My husband left denominational teaching after becoming part of emotional abuse by the Conf. Educational Superintendent in No. Calif… At least 9 other teachers left that year also. He decided to do “the Lord’s Work” at a self-supporting school called Maranatha Meadows in Lincoln Calif. That school board told him he was to ‘forget’ everything he had been taught at PUC (he had an MA in Ed.) because it was from the devil. After enduring two years of extreme emotional abuse at this ‘Holy’ school, run almost entirely on EGW books he escaped. He told the board that God would close the school within the next year. It closed in four months. He never went back to teaching instead he became a Social Worker and continued to help children and families.
I left the church many years ago. My family members are still Adventists. I went to SDA schools until my sophomore year in college and even went to Taiwan as a student missionary. Mostly, I left the church because I am gay and found no place there but also, as this article states (which is spot on), I left because a lot of what the church teaches didn’t make sense to me. I have a Ph.D. in humanities with emphasis in music history. I was a Fulbright Scholar to Spain. After my education (all three degrees from non Adventist institutions), extensive traveling, and living abroad, the SDA church simply didn’t work for my mind. It took several years for my heart to leave but leave, it finally did. Another reason was that the church really didn’t have a place for paid musicians. I am a full-time musician (Cantor and organist) at an ELCA (Lutheran) church. Thanks for this article.
By the way, I love Harry Potter – good vs. evil. I could say much more on the topic of people who automatically dismiss metaphors and symbols but I shall refrain.
In response to the article by Dr. Quartey: The ValueGenesis report is mentioned and it brought back memories of a solicited article that was rejected because I addressed attrition as an issue of authenticity. We need to be willing to accept that there are institutional processes and procedures that are simply life style decisions and are not coming from a “Thus saith the Lord.” The Adventist educational system teaches students how to use critical thinking skills that allow them to interpret the Bible and to differentiate biblical-based decisions from those of institutional administrators, yet leadership doesn’t seem to allow that “liberal” thinking Dr. Quartey references. Yes, as adults, we need to learn to forgive the errors of our parents and teachers and church leaders, but youth today do not stay and learn to forgive the church. The McKensey Consulting firm conducted extensive research on purchasing decisions and published that continuance (my parents did this) and loyalty (this product did this for me in the past) no longer keep people interested. The findings showed that efficacy (needed now; makes sense now) was the determining factor ( McKinsey & Company, 2001; parenthetical explanations, my own). A quantitative study or a qualitative study quantified will not change our practice if the aftermath of the ValueGenesis is any indication of a hope that our church practices would transition. Thank you for the reminder that this generation is looking for authenticity.
McKinsey & Company (2001). Marketing practice: The new era of customer loyalty management—opportunities to create profitable growth.
Amal
The evidence of an old earth is far beyond carbon dating, or thinking that God just makes things look old. Why would he be deceptive?
Take some present understanding of geologic formation. A fellow namned Nick Zentner gives some pretty good presentations on the issue. Here is just one to consider. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXEQeTg0Xww
Two great lies which destroy the church. She was a prolific plagiarist indeed!
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