Posted on 10/26/2015 7:36:11 AM PDT by lifeofgrace
How important is it really that Dr. Ben Carson is a Seventh Day Adventist? And does it matter if the Seventh Day Adventists are a cult?
Donald Trump, the master at sowing doubt while retaining deniability (“it wouldn’t be nice if I said [insert insult here] but I have to be nice.”), said “Seventh Day Adventist, I don’t know about. I just don’t know about.” Trump says nothing without a purpose—of course he knows that many people consider them a cult, and he’s playing the card.
Questioned about he remarks on Face The Nation on Sunday (see the video at the 2:50 mark), Trump doubled down on his “I don’t know” comment. “That wasn’t meant to be an insult,” he said—so why bring it up at all? He brought it up because he knows some people think it’s a cult and will react accordingly.
Almost a year ago, I wrote a popular piece titled “8 Signs You May Be In a Cult” and used the Adventists as an example.
Since I know Christianity best, I’ll use that for my examples. The Seventh Day Adventist church professes 28 fundamental beliefs. Number 18 is entitled “The Gift of Prophecy” and states in part:The easiest way to determine whether Carson holds firmly to Adventist teachings is to ask him. By all appearances, he seems to keep their doctrine: he’s a vegetarian, doesn’t drink coffee, and appears to agree with many of their views on health. None of those are bad things. And so what?One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is prophecy. This gift is an identifying mark of the remnant church and was manifested in the ministry of Ellen. G. White. As the Lord’s messenger, her writings are a continuing and authoritative source of truth which provide for the church comfort, guidance, instruction, and correction.
The simple test is this: would the Seventh Day Adventist beliefs survive independently if Ellen G. White were a false prophet? I am not arguing whether she is or is not, but you see how the test makes this question very clear. If a Seventh Day Adventist would defend Ellen G. White’s standing as a prophet above the Bible she preached from, that’s a sign.
If the Seventh Day Adventists are a cult, they’re a benign one, from a political viewpoint. I’d say the same about a whole lot of other groups which I won’t name.
And that doesn’t detract from Carson’s statement that he wouldn’t support a Muslim in the White House. Islam is a fundamentally different system than Christianity or other religions, in that it contains a political-legal system within it. That’s what Carson was referring to, not some religious doctrine.
Also, people are free to leave the Seventh Day Adventists without having their heads forcibly removed from their bodies. That says a lot.
A larger point here is that a person’s religious beliefs and doctrine don’t disqualify them from the office of president—their commitment to America and their political views may disqualify them in that without loyalty to the country how can they be trusted, but the job in the Oval Office is not to lead people to a religious solution.
So if a Catholic were running against a Mormon, I’d have to consider their political views as paramount, and my personal views of their religious doctrine as a separate issue. If I don’t like Mormons because of their doctrine, or because I consider them a cult, I have to determine if those are really relevant to their ability to lead our country, or just my own private dislikes.
There were people in 2012 who thought Mitt Romney should never be elected president because he’s a Mormon and would deceive people about the nature of Christ--and because he wears funny Mormon underwear. If it was the job of the president to supply Biblical truth about Christ, I’d agree that’s a disqualifying factor, but it’s not. So it’s nonsense to use that argument. Even a committed Christian in the White House won’t necessarily lead people to Christ, so having a cult member in the White House isn’t necessarily the worst possible thing.
I’d rather have someone who believes in God, and has some doctrinal issues, but espouses a Biblical morality than an atheist, humanist, or Barack Obama, who’s functionally an atheist. And honestly, I’d rather have Ben Carson, Seventh Day Adventist, than Donald Trump, lapsed Presbyterian.
I’m not about to become a Seventh Day Adventist, and I don’t hear Carson proselytizing about his faith. He only applies it to his life. We should all learn the truth and pray for our leaders (and candidates), but let’s not descend into the fear-mongering and name-calling we’ve seen throughout American political history.
I don’t know anything about them either. I know they go tot church on Saturday instead of Sunday and that is about all.
If Trump was asked about religion as it pertains to the Presidency he said the exact right thing. He said he didn’t know anything about it.
It doesn’t matter in this election if a woman who died in the 1800’s was a false prophet.
I agree. Following her is the least of Carson's deficiencies.
Oh, so the author raised the issue before Trump and claims it was a popular piece. IIRC, Carson introduced his religion into the campaign by crontrastung his own deep religious experience with a, in his view, shallow observance by Trump. Therefore, by his own choice, Carson's deep commitment to SDA is on the table, so to speak.
Oh, so the author raised the issue before Trump and claims it was a popular piece. IIRC, Carson introduced his religion into the campaign by contrasting his own deep religious experience with Trump's, in Carson'sview, a shallow observance by Trump of Presbyterianism compared to Carson to SDA. Therefore, by his own choice, Carson's deep commitment to SDA is on the table, so to speak.
the Seventh Day Adventist church is not a cult unless one calls the following, clean life style and teaching of the original Bible in its truest sense a cult. No, they don’t drink snake venom nor do they contort themselves on the floor.
I had a 7DA friend when I was in elementary and junior high school. The only thing that I noticed was about the vegetarian thing when V-8 juice was the preferred drink and cola was not offered. I just took water instead.
Theologically the SDA is on the border between being a heterodox Christian sect and a “cult”. They are much closer to Biblical theology than the Mormons or the Roman Catholic Church, but they do hold onto some significant, unbiblical beliefs.
Regardless of that when most people think of a “cult” they are thinking of it from a sociological perspective. That is they are thinking of group that uses various forms of manipulation and coercion, including mind control techniques to exercise a great deal of control over its members.
From a sociological standpoint the SDA is not even close to being a cult.
I have to laugh that the same people who wanted to lecture Carson about “No religious test” for President now want to impose a religious test on him
What a bunch of shameless hypocrites and fools.
Don’t have a problem with Seventh Day Adventists. A good friend of mine is one, and even though he doesn’t eat pork products ,he has no problem with ME eating bacon like some other religion....
In and of itself, it doesn’t mean anything that Ben Carson is SDA.
However, the fact that he is kind of points out the hypocrisy of the “We only vote for Christians!” types who are supporting him, since they would reject, say, Trump because he’s not a “real Christian” (he’s Presbyterian, take it for what you will), while supporting a guy who is a member of a well-known legalistic, non-Christian cult group.
I consider them a cult, Mr. Berman.
How about we vote for the anti-anti-Christian?
I’ll just vote for who I think is most right on the most important issues, regardless of what his religion is.
I’m not concerned about a candidate’s religion, provided he isn’t *hostile* to me for being a Christian.
How is 7th Day OK when Mormon wasn’t for many Freepers?
Carson being an Adventist is much less important than his non-religious associates (Calypso Louie, Sharpton and Mandella), which points to too much Black focus as opposed to what best for America and all Americans and his professed youthful tendency for violence.
Your last point is EXACTLY what I was referring to.
If the left continues on this path, we arrive at the train station with cattle cars loaded with Christians, have no doubt.
The first criteria for my vote is someone who is hostile to those who have an anti-Christian agenda.
So why would a president be against gay marriage or abortion? Why would a president be against paying people not to work? Why would a president oppose communism. Why would a president want to speak the truth rather than lie every time he/she speaks. If a President is a Christian and opposes the Godlessness of liberalism, why should he be ashamed to say he opposes liberalism because he is a Christian and biblical doctrine opposes every aspect of liberal doctrine?
Sorry, and I am trying to say this kindly, they *are* a cult.
Look into their beliefs.
So which of the major candidates do you think *isn’t* hostile to those who have an anti-Christian agenda?
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