Chapter 6 - The Meat of the Adventist Health Message [Warning: This chapter not for children]
Chapter 7 - Why All This Fuss about a False Prophet? Who Cares?
Chapter 8 - A Salute to Some Heretics
Chapter 9 - More on Ellen White and Meat Eating
Chapter 10 - Ellen White and More Health Reform Counsel
Chapter 11 - Ellen White and Medicine
Chapter 12 - Ellen White and Alcohol
Chapter 13 - Ellen White Contradicts The Bible Some More
Chapter 14 - Ellen White Contradicts Herself
Chapter 15 - Ellen White's Teaching on Depression
Chapter 16 - Ellen White Misrepresents God's Character
Chapter 17 - Some Very Dangerous Adventist Theology
Chapter 18 - Ellen White and Miscellaneous Nonsense

We have only included those chapters of Dr. Hunt's book dealing specifically with Ellen White. For those wishing to read the entire book, please visit the following web site: Help for SDA's
Beware This Cult!
Chapter 6 – The Meat of the Adventist Health Message
By Gregory G. P. Hunt, M.D., B.Sc., F.R.C.P.

WARNING: This chapter deals with medical issues intended for adult readers. If you are a child you must not view this page unless you have obtained permission from your parents or your adult guardians. CLICK HERE to go back now!

Seventh Day Adventists generally believe they have been called and chosen by God in these latter days to spread the gospel to the whole world and bring people to God. One of the greatest tools for achieving this aim is their health message. It is intended to show people how to live more healthy lives and therefore lead them to Jesus Christ.

The Adventist health message is based on the counsels of their prophet Ellen G. White. As we shall shortly see, one would have to be an idiot to follow her counsel. Oh, there is no doubt that Ellen White gave a lot of good counsel. But after reading what is to follow, one must be very careful of anything that she has to say and probably should stay away from anything she wrote.

The meat of the Adventist health message actually is based on meat or flesh food literally. Their whole health message hinges on this one item. Any Adventist today will tell you that most of them are vegetarian; probably 50% are most of the time. They will insist to you that they do not eat meat because meat eating is not in God's plan and the consumption of the flesh of animals can only lead to sickness, particularly cancer. They will tell you that chickens and salmon these days are full of cancer these days; and how could you possibly eat them and not end up with cancer yourself? Adventists do not realize the original reason why Ellen White condemned meat. That is to be the fascinating subject of this chapter.

Before we go into this further, let me point out some good advice given by the writer of the Book of Hebrews. "Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings; for it is well that the heart be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited their adherents." (Heb 13:9) The writer here is indicating to us that the people preaching special diets as doctrine are teaching diverse and strange teachings. Further, diet has not done anything for the salvation of any of these fanatics.

The revelation that was to shape Adventist health reform was given to Ellen White in the famous vision of Oswego, on June the 6th, 1863. During a vision lasting 45 minutes they claim God exposed highly advanced, revolutionary medical principles years that were supposedly years ahead of their time. (Ellen G. White: Prophet of Destiny, Rene Noorbergen, p. 98.) One would think that in 1863, with man's knowledge of healthful living being rather poor, God would have several important topics to relate to his prophet. It turns out to be quite a shock when one finds out the particular item which was to take priority in the health message of the Adventist church. As indicated previously most Adventists today have no idea what that priority item was.

In 1864, just months after the famous health vision, Ellen White published a book entitled An Appeal to Mothers: The Great Cause of the Physical, Mental, and Moral Ruin of Children of Our Time." This was Mrs. White's first book on health reform. Its intent was to warn the world about the evils of solitary vice or MASTURBATION!

It seems that Mrs. White was dissatisfied with the result of this production and therefore six years later in 1870, another publication was produced entitled "A Solemn Appeal" by Ellen G. White. This book was edited by her husband James White and included some articles from other writers to back up Mrs. White's counsel about masturbation and meat.

This fascinating booklet is not widely available currently. One can certainly understand why it is not advertised in the Adventists book catalogues. However, there must have been some questions about this book as it was recently reprinted in small number for those who wanted to look into these original writings more deeply. Between 1976 and 1979 a total of 700 of these books were produced. I suspect they were generally confined to Adventist theology students, who by their very disposition could not be adversely affected by this information.

Fans of Ellen White often point out that her works can stand on their own merit. I would ask that Adventists hold to this saying. After I have pointed out some of the writings of Ellen White, I would ask them to make a careful and honest decision. The word of God says, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits." (Matt. 7:15-16) One should have no difficulty categorizing Ellen White as a false prophet when he becomes aware of some of the fruit she has produced.

Let us examine some of the passages in this important health book by Ellen White.

"I feel alarmed for those children and you who by solitary vice are ruining themselves ... you listen to numerous complaints of headache, catarrh, dizziness, nervousness, pain in the shoulders and side, loss of appetite, pain in the back and limbs, wakeful feverish nights, of tired feelings in the morning, and great exhaustion after exercising? … and have you not noticed that there was a deficiency in the mental health of our children?" (p. 11)

"Secret indulgence [masturbation] is, in many cases, the only real cause of the numerous complaints of the young. This vice is laying waste the vital forces, and debilitating the system." (p. 13)

"The state of the world is alarming. Everywhere we look we see imbecility, dwarf forms, crippled limbs, misshapen heads and deformity of every description…. Corrupt habits are wasting their energies, and bringing upon them loathsome and complicated diseases. Unsuspecting parents will try the skill of physicians, one after another, who prescribe drugs, when they generally know the real cause of the failing health, but for fear of offending, and losing their fees, they keep silent, when as faithful physicians they should expose the real cause…. Children who practice self indulgence [masturbation] … must pay the penalty." (p. 14)

It is enlightening to note that Ellen White's original writing of this last quotation has been changed in this later edition. Her husband, James White, the editor of the writing, deleted the evidence which indicated his wife had seen this in a vision from God. Was James embarrassed by the original version?

"The state of the world was presented before me, and my attention was especially called to the youth of our time. Everywhere I looked, I saw imbecility, dwarfed forms . . . etc". The force of the later quotation is considerably dulled to, "Everywhere we look… etc".

Maybe James White didn't believe in his wife’s so called visions. Let’s study more of the enlightening visions.

"If the practice is continued from the ages of 15 and upward, nature will protest ... and will make them pay the penalty ... by numerous pains in the system and various diseases, such as affection of the liver and lungs, neuralgia, rheumatism, affection of the spine, diseased kidneys and cancerous humours… There is often a sudden breaking down of the constitution; and death is the result." (P. 14 & 15)

"Many are ignorant of the sinfulness of these habits, and their certain results. Such need to be enlightened . . . Females possess less vital force than the other sex, . . . The result of self abuse in them is seen in various diseases, such as catarrh, dropsy, headache, loss of memory and sight, great weakness in the back and loins, affections of the spine, and frequently, inward decay of the head. Cancerous humour … commences its eating destructive work. The mind is often utterly ruined, and insanity, supervenes. . . Such are just as self murderers as though they pointed a pistol to their own breast, and destroyed their life instantly … The practice of secret habits surely destroys the vital forces of the system . . . Among the young the vital capital, and the brain are so severely taxed at an early age, that there is deficiency and great exhaustion, which leave the system exposed to diseases of various kinds. But the most common of these is consumption (tuberculosis). . . They must die. (p. 17)

"There is hardly an end to these diseases caused by solitary vice; dyspepsia, spinal complaint, headache, epilepsy, impaired eye sight, palpitations of the heart, pain in the side, bleeding at the lungs, spasms of the heart and lungs, diabetes, or incontinence of the urine, fluor alblis, whites, inflammation of the urinary organs ... Besides rheumatism, affected perspiration, consumption (tuberculosis), asthma, catarrh, polypus of the heart, affections of the bones, fevers, priapism, strangury, polypus uteri, blood discharges, etc. . .

Then a case history is reviewed.

"A full and particular account of a little boy who at two years old was epileptic, from this cause; the vice taught to him by his nurse … Rendered him paralytic. By the most vigilant use of mechanical means for confining the hands, covering the genitals, etc. the child was at length cured; he now enjoys good health, and, with the exception of a remarkable loss of memory, retains no trace of his former indiscretions."

Picture yourself taking your two year old son to see a doctor after he has suffered a convulsion. The doctor tells you that he has been masturbating and this is the cause of his illness. You are going to have to bind his genitals and tie his hands until he is cured of the filthy habit. This is the kind of stuff that Ellen White believed with all her heart, has been commissioned to pass on to us, and we are expected to believe she is a true prophet.

Let us continue with more of these fascinating quotations.

"Unchastity, as we have already seen, deranges, debilitates, and ruins the body. Now, out of this startling fact arises another fact, if possible more startling. It is that unchastity deranges, debilitates and ruins the mind ... By unchastity, especially by solitary vice (masturbation), the mind suffers permanent debility ... great debility of the memory, great prostration and foolish imbecility of the mind. Perception is made dull and obtuse, the reasoning powers are blunted ... From debility the mind often sinks into idiocy ... I saw a young woman in a town of Massachusetts who made herself an idiot by masturbation. (p. 2 & 3)

"In the fall of 1844, the writer visited the Massachusetts State Lunatic Hospital … Our attention was suddenly arrested by the peculiarly haggard, frantic, wild, fiendish appearance of a young man, with his eye turned back over his shoulder. Struck with his shocking aspect, we inquired of our attendant, a young physician, what was the cause of his insanity? 'Solitary vice', was the ready reply. Thought we, solitary vice produces solitary insanity! We further asked, have you many here from that cause? 'A large proportion', more than from, intemperance? 'Oh, yes, far more.' … When they (crazy persons) do indulge, this act must be considered as a bad symptom, since it constitutes an insurmountable obstacle to the cure: it destroys the strength and finally produces in the patients, stupidity, phthisis, marasmus, and death . . . Nurses, by manipulating infants to cure their crying, have been known to give them a notion which has resulted in a habit of solitary vice." (p. 4)

"Self abuse opens the door for consumption, dyspepsia, nervous debility, epilepsy, apoplexy, paralysis, insanity, and almost every disease from which humanity suffers. It weakens and deranges the stomach, the liver, the kidneys, the bowels, the muscle, the bones the nerves, the brain, and all the various organs of the body … The loss of semen is very exhausting yet the expenditure of nerve force is quite as great a source of evil . . . it gives a shock to the whole system; and when often repeated, the nervous power is completely drained away. It impoverishes the blood and induces consumption, dyspepsia, nervous diseases, and mental derangements . . . Self abuse is, probably, the most flagrant violation of the sexual law; the grossest abuse of the sexual function … with the most disastrous consequences to the health, happiness and even life of the race. It is an evil more damning than any other to which mankind is subject!" . . . "Although the habit may be abandoned, in 9 cases out of 10 the loss will be continued in the form of involuntary nocturnal emissions" [wet dreams].

"After having indulged in this habit for a time, the child loses its bright and happy looks; it becomes pale with a greenish tint, the eyes are sunken, and surrounded by dark rings; the vermilion of the lips is faded, the limbs are attenuated, the muscles soft and flabby both in form and feature the child has the appearance of being old and worn out."

