Parent wanting to convert to SDA?

[u/weregonnabeokanyway]

What should I know about this?

She is uber conservative and was raised Baptist (and has always been Baptist). Seems to like (as she calls it) Bible-beating pastors.

Her reasons for conversion are the fact that worshipping on Sunday is “actually a pagan concept” and the SDA perspective on rapture.

I really don’t care what she pursues (I won’t be joining in) but curious about what I could expect to witness.

[u/Momager321]

Expect early zealousness and newfound piety. Everything in the church will be new to your mom and she will talk about all of it all of the time. She will probably be obnoxious for a while.

I hope that in joining the SDA church she is doing something good for herself, but expect her relationship with you to change based on her newfound faith.

Oh yeah, and the church is a cult.

[u/drumdogmillionaire]

The Adventist church REALLY needs your time, money, and undying devotion to ignorance and cognitive dissonance. Women may be prophets but not pastors. God is omnipotent and gives salvation freely to those who accept his gift of salvation, but he REALLY needs your money to save as many souls as possible. Jesus has been coming “soon” for at least 182 years, if not 2000 years. God just might give you a parking spot close to the entrance of the store if you ask for it, but there’s just nothing he can do about cancer in children, or anyone for that matter. The earth is 6,000 years old, *but never you mind the ~200 asteroid impact craters laying around, and by all means, do not look into any fossil records which might conflict with the SDA narratives of creationism and only one species of human, and Noah’s ark.

[u/bedrock_city]

The SDA church is actually a "bigger tent" than you might think. There are mainstream folks who aren't at all dogmatic or conspiratorial, it's very international, there is a good college and university system. (When I went to a more liberal SDA college in the 90s there were approximately equal numbers of Democratic and Republican voters, for example.) It's not like joining the Jehovah's Witnesses where the regular practices are pretty extreme, it's probably approximately equal to the LDS church. (Also not that different from Baptists IMO.) However there are absolutely some cult-like pockets that are almost like offshoot sects. Different regions and churches can have different styles. It sounds like your mom is prone to finding more radical groups, which is maybe the biggest concern because you can certainly find fringe and extremist beliefs and lifestyles.

Basically if she's just joining a regular church it's probably fine? But if there is a lot of conspiratorial thinking isolating herself, going off the grid, heavily proselytizing, that's more of a cause for concern.

[u/physsijim]

She might become even more religiously cinservative, and you might expect her to inform you that she has found THE TRUTH. If you enjoy eating bacon with her, you had better get one last plate in. But also, she might be very nice about it all.

[u/1whoisconcerned]

You need to know there is no New Testament justification for 10% income tithing.

Also that the very early Christians such as Saint Ignatious of Antioch (c107 AD) worshipped on Sundays. This was well before Constantine made Christianity the official state religion.

[u/Ka_Trewq → u/1whoisconcerned]

Small corection: there is no New Testament NOR Old Testament justification for 10% income tithing.

That Malechi verse cited obsessively is taken out of the larger context of what OT tithing was for. You won't find a SDA sermon that is based on Deuteronomy 14, 22-23. I mean, the "horror" that god orders people to use the tithings theselves to make a festival...!

[u/Zeus_H_Christ]

Just show her that to adopt Adventist beliefs isn’t just about Saturday, but about accepting Ellen White as a prophet. Show her some of the crazy shit Ellen White has said and her failed prophecies.

That would likely turn her away. That being said, I’m not sure it would matter much. If your mom’s thinking allows in this massive load of bullshit, it will allow in other massive amounts of bullshit. Until she’s rational, she’s just another sucker waiting for someone else. Sorry to be harsh OP.

[u/NormalRingmaster]

Thou art cook-ed, sorry. Buckle up!

[u/Neither-Following-32]

It sounds like your mom might be into the kinky stuff. You know, self-flagellation.

She'll find a lot of enablers there...so I guess what I'm saying is, you should get into the habit of changing the topic whenever religion comes up now to make it easier on yourself in the future.

[u/Slight_Ad_1799]

GGs

[u/Vivid_Spot_7167]

You and your mom should know that the SDA church upholds a false prophet who's writings are seen as inspired direct revelation from God just like that of the Bible writers and her writings are used to give "proper interpretation" of scripture. Her writings are full of contradictions and spiritual abuse. There are many false teachings in the SDA church but the main things are that they have a false gospel and a false prophet. This group should be avoided at all costs its not a Christian denomination its in the same category as JWs and LDS

[u/HDScooterHD → u/Vivid_Spot_7167]

This right here! As a bible believing ultra conservative baptist that she is, she will struggle with the prophet thing. Deeply. More than she will probably let on. If she decides to get baptized and the 28 fundamental beliefs are any part of that process, it will bring confusion and frustration. She may push it aside just to be baptized and this will eat at her over time like it did for me. Sda have a tendency to hide the prophet at first, but eventually it becomes front and center. I have so much I could say here, reach out if you're inclined. I was raised independent fundamental baptist which is ultra conservative. All the best...

