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Table of Contents
- All
quotes of Ellen White in video are from official sources. False.
Some quotes just don't exist at all, or don't exist in the form
portrayed on the video.
- Adventism
is based around the teachings and philosophies of Ellen White.
False. Most Seventh-day Adventist doctrines had been discovered in the
Bible and accepted before she wrote them out.
- Ellen
White was the founder of the Adventist Church. She was not the sole
founder.
- William
Miller was a powerful preacher. Oversimplification. Miller was a
Baptist preacher, and but one of 200 preachers and 500 lecturers from
many denominations all preaching about the same thing.
- Miller
taught that Christ would return in 1843. Oversimplification. His
major point of difference with the theology of the times was not the
date, but his conviction that Christ would come visibly and literally
before the millennium instead of after.
- Miller
taught that Christ would return on October 22, 1844. False. As of
October 21, he had not yet accepted the date of October 22, much less
taught it.
- October
22 was not the Day of Atonement in 1844 False. Biblically speaking,
it was the Day of Atonement for that year.
- Miller's
meetings were marked by emotionalism and hysteria. False. Miller and
his associates suppressed all such things.
- Picture
depicts radical fanaticism of Miller's meetings. False. Picture is
actually of a critic's description of a post-1844 meeting that Miller
was not present at.
- When
Christ did not return, Ellen White said she was in a "hopeless condition
for months." She said no such thing.
- Ellen
White was depressed when Christ did not return on October 22. False.
The record indicates that she was not.
- Ellen
White could not admit her mistake of expecting Christ to return in 1843
or 1844. False. She first admitted what she thought was a mistake,
and then admitted that she had made a mistake in identifying the wrong
mistake.
- Miller
admitted his mistake of expecting Christ to return in 1843 or 1844.
Oversimplification. He did not admit a mistake in his interpretations of
the prophecies. Rather, he thought there must be a mistake in the
chronologies used by historians, which might throw his calculations off
a little.
- Ellen
White's first vision said that the 1843 chart should not be altered.
False. Her first vision was in December 1844. This one was on September
23, 1850.
- Ellen
White claimed God hid the mistake. Bad quotation. The last clause
that was omitted explains that her words meant that God was not
revealing the mistake to the people, rather than hiding it.
- Ellen
White claimed God had made the mistake. False. She said no such
thing.
- Ellen
White's vision was controversial. False. There wasn't anything
controversial about it.
- Ellen
White's vision forced readjustment of many Adventist dates and
doctrines. False. Many dates and doctrines were not readjusted as
the result of either her first vision or the vision of 1850.
- Ellen
White's vision readjusted the 1843 date to 1844. False. It was
already readjusted months before she had her first vision.
- The
1844 date was still an error. Cannot be presently proven. No better
interpretation of the prophecies in question has ever been found.
- Ellen
White became the absolute authority figure. False. She never has
been the absolute authority figure.
- Her
writings grew to be seventeen times larger than the Bible. So?
Luther, Wesley, and Spurgeon wrote a lot too.
- Adventists
view her writings as inspired as the Bible. So? Adventists believe
in degrees of authority, but not in degrees of inspiration. One prophet
is not more inspired than another, but the prophets of the Bible have
the final say.
- Church
publications use her writings as the last word on doctrine. False.
The Bible is the last word.
- Twenty-seven
Fundamental beliefs say that Bible is a source of
authority. False. They state that the Bible is the
source of authority.
- Ellen
White's writings are an authoritative source of truth.
So? The Adventist quote referred to ends by saying that the Bible is to
be the standard by which Ellen White's writings are
tested.
- Some
of Ellen White's writings are unavailable, locked in a vault. False.
All published writings are available on CD-ROM. Unpublished writings are
available at 15 locations, and are only locked away after hours.
- Her
more embarrassing writings are unavailable. Oversimplification. What
makes them embarrassing is that sometimes she had to rebuke people's
problems, like adultery.
- She
claimed an angel stood by her bed. So? Angels came to visit Bible
writers too.
- History
shows that Ellen White's prophecies did not come true. Not one
sound, clear-cut example is given.
- She
said Jerusalem would never be built up. The phrase "built up" had a
different meaning at times back then.
- Ellen
White said she would be alive and would be caught up in the air to meet
Jesus. This undermines faith in the Bible, for the apostle Paul said
the same thing.
- She
said the second coming was only months away. False. She said no such
thing.
- She
said some would be food for worms and some would be alive when Jesus
came. Oversimplification. The video omits how someone who thought
they would be food for worms was dead within three days.
- Ellen
White would have been stoned in Bible times for being a false
prophet. Then so would the biblical prophets Jonah and Huldah. Some
prophecies are conditional, as Jeremiah tells us.
- She
predicted the downfall of the United States. False. She predicted
defeat if certain conditions didn't change.
- She
made false predictions during the Civil War. This quotation from
Ellen White has been rearranged.
- Ellen
White predicted England would declare war on the United States.
False. She never said England would declare war.
- She
predicted world war during the Civil War. False. She never said
there would be world war at that time.
