And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. Matthew 26

CALLING UPON THE LORD IN DAY OF ADVERSITY

And that was the day that salvation came to Southern.

“Hannah pulled one of the student’s hands behind his back and handcuffed it, but the student began resisting and screaming for God to help him.” (Young, supra)

[13] For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Romans 10

LET’S TASER THAT “DANGEROUS CRIMINAL” WHO DARED TO PREACH THE SECOND ADVENT!!

““He had a lot of adrenalin and was very strong,” Hannah said in the police report. “We were trying to maintain our balance and to keep [the student] from harming us or himself.”
After telling him to put his hands behind his back multiple times, Hannah used a stun gun on the student’s shoulder several times. The student’s muscles tensed and he said, “But no pain shall befall you,” according to the Campus Safety report.” (Young, supra)

“”By how gentle degrees does God prepare us for His will! Two years ago, a piece of brick grazed my shoulders. It was a year after that the stone struck me between the eyes. Last month I received one blow, and this evening two, one before we came into the town, and one after we were gone out; but both were as nothing: for though one man struck me on the breast with all his might, and the other on the mouth with such force that the blood gushed out immediately, I felt no more pain from either of the blows than if they had touched me with a straw.”–John Wesley, Works, vol. 3, pp. 297, 298.” (cited in Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p 259)

Our brother Ezekiel was strengthened. And pain? Just as with the great John Wesley, he felt none!

KARATE CHOP TO NECK AND CHOKEHOLD

The forces of darkness would not give up easily, though.

“When the student still would not comply, Hannah struck him in his brachial neck muscles, according to the report. This maneuver normally knocks a person to the ground, but the student did not respond to it. Then Hannah put pressure on his carotid arteries, which usually causes brief unconsciousness. This made the student relax his arm muscles so Hannah could put him in handcuffs.” (Young, supra)

“WRESTLING” HANDCUFFED PREACHER TO THE GROUND

And so they took him down: “Hannah and Fraker helped him lie down on the roof.” (Young, supra)

All this “help” had left the Adventist evangelist unconscious. Had the SWAT boys gone too far? Was the zealous evangelist dead?

“Hannah was checking the student’s vital signs when the student shook his head, opened his eyes and asked where he was.” (Young, supra)

THE LIE

They just had to paint Brother Ezekiel in the most unreasonable light, so: “After several minutes he began to explain that he believed God would return that night, and he had to tell Southern to be prepared.” (Young, supra)

The Adventists invariably talk about “Jesus” “coming again”, and do not, as a rule, use the term “God is coming again”.

After the tasering and beating, what kind of condition was our Adventist evangelist in? He couldn’t even walk: “Around 8:30 a.m. a ladder truck from the local fire department arrived to take the student off the roof.” (Young, supra)

And all this brutality got our brother discouraged? No way!

““In the ladder truck on the way down he was just preaching away,” Penrod said.” (Young, supra)

[2] Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 2 Tim. 4

And they booked this boy into the local jail, where witnesses would see him, and he’d have access to a lawyer?

Not at all. In his severely injured condition, “The student was taken to Parkridge East Hospital for medical evaluation”. (Young, supra)

Now what to do? The local police department and the Adventist university were faced with a potential lawsuit of epic proportions. There was no evidence that Brother Ezekiel was planning to jump off the building. He just wanted to preach. If Brother had been allowed to do so without harassment, he would have returned to base camp for food later. But this was the old story of “Do it now, and do it my way”. And if you don’t, there’s overwhelming force.

So he’s been locked up until 1) his physical injuries heal, and 2) he “forgets” what happened to him. “then he was taken to Parkridge Valley Hospital for psychiatric evaluation. He was not arrested, but taken into custody for his own protection, Penrod said.” (Young, supra) In the psych ward, plenty of drug therapies are available to erase Brother Ezekiel’s memory.

But taking no chances, the Adventist university has thrown him out of the school: “The student withdrew from classes on March 13 and will be allowed to enroll again at Southern if he meets admission criteria, according to Southern officials.” (Young, supra)

Get this! The evangelist is drugged up and tied down in the psych facility. And he “voluntarily withdraws” from “all his classes”?