"Many children are born with this propensity and the habit is commenced in infancy or in early childhood ... without a thought of evil on the part of the little masturbators."

"Self abuse is a sure road to the grave . . . This picture full of horrors as it is, is not overdrawn, in truth the half hath not been told."

"It will not kill you outright ... Ask any medical man conversant with diseases having this origin and he will tell you that no other cause of disease equals this … no cause is more influential in producing insanity. The records of the institutions give an appalling catalogue of cases attributed to it [masturbation].

Well, enough is enough. From the above quotations we can see Ellen White’s preoccupation with masturbation as a direct cause of all these Illnesses. Her visions from God indicated that masturbation causes such diseases as blindness, epilepsy, diabetes, consumption (tuberculosis), asthma, etc… Not only does it cause these physical diseases but leads to imbecility, idiocy, and insanity. We are told that the mental hospitals are filled with people who are insane because they masturbated. The end result of course is death.

When I revealed this information to some staunch Adventist believers they actually tried to defend these writings of Ellen White. Emotion took over completely and rendered their common sense, and logic useless.

Anyone can conclude from common sense alone that none of these diseases or conditions are caused by masturbation. Consumption or tuberculosis we know is caused by a germ, a specific bacterium. In fact the germ causing tuberculosis was discovered shortly after these writings of Ellen White. How can anyone possibly believe this nonsense written by Ellen White? How could anyone insist she is a true prophet from God?

The Cause of The Cause

Having been told by Ellen White that masturbation causes all of these illnesses, what are we to do about it? Well, one must know what might lead to masturbation and its horrors so that one can avoid it.

"We noticed bad diet as a cause of unchastity. By bad diet we mean the use of food and drinks of bad qualities and unreasonable quantities. (p. 5) A diet chiefly or wholly vegetable, is evidently best adapted to allay passionate excitement. Flesh meat diet is more stimulating than vegetable. Consequently it is plain that all those who suffer from too high venereal excitement, should abandon it (meat) ... When children shall be taught correct habits of diet, much, very much, Will be done toward the removal of secret vice and other species of unchastity from society. (p. 9) Mince pies, cakes, preserves, and highly seasoned meats, with gravies, create a feverish condition in the system, and inflame the animal passions. . . We should encourage in our children a love for nobleness of mind, and a pure, virtuous character. In order to strengthen in them the moral perceptions, . . . we must regulate the manner of our living, dispense with animal foods, and use grains, vegetables and fruits, as articles of diet. (p. 15)

"Sip no more the beverage of China; no more the drinks of java; what shall you drink at your meals? ... I say, nothing is best; yet cocoa, chocolate, or warm water seasoned, or bread coffee, rice coffee . . . will be good substitutes as they do not inflame."

"For a similar reason, meats, mustards, condiments, peppers, spices, rich foods, gravies, everything heating and irritating, will only add to existing inflammation, and increase both desire and disease ... Some kinds of food, as already specified, excite amorous desires; while others, as rice, bread, fruit, vegetables do not; and may therefore be eaten."

"As to suppers, I recommend none at all. A full stomach induces dreams or the exercise, in sleep, of those organs most liable to spontaneous action, which produces libidinous dreams, with accompanying night emissions, which weaken and disease equally with indulgence … A heating, stimulating diet still more prematurely develops this passion. We have already seen that meats, teas, coffee, mustards, spices, etc. stimulate in adults ... A heating diet, after all, is the most prolific cause of excessive and perverted sexuality … eat and drink cooling, calming articles only."

"Sleeping on feather beds and feather pillows, in close, unventilated rooms is another cause of weakness, and therefore aids in inducing this vile practice of solitary vice."

We have just seen several of the stimulants which leads one to masturbate. In fact such things as meat and spices are claimed to be aphrodisiacs. We notice that we should not eat supper as this would cause us to have wet dreams. Also we should recognize that sleeping on feather beds and feather pillows tends to make one masturbate.

Here then, is the real reason that Ellen White counsels against meat eating. Of course as time went on she added other reasons for not eating meat. But the original reason for abstaining from meat, as given to her by God in that first important health vision, is to prevent uncontrollable passions leading to masturbation which in turn leads to disease, insanity, and death. Is this really a prophet from God speaking? Can one trust anything that she says in her writings unless it is in the mainstream of Christian thought?

The Cure For Masturbation

Having pointed out the cause of masturbation and its disastrous results, what is her counsel as to how we could get out of such a dilemma? Mrs. White was greatly impressed with hydrotherapy or water treatments which was really a fad during her time. This type of treatment represented big money and was the basis of most of the Adventist health units of that day. One would expect then that water treatments would be involved in the treatment of those poor souls trapped in the habit of masturbation. Let us look at some of the treatment.

"Here is a brief outline of the course of treatment which should generally be adopted by this class of unfortunates ... thousands who read these pages will readily acknowledge the truthfulness of the picture, and admit that their own cases are faithfully pointed out, but will despairingly exclaim, what shall we do? … The fearful prevalence of sexual disorders, has been rendered painfully prominent to the physicians and managers of the Health Reform Institute at Battle Creek, and a large number of cases have been successfully treated here, while many more have been advised by letter to the health reformer. The advice which follows is therefore the result of experience, observation, and careful study. The greatest difficulty in their management consists in inducing them to adhere with any degree of tenacity to a prescribed course of treatment. Such had better place themselves under the care of a hygienic physician, if this can possibly be done".

1. "Diet. The diet of this class of individuals should be rigidly abstemious. The food should be nutritious but non-stimulating. The two meal system is of special advantage as the presence of food in the stomach at night is often the exciting cause of nocturnal emissions."

2. "Sleeping. Sufferers should never lie in bed to encourage a dreamy or unsound sleep. Better rise unreasonably early in the morning than to lie in a state of dreaminess, as the dreams of such will assume a lascivious character, and aggravate the evil. The bed should not be too soft and on no account should feathers be tolerated."

3. "Bathing. Harm has been done in some cases by overdoing in the matter of water treatment. In the earlier days of the so-called water system, heroic treatment and a good deal of it was advised for this class of complaint. The baths should be tonic, rather cool, but not too cold. A sitz bath may be taken from once to four times a week of a few minutes duration, at as low a temperature as can be tolerated without chilliness. Give at the same time a hot foot bath, and apply cool wet cloths to the head. The frequency of this treatment will depend upon the condition of the patient … occasional hot fomentations may sometimes be of benefit but too much warm bathing must be guarded against as weakening in tendency ... a wet girdle may be worn a portion of the time especially at night, to good advantage. Cool bathing of the parts affected is also beneficial."

4. "Exercise. Much mental exercise should be strenuously avoided... The mind should not be taxed with cares, nor should much reading be indulged in. Especially should any exercise of the brain be avoided toward night, or in the evening. As congestion of the brain is often the exciting cause of spermatorrhea [involuntary emissions], by reason of the intimate relation between the brain and the sexual system, it will readily be seen that to keep the head cool is all important."

Here we have the cure as recommended by Ellen White for one who masturbates. In short he should avoid stimulating food, particularly meat, should not eat supper, avoid feather beds and pillows, and not loiter in bed. He should take prescribed baths (and imagine yourself doing this) consisting of sitting in a cold pail of water, putting your feet in a pail of hot water and wrapping cold bandages around your head. At other times a wet girdle should be worn and the genitals should be bathed with cool water frequently. Not only is supper disallowed but reading or thinking in the evening [or toward night] is completely banned as this 'Mental activity' may lead to wet dreams.

After reading these wise counsels given by Ellen White and realizing that she is claiming divine inspiration, I would say to you that there is only one class of person that could continue to believe that Ellen White is a true prophet. This type of person can be classed only as an idiot.

Apparently Mrs. White did not take her own counsel too seriously. She continued to eat meat for years after this revealing vision from God and actually went against her own counsel. In later years she added the second reason for not eating meat, the belief that meat directly transmitted diseases, particularly cancer. This of course is the reasoning used by more modern Seventh-day Adventists.

Despite having this vision concerning meat eating and masturbation in 1863, Ellen White continued to eat meat until 1894. For 31 years following her health vision then Ellen White did not follow her own counsel. Ellen White was finally convinced by a Catholic lady of the ultimate reason for not eating meat. Mrs. White had just given a temperance lecture in Australia and was approached by this Catholic lady who inquired if the speaker ate meat. When Mrs. White confessed that she still ate meat the Catholic lady fell on her knees at Mrs. White's feet and tearfully pleaded with her to have compassion on the unfortunate animals.

Mrs. White later wrote to some friends

"when the selfishness of taking the lives of animals to gratify a perverted taste was presented to me by a Catholic woman, kneeling at my feet, I felt ashamed and distressed - I saw it in a new light, and I said, I will no longer patronize the butchers. I will not have the flesh of corpses on my table." Prophetess of Health by Ronald L. Numbers, p. 172

It seems that Ellen White herself was not impressed that meat eating would lead her to masturbation and its resultant tragic consequence . It took an emotional appeal concerning the killing of innocent animals to get her to stop eating meat. Much more will be said about meat eating later but at this point let us remember that Jesus was not a vegetarian – He ate meat.

During three years in the Adventist Church I didn't hear one sermon about meat eating and masturbation - lots of rumbling about meat; but nothing about these secret horrors. Why? Isn't it time other Adventists learned the facts? It is possible these revelations about Ellen White may change some lives - honest ones!
 Beware This Cult!
Chapter 7 – Why All This Fuss about a False Prophet?
By Gregory G. P. Hunt, M.D., B.Sc., F.R.C.P.

I care. If you are involved in Seventh Day Adventism or any other cult, let me assure you that your friends and relatives do care. When one considers how God's Word is being perverted and maligned, the shortest verse in the Bible comes to mind, "Jesus wept". (John 11:35) There is no doubt that God cares.

We have recently witnessed a false prophet at work. Jim Jones completely changed the life of a large group of people, convinced them to leave their native United States and retreat to the jungle wilderness of Guyana. The world was shocked at the mass suicide and murders which followed. How in God's name could such an atrocity occur we all asked?

I see the same thing happening in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Perhaps no one has blatantly committed suicide or homicide but lifestyles have been changed drastically; a wall of prejudice and intolerance is erected against other Christians. The average member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church thrives on self righteousness and hypocrisy.

Ellen White claims to be God's spokesman; a prophet for a lost world during the latter days. Paul entreats us, "Quench not the spirit, despise not prophesyings, prove all things". (I Thes. 5:18-21) We are to take anyone seriously who claims to be a prophet; we are to examine his claims and his fruits, and we are to decide whether the person is a true or false prophet.

Elsewhere in His word, God tells us that he will send false prophets to test us; that these prophets will speak words which will come true. Then they will lead us astray after other gods. He indicates that he is trying to prove us to know whether we love him or not. When we discover that the prophet is false we are commanded to "Stone that prophet to death". (Deut. 13:1-5)

Some of Ellen White's predictions are very impressive, much of her counsel seems to make a lot of sense. Many of her writings hold great power over her readers. She is revered by all classes of people from the simple native of far away mission fields to the sophisticated and highly intelligent modern professional and corporate officer. Like it or not, we must take Mrs. White seriously. Someday we will be asked to answer for our decision.

