You may be familiar with the shocking decadence of the popular, extremely talented metal band Crucified Barbara.As shown here, some rock musicians serve the devil.
And, as shown here, so do some top Adventist theologians.
But you'll say, Please, our theologians don't run around dressed in leather.
Well, at least not in public.
And surely the Adventist theologians
don't throw "horned hands".At least not when on preaching engagements.
"Furthermore, there is no word generally used for both witches and sorcerers; we suggest that the word wizard may usefully be used for both types of practitioners. Wizardry may then consist either of witchcraft or sorcery, or of both practices." (Witchcraft and Sorcery in East Africa, ed. John Middleton and E.H. Winter, Praeger, 1963, p 3)
But the BRI?
"For a number of years (2004-2006)
the staff of BRI has been meeting with a group of Adventist theologians from Africa studying the subject of spiritualism in Africa and how the church should relate to this phenomenon. ... It includes specific guidelines in response to issues concerning demonic possession, ancestor veneration, witchcraft, magic and sorcery, traditional healing, and rites of passage. The document also includes a series of recommendations." (Ángel Manuel Rodríguez, Preliminary Report on Spiritualism and the Church, Reflections - A BRI Newsletter, Number 19, July 2007) Dr. Rodríguez 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.htmThis institute has produced a big document on witchcraft and sorcery.
According to Dr. Rodríguez, there's plenty of this stuff going on in the Adventist church.And why might that be?
Oh, its because the Adventist church promotes that sort of thing for the youth.
And now they have their "guidelines". Sure the Bible had some, as in Exodus 22:18.
But that's the Bible.
While BRI says, "It is certainly good if the Bible is relevant." (Dr. Ekkehardt Mueller, Interview with Dr. Ekkehardt Mueller, Ground 7 News, http://www.mefeedia.com/entry/2704554), not every Bible verse talks about returning a faithful tithe and offerings into the storehouse that finances the BRI.
The old Bible has prohibitions of witchcraft and lying. You bring up those passages, and these boys think: "We have a basic question: How reliable is scripture?" (Dr. Ekkehardt Mueller, Interview
with Dr. Ekkehardt Mueller, Ground 7 News, http://www.mefeedia.com/entry/2704554) Dr. 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. Scripture like: "There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch," Deut. 18:10
But that's the Bible. As shown here, the BRI staff has pigeonholed this old-fashioned material. Now they do their researches to find out what they wish the Bible could have said. All this wishing culminated in their very own, Adventist Bible!
Yes, friends, the policies of the Bible really weren't good enough for these men, so after lots of safaris, the BRI has gotten together the first draft of a really definitive work on -- compromise with evil."Sadly, for many decades, churches have done a very poor job in this respect. Rather than uplifting the Ten Commandments as a reflection of God’s character, we have been told by the nation’s leading clergy that the commandments are nailed to the cross and no longer apply to Christians. Rather than being told about the life changing power of the grace of Christ, we have been told that living a Christ-like life is an exercise in legalism. Rather than being told of a righteous God who will sort the wheat from the tares on judgment day, we have been told about a friend who will accept us no matter what manner of evil we unrepentantly perpetrate on others. Rather than being told about the offensiveness of sin to a holy Savior, we have been lulled by our religious leaders into a comfortable compromise with the world." (James D. Standish, Public Relations and Religious Liberty, Ten Commandments: Out of the Courthouse and Back into the Church, Reflections — A BRI Newsletter, July 2006, p 6)
"James Standish represents the worldwide Seventh-day Adventist Church to the U.S. Congress, the White House and the executive agencies. In addition to his responsibilities with the Adventist Church, he is Deputy Secretary General for U.S. Legislative Affairs of the International Religious Liberty Association." http://parl.gc.adventist.org/aboutus/staff/standish.html
There will always be some prophet in the wilderness types who cry out against the "comfortable compromise with the world". "This has caused some stir and irritation among church members and pastors in various countries." (Johannes Kovar, The Textus Receptus and Modern Bible Translations, Reflections - A BRI Newsletter, January 2008, p. 6)So what happens when you have a group of scholars who like "comfortable compromise", and then get stirred up by a call to repentance??
"The prince of evil contests every inch of ground over which God's people advance in their journey toward the heavenly city. In all the history of the church no reformation has been carried forward without encountering serious obstacles." (Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p 396)
"A sorcerer is one who is thought to practice evil magic against others. The acts themselves are usually of such a nature that they can be performed by
anyone." (Middleton, supra) Say a little bit of false accusation and misrepresentation in the pages of Reflections, or the Advent Echo. Or no, make that double fries, and a mega-burger.But all this is "evil magic"? "The acts themselves are usually of such a nature that they can be performed by anyone." (Middleton, supra) Make that anyone who doesn't mind a little bit of lying.
