A Subtle Attack on Our Children

Dear Leaders and members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church: The following is the first of several Articles and letters concerning the new Sabbath School Curriculum entitled GraceLink. We did not originally intend to share this with many people, but our loyalty to the Seventh-day Adventist Church and God's true message will not let us remain silent. We believe that the time has come to reveal the stealth efforts of some to undermine the SDA church's message and mission through its very heart, the children and youth…Excuses and obfuscation will not satisfy the follower of truth. We believe we must, out of sheer concern and horror at the soul-destroying misrepresentations of truth that some leaders in our beloved church are foisting on our youth. Read and weep. But do more than that!! If you are concerned about the integrity of the future of our church, please write and let our leaders, writers, editors and publishing houses know that you believe that God is insulted and betrayed by the very ones who have been entrusted with the truth for this time. According to our sources it appears that we are stuck with GraceLink for eight to ten years or more unless many more churches refuse to use the GraceLink material.

The GraceLink material is a disgrace. It generally makes the Bible trivial and childish, while the curriculum distracts the children by games and nonsense instead of learning from the Word. Fiction replaces many facts of Holy Scripture. The result is that Children will have a false concept of the stories and principles of scripture that are intended for our instruction and growth in the knowledge of the true God, and a lower appreciation for the importance of Holy Scripture in their lives.

Here are two quotations from "Counsels to Writers and Editors" that summarize our concerns. Please read them with an eye to see and an ear to hear."Let the editors of all our papers seek to attract the attention of their readers to the Book of books, and to those books and periodicals which present the word of God in its true bearing. As the Holy Spirit controls the writers for our papers, more of God's word and less of man's ideas will be presented... To those who make the word of God their study, some will say, You are too narrow in your ideas. You would have us separate so completely from the world that we can do it no good. This is a mistake. The evil feared will not be realized: but God would have his people distinguished from the world in all things, or they will become confused, as were the disciples who turned back and walked no more with Christ." (CW 122)

In directly addressing those "who occupy the editorial chair" Mrs. White writes: "The words of Moses possess deep meaning. "Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which He commanded them not. And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh to Me, and before all the people I will be glorified." Lev. 10:1-3. This has a lesson for all who are handling the matter that goes forth from our publishing institutions. Sacred things are not to be mingled with the common. The papers that have so wide a circulation should contain more precious instruction than appears in the ordinary publications of the day. "What is the chaff to the wheat?" Jer. 23:28. We want pure wheat, thoroughly winnowed. (CW 90.1)

Rather than write our own articles concerning GraceLink, it was felt that it would be best to post the concerns and comments of Seventh-day Adventist members who have to deal with these things on a regular basis. Though there is much that could be said by us, none of the letters and articles published in this series of transmissions were written by anyone directly connected with Hartland. In other words, these are not merely the concerns of those involved in God's work at Hartland, but are reflections of widespread horror at what is being done to our youth. The following documentation and letters are sent as original text. Though we have deleted the names of the authors, they are nevertheless authentic. The only thing we have done to the original text is correct obvious spelling and some grammatical errors and have standardized the format for readability in this type of publication.

May God help you see and feel the burden of the heartsick parents in this series of transmissions. You are welcome and encouraged to share this transmission in any form, in whole and unedited with SDAs only. Please do not send it to others. [Our further comments in brackets].

Name withheld

November 23, 2000

To Whom It May Concern,

In response to a letter I wrote to the General Conference Aug. 31, 2000, in which I expressed my concerns regarding the new GraceLink S.S. curriculum being published by the Review and Herald and the same being used in the Jr./Early Teen divisions, I have been asked by the GC to be more "specific" in my complaints, listing individual items I have objections to.

Please note that this is not a complete list of my concerns. I am not paid to critique or edit eleven new quarterlies and their accompanying teacher's guides. Note that this is a sampling of my concerns, and by no means is it an exhaustive list of what I feel is wrong with GraceLink Curriculum.