Perhaps one of the stronger proofs Adventists use to support their prophet is the fact that Adventists live about seven years longer than the general population as a result of following Ellen White's' counsel. However Mormons can claim the same longevity. Obviously Adventists will not admit that the Mormon prophet Joseph Smith might be a true prophet on these grounds.

It is notable that several cults began around the same time in history. The predictions by William Miller, that Christ would come back to this earth in 1844 in the second advent, seemed to spearhead many new cults. During this time period we have appearing on the scene the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the Christian Science movement, Mormonism, and the Jehovah's Witnesses. This time period witnessed the comparable prophets, namely Ellen White, Mary Baker Eddy, Joseph Smith, and others.

All these denominations that arose during this time period, including Adventists, expect you to believe that theirs is the true church. They will quite effectively use the Bible itself to prove that they are the true remnant church. Consider these passages from Revelation which Adventists use to back up their claims. "The remnant of her seed which keeps the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ". (Rev. 12:17) Adventists will attempt to convince you that unless you keep the seventh day, that is Saturday, as the holy Sabbath, then you are not part of the remnant church. They will go further in trying to convince you that this is in fact a sin against the Holy Spirit.

They also use, "For the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy". (Rev. 19:10) They will point out that they have a contemporary prophet in the person of Ellen White. They have perverted the term 'Spirit of Prophecy' from the above Bible passage to be equated with Ellen White. They overlook the fact that the phrase 'Spirit of Prophecy' is intended as another term for the Holy Spirit. This can be deduced quite easily from Rev. 1:2-3. The soil is now quite fertile for you to fall into the ranks of the Seventh Day Adventist Church. Unless you know the word of God you cannot very easily contend against these seemingly good Biblical arguments.

Only after you have decided that Ellen White is in fact a false prophet can these other difficult subjects be seen in their true light. Hence the great importance of recognizing Mrs. Ellen White for what she is; a false prophet.

When I consider Seventh Day Adventists whom I know personally, I realize that none of them is happy. None of them have the peace of Jesus Christ. The perverted lifestyles have served only to alienate and divide members of the family. Of course hard-line Adventists just love to see families divided as this indicates persecution and reinforces their delusions of self-righteousness.

I see a group of very unhappy people pretending endlessly, trying to put up a good front and making a mockery of God and His word. I hear accounts of young children being forced to listen to readings from Ellen White's books daily for periods of 30 to 60 minutes at a time. I see countless examples of one member shaming another for not following Mrs. White's counsel, then turning around breaking some of her rules themselves.

I see Adventists continually badgering and harassing relatives in an attempt to get them into the church and thus save them. I see Ellen White's rules being pushed on people who are reaching out for God, searching for something better and often these poor souls make an about face and leave God in dismay.

I see a ten year old boy being baptized in the Seventh-day Adventist Church despite the objections of a non-Adventist mother. The child who cannot possibly make such a serious decision, goes through with his baptism just to side with Dad against Mom and perpetuate that old game; ’Dad, let's you and Mom fight.’

I accompany a lady to church as she reaches out to God for some peace and comfort from her long mental suffering. I see her leave the church in dismay after hearing a regular Ellen White type sermon damning jewelry and makeup. Will she ever risk approaching God again? How can you or I allow something like this to happen?

There is the example of the young friend of mine who once had a reasonably strong belief and faith in God. Now in his late teens and in college he has finally discovered that his parents had been daily reading to him for long periods from books written by a false prophet. What a rude awakening to realize that he has spent all these years trapped in a lifestyle prescribed by a Victorian era, fanatic old lady. What recourse does this man have but to throw up his hands in disgust and turn his back on God? Will he ever again risk a relationship with God? How tragic are the fruits of a false prophet!

Then there is the example of my own pathetic sister. Basically quite religious all of her life, her emotional needs could not be met by the Catholic Church. She was easy prey for the recruiting forces of the Adventist Church. Being the wife of a doctor, she was even that much more a 'preferred' candidate. The philosophy of Ellen White has allowed her to nurture her long standing neurosis which at this point has rendered her almost totally antisocial. She has withdrawn into her own little world. She has been professionally brainwashed by suave talking Adventists and her easily converted husband. She no longer thinks for herself about any subject concerning her religious philosophy or eternal life. She is totally unapproachable by other members of her immediate family and is unfortunately trapped for life. I pray somehow by the grace of God she can be reached.

As if this is not heartbreaking enough, there are now six lovable little ones who face the same neurosis, the same lifestyle, the same fate. Here are innocent children who, due to the isolation resulting from this religious lifestyle, are just unavailable to be loved by their grandparents, aunts, and uncles. The examples of heartbreaking situations like this are many indeed.

I realize there are many things to prevent people coming to God. We are warned in the Bible that such things as selfishness, cares of this world, too much ambition etc. will prevent people from finding God. In each church there are false doctrines which tend to make God and His word appear incredulous. Especially, is this so during the searching teenage years. In the Adventist Church there is a false prophet, Ellen White, setting up a code of rules which God never intended.

The situation in the Adventist Church today is much the same as that of the Jewish Church at the time of Jesus. The Jewish leaders had set up so many impossible rules and rituals that the common people could not possibly attain. Jesus described these people as follows; ""The Scribes and Pharisees sit on Moses seat; so practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach, but do not practice. They bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by men." (Matt. 23:2-5) Jesus was very angered by the legalism which permeated His church at the time of His first advent. I suspect He will be just as angry with the legalism practiced in churches such as the Seventh Day Adventist denomination when He comes the second time.

Yes, there are many warnings about false prophets in the Bible. We would do well to heed these warnings and make our rule of faith the Bible and the Bible only.
 Beware This Cult!
Chapter 8 – A Salute to Some Heretics
By Gregory G. P. Hunt, M.D., B.Sc., F.R.C.P.

There is little doubt that Jesus Christ was in fact the greatest 'heretic' of all time. The revelation of God, in the person of Jesus Christ, was not acceptable to the hierarchy of the Jewish Church at that time. His teachings of the laws of God as they should be practiced were continually rejected by the Scribes and Pharisees. When He preached 'love your enemy and turn the other cheek' as an improvement over the old law of 'an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth', He was misunderstood and harassed. In Luke 4:16-18, Jesus read aloud in the synagogue the prophecy of Isaiah and announced that He was this promised Messiah. The people's reactions were as recorded in verses 28-30. They were filled with indignant wrath when they heard Him say these things. They kicked Him out of the church and out of their city, and lead Him to the brink of a hill where they hoped to push Him over and end it all. However, He somehow escaped. As His teachings became more and more threatening to the Jews and when His 'heresy' could no longer be tolerated it became expedient for the Jewish leaders to have Him crucified.

The history of Christianity is repeatedly marred by examples of so called heretics being martyred by the church. The story of perhaps the first Christian martyr Stephen, is recorded in chapter 7 of the book of Acts. The story of the execution of Joan of Arc by the Catholic Church in France during the Middle Ages is well known to us all. The names of countless thousands of other martyrs down through the centuries have long ago been forgotten.

Another very famous 'heretic' deserves special mention here. Martin Luther, a Catholic priest, became obsessed with the tormenting thought that, despite all of his praying, fasting, and good works, he could not buy his way into heaven. From his study of the Bible and rediscovery of the doctrine of salvation by faith, rather than salvation by works, the Protestant Reformation was launched. But Martin Luther was not to be allowed the privilege of becoming a martyr. Apparently God had other plans for him. Throughout his long and painful mission he was continually tormented by the question "How can I be right and everybody else be wrong?" He was never to be confronted by a flash of light or God's voice comforting him through his difficult task. He had to forge ahead on faith alone. An excellent account of Martin Luther can be read in the book "Here I Stand" by Roland Bainton.

So called heretics are alive and well in the Seventh Day Adventist Church today. Let us be extremely thankful for that. The Adventist Church faces possibly the most difficult period of its history.

Sixty-five years after the death of its so called prophet, the controversy goes on. Courageous voices at this time are difficult to quiet. Witness the example of Desmond Ford, a well known evangelist of the Adventist Church. Recently he has done a voluminous amount of work on one particular subject, the sanctuary.

Ellen White's doctrine holds that, rather than appearing for his second advent in the year 1844, Jesus Christ supposedly entered the heavenly sanctuary to begin the awesome work of the 'investigative judgement'. Pastor Ford has been extremely noisy in pointing out the absurdity of this doctrine to the Adventist community. In Ford's own words "No scholar seriously believes that Jesus Christ is sitting in heaven turning pages to investigate Christian lives". He points out that this notion violates the orthodox Christian belief that Jesus' atonement for sin was completed by his death on the cross. "I am not a disloyal Adventist," Ford says, "I just believe the aberrant gospel should be pruned away". (Newsweek, Jan. 19, 1981)

Ellen White has long been criticized for her plagiarism. Adventists have always excused her stealing of other people's writings by saying that it is not the words that are inspired but the underlying principle. By this pronouncement Adventists hope to give Ellen White a license to copy ad infinitum. The impressive amount of her literary 'borrowings' have never really been assessed until now. An inquisitive Adventist Pastor of the Church in Long Beach, California, spent two long years studying the writings of Mrs. White in relation to known previous religious writings. He has discovered that as much as 80% of Mr. White's writings have been copied almost word for word from other authors.

Perhaps Ellen White's best writing is represented by the book Desire of Ages, a very readable book on the life of Christ. Douglas Hackleman (in Spectrum; Vol. 10, No. 4) writes:

"Walter Rea displayed a colour coded copy of the Desire of Ages showing parallels with six different non Adventist books. The committee did not have time to examine each passage, but they noted the Rea copy was almost entirely coloured. Toward the end of the second afternoon the committee was ready to acknowledge that the extent of borrowing surprised them . . . the evidence was of alarming proportions."

This represents some fairly startling news to the common everyday Seventh Day Adventist. The church leaders feel that the faithful need to be protected from such knowledge. Because of this, both Pastor Walter Rea and Evangelist Desmond Ford were unceremoniously defrocked by the Adventist hierarchy and are no longer allowed to preach in the Adventist Church, nor of course be paid from the tithe money of the Adventist community. It seems the message is loud and clear: 'don't look too hard for the truth and if you find any be sure you don't allow anyone else to hear about it, or else.' These two gentlemen have my deepest respect and admiration. As far as I know they remain loyal Adventists but I suspect there is to be a lot of religious growth for them in the immediate future.

Another casualty of truth in the ranks of Seventh-day Adventism is the interesting story of a brilliant author, Ronald L. Numbers. In 1972 he was teaching history of medicine at the respectable Adventist School of Medicine of Loma Linda University. He became curious and proposed a personal objective study of Ellen White's health reform counsel. The results of Number's labors were contrary to what he had hoped and there is no doubt that the reporting of his actual findings caused him considerable pain and temporary loss.

