“The untutored egotist merely wants what he wants. Give him a religious education, and it becomes obvious to him, it becomes axiomatic, that what he wants is what God wants, that his cause is the cause of whatever he may happen to regard as the True Church and that any compromise is a metaphysical Munich, an appeasement of Radical Evil.” from Aldous Huxley’s The Devils of Loudun.
The special temptation, especially of a long-term, religious leader is that he adopts the above philosophy. He becomes the indispensable man. The African president-for-life phenomenon. The USA had the good sense to constitutionally limit a president to two terms, the SDA church should do the same to limit what EGW called “kingly power.”
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if our church splits before indianapolis 2020, it could be good to have stability in the GC presidency, as well as in the presidency of the new adventist church…in this case, TW should probably stay on as GC president, whereas dan jackson can be the president of the new adventist church, assuming NAD splits with PUC and CUC…
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GREAT IDEA!
Jeremy, I fully support your suggestion. It would be great if the NAD split and became a satellite SDA Church. Dan Jackson has my support for leadership.
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i thought you had your own designs on leadership…don’t you think you’d have a stronger chance for the presidency of NAD adventism, than GC adventism…
Well, I am waiting for DJ to do the dirty job, then I will emerge as he leader of the future with his full support. I already had a secret one/one meeting with him (with not even translators…) and the plan is a GO.
No collusion though, no collusion…
Talking on translators, how do you think those “Helsinki translators” will be executed to keep them silent? Nerve gas, or plutonium??? Trump knows…, but he won’t tell…
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those translators will talk when someone puts up enough money for them to talk…tom steyer is probably looking into this right now…of course, as you suggest, maybe they’ll be eliminated first…
personally, i think it’s obvious that putin has something on trump…this is the most logical explanation for what we’ve been seeing…i’ve heard some commentators speculate that it’s compromising footage with prostitutes when trump was in moscow for the miss universe pageant that putin has…but a lot of other commentators are saying it’s putin’s hold on trump’s finances…this view is bolstered by the fact that eric trump has boasted in the past that the trumps don’t need american banks, because they can get all the loans they need from russian banks…then there’s the fact, of course, that trump still refuses to release his tax returns (which mueller has no doubt seen)…
i actually think mueller is done with the main aspects of his investigation…he’s just looking for more slam dunk evidence besides what he already has…the cohen investigations are doing that, as is the delay in flynn’s sentencing…and now it looks like manafort may flip…the arrest of mariia butina is also more change in mueller’s pockets…specifically it may likely link the NRA, trump jr and russia in one line of conspiracy, which would be devastating for the GOP…the next round of indictments are going to be devastating, and will no doubt rock the country…
as i see it, trump is doomed, trump jr is doomed, jared kushner is doomed - it’s just a matter of time…and i don’t think melania is going to stand by trump when all of this comes out…
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Trump’s and Putin’s body language at that press conference yesterday told me a lot. Putin was undeniably in emotional charge, and Trump at times looked like that little, fearful rat cornered by a lion. It was so obvious.
Putin must have something really big on him, OR he promised him a special license to build a big Trump tower in Moscow if he “behaves.” Something is very wrong when the POTUS breaks up with the allies of so many years and calls them the US’ '"foe, praises the real “foe” as if he is our best friend.
This President is mentally sick and the Congress is numb. This is frustrating and disconcerting. I feel totally betrayed by the POTUS.
Is Calgary accepting new residents Jeremy? My older daughter is actually applying right now because she married a Calgary resident. I may have a chance later on…
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pago – When I discovered Spectrum I clearly recall reading in the guidelines to posting that simply quoting a Bible verse or verses (among other criteria) is not allowed because such comments do not enhance conversation, but rather kill it, adding an unwelcome sense of Holier-Than-Thou. Methinks thou must have a wee paranoia bone somewhere in your body. Perhaps you should re-read those guidelines and it will become clear to you that you are not being discriminated against. Blessings to you.
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https://conversation.spectrummagazine.org/faq
It doesn’t appear to be there now explicitly, but instead is replaced by guidelines that will still make the practice inappropriate.
Really? I’ve seen proof to the contrary, but really, who’s keeping track? 
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As Geo Tichy has pointed out on this thread no one runs for office because there are no two way or three way contests. So there are no contests to overcome declared opposition.
I readily grant the fact that some administrators or others subject to a nominating process partake of party spirit or engage in political maneuvering.
Hope this explains what I was saying!
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To borrow a slogan from Wendle Willkie who ran against FDR when he was going for a third term. “No third termites!” It didn’t work though. FDR actually won a 4th term four years later, but died a few months after that.
And baby-size cages?
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My answer to the title question is a resounding NO.
He seems to think that unity equals “everyone thinks the same way.” Which is NOT what unity means. We can all be unified while enjoying our own individual personalities and preferences.
Let’s let him retire, the sooner the better. And I predict our collective angst about WO will slowly die away. There’s absolutely no reason to choose our religious leaders on the basis of their gender.
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It’s never too late for George
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Why is it so difficult to depose this nice gentleman? The current discussion shows he is breaking the worldwide church…
A prayer for us all, sons of Eve and daughters of Adam
(and for Ted Wilson to recite, heartfelt)
The garden that you gave for me to tend,
your garden cries out, and bleeds.
The garden you gave to me
i have squandered, and used up.
I have not husbanded your garden well,
and yet you say you will come back
and hold me as your bride…
What sort of Vineyard master are you
to so esteem me?
© timo
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As a pastor’s child I grew up seeing the inner workings of the local conferences / unions / GC. I have listened to / overheard conversations of conference pastor’s, conference leaders, union leaders, retired SDA workers. My roots in the SDA church go back to the 1870’s in Minnesota.
Approx 15 years ago I was told by my retired father (SDA pastor for 40+ years) that Ted Wilson was being groomed to be General Conference President. It was already in the works for him to be the future GC President. The question we should contemplating is who is being groomed (unelected) to be the next GC President. The power structure is not with the members but with a select few.
Several years ago I was told by a federal government contractor whose job was to monitor federal cancer grants, that cancer would never be cured because there was too much money to be lost by pharmaceutical companies on down to the doctors who treat.
Sometimes I wonder about the SDA ‘upper management’ and wonder if there is to much to lose if they let the church function as was originally intended. This includes the conferences and unions, but for this conversation the GC.
The local members have much to lose if their Union Leaders do not stand up to the GC and demand what is right, that the Unions and their members decide non critical issues such as ordination of women.
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Maybe they will come up with a Brazilian… 
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