The retribution of God?

A few days ago a tragic accident occurred when a plane carrying three families totaling 14 people on their way to a ski vacation in Montana crashed killing all aboard. The victims were all members of the Seventh-day Adventist church. According to the Adventist Review, “All three families were members or regular attendees at congregations in the Northern California Conference; the three husbands were longtime friends who attended both church-owned Pacific Union College and Loma Linda University.”

Three families, 14 people. Gone just like that. This is no doubt would be a very difficult situation for the survivors of just one family to bear. It is hard to comprehend three. Yet, on top of that tragedy there is still much more to deal with, a tragedy within the tragedy. What can only seem to be the total and complete mischaracterization of God Himself, His nature and His character, is the tact that has been taken by some who consider themselves “pro life.”

It appears that there are certain members of the “pro life” community, writers, speakers, etc., that see this plane crash as God’s very own retribution against the family patriarch of the deceased, a prominent Adventist, Dr. Irving M. “Bud” Feldkamp III, who owns the Hospitality Dental Group in San Bernardino, California, the Glen Helen Raceway and Family Planning Associates, a California corporation that provides abortions.

This entry is not about whether abortion is or is not wrong, or whether it is immoral.

What this particular entry is about is trying to understand God Himself and whether God is actually responsible in these situations. In other words, does God kill and/or seek retribution against sinners by attacking the sinners’ family? And if so, what does that say about God? Is all that “mercy” talk just a bunch of tripe?

Without coming right out and saying as much many “pro lifers” have hinted at the fact that this is God’s retribution for the fact that Dr. Feldkamp owns a corporation that performs abortions. Which begs the question, does God kill those family members – specifically the young children, in this case grandchildren, of people that may or may not be in working in the will of God?

In the Book of Luke (Luke 13:1-6) after Jesus was told of Pilate murdering certain Galileans as they sacrificed at the Temple Jesus said plainly to His disciples, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way?” The standard view of the Jews in these times was that those who suffered, or who were poor, or who were in some other way not as fortunate as others that somehow they were cursed by God. Is that what we are to think regarding this plane crash? Yet what does Jesus go on to teach us? He says, “I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” Jesus continues on, “Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them–do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?” Jesus repeats His admonition, “I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

So what are we to think? Is God constantly lurking in the background waiting for those very children He created to slip up so He can pounce? Is this what God does? Paul tells us in Galatians 1:4 that Jesus died and, “gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father.” In the Book of Ezekiel (18:20) we are told that, “The son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son.”

In the desire of some people to expose what they consider to be the greatest sins of others they use a tragedy such as this to coldly and callously denounce people and yet become insensitive to others themselves. They paint God as a God that would kill the living, and breathing children and grandchildren as a perfectly just punishment for the sins of another man.

Is it any wonder that so many distrust God and want nothing to do with Him? A God that seeks to destroy the very creation He has made is a God that no one cares to know, that no one cares to learn of and is as pagan as the day is long.

Happy Easter?

I like to visit various Christian forums to discuss and debate different aspects of Christianity and especially the doctrine and beliefs of Seventh-day Adventistism. Just a few days ago I logged on to one particular Christian web forum where I saw a banner ad for Easter costumes. Having my curiosity pricked I clicked on the banner to see just exactly what an "Easter" costume was all about.

The picture you see here is a product of what I found from searching the site. This picture has also left me scratching my head quite frankly.

Now, the picture here is not a picture of an aged or maturing Sasquatch although it could certainly pass for one! According to the web site it's a costume for those that want to "dress up" as Moses (Rav Mo'she)! Gee, ain't that just a hoot!

Now I'm sorry to be so sarcastic regarding this but I find this absolutely fascinating and just a wee bit troubling, and here's why.

We all know, for the most part that Easter has its origins in paganism and the adoption of pagan practices. In fact the name "Easter" has at it's core the name of several different pagan gods - Eostre of the Saxons, Ishtar of the Assyrians, Ashtoreth of the ancient Canaanites, derived from the ancient word for spring! Just another pagan god. Spring! Is Easter just becoming a new Halloween for Christians? It was pointed out to me, if you think about it, that Sunday is really just a "mini-Easter" celebration! In that sense celebrating Easter would almost appear to be redundant!

Of course, this Easter is (by far) much, much different from what the Passover of the Lord in the book of Exodus was to not only represent, but to become in our lives. Our Passover Lamb - Jesus Christ, was sacrificed at a different time, in a different place, in a completely different manner and, above all, for a completely different reason than what is represented in the Easter "holiday." His shed blood was meant to cover our sins that are found on the door posts of our earthly tents (justification) and, as that Lamb is ingested into our bodies, we are to become more like Him by taking our His nature and His character (sanctification).

This distinction should never, ever be lost on Seventh-day Adventists or for that matter any Christian.

I remember that very first Christmas I experienced in an Adventist church like it was yesterday. Of course, in that was just a little over three years ago, it really was just like yesterday! I remember thinking to myself that considering all the truth Adventists have in the Word of God and explained through the Spirit of Prophecy regarding that which will soon come to pass that embracing something born from paganism seemed odd. You know it's taken a few years since I became an Adventist to kind of get used to the whole Christmas thing.....honestly. But it still surprises me somewhat to this day that Adventists (not all) celebrate Christmas to some extent. And yes, I've read Mrs. White on Christmas.....so I see the point, at least a little anyway. In considering that so many Adventists are converts from other denominations Christmas almost becomes somewhat understandable frankly.

But not Easter - I'll never get used to seeing Easter celebrated in an Adventist church. Why? Because of all Christian denominations Seventh-day Adeventism seems to come closer to any other in understanding the sanctuary, the services of the sanctuary, the feasts and festivals centered around the sanctuary and above all the rich and deep meaning behind all the things that are represented by and through the sanctuary. Personally, I almost find it difficult to understand the true nature and character of God that Satan has constantly and regularly assailed without understanding these things.

In fact, I would love to see Seventh-day Adventists, as well as all Christendom for that matter, begin to embrace all of the feasts and festivals of the Torah and the Prophets, and learn and investigate the meaning behind the Bible feasts and festivals. These feasts and festivals, unlike some will say, have not been "nailed to the cross" but still provide a valuable window for us all to understand the second coming of Jesus Christ.