He was given a grant by the Adventist Institution to carry out this study. But following the production of his fascinating work he promptly lost his job and I am rather disappointed in that I do not know his final fate. His book entitled Prophetess of Health should be compulsory reading for all Adventists. Unfortunately it does not seem to be available despite just being published in 1976 by Harper and Row. I have inquired directly to the publisher and they indicate they have no copies of the book in stock. I have not been able to buy one anywhere and I suspect copies are available only in a few large libraries. I fear that sometime in the near future the second last copy of his book will be burned by Adventists. The last copy I have; and I shall guard it with my life.
(Editor's Note: Although Number's book was apparently difficult to obtain when Dr. Hunt wrote this, the book has since been republished and is now easily obtainable. Click here to order)

In this impressive book, Numbers lists a large number of original references. Apparently he had almost total access to the original writings of Ellen G. White which are closely guarded in Washington, D.C. His brilliant detective work objectively exposes the marked influence of contemporary minds and authors on the works of Ellen White. She is here unmasked as a product of her time, taking most, if not all of her ideas from her contemporaries. Many bibliographies have been written about Ellen White but I feel this is the only one that even attempts to approach the real truth about her. Other writers tell the story like a fairy tale and that is about all the trust that one can afford these other writings.

In this book I have borrowed heavily from and am greatly indebted to Ronald Numbers' book. I am indebted to him for setting my wife and others free from the shackles of Seventh Day Adventism.

I would like to reproduce here one of the passages he discovered. This is directly from the pen of Ellen White addressed to Christian mothers in The Health Reformer. Here Mrs. White is very concerned about braids being pinned up over the back of the head and wigs being worn in that same position.

The Health Reformer, October 1, 1871,
Article Title: Words to Christian Mothers on the Subject of Life, Health, and Happiness

The artificial hair and pads covering the base of the brain, heat and excite the spinal nerves centering in the brain. The head should ever be kept cool. The heat caused by these artificials induces the blood to the brain. The action of the blood upon the lower or animal organs of the brain, causes unnatural activity, tends to recklessness in morals, and the mind and heart is in danger of being corrupted. As the animal organs are excited and strengthened, the moral are enfeebled. The moral and intellectual powers of the mind become servants to the animal.

In consequence of the brain being congested its nerves lose their healthy action, and take on morbid conditions, making it almost impossible to arouse the moral sensibilities. Such lose their power to discern sacred things. The unnatural heat caused by these artificial deformities about the head, induces the blood to the brain, producing congestion, and causing the natural hair to fall off, producing baldness. Thus the natural is sacrificed to the artificial.

Many have lost their reason, and become hopelessly insane, by following this deforming fashion.

We have seen in a previous chapter where meat eating causes masturbation which leads to insanity. Here we see that wearing wigs on the back of the head also leads to insanity, and rather surprisingly also may produce baldness. Imagine, this is the revered prophet of the Adventist Church - her inspired counsel.

All of these men described above have much to lose for standing up for the truth. Jesus was crucified by his own; countless others were martyred for the truth. These 'heretics' of the Adventist Church, Desmond Ford, Walter Rea, and Ronald Numbers, all had a great deal to lose by their fearless revelations of the truth. They will be shunned by many of their long standing friends and 'brethren". They have lost their places of respect in the Adventist Church and along with this, their very livelihood. One can do no less than respect and admire such courage.

Many other 'heretics' remain within the Seventh-day Adventist Church trying to put forth the truth in a fashion which might hopefully be successful in reviving Seventh Day Adventists. I refer to the supporters and producers of the publication entitled "Spectrum; a Quarterly Journal of the Association of Adventist Forums". Here varied authors dare to reveal the true Ellen White. Her defenders are allowed equal opportunities to support her. Unfortunately this journal is not allowed much advertisement in Seventh Day Adventist congregations and I know that very few of the common folk realize it exists, let alone read it. For those Adventists who can not accept immediately the jolting evidence produced in my book, the publication 'Spectrum' offers a more gentle and less painful method of reconditioning or reverse brainwashing concerning Ellen White.

If you are an honest Adventist, you will subscribe to and read this journal and will make every effort to obtain and read the books described above.

Also, to be complimented here are many Adventist students who have the courage to take part in the debate concerning Ellen White's 'inspiration'. This new breed of Adventist college students will soon have to be reckoned with by the Adventist hierarchy. Many of course will escape the cult; hopefully others may finally be successful in transforming it.

It seems that the voices proclaiming Ellen White a false prophetess will not be stilled. I challenge honest Adventists everywhere to reconsider your position. Study your Bible, and allow yourself to be freed from the destructive philosophies of Ellen White. Do not be convinced by your leaders that this book and other books mentioned here are condemned readings.
 Beware This Cult!
Chapter 9 – More on Ellen White and Meat Eating
By Gregory G. P. Hunt, M.D., B.Sc., F.R.C.P.

We have already seen in an earlier chapter the horrible effects which result from meat eating according to Ellen White's inspired knowledge. Before I discovered this explosive material about meat, masturbation, insanity and death, I had been aware of many other passages condemning meat eating which were not quite as dramatic as the masturbation connection. On looking back I realize that I was really quite naive in that I didn't understand the underlying theme of masturbation in all that she has had to say about meat. In this chapter I would like to consider some less inflammatory remarks about meat eating.

Mrs. White has made it quite plain that one's salvation depends on abstaining from meat. "Many who are now only half converted on the question of meat eating will go from God's people to walk no more with them". (Counsels on Diets and Food, p. 382). This is a very serious statement considering the fact that only 50% of Adventists are vegetarians. It appears that those who have not heeded Mrs. White's counsels are in for big trouble. Statements like this are of course refuted by the Bible.

We have the account of the Pharisees criticizing the followers of Jesus for not washing their hands before eating as was the custom of the Pharisees. Jesus said "There is nothing outside a man which by going into him can defile him; but the things which come out of a man are what defile him ... Do you not see that whatever goes into a man from outside cannot defile him, since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and passes on?" (Mk. 7:1-23) I agree that Jesus here is talking about eating without washing one's hand but it seems more inclusive than that. It points out that a man cannot be defiled by what goes into his stomach. Ellen White would have us believe otherwise.

To support her case against meat eating Ellen White delights in using Bible heroes as examples of vegetarianism. Daniel is a highly respected Bible hero of most Adventists. Any good Adventist will tell you that Daniel did not eat meat. I can find no statement by Mrs. White indicating that Daniel never ate meat but let us consider, the following quotations and you decide what she is implying about Daniel.

"A diet of flesh meat tends to develop animalism ... rendering the mind incapable of understanding the truth." (Counsels on Health, p. 576) "Meat eating deranges the system, beclouds the intellect and blunts moral sensibilities." (Testimonies Vol 2, p. 63-64) "Flesh food has the tendency to animalize the nature, to rob man of sympathy which he should feel for everyone and to give the passions control over the higher powers of being." (Quiet Hour Echoes, March '79 p. 41 quoting her writings.)

When Daniel refused to eat meat from the king's table (or drink wine) Mrs. White had the following to say. "Those who are truly sanctified will elevate the moral standard by preserving correct physical habits, and like Daniel presenting to others an example of temperance and self denial." (COH p. 68) "Here is a lesson for all … it is necessary to observe strict temperance in all the habits of life". (COH p. 65) "There are many among professed Christians today who would decide that Daniel was too particular, and would pronounce him narrow and bigoted." (COH p. 69) "Although but a youth Daniel had seen the injurious effects of wine and luxurious living upon physical health." (COH p. 65) "He (Daniel) purposed in his heart that he would not use wine nor any other unnatural stimulant, he would do nothing to becloud his mind." "Daniel's firmness of mind and firmness of purpose, his strength of intellect … were due in a great degree to the plainness of his diet."

The question naturally comes up; what was Daniel's diet? I find it very commendable that Daniel chose to stay away from meat and wine during his training period. No doubt there was a lot of unclean food for a Jew on the king's table. Instead of causing a commotion and picking out certain types of food, he opted for a plain diet of vegetarian food and no alcohol. However, the above quotations from Mrs. White do not give us the idea that Daniel was mainly avoiding unclean food of Jewish law and that this was prompting his course of action. She considers meat (generally, always) to cause, animalism, becloud the mind, make one incapable of understanding the truth. She paints the picture that Daniel's diet was plain and simple.

Jan Doward wrote an Adventist devotional book called, "Catch the Bright Dawn". In the introduction she tells us that nothing is made up in this book; there is no fiction; all facts and information nave been carefully checked, and that she has leaned heavily on the writings of Ellen White. On page 205 we find the story of Daniel in simple language. She imagines Daniel as saying to the officer in charge of the mess hall, "Could we have a substitute meal? Something simple like vegetables and fruit, cereal and dates? We are not fussy but we are vegetarians." I suspect, mainly because of the teachings of Ellen White, that at least 95% of Adventists believe that Daniel was a vegetarian. Was he?

Daniel Chapter 10 describes Daniel seeking knowledge from God. Here he describes his method of fasting and praying and in verse 3 we read, "I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh, nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all till three whole weeks were fulfilled." It is obvious from this passage that Daniel at other times before and after these 3 weeks did eat flesh food; and he did drink wine. Mrs. White did say above that Daniel purposed never to drink wine. Here we see in the Bible that he did drink wine. Also she certainly gives the strong feeling that Daniel was a vegetarian, but here we see that, in fact, he ate meat.

To Adventists I would ask; how much of your lifestyle, 'sacrifice', and false counsel to other people is based on this erroneous belief that Daniel was a vegetarian? This error has been conveyed to you by Ellen White. Whenever I point out this verse to a Seventh Day Adventist, he is amazed and the mouth usually drops open in awe. Here we see that Daniel's diet was not a plain and simple diet as Ellen White indicated. I suggest you read this verse of Daniel in many different Bible versions and notice the translations describing what he actually did eat.

Remember, Mrs. White said that meat eating deranges the system, beclouds the mind and intellect, blunts moral responsibility, tends to develop animalism and makes one incapable of understanding the truth. She stated that Daniel would do nothing to becloud his mind. I think you get the point and I shall not belabor Daniel any more.

Another of Adventists' 'favorite vegetarians' is John the Baptist. Mrs. White confirms this in her writings about John. His diet, purely vegetable, of 'locusts and wild honey’ was a rebuke to the indulgence of appetite and the gluttony that everywhere prevailed." (Testimonies 3, p. 62) But was John the Baptist a vegetarian? Matthew 3:4 says; "His meat was locusts and wild honey." What are locusts? Adventists and Ellen White would like us to believe that locusts are some type of legume rather than an insect.

The word ‘locusts’ is translated from the Greek word 'akris' and it always refers to an insect in the Bible. The word locust is used in about 24 other passages in the Bible always indicating an insect. However Ellen White would have us believe that in this 25th usage of the word locust that it should be translated to mean the legume. In Leviticus 11:22 we find one of the dietary laws of the Jews. "Of them you may eat; the locust, according to its kind, the bald locust according to its kind, the cricket according to its kind', and the grasshopper according to its kind." There is no question as to the meaning of the word locust in this passage.