- Ellen
White predicted the humbling of the United States in defeat. False.
She predicted the nation's humbling, which came to pass, but she never
said the nation would be defeated.
- She
claimed to travel to other planets in vision. So? John, Ezekiel, and
Paul as well tell us about their supernatural journeys in the Bible.
- Ellen
White said animals and people crossed sexually. False. She said no
such thing.
- The
picture indicates that Ellen White believed that the crossing of people
and animals produced the black race. Ellen White never said if she
was talking about Blacks, Whites, or Asians. There is no basis for the
use of such a picture.
- Her
visions are unbiblical. This begs the question, for not one
unbiblical aspect of her visions has been shown.
- Adventists
say her writings are as inspired as the Bible. This straw man is
answered already under #23.
The Documentation Package documentation for this point makes it
clear that Adventists believe the Bible is the final authority, not
Ellen White.
- The
investigative judgment doctrine was a reinterpretation. Not really,
for Miller had been teaching for over a decade prior to 1844 that the
judgment was about to begin.
- Miller's
prediction of October 22, 1844, failed. As mentioned under #6,
Miller didn't make this prediction or even accept it. As far as his
calculations go, his most learned opponents, like Dr. George Bush, could
find no fault in them, and the greatest scholars of several centuries
had come to similar conclusions.
- Adventists
believed that the door of mercy was shut on October 22. It's not
hard to see why they believed this for a short time.
- Adventists
believed that the door of mercy was shut on October 22. Peter and
the apostles thought the door of mercy was closed to the Gentiles.
Should we reject them as being part of a cult?
- With
prophetic authority Ellen White supported the shut-door-of-mercy
doctrine. False. She never did.
- Her
first vision taught the shut-door-of-mercy doctrine. False. Her
first vision taught that there would have to be a lot of evangelism yet
before Christ returned.
- The
preface to the reprinting of her first vision said there was no change
in idea or sentiment. It said no such thing. Instead, the preface
said that a portion was left out.
- The
other shut-door-of-mercy passages were dropped after 1851. False.
There were no other shut-door passages.
- The
other shut-door-of-mercy passages were reinterpreted after 1851.
False. Besides there being no other shut-door passages, the
"reinterpretations" came well before 1851.
- Adventists
never admitted their error regarding expecting Jesus to come in
1844. False. Adventists freely admitted their error.
- Ellen
White immediately put God's endorsement on Edson and Crosier's
conclusions. Oversimplification. She put God's endorsement on their
conclusions before she had heard about them.
- All
doctrines were soon adjusted to fit the cleansing of the sanctuary and
the investigative judgment doctrines. The doctrines identified do
not fit this description.
- The
shut door was opened. Oversimplification. As in the apostolic
church, God opened the door of opportunity to reach others with the
truths of His Word. This had nothing to do with the cleansing of the
sanctuary and the investigative judgment doctrines.
- Soul
sleep was introduced because of the investigative judgment doctrine.
False. Soul sleep was introduced before October 22, 1844, while the
investigative judgment was formulated afterwards.
- The
prophecies of Daniel and Revelation were reinterpreted to fit the
investigative judgment. The basic interpretations of Daniel and
Revelation were already worked out before Edson and Crosier published
their findings on the cleansing of the sanctuary in 1846, and before the
doctrine of the investigative judgment was crystallized in 1857.
- It
was a time of doctrinal reversal. Neither the video not its
documentation provides evidence that that time was characterized by
doctrinal reversal.
- The
idea that an angel is recording everything we do, and that we will be
judged by such a record, is harsh. But that's what the Bible clearly
teaches in Matthew, Revelation, Daniel, and Ecclesiastes.
- Ellen
White taught that we would be judged for trying to have some leisure
time. False. She taught that we must have leisure time in order to
be balanced people.
- The
investigative judgment doctrine is unique to Seventh-day Adventists.
Not quite. Nearly every basic aspect of this doctrine has been taught by
prominent scholars of other faiths.
- The
investigative judgment doctrine cannot be supported by the
Scriptures. False. It can be supported by the Scriptures.
- The
investigative judgment doctrine states that a believer's works
determines their salvation. Not quite. The investigative judgment
doctrine does not teach that the believer's works determine his
salvation in the sense meant by the typical evangelical when he says,
"I'm saved."
- The
investigative judgment doctrine is blatantly unbiblical. False. This
point is similar to #65,
but more Scriptures are added under this number to show that it is
biblical.
- Seventh-day
Adventism is not a legitimate Christian denomination. This point
plainly begs the question, for it assumes what must be proven.
- The
investigative judgment doctrine teaches that believers will be lost if
they have unconfessed sins. The Bible says that we can only be
forgiven if we confess our sins. Is the video saying that the Bible is
wrong?
- The
investigative judgment doctrine teaches that believers will be lost if
they have forgotten sins. Not even the Documentation Package
could find a quotation to substantiate this wild charge.
- The
investigative judgment doctrine requires perfect obedience to the Ten
Commandments. But the New Testament plainly says that adulterers,
fornicators, thieves, and murderers cannot enter heaven.
