The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Australia contains nine Conferences and they have a Facebook Page to share news regarding the Church in Australia.
Last Tuesday, the Facebook Page shared this post, accompanied by a picture,
“We are so happy to welcome back administrators, from all nine conferences, to our office this week, with only a few joining via zoom. They are here for several meetings including: President's Council, Administrators Council, Secretaries and CFO's Council, Executive Committee and Board of Directors.”
You would think that church members in a country that has been locked for two years in the grip of medical tyranny would rejoice together over the news that people are slowly returning to normal! That’s encouraging.
Instead, the comment section (763 of them) on this Facebook Page became an outrage mob complaining that the leaders in the picture were all white males (except for one). Here’s some tidbits from this public Facebook Page:
Nadine Monson — And this is why the church as an organisation is losing relevancy in the modern age. Mostly white, all men. No representation and diversity. Disappointing!
Ash Ferret — We should take class action against the church. Ordination for men only is o e thing, but it prevents women from EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYMENT. That is illegal. So either you change the job description to allow unordained people, or you make it voluntary without pay. Maybe a petition ought to be started! Jesus spent hours weaving rope into a whip. Then he went into the Temple and UPTURNED TABLES And LASHED OUT AT CLERGY and YELLED and RAGED and was NOT IMPRESSED. Jesus was RADICAL. He did not "keep his eyes on God". He kept his eyes on the hypocrisy of the organised religion He was born into and FOUGHT AGAINST IT.
Ruth-Ellen Macht — leadership matters. Representation matters. Little girls looking at that photo who feel called to serve as pastors are going to ask questions, as well they should. And there are no comfortable answers.
Brett Ellem — It’s not just women that are way under represented, where are the young people? Also Australia is a multi cultural country, where is that diversity represented? What about those with an indigenous background? This is supposed to be a church where gender, race, colour & creed are inclusive not exclusive. With no aspersions on those in the photo, some I know as being godly men, it appears that our leadership is driven by a mature white male headship. What does this say for the future of our church moving forward? Change is way overdue.
Bryan A. Reid—It is all politics. We can twist all we want. It is all politics. Do you think they want you to open the door of ppossibility that a woman, a black woman, could one day be the GC President? I think not. This is what your "remnant" looks like, and hell bound, if there is no repentance.
Natalie Duarte de Escalante—They’ll do this until enough people leave to have a major impact. When people start leaving in droves, they’ll start to listen.
Mons Fata-Meafou—How is this diversity inclusive or representative of the LGBTQ community (touchy subject I know as some of you reading will be screwing up your faces in disgust, but do I care? lol). It starts at the top. Be inclusive of EVERYONE no matter what. Do better.
Tracey Ellem—Jesus was a social justice revolutionary. The church should in fact be leading the way in restoring what God originally intended. A world where all are of immense & equal value, while we await Christs return. I believe this is the way to attract the secular world.
Terry Johnson—As our Union president, I take these, fair, comments to heart and appreciate the passion and sentiments shared. Thank you. I read the disappointment and it cuts to the quick. We can do better and we must through the processes that we have. I reflect on the wonderful recent conference leadership and administration of Eva Ing, Natalie Scott, Lesleigh Bower, Kaye Zyderveld and look forward to more being given the opportunity to lead. For your information, there were 4 not represented in this photo who were with us via zoom. Kaye Zyderveld, the CFO of South Australia as the one woman left in administration was one. In terms of the diversity, we have several who are of different ethnicities (Colin, Cheonneth, Alban, Jeffrey, Cristian, Abel, Cosmin and me. Let's keep not only discussing but actively working to achieve better gender balance and diversity in our Administrative roles representing the church as a whole. (He caved to the mob. Never cave to the mob.)
Lloyd Turner—This is a deep disgrace, and needs to be a defining moment.
Adam Mothershaw—This photo is so disappointing. Not only does it summarise the long history of institutionalised discrimination that has allowed you to reach this point, but the fact that it was posted as a "good news story" is a distressing indicator that the leadership have a (wilful or not) ignorance of the discrimination.
Dot Markham-Devaux—Jeesh, yet another example of who rules the world. Mainly white men. Time to embrace diversity here and look for other viewpoints in order to be relevant to the whole of society. Try some gender and cultural diversity. Go on. I dare you…..
Observations
These Adventist social justice cancel-culture warrior wannabees are outraged because culture is their guiding light, their religion of choice. These individuals are hostile towards any accoutrement of the church that conflicts with culture.
Since culture is at war with biblical truth regarding male & female roles, sexuality and leadership, whether a practice is biblical or not is not important; what is important is that when something in the church conflicts with cultural notions of equity, the Church must be attacked. The Church must die that culture might live.
What these people are saying:
White is bad
Mature white is bad
Male is bad
Diversity is an idol to be worshiped
We need LGBTQ+ leaders in the church
We are losing young people in the Church because we are not woke enough!
Biblical truth is not important; culture is what matters
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“I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works. Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control” (1 Timothy 2:8-15).