Cleartext: This boy isn’t getting out of psych anytime soon.

“Southern administration also issued an official statement.

“While Southern encourages its students to involve themselves in ministry and actively spreading the Gospel story, the university also places a high priority on caring for the safety and well-being of each student,” the statement said. “Southern’s faculty and staff have actively worked to keep all involved students safe. We are grateful to the emergency personnel who assisted [the student] back into a safe situation.”" (Young, supra)

They cared SO MUCH about the safety of Brother Ezekiel. SO MUCH that Brother got tasered, choked, tackled, cuffed, and beaten. Ah, you could say, That was just the police doing the heavy hitting. Not Southern staff.

And in a way its true. The “campus security” is not authorized to physically attack and take down someone who is not threatening immediate harm. But in the official statement, they express gratitude to the taser artist.

So who’s at fault here? Obviously, the student believed what he heard in the mandatory worships, chapels, and religion classes. The repeated exhortations to missionary work soaked in and bore fruit. Its the system at fault.

Or is it really? Sure these people still talk Bible, mission, and what not, but new times have come to Southern. Gospel evangelists get the third degree, while gay evangelists get awards and scholarly recognition.

“If we allow that homosexuality may have followed as a result of sin, does that mean we cannot find beauty in it, or even allow it to exist within the framework of God’s plan? If other changes occurred after the fall which we readily accept, should homosexuality be different?” (Southern Adventist University Professor Dr. René Drumm, supra, pp 3-20 – 3-21)

If only Brother Ezekiel had paid attention to the lessons of Dr. Drumm and her colleagues, he would have raised a gay flag over the admin building. And none of the taserings, beatings, or lock up would have happened.

So welcome to the new Southern.

MORE BREAKING NEWS:

See what happened next here!!!

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Dear Power of Pride,

I attend a top drawer Adventist university in southern California. Me and some of my brothers are planning a spaghetti feed, and think it would be interesting to invite some of our professors.

One of them, in particular, talks like he’s gay and dresses like he’s gay. But prof is married (to a woman).

Durum semolina spaghetti is not the only thing that will be eaten, and we don’t want to offend prof if it turns out he’s straight.

Bond

!!YOUR ANSWERS FROM POWER OF PRIDE – GAY ADVENTIST NEWS!!

Dear fellow Adventist,

It sounds like a fun time will be had by all!

GO AHEAD; BE INCLUSIVE

Go ahead and invite your professors. Chances are good they’re looking for adventure.

PROBABLY A PROGRESSIVE ADVENTIST

But first probe the professors with a question about their religious orientation. Ask if they are progressive Adventists. You see,

“Progressive Christianity is the name given to a movement within contemporary Protestant Christianity characterized by willingness to question tradition, acceptance of human diversity (including the affirmation of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender people), strong emphasis on social justice or care for the poor and the oppressed (see Minority groups and environmental stewardship of the earth.” (Progressive Christianity, Wikipedia)

That way you can find out right away if these men are going to affirm your lifestyle choices.

“Inclusiveness and acceptance is the basic posture of Progressive Christianity.” (Progressive Christianity, Wikipedia) And we all know what can happen when inclusiveness is in the air, and the glasses are topped up with wines.

Maybe prof is “straight—or pretending-to-be-straight” (as per David Larson).

WHEN A CREDENTIALED ADVENTIST MINISTER SPEAKS OF KNOWLEDGE

Dr. Larson makes reference to the important fact that just because gay-oriented people pretend to be straight, it doesn’t mean they are straight. He knows a lot about stuff like this, because “David R. Larson is a Seventh-day Adventist minister and professor of Christian ethics at Loma Linda University”
http://www.spectrummagazine.org/reviews/film/2007/10/19/does_bible_condemn_homosexuality_look_bible_tells_me_so

And, of course, “Loma Linda University (LLU) is a Seventh-day Adventist educational health-sciences institution” http://www.llu.edu/llu/about.html

SEE WHAT HE READS

If you’re dealing with a literature professor, sound him out by reading some Walt Whitman, like:

“Oh, how one gets to love them—often particular cases, so suffering, so good, so manly and affectionate! . . . Ceremony is mostly discarded – they suffer and get exhausted and so weary …. Lots of them have grown to expect, as I leave at night, that we should kiss each other, sometimes quite a number; I have to go round, poor boys. There is little petting in a soldier’s life in the field, but, Abby, I know what is in their hearts, always waiting, though they may be unconscious of it themselves.” (Walt Whitman, Richard Maurice Bucke, The Wound Dresser: A Series of Letters Written from the Hospitals in Washington During the War of the Rebellion, Small, Maynard, 1898, p. 127)

THE SPECTRUM PLOY

Another tactic, of course, is to walk in with a print copy of Spectrum in hand.

At the moment, they’re pushing for a Harvey Milk memorial in city hall.

The Spectrum write-up will give you an idea of just how much progress has been made:

“At their regularly scheduled September meeting, the San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC), took the next step towards the realization of the dreams of many. They approved the three finalist in the competition to create a bronze memorial bust of the late, Supervisor Harvey Milk.

Milk was one of the first openly gay elected officials in the world and after his death by assassination in 1978, he became a hero to the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender civil rights movement.

“ This tribute to Harvey Milk is long overdue… It is indeed time for his legacy to be commemorated with a place of honor and distinction in San Francisco’s City Hall.” said San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.” reference

Another thing to watch for is the use of make-up, particularly red lipstick or eye shadow.

These tactics are all good for sounding out your professor, but in the end you need to take a chance, and see what fortune will bring you.

“Charles Scriven is president of Kettering College of the Medical Arts and chairs the Adventist Forum/SPECTRUM board.” (Alexander Carpenter, Reconstructing Seventh-day Adventism – Charles Scriven, 26 June 2008, http://www.spectrummagazine.org/podcast/2008/06/24/test) And this man’s journal has courage — the courage to publish avant-garde declarations.

“There are too many of us who are not sick, or inverted, or perverted, or even “effeminate,” but who just have a knack for falling in love with people of our own sex. When we have been damaged, it has not been due to our homosexuality but to your and our denial of it. The burden of proof now is not on us, to show that we are not sick, but rather on those who insist that we would be better off going back into the closet. What will “build the double love of God and of our neighbor?”” Posted by: Alexander Carpenter 17 June 2008 at 5:35
http://www.spectrummagazine.org/blog/2008/06/16/why_adventists_should_consider_supporting_gay_marriage

“Owned and operated by Kettering Medical Center, KCMA is an integral part of the educational mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.” http://www.kcma.edu/AboutUs/sdaInfo.html

GLOBAL, SHARED BELIEF SYSTEM

“What makes us Adventists? What makes what makes somebody who is in Africa, who’s here, who’s in Iceland, what makes us Adventists? It’s not race. It’s not gender. It’s not ethnicity. You know, it’s a common, shared belief system.” (Clifford Goldstein, youSAY: what makes us adventists, 25 Feb 2008, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zARWanaNTIY)

“Clifford R. Goldstein is a Seventh-day Adventist author and editor. He is a leading figure in the denomination.” (Clifford Goldstein, Wikipedia)

“I edit the Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guides (the “Quarterly”), the official denominational teaching publication for the world SDA Church; the publisher is the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.” (Clifford Goldstein, Graffiti in the Holy of Holies: An Impassioned Response to Recent Attacks on the Sanctuary and Ellen White, Pacific Press Publishing, 2003, p. 12)

Elder Goldstein knows what he’s talking about! Whether you visit Pacific Union College, Loma Linda, or Union College, you’ll find that “common, shared belief system” that makes our church so special!!

OPENING THE CHURCH DOOR FOR GAYS

“Fritz Guy (born 1930) is a Seventh-day Adventist theologian and Research Professor of Philosophical Theology at La Sierra University in Riverside, California.” (Fritz Guy, Wikipedia)

“La Sierra University is a Seventh-day Adventist institution of higher learning.” http://www.lasierra.edu/whylsu/sda-churches.html

“He has worked as a a college and university professor, an academic administrator, and a church pastor.” “In recent years Guy has positioned himself at the controversial cutting edge of progressive Adventist theology, with lectures and articles exploring the temporality of God, the hope of universal salvation, the theology of creation, and the morality of same-sex relationships.” (Fritz Guy, Wikipedia)

And Dr. Guy wants to stop the intolerance:

“Christians should discontinue their moral condemnation of same-sex intimacy in caring, committed relationships”.