- The
investigative judgment doctrine teaches that all believers will be lost
if they do not keep the Fourth Commandment. False. Both Ellen White
and the New Testament teach that God does not hold what we do not know
and could not know against us.
- The
investigative judgment doctrine is diametrically opposed to the gospel
of grace. The points being objected to by the video are the very
essence of the gospel and of the New Covenant.
-
Seventh-day
Adventism is a man-made religion. This is another point that begs
the question, that assumes what needs to be proven.
-
Seventh-day
Adventists have their own version of the Bible. Not so. Jack
Blanco's paraphrase is not in any sense an official Seventh-day
Adventist version. I do not own a copy and have no present intention to
get one.
-
This
Seventh-day Adventist version is known as The Clear Word
Bible. Not any more. Quite a few quickly realized that something
like this might come up one day, so the second edition carries only the
title, The Clear Word. The contributors to the video knew
this.
-
In
The Clear Word, the words and ideas of Ellen White are inserted
into the biblical text. False. The words and ideas of theologian and
college professor Jack Blanco, not Ellen White, are inserted.
-
300
words have been added to Daniel 9 in The Clear Word. Straw
man. As the video admits, it's an expanded paraphrase, and the
interpretations utilized have been held for centuries.
-
Daniel
8:14 is a blatant example of alteration of the biblical text. Straw
man. Paraphrases by their very nature insert interpretations into the
text.
-
It's
called The Clear Word Version. Why did the makers of the
video change the title of Jack Blanco's paraphrase? It's not called
The Clear Word Version.
-
The
Clear Word was written to support their prophetess. The Clear
Word contains the words and ideas of Jack Blanco, not Ellen White,
and was not written to support "their prophetess."
-
The
Clear Word manipulates
and distorts Scripture. Again, paraphrases contain, by their very
nature, the inclusion of interpretations into the text.
-
Seventh-day
Adventists have also published their Study Bible. Contradictory
argument. If The Clear Word is the Seventh-day Adventist version,
why is the Study Bible a King James Version instead of
The Clear Word?
-
The
Study Bible is "theirs." False. It was published by a private
organization, not the denomination, so it cannot be said to be "theirs."
-
The
Study Bible of Seventh-day Adventists contains Ellen White
quotes. So? Lots of Bibles contain footnotes and study helps.
-
Adventists
teach that Christ's atonement on the cross was incomplete. This is
blatantly false. Christ's atonement on the cross was complete.
-
Adventists
teach the heresy that Michael is Christ. This charge makes Charles
Spurgeon and Matthew Henry heretics. And the 1599 Geneva Bible
must have been put out by heretics too.
-
Adventists
teach that there is no hell. This is blatantly false. Adventists
consistently teach that there is a hell.
-
Adventists
taught doctrines contrary to tradition. So has every other
Protestant group. The Bible, not tradition, is (supposed to be) the
authority of Protestants.
-
Many
of the doctrines of Adventists are similar to Jehovah's Witnesses.
This is no more true than the statement that "many" doctrines of other
denominations are similar to Jehovah's Witnesses.
-
N.
H. Barbour was an early Adventist. False. The impression is left
that Barbour was a Seventh-day Adventist, and there is no evidence that
he ever was.
-
Both
Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh-day Adventists teach the heresy of soul
sleep. Guess that makes Martin Luther, John Wycliffe, William
Tyndale, and a host of Baptists Methodists, Anglicans, and Presbyterians
all heretics. Guess that even makes the apostle Peter himself a
heretic.
-
Both
Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh-day Adventists teach the heresy that
Michael is Christ. The Bible clearly teaches that there is an
"angel" sent from God who Himself is called God. If it isn't Christ, who
is it? If it isn't Christ, must we conclude that the Bible endorses
polytheism, that there is a mere angel who is God as well as the Father,
Son, and Spirit?
-
Uriah
Smith and James White denied the deity of Christ like the Jehovah's
Witnesses. False. They were always firm believers in the deity of
Christ.
-
Both
Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh-day Adventists have produced altered
versions of the Bible. False. The New World Translation is a
translation produced by the Watchtower Society. The Clear Word is
an expanded paraphrase put out by a private individual.
-
Both
Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh-day Adventists have set dates for
Christ's return. False. Jehovah's Witnesses definitely have not,
since they didn't exist when the dates were set. Sabbatarian Adventists
early on took a strong stand against date-setting. Ellen White opposed
such as early as 1845, before she became a Sabbatarian Adventist.
Seventh-day Adventists as such did not exist in 1844.
-
Both
Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh-day Adventists claim to be the only
remnant church. False. Jehovah's Witnesses claim that, as of 1991,
99.9169% of Jehovah's Witnesses are not the remnant.
-
Both
Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh-day Adventists plagiarized. No
attempt is made by the video or Documentation Package to prove
that Russell or any Jehovah's Witness ever read J. A. Brown's book.
-
Both
Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh-day Adventists were "guilty" of
plagiarism. J. A. Brown published his book in Britain. Since there
was no copyright in America at the time on British books, neither
Russell nor anyone else could be said to be "guilty," even if they had
copied it.