The purpose of my August letter and the one you are reading now is not to dissect the material or to criticize the authors/editors, but the purpose has been and still remains, to let the appropriate people know how this material is wreaking havoc in some of our SDA churches and to ask for an alternative lesson study guide for those individuals who feel this material is inappropriate and who cannot use it for conscience sake. My highest hope is that these new quarterlies will be totally revised, or an alternate lesson be provided.[Do] I want to share chaff [with] the wheat?" Jer. 23:28. We want pure wheat, thoroughly winnowed. "The Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying, Say ye not, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. Sanctify the Lord of hosts Himself: and let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread… Bind up the testimony, seal the law among My disciples... To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Isa. 8:11-20 (CW page 90)

Isaiah 8:20 has always been the criteria by which we as a people are to measure the correctness of spiritual truths. We must judge the words presented by mankind by the law and the testimony. Without hesitation, but with feelings of grief and shame I have to say that the GraceLink curriculum does not measure up to the law nor to the testimony. I pray that God will anoint your eyes with His eye salve so that you may see what is contained in these lessons before thousands are eternally lost on account of the error promoted from the Sabbath School Dept. of the General Conference.

A. CONCERNS PERTINENT TO ARTWORK

Year C - quarter 1:Page 2. A mouse never conversed with John the Baptist in prison.Page 13. The hideous being talking to Joshua before the battle of Jericho is The King of Kings, the Lord Strong and Mighty, our Jesus. Here he is depicted as disheveled and effeminate. (See SR p.178.)Page 15. The people on the walls of Jericho were not mocking and sneering at the Israelites. The Israelites were not tittering and jesting as they marched. (See SR 179-180-- "They (Jericho's inhabitants) are too much terrified to sport."Page 19. Lewd and suggestive picture hanging behind a false picture of Samson. Page 21-23. Samson had hair, not a few sprigs of stubble, at the time of his renewed strength and his death. (See PP page 566.)Page 50-51. No mouse came to comfort and cheer John the Baptist.Page 62-63. The sheaves bowing to Joseph's sheaf. Joseph's is depicted as puffed up and haughty. One observer noted that Joseph's sheave is depicted as a male genital.Page 74-87. Joseph is depicted with Neanderthal or Cro-Magnon features. Gen. 39:6 states: "and Joseph was handsome in form and appearance." (NKJ) Someone said Joseph resembles an Aladdin.Year C -quarter 4: Page 4-31. Paul is depicted as a diminutive nerd -like a character who always sports a ponytail. He looks like a "new age" hippy sitting in the lotus position. (Page. 8 & 22)Page 14. This picture is disgusting and should need no comment.Page 56-62, 72. The majestic heavenly beings are made to look like new age, spiritualistic, feminine creatures (See CW 171: "Would not the mind have clearer, more perfect ideas of angels, of Christ, of all spiritual things, if no pictures were made to represent heavenly things? Many of the pictures made are grossly false as far as the truth is concerned. Do not pictures so far removed from the truth give voice to falsehoods? We want to be true in all our representations of Jesus Christ.") I feel all cartoon creations are grossly false, and have no place in S.S. material. This new material is not only false, but ugly and sacrilegious besides.Year B-quarter 1

Cover Page. The pigs did not follow the prodigal son home clinging to his rags as he ran to his father. He left the sin when he came to himself. This is gross error in art and in the theology it symbolizes. When we as sinners come to our senses and turn to the Father, we leave our pigpen of sin. We don't drag our sin with us to Christ. This picture symbolizes the thread of error that I see woven into nearly every lesson of this past year; that being: I need to do nothing to gain salvation except come to God and be loved, because God does it all. This cheap grace concept is chanted repeatedly in the student's lesson, the power point and the teacher's guide.

Year C-quarter 2

Page 12-23. Judas is depicted as having devil horns for a hairstyle. He is missing a fork and a tail. Check the DA for an accurate description of Judas. (DA p. 294. "He was of commanding appearance...").