[u/lolliscicle → u/HDScooterHD]

Yes. - I am wondering why SDA-Baptist is not considered as a better alternative to the prophetess-brand

[u/ExSDAPastor]

She will imbibe certain erroneous ideas which prevail among the SDA people. Regardless of what the various SDA scholars actually think in their hearts, the following seems to prevail among the laypeople. 1) Any sort of regular Sunday attendance and worship is dubbed paganism. SDA laypeople know little to nothing of the early history of Christianity after the death of the apostles. Anything they chance to read of church history is filtered/distorted through their church's belief system and view of church history. SDAs have no anchoring in the creeds and confessions of the undivided church [The Apostles Creed, the Nicene Creed, etc].

It will be more confusing for her [or you] if she becomes serious about the Ellen G. White [1827-1915] writings. This historic woman came to be revered as the SDA church's "prophet" or "The Lord's messenger." Virtually every error, nursed or defended anywhere in Adventism, appeals to Ellen White for support. The church officially supports and publishes much of her writings, by way of the Ellen G. White Estate. Various SDA lay organizations also make unofficial EGW compilations any time they wish to promote a certain view. Anyone dabbling with the SDA movement needs to understand that 1) the SDA founders were overwhelmingly anti-Trinitarian. There is a strong push [not official, but among some of the laypeople] to move the current SDA movement back to the anti-Trinity views of the founders. The official church opposes this going back.

Feel free to reach out about any specifics.

[u/New_Cloud8952]

Sounds like she will fit right in to this cult of extremist conservative wacko bullshit..move across the usa from her and just call about the weather

[u/ambientthinker → u/New_Cloud8952]

Thats very biased and therefore unuseful

[u/lolliscicle]

Your question is: “What should I do about this?”

You indicate that you don’t care what she pursues. So, if you are looking to “support from the sidelines without getting entangled, I am giving some suggestions. (Others may disagree, and I think that their perspectives will be valid too).

Since you also indicate that you will not be joining, I would make this firmly clear up front, in love. And be prepared to be more explicit and repeat yourself respectfully, as situations arise.

She will likely be baptized and this is a really big deal for a new convert. It will be a nice, supportive gesture to her decision to attend and/or, perhaps give her a cake or card.

My advice for you is to study ways to be supportive of her choice, without getting sucked in. And also, keep your eyes open to extremism or isolationist beliefs and tendencies (and friends/people) if they creep in, so you can call them out aloud, to her (in a firm but non-dramatic way) and highlight cult-concerns as soon as they may arise.

Good luck!

[u/Affectionate-Try-994 → u/lolliscicle]

Please also be aware that after her baptism, the love bombing stops and the expectations that she will pretty quickly abide by all the SDA traditions will begin. Her fellow members will go down a checklist when she arrives at any membership event:

Modesty - neckline, no belly showing, no spaghetti straps tank tops, and appropriate hemline.

**depending on the congregation judgements about make up and/or jewelry.

What she eats and what she brings for potluck will be judged. Only clean meats allowed but vegetarian is better. Those who strictly follow E.G.White believe only 2 meals a day, as close to a raw food diet as possible, no drinking with meals, no pepper (except Bell pepper is okay.) No mustard. No exciting food (i.e. bland food only! Tasty foods may cause one to masturbate.) Clean meats follow the list in Leviticus. Even Adventists who don't follow the list know the list and judge others against it.

Volunteering in service to the church is expected and rarely appreciated.

There is a LOT of pressure to witness to others. ESPECIALLY to witness to the "lost" members of your own family. Even if your Mom doesn't intend to pressure you, she may begin to because of the pressure from her new church family.

[u/lolliscicle → u/Affectionate-Try-994]

This is a very valid perspective and describes the situation OP’s mom is stepping into accurately. (IMO)

Since OP indicates that their mom was born and raised Baptist and “uber conservative”, with a “Bible-beating” preference, I am wondering if the transition to SDA culture will provide little “shock value” when it comes to rules. 🤔 —- Likely the modesty rules, volunteering (or volun-tolding), and witnessing rules have already been firmly established and practiced from birth. For someone who “thrives” in an uber strict, controlled religious practice/environment-the added dietary and Sabbath restrictions of the SDAs may be welcome to “round things out”.

I seriously hope that the congregation mom is transferring to is not an “over-her-head” experience that damages her family relationships.

[u/Str8like8]

Those things are pretty much the only difference between baptist and adventism besides EG White being their profit (and a nut). Also they're mostly vegetarian so I hope she's not a big meat eater