Why does Mrs. White insist that John the Baptist was a vegetarian? I must agree with her that John the Baptist never drank alcohol as this was one of the instructions given to his parents before his birth. However, there was no such instruction indicating that he must abstain from meats. In fact all Jews, including John the Baptist, were under command from God to take part in the Passover supper. This consisted in large part of eating the Passover lamb. John the Baptist would not qualify as a vegetarian.

Jesus tried to point out to the Pharisees that no matter how God tried to get his message across to the people, they never seemed to be satisfied. He compared his habits to those of John the Baptist when the Pharisees accused Him of being a glutton and a winebibber. Matthew 11: 18 says "For John came neither eating nor drinking." Let's not take this verse too literally for John must have eaten and drank something. Luke 7:33 says "For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine." I think that Jesus was using this statement figuratively to indicate that John had a fairly simple diet as compared to the frequent good meals that Jesus enjoyed. Again I don't believe that John drank alcoholic wine but he certainly must have eaten some bread, particularly the bread served at the Passover.

John the Baptist was in fact a Nazarite. The rules governing the diet of a Nazarite can be found in Numbers 6:1-7. In these vows there is nothing which prevents a Nazarite from eating meat.

We also know that John the Baptist was the 'reincarnation of Elijah' [Editor's Note: John the Baptist was a reincarnation of Elijah in a figurative sense, but not in the sense suggested by eastern and New Age religions]. There is no doubt that Elijah ate meat, as when he was starving, God had a raven bring bread and flesh to him to sustain him in his mission. Remember if you are an Adventist you must believe what your prophet Mrs. White tells you when she insists that John the Baptist was a vegetarian. As for me the Bible indicates that John was not a vegetarian and I intend to believe the Bible, rather than Ellen White.

Of course Jesus Christ also ate meat. There are Biblical statements that He ate fish and He would also have to fulfill the Jewish law and take part in the Passover lamb. Does Ellen White accuse Jesus of beclouding His mind? Animalizing His nature? Blunting His moral sensibilities? Making His mind incapable of understanding the truth? etc. Perhaps some of the dangers of the fanatic belief in vegetarianism are becoming evident to you.

Certainly if one chooses to be vegetarian this is fine. But please, there is no basis to make this a religious issue and to insist that meat eating will have something to do with your eternal life. This is just another huge stumbling block preventing people from coming to Christ. This is the danger of following the counsel of a false prophet and the Adventist Church.

Mrs. White's misgivings about meat eating changed as the years passed. In the early days immediately following her health vision she was preoccupied with the fact that meat caused masturbation. She later graduated to a more direct causation for meat eating causing specific diseases such as cancer, tuberculosis, etc. "The liability to take disease is increased ten-fold by meat eating." (Counsels on Diet and Foods, p. 386) Of course some diseases can be transmitted by careless handling and preparation of meats. But then, disease can be transmitted by careless preparations of any types of food.

In her later years, Mrs. White's feeling about meat eating became highly emotional. I suspect this developed following the confrontation with the Catholic woman who condemned her for eating meat. She later wrote:

"What man with a human heart that has ever cared for domestic animals could look into their eyes, so full of confidence and affection, and would willingly give them over to the butcher's knife? How could he devour their flesh as a sweet morsel?" (Ministry of Healing, p. 361)

Isn't this a great emotional appeal? It is intended to make you feel guilty about meat eating and this device is used by people yet today.

The question obviously comes up, how could Jesus possibly look into these animals' eyes and then have them killed and eat their meat? Having created all of these animals in the first place, how could He possibly do it? Again by inference Ellen White is maligning the character of Jesus Christ, the trademark of all cults.

The vegetarian diet of modern Adventists is really quite a joke. They are so concerned about food additives in real meat. Adventists prepare other dishes to look and taste like meat. Consider the additives in fake wieners used by these hypocrites. Keep in mind they are not to eat any spices. In addition to a soybean base we find: flavorings, monosodium glutamate, spices, natural smoke flavor, disodium guanylate, disodium inosinate, paprika, garlic powder, spice oils and extracts, carrageenan, sodium alginate, artificial colors. Did I hear someone snickering?

Did you know that a strict vegetarian diet can fairly rapidly result in death? Vitamin B12 is found only in animal products. (Cows make their own B12, man cannot). Fortunately most vegetarians are not true vegetarians in that they eat milk products and eggs. These are good sources of Vitamin B12. Mrs. White really does not have very much good to say about milk, eggs, or cheese either; and had she had her way, I think a lot of Seventh-day Adventists would have died of Vitamin B12 deficiency. Perhaps what Mrs. White considers people's stubbornness to give up these particular items in the diet, was, in fact, a merciful intervention by God to save their lives.

There is currently a T.V. advertisement that Adventists would love. "You are what you eat." This is Ellen White's belief and is total nonsense. Do people who eat mostly fish turn into fish? Do people who eat mostly potatoes become potatoes? Of course not!

In truth we are what we see and hear. If we see and hear sin continually, what chance do we have? If we read and hear Ellen White all the time, we will live her nonsense. The more we read and hear the Bible, the more we can expect to be guided by God.

I would like to close this chapter by stating again a Bible passage from Hebrews 13:9. "Do not be lead away by diverse and strange teachings; for it is well that the heart be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited their adherents."
 Beware This Cult!
Chapter 10 – Ellen White and More Health Reform Counsel
By Gregory G. P. Hunt, M.D., B.Sc., F.R.C.P.

Mrs. White picked on several items of diet and drink condemning them as sinful. For instance, "Tea and coffee drinking is a sin." (Counsels on Diet and Food, p. 425) That seems pretty simple and straightforward. I have no Biblical evidence to contradict this statement. However my conscience does not indicate to me that drinking tea or coffee is sinful. Certainly one might overdo coffee and tea drinking and that would become sinful. Some people are actually known to drink too much water sometimes even ending in death. Perhaps this is sinful but maybe they can be excused on the basis that they have an illness.

I know one Adventist lady who stands by Ellen White as a true prophet with great fervor. However, she admits that she does not believe the statement about tea and coffee being sinful. With great bother to her conscience she continues to drink her tea, she just can't give it up. In effect she is proclaiming that Ellen White is a false prophet when she claims she does not believe this straightforward statement made by her. Somehow she can't recognize the hypocrisy of her professed faith in Ellen White.

It seems that it is the caffeine in tea and coffee which causes the objections by Ellen White. As far as I know most Adventists do eat chocolate and cocoa. Hot chocolate is a favorite beverage during most Adventist Church socials. Surely these people realize that there are significant amounts of caffeine in these beverages. Many Adventists will boastfully tell you that they don't drink coffee when you offer it to them. But they have no qualms whatever about drinking a cup of hot chocolate. Why don’t these people follow the counsel of their prophet? Who do they think they are fooling? Are they actually deceiving themselves? I suggest Adventists stop drinking hot chocolate at their church gatherings.

Mrs. White writes, "The use of soda or baking powder in bread making is harmful and unnecessary. Soda causes inflammation of the stomach and often poisons the entire system." (Ministry of Healing, p. 300) Baking soda and powder are simply sodium bicarbonate. Its mode of action in bread mainly is to release carbon dioxide gas which produces bubbles and causes the dough to rise. This leaves behind sodium which is a component of common table salt. The carbon dioxide of course would disappear long before the bread is eaten and even if it got into the stomach it is completely harmless. Are we really expected to believe that these two harmless substances (especially in such small quantities!) can cause inflammation of the stomach and poisoning of the entire system?

Mrs. White certainly does not go along with simple scientific knowledge, does she? I must admit, again I do not have a Bible passage which tells you that baking soda is okay.

The story is somewhat different concerning vinegar. Mrs. White actually contradicts the Bible on this subject. Vinegar was a subject used by Mrs. White trying to impress people about her health message.

In a letter to some poor soul who was trying to follow her advice on vinegar, but was having a difficult time, Mrs. White wrote:

"As long as you acknowledge this habit (using vinegar) by indulging in it, Satan will retain his hold on your will, and bring it into obedience to himself." (App. 1:6 Counsels on Diet and Foods)

About vinegar she says, "The salads are prepared with oil and vinegar, fermentation takes place in the stomach … as a consequence the blood is not nourished, but becomes filled with impurities, and liver and kidney difficulties appear." Another quotation, "Pickles (made with vinegar), and other things of like character irritate the stomach and make the blood feverish and impure." (CODF p. 345)

Adventists now use lemon juice instead of vinegar. The acidity of these two substances is about the same. They are both very weak acids. The acid which is found in the stomach is many many times stronger than vinegar. There is just no way that vinegar can "irritate the stomach".

As far as making the blood feverish and impure, I am aware that some people in the local congregation have been told that vinegar is used to clump red blood cells so they can be seen under a microscope. This is an example of a little bit of knowledge being extremely dangerous. These people latch onto little 'pearls of knowledge' like this to justify almost anything. As I said above, the stomach acid is extremely potent as compared to vinegar, and somehow God keeps this potent stomach acid from making the blood feverish or impure. Can you imagine the guilt of this poor lady mentioned above who was trying to break the vinegar habit and was told that if she didn't’t, that Satan would soon have complete dominion over her?

I am quite aware that a very wise man has said in Proverbs 10:36; "Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him." Certainly the smoke from campfires was irritating to the eyes but God did not command the Israelites to stop using campfires. Likewise there is no command to stop using vinegar. A simile is being used here to indicate that a lazy man is not going to do a very good job for his boss.

Did you know that Jesus drank vinegar on the cross? "And one ran and filled a sponge full of vinegar and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.... (Mk. 15:36)

In fact, the Bible does give an indication that we can use vinegar. In the law of the Nazarite found in Numbers 6:2-7, we find that this special class of person, who has taken an oath for a time for God, "Shall separate himself from wine, strong drink; shall drink no vinegar of wine or vinegar of strong drink; neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes nor eat moist grapes or dried grapes." It goes on to say that he shall eat nothing from the vine tree. He shall not shave his hair. He is not allowed to go near a dead body and that includes staying away from the funeral of his father, mother, or sibling.

Notice that these are the things that these special people must not touch during the time of oath only. It seems quite understood that other people in the congregation can use all of these things or else it would say so. In fact, we find that when the oath is finished in verse 20 we read, "After that the Nazarite may drink wine."

Imagine trying to raise a baby following this rule. "Infants should be allowed only plain food … partaken of at regular periods, not oftener than three times a day, and two meals would be better than three." (CODF p. 229) Would anybody in the house get any sleep?

I have studied much of Mrs. White's medical counsel and find a great deal of it stinks!! Doctor Harvey J. Kellogg was an avid follower of Ellen White in the beginning but it appears that as he grew older and wiser he could no longer follow her counsel. I am sure he recognized her as a false prophet whether he actually said so or not.

