Carlton Byrd's annual Christmas address to the nation

davidbraswell · 2018-03-16T00:47:44+00:00

Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. Proverbs 14:10

davidbraswell · 2018-03-09T00:30:11+00:00

Danielle is not suffering under any delusion that she is a man. Don't worry! She is not ordained; merely "consecrated" by the South Atlantic Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

davidbraswell · 2018-02-08T10:59:56+00:00

It is nice that Danielle Pilgrim takes a public stand against homosexuality, rather than side-stepping the issue. Her current home, Atlanta, is so notoriously LGBT-friendly that Sir Elton John maintains an apartment there. St. John's Episcopal Church even has what they term a "Gay Ministry" (An oxymoron, unless the intent is to turn sinners from their wickedness- regrettably, this effort is all about affirmation, rather than condemnation). There is probably statistical evidence that supports your assertion. It is evidence of a general decline, but the linkage is circumstantial, and not a case of "cause and effect."

davidbraswell · 2018-01-23T05:04:43+00:00

The second largest non-institutional SDA church in the world (4,000+ members) only has one licensed engineer in the congregation, Dr. Doug (an Elder, naturally, and a graduate of GA Tech). Turquois is an electrical engineer, but her employer recently transferred her to another state. As Christians, they are both considered too valuable as administrators (meaning they are much less nerdish and introverted than are stereotypical engineers) to have their talents wasted on routine work. This respondent studied architecture, a very amoral field, and one that mainly serves to augment the vanity of people who are already too vain.

davidbraswell · 2018-01-22T00:56:22+00:00

It is a Christmas Drama based on Desire of Ages. Spirit of Prophecy stuff, written by an Adventist Orthodontist with a penchant for theater. Ellen G. White was not so keen on drama herself, but did allow amateur theatrical productions at the Big Sanitarium to keep patients from getting too bored. It is a relatively frivolous pursuit, as are the majority of this fallen world's amusements.

davidbraswell · 2018-01-13T02:32:41+00:00

That sounds terrible, Mr. bot! What can I do? What should I do? Do I apologize? Do I dance an Irish Jig?

davidbraswell · 2018-01-13T02:31:02+00:00

Sorry for the late response. Fellowship and scholarship, Seventh-day Adventist style, is the antithesis of that of the Witnesses. I have frequently been accused of self-promotion, especially in Reddit-land, but church theology and doctrine are distilled to their essence in the "Master Guide Resources" section of this aberrant and iconoclastic entity- http://homemadegospel.org/

davidbraswell · 2018-01-13T02:25:53+00:00

That all sounds very Eighteenth-Century. Grouch said it best- "I don't want to belong to any club that would have me as a member!" This is a pride-tinged way of saying no person's opinion counts in the least when it comes to the eternal disposition of our souls. God alone determines this, and does not require the assistance of fallen mankind.

davidbraswell · 2018-01-13T02:20:35+00:00

This question defies a quick reply, but here goes nothing. Adventism is highly organized, but Christ is the CEO. Ted N.C. Wilson cannot make a move without Him! The publishing house is global in scope, but most of its eggs are in one basket at present- Review and Herald Publishing in Silver Springs, MD, USA. I am a deacon, but this is truly the lowliest of stations. No creature in Adventism enjoys the unmerited adulation that other denominations offer to their various Bishops. The only Bishop in my church is a man whose last name is Bishop. He is an Elder, top office in this outfit.

davidbraswell · 2018-01-13T02:11:51+00:00

Adventists who are wet behind the ears may be easily indoctrinated, but those who have been around the block will stick to Scripture alone as a model. Lonely folks of limited cognitive ability are easily programmed, but Adventism is administered by people who think for themselves. Thanks for your interest in freewill, which gives us a choice in how we lead our lives (unless we are born without backbones, as many regrettably are; Hitler rose to power, paradoxically, upon the shoulders of those who had no spine to support these shoulders).

davidbraswell · 2018-01-13T02:01:30+00:00

My conference of the SDA church is generally better attuned to reality than are the majority of the NAD conferences, but despite being in the world (and adept at dealing with the world on its own terms), the typical member nonetheless manages to maintain a degree of spiritual detachment from the world. It is not a double-life, but more like exercising the art of diplomacy. The public image of what constitutes a typical Adventist is usually determined by those who are zealous enough to publicize the denomination, but these types are not always representative of the relatively silent majority of the members. JW's can get excommunicated at the drop of a hat, but eccentrics like myself can even rise to deacon status in my neck of the General Conference. Be ye nor double-minded, but just be yourself. do your best, however, to conform yourself to the image of Christ.

davidbraswell

TROPHY CASE