There has been a Trisha Famisaran sighting. On March 12, the Loma Linda University School of Religion Humanities Program hosted an afternoon panel discussion entitled "Does Adventism Inspire Young Adventists?" Among the six panelists was Trisha Famisaran, formerly of the La Sierra University department of religion. [Editor: So she's not at La Sierra anymore? ChurchMouse: apparently not. She is not described as an LSU faculty member but only as "a PhD candidate in Religion/Philosophy at Claremont Graduate University."]
When last we heard from Professor Famisaran, back in February, 2013, she was at Pastor Ryan Bell’s Hollywood SDA Church (the same church lately basking in tranny elder fame) demanding that we repent of the “sins” of patriarchy and heterosexism. Although light on scriptural references, Ms. Famisaran's sermon did quote a number of noted Seventh-day Adventist luminaries, including Anaïs Nin, Lady Gaga, and Joan Chittister. [Editor: Those women are not Adventists. ChurchMouse: I was being ironic.]
Professor Famisaran’s “sermon” at Hollywood seems to have snapped loose Pastor Bell’s already strained relationship with his employer, the Southern California Conference. Not long after parting ways with the conference, Bell began his well-publicized “year without God.” After spending 2014 pretending to be an atheist, Bell decided he really was one: "I don't think that God exists. I think that makes the most sense of the evidence that I have and my experience." Bell stated that his lack of belief in God should not preclude his continuing to pastor the Hollywood SDA Church, given that his sermons would remain substantially unchanged. [Editor: He did not really say that, did he? ChurchMouse: Irony again.]
Alas, it now appears that Professor Famisaran is walking the same path of unbelief that Pastor Bell walked before her. Per her written submission to the Loma Linda panel, she is no longer a believer:
“As for myself, I am agnostic about belief in God, . . . I consider myself post-theist to the traditional concept of God. . . . I am comfortable with the idea that this one life is the full measure of my existence in the universe.”
Of course, she had already rejected the traditional concept of God three years ago at Hollywood. Now she seems to have rejected any concept of God.
Much of her short paper is a defense of the idea that those who no longer share Adventist beliefs should nevertheless remain in the Adventist community. And, indeed, Professor Famisaran herself wants to remain an Adventist:
“There is much to be gained from keeping one foot inside of the community, and I still have much to give back.”
She has already given us back our belief in God and our doctrines, and she still has much to give back? What's next? Big Franks?
“I think it is entirely possible to separate the question of the promise of the Adventist community from the promise of Adventist theology, and then admit that the two exist in a dialectical relationship.”
Indeed, Spectrum has been diligently trying to separate the Adventist community from Adventist theology for many years now, with some success.
“I am a happier and healthier person because I do not live a double life, which is what it felt like when I kept my ideas on the inside and attempted to be a ‘good’ Adventist on the outside.”
No doubt many of Professor Famisaran’s former colleagues on the La Sierra faculty would be similarly happier and healthier if they were relieved of the stress of having to pretend to be good Adventists.
If a person cannot be intellectually honest without seeking a divorce from the church, then the promise of Adventism is in serious trouble.
Men, try this one out on your wives: “Honey, if I cannot be honest with you about my desire to see other women without you seeking a divorce, then the promise of our marriage is in serious trouble.” Let me know how that works out for you.