What was once condemned as idolatrous and sacrilegious is now part of Adventist education. On February 8, 2023, the Rotorua Seventh-day Adventist Academy in Rotorua, New Zealand, invited the Indigenous Aboriginal Australian team to share their ancient culture traditions through dancing with the Adventist youth. [1] But this wasn’t the first time that this academy celebrated these ancient traditions. Back on November 24, 2022, the Seventh-day Adventist youth also joined in the dancing and shouting while mimicking the ancient pagan cultures. [2]
To celebrate ancient Aboriginal cultural roots is to honor the spiritual practice of worshiping the spirits and ancestors who they believe inhabit the natural world. The rocks, trees, rivers, and animals are home to these spirits. Aboriginal spiritual beliefs are often deeply intertwined with cultural practices, such as dancing, chanting, and similar displays.
If the church were only a human, secular organization, then these tributes extolling the virtues of paganism would be okay. But if the church is a divine institution established by the true God of heaven, then why on earth are we esteeming false religions in our institutions? Why promote paganism and affirm these poor, lost people in their soul-destroying errors? There were no warnings given to our children about false teachings and customs. Have we come to a place in Adventism where all pagan religions, including invocations to the spirits, are praiseworthy? What kind of message are we trying to communicate to our members? Have we forgotten the clear teachings of Scripture?
“But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” Matthew 15:9.
“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:8, 9.
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6.
This is blasphemy and apostasy. These modern churches and institutions are taking people to a whole new level of heresy. Welcome to the new, all-inclusive universal fraternity that Pope Francis is creating, where participation in idolatry is permitted. The truth is that celebrating a culture that worships anyone or anything other than the God of the Bible is a violation of the First and Second Commandments (Exodus 20:3, 4). Any participation in the worship of idols or any other god is condemned. It is a serious sin, subject to judgment. The apostle Paul made it clear that these prayers and offerings are not offered to God but to demons:
“What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?” 1 Corinthians 10:19-22.
Has this generation become so blind that it cannot distinguish the holy from the profane? Can’t we make a distinction between God and pagan worship? And how can any Seventh-day Adventist academy participate in the communion with the spirits of devils? Will this generation also risk condemnation and judgment by violating God’s holy commandments?
I would encourage all of our people to stay with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Stay with the faith that was once delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3). All other paths are a path to nowhere. We need the missionary preaching of the everlasting gospel of Revelation 14:6–12 revived again. This true missionary spirit will always seek first the honor of God and the salvation of souls. Silence is acceptance, and inaction is complicity. This generation of politically correct Adventists is inviting God’s judgment for violating His clear teachings on idolatry and false worship. How can we imagine or think that we have the audacity to ignore God’s law and celebrate ancient pagan traditions?
“Satan determines to unite them in one body, and thus strengthen his cause by sweeping all into the ranks of Spiritualism … Papists, Protestants, and worldlings will alike accept the form of godliness without the power, and they will see in this union a grand movement for the conversion of the world, and the ushering in of the long-expected millennium.” (Great Controversy, pp. 588, 589).
Sources
[1] https://www.facebook.com/groups/575252172533180/permalink/6176381579086850/
[2] https://www.facebook.com/602428916/videos/662745822003791/
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Lord of the flies!
We were made in the image of God. Ancient paganism tries to connect us to the animal kingdom, since in pantheism, we are all one.
The Lord surely weeps as He sees his children being misled down the path of paganism and idolatry. As one mentioned on Youtube, Ichabod, the Lord has departed from such assemblies. How can such leaders possibly responsible for such gatherings, imagine Jesus, or His representative, the Holy Spirit being in such demonstrations of demonism, no matter the country represented.
I must add:
[Ephesians 2:1-10; 6:10-13, quoted.]
“God is represented as weighing the characters, actions, and motives of men. Christ said to Nicodemus, ‘Ye must be born again’ (John 3:7). He is speaking the same words to those who know not the spirit that moves them to action. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Hannah, the mother of Samuel, said, ‘The Lord is a God of knowledge, and by Him actions are weighed’ (1 Samuel 2:3). David says, ‘Men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie; to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity’ (Psalm 62:9). Isaiah declares, ‘Thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just’ (Isaiah 26:7). And Solomon writes, ‘All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits’ (Proverbs 16:2)
“There is not a motive in the heart that the Lord does not read. He reads every purpose, every thought of the heart. It is not an increase of light that is needed; it is the surrendering of the soul to God, that by the power of His grace He may make the light He has caused to shine into the heart a living principle of action. When a man who has had great light, who is supposed to be led and taught by God, turns out of the way because of self-confidence, he makes false paths for his feet. He follows crooked practices, and many who have admired the supposed nobility and integrity of his character, follow his example, thinking that the Lord is leading him. The false step he took resulted in thousands of false steps.