Year A-quarter 2

Page 20. Shows Jesus being nailed to the cross with spikes in the hands & feet. Page 23 shows Jesus hanging by nails through his wrists. Year C-quarter 3 on page 59 the artist fails to make any visible nail prints in Jesus' hands or wrists as He shows Himself to Thomas. (John 20:27 says the nail prints were in the hands. Why the confusion?)

Year C-quarter 3

Page 58-59. The entire picture is a lie. Jesus did no such thing to Thomas. John 20:26-27 states that "then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then said he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands." We must teach the youth what the Bible says or they will not know a "thus saith the Lord" and will no be capable of defending the faith. Satan has always tried to deceive with a twist of the truth.

I hope that I have given you a few "specifics" in the area of artwork to give you the gist of my complaints. But please note that this is by no means a comprehensive list of my concerns dealing with the falsehoods portrayed in the artwork of these children's periodicals! This is a sample list only.

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B. CONCERNS PERTINENT TO LESSON SCRIPT

I will give you only a sample of the errors I see in these lessons. I make no attempt to be all-inclusive.

Year C-quarter 1, Lessons FIVE and SIX.

Both these lessons are almost complete fabrications. Yes, John lived in the wilderness and preached. He lived a very plain lifestyle and he was a voice in the wilderness to prepare the way for Jesus. Where in the Bible or S.O.P. do we find anything that even hints that he mentored a young man? This imaginary person is instructed in spiritual matters in lesson Five and given lessons in the laws of health in lesson Six. We are going to have people thinking this really happened. [Portrayal of Asceticism or the Mysticism of the Catholic Fathers of the 4th century]

Year C-quarter 1, Lesson ELEVEN

On page 78 there is dialog between Potiphar and Joseph after Joseph is accused. There is not a hint of anything of the sort in scripture or S.O.P. If you study Joseph's life and compare it to Christ's, you will see that Joseph was a type of Christ. Jesus was unjustly accused and was led as a lamb to the slaughter. He answered not a word. There is no indication that a servant argued in his own defense with his master. Evidence is to the contrary.

Year A-quarter 3, Lesson TWO.

The entire lesson is a foolish fictitious tale of King Solomon and Rehoboam. The entire lesson is dreamed up in someone's imagination to make the kids want to read Proverbs 22:1-5 and hopefully help them understand the meaning of these five verses. This lesson is a tidbit of truth hidden under a mountain of fable.

Year B-quarter 4, Lesson THIRTEEN.

This lesson is about David being chosen to be king by Samuel. On page 89 we find a conversation that I find inappropriate. The author portrays Eliab as grousing to David because he must go to offer sacrifices with the prophet. He wishes he didn't have to go and participate in another sacrifice service. I find this dialog extremely offensive! First off, no such conversation is recorded. The author paints Eliab as rebellious towards worship and God. To my knowledge we don't know this. Worse than the falsehood, is the fact that this imaginary conversation plants the nocuous seed of "worship is a really drag. Wish I could think of a way to get out of it." Let me assure you all, the seeds you sow, you most assuredly will reap. It will be a bitter harvest.

Year A-quarter 3, Lesson FOURTEEN.

This lesson caused my heart to ache. The Story of Redemption has such a beautiful account of the creation of the world and the gift of the Sabbath. It can hold the attention of a three year old. The author of this lesson degraded such a beautiful story with cheap, flippant talk in the fashion of a mouthy teenager arguing with a superior. To me the entire script is a sacrilege. The holy pair ask God so many trivial questions, that God has to interrupt. Adam apologizes to the Lord for getting so carried away. How crazy! Adam knew nothing of the word "sorry" or its related words, for sin had not entered Eden yet. On page 101 Eve asks the Lord to explain to her what children and grandchildren are. God replies that He will talk to her about that later, implying to the reader that Eve has a lesson about the "birds and the bees" coming after the Sabbath. The lesson concludes by saying that Adam needs to do nothing for the Sabbath day except "be loved" by God. Not once is the Sabbath identified as the seventh day of the week. Instead the lesson infers on page 96, that the Sabbath started a day after Adam and Eve were created. Not true. The Sabbath came only hours after they were created. Friday at sunset was/is the beginning of Sabbath.

