by Patricio Menéndez

I am one of the tens of thousands who have left the SDA church.

I would encourage you to open your Bible to Rev. 19:10 and do a word study. Adventists love to quote that text to give a "biblical" push to Ellen G. White. If you look at that text it states "... You must not do that! I am only another servant with you and your brethren who have accepted and hold the testimony borne by Jesus. Worship God! For the substance (essence) of the truth revealed by Jesus is the spirit of all prophecy, the vital breath, the inspiration of all inspired preaching and interpretation of divine will and purpose including both mine and yours." Amplified Bible there is no way on God’s green earth to get any support, in any way, for any prophet status for Ellen G. White out of it.

The preaching or pointing to Jesus is the spirit of all BIBLE prophecy. The teachings of Jesus is what (Bible) prophecy is all about. Take Jesus out of that text and insert Ellen G. White and the degree of blasphemy becomes apparent. "I am only another servant with you and your brethren who have accepted the testimony borne by Ellen G. White. Worship Ellen G. White! For the substance of truth revealed by Ellen G. White is the spirit of all Bible prophecy." No!!!! The Spirit of Prophecy is Jesus Christ NOT Ellen G. White!!!

There is NO text in the Bible stating that the remnant church has to have a prophet to be the true remnant church!! There is NO text in the Bible commanding anyone to believe in a prophet or that anyone is a prophet!! There is NO text in the Bible correlating belief in a prophet to salvation!! Denominationalism, including Adventism, is about human pride and NOT God!! Denominationalism does NOT own God. Denominationalism can NOT grant salvation. Denominationalism, including Adventism, is a cunning trap of Satan based on human pride to fragment the body of Christ and prevent unity and the strength that results.

The SDA church was born during a time of great and widespread spiritual revival. It was NOT a unique event!

God may well have had a hand in bringing to the front certain truths that could have illuminated the world. Satan, however, is no fool. He was well aware of what was happening. From the very beginning Satan's every effort has been to turn the focus away from Christ/God. True to his history Satan set up a distraction to draw people away from God in the form of a "prophet". A very common tactic of the Devil’s.

Rather than search the scriptures for truth and ask God for guidance Satan convinced man to turn to Ellen G. White instead. To this day, you can sit in Sabbath School class and have a good discussion when someone will interject, "Sister White says _____" END of discussion!!! It makes NO difference what the Bible says or what reality says. It is what Ellen G. White says, that is truth!!

If you read Fred Veltman's report published in Ministry Magazine on behalf of the General Conference, you can read his statement on Desire of Ages that there was not one original thought of Ellen G. White expressed in that book. Every thought in that book was plagiarized. The same with Great Controversy, Patriarchs and Prophets, etc., etc. Ellen G. White hosted leaders of the Mormon church in her home many times and plagiarized the writings of Joseph Smith as well. Everything Ellen G. White said on health was plagiarized from books written years before her supposed visions. In fact, everything Ellen G. White saw in vision she had either seen, heard or read previously. There were NO "new" revelations!! Nothing original ever came from Ellen G. White!

It has been stated that there is not a single Bible prophet who had more than seven visions in their lifetime!!!! The SDA church claims from hundreds to 2000+ visions for Ellen G. White. The visions of the Bible prophets came in their late years when they were mature, proven to be faithful. Totally opposite to this Ellen G. White had her visions as an impressionable youth which disconcertingly reduced in frequency as she aged and recovered from her brain injury.

As the article on the "New Perspectives on Seventh-day Adventism" posted by Dirk Anderson states, the problems with Ellen G. White=prophet are colossal!! And like I stated earlier Ellen G. White's writing are often found in contrast to the Bible and not in agreement with it.

I firmly believe that if at that time the leaders of the SDA church knowing about the false visions and contradictions had acted for God rather than to keep their status and personal prestige and had taken the steps to return to "Sola Scriptura" there would NOT be dozens of Sabbath keeping churches today but one and rather than 11 million or so members there would be a united brotherhood of 111 or more million members. The SDA church would be able to hold a prominent and respected position in the field of religion as a church. There never would have been "cult" status labeling the church either!!

