Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Just Like Them


Borrowed from Patrick McDonnell's daily comic, Mutts.
(click to enlarge)

Friday, November 2, 2007

Cosmic Crackpot?

by Andy Hanson

The editorial, COSMIC CRACKPOT, in the October 25, Review, is classic Clifford Goldstein—arrogant and in-your-face. Cliff, I’ve been reading your book, “The Mules That Angels Ride”, and the story of your conversion brings to mind Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus. That experience changed him from a very traditional Jew into a radically liberal Christian. Your conversion experience was a similarly startling event, but it changed you from a very liberal Jew into a radically traditional Adventist! The Holy Spirit works in amazing ways, and I’m convinced that your ministry is important in ways I have yet to understand. As a potential friend and Adventist brother, I offer this, my own rather arrogant suggestion: hang around with Stephen Chavez and Carlos Medley a little more. You might discover that you can “come in from the cold”.

Reviewing the Review

October 25, 2007
Vol. 184, No. 30

LETTERS A letter from John McConnel makes the comment that Wohlberg and “his ilk are really overreacting to this whole Harry Potter phenomenon”. I agree. See my editorial, “The Pastor Doth Protest Too Much”, posted here. We now know that we can help feed hungry people simply by clicking on thehungersite.com. A donation is automatically made. You can do it every day, and it doesn't cost you a cent.

Stephen Chavez and Carlos Medley are two of my favorite editorial writers. They write extremely well and are invariably gentle, loving, and inclusive. That doesn’t mean they don’t persuade. They do! Love you guys.

The lead article, “Adventists Join the MOB” Missionaries of the Blind is a local church ministry developed by Christian Record Services that connects blind people to their communities by providing personal services. Adventists across America are working with this organization, demonstrating daily what it means to be a follower of Christ.

Adel Torres lives next door in Corning, California, where her husband in pastor! (I’m going to phone and ask for more stories about Nepal. We might even arrange to have lunch!) “DHANYABADH” (thank you) is a lovely, personal tribute to Adventist medical work around the globe.

Malcolm Max(w)ell died and Adventist World Magazine goes online. (Thanks, Review! When you make a typo, all us bloggers take heart!)

The editorial, COSMIC CRACKPOT, is classic Clifford Goldstein—arrogant and in-your-face. Cliff, I’ve been reading your book, “The Mules That Angels Ride”, and the story of your conversion brings to mind Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus. That experience changed him from a very traditional Jew into a radically liberal Christian. Your conversion experience was a similarly startling event, but it changed you from a very liberal Jew into a radically traditional Adventist! The Holy Spirit works in amazing ways, and I’m convinced that your ministry is important in ways I have yet to understand. As a potential friend and fellow Adventist, I offer this, my own rather arrogant suggestion: hang around with Stephen and Charles a little more. You might discover that you can “come in from the cold”.

Douglas Cooper, I’ve had my fill of fire analogies. They are scary, and the accompanying illustration of fire, coupled with the allusion to “the God who answers by fire”, was a “devotion” killer for me. You may be WAITING FOR THE FIRE, but I’m waiting for Christ’s Kingdom of peace and love.

Reviewing the Pacific Union Recorder

November, 2007

General Comment
It drives me crazy to see pictures of people without names. Come on, Editors, require names when fewer than twenty people pose for the camera!

DINNER BENEFITS ADRA’S KEEP GIRLS SAFE PROJECT Readers may not know that Tehachapi is a small community near the summit of the mountains between LA and Bakersfield. More than 90 guests attended a fundraiser that raised more than $10,000! Amazing!

AIDS ORPHANS TO JUMP FOR JOY was an article submitted by the wife of cousin of mine, Linda Fattic. As she says, the faces of her students pictured with the article reflect “the joy of making a small difference to some of those not-forgotten children of the Lord”.

LIVING WATER, INVITING OTHERS TO COME AND DRINK by Jim Pedersen, President of the Northern California Conference, makes the refreshing comment, “There’s enough of His living water for everyone”.

BELLY FAT IS NO LAUGHING MATTER is informative and well written. Thank you, Dynnette and Kenneth Hart.

CALIFORNIA AGENCY REPRESENTS UNDOCUMENTED ADVENTIST IN DISCRIMINATION CASE This legal settlement may upset some readers. An unnamed, undocumented member of an unnamed Hispanic Adventist church, defended by an attorney employed by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, won a Sabbath work discrimination case.

PACIFIC UNION CALLS FOR VIDEO UPLOADS Evangelism Outreach, Church Nurture, Unique Support Ministries, and Mission Projects can be uploaded, thanks to services provided by You Tube. Check it out.

My Friday Night Devotional

by Wes Kime

As my Friday night devotional I check all those new liberated ProgAdv blogs dedicated to updating good old Adventist doctrine, even perfectly good old adjectives. "Emerging" is now "emergent." "Missionary" is now "missional." We used to be a missionary church, now we're missional, a nuance I caught. "Attractional methodology"? That one lost me. So how about emergent progressal socially sensitent relevental Adventistal? "Adventistal"? I'd say "Adventistoid."