Heaven and Hell

[bookworm]

This is somewhat off topic, but I hate when the definition of a word contains the word.
Tactless: lacking tact
That doesn’t do any good if you were trying to define tact in the first place.

Back on topic: (well, the current topic, not the original one)
What Amethystic meant is you aren’t expressing your opinion in an effective way. If you disagree that’s fine, but you have to be able to cordially explain why, not just go ‘because I’m right and that’s that’.

[Amethystic]

I just copied it from Dictionary.com. But here:

Tact -
1. A keen sense of what to say or do to avoid giving offense; skill in dealing with difficult or delicate situations.
2. A keen sense of what is appropriate, tasteful, or aesthetically pleasing; taste; discrimination.

[Christian A.]

What Amethystic meant is you aren’t expressing your opinion in an effective way. If you disagree that’s fine, but you have to be able to cordially explain why, not just go ‘because I’m right and that’s that’.

I wasn't aware that that's what I was doing. I'm sorry. In what way could I better explain my views and not just act like I'm right because I think so? I don't want to be that way.

[Amethystic]

Don't sweat it; tact is a skill that one must develop through time and practice. Trust me, I know. Just try to be polite and explain your reasoning when you are stating your opinions--you don't necessarily have to go too in depth, but it depends on the degree of conversation. Even if people disagree with you in a discussion, they'll (hopefully) respect the fact that you're not beating them over the head with your viewpoint and that you have a reasonably logical reason for believing what you believe.

[Kenric]

In response to the original poster, I believe as D.A.M. believes. I'm Seventh-day Adventist as well .

It's one of my favorite doctrines of our church because it's so beautiful to me.
I have so much comfort knowing that the dead know nothing and that when Jesus comes again, the dead in Christ shall rise.
It's like - after all the pain of this world, when I die, I'll know nothing. So it's not like I'm waiting forever and ever and ever.
The last thought in my brain will be whatever it was when I died, and then the VERY next thought will be Jesus coming again.
How wonderful is that?

Adventists also believe that hell doesn't exist yet. We believe that after Jesus comes, there will be 1000 years for
us to see why God judged the way He did. Then, the earth will be cleansed with fire (hell), and those who didn't die in Christ
will be cleansed with it until they no longer exist, not eternally prodded with a pitchfork of fire.

Hell is also an illustration of God's love to me.

I think some people have the misconception that heaven is about self-gratifying pleasure on a beach/island/cloud somewhere.
Heaven is a place (according to my own opinion/studies) where all of God's children get to spend eternity with Him and worship
together and praise Him with others who love Him with all their heart.

Can you imagine having to go to heaven if you don't like doing those things down here?

God would not be a God of love if He made everyone go to heaven. It's like forcing you to eat at a restaurant that makes you throw up all the time
and that you absolutely hate.

Instead, He gives us the option. We can choose to accept the free, eternal gift of salvation, die in Him, and then go to Heaven when He comes back,
or we can choose to not go to Heaven and He will allow us to just be consumed and no longer exist.

Hope that kind of helps to further explain the most held view in Adventism on Heaven/Hell. It expounds on what D.A.M. was saying.
----

And to kind of respond to Jeremy, who was raised in Adventism, please remember to not generalize.
Adventists are not all the same, as you know. We have various people on the spectrum - there are extreme conservatives, extreme liberals, moderates, etc.

Not everyone believes E.G.White as infallible. Yes, there are some who uphold her more than the Bible - they are extremists.
Not everyone believes Jesus is the archangel.
I am a proud SDA, but I do not believe we are the remnant church, as others do.
Basically, just remember not to lump us all under one judgment based on your past experience.

At the end of the day, I am a Christian before I am a Seventh-day Adventist.
Do I personally believe the SDA denomination is the closest to following the Word? I believe so, in my opinion. (Everyone's titled to their own opinion.)
Is it perfect? Absolutely not.

--
Anyways, just wanted to share on this topic ^_^. I've missed the ToO and being able to discuss spiritual issues with others.

[Jeremy]

And to kind of respond to Jeremy, who was raised in Adventism, please remember to not generalize.
Adventists are not all the same, as you know. We have various people on the spectrum - there are extreme conservatives, extreme liberals, moderates, etc.

That is true, but all SDAs do agree on some core beliefs/issues.

Not everyone believes E.G.White as infallible. Yes, there are some who uphold her more than the Bible - they are extremists.

As part of your baptismal vow, you are required to believe in Ellen G. White and the Fundamental Beliefs of the SDA Church, which declare in #18 that White's writings "are a continuing and authoritative source of truth" (http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/fundamental/index.html)--not a mixture of truth and error notice, but rather a "continuing and authoritative source of truth." Those who do not believe that, do not believe what Seventh-day Adventism teaches, and should not call themselves Seventh-day Adventists. It is being dishonest to their baptismal vow.

Also, do you know any Seventh-day Adventist who is willing to call White a false prophet?

Not everyone believes Jesus is the archangel.

Again, everyone who becomes a member of the SDA Church is required to believe that Ellen G. White's writings "are a continuing and authoritative source of truth," and her writings state that Jesus is Michael the archangel.

I am a proud SDA, but I do not believe we are the remnant church, as others do.

Then you are in open violation of your Baptismal Vow, which specifically states in the last vow, Vow #13:

13. I accept and believe that the Seventh-day Adventist Church is the remnant church of Bible prophecy and that people of every nation, race, and language are invited and accepted into its fellowship. I desire to be a member of this local congregation of the world church."

http://www.adventist.org/assets/Church_ ... ersion.pdf

Basically, just remember not to lump us all under one judgment based on your past experience.

I am not judging based on my past experience. I am judging based upon the official and universally-held beliefs of the SDA Church.

Jeremy

[Kenric]

I, personally, did not accept the 13 baptismal vows, but accepted the alternate vows you see below the thirteen, so I am not in open violation of anything. As you can see on the belief page you sited from the official denomination website, it does not claim that we are the remnant denomination and that only Seventh-day Adventists will be saved. If my memory serves correctly, #13 is where it talks about the remnant, which include people not in the Seventh-day Adventist faith. Church names never saved anyone.

And yes, while we believe Ellen White is a continuing and authoritative source of truth, we have never officially held that she is THE truth as you can read more about at this link: http://ellenwhiteanswers.org/answers/mi ... 00000pages

I do humbly apologize for assuming that you were judging from experience. I was wrong. However, it is incorrect for you to make wide generalizations about every member of the denomination. At the end of the day, denomination means nothing. Your relationship with Christ is what means everything. I most identify with the Seventh-day Adventist denomination, but I am a follower of Christ first. People can be wrong, God is not. So, until there is another church who follows the Word as closely as I believe the SDA doctrines do, then I'll be a member of this church.