- Walter
Rea's The White Lie was dedicated to those who would rather
believe a bitter truth than a sweet lie. Oversimplification. The
bitter "truth" that The White Lie leads to is a "truth" totally
repugnant to evangelicals who believe in the final authority of
Scripture.
- Ellen
White's inspiration was borrowed from others without credit. This
argument directly undermines the authority of the Scriptures, for the
Bible writers did the same.
- Ellen
White's major books contained "stolen" material. What she did cannot
be called "stealing" since the words she took did not belong to the
original writers.
- Sketches
from the Life of Paul
was plagiarized in its entirety. False. The books are different, as
anyone who peruses them can plainly see.
- This
resulted in a lawsuit. False. Such a lawsuit would have been a legal
impossibility.
- Because
of this, the book was quickly taken out of print. False. Published
in 1883, the book was promoted in Signs of the Times through
1885, advertised in Great Controversy through 1887, and included
on the title page of Great Controversy until 1907 in England,
homeland of the authors who were "stolen" from.
- The
evidence is irrefutable that Ellen White "stole" her inspiration from
others. False. It has already been demonstrated in this critique
that the evidence is anything but irrefutable.
- The
main line of defense in the book The White Truth is that there
were no copyright laws back then. False. Out of the six chapters in
this 98-page book, one deals with plagiarism. Out of 16 pages in that
chapter, only 4 deal with what copyright laws were like back then.
- The
White Truth says
that there were no copyright laws back then. False. Page 32 says
that the first American copyright law was passed in 1790.
- The
White Truth sidestepped
the issue by concentrating on the legal question. False. The video
is confusing the two allegations: 1) Ellen White was "guilty" of theft.
2) Ellen White got her inspiration from others. The White Truth
deals with both allegations, as well as other points.
-
The
Adventist hierarchy has been unable to respond to Rea's challenge: Prove
that 20% of Ellen White's writings are original. False. The
"hierarchy" responded to his challenge 31 years before his book was
written.
- Prove
that 20% of Ellen White's writings are original. Such a challenge
doesn't make sense, for it would require infinite knowledge to prove
that 20% of her writings are original. It makes more sense to
say, Prove that 80% of her writings are not original.
- Her
visions which she claimed came from God were shaky. One thing the
video doesn't touch with a ten-foot pole is the fact that she didn't
breathe and had supernatural strength during her public visions.
- The
Seventh-day Adventist ministry is not a Christian ministry. This
begs the question, assuming what must be proved. Besides, Dan Snyder
admits under #232
that he was a Christian while being an Adventist minister!
- Ellen
White's early health documents produce a rude awakening because of their
fixation on moral issues. A minor portion of her early health
documents dealt with moral issues.
- Most
of her health advice dealt with suppressing the male sexual urge.
Absolutely ludicrous(!), as anyone who has read her books knows.
- Most
of her health advice dealt with suppressing the male sexual urge, which
she thought was excessive. Technically, she was against the
excessive indulgence of sexual urges by both men and
women.
- [Not in all editions
of the video.] Mrs.
White felt she had been given special light on the subject of
masturbation. That this was the opinion of her grandson the
Documentation Package proves, but no evidence is ever given to
substantiate that Ellen White herself felt she had been given special
light.
- [Not in all editions
of the video.] Mrs.
White (apparently) gives a list of diseases caused by masturbation.
Actually, the quotation is not accurate. The video combines a statement
by Mrs. Gove with the views of Dr. Deslandes. The video adds words, and
omits words and quotation marks without using an ellipsis.
- [Not in all editions
of the video.] Mrs.
White (apparently) said kids who masturbate will get green skin.
These are the words of Dr. E. P. Miller, not Ellen White.
- Ellen
White said that meat inflames the passions. The quotation leaves
this impression because it is out of context.
- Ellen
White said rich and highly seasoned foods act as aphrodisiacs.
Medical science has neither proven nor disproven what she said. It's
like when she said that cancer is caused by a germ. She said this five
years before a maverick scientist proposed the idea, a scientist who was
then ridiculed by the scientific community for coming up with such a
ludicrous idea.
- Ellen
White (apparently) said, "Sip no more the beverage of China, no more the
drinks of Java." These are the words of Professor O. S. Fowler, not
the words of Ellen G. White.
- Ellen
White advised skipping all suppers in order to bring the male sexual
appetites under control. False. Professor Fowler said this, not
Ellen White. She consistently said that some people need a third meal
(though two meals are better for most), and even called for Avondale
College to begin to serve suppers.
- [Not in all editions
of the video.] Ellen
White (apparently) said the use of feather beds led to masturbation.
False. Dr. E. P. Miller, not Ellen White, is quoted. He was against
sleeping on feather beds in small, unventilated rooms, not
against sleeping on feather beds per se.
- [Not in all editions
of the video.] Ellen
White used a feather bed against her own advice. False. There is no
evidence that she ever used a feather bed in an unventilated, small
room, which would have been against Dr. E. P. Miller's advice, not her
own.
