Initially I was going to name the blog the three main themes that I noticed when I visited the Adventists, but I realize that it doesn't quite capture everything experienced during the service. For this reason I chose just to title what it was. Suffice to say, there is a lot to tell.
First off the Seventh-Day Adventists are really kind, and not in the overly nice in your face kind of way. I never felt pressured at any point during the service. This was a major plus over the course of the experience and allowed to take in the rest a lot better.
There were four types of prayers that were done. The first was Thanksgiving which were two songs about how Jesus is returning someday. They were older style, and the preacher on the piano had a good classical voice.
Next was the overall prayer after reading Psalm 100, which was about thanks which then lead tol the second part which was asking people how God h ad helped them in their life. From here there was the description of bringing peace after a prayer or connecting with family in a positive way in relation to the Church, physical healing, time with friends or time with family and community.
The third part was a silent prayer which for me ended up being more of a meditation on prayer. When I thought about all I was grateful for I realized how prayer or meditation does help with awareness. Its like when a person realizes who they are is connected to other people and the world as whole...be it environment and nature, technology, and other human beings. I've had this experience intellectually before and emotionally, this time was a mixture of the two I guess.
Afterwords there was a final song and then prayer requests where members of the Church prayed for people in the congregation present or away who had requested it. It was beautiful overall except for the darker part. Satan was mentioned a few times at being the responsibility for problems and trials and there was hope of Jesus coming soon and expectation of him coming soon because of all the problems in the world. Both those things are a bit of a red flag for me with any community since Satan and Demons when used are usually used to not help those with mental illness or to treat those who don't have anything psychologically wrong with them like Gay and other LGBTQ folks. It becomes a very unhealthy way of controlling people and taking advantage of groups that are vulnerable already (not to mention the improbability of demons or Satan in the first place beyond a metaphor or the darker side of ourselves...again, metaphor). This also plays into "End of Times" speak which can lead to drastic unhealthy action in how outsiders or people who have left the church are treated. If the end is coming soon and I HAVE the truth. I must save.
Overall I would say it was a positive experience though. I talked to people after and they were kind and again, not pressuring. I do plan on catching an actual sermon one of these Saturdays too...and get a better idea of the beliefs of the Adventists.
No comments:
Post a Comment