Sile: in what way are present-day members of the Adventist Church being systematically exploited, in any sense of the word?

The chief exploitation in Adventism is financial and emotional.

Converts around the world are told they will not be "saved" if they do not become Adventists. Only Adventists will go to heaven; all others will suffer eternal death. Once you become Adventists, you are informed 10% of your income must be given to the church (this includes childrens' income). If you do not give 10%, you will not be able to remain Adventist, and therefore will not be saved.

In addition to 10% of your income, you must give offerings one or more times per week (at church services, vesper services on Fridays, prayer meetings on Wednesdays). Not all churches have the same weekly schedule.

In addition to the 10% income deduction and offerings, you must send your children to Adventist schools (expensive). If you do not send your children to Adventist schools, you are considered a "backslider."

Ellen G. White's "Spirit of Prophecy" series should be bought in its entirety (at an affordable price, of course). You should also buy extra copies of this series, and sell it to whomever you can; the money must be turned over to the church.

Several times a year, members go on a mass door-to-door collections campaign called "Ingathering." Children especially are used for this purpose, because they get better results. Children are often sent alone rather than in pairs, so that more territory can be covered. Again, Ingathering practices vary from region to region.

There are few overt threats that can be prosecuted in any of this; the pressure is subtle and effective, in that one is drawn into a life in which all support comes from the church, and all the church has to do is hint that support (schooling, job, membership) will be withdrawn if you do not comply.

You're right, it's not a crime in most cases - that's how cults avoid prosecution, and thrive.

What other Bible-based religious groups are in your opinion "cults"?

Based on the criteria you have outlined, a lot of the Bible-based world could be considered as being abusive and coercive groups. Roman Catholicism, for one.

Or better yet, can you please describe for us an example of a healthy and non-cultish Bible-based group? What in your mind is an example of a "good church"?

What is the systematic process of deception and coercive persuasion/mind-control the the Adventists employ in order to recruit the unwary into their fold?

They seem pretty transparent (politically, educationally, and financially) to me. Am I missing something?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/17/2011 01:30AM by zeuszor.

Many (most) Christian churches do not teach that you will not go to heaven unless you are a member of that specific denomination. Adventism teaches you will not go to heaven unless you are Adventist.

Catholics pass a collection plate, but they do not systematically demand 10% of members income. If you do not put something into the Catholic collection plate, in my experience no one bats an eye. In the Adventist system, if you do not give 10% of your income, you are called in and talked to about the importance of giving 10% of your income. This is a huge, huge difference.

You are right to use the word "systematic," I think - this to me is a good lens through which to examine various churches. I agree with you that many churches apply coercive pressure (encouraging fear of death or hell) to convert people to Christianity. I think that a Catholic would probably feel that an African Lutheran was "at least a Christian." Whereas an Adventist finding an African Catholic would literally believe that person was in more danger than if he/she were still pagan.

I was far more afraid of Catholics than I was of "pagans" growing up, lol. This is not exclusive to Adventism, but I believe the degree of anti-Catholicism is much deeper in Adventism than in most other Christian sects. Southern Baptists come close.

I think "exclusivity" is a helpful concept as well. Adventists maintain exclusivity of salvation (only SDA's will be saved), and encourage exclusivity of contact. In other words, one is not really supposed to have contact with non-Adventists. Having contact with "the world" is contaminating. Growing up Adventist, one knows and plays with only Adventist children; Adventists often live in communities or enclaves (ours was actually gated) where no non-Adventists are present.

There are no guards or (usually) fences or anything like that - the community is maintained by religious and emotional pressures. One never marries outside the church, or attends regular schools, or visits any other church (the ultimate taboo).

Catholics encourage a lot of exclusivity, but if one attends public school, or has non-Catholic acquaintances, that's not considered a deal-breaker.

Yeah, when I asked the pretty young woman if she was a Christian, she answered "No, I'm a Seventh-Day Adventist."

I couldn't imagine somebody responding to that same question, "No, I'm Roman Catholic" or "No, I'm Southern Baptist."

So I saw a pretty woman on a subway train, reading a Bible by herself the other day. I strike up a conversation and that's how she replied.

This is very telling. I did not know that SDA teaches that one has to be SDA in order to be saved. She was very friendly, happy to speak with me, and gave me this book before she had to go.

And I think it's safe to assume that the man on the cover is supposed to represent Jesus. I like to think that this is more how He actually physically appeared.

The woman was partially of Dominican heritage, and partially of Haitian. Gorgeous. I never did get her number, but got a cool free book with a groovy depiction of Jesus on it! ;-)





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/17/2011 02:40AM by zeuszor.

Adventists are indeed a generally kind lot.

It's so ironic that Steps to Chris now depicts a black savior, given that the woman who wrote it teaches that the "black race" is a result of "amalgamation of the species" (men and apes producing offspring).

I sure wish I were kidding.

Yikes. I am not saying that you have won me over to your point of view with respect to SDA, but I am saying that you have given me a lot to think about.

Well, to be fair, the amalgamation point continues to be debated. As in "Did Sister White change her views on amalgamation over time?" Gulp.

But, at the same time as having all these wild views, Adventists can be (as you saw) wonderful friendly people.

There is certainly no systematic violence or coercive sex.

I guess that's a good question for discussion - "What if a cult is really nice?" lol.

I'm glad to see the black Jesus :)

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