On October 20, 2025, Adventist Health Ukiah Valley issued a public “Happy Diwali” greeting during the annual Hindu festival of Diwali, which occurs in mid-October on the lunar calendar and marks the darkest night of the year. Known as the Festival of Lights, Diwali is observed by lighting oil lamps in homes, temples, and public spaces to symbolize the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil.
Traditionally, these lamps are believed to turn away misfortune and evil spirits while inviting prosperity and divine blessings, especially from Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth. The festival holds deep religious significance within Hinduism, commemorating the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya following his victory over the demon king Ravana.
During this sacred Hindu observance, Adventist Health publicly extended the following religious greeting:
“• Wishing a joyful and radiant Diwali to all who are celebrating! May this festival of lights bring brightness to your home, joy to your heart, and peace to the year ahead. We hope you feel surrounded by love, community, and the warm spirit of celebration.” [1]
Make no mistake—Diwali is a deeply religious festival rooted in Hinduism, dedicated to the veneration of various deities through rituals, prayers, and offerings. At its core, it celebrates spiritual enlightenment and prosperity through devotion to these gods. For Seventh-day Adventist institutions that profess faith in Jesus Christ as the only true Light and Saviour, any participation in or endorsement of Diwali’s religious observances stands in direct contradiction to Scripture, which calls believers to avoid idolatry and the worship of other gods (2 Corinthians 6:16–17; 1 Corinthians 10:20–21).
Our institutions are called to bear an unambiguous witness to the gospel of Christ. When they engage in or promote non-Christian religious festivals such as Diwali—regardless of motives like cultural appreciation or interfaith goodwill—they undermine the exclusive claims of the gospel, that salvation and true spiritual light are found only in Jesus Christ (John 14:6; John 8:12). To honor Diwali in any religious or symbolic way is to blend truth with error and to promote the false idea that all religions are merely different paths to the same God, when Scripture clearly declares that “there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” but the name of Christ (Acts 4:12).
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Once again EGW had it right. “We have more to fear from within than without.
Leadership introduces acknowledgement of such contrary beliefs towards what we’ve held dear for decades.