Why all that hostility? Instead, says Dr. Guy,

“Christians should encourage their congregations to welcome, affirm, and support persons engaged in morally appropriate same-sex relationships”. (Fritz Guy, Christianity and Homosexuality: Some Seventh-day Adventist Perspectives, 4-57, 4-58)

IMPORTANCE OF UNITY IN THE REMNANT CHURCH

“The idea is that Adventists all over the world are studying the same teachings and this helps us stay unified as Seventh-day Adventists” (Clifford Goldstein, youSAY: what makes us adventists, 25 Feb 2008, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zARWanaNTIY)

After all, as Dr. Scriven’s journal puts it, “The burden of proof now is not on us, to show that we are not sick, but rather on those who insist that we would be better off going back into the closet.” (Carpenter, supra)

THE SEMINARY IS TURNING OUT REAL PHILOSPHERS

Dr. Guy, is, of course, a product of the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary. He’s always had a lively interest in the youth, serving as “assistant editor of The Youth’s Instructor (later Insight) for three years.” (Fritz Guy, Wikipedia)

A lot of gays think courage went out of style after Stonewall:

“STONEWALL. Perhaps more than any other term, Stonewall has come to symbolize the spirit of the contemporary gay and lesbian liberation movement. A popular gay bar, the Stonewall Inn operated at 53 Christopher Street in the heart of Greenwich Village. Because New York State and New York City had laws forbidding importuning others of the same sex, cross-dressing, same-sex dancing, and so forth, it was only police corruption that enabled gay bars to remain open. Thus, like most other gay bars in New York City during the l960s, the Stonewall Inn was run by a Mafia family. And like other gay bars it was subject to periodic police raids and closures in order to preserve the reputation of the police department as well as elected public officials. The Stonewall lnn catered to a diverse crowd; most of the clientele was nonwhite, and included transvestites and transsexuals, underage gay men, lesbians, prostitutes, and drug dealers. On 27 June 1969 the New York City police raided the Stonewall lnn shortly before midnight. What began as a routine event ended up in a violent confrontation between the patrons of the bar, onlookers, and the police, which carried over into further demonstrations the following evening and into the next week. This was certainly not the first protest against police harassment of gays and lesbians or gay bars.” (Ronald J. Hunt, Historical Dictionary of the Gay Liberation Movement — Gay Men and the Quest for Social Justice, The Scarecrow Press, 1999, p. 169)

but it was a turning point. The Community was getting fed up with the intolerance:

“Neither the New York Mattachine Society nor the New York chapter of the Daughters of Bilitis was prepared for the outrage felt by many younger gays and lesbians. Where the established organizations originally called for calm, the militants called for more aggressive leadership, direct action, and confrontational techniques. Within the space of a few weeks, a new organization, the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) (q.v.), came into being. The GLF transformed the gay and lesbian political movement from a predominantly legalistic and traditional one into a more assertive, open, and confrontational movement for human rights. The events of 27-29 June in New York City are celebrated each year across the United States and around the world with marches commemorating the birth of the contemporary gay and lesbian liberation movement.” (Ronald J. Hunt, Historical Dictionary of the Gay Liberation Movement — Gay Men and the Quest for Social Justice, The Scarecrow Press, 1999, p. 170)

But the pride is only beginning. Thanks to leaders like Dr. Scriven, Dr. Larson, and Dr. Guy, the Community is just starting to feel its oats!

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Dear Power of Pride,

Me and my brothers enjoyed a really sweaty workout at the bathhouse yesterday. Afterwards, in the sauna, we got to discussing the importance of religious liberty — which, believe it or not, is under attack in America!!

I mean, sure, we have the First Amendment. But really bad things are happening out there.