- [Not in all editions
of the video.] The
Battle Creek Sanitarium used hydrotherapy to treat secret vice.
Actually, hydrotherapy treatments stimulate the immune system and
increase the white blood cell count. They have been used successfully to
treat a variety of ailments.
- [Not in all
editions of the video.] The
picture illustrating the last point, showing a shivering man with his
feet in boiling water over a camp fire, depicts Battle Creek's
hydrotherapy treatment. False. The quote the picture is illustrating
says that you must not get chilled. Also, the heat source for a hot foot
bath is never under the basin of water, which is never boiling.
- Ellen
White controlled her female followers through directives on dress.
False. She was opposed to anyone forcing convictions about dress on
people.
- Ellen
White was against wearing any kind of wig. False. The context of her
statement clearly shows that she was not talking about simple wigs. Her
published and released writings do not contain the word "wig" at
all.
- The
picture of a skeleton looking through a window at a woman who is
presumably putting on a simple wig. The picture doesn't illustrate
at all the heavy monstrosities Ellen White was talking about.
- After
Ellen White dealt with wigs, she introduced the reform dress. False.
The reform dress was introduced more than six years before her counsel
against heavy hairpieces.
- Ellen
White tried to force the reform dress on people. False. As pointed
out under #128,
she was against forcing the reform dress on anyone.
- The
reform dress was hot. False. It was not hot. It was comparatively
light.
- The
reform dress was uncomfortable. False. This light dress was not
uncomfortable.
- The
reform dress was bulky. False. This light dress was not
bulky.
- The
reform dress was long. False. It was not long. It was also called
the "short dress."
- Faithful
sisters struggled with the reform dress. False. Faithful sisters
either wouldn't quit complaining, pushed it on others, or constructed it
distastefully.
- The
reform dress was cumbersome. False. This light dress was not cumbersome.
- Ellen
White gave no explanation for why she quit wearing her reform dress.
False. She explained the matter well.
- Ellen
White said those who aren't vegetarians when Jesus comes can't go to
heaven. False. She never made such an extreme statement.
- Ellen
White taught that you have to keep the letter of the law to put yourself
on the road to salvation. False. She taught that you are totally
incapable of obeying God's commandments until you have come to Christ.
- Ellen
White had no patience with those who say, I am saved. The quotation
has been rearranged and has had the context removed.
- Ellen
White had no patience with Christians who say, I am saved. Ellen
White was not denouncing the doctrines of justification and
righteousness by faith. The first quotation is not talking about those
who mean, I have been justified. The second quotation is referring to
those who believe they can still murder and steal and sell dope, and
still go to heaven.
- Adventists
believe that Jesus made the down payment for our salvation. Thus the
speaker contradicts the point he made under #141.
If Jesus made the down payment, then we don't have to work to put
ourselves on the road to salvation.
- Adventists
believe that Jesus made the down payment for our salvation, but we must
make the monthly installments. Thus it is suggested that Adventists
believe we partially earn our salvation. This is false.
- Adventists
do not rely upon the grace of God alone. Ellen White repeatedly said
we must rely upon the grace of God alone.
-
Adventists
are striving to be rigidly obedient. False. Many Adventists will
tell you that the Adventist Church has grown a bit lax.
-
Adventists
are inflexible, guilt-ridden legalists. False. Most Adventists are
not legalists, though I did meet one back in the '80's. Legalism is a
way to get rid of guilt, not cause it. The average legalist is therefore
not going to be more "guilt ridden" than someone who, having realized
that they are a sinner, is coming to Christ.
-
Ellen
White was wrong when she said that believers must keep the law of
God. Thus the video condemns not only Ellen White, but Paul, John,
Peter, Jude, James, and Jesus.
-
We
don't have to worry about obeying the law, since we are under the New
Covenant now, not the Old Covenant. A popular antinomian argument,
this doesn't really make sense in the light of the only
New Testament passage describing the New Covenant:
-
We
don't have to worry about obeying the law, since Christ is the end of
the law. Since James 5:11 talks about the "end of the Lord," we know
that sometimes "end" must mean something different. Christ is said to be
the end of the law because the law leads us to Christ (Gal. 3:24).
-
We
are not under the tutorship of the law, so we don't have to worry about
obeying the law. This inaccuracy ignores what Paul meant by the
phrase "under the law."
-
Christians
will keep God's commandments out of love. Thus Mr. Martin destroys
the force of much of his argument thus far: We don't have to keep the
law, but we will keep the law. And if we don't, it shows we don't really
love God.
-
Being
under the law leads to sin. Actually, according to the New
Testament, it seems more natural to say that sinning leads to being
under the law, rather than that being under the law leads to sinning.
-
Being
under grace leads to holiness. Mr. Martin contradicts himself again,
for if we don't have to obey the law, why would the grace of God lead to
holiness?
-
A
pre-advent judgment of works is incompatible with the gospel of
grace. But this makes the apostle Paul contradict Revelation 14:6,
7.