Mrs. White prided herself in the fact that she was a health reformer. As we are seeing, much of her counsel is error to say the least. There is no doubt that gluttony is a sin. It is discussed quite plainly in the Bible. To stress this fact Mrs. White gives the following misinterpretation of the Bible. "The first great evil was intemperance in eating and drinking" (Spiritual Gifts, Vol. 4. p. 131) In this setting Mrs. White was trying to point out that Eve could not control her appetite and that is why she sinned.

In the actual account in Genesis chap. 3, I think you will find that Eve was not hungry. Her sin was the same as Lucifer's in that she wanted to be like God. "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be open, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." (Gen. 3:5) I can't agree with Mrs. White that the first sin was intemperance in eating and drinking. In fact drinking was not even involved. The sin did not involve appetite at all.

In such a small book we obviously can't discuss all the errors in Ellen White's massive writings. However she did have something to say about almost everything. So that you will realize how fanatic Mrs. White actually was about diet I include this.

"You place upon your table butter, eggs, and meat, and your children partake of them. They are fed with the very things that will excite their animal passions, and then you come to meeting and ask God to bless and save your children. How high do your prayers go?" (Testimonies, Vol. 2, p. 362)

Mrs. White actually complained that many of her contemporaries were accusing her of not following her own health reform counsel. I would have to agree with the accusations. Mrs. White wrote "No butter or flesh meats of any kind come on my table" (Testimonies, Vol. 2, p. 487) We have already seen that Mrs. White did not give up meat eating until around 1892. The above quotation is from a book published prior to 1868.

Have a look at pictures of Ellen White. It seems fairly obvious that she was rather obese most of her life. She seemed to be quite aware of this herself and, in fact, wrote, 'I have within eight months, lost 25 pound of flesh" (Spiritual Gifts, Vol. 4, p. 154) She was 37 years of age at that time and we can see from later pictures that she was markedly overweight. Perhaps she was ill when she lost the 25 pounds but it seems quite obvious that she was unable to control her appetite and ate too much resulting in her obesity. How can she possibly claim to be a health reformer inspired by God and expect to retain her credibility'? How gullible does she think people are?
 Beware This Cult!
Chapter 11 – Ellen White and Medicine
By Gregory G. P. Hunt, M.D., B.Sc., F.R.C.P.

Mrs. White had a considerable amount to say on the subject of medicine and doctors. Some of her statements are quite hilarious, others are rather nauseating. In an era ravaged by malaria, smallpox, tuberculosis, pneumonia, etc. Mrs. White wrote the absurd statement:

"I have been shown that more deaths have been caused by drug taking than from all other causes combined. If there was one physician in the place of thousands, a vast amount of premature mortality would be prevented. Multitudes of physicians, and multitudes of drugs, have cursed the inhabitants of the earth." (Spiritual Gifts, Vol 4, p. 133)

I realize that medical practice was rather crude during her days and some people were poisoned by medicines as they are today. However, Mrs. White would like us to believe that over 50% of all deaths were directly due to medications. This smells a bit like sensationalism to me.

On the following page she wrote,

"Drugs never cure disease ... nature alone is the effectual restorer, and how much better could she perform her task if left to herself."

Consider the fact that pneumonia used to kill about one-half its victims. Have you ever had a loved one cured by the miracle drug penicillin? Do you know any children who have survived 15 years because of drug treatment for leukemia? This disease used to kill kids within one or two months! Do you have any friends who have lived many extra years because they are able to get B12 injections monthly; really a small price to pay. Aren't you thankful that God has allowed us to find drugs which do cure diseases. Again, notice the words that Mrs. White used. She said, "Drugs never cure." Would it be possible today to have any of these miraculous cures had we followed Mrs. White's advice back in the 1860’s?

Mrs. White had her own rules for physicians too. Let us consider a few of these.

"God's servants should not administer medicines which they know will leave behind injurious effects on the system, even if they do relieve present suffering." (Spiritual Gifts, Vol. 4, p. 140)

It is a fact that all drugs have injurious effects. Penicillin can cure, but unfortunately, it can kill too. The most commonly used drug aspirin can be fatal also. There is no drug that I know of that does not have potentially serious injurious effects. This means that Adventist doctors should get out of the business of using drugs to treat disease. Maybe they can use hydrotherapy (water treatments) for everything as Mrs. White advised.

True to the Victorian attitude on sex, Mrs. White of course had special counsel for doctors concerning treatment of the opposite sex.

"The light given me of the Lord in this matter is that as far as possible lady physicians should care for lady patients, and gentlemen physicians have the care of gentlemen patients ... any unnecessary exposure of ladies before male physicians is wrong ... women should be educated and qualified just as thoroughly as possible to become practitioners in the delicate disease which affect women, that their secret parts should not be exposed to the notice of men ... it is a most horrible practice, this revealing the secret parts of women to men, or men being treated by women. Women physicians should utterly refuse to look upon the secret parts of men ... It is not in harmony with the instructions given at Sinai that Gentlemen physicians should do the work of midwives. The Bible speaks of women at childbirth being attended by women, and thus it ought always to be." (Counsels on Health, p. 363-4-5).

It is obvious from these selections that Mrs. White had quite a hang-up on matters of sex. I suppose lady nurses shouldn't look after male patients either.

Concerning physicians fees, Ellen White was quite adamant that Adventist doctors should not charge the same prices charged by 'worldly' doctors.

"Every physician should be true and honest … the charges made by other practicing physicians in this country when called upon to attend suffering humanity is robbery, fraud." (Medical Ministry, p. 121-2)

"I am commissioned to speak to all who are engaged as physicians in our institutions ... while many who cannot afford to pay are treated free, others are charged exorbitant prices for operations which take but little time. The charges of worldly physicians are not to rule in our institutions." (Medical Ministry, p. 170)

Mrs. White had some rather slanderous views of physicians. Most people would agree that, with a few exceptions, physicians represent an ethical and honorable profession. I suspect Ellen White was just a bit jealous.

I am not aware of any Adventist physicians who follow Ellen White’s counsel. I don't know of any Adventist physicians who do not use drugs, who do not treat the opposite sex, nor do I know any who send back half their check to medicare. However these Adventist physicians who do not follow her counsel will adamantly defend Ellen White as a true prophet. Do they not understand their own actions indicate that deep down in their heart they don't believe Ellen White is a true prophet from God? Why can't these professionals be honest?

In earlier days Mrs. White really had no use for doctors whatever.

"If any among us are sick, let us not dishonour God by applying to earthly physicians, but apply to the God of Israel. If we follow his directions (James 5:14,15) the sick will be healed. God's promise cannot fail. Have faith in God, and trust wholly in Him that when Christ who is our life shall appear we may appear with Him in glory."

This quotation appeared in an early edition of her book "Early Writings" but was deleted in subsequent printings. An answer has been given to this criticism that Mrs. White's statement is comparable to that of James indicated in her quotation. James, however, did not indicate in his statement that physicians should be excluded. This notion is very reminiscent of a few modern day cults of which Christian Science is a good example.

We do have a good Biblical example of a physician's services being used. Luke, a writer of one of the gospels was often with Paul and apparently he attended Paul in his illnesses. It certainly is true that God answers prayers for the sick but this does not preclude Him working through a skilled physician. The Bible makes it quite plain that God gives gifts to people in order to help other people. The gift of healing is included in the spiritual gifts discussed by Paul in 1 Cor. 12. It is notable that healing is fourth; listed after wisdom, knowledge, and faith. Healing is listed before working of miracles, prophecy, ability to distinguish between spirits, kinds of tongues, interpretation of tongues. No wonder this inflammatory statement was deleted in further printings of her book.

Mrs. White rightfully warned about mercury used as calomel - a laxative. She also warned of the dangers of Strychnine being used in medicines of her day. Of course, both these substances are poisonous and certainly have no legitimate medical use - she was right. However on the same page, (Spiritual Gifts, Vol. 4, p. 139) she also warns about the use of opium and quinine.

Opium derivatives are pain killing drugs like Morphine, Demerol, etc. The suffering these drugs have relieved cannot be estimated. Only recently has it been discovered that the body itself produces similar substances (endorphins) in an attempt to relieve pain and protect the body. Unfortunately, these drugs like many others can be abused and lead to much misery.

Quinine is another miracle drug used exclusively until 1942 for the treatment of malaria. It is still used for this along with the newer drugs. Can you imagine how many lives have been saved by the use of Quinine? Malaria used to be one of the greatest killers of all time and remains a severe threat even in our day.

Ellen White said God had forbidden use of Quinine & Morphine. She was very wrong about these - but right about mercury and strychnine. A prophet can't be 50% right - accuracy must be 100%.

I shall prove to you in a later chapter that Mrs. White copied both her truths and errors from predecessors.

Ellen White and medicine make a rather fantastic study. A masterful coverage of this topic is found in the book by Ronald L. Numbers "Prophetess of Health". It would be well worth your time to search out a library copy of this book if you are particularly interested in this topic. (Editor's Note: This book can now be ordered from this web site.)
 Beware This Cult!
Chapter 12 – Ellen White and Alcohol
By Gregory G. P. Hunt, M.D., B.Sc., F.R.C.P.

Whenever discussing alcohol with a group of Christians it usually becomes a rather emotional subject. People remember personal events involving alcohol and this causes one to lose his objectivity concerning the subject. Many Christians use Bible passages erroneously to try to justify overdrinking. Others, however, try to use the Bible to indicate that alcohol should not be used under any circumstances. This latter group is as bad as the first. Ellen White belong to this teetotaler group. You might say she was the original prohibitionist and putting it mildly she never had a good thing to say about alcohol.

It may be unspeakable for some people to consider alcohol as a gift from God. All gifts from God can be mightily abused or used for the purposes intended. Unfortunately, sex and alcohol appear to be two gifts that are more often abused than not. This does not make the subject inherently 'bad'. The bad part depends on the one who is using it and how perverted the use becomes.

There has been a fair amount written about alcohol and the Bible. My primary purpose here is not to either condone or condemn alcohol. I am primarily interested in discrediting Ellen White's claim to be a prophet of God.

Whenever talking about alcohol in the Bible the opponent of alcohol tries to point out that the word wine in the Bible actually means grape juice. Some of the following passages will explode that myth for you.

Mrs. White says, "The Bible nowhere sanctions the use of intoxicating wine." (Ministry of Healing, p. 333) This is a straight forward statement. It is all inclusive with the word nowhere being employed. It is contradictory to many Bible passages.

Let us particularly consider a passage from the book of Proverbs, a book written by the wisest man in history next to Jesus Christ. "Give strong drink to him who is perishing and wine to those in bitter distress: let them drink and forget their poverty, and remember their misery no more." (Prov. 31:6-7) Here we see strong drink and wine being prescribed for people who are dying. This Biblical passage indicates that alcohol can be used for medicinal purposes. However it is also indicated here that people who are of low spirits or who are depressed should use alcohol to escape their miseries. I do not particularly like to see this passage in the Bible as I personally feel that alcohol does not generally benefit someone who is depressed. However it certainly does provide escape for many so that they may forget their troubles for a time. Used under these circumstances it usually becomes addictive and the person ends up suffering more misery from the alcohol than his original troubles. However, regardless as to whether I personally agree with the advice or not, the advice is there in the Bible and I cannot deny it. I must try to look beyond my prejudice about alcohol.