Please note that this is by no means a comprehensive list of my concerns dealing with the falsehoods portrayed in the script portion of these children's periodicals. This is only a sample list.

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C. CONCERNS PERTINENT TO TEACHER'S QUARTERLY

I am just as concerned, if not most concerned with this aspect of the GraceLink curriculum. I feel that the developers of this guide have focused on the psychology of the learner and the learning theories of the world, without taking into account the guidance of the scriptures and the S.O.P. namely Counsels on Sabbath School Work. I am aware of the fact that the new material is trying to reach the four basic types of thinkers: the analytical thinker, the practical thinker, the dynamic thinker and the relational thinker. I have participated in a Learning Church leadership training seminar this past year and I recognize the format in the teacher's quarterlies.

Unfortunately this format, with all the bizarre activities such as musical chairs, three-legged races, capture the flag, pop the balloons, hot potato and limbo, just to mention a few, coupled with all the art activities such as modeling clay and doodle sketching, pennant making, gift wrapping etc., are not conducive to serious Bible study. All these activities take up nearly the entire hour of S.S. and the Bible study gets a small portion of time and an even smaller portion of the kid's attention. I will try to illustrate my point with Lesson 14 of Year A, third quarter. (Please obtain a copy).

READINESS ACTIVITIES: A SABBATH-Y THING TO DO

This activity only leads to a more pronounced division between the child that has been reared in a conservative SDA home and that child reared in the nominal SDA home, not to mentions the frustration it would cause a visitor /non-SDA. For all the psychology behind this material, someone forgot about teenagers' feelings when it comes to sticking out of the crowd. Sabbath school is one place they should not have to stick out.

Then the teacher is to say: "Sabbath is a time for being rather than doing. The most important thing is to be open…" Next I am to chant the power point: "Sabbath is a grace filled time when together we worship our Creator and serve others." This power point is to be chanted to the kids seven times throughout the S.S. period. This is demeaning to the students and to the teacher. We all feel foolish. It is an insult to the intelligence.

The next activity to be entered into is "THE GIFT" where we all get to "think like God." Then we get to "CAPTURE THE GIFT," which is just another name for the game Capture the Flag. Next the students are to explain how it feels to have the gift stolen from them. Let me tell you that some kids won't give a rip, some will think the whole thing is stupid, some will feel all wrought up over the game and losing "the gift" and others, with a sensitive conscience, will feel guilty for breaking the Sabbath. But maybe, if I chant the power point enough times, and follow the lesson guide closely enough, those tender consciences will come to realize, before S.S. is over, that they don't have to worry about "KEEPING" the Sabbath. We can find a better word than "KEEPING." Perhaps "Celebrating" or "Honoring" would be better words to use. (See page 129 in study guide) We then play another game in part three of the S.S. time, where we APPLY the Lesson (See pg.130).

Last, but not least, we SHARE the Lesson. Here we get the kids to think of all the secular commercials on T.V. and apply those ads to a pennant that they create and may share at home. (See Pg.131) Then I am to ask the students how it feels to think of the Sabbath as a popular product? THEIR MINDS SHOULDN'T EVEN BE ON POPULAR PRODUCTS FROM T.V. COMMERCIALS!!!!! Where is our discernment?? Not once in that lesson was the Sabbath identified as the seventh day of the week, save in the scripture I was to read while the kids get to doodle on some art project or meditate while music is played. There is not even the suggestion that the student reads along in his Bible (See p. 129 of the study guide.). I want to close with two statements from Counsels on Sabbath School Work.