-
Soul
sleep was introduced because of the investigative judgment doctrine.
False. Soul sleep was introduced before 1844, and the video makes
it clear that the investigative judgment doctrine came after
1844.
-
The
doctrine of soul sleep is unbiblical. Not so. Tyndale, Luther,
Wycliffe, and many others came up with this idea just from studying the
Bible. Besides, saying that our souls are immortal undermines the
necessity of 1) the gospel, 2) the resurrection, and 3) the second
coming.
- Conditional
immortality flies in the face of two Scriptures. Actually, it
doesn't, unless we want to say that the Bible contradicts itself.
- Adventists
do not teach the biblical doctrine of hell. Actually, Seventh-day
Adventists do teach the biblical doctrine of hell, and always
have.
- The
Adventist view that Sabbath keeping is a mark of true loyalty to God is
severe. But the speaker basically already admitted that Sabbath
keeping is a mark of true loyalty to God.
- Ellen
White obliged by conveniently having a vision. Ellen White could not
pretend to have a vision. Because of the definitely supernatural
characteristics of her visions, they could not be faked.
- Her
vision about the Sabbath introduced the Sabbath to her followers.
The Sabbath was already well introduced among Millerites before this
vision of April 3, 1847.
- Adventists
weren't following what the Bible says about beginning the Sabbath at
sunset. The Bible "says" to keep the Sabbath from "even to even." It
doesn't "say" to keep the Sabbath from sunset to sunset.
- Ellen
White decided to have another vision. As mentioned before, for her
to decide to have a vision was an absolute impossibility.
- The
vision was intended to settle the matter with the dissenters.
Actually, according to one account, there were only two dissenters:
Joseph Bates and Ellen White. Ellen White wanted to convince herself, so
she decided to have another vision??!! Perhaps there were other
dissenters too, but it still sounds preposterous, especially since this
vision didn't mention sunset at all!
- A
delegate reported that "After the conference, November 20th, the vision
was given, establishing those undecided on the sunset time." The use
of this quotation is devastating, for it comes from a pamphlet that
demolishes all the arguments in this part of the video.
- Adventists
continued to ask questions. False. It wasn't Seventh-day Adventists
per se who were asking questions.
- Mrs.
White's had visions saying that the Sabbath should be kept from 6pm to
6pm. False. Ellen White never had a single vision saying to commence
the Sabbath at 6pm.
- It
required another vision. False. The vision quoted from is not
another vision. It's the same November 20, 1855, vision.
- In
her vision Ellen White promised to question the angel. False. It was
the angel that made a promise, not Ellen White.
- According
to Spiritual Gifts, Ellen White promised that they would find out
why the visions had first said to keep the Sabbath from 6pm to 6pm.
Out of context big time. Two sentences later after the quotation used,
Ellen White denies ever seeing in vision that the Sabbath should begin
at 6pm.
- Ellen
White died without ever giving the promised explanation. Ellen White
was not told by the angel that she would be the one to give the promised
explanation. The angel never said who would give the explanation.
- The
promised explanation was never given. Actually, the promised
explanation was given by 1868, 47 years before Ellen White's
death.
- After
the change of time for keeping the Sabbath, the Sabbath came to be
understood as the seal. False. The Sabbath was understood to be the
seal at least six years before the change to sunset time.
- The
Sabbath was seen to be of prime importance in determining who would be
saved and who wouldn't. The average viewer, uninformed about
Adventist beliefs, will think that Adventists believe Sunday keepers now
have the mark of the beast while Sabbath keepers have the seal. This is
false.
- The
Great Controversy supports the idea that people have already
gotten the mark of the beast by keeping Sunday. The viewer tends to
arrive at this conclusion because of the speaker's choice of verb
tenses, and the missing context of the quotation.
- Adventists
believe that failing to keep the Sabbath resulted in one's
receiving the mark of the beast and losing one's eternal life.
False. Adventists do not believe that this is a present reality. The use
of past tense for "result" is an error.
- The
Adventist view today about the mark of the beast is severe. How can
it be severe to believe that Christians ought to obey the commandments
of God? What does this say about what Jesus said: "If ye love me, keep my commandments"?
- Adventists
teach that Sunday keeping is a mark of rebellion. Gross
oversimplification. Given the standard Protestant interpretations about
the beast at the time Adventism arose, and given some of the strong
statements Catholics have made about Sunday keeping, it's no wonder that
Adventism arrived at the interpretations that it did.
- Even
today, Seventh-day Adventists have made salvation ultimately dependent
on which day of the week one worships. False. Adventists for
the last century and a half have taught that there are Sunday keepers
who are bound for heaven and Sabbath keepers who are bound for hell.
- Even
today, Seventh-day Adventists have made salvation ultimately dependent
on which day of the week one worships. False. Adventists for
the last century and a half have taught that the reception of the mark
of the beast is a future event, not a present event. The use of the
present tense for "worship" is an error.
- The
New Testament says that the seal of God is the work of the Holy Spirit,
not the keeping of the Sabbath. It isn't that simple. The New
Testament indicates that the last-day seal does have something to do
with the fourth commandment.