“The great worker of evil is on the track of every soul. Unfair dealings, the misappropriation of the Lord’s funds, the investing of money in worldly projects, is holding back work which the Lord designs shall be done.
“Thus Satan inspires men to block the way of the advancement of God’s kingdom. God sees every deed done, and He sees also the outcome of that deed. Those who have done deeds which have hedged up the way of the work of salvation are weighed in the balances and found wanting.
“We have before us in the Word of God instances of heavenly agencies working on the minds of kings and rulers, while at the same time Satanic agencies were also at work on their minds. No human eloquence, in strongly-set-forth human opinions, can change the working of Satanic agencies. Satan seeks continually to block the way so that the truth shall be bound about by human devising; and those who have light and knowledge are in the greatest danger unless they constantly consecrate themselves to God, humiliating self, and realizing the peril of the times.
“Heavenly beings are appointed to answer the prayers of those who are working unselfishly for the interests of the cause of God. The very highest angels in the heavenly courts are appointed to work out the prayers which ascend to God for the advancement of the cause of God. Each angel has his particular post of duty, which he is not permitted to leave for any other place. If he should leave, the powers of darkness would gain an advantage.
“In the record of Daniel’s experience we read: [Daniel 10:16-21 quoted].
“Day by day the conflict between good and evil is going on. Why is it that those who have had many opportunities and advantages do not realize the intensity of this work? They should be intelligent in regard to this. God is the Ruler. By His supreme power He holds in check and controls earthly potentates. Through His agencies He does the work which was ordained before the foundation of the world.
“As a people we do not understand as we should the great conflict going on between invisible agencies, the controversy between loyal and disloyal angels. Evil angels are constantly at work, planning their line of attack, controlling as commanders, kings, and rulers, the disloyal human forces.
“I call upon you who are not ready for the last great controversy to wake up. You are not watching for that which is soon coming upon the earth. Human instrumentalities under the control of fallen angels, are seeking to gather in their harvest. Those who would find themselves under the protection of the angels of God must live wholly for God’s glory, prepared to stand in their lot and in their place. They are to be faithful and true, even as Daniel was, a man called by the Lord, “greatly beloved,” a man who felt the need of praying and confessing his sins. Those who do as Daniel did are not asleep, but are keenly alive to their exposure to the enemy’s malignant devices. They see that their only safety is in keeping the commandments of God. They pray as Daniel prayed, confessing their sins and finding pardon.
“Over every man good and evil angels strive. It is the man himself who determines which shall win. I call upon the ministers of Christ to press home upon the understanding of all who come within the reach of their voice, the truth of the ministration of angels. Do not indulge in fanciful speculations. The written Word is our only safety. We must pray as did Daniel, that we may be guarded by heavenly intelligences. As ministering spirits angels are sent forth to minister to those who shall be heirs of salvation. Pray, my brethren, pray as you have never prayed before. We are not prepared for the Lord’s coming. We need to make thorough work for eternity.–Letter 201, 1899. (Addressed “To Our Ministering Brethren.”) White Estate, Wash. D. C. July 22, 1981” 11MR 102-104.
I will pray for the children and the ones responsible for leading them astray. Adventist pray for a refreshing of the Holy Spirit. And you preacher’s and shepherds, need to get some fire lite under your feet!!! We need more pastor Randy Skeet’s in this sin filled world run by Satan.
In Germany, there is now a gay pastor who is recognized by the association. Well the congregation is not spared anything.
Those wildly, torturously contorted faces with tongue stuck out, are definitely not something I would call culture, nor would I want to look upon, nor have such image imprinted in my memory.
You can’t really blame the kids. Why are parents applauding this and cheering it on?
Ignorance and lack of context makes this article embarrassing to read. God WILL judge us accordingly, nga manaakitanga ki a koutou katoa