CRIPPLED FOR TRUE LEADERSHIP

"Our Sabbath schools which are to instruct the children and youth are too superficial. The managers of these need to plow deeper. They need to put more thought and more hard work upon the work they are doing. They need to be more thorough students of the Bible, and to have a deeper religious experience, in order to know how to conduct Sabbath schools after the Lord's order, and how to lead children and youth to the Saviour. This is one of the branches of the work that is crippling along for the want of efficient, discerning men and women, who feel their accountability to God to use their powers, not to exhibit self, not for vainglory, but to do good." (CSW p. 163-164)

A CHILD'S OBSERVATION

"There was a general superintendent of Sabbath schools who, while addressing a Sabbath school upon one occasion, was very dry, lengthy, and uninteresting. A mother asked her daughter of ten if she enjoyed the exercise, and also, "What did the minister say?" Said the little girl, "He said, and he said, and he said, and he didn't say anything." Now, we do not want any such account of our labor as that. We want the very best of training for the work that we can possibly have ourselves, so that we can make a success in teaching others the things that we have learned." (CSW page 169)

My comments on the final quote are that though we may not be "dry," we can substitute other adjectives such as flippant, foolish, irreverent, demeaning. We say and say and say without saying anything of any value, because we are not spending that precious hour of S.S. time in the study of God's Word. Instead we are focusing on doing a bunch of foolish activities that detract from the word of God, while we are destroying the children's sense of reverence for sacred things, robbing them of the Sabbath's peace and rest, and ultimately destroying Christ's lambs.

Sincerely Concerned,

(A Mother and a teacher)

December 14, 2000

To: Pat Habada, Noelene Johnsson, Reger Smith, Daniella Volf, Kathleen Beagles, James Zackrison, Lowell Cooper, Angel Rodriguez, and Emily Harding

Enclosed you will find a GraceLink critique for each one of you that was written at the request of Pat Habada. I spent hours trying to put into words the ache in my heart over this new S.S. creation of the G.C. As I reread it, I see that it does not come close to expressing my true feelings, but hopefully you will read into it my deep concern and my time will not have been wasted.

I have been reticent to send this critique, because since I wrote it in November, I have found your web site. The Beginner quarterly, with the story of Noah written in a Mother Goose "Once Upon A Time" fashion, with all the mixed up and/or deleted details, so shocked me that I have begun to wonder if there is an ounce of discernment amongst you all. We are to tell our babies that Noah had never seen a boat. It is crazy to think that after a millennium on earth, men of superior intelligence had not conceived of the idea of a boat. Why did we leave out the detail that angels guided the animals into the Ark? Instead we tell them they came all by themselves like a big parade. Why do we show ethnically diverse angels protecting the ark, when angels are not as man are? To my knowledge ethnic diversity came after the flood at the Tower of Babel. The sum of little details creates a big lie. Why? Isn't it just as easy to tell it and illustrate it correctly?

I also went through the Primary lesson quarterly and studied the first lesson on the Tower of Babel. It so sickened me that I don't know where to begin to explain. I shared the teacher's helps on the "First Skyscraper" just as a teacher should conduct it in class, with many adults. The reaction was always the same; shock and disbelief. The defense of some who are in favor of this new material was, "We don't have to use that material. We can pick and choose." I then asked what they could use, and what would be left. The answer is that there will be very little left. Now for the lesson:

First we have kids draw paper animal ears and tape them to their ears, show them off and ask how they feel about different animals. Or if we like, we could have the kids mimic different people's walks, then choose the best imitator and have him parade around the room while the other kids guess the person he is mocking. Then we debrief by telling the kids, "God wants us to notice special needs and understand them...." If I don't think these two options are good, I can have them shout "hello" to an old deaf person, squeak out a hello to a baby, hug a "hello" to grandma, etc. and ask, "Did you realize that we change our hello to fit the person we are talking to?" Then we practice all the hellos together. There is a fourth option, but I fail to grasp the point so I will not comment on it and would not use it. No other adult got it either.

Next we teach the lesson. Joe bangs a hammer, Mary clanks bricks together or rattles beans in a box, Sally shouts to pass the shovel and elbows the kid next to her while Tommy claps his hands or brushes (smacks) his quarterly on his chair at the mention of one of the four key words: hammer, bricks, shovel or tar. Once that is over, we proceed to the lesson application where we have the kids dress up in Babel's work cloths and try to build a tower as high as they can in a few minutes without talking. Then we make a big "TO-DO" over the height of the towers and applaud the work of the Babel Builders. Sound like what God did? Shame on you all. This is disgusting! I feel like I am walking with the angel and Ezekiel through Ezekiel 8.