- Ellen
White has no support at all for identifying the Sabbath as the seal of
God. False. She has all kinds of support . . . from the
Bible.
- Christ's
resurrection day is the Lord's Day. False. The Bible is crystal
clear that 1) Jesus rose on the first day of the week, and 2) the Lord's
Day is the seventh day of the week. One must wait over a hundred years
after the resurrection before one finds a document calling the
resurrection day the Lord's Day.
- Christ's
followers met regularly on the resurrection day for their worship.
There is no Bible evidence for this statement. In all the New Testament,
we have only one explicit instance of the disciples meeting on the first
day of the week for worship. In that one instance, they met on what we
call Saturday night.
- Christ's
followers did not meet regularly on the Sabbath for worship. False.
This statement disagrees with the book of Acts.
- The
resurrection day was when the disciples usually broke bread. False.
Acts 2:46 says that they broke bread daily, not just on Sabbath or on
Sunday.
- They
did not break bread on the Sabbath. False. If they broke bread
daily, they must have done it on the Sabbath as well.
- The
Sabbath is Jewish. False. Jesus Himself said that He made the
Sabbath for both Adam and all his descendents.
- Adventists
teach that Satan becomes the sin-bearer. False. Ellen White taught,
and Adventists teach, that Jesus is our only sin-bearer.
- Thus,
Adventists differ from the plain teaching of Scripture that Christ bore
our sins on the cross. Straw man. A Bible verse referring to the
cross is used here to prove who the scapegoat can and cannot be
after the atonement is finished.
- Adventists
strive to be included as mainline evangelical Protestant Christians.
Not really. We don't have to strive. The largest church in the world
says that we are the most fundamental of the fundamentalists, and "the
only consistent Protestant."
- An
Adventist pastor supplied the following five marks of a cult. But
the letter these five marks came from says that the co-producers and
script writer of the video have been supplying false information about
Seventh-day Adventists for 14 years! The video's credibility is thus
called into question.
- There
is a "total reliance" by Seventh-day Adventists on Ellen White.
False. For Seventh-day Adventists, the Bible is the final authority.
- Ellen
White is revered by all Seventh-day Adventists. False. This is far
from the case, as the video later admits.
- Ellen
White's comments overshadow the teachings of the Bible. False, and
the Documentation Package proves it.
- Adventists
consider Ellen White's comments on the Scriptures to be more
authoritative than tradition. Of course! We are Protestants, and for
Protestants tradition is supposed to be subordinated to the Holy
Scriptures. An inspired prophet would be next in line in authority to
the Bible, and tradition would have to be less authoritative than that.
- Ellen
White pressured people into submission. False. She was against
pressuring people into submission.
- Ellen
White publicly aired reproofs sent to people. False. When some of
them were printed for the benefit of individuals having similar
problems, she almost always left out the name and address of the guilty.
- Usually
the person conformed under the pressure. Oversimplification.
One instance being cited in the Documentation Package essentially
makes a joke out of this whole section in the video.
- Usually
the person conformed under the pressure. The incident
just cited reveals a lack of pressure on Ellen White's part.
- The
type of pressure Ellen White used is one of the marks of a cult.
Rather ludicrous. If such an idea be true, then the prophets of the
Bible were just as cultic as Ellen White.
- Acceptance
and fellowship are very often withheld today. The evidence
indicates that this is false.
- Withholding
of acceptance and fellowship for questioning doctrine is a
characteristic of a cult. Questioning is one thing. Attacking is
another. Biblically, the church must deal with members who practice
grievous sins and teach false doctrines.
- Adventists
originally denied the deity of Christ. False. An 1853 Advent
Review said, "Warn those who deny the divinity of the only Saviour,
that they must perish everlastingly if they go on rejecting him, for it
is fearful and blasphemous to reject him."
- Adventists
must discontinue the doctrine that Michael is a name for Christ.
This can't be done while remaining true to Scripture.
- "Michael"
being a name for Christ contradicts Hebrews 1:13. False. There is no
biblical basis for such a statement, since the text is narrowing its use
of the term "angel" to mean only angelic beings.
- Adventists
can't discontinue the doctrine that "Michael" is a name for Christ
without admitting that Ellen White made a mistake.
Oversimplification. Adventists would have to admit that Charles
Spurgeon, Matthew Henry, John Gill, and a host of others made a mistake
too.
- It
is impossible to accommodate both doctrines, that Christ is divine, and
that Michael is Christ. False, as can be seen from #93.
- Adventists
have added the investigative judgment to salvation by grace
through faith in Christ alone. False. According to the New
Testament, to omit the judgment it to delete it from the gospel.
- Adventists
have added Sabbath keeping to salvation by grace through faith in
Christ alone. False. Omitting Sabbath keeping from the New Covenant
is to delete it from Christ's will. It is illegal to alter a will
after the one who made the will dies.
- Adventists
have added obedience to the Ten Commandments as requirements for
salvation. False. Obedience is not a requirement for justification
or conversion. To omit obedience from requirements for glorification is
to effectively preach another gospel than the gospel Paul and Jesus
preached.
