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Is TheSeven Day Advantists Church Real or a Cult Church?
- Thread starter JesusFan
- Start date
Have you ever been to one?
Christforums
Active Member
The early ecumenical creeds are a great litmus test concerning churches. If any church rejects them then they are outside denominations and are either a sect or cult. SDA, Mormons, and JWs are cults.
Our town local Hospital was originally Adventist… so your saying they are a cult?
How about Unitarians? We got one down the road. And the PCUSA just announced that they accept homos & trans people…and if you disagree with this you are told to leave. So how would you categorize them?
Christforums
Active Member
If the early Ecumenical creeds are rejected, then they are either a sect or cult.
Denominations all by definition agree w/ the essentials of the faith in the Nicene, Apostles, and Athanasian creeds. And while the R.C. also they are apostate. A sect can be considered a radical movement within universal catholic church which separates it from the body of believers. While Anabaptists are difficult to trace historically, they are more easily traced by doctrinal transmission, anabaptists today include both the Amish and Quakers. A cult can be defined by what the body of cultist denies and their heretical teachings. For example, Oneness Pentecostals reject the essentials of the faith and deny trinitarian doctrine and the ecumenical creeds placing them firmly in the category of cult.
Christforums
Active Member
Apostate, and a general rule of thumb is to steer away from both "United and Unitarian" churches. While there are exceptions most churches with either of those in their name convey Universalism. Universalism is the belief everyone is saved including Satan.
The PCUSA has been highly controversial since the 1940s when both the Orthodox Presbyterian church and Presbyterian church of America split and went separate ways after failing to align the PCUSA back to Orthodoxy. The PCUSA essentially became too top heavy at their federal government level and the wrong people became seated coming down upon the local Presbys and enforcing heretical doctrine as you stated. Like the Roman Catholics most Reformed considered it a good time to leave the denomination when they were being brought up on charges and disciplined for longstanding apostolic doctrine. The very same issues ironically America faces today. The Federal level is too top heavy and has seated in the Federal chairs the wrong people, rather than letting the local Presbys or states run their affairs so far as they do not contradict the essentials of faith or by American standards the Constitution.
To note Presbyterian refers to a form of government. America was framed in the Presbyterian style government with all its checks and balances. However, the PCUSA is not Reformed in doctrine. Some PCUSA "pastors" make headlines denouncing the necessity of belief G-d exists and have come out in the open that they do not believe G-d exists. And like the Roman Catholic vs Protestant Reformation the PCUSA was awarded the property rights of the churches, they took the buildings while the Reformed Presbyterians carried on in Apostolic doctrine.
The Orthodox OPC is considered the most "conservative" or strict in observance w/ its regulative principle concerning worship. The PCA is hit or miss, some of them follow the Normative Principle of Worship and are quite liberal and now then surface in the news because their Presby was called to address the want of women in church eldership etc.
To address your question more directly, those supporting the LGBT+Q should add C to the acronym. LGTBQ+C for Christian to the long list of identification fraud or misidentification. The first law of Logic is P=P, and none of them pass the law of identity; therefore, making them highly illogical.
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Deena
New Member
You are spot on. I was SDA They're the same as Mormons & JW but they are healthier minded and not as extreme of a cult as the others. Also their doctrines do not align with the Bible, especially with regards to Jesus. Like all cults, they add to the Bible regarding Jesus. They ARE correct about the Sabbath Day, it does "appear' we should be honoring it instead of Sunday. It's from Fri sundown to sat Sundown but you can find other Bible verses which can be used to honor a different day. Off hand, one verse reads something like "Some regard this day as holy... anyhow there are many problematic beliefs of theirs that are not biblical. Also when you donate to the church, you donate to the Ellen White Estate which is their "female prophet". Do your research on the founder and how it's linked to the Mormons & I think...JW religion, it's fascinating. They do not believe in hell either, it's annihilation. Annihilation is a common belief among cults though that isn't as problematic for me as many other of their beliefs. Also research Desmond Ford and his experience within the religion. He founded a church in Auburn CA called the Good News church which placed themselves right across the street from our church. Visited the church for one week and within a few weeks, it dis-banded. It was still there for years afterwards as their headquarters. I was SDA for a short time over two decades ago
Is TheSeven Day Advantists Church Real or a Cult Church?
As while they seem to have sound doctrines that agree with bible, their insistence upon Sabbath Keeping and view of Ellen White seems to present them as being another cult, in same way as Mormons and JW are?
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They deny Jesus is God, so same as Mormons JW, Sda all are cults
Sda qualifies due to them insisting one must keep sabbath for salvation, and that Ellen White modern day prophet
Prefer to use the Bible itself to jusge if cults or not, with Confession of Faith secondary source
Worst doctrine of theirs would be the one about where Jesus must do the Investigative Judgement to save if you qualify to get and stay saved, and that meams all Sda fail, as they are judged on basis of how well they kept Law of God, and Jesus will not be their advocate there
Christforums
Active Member
The early Ecumenical were created by councils which used the principle of Sola Scriptura. In other words, we do not believe any creed or confession because there is authority in the council, synod, creed, or confession, but because the truths in the creeds or confessions are evident in Scripture (the creeds point to the Scriptures and not councils and synods); therefore, making them essential to our faith.
the ONLY essential book to us as Christians are the 66 books of the Canonozed scriptures, but those others can be useful and used
And highly apostate! They have become via policy the ‘Ultimate Gay Church.’