A group of crusading journalists at a small paper in Lincoln is being attacked — reportedly on grounds of Christian journalism!

My homie Vince, who is intersexed, thinks this is just a sign of the times.

What is your take on this tragedy?

Derrick

!!YOUR ANSWERS FROM POWER OF PRIDE – GAY ADVENTIST NEWS!!

Dear Derrick,

“Christians continue to be martyred abroad, but few American believers are aware of how pervasive religious persecution is around the world.” http://www.preaching.com/resources/preaching_online/11549660/archive6/

The reasons for persecution are not difficult to figure out:

“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” 2 Timothy 3:12

I presume you are talking about the recent series of attacks on the talented journalists at the nationally-known Clocktower newspaper.

These people are not just highly-professional journalists.

“As a journalist, my job is to present facts in a clear, coherent form while being as objective (or unbiased) as humanly possible.” (Savannah Bowers, Opinion Writer’s Response, The Clocktower, 14 Nov 2008, p. 7)

STRIKING A BALANCE BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL

They also strike a delicate balance between good and evil:

“Finding a balance between left and right, good and evil, biased and unbiased, is difficult because we are human. Our writers do the best they can to uphold these standards.” (Bowers, supra)

THE SUBTLE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CHURCH AND THE WORLD

But no matter how hard they try, they can’t please everyone!

“The difference between Christian writers and secular writers may not be evident to some. Both are appealing to different groups, both will be criticized for their content and both will continue to portray ideas in positive or negative ways.” (Josh Kanen, CT “Encouraged” to Put College in Positive Light, The Clocktower, 23 Oct 2008, p. 1)

LOOK, WHO SAYS ITS EVEN NEGATIVE?

“To say that a Christian writer should never write or “spin” anything with a negative light is a biased statement. Negativity is subjective. What seems negative to one person may not be negative to another”. (Eric Todd cited in Kanen, supra)

Regular readers will remember the recent investigative piece on same-sex love at Union College. Conservative readers would be appalled, and exclaim something like, “Wow, Union College is coming out of the closet as gay.”

More liberal readers would react to the same piece with something like, “Finally Union is syncing up with Cliff Goldstein’s theological breakthrough!!”

TELLING IT LIKE IT IS

But the award-winning Christian journalist Savannah Bowers was just reporting the facts.

“and I again I think this works I tend to be somewhat of a cognitive kind of person. This is the modernist in me. I’m not this touchy-feely kind of stuff. I WANT THE FACTS!” (Cliff Goldstein, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6lnMNjBFyo)

ADVENTIST GENERAL CONFERENCE SABBATH SCHOOL QUARTERLY DIRECTOR:

“I’m sure Jesus looks approvingly on ‘loving, monoganamous, and committed’ homosexual sodomy, don’t you?” Cliff Goldstein (click for citation)

Elder Goldstein is a top Adventist theologian:

“I edit the Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guides (the “Quarterly”), the official denominational teaching publication for the world SDA Church; the publisher is the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.” (Clifford Goldstein, Graffiti in the Holy of Holies: An Impassioned Response to Recent Attacks on the Sanctuary and Ellen White, Pacific Press Publishing, 2003, p. 12)

PROCLAIMING THE DOCTRINES ON HUMAN SEXUALITY

Elder Goldstein wants the Adventist community to know about “what we believe and why we believe it.”

“I’ve always had a burden to just sort of ground our people in what we believe, let ‘em know what we believe and why we believe it. With. Not so much as an end in itself.” (Cliff Goldstein, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6lnMNjBFyo)

Which is why our Adventist brother proclaims these doctrines in books, on the web, and in video.

“Such are the warnings which God has given to guard men against changing in any manner that which He has revealed or commanded. These solemn denunciations apply to all who by their influence lead men to regard lightly the law of God. They should cause those to fear and tremble who flippantly declare it a matter of little consequence whether we obey God’s law or not. All who exalt their own opinions above divine revelation, all who would change the plain meaning of Scripture to suit their own convenience, or for the sake of conforming to the world, are taking upon themselves a fearful responsibility.” (Ellen White, The Great Controversy, p 268)

You see,

“Ideally, I believe a true understanding of the doctrines would help us come to a true understanding of the character of God, a true understanding of who Jesus was, and what he did for us, what he promises to do for us, and the hope that we have. And I, so, that’s sort of a thing for me I would love to see our people really grounded“. (Cliff Goldstein, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6lnMNjBFyo)

I don’t think anybody in the gay community is complaining!!