- Adventists
have added obedience to other Old Testament laws as requirements
for salvation. But both the New Testament and Old Testament
prophecies about New Testament times indicate that believers should
still abstain from blood and unclean animals, and should return the
tenth to God.
- Adventists
believe that the world's sins have been placed upon Satan. False.
Adventists believe that no sins have been placed upon Satan.
- Adventists
believe that the world's sins have been placed upon Satan rather than
upon Christ. False. Adventists do not believe that Satan bears our
sins instead of Christ. Christ is the only Sin-bearer.
- Adventists
believe that Christians must stand before God without Christ as their
mediator. Straw man. Every Bible-believing Christian who has studied
the matter knows that Christ's mediatorial work must cease just before
He returns.
- This
contradicts Hebrews 7:25. Straw man. Hebrews 7:25 is talking about the
present. It is not talking about eternity, when we will no longer
need a mediator.
- Adventists
believe that salvation comes by placing sin upon Satan. Utterly
false. Adventists believe that salvation comes through our Sin-bearer,
Jesus Christ. The sins are only placed upon Satan after salvation
is completely finished. That event is future.
- The
Adventist view of salvation, placing sin upon Satan, is not the
salvation taught in the Bible. Straw man. Since this is not the
Adventist view of salvation, the point is totally irrelevant.
- Four
of the five marks of a cult apply to Seventh-day Adventists. False.
None of the five marks apply to Seventh-day Adventists.
- These
five marks of a cult are very important. If Jeremiah Films really
believes this, why have they apparently never made a video about a much
larger church that fits these marks better than Seventh-day Adventism?
- Adventist
leaders deceptively espoused the view of salvation by grace alone in the
1950's. False. Ellen White said that "by grace alone can they be
saved" a century ago. Adventists had been teaching "grace alone" long
before the 1950's.
- Many
followers felt betrayed by such an espousal of salvation by grace
alone. False. Some conservative members felt betrayed because M. L.
Andreason, a prominent theologian, said that the book Questions on
Doctrine contained capitulations on some finer points of Adventist
theology.
- Those
who felt betrayed began searching for themselves, and made lurid
discoveries. False. The conservative element who felt betrayed did
not do the searching referred to. The liberal element who did not feel
betrayed did the searching, and ultimately abandoned a number of crucial
teachings found in Scripture.
- "The
Adventist Church had deceived me." If the (mis)information the
preacher told you was anything like what is on this video, then it was
he who deceived you, not the Adventist Church. At least, he didn't know
what he was talking about.
- "I
was never presented with [Ellen White's copying] in the [elementary]
school system." Seems like 1st or 5th grade might be a bit early to
deal with Peter or Jude copying from each other. Wouldn't surprise me if
some 7th or 8th grades touch on it.
- ".
. . all these writings she had . . . plagiarized,
. . . I felt . . . lied to." Do you feel
lied to because between Matthew, Mark, and Luke, two copied from the
other? Do you feel lied to because John copied from others when he put
together the book of Revelation? Even though they copied, can you prove
that Ellen White, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, and Jude are guilty
of "plagiarism"?
- ".
. . the [Adventist] Church was inconsistent theologically and
politically." Straw man. Jesus said it would be this way.
- ".
. . the [ Adventist] Church was inconsistent theologically and
politically." This argument is what many use to excuse themselves
from becoming Christians. The Bible characters were woefully
inconsistent too. Does that make them members of a cult?
- "When
expedient, they . . . contradicted Ellen G.
White. . . ." The truth is out! Adventists don't
follow Ellen White after all.
- "The
last three years have been the most spiritually rewarding of my
thirty-one years as a Christian." This key witness thus declares
that he was both a Christian and an Adventist for 28 years, part of
which time he was an Adventist minister as well. Despite all what the
video says, according to this speaker, Adventists are Christians,
and Adventist ministers are Christian ministers.
- The
Adventist Church does not uphold the Bible as the sole authority of both
faith and practice. If this is true, which it isn't, why does
everyone who becomes a member of the Adventist Church have to vow before
God that they "believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, and
that it constitutes the only rule of faith and practice for the
Christian"?
- "Jesus
saves us not by our deeds. . . ." Straw man, since this is precisely
what Seventh-day Adventists believe.
- "Because
you're not going to be able to get this information from your
church." It would be a rare church that could produce this much
misinformation single-handed.
- The
Documentation Package substantiates the information contained in
the video. The Documentation Package substantiates hardly
anything. Sometimes it proves that the information on the video is
erroneous.
- A
number of former high-ranking Adventist Church leaders are featured on
the video. Based on the information in the video, not one former
high-ranking leader is featured.
- The
video contains answers based on the best scholarship. If this video
contains answers based on the best scholarship, what would the
worst scholarship be like?
- The
video contains answers based on firm adherence to the truths of God's
Word. In actuality, the video undermines faith in the authority and
teachings of God's Word in a number of subtle
ways.
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