Seventh-day Adventism, the Spirit Behind the Church

318 Pages·2015·1.39 MB·English

by  Bob Pickle

A Response to the Video:
Seventh-day Adventism, the Spirit
Behind the Church
by Bob Pickle
Answers to Questions Raised by: Mark Martin, Sydney
Cleveland Dale Ratzlaff, The White Lie. . . and Others
A RESPONSE TO THE VIDEO !1
Table of Contents
[Dedication]
Introduction
Table of Accusations Covered
1. Initial Points
2. The Millerite Movement
3. The Role of Mrs. White and Her Writings
4. Her Predictions and Views
5. The Investigative Judgment and Shut Door, and Their Ramifications
6. Bible Versions and Footnotes
7. Other Doctrines; the Jehovah's Witnesses
8. Jehovah's Witnesses, Cont.; Plagiarism
9. Health Counsel, Wigs, and the Reform Dress
10. Salvation, Grace, and Obedience
11. Salvation, Cont.; Conditional Immortality
12. The Sabbath of the Fourth Commandment
13. The Seal of God and the Mark of the Beast
14. Sunday vs. the Lord's Day, and the Scapegoat
15. Wrapping Up the Case
16. Testimonials, Documentation, and the Video Jacket
Final Thoughts
Appendix: An Attempt at Dialogue
Bibliography
A RESPONSE TO THE VIDEO !2
[Dedication]
"You really just have to search for it yourself,
and if you, if you love the Lord, if you really do, then
you really want to know the truth."
—Kim Marshall near the end of
Seventh-day Adventism:
The Spirit Behind the Church.
To all who "really want to know the truth,"
this work is dedicated.
A RESPONSE TO THE VIDEO !3
Introduction
It all began one pleasant Saturday afternoon in the foothills of the Colorado Rockies. This
writer and his family were driving up the Big Thompson River Canyon in October 1999, inviting
residents to a lecture series on Bible prophecy. Pulling up to a gentleman working outside his
home, we handed an invitation to him. He handed it back saying, "Not interested."
"How do you know? You don't know what it's about, do you?"
He then enquired what church was conducting the lecture series, and after finding out,
repeated his first reply.
"What church do you fellowship at?" we then asked. That question began a lovely, hour-
long conversation. Turned out that he had sent his kids to an Adventist school, and had
appreciated the experience.
But something was bothering him, and he was having a hard time saying what it was.
Finally he opened up. His church's Bible study group that very week was going to show a video
critical of the Adventist Church. This prompted the question, "May I come?"
Before we left his house he declared that it was no accident that we had come by that day.
Providence was at work.
So this writer went to see Seventh-day Adventism: The Spirit Behind the Church, copyright 1999 by
Jeremiah Films. What an incredible production it was! Fifty minutes of video tape packed with
information about Mrs. White and the Adventist Church, facts about their history and teachings.
It was all the more convincing since the facts were being propounded by six former Adventist
pastors, and five other former Adventists. If anyone should know the real scoop, they should,
shouldn't they?
Yet as this writer heard the charges and accusations being leveled by Dale Ratzlaff, Sydney
Cleveland, Mark Martin, and the others, something didn't quite ring true. It cannot be denied
that this writer's bias is quite different from theirs, yet some of the "facts" presented were
indisputably proven false decades ago. Why then was this video still making an issue of such
things in 1999?
Then commenced three months of dialoguing with some of the principal folk behind the
video, which didn't really accomplish much (see Appendix). At the end of that period, this writer
A RESPONSE TO THE VIDEO !4
promised Jeremiah Films that he would not rest until every error in their video was exposed. That
promise resulted in the work you now hold in your hands. It first appeared on the internet in
March 2000, and now resides at pickle-publishing.com. After undergoing a bit of revision, it now
appears in this printed form.
The video, Seventh-day Adventism: The Spirit Behind the Church, endeavors to prove that the
Adventist Church is a cult, or nearly so. But it only presents one side, and unless a person has
both sides to consider, an objective evaluation is impossible. Yet the average viewer cannot
conduct the horrendous amount of research required to determine the accuracy of the video's
claims. How then can someone decide for himself whether Adventism really is a cult? This book
solves that dilemma. It puts within everyone's grasp the other side of the question.
The following factors should be considered when objectively evaluating each of the video's
accusations:
1. Is the charge being made really factual?
2. If so, is it relevant to the question of whether Adventism is a cult?
3. Are the quotations and pictures used by the video to make its case accurate?
4. Is the charge biblical, or does it undermine the authority of Scripture?
5. Does the charge attack prominent Christian leaders as well as Adventists?
6. Has the charge been oversimplified? Would greater detail change the conclusion?
7. Does the logic or support used in one charge contradict that of another charge? [p. v]
8. Do some statements beg the question, assume to be true what must first be proven?
This book examines, in the light of these eight questions, each claim made by each speaker
on the video. Each speaker one by one is quoted, and then his or her comments are analyzed.
Rather than topically, this book is arranged in the order that the statements appear in the
video. While this format reproduces to some extent the video's repetitiveness, it makes it as easy
as possible to compare the two sides.