Maurice and Roy really like our Adventist brother Goldstein’s theology. They came into the message during a Tupperware evanglistic thrust in the Berkeley gay village. Today, they are happily married and attend a progressive Adventist fellowship in the Bay Area.

For years, Adventists in charge of communicating “a true understanding of who Jesus was” were down on gay love.

But now the editor of the Bible study guide:

“You know, but again, the upshot of it is, is I think, I, and I guess it’s kind of neat that I have the job that I do as the editor of the Bible-study guide.” (Cliff Goldstein, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6lnMNjBFyo)

has proclaimed a new, social gospel, which is sure to receive an enthusiastic welcome in Guerneville, Berkeley, Angwin, and Key West.

GAYS HAVE FEELINGS TOO

Imagine that you had developed feelings of the sort expressed at right. Wouldn’t you feel positive towards a Christian journalist who wrote in an unbiased manner about the feelings that you and others share??

SOURCE OF RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE

“The recent wave of criticism about Christian journalism was brought to the attention of the Union College Clocktower by several adamant staff members all saying the same thing, “Don’t write articles that make Union College look bad.”" (Kanen, supra)

The prophet Jeremiah experienced just this sort of pressure. “Jeremiah, don’t make the people of Israel look bad”.

19:15
“Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, Behold, I will bring upon this city and upon all its towns all the evil that I have pronounced against it; because they have made their neck stiff, that they may not hear my words.

20:1 Now Pashhur, the son of Immer the priest, who was chief officer in the house of Jehovah, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things.
cb(20,2);
20:2 Then Pashhur smote Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the upper gate of Benjamin, which was in the house of Jehovah.” (Book of Jeremiah)

WRITERS OF THE HOLY BIBLE REPORTED BOTH THE GOOD AND THE BAD

But the Holy Bible tells things like they were. And since there is more evil than good in the world, large portions of the holy book deal with matters of evil.

These “adamant staff members” are nothing new!

“They had supposed that the disciples would be overcome with fear and confusion when brought before the Sanhedrin. But, instead, these witnesses spoke as Christ had spoken, with a convincing power that silenced their adversaries. There was no trace of fear in Peter’s voice as he declared of Christ, “This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.”" (Ellen White, Acts of the Apostles, pp. 63, 64)

PROPHETIC REBUKE FOR HARD-PARTYING COLLEGE

The Lord knows just where to raise up prophets. He deploys them to places where people have fallen into sin. Often places where “fellow students got wasted and drank like fish friday night, only to get up on sabbath morning and give their testimonies and preach sermons.” http://plattevalley.blogspot.com/2006_02_05_archive.html

The prophetic team at Union College has their work cut out at this well-known party school.

But they are one meek group. Instead of taking the prophetic mantel upon their shoulders, they leave it at “Christian journalism”. But the work is similar to that of a Jeremiah, Elijah, or St. John.

ALL-OUT ATTACK !!!!

“This attack on Christian Journalism is brought on by the same criticism given to the Union College Clocktower. The Clocktower has the obligation to break unbias news whether that news is negative or otherwise.” (Kanen, p. 5)

Attacks on honest Christian witnessing (reporting) are nothing new, and are in fact a fulfillment of prophecy!

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;” 2 Timothy 4:3

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newspaper illustrations from The Clocktower http://www.gayjourney.com/flags_gay/nebraska.gif http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/ni/homophobia.jpg

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Dear Power of Pride,

BUCKING THE TREND

We don’t want to burst your bubble, but you should know that there are still a few heterosexual young Adventists out there.

We find your website interesting anyway.

WANT MEN AND BABIES — NOT WATERMELONS

Next year, we will be enrolling in college, and would like to attend an Adventist one. And not just for academics, but for marriage. With men, for your information.