The main point I want to make from this reading from Proverbs is that Ellen White actually lied when she said, "The Bible nowhere sanctions the use of intoxicating wine."

Let us look at one more very plain commandment in the Bible concerning the use of alcohol. Note that with this statement no argument can be made either. I would suggest you read the whole passage in Deuteronomy 14:2226. It reads in part, "Then you shall turn it into money, and bind up the money in your hand, and go to the place which the Lord your God chooses, and spend the money for whatever you desire, oxen, or sheep, or wine or strong drink, whatever your appetite craves, and you shall eat there before the Lord your God and rejoice, you and your household." Note that God is actually commanding one to use his tithe to buy something his appetite craves whether it be meat, wine or strong drink and to consume it in his church. I find this a rather disturbing passage also but I must be realistic and admit that it exists. Certainly this is not the way I would expect Christians of this day to behave. To have a drink of alcohol in church would almost be considered blasphemy; but it seems God has different ideas than we do. Personally I really don't think I could tolerate a bunch of people sitting in church drinking wine and liquor but that is really my biased prejudice coming out. Obviously God doesn't have any of the hang-ups that you and I have. My point however is valid; Ellen White is a liar. Whether we personally like it or not these commandments are in the Bible and Ellen White has misrepresented God and His commandments. Granted, she may well have good personal reasons for hating alcohol but it is fairly obvious that God did not give her this message to pass on to us.

Let us be aware that the term 'wine' is used in both of these passages and one can argue forever whether this means plain grape juice or fermented grape juice. However the term 'strong drink' is also used in both passages. There can be no doubt as to the meaning of this terminology. The never failing argument that wine means grape juice has just failed.

Mrs. White went to great lengths to discredit alcohol. Certainly we don't have to look very far around us to discredit alcohol for ourselves but that is really not the point. Mrs. White was always reading something into the Bible that was not present. Her rendition of the story is always accepted by Adventists rather than the Biblical account. Mrs. White has done a very successful job in perverting the story about two priests during the time of Moses. "Nabab and Abihu drank too freely of wine, and the result was, they used common fire instead of sacred, and were destroyed for thus dishonouring God." (Spiritual Gifts, Vol. 4, p. 124) The Old Testament story about this occurrence does not mention anything about these two priests drinking alcohol and it does not indicate this was the cause of their not following God's instructions concerning sacred fire. The story is recorded in Leviticus 10:1-3. Nothing is said there about alcohol.

Later in the same chapter God does indicate to Aaron that the priests and his sons should drink no wine or strong drink when they are going to serve in the temple. He has put a penalty of death on this commandment. It seems fairly obvious that these priests were allowed to drink alcohol when off duty. Anyway there is certainly no indication here that alcohol was the cause of these two young priests getting into trouble. I think Mrs. White has let her imagination run away with her again.

Why did Mrs. White throw in the part about the two priests getting drunk? If drunkenness was the issue here, why did Moses not make that plain in his original account of the story? I don't think we can conclude that Moses' rendition was untrue or that Moses was misguided or stupid. The only conclusion we can draw is that the untruth is coming from Ellen White.

God led the Israelites for 40 years in the wilderness, and they lived all those years without any alcohol. "I have lead you 40 years in the wilderness; your clothes have not worn out upon you, and your sandals have not worn off your feet, you have not eaten bread, and you have not drunk wine or strong drink; that you may know that I am the Lord your God." (Deut. 29:5-6) These Israelites were teetotalers for 40 years. Of those who entered the Promised Land none of them had ever tasted alcohol. If God felt they should remain abstainers He certainly would have given them a commandment prior to their entering the Promised Land. There just is no such commandment in the Bible.

In the book of Psalms we find the writer thanking and praising God for providing many good things in life including wine. "And wine that maketh glad the heart of man and oil to make his face to shine and bread which strengtheneth man's heart." (Psalms 1044:15) Surely we cannot conclude from this verse that it is grape juice making glad the heart of man. The psalmist is thanking God for alcohol.

Whenever the subject of alcohol comes up, Paul's famous passage is always quoted. "No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments." I realize that many people will still insist that this is grape juice being used for frequent ailments. However the logic does not seem to hold up.

Paul lays down some rules for bishops in his writings. "Now a bishop must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, dignified, hospitable, an apt teacher, no drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and no lover of money." (I Tim. 3:2,3) This passage indicates that the bishop must be 'temperate'. It does not say he is to be an abstainer. It does indicate that he should not be a drunkard. In the same chapter we see some rules for deacons. "Deacons likewise must be serious, not double tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for gain." Here it indicates that they must not be ‘addicted to much wine’. It does not say that they are to be abstainers from alcohol. It indicates that they must not overdo it. I don't think anyone will argue that the Bible is talking about grape juice. After all it is rather hard to drink too much grape juice.

The Pharisees were always finding fault with Jesus and trying to find something to condemn. Jesus spent considerable effort in pointing out the inconsistencies and false accusations of the Pharisees. Jesus speaks about John the Baptist indicating that he preached and lived by the rules of the Nazarites. John followed these special rules to indicate to the people that he was set apart by God for a particular job. Jesus points out that the Pharisees did not accept the preaching of John the Baptist even though he fulfilled all the requirements of a Nazarite. He then contrasted his own lifestyle in that He personally socialized with the people and did not follow the rules of a Nazarite. In describing this situation Jesus said; "For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'he has a demon'; the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'behold a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Here they were accusing Jesus of being a glutton and a drunkard. They tried to accuse Jesus of eating too much and of drinking too much alcoholic beverage. It is obvious that Jesus ate food but we know He was not a glutton. Jesus did not say here that He was not drinking any alcoholic beverages; it seems quite logical that He was. But we certainly know that He was not a drunkard. (Mt. 11:19)

The King James version does not use the word drunkard, it uses the term 'winebibber'. As this word is used here there is no question as to its meaning. No one goes around accusing someone else of being a 'grape juice bibber'. There is no doubt that this word wine meant alcoholic wine. Many people cannot tolerate the idea that Jesus drank alcoholic beverage but they should try to put their prejudice aside and accept what is written in God's word.

In John 2 we have the account of Jesus' first miracle. This was done rather reluctantly at the request of His mother and consisted of changing water into wine. Many people would have us believe that He changed water into grape juice. There are several points that do not support the notion that this was grape juice. One could take some grapes and quite quickly produce grape juice by pressing out the juice and could have the beverage available within a very few minutes. However it would be truly miraculous to produce a fermented beverage in a very short time. The miracle is that not only did Jesus change the water to a juice but He changed it to a fermented juice.

More impressive is the fact that the governor of the feast called the bridegroom after he had tasted the wine and questioned him as to why he kept the good wine for the end of the celebration. It does not seem realistic that an important man would comment on getting better grape juice at the end of a party than at the beginning.

When I was a believer in Ellen White I had a very good argument which I felt supported the notion that this was really grape juice. Assuming these people had been drinking wine for quite some time one would expect that many of them would be drunk. I felt that it would not be consistent with Jesus' character to produce more alcoholic beverage so that they could get drunker. However let us look at the same idea in a different light. Supposing the guests had run out of food and Jesus was asked to miraculously produce some food. Certainly many of the guests were overweight and even those that weren't were probably on the verge of gluttony if all the food had been eaten up. I don't think Jesus would have refused to produce food just because there were some fat people around or because He had decided that they had already had enough to eat. This good argument loses its impact when viewed realistically. I have no doubt that Jesus turned the water into alcoholic wine. Ellen White in her accounts insists that the water was changed into grape juice. But as we are seeing over and over again, we cannot believe any of Ellen White's renditions of Bible happenings.

Jesus spoke a parable in which He used wine to illustrate a point. "And no one puts new wine into old wine skins; if he does, the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins are destroyed. But new wine must be put into fresh wine skins." (Lk 5:37,38) Grape juice will not burst old wine skins. It is obvious from this passage that Jesus is talking about fermented wine which builds up pressure in the wine skins. Old hardened wine skins would burst under the pressure but new wine skins would be quite pliant and would stretch as the pressure built up.

Jesus goes on to say; "And no one after drinking old wine desires new; for he says, 'The old is better' ". (Lk 5:39) Old grape juice does not taste better than fresh grape juice. Certainly Jesus is talking about alcoholic wine.

Jesus tells another parable concerning the Good Samaritan. In the story He points out how the Samaritan cares for the poor wounded man on the road. "But a Samaritan, as he journeyed came to where he was; and when he saw him, he had compassion, and went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; then he set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn, and took care of him." (Lk 10:33-34) I don't think anyone will argue that the Samaritan was pouring grape juice into the wounds of this poor man. Even in Biblical days alcohol was recognized as an antiseptic.

A lot of controversy about alcohol is built around this convenient excuse that there were no separate words in the language to distinguish between grape juice and wine. I do realize that the Old and New Testaments were written in different tongues originally but let us look at an Old Testament passage. This describes the requirements of a Nazarite. "When either a man or a woman makes a special vow, the vow of a Nazarite, to separate himself to the Lord, he shall separate himself from wine and strong drink; he shall drink no vinegar made from wine or strong drink, and shall not drink any juice of grapes or eat grapes, fresh or dried. All the days of his separation he shall eat nothing that is produced by the grapevine, not even the seeds or the skins ... no razor shall come upon his head ... he shall not go near a dead body." (Numbers 6:2-6) Notice that the Nazarite could not shave his hair. Samson was a Nazarite and got into difficulties as he did not follow this commandment. He lost his strength when his head was shaven and as you know that lead to his great tragedy. However there is nothing intrinsically wrong or bad about shaving one's hair. It was simply a special rule God set up for this special person.

Likewise note that the Nazarite was not allowed to drink wine or strong drink, nor was he allowed to eat any grapes or consume anything that came from the vine. This does not mean that it is wrong to eat grapes. Nor can one conclude that it is wrong to drink wine or strong drink. Again these are simply rules God set up for these special people.

It is notable that after the Nazarite's vow is finished; "After that the Nazarite may drink wine." (Numbers 6:20) This passage indicates that people other than Nazarites were allowed to consume all these things and the Nazarite himself was allowed to consume it after his period of separation was ended.

John the Baptist was a Nazarite for life and I believe he never drank alcohol. He followed the rules and was beheaded. Samson did not follow the rules and was crushed to death when he brought the temple down upon the Philistines. I don't think we can look on either of these events as being the reward or the judgement of these particular Nazarites. By faith we must believe that they will be rewarded.

