Diwali is a Hindu Festival of Lights associated with Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity, and the elephant-faced god Lord Ganesha.
The Canadian Adventist Messenger is the official monthly magazine for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada and is published for the members of the church. The Editor of this magazine is Stan Jensen, who also serves as the Communications Director for the Church in Canada. [1]
In the October 2019 edition of the Canadian Adventist Messenger, Stan Jensen wrote an editorial on page 46 called “Building Friendships.” In the article Stan Jensen begins introducing the pagan errors of Diwali to all his readers. He writes:
“Diwali is celebrated over five days by most people of the Hindu, Sikh, and Jain faiths in India and other South Asian communities. It is the celebration of the Festival of Lights, the triumph of good over evil, and light over darkness.” [2]
Then Stan Jensen gives the dates for when Diwali 2019 will be celebrated, along with the meaning and significance of each day:
Day 1: Fortune
Day 2: Knowledge
Day 3: Light
Day 4: New Year
Day 5: Love between siblings [2]
Amazingly, Stan Jensen then tells his readers that he will be traveling to the Golden Temple in Punjab, India during the festival of Diwali 2019. Why? He says that the “celebration of light over darkness, good over evil, is something all Christians celebrate.” [2] He closes his editorial with the words “Happy Diwali.”
You can read Stan Jensen’s editorial by clicking here.
Stan Jensen paints a pretty picture about the Diwali celebration that is disingenuous. There is a Festival of Lights during Diwali, but in the Hindu tradition the lights are lit “to invite the presence of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth.” [3] These lights are an invitation to the pagan gods asking them to come and bless us.
The goddess Lakshmi is not the only deity worshiped during Diwali. The whole “good over evil” and “light over darkness” celebration during Diwali represents the death of the demons Nardasur, Ravana, Vamana by “Lord” Krishna. [4] So there are many gods and goddesses worshiped during this festival including Lakshmi, Krishna, Rama and Ganesha. But Stan Jensen leaves out these pagan errors. Why? And why should we pay tribute to the false gods of the East and publish these tributes to Seventh-day Adventists?
If the church was only a human, secular organization then these tributes extolling the virtues of paganism would be OK. 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 church publications? Why go around saying “Happy Diwali” to pagans during their holy celebrations? We are confirming these poor lost people in their soul-destroying errors.
In Stan Jensen’s editorial I did not read one word of warning about false teachings and customs. Is this what 60 years of ecumenism has brought us to? Have we come to a place in Adventism where all pagan religions, including invocations to the spirits, are praiseworthy? [5]
Prayers, food, and lights are offered to the gods during Diwali.
What kind of message are we trying to communicate to our readers and members? Have we forgotten the clear teachings of Scripture? Do we want a gospel that is devoid of the the following truths:
“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.
By the way, the only thing Stan Jensen left out of his editorial was the invitation, “Would you like to become a Hindu, a Buddhist or a pagan? Then join me in India on the path to enlightenment?” Maybe instead of having tours to the Holy Land (Israel) or tours to the land of the Reformation (Germany) maybe Stan should start tours to India taking people to meet Kirshna, Buddah and Ganesha.
He made a wonderful presentation with all the “lights” and the “festivals” and “good triumphing over evil.” He’s even going to the Golden Temple in Punjab, India during the next festival of Diwali and will greet the participants with the words, “Happy Diwali.” Well, the Communications Director for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada and Editor for Canadian Adventist Messenger is on his way to India to embrace gross darkness and pagan superstitions.
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 others 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.”
“Those ministers who are men pleasers, who cry, Peace, peace, when God has not spoken peace, might well humble their hearts before God, asking pardon for their insincerity and their lack of moral courage. It is not from love for their neighbor that they smooth down the message entrusted to them, but because they are self-indulgent and ease-loving. True love seeks first the honor of God and the salvation of souls” (Prophets and Kings, p. 141).
Sources
[1] https://www.adventist.ca/departments/messenger/
[2] http://online.fliphtml5.com/wczq/ajij/#p=46
[3] https://www.britannica.com/topic/Diwali-Hindu-festival
[4] https://www.indiatvnews.com/lifestyle/news/diwali-lakshmi-ganesh-worship-5661.html
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