We want normal families, with plenty of children — not watermelons!

Alison and Kara

!!YOUR ANSWERS FROM POWER OF PRIDE – GAY ADVENTIST NEWS!!

Dear Girls,

I guess that rules out a lot of the great colleges and universities we’ve brought to the attention of our readership in the Community.

HAVEN OF HETEROSEXUAL LOVE

But there is one place that is sure to meet your wishes — 110%!!!

We’re talking Western Wedding University. The college doesn’t just offer physics and math. There are opportunities for experiments in APPLIED CHEMISTRY. They call this speed dating.

PAIRING UP FOR FAMILY LIFE

You get brief conversations with plenty of top quality, potential mates. All of them are heterosexual — and all supercharged with hormones and dreams of human children.

WHILE THE OTHER ADVENTIST SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN PUSHING ALTERNATIVE LIFESTYLES

For the longest time, those other Adventist institutions have taken their cues from Mr. Cliff Goldstein’s theology:

“I’m sure Jesus looks approvingly on ‘loving, monoganamous, and committed’ homosexual sodomy, don’t you?” Cliff Goldstein (click for citation)

What? Haven’t heard of him before?

“Clifford R. Goldstein is a Seventh-day Adventist author and editor. He is a leading figure in the denomination.” (Clifford Goldstein, Wikipedia)

or in his own words:

“I edit the Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guides (the “Quarterly”), the official denominational teaching publication for the world SDA Church; the publisher is the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.” (Clifford Goldstein, Graffiti in the Holy of Holies: An Impassioned Response to Recent Attacks on the Sanctuary and Ellen White, Pacific Press Publishing, 2003, p. 12)

BUT NOW, CHANGE COMES TO AMERICA
The Collegian is the student newspaper at Western Wedding University. There are all sorts of interesting stories.

At left, we see an announcement of a date auction.

If you’re a little shy, a date auction is just the thing to get wind in your romantic sails!!

Ah, you say, that would just be losers!

TOO FAR FROM IT

Check the pictures at right! We’re talking first-class partners for life!!!!!

These people look totally cool, but they also have rock-solid character. They are the kind of people who will give you joy, satisfaction, and love — for life!

GET A TASTE OF HETERO PARADISE

You can subscribe to the Collegian, and get the exciting news on an ongoing basis.

You’ll see just how much fun higher education can be.

Danielle Reedy and her staff of talented student journalists bring you the best in social news from the Walla Walla University!!

Also, extremely useful advice. Consider the advice column “Communication In Relationships Is Key” in the October 30, 2008, issue of the Collegian (see page 9).

Billy Style explains that you have to listen carefully to people, and figure out what they are really saying.

His advice will benefit anyone.

Of course, you could always go to Loma Linda, but the advice there has a different orientation.

LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY: GAYNESS IS COOL

“I can choose not to apply specific teachings of Scripture”

“I do not think that the full expression of the homosexual identity is sinful.”

“I find homosexuality and heterosexuality – both as orientations and expressions – as morally equivalent and neutral.” Juhyeok Nam, http://progressiveadventism.com/2008/12/02/
why-i-disagree-with-paul/#more-582

Dr. Nam “is an associate professor of religion at Loma Linda University School of Religion in California, and a commissioned minister of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. He teaches Adventist history and theology.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_Nam

Certainly Loma Linda University appeals to a certain segment of the market.

But if that’s not what you’re into, you should look elsewhere.

STRAIGHT NEWS AND INFORMATION AT WESTERN WEDDING U.

The best feature in the Collegian is Singled Out by Billy Style. He puts together what he thinks would be good matches.

Looking at the pictures, its obvious that these are extremely attractive people.

BUT IF YOU’RE HOLDING OUT FOR REALLY TOUGH GUYS:

The top social event of the year is the barn party. This is where the real studs show up.

If you go to Western Wedding University, the only problem you will experience is the challenge of making a choice among a huge field of top-quality mates.

So good luck girls!

p.s. You probably have some friends with attractions as depicted below. Put in a good word for Union, as they need more students now.

Graphics:

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Newspaper graphics from The Clocktower and The Collegian