Techniques of the Ellen White Critics

by

Devon Grey

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1) Claim authority to think for others. Both the good and bad critics use pious words, Scripture, and quotations from other writers. All claim to be doing the Lord's work, but the bad ones claim authority to decide for you whether a particular message, dream, vision, or interpretation is from God. Believing that Wisdom resides with them, you, being less experienced or less educated, will surely be deceived, for they discourage you from personal, first hand investigation.

2) Harsh, vindictive, or ridiculing. The love of 1 Corinthians 13 is absent. Many will declare their love for the errant messenger in one sentence but destroy him with censure and ridicule in the next. Often they will want the messenger punished, censured, or disfellowshipped. These elements indicate the spirit of the enemy who motivates them.

3) Plead for tradition to be honored. Plead for the messenger to follow traditional teachings of the "better educated" church authorities. Use many Scripture and EGW quotations to support their views. BUT nearly always, the quotations are misapplied because the critic cannot perceive God's real meaning in the message. This indicates a spirit of pride in man's intellect and disbelief that God has any new light, unless it comes through church-approved channels. They believe there is safety in numbers "because so many think thus and such, it must be true."

4) Use real or imaginary contradictions to discount entire work. Most apparent contradictions are only imaginary, the result of misunderstanding, as evidenced by the several Biblical examples cited earlier in this study. When examined IN CONTEXT and by reading the entire work, most contradictions can be resolved. Explanations and further light will come.

Apparent theological errors are more difficult to resolve. Know that resolution may take time—months or years—some even into eternity. Do you understand everything in the Bible? What do you do with that part you don’t understand? Do you throw it out, claiming that part of the whole to be uninspired? Probably not, though many (whole denominations) do.