[Apologetics] Adventists Visit the Pope. . . for Other Reasons

[Art Kelly]

Stephen,

Thanks for sending this.

Just as the Catholic Church has ultra-traditionalists,
some of whom are schismatic, I see that other
religions have their fringe groups too.

I'll be careful not to conclude that anti-Catholic
literature from non-Catholic orgnizations is approved
by the group in purports to represnt.

Art

--- Stephen Korsman <skorsman at theotokos.co.za> wrote:

> Adventists Visit the Pope. . . for Other Reasons
> via Seventh-day Adventist to Roman Catholic by Hugo
> on 3/28/08
> 
> With mere weeks left until Pope Benedict XVI steps
> foot on American soil, I expect a few zealous
> Adventists will join the crowds to pass out
> polemical literature. Typically, independent
> Adventist ministries (not all of positive repute
> within the mainstream church) lead the charge. 
> 
> Adventist Today catalogued the activities of many
> Adventists in preparation for the 1993 Denver World
> Youth Day.
> 
> During John Paul II's 1999 visit to St. Louis, 40
> volunteers for Danny Vierra's Modern Manna
> Ministries passed out 75,000 copies of what they
> publicly and deceptively advertised as a "kosher
> Mary book" with an inviting cover of a young girl
> kissing a statue of the Virgin Mary (an hour-long
> "testimony"is available here). The Catholic League
> described the book in a 1998 report.
> 
> In July 2002, several Adventist ministries
> (Hartland, Hope International, etc.) converged on
> Toronto to distribute another booklet entitled,
> "Beware of Protestant Teachings." Despite a title
> reminiscent of Catholic apologist tracts, it
> actually attacked doctrines shared by Catholics. I
> remember seeing an advance copy of the booklet, and
> being deeply disturbed by it. Its deceptive
> packaging seemed to contradict the standards exalted
> in the writings of Ellen White:
> 
> 
>   False speaking in any matter, every attempt or
> purpose to deceive our neighbor, is [condemned in
> the ten commandments]. An intention to deceive is
> what constitutes falsehood. By a glance of the eye,
> a motion of the hand, an expression of the
> countenance, a falsehood may be told as effectually
> as by words. All intentional overstatement, every
> hint or insinuation calculated to convey an
> erroneous or exaggerated impression, even the
> statement of facts in such a manner as to mislead,
> is falsehood. (PP 309)
> 
> 
> This statement is a terrible indictment of the
> tracts passed out by Adventists in 1999 and 2002.
> Still, in spite of my reservations, I almost
> participated in this mission as a young, faithful
> Adventist. At the time, I was assisting an
> evangelistic seminar in New York City. I yearned to
> go to Canada with many friends of mine, but
> ultimately found the trip logistically unfeasible. I
> was disappointed, recognizing what a great
> opportunity World Youth Day presented to share "the
> three angels' messages."
> 
> Catholics should be ready for these Adventist
> initiatives where and when they will arise. I was
> heartened to see Catholic Answers preparing for such
> attacks; hopefully, the Catholic readers on this
> blog will do their part as well to defend the
> Catholic Church.
> 


ART KELLY, ATM-S
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