It seems good to me for everyone to acknowledge that there has been a very healthy testing of Ellen White’s ministry from the very beginnings, through every generation, until today. No believer should depend on others to “test the spirits” as we are counseled to do in 1 John 4:1-3.
I have come to think that we should spend little time trying to figure out whether EGW was inspired by God. On the one hand. answering “yes” doesn’t mean that everything she said was accurate and that everying she did was commendable. On the other hand, answering “no” doesn’t mean that nothing she said was accurate and that nothing she did was commendable. Either answer requires us to “test everything.”
Interesting, the abstract doesn’t include the 1919 Bible Conference and the subsequent installation of Spicer as GC President on a pro Ellen White ticket which became the model for every candidate for high office ever since.
Her writings about vegetarianism and other health musings, were already in the culture of the Northeastern US well before EGW wrote anything. There was Sylvester Graham writing in the 1830’s about vegetarianism, clean living, no masturbation, etc., William Alcott in the 1830’s, LB Coles (a huge influence on EGW) writing in the 1840’s, Dr. Russell Trall, Dr. Caleb Jackson 1840’s (also big influence on EGW). She wrote nothing new in health ideas.
So, quite a few people were shrewd, sagacious, and perspicacious well before EGW came upon these health pioneers and “borrowed” from them.
Confused, is this to be taken literally, allegorically or is this proof texting?
Deut 12:15
“However, you may slaughter and eat meat within all your gates, whatever your heart desires, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you; the unclean and the clean may eat of it, of the gazelle and the deer alike.
Interesting…
It is repeated in v22
Deut 12:20
When the LORD thy God shall enlarge thy border, as he hath promised thee, and thou shalt say, I will eat flesh, because thy soul longeth to eat flesh; thou mayest eat flesh, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after.
Deu 12:21
If the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen to put his name there be too far from thee, then thou shalt kill of thy herd and of thy flock, which the LORD hath given thee, as I have commanded thee, and thou shalt eat in thy gates whatsoever thy soul lusteth after.
Deu 12:22
Even as the roebuck and the hart is eaten, so thou shalt eat them: the unclean and the clean shall eat of them alike
I also never heard these verses in an SDA church…
Deut 14:24-26
But if that place is too distant and you have been blessed by the LORD your God and cannot carry your tithe (because the place where the LORD will choose to put his Name is so far away),
then exchange your tithe for silver, and take the silver with you and go to the place the LORD your God will choose.
Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice.
Wait, what? I just spit out my luke-warm postum!
As well you should!!!
I am going to wait for the REAL translation from those that have the REAL religion AKA TRUE Adventists…
https://conversation.spectrummagazine.org/t/lounge-open-thread/11538/5970?u=paul62
These percentages are ubiquitous. Rev 12:4 reports one third of the angels were driven out of heaven with Lucifer, one third of SDA founders did not accept EGW and the placebo effect response to medications in general hovers around one-third. What better explanation is there to describe EGW’s “dilemma”? I would even surmise that if there were a study to determine how many adventists would accept Amazing Facts as facts, I would say about 66% would support DB and 33% would not. Could the placebo effect be the rate limiting factor in accepting the gospel?
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(16)30307-8/fulltext?code=lancet-site
The definiton of gospel has to be defined whenever you are talking to Adventists. Especially the TRUE and REAL Adventists. If you don’t know what that means, neither do I, but somehow they exist. Sorry, but there are real differences amongst the club making it necessary and undeniable. Lots of moving parts. 3rd gen and out speaking.
EGW was not alone in society recommending a vegetarianism, she followed the dietary ideas of Sylvester Graham. The vegetarian diet, “a plain diet, free from spices,” she recommended–most SDA’s would find it extremely difficult, in not impossible.
You skip the interesting v23.
“Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you may learn to revere the Lord your God always.”
This is what you are to do with the tithe.
Interesting texts where God commands us to eat meat. But we must not forget the Passover lamb that God commanded Israel the whole family to eat.
But EGW based her diet on the Eden diet, which she considered to be the creators diet. However we are far removed from Eden with it perfect environment.
I was also pointing out the verses regarding using silver to buy…wine or other fermented drink.
Sounds like more fun than the potlucks!
Is that v23?
Any other thoughts on the verses in Deuteronomy? So interesting…
funny enough when I was 17 years old I first heard those verses in an adventist school in Africa being read by an Adventist pastor!!! and he further added the verses in proverbs that say we should give alcohol to the poor. then he came to this conclusion: that we should use tithe to buy alcohol (with tithe!!!) and give it to the poor!!! he read it so many times I have always used it when faced by fundamentalists.
Good story, antony!
I think it shows how different the world is now from the time of Moses.
Eugene Peterson in his “The Message” puts it this way.
15. It is permissible to slaughter your nonsacrificial animals like gazelle and deer
in your towns and eat all you want from them with the blessing of God, your God.
Both the ritually clean and unclean may eat."
The Voice Compass bible –
15. “However, if you just want to have meat for a meal, if the Eternal your God
has blessed you and you can afford it, you can do that in your own towns.
Slaughter the animals and eat them there. It is not a sacred meal, so people
don’t need to be ritually pure to eat it, and it can be gazelle or a deer.”