Miscellaneous Correspondence


NOTE: This same letter was mailed to Director Ray Dabrowski, Department of Communication,
Seventh-day Adventist Church, General Conference World Headquarters.


2/2[8]/97


John Graz, Director
Public Affairs & Religious Liberty Dept.
General Conference of Seventh Day Adventists
12051 Old Columbia Pike
Silver Springs, Maryland 20904-6600

Dear Brother John Graz:
          A few months ago, while attending one of the Net 96 meetings entitled "United States in Bible Prophecy", some things were taught as beliefs of the Seventh Day Adventist Church. I see that these teachings are contrary to what the G.C. SDA church is showing that it believes by actions that it is taking.
          I have written to Mark Finley regarding this (taking it to him first as he was the speaker). His office has referred my to you regarding this issue. I would sincerely appreciate your consideration of the subject at hand. Perhaps you can help initiate a change in what the Conference is doing. At the least, you may be able to see what I am saying - or explain to me how this action is consistant with the beliefs that appear to me to prohibit this action.
          Below is an excerpt from the letter I wrote to Mark Finley. I trust that you do not mind my borrowing from the letter that I wrote to him in order to express my concern to you.

          My question has to do with a subject discussed during the Discoveries in Prophecy Seminar. I attended several meetings, which I found very factual. One of them was "The United States in Bible Prophecy". This was very nicely done, but the information presented, which I do believe, is inconsistant with what I see the Gen. Conf. of SDAs doing. Maybe you can explain this to me. When we believe in religious freedom and that every man is accountable to God alone for his religious opinions, when we believe that a church who uses the state's power to persecute those who believe anything differently than they do, when this action is the same action the beast took, how can the G.C. SDA Church take the kind of action and not be an imitation of or the image of the beast?
          The action I am referring to is that of the G.C. Corporation taking to court and suing other SDA churches, who believe - like Ellen White says - that it is important to keep and uphold the name, Seventh-Day Adventist, but are not part of the G.C. for one reason or another. The way I see it is that the G.C. SDA Church joined with the state in trademarking its name (seeking the state to protect its name instead of trusting to God to protect it). This in itself made an 'image' of the beast. Then when it began using the state's power to persecute (beginning in 1981 suing other SDA churches), the image came to life. The deadly wound was inflicted for awhile while the 'appeal' of the trademark was in process in court. But, it has come back to life!
          The G.C. has begun again, in this country, to approach SDA churches about giving up the name, SDA. (This has been going on abroad during the appeal here in the U.S.) [The most recent action I am familiar with is the request to the Rogue Valley Historic Seventh Day Adventist Church.]
          Is the G.C. SDA Church still the true church? How can it be when it shows itself to be the image of the beast? Rev. 13 warns about the image of the beast. Jesus also responded differently when His disciples told Him of someone who was casting out demons in Jesus' name, but was not part of them. They wanted this person to cease. But, Jesus said to them "Leave them alone!" Shouldn't we take the same attitude? Should we not listen to Jesus' instruction and leave others alone who are using the name SDA, but not part of our 'group' and let whether they are SDAs or not be between God and that individual or church? The Bible also has instructions about how to protect one's name - and it isn't by taking others to the courts of law - See Acts 19:13-17 and also 2T page 562.

          Please prayerfully consider and respond to this ASAP! I appreciate your sincere attention to this matter.

Prayerfully Yours with Love in Christ,
Barbara Isenburg


Response from John Graz
Department of Public Affairs and Religious Liberty, Director
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

Response from Ray Dabrowski
Department of Communication, Director
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

Response from Walter Carson
Office of General Counsel
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

Response from Wintley Phipps
Department of Public Affairs and Religious Liberty, Director
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists


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