"They are termed magical from the point of view of the anthropologist because there are no grounds in terms of Western science for believing them able to accomplish the ends claimed for them. In Africa the most common belief is that sorcerers use ‘medicines’ to harm those against whom they bear ill will. There is no reason why anyone cannot collect roots, leaves, bodily effluvia and other objects and make them into a powder or ‘medicine’, or if the formula is secret, why a person cannot buy ‘medicine’ prepared by a specialist. However, there is no reason to think that this ‘medicine’ dropped near the doorway of a house will cause the householder to become sick or die." (Middleton, supra)
But sorcery in our day and age?
"It is fondly supposed that heathen superstitions have disappeared before the civilization of the twentieth century. But the word of God and the stern testimony of facts declare that sorcery is practiced in this age as verily as in the days of the old-time magicians." (Ellen G. White, Conflict and Courage, p 343)
And so these sorcerers have been dropping their "medicine" around places where Veith works. All of which is not so complicated in these modern days of the internet. Of course, "there are no
grounds in terms of Western science for believing them able to accomplish the ends claimed for them". (Middleton, supra)These men have been practicing evil magic against our righteous brother Veith for years. Adventist pastor Kenny Naidoo was crowing that Dr. Veith's career as an Adventist pastor was "dead".
But the evil magic didn't work.
And all contrary to western science? Shown here:
"Obelisks were considered by the ancient Egyptians to be sacred to the sun god, whose main center of worship was at Heliopolis, the ruins of which lie in the district of Matariya near Cairo. Although the well-known obelisks date from the twentieth century B.C., such monuments seem to have been erected there in honor of the sun god in much earlier periods." (Labib Habachi, The obelisks of Egypt, Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1977, p. 4)
These men were trying to perform some magical tricks to persuade people this wasn't so, at least not anymore. But "there are no grounds in terms of Western science for believing them able to accomplish the ends claimed for them".
But what about the witchcraft dimension? "Is there no magic, no sorcery, going on around us?" (Ellen G. White, Burning of the Magical Books, The Signs of the Times, May 18, 1882)
"By contrast the power of witchcraft is a mystical and innate power, which can be used by its possessor to harm other people. Often it is thought that the witch need merely wish to harm his victim and his witchcraft then does this, or it may be enough for him merely to feel annoyance or jealousy against someone for the power to set itself in operation without his being aware of the fact that it has done so. Usually witches are thought able to do extraordinary things which are beyond the capabilities of ordinary human beings. They may be thought capable of travelling great distances instantaneously, or having the ability to turn themselves into leopards, or going out in spirit and killing a victim while their bodies remain home in bed." (Middleton, supra)
Is there any evidence that witchcraft is also being employed on a massive scale by evil religious leadership intent on leading the flock astray? "O my people, they which lead you cause you to err, and destroy the way of your paths." Isaiah 3:12Of course there is! You take a church that was set with so much truth, and then some wolves come in among the sheep to water things down: "we have been lulled by our religious leaders into a comfortable compromise with the world." (James D. Standish, Public Relations and Religious Liberty, Ten Commandments: Out of the Courthouse and Back into the Church, Reflections — A BRI Newsletter, July 2006, p 6)
The sorcerers felt "annoyance or jealousy against someone". Like, say, Dr. Veith. And so they practiced their art against this humble servant of the Lord -- exposing to the world just who they were working for.
"By definition, it is impossible for an anthropologist to observe the practice of witchcraft. Acts of sorcery, although theoretically observable, are rarely seen due to the secrecy which surrounds them." (Middleton, supra)
Well, that might have been the case in Africa back in the old days. Secrecy went out the door with the coming of the internet, and now the sorcery is shown up for what it is. Before the worldwide community of Christians.
So how should the Christian deal with the sorcery community?
"He must be gentle in correcting those who oppose the Good News. Maybe God will allow them to change the way they think and act and lead them to know the truth." 2 Timothy 2:25
GOD'S WORD® Translation
RELATED READING:
Christian Journalism UNDER SIEGE at Union College
Adventist Biblical Research Institute Speaks to God's Gender Identity
Graphics:
http://www.metalmillennium.net/prossimamente%20Metalmillennium/Crucified%20Barbara%201.jpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLaJAK-dUbQ&feature=related
http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41033000/jpg/_41033716_whitewitch.jpg
http://www.moviecitynews.com/arrays/images/2005/poster_narnia.jpg
http://soundthetrumpet.ca/pics/sheepwolves.jpg
Other acknowledgments: "Reflections is the official newsletter of the Biblical Research Institute of the General Conference. It seeks to share information concerning doctrinal and theological developments among Adventists and to foster doctrinal and theological unity in the world church. The newsletter is only accessible to pastors, theologians, and administrators of the church." http://www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/WHY CAN'T LAY PEOPLE READ IT TOO? WHY IS IT JUST FOR THE PRIESTS?
[20] For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
[21] But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. John 3
Jesus had a message for people with this mentality:
Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. Luke 12:3
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