The SDA church does have some disturbing doctrines. One particular doctrine that really shocks me is they teach that near the end of time the "mark of the best" of Revelation 14 will be placed upon those who worship on Sunday instead of Saturday.
atpollard
Well-Known Member
13 Signs a Church is really a Cult:
1. The church leader has an overly charismatic and arrogant personality.Watch the leader of the church and examine their behavior. Determine if they are trying to spread their religion or are out for personal gain. Avoid churches that have arrogant, pompous, or angry leaders.
2. Followers treat the leader as if that person is God themselves.It may almost seem like the church exists to worship this individual rather than God, and the church’s websites and marketing pamphlets feature mostly pictures of the leader.
3. The church uses intimidation and fear to control its followers.A cult often uses threats and fears to keep their membership in line. Threats could come in the form of a calamity sent by God or the threat of isolation from family and friends.
4. The church puts you through humiliating and degrading activities.You may be asked to stand in front of other members while being screamed at or otherwise humiliated. However, you’re asked not to react in any way. You can’t flinch, move, or fight back.
5. The church gives special benefits to a group of “superior” members.Many cults have a group of leaders who receive special benefits or don't have to abide by the same rules as other members.
6. The church has strict rules and guidelines.Cults thrive on the unquestioning obedience of their membership. Often, a cult's rules will be arbitrary, and many of them will benefit the leader or leadership of the cult. There are often harsh punishments for breaking the rules, including ex-communication or mandatory physical labor.
7. The church attempts to control what and how you think.Thought control can be done through more subtle manipulation or overt mind control techniques. Things like hypnosis, group peer pressure, and mandatory isolation are common mind-control techniques that religious cults use to control their members.
8. The church isolates you from friends and family.Cults use isolation so that they can manipulate you and prevent you from figuring out that the organization is a cult. Avoid churches requiring mandatory isolation or cutting ties with family and friends.
9. The church takes an “us vs. them” approach.Many cults will have an elitist doctrine that sees themselves as superior to those outside of the cult. Cults often convince members that they are an elite group of people born to save the world or change the course of human history.
10. The church isn’t transparent about how it functions.If you ask questions about the group's rules and the church's leaders become defensive or angry, it may be a sign that you're in a cult. Real churches will have explanations for their rules or can point to some scripture or text that explains them.
11. The church asks you to perform unwanted favors.If the church members or leadership consistently pressure you to do favors for them that are outside of the scope of the church, it's a sign that the church is a cult.
12. The church promotes ideas of prophecy or mass suicide.Many cults will obsess over a fabricated prophecy that doesn't align with churches in the same religion or talk about mass suicide.
13. The church makes you feel afraid to leave.Cults will often have severe punishments in place for those who decide to leave the church. Common consequences could include a punishment directly from God or being prevented from talking to family and friends within the church.
1. The church leader has an overly charismatic and arrogant personality.Watch the leader of the church and examine their behavior. Determine if they are trying to spread their religion or are out for personal gain. Avoid churches that have arrogant, pompous, or angry leaders.
2. Followers treat the leader as if that person is God themselves.It may almost seem like the church exists to worship this individual rather than God, and the church’s websites and marketing pamphlets feature mostly pictures of the leader.
3. The church uses intimidation and fear to control its followers.A cult often uses threats and fears to keep their membership in line. Threats could come in the form of a calamity sent by God or the threat of isolation from family and friends.
4. The church puts you through humiliating and degrading activities.You may be asked to stand in front of other members while being screamed at or otherwise humiliated. However, you’re asked not to react in any way. You can’t flinch, move, or fight back.
5. The church gives special benefits to a group of “superior” members.Many cults have a group of leaders who receive special benefits or don't have to abide by the same rules as other members.
6. The church has strict rules and guidelines.Cults thrive on the unquestioning obedience of their membership. Often, a cult's rules will be arbitrary, and many of them will benefit the leader or leadership of the cult. There are often harsh punishments for breaking the rules, including ex-communication or mandatory physical labor.
7. The church attempts to control what and how you think.Thought control can be done through more subtle manipulation or overt mind control techniques. Things like hypnosis, group peer pressure, and mandatory isolation are common mind-control techniques that religious cults use to control their members.
8. The church isolates you from friends and family.Cults use isolation so that they can manipulate you and prevent you from figuring out that the organization is a cult. Avoid churches requiring mandatory isolation or cutting ties with family and friends.
9. The church takes an “us vs. them” approach.Many cults will have an elitist doctrine that sees themselves as superior to those outside of the cult. Cults often convince members that they are an elite group of people born to save the world or change the course of human history.
10. The church isn’t transparent about how it functions.If you ask questions about the group's rules and the church's leaders become defensive or angry, it may be a sign that you're in a cult. Real churches will have explanations for their rules or can point to some scripture or text that explains them.
11. The church asks you to perform unwanted favors.If the church members or leadership consistently pressure you to do favors for them that are outside of the scope of the church, it's a sign that the church is a cult.
12. The church promotes ideas of prophecy or mass suicide.Many cults will obsess over a fabricated prophecy that doesn't align with churches in the same religion or talk about mass suicide.
13. The church makes you feel afraid to leave.Cults will often have severe punishments in place for those who decide to leave the church. Common consequences could include a punishment directly from God or being prevented from talking to family and friends within the church.
The scriptures though are the ONLY inspired revelation to us, are the supreme authority, and nothing else are essential to and for us, useful yes, essential no