Lastly we give a big hug or "Grug" to show we want to include everyone. Now we can relate. This is like Barney and the Tele-Tubbies. We debrief by saying: "How did you feel about a grug?" My child's response was, "That depends on who is standing next to me." HE MISSED THE WHOLE POINT OF THIS DESECRATED LESSON, DIDN'T HE?

Lastly, but most appalling to me is the memory text Act 10:34-35. You subtracted the condition for God's acceptance of all mankind. You want the kids to think that righteousness and obedience are not conditions of God's acceptance. This lesson is so far off the mark. How about each of you reading Patriarchs & Prophets pages 119-124. The primary lesson is directly opposed to the lessons pointed out in Bible and SOP. Read this:

"IN THE PROFESSEDLY CHRISTIAN WORLD MANY TURN AWAY FROM THE PLAIN TEACHINGS OF THE BIBLE AND BUILD UP A CREED FROM HUMAN SPECULATIONS AND PLEASING FABLES, AND THEY POINT TO THEIR TOWER AS A WAY TO CLIMB TO HEAVEN. MEN HANG WITH ADMIRATION UPON THE LIPS OF ELOQUENCE WHILE IT TEACHES THAT THE TRANSGRESSOR SHALL NOT DIE, THAT SALVATION MAY BE SECURED WITHOUT OBEDIENCE TO THE LAW OF GOD. IF THE PROFESSED FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST WOULD ACCEPT GOD'S STANDARD, IT WOULD BRING THEM INTO UNITY; BUT SO LONG AS HUMAN WISDOM IS EXALTED ABOVE HIS HOLY WORD, THERE WILL BE DIVISIONS AND DISSENSIONS." (PP 124) Please read the SOP helps you suggest for the teachers. They will help you understand the lesson to be learned from the Tower of Babel. It is vastly different from your objectives, which are stated as being: " The children will know that God wants us to learn about the ways of other people. Feel willing to accept differences. Respond by trying to understand and help someone who is different."

On page 120 of PP we are told that the confusion of tongues was a curse to the sinners because it, in great measure, shut them out from intercourse with those who might have given them light. All of this was because the wicked would not listen to God, his instructions, and His laws and believe His promises. These language differences were not God's plan for mankind. He placed the language barriers on us at that time to preserve the Godly from the wicked who would not obey. This is a far cry from the objectives of the lesson.

Also I want you to know that when I showed this material to a lady in her 50's at church one Sabbath, she sat and cried and cried. Her father was an SDA minister in Brazil. She finally said, "What have they done to my Jesus. My father would have taken this out to the back yard and burned it."

At the Northern New England Conference Executive Committee meeting on Dec.10 a grown man sat and wept over this material. Another man tore it in pieces and tossed it over his shoulder and said it was garbage and should be treated as such. You may not believe me, but there is grave concern over this material in many places where there are dedicated leaders who take time to study and prepare.

May God grant you the wisdom and courage to do as that man in NNEC executive meeting did and destroy this material before it destroys our children. The cost of the children's souls is of a far greater price than any investment thus far in this GraceLink material.

Heart Ache In… (Place withheld).

P.S. I would appreciate any correspondence with me regarding this letter, to be in writing rather than by phone, simply because you have requested that I take the time to put my concerns in print. I am taking a huge chunk of time and a big chance of being considered "a right wing conservative that is trying to impede progress" by writing out my thoughts and concerns. I would appreciate it if you would extend to me the courtesy of a written correspondence.

[The above material is only one of many such letters of concerned parents about the curriculum related to GraceLink. Our next transmission will address more specific issues concerning the GraceLink material. Our understanding is that those responsible for GraceLink have made some minor changes to the text to correct obvious errors of fact and to revise some of the art to make it more acceptable. While this appears good on the surface, and makes the Sabbath School Department appear that it is responding appropriately, it nevertheless, makes the overall theological agenda more subtle. Stay tuned, more to come].