In contrast to the GC’s vapid video, the Norwegian Union offers this substantive and biblically-informed statement. But we have been witnessing this sort of back-and-forth for a long time.
I think Ted Wilson, Mark Finley, and Clinton Wahlen should stop hiding in the bushes and forthrightly disclose their beliefs in a substantive way that this video does not.
Ted could start by addressing Martin Luther’s statement, “Going against the conscience is cumbersome, harmful and dangerous.” Ted, why do you insist on trampling upon the personal conscience of 40 percent of the Seventh-day Adventist Church? Why is it impossible for you to accommodate this exercise of personal conscience?
Mark could then disclose for the first time in his entire life his belief regarding the Trinity. Mark, do you believe in Eternal Functional Subordinationism, which holds that the immanent Trinity is hierarchically ordered and that the Son is eternally subordinate to the Father? Given that this issue has been one of the four or five most hotly debated issues in Christendom during the last forty years, how could you not form an opinion? Your silence forces us to infer that you as an opponent of women’s ordination are a Neo-Subordinationist, because Eternal Functional Subordinationism is the principle component of male headship theory which undergirds opposition to women’s ordination. Therefore, Mark, how do you reconcile this belief with your assertion that Jesus is divine, given that an eternally subordinate Son by virtue of such subordination does not possess the divine attributes of sovereignty and omnipotence?
Clinton could then disclose all of the changes to our Fundamental Beliefs he would like to see, given his belief in male headship theory. He tried to change our FB regarding the communion service by suggesting that only ordained ministers should be allowed to officiate. Obviously, our FB regarding the doctrine of God would need to be changed to express belief in Eternal Functional Subordinationism. Clinton, should we not also incorporate Arius’ soteriology, which goes hand in hand with his doctrine of God? Many of our FBs are injured by male headship theory. Why not be open about all of the changes to the FBs that would be necessitated if we were to adopt the theology–male headship theory–that undergirds opposition to women’s ordination?
Rather than exploit children, I think certain GC officers should step up and answer questions in a forthright way for all of the Seventh-day Adventists around the world to see.
Today I have seen on Facebook where several pastors have vented their
disgust over this Unity Video. And many comments about the use of
children in the production of it.
Yes, this is a major problem, they didn’t yet reveal their ultimate goal. This lack of transparency, actually a secrecy, is very disturbing. They should disclose the full objective they have in mind, and then a good and healthy consideration could take place by all parties.
But I am afraid that they don’t know how to work at daylight. They are so used to those manipulations and politicking that expecting them to work in a transparent way may certainly be just utopia.
What does not have to be utopia is the effort to vote them all out and replace with a crowd that can honor certain Christian principles much better. They are failing, they need to be Repealed & Replaced. Fast!!!
Those children are being exploited. The GCX is taking advantage of their age and innocence. This is wrong. Those children don’t know what they are actually saying, they are not mature enough. This is one form of child abuse.
Because the purpose is highjacking the church while making it appear the church is being purified.
Most Adventists can’t begin sort this out.
Adventism has been reflexively obscurantist about its doctrinal incoherence throughout its history.
Adjustments could have been accomplished were it not for the ring-pass-not Ellen White put around Adventist doctrine, her inescapable double binds, and the reprisals that those who openly questioned her have received.
It’s made for a dishonest and secretive social milieu, and a people who are socially defeated by their system.
It has been relatively easy to introduce the Trojan Horse of Headship into this murky cognitive swamp.
In the darkest of nights,
Nobody knew how to fight,
And we were caught in our sleep.
Ellen White is pressed into service to defeat the Adventist people.
The people have naively welcomed the traitors into their city.
Once again, the Norwegian Union has made a clear and thoughtful response. I hope many others will respond in kind. My initial response to the ANN video cannot be printed here. As this entire thing has played out, I keep thinking of the term “groupthink” in my attempt to understand what is happening at the GC. “Groupthink occurs when a group of well-intentioned people make irrational or non-optimal decisions that are spurred by the urge to conform or the discouragement of dissent. This problematic or premature consensus may be fueled by a particular agenda or simply because group members value harmony and coherence above rational thinking. In a groupthink situation, group members refrain from expressing doubts and judgments or disagreeing with the consensus. In the interest of making a decision that furthers their group cause, members may ignore any ethical consequences…” The words “prayer” and “prayerful” are frequently used by writers on both sides of these matters before our church, and I agree that we should pray for the Holy Spirit to guide us. There are many online articles on how to fix groupthink and these principles can be applied in our church organizations, prayerfully, of course. I no longer have any confidence in the GC president and those closet to him to provide the leadership our church in these times. They are blinded and incapable of seeing the divisiveness of their authoritarian actions. It is clearly time for a change. Do we really have to wait until GC20?
I don’t know why forum always blame ted wilson (some seem obsessed with removal and defaming of ted wilson which is becoming meliscious)
like TED WILSON checks all edits and all artist works off every single person in GC office
ps video quote terms like ‘pressing together’ ‘coming together’
without clearly resolving doctrine issues or where we will stand as a church on doctrine
Simon–
SOMEONE who Reports to President Wilson HAD TO OK the Idea, Planning the
Story Board, Hiring of the Performers, Hiring of the Vidographers, Hiring of the
persons to put the scene together.
So YES, as Harry Truman [President when I was kid] said, “The Buck Stops Here!”
There the Buck stops at President Wilson’s DESK.
So we know he takes at least a general interest in the creation of videos that try to persuade people to his point of view.
(It seems likely to me that the retro clothing and songs at Battle Creek were meant to cue and reinforce the sentiments that Ted Wilson hoped to anchor in the above video.)
So, I would be very surprised if the recent video rose up out of the GC sea, like Aphrodite on the half-shell, without Ted Wilson’s input.
Can’t prove any of that, of course.
Ted Wilson is just the most visible target to pin the current SDA chaos on, and he does bear grave responsibility in all this, I believe.
But a whole lot of people had to look the other way for a long, long time for it to come to this current, possibly fatal, impasse.
you think he is like some script director
there may be a GC and church ethos but seems far fetched every word was directed
what about NAD its statements are all scripted
)