Such a format also necessitates frequent cross-referencing, that the entire case for a topic
might not be made multiple times throughout the book. Thus under #1 can be seen the note,
"see #10."
Another consequence of this type of format is that a large portion of this book ends up
vindicating a single individual, the "spirit" or ghost the video claims is behind Adventism. Yet in
A RESPONSE TO THE VIDEO !5
writing such a response, what else can one do when so much of the video represents attacks on
that single individual?
All Scriptures quoted by this writer are from the King James Version. Feel free to compare
the wording to that of other translations, if you wish.
At the very end of the video is advertised "a documentation package substantiating the
information contained in this program." Since it is supposed to prove the video's case, this
response frequently refers to it, critiquing it along with the video.
If you've never seen the video before, that's no problem. Since it covers most of the same
old criticisms that have been leveled at Adventism over the last 150 years or so, you'll probably
find answers here to questions you've seen raised elsewhere. For as Walter Martin wrote, who
thought Adventism was not a cult, practically no critic since the days of D. M. Canright has been
able to come up with anything new:
. . . careful research has confirmed the impression that nearly all subsequent similar
publications are little more than repetitions of the destructive areas of Canright's writings . . . .—
Kingdom of the Cults, p. 443; cf. p. 409.
Even so, the recycling of old criticisms has reached incredible proportions today. Books and
web sites seem on the rise. And if Mrs. White was right at all, such things will increase in the days
ahead.
Dear reader, you have the opportunity to sort through some of the claims being made.
While this book can't cover all the criticisms out there, it can provide you with some tools for
investigating further. You'll learn some of the counter-questions to ask, and some of the primary
sources to read.
Then you can decide for yourself the answer to the following questions, instead of having
someone else do your deciding for you: Is Adventism a Christian religion? Or is it a cult?

A RESPONSE TO THE VIDEO !6
Table of Accusations Covered
Whether Fact or Fiction, Implied or Stated
Initial Points
1. All quotes of Mrs. White in the video are from official sources.
2. Adventism is based around her teachings and philosophies.
3. She was the founder of the Adventist Church.
The Millerite Movement
4. William Miller was a powerful preacher.
5. He taught that Christ would return in 1843.
6. He taught that Christ would return on October 22, 1844.
7. That date was not the Day of Atonement in 1844.
8. Miller's meetings were marked by emotionalism and hysteria.
9. This picture depicts the radical fanaticism of his meetings.
10. When Christ did not return, Mrs. White said she was in a "hopeless condition for months."
11. She was depressed when Christ did not return.
12. She could not admit her mistake of expecting Christ to return.
13. Miller did admit his mistake.
14. Mrs. White's first vision said that the 1843 chart should not be altered.
15. She claimed God hid the mistake.
16. She claimed God made the mistake.
17. Her first vision was controversial.
18. It forced the readjustment of many Adventist dates and doctrines.
19. It adjusted the 1843 date to 1844.
20. The 1844 date was still an error.
The Role of Mrs. White and Her Writings
21. Mrs. White became the absolute authority figure.
22. Her writings grew to be seventeen times larger than the Bible.
23. Adventists view her writings as inspired as the Bible.
24. Church publications use her writings as the last word on doctrine.
25. Adventism's twenty-seven fundamental beliefs say that the Bible is a source of authority.
26. They also say Mrs. White's writings are an authoritative source of truth.
27. Some of her writings are unavailable, locked in a vault.
28. These writings are her more embarrassing ones.
29. She claimed an angel came and talked to her.
Her Predictions and Views
30. History shows that her prophecies did not come true.
31. She said Jerusalem would never be built up and grow.
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32. She said she would be alive when Jesus came.
33. She said the second coming was only months away.
34. She said that some present at an 1856 conference would be alive when Jesus came.
35. She would have been stoned in Bible times for being a false prophet.
36. She predicted the downfall of the United States during the Civil War.
37. She predicted England would declare war on the United States. [p. ix]
38. These prophecies were utterly erroneous.
39. She predicted world war during the Civil War.
40. She predicted the humbling of the United States in defeat.
41. She claimed to travel to other planets in vision.
42. She said animals and people crossed sexually.
43. She believed that this produced the black race.
44. Her visions are unbiblical.
45. Adventists say her writings are as inspired as the Bible.
The Investigative Judgment and Shut Door, and Their Ramifications
46. The investigative judgment doctrine was a reinterpretation.
47. Miller's prediction of October 22, 1844, failed.
48. Adventists believed that the door of mercy was shut on October 22.
49. They've got to be wrong if they believed that.
50. With prophetic authority Mrs. White supported the shut-door-of-mercy doctrine.
51. Her first vision taught this doctrine.
52. When reprinted, that part was left out, though the preface said there were no changes.
53. The other shut-door-of-mercy passages were dropped after 1851.
54. Or else they were reinterpreted.
55. Adventists never admitted their error regarding expecting Jesus to come in 1844.
56. Mrs. White immediately put God's endorsement on Edson and Crosier's explanation of
why Christ had not come.
