TAKOMA PARK—On January 18, the Takoma Park SDA Church in Takoma Park, MD hosted a panel discussion on Social Justice. This panel discussion was part of a Get out the Vote event at the Takoma Park SDA — as part of Martin Luther King Celebrations.
Around the 48 minute mark, Mitch Tyner, retired SDA Associate General Counsel, makes the following assertions:
Tyner says that objections to homosexuality in the Church arise from our desire that we “are all alike.” After erecting that strawman, he says “that approach won’t work in a church of 22-million people.”
He says we must tolerate differences, but we must “not tolerate” what he scornfully derides as fundamentalist proof-texting (using Scripture verses to establish a viewpoint). He says “We must study the Word in its entirety” (a principle-based hermeneutic).
“Many people think that homosexuality is a choice. Get over it—it isn’t so.”
From Claudia Allen: “The only thing that needs to be happening in brick-and-mortar SDA Churches is a safe space for trans, gay, lesbian people.”
Begin at the 48-minute mark.
This from an attendee at the panel discussion, and a member of the Takoma park SAD Church:
“Pastor Xisto posted Children’s prayer to his Facebook Timeline on 1/21/2020, under the name, “Daniel Xisto”, a prayer that he delivered on 1/18/2020 as part of this Get Out the Vote event that took place at Takoma Park Adventist Church, during Sabbath Service to the Children -wherein he says in relevant part, “Just like Martin Luther King Jr., we want to be brave, we want to stand for the dream that no matter the tone of our skin, or the inflection of our speech, or what we believe, or who we love, or how much money we have, we are all brothers and sisters.”
Pastor Xisto seemed to be endorsing a liberal notion of "love" – which goes against biblical definition of “love”.
This event appears to have had the purpose of getting people to vote for liberal politicians who support issues, such as illegal immigration. For example, one of the invited speakers at the rally which took place at 3 pm as part of this Get Out the Vote Event, was saying that voters be supportive of DACA.
Pastor Xisto delivered a sermon at Takoma Park SDA Church, several months before this event in 2019, Entitled, “God’s Response to Hate Part II”
In this sermon he made several divisive comments – calling people “Fake Christians” who did not agree with his political viewpoints. For example, he made the following statements, which can be verified in the video:
"That’s why in the first verse we read, it says that this harlot is committing fornication with the kings of the earth – these fake Christians are aligning themselves with these politicians.”
This Adventist Vote Event which took place at the Takoma Park SDA Church is further described in an article in Adventist Today at: https://atoday.org/adventists-vote-campaign-to-kick-off-with-special-events-in-washington-dc/
This Get Out the Vote Event was also sponsored in part by AdventistsVote!
Whose voting campaign within the Adventist Church is further described in a Spectrum Magazine article at https://spectrummagazine.org/news/2019/adventist-voter-engagement-campaign-kicks
Thank you,
A Concerned Adventist”
Much of our contemporary culture sees inclusion as the ultimate virtue and exclusion the ultimate vice. Thus "equality" is becoming the new moral righteousness of our time, elevated even above the perfect Law of God. This new righteousness is marketed through social justice and its subtexts, leading liberal Adventism to find a friend in leftism.
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“Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober” (1 Thessalonians 5:6).