The SDA church has a unique collection of Biblical truths tarnished by a false prophet and the resultant unbiblical teachings. Thanks to success of Satan's plan the SDA church has been driving down the road of time with two wheels in the ditch. If you put the cards on the table for what Ellen G. White has done to benefit the church and what her status and following has done to hurt the church the correct course of action would be quite clear. Since day one her false visions, false testimonies, contractions of the Bible, contradicting herself, "do as I say, not as I do" lifestyle, etc. have plagued both her credibility and the church as a public institution.

Putting all the cards on the table and admitting that a mistake was made removing her "spirit of prophecy" prophet status and doctrinal stamp temporarily splitting the church would allow the Biblical truths of the SDA church to finally shine onto the earth, God's name could truly be glorified on the earth.

In America alone there is an "EX" Adventist for every Adventist. The SDA church has been hemorrhaging members and theologians in ever increasing numbers for more than 150 years!!!!! This is NOT for the glory of God!!

This is the information age!! No one can keep their "dirty laundry" swept under the rug any more. You can search the writings of a person or the Bible in seconds. Anyone can read to their nausea arrogant false testimonies and false visions. They can not be hidden any longer. Letters showing false teachings and visions can be traced. They can no longer be hidden.

Human pride is the only thing keeping the SDA church from putting ALL the cards on the table and coming clean about Ellen G. White. Satanic inspired human pride is keeping the witness of the truth of Christ from being lifted up and illuminating the world. I would NOT want to be personally responsible for that!! A mistake of cosmic proportions was made 150 years ago. That does not mean that the mistake has to continue forever! Mistakes CAN be repented of and corrected!!!

When the Bible talks about "In vain do you worship Me teaching for doctrine the commandments (traditions, teachings) of men." Mat. 15:9 it applies just as much to the extra biblical SDA/Ellen G. White church traditions as it does to the Adventist application towards or against Sun-day observance. There are two sides to everything. You can not make one set or rules to validate your (mis)interpretation or tradition and another to criticize someone else's. What is good for the goose is good for the gander.

I believe that if there really was any interest at all in God or Biblical truth in denominationalism there would NOT be more than 220 denominations in America alone!! I have done quite a bit of mission service working with poor kids and can tell you that there is NO SUCH THING in Christianity today as concern for the poor!! ALL you see in the name of humanitarian relief by a "church" is thinly disguised proselytization. They are saying "unless you listen to me preach you can not receive the clothes or food you desperately need". There is no breakfast for the hungry kids who don't sit through your "bible class". It is all about getting as many people as possible to join "X" church before the people from "Y" get there and convert them.

Humanitarian aid is used as a bargaining chip, a tool to manipulate the disadvantaged. Even ADRA has been caught several times using humanitarian aid and funds to directly assist the evangelism efforts of the SDA church. Is this overt pressure and entrapment how Jesus showed His Father's love to the world?? In my work I have been able to break through all denominational boundaries to work freely with people of all faiths and work with people who have been hurt and abandoned by "church" including the SDA church. The acts I have witnessed in the name of God, by the SDA church as well, are appalling!

To everyone reading this who is sympathetic to these view or truly seeks truth I say "keep up the courage". For those of you still in contact with the SDA church try to encourage the people to re-evaluate their beliefs and to stand for the truths of Scripture; to grow, rather than continue to stand on the traditions of men. Traditions that are showing their cracks, traditions and ideas that time and the information age have so eroded that they can no longer stand. I know of no other denomination that holds as much correct Biblical understanding as the SDA church, BUT a false prophet and false teachings destroy all the good. A couple of rotten apples in the basket, false prophet and teachings, take away from the value and beauty of all the good apples, true doctrine. No one accepts a basket that has visible rotten apples. They seek for a basket of wholesome pure apples.

Seeking God's face.

Pat

© 2004 Patricio Menéndez