57. Certain doctrines were soon adjusted to fit their cleansing of the sanctuary and
investigative judgment doctrines.
58. The shut door was then opened.
59. Soul sleep was introduced because of the investigative judgment doctrine.
60. The prophecies of Daniel and Revelation were reinterpreted to fit the investigative
judgment.
61. It was a time of doctrinal reversal.
62. The idea that an angel is recording everything we do, and that we will be judged by such a
record, is harsh.
63. Mrs. White taught that we would be judged for trying to have some leisure time.
64. The investigative judgment doctrine is unique to Seventh-day Adventists.
65. It can't be supported by the Scriptures.
66. It states that a believer's works determines their salvation.
67. It is blatantly unbiblical.
68. Seventh-day Adventism is not a legitimate Christian denomination.
69. The investigative judgment doctrine teaches that believers will be lost if they have
unconfessed sins.
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70. Even forgotten sins.
71. It requires perfect obedience to the Ten Commandments.
72. Especially the Fourth Commandment.
73. It is diametrically opposed to the gospel of grace.
Bible Versions and Footnotes
74. Seventh-day Adventism is a man-made religion.
75. Adventists have their own version of the Bible.
76. It's called The Clear Word Bible.
77. In it, the words and ideas of Mrs. White are inserted into the biblical text.
78. It adds 300 words to Daniel 9.
79. Daniel 8:14 is a blatant example of such alteration of the biblical text.
80. It's called The Clear Word Version.
81. It was written to support their prophetess.
82. It manipulates and distorts Scripture.
83. And then we have their Study Bible.
84. It was published by the Seventh-day Adventists.
85. It contains quotes from Mrs. White.
Other Doctrines; the Jehovah's Witnesses
86. Adventists teach that Christ's atonement on the cross was incomplete.
87. They teach the heresy that Michael is Christ.
88. They teach that there is no hell.
89. They teach doctrines contrary to tradition.
90. Many of their doctrines are similar to Jehovah's Witnesses.
91. N. H. Barbour was an early Adventist.
92. Both Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh-day Adventists teach the heresy of soul sleep.
93. Both teach the heresy that Michael is Christ.
94. Early Adventists like Uriah Smith and James White denied the deity of Christ, just like
Jehovah's Witnesses. [p. x]
95. Both Jehovah's Witnesses and Adventists have produced altered versions of the Bible.
96. Both have set dates for Christ's return.
97. Both claim to be the only remnant church.
Jehovah's Witnesses, Cont.; Plagiarism
98. Both plagiarized.
99. Both really were guilty of this crime.
100. Walter Rea's The White Lie was dedicated to those who would rather believe a bitter truth
than a sweet lie.
101. Mrs. White's inspiration was borrowed from others without credit.
102. Her major books contain "stolen" material.
103. Sketches from the Life of Paul was plagiarized in its entirety.
104. This resulted in a lawsuit.
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105. The book was then quickly taken out of print.
106. The evidence is irrefutable that she "stole" her inspiration from others.
107. The main line of defense in The White Truth was regarding copyright laws back then.
108. It says that there were no copyright laws back then, so Mrs. White didn't break the law.
109. This sidestepped the issue.
110. The Adventist hierarchy has never responded to Rea's challenge:
111. "Prove that 20% of Mrs. White's writings are original."
112. Her visions which she claimed came from God were shaky.
Health Counsel, Wigs, and the Reform Dress
113. The Seventh-day Adventist ministry is not a Christian ministry.
114. Mrs. White's early health documents produce a rude awakening because of their fixation
on moral purity.
115. Most of her health advice dealt with suppressing the male sexual urge.
116. She thought this urge was excessive.
117. [Not in all editions of the video.] She felt she had been given special light on the subject of
masturbation.
118. [Not in all editions of the video.] Here is a list she gave of diseases caused by this practice.
119. [Not in all editions of the video.] She said kids who do this get green skin.
120. She said that meat inflames the passions.
121. She said rich and highly seasoned foods act as aphrodisiacs.
122. She said, "Sip no more the beverage of China, no more the drinks of Java."
123. She advised skipping all suppers in order to bring the male sexual appetites under control.
124. [Not in all editions of the video.] She said not to sleep on feather beds.
125. [Not in all editions of the video.] She hypocritically used a feather bed.
126. [Not in all editions of the video.] The Battle Creek Sanitarium used hydrotherapy to treat
"secret vice."
127. [Not in all editions of the video.] This picture shows how that treatment was done.
128. Mrs. White controlled her female followers through directives on dress.
129. She was against wearing any kind of wig.
130. This picture of a skeleton looking through a window illustrates the kind of wig she didn't
like.
131. After she dealt with wigs, she introduced the reform dress.
132. She tried to force it on people.
133. This dress was hot.
134. It was uncomfortable.
135. It was bulky.
136. It was long.
137. Faithful sisters struggled with it.
138. It was cumbersome.
139. Mrs. White gave no explanation for why she quit wearing hers.
140. She said those who aren't vegetarians when Jesus comes can't go to heaven.
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