Another interesting Bible documentation involves Paul's instructions to the young church at Corinth. Paul was always pointing out errors that were quickly springing up in the early Christian church. The subject of this episode involved the perversion of the Lord's supper. By the way it is interesting to notice that there is a need for divisions or factions in the church so that the genuine Christians can be recognized. "For there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. When you meet together, it is not the Lord's supper that you eat. For in eating each one goes ahead with his own meal, and one is hungry and another is drunk. What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing?" (1 Cor. 11:19-22) Paul is pointing out that at the so called Lord's supper, some are going ahead and eating a big meal, others are drinking and getting drunk. But does he say anything about getting drunk or drinking alcohol in the church? No. He simply tells people that they must wait for one another and all eat and drink together. "So then, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another, if anyone is hungry let him eat at home ... lest you come together to be condemned. About the other thing I will give directions when I come." (1 Cor. 11:33,34) The priority for Paul here is that the Lord's supper be celebrated by all people together not some going ahead without the others. He did not have anything to say about overindulging in alcoholic beverages. Perhaps that was included in later directions.

There are many other Bible passages which we could study but I think I have made my point. I do not want anyone to get the idea that we should all become drunkards. There is much Biblical exhortation to be temperate and drunkenness is defined as a sin. As an example consider, "And do not get drunk with wine for that is debauchery; but be filled with the spirit." (Eph. 5:18)

All that God has provided man is to be received with thanksgiving. We have the choice as to whether we shall use it as God intended or whether we shall abuse it to our own detriment. Unfortunately alcohol has been abused and its evil consequences are everywhere. However, abuse of one of God’s gifts does not give us the privilege of changing and perverting God's word to try to prevent the use of alcohol. God does not insist on abstinence but he does expect control and temperance. If one makes a personal decision to abstain I can certainly accept that decision, but he does not have the right to insist to the world that God has commanded abstinence from alcohol.

As I have indicated, I am not particularly happy with some of these Biblical passages concerning alcohol. However that is my personal problem and I have to accept what is written in God's word and be realistic. I think I have pointed out quite nicely that Ellen White is unable to accept what is written in God's word. She preaches total abstinence and insists that this is God's position. Again we see Ellen White contradicting God's counsel. We are asked to make a decision as to whether she truly represents God as one of his prophets. To Adventists I would ask, will you live under the guidance of God's word, or do you still need Ellen White's blessing?
 Beware This Cult!
Chapter 13 – Ellen White Contradicts The Bible Some More
By Gregory G. P. Hunt, M.D., B.Sc., F.R.C.P.

Perhaps the greatest test for any prophet is the requirement that teachings be in harmony with the Bible. In my opinion Ellen White fails this test miserably and we will look at only a few such examples in this chapter.

Mrs. White had several visions about the Ten Commandments. This is a rather interesting item involving the physical description of the Ten Commandments on the tables of stone.

"Then there appears against the sky a hand holding two tables of stone folded together ... The hand opens the tables and there are seen the precepts of the decalog traced as with a pen of fire." (Great Controversy, p. 560)

In another vision describing the Ten Commandments as seen in heaven, Mrs. White wrote, "In the ark was the golden pot of manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of stone which folded together like a book. Jesus opened them, and I saw the Ten Commandments written on them with the finger of God. On one table were four and on the other six." (Christian Experience and Teachings of E. G. White, p. 91)

Picture in your mind the description she is giving with the tables closed, nothing of the precepts visible, and then, when the tables are opened up: there are the Ten Commandments all visible. Please reads Exodus 32:15 which describes the Ten Commandments written on both sides of both tables of stone. Here we can see that Mrs. White did not see the real Ten Commandments. It also brings up the very logical question as to whether she really read all of the Bible?

God had the commandments written on two tables of stone. If the writings covered only one side of each of the two tables of stone, it really makes you wonder what God was doing. Why didn't He just write on the front and the back of one table of stone so poor Moses wouldn't have to carry those two heavy pieces down from the mountain on two different occasions?

In Matthew 24:14, Jesus promised all of us that when the Gospel of the Kingdom had been preached in all the world that the end would then come. It seems that this was to be the last sign to be fulfilled before His coming. Mrs. White tends to make a liar out of Jesus however, by indicating that the Gospel has already been preached to the entire world (but Jesus has not come yet). In Education, p. 93 we find, "To every nation under heaven was the gospel carried in a single generation." Acts of the Apostles, p. 48 says, "The glad tidings of a risen Saviour were carried to the uttermost parts of the inhabited world." In the same book on p. 578, she says, "The gospel of the Kingdom was sounded to all inhabited parts of the earth." It is true that in Colossians 1:23, Paul said, "The gospel which was preached to every creature which is under heaven". It is quite evident here that Paul is using a figure of speech impressing the people as to how far the gospel had spread in the known world of that day. Mrs. White is saying something entirely different. It is impossible that the gospel went to the Eskimos, the jungles of Africa, the island of Japan, etc. Mrs. White's words in the above quotations leave no doubt as to her meaning and she obviously carried Paul's statement too far and again gave herself away.

Let us now look at another blatant Bible contradiction. We find, "True knowledge has decreased with every successive generation." (Spiritual Gifts, Vol. 4, p. 154) This does not agree with a real prophet that is a favorite of many of us. We find in Daniel 11:4, "Even to the time of the end, many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." Some people with whom I have discussed this point like to get into a diversionary tactic of philosophizing on the meaning of the words 'true knowledge'. However, I believe that honesty will indicate the contradiction in the above statements.

Mrs. White's story about the adulterous woman does not agree with the Bible rendition. In Desire of Ages, Chapter 20, p. 404, Mrs. White says that the Pharisees were convicted of their sins by reading what Jesus had written in the dust. John 8:9 however, gives a different picture. "And they which heard it being convicted by their own conscience" is John's testimony. John was present on the scene and said they were convicted by hearing. Mrs. White would like to make the story more romantic and says they were convicted by reading their sins written in the dust. Do you think God would change the story to a prophet two thousand years later? I tend to believe John's version. How about you, Adventists?

There is one very bothersome prediction of Mrs. White's which did not come true. It must have been very distressing for people who were aware of this prediction. It can be likened to the situation in the very early church where people believed mistakenly that Christ would return the second time before any of the Christians died. They became distressed when the saints began dying and Paul had to write a special letter to the Thessalonians to reassure them. He pointed out that the people in the grave who died in Christ would be the first to rise and then the others would join them in the air to meet Christ. (1 Thes. 4:16, 17) Mrs. White was at a conference sitting around the table with some people in 1856 and she said,

"I was shown the company present at the conference. Said the angel, 'Some food for worms, some subjects of the seven last plagues, some will be alive and remain upon the earth to be translated at the coming of Jesus.' (Testimonies, Vol. 1, p. 131)

All these people are dead: none of them went through the seven plagues; and none were translated to heaven.

Some people tend to dismiss this point by indicating that in the above quotation, Paul used the word 'we' (which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with Him in the clouds). Many people say that Paul felt that he would be alive at Jesus second coming. I think if you study the writings of Paul you will find that he was quite aware that the second advent was to be quite some time in the future. Among other things, he talks about the great falling away first and son of perdition being revealed. This 'we' that Paul uses is very similar to the 'you' Jesus uses in Luke 21:31, "So likewise you, when you see these things come to pass, know you that the Kingdom of God is nigh at hand." Certainly when Jesus used the word 'you' there, he knew that none present that day would see any of the signs which he was predicting in the very distant future.

Besides Paul was quite well rounded in Scripture and knew the prophecies of Daniel. He knew that there was a long time period left in the 2300 day prophecy. There is little doubt that Ellen White actually believed that Jesus was coming during the lifetime of some of the people around that table. Of course, this prediction ties in with the doctrine of your being able to delay or hasten Jesus' coming. The date of the second coming is fixed and one cannot use the excuse that Mrs. White's prediction was conditional. Anyway, she did not lay any conditions on that prediction. She was certainly trying to impress the people sitting around that table.

In her book The Acts of the Apostles, p. 153, Ellen White says: "Angels are constantly bearing the prayers of the needy and distressed to the Father above." This belief is not in the Bible. In fact, it is contrary to 1 Tim. 2:5 which states "For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." I have certainly always been under the impression that God heard prayers directly and it is a silly fantasy to imagine angels picking up my prayers and carrying them up to the Father.

Mrs. White also has a strange idea as to the nature of the greatest sin. In Ministry of Healing, p. 163, she says, "The inhumanity of man towards man is our greatest sin." There is not doubt that all sin is bad but my Bible points out that there is one great sin. That is the sin against the Holy Spirit. In fact, our rotten treatment of fellow human beings is not in itself a sin, but the result of sin. It results from our failure to follow the commandment, "Love thy neighbor as thyself."
 Beware This Cult!
Chapter 14 – Ellen White Contradicts Herself
By Gregory G. P. Hunt, M.D., B.Sc., F.R.C.P.

As I began to bring up questions about Ellen White in church discussions with Adventists, many tactics were used to try to keep me quiet. Adventists generally cannot tolerate anyone questioning the validity of their prophet. Their most forceful weapon for stifling questions was the use of guilt. So many times I was chided for trying to cause division in the church and I was frequently reminded that I was committing the sin against the Holy Spirit in not accepting Ellen White as a true prophet. It seemed the more persuasive the evidence I produced, the more the devout followers would tune me out.

It appears that Mrs. White was somewhat prepared for the possibility of some questioning souls. She wrote, "Not by discussion and controversy is the soul enlightened". (Desire of Ages, p. 145) However she completely contradicted herself in another 'inspired' passage: "God means that the testing of truth shall be brought to the front and become a subject of examination and discussion. Every controversy, every reproach, every slander will be God's means of provoking inquiry and awakening minds that otherwise would slumber". (Thoughts From the mount of Blessing, p. 33) Of course the greatest master of controversy and discussion was Jesus. He was not very popular with the respected establishment because of this and the controversy finally led to His crucifixion.

In discussing tithing in the Review andHerald, November 10th, 1896, Mrs. White said:

"Let none feel at liberty to retain their tithe to use according to their own judgment. They are not to apply it as they see fit ... A minister should not feel that he can apply it according to his own judgment."

Ten years later in a letter written to Elder George Watson in January, 1906, Mrs. White wrote,

"it has been presented to me for years that my tithe is to be appropriated by myself … It is a matter that should not be commented upon; for it will necessitate my making known these matters which I do not desire to do ... For years there have been persons who have lost confidence in appropriation of the tithe but have placed their tithe in my hands ... I write this to you so that you shall keep cool and not become stirred up, lest more shall follow their example". Again we see her contradicting her own counsel while supposedly under the guidance of God.

Concerning this contradiction, one of her sons, W. C. White, wrote

"The letter was written by my mother and duplicated and a copy was sent, very unwisely I believe, to my brother. I am very sorry that the letter was written."

It seems that one of the sons was not very impressed with his mother's inspirations and that there was somewhat of a feud between these brothers. The point is, that you and I, and even the ministers, may not appropriate our donations, but Mrs. White has the privilege of deciding where her tithe goes.

Ellen White even admitted to contradicting herself at times:

"What appeared in testimony 11 concerning the health institute should not have been given ... I yielded my judgment to that of others … in this I did wrong."

The question immediately comes up, how could she yield her judgment to that of others when God has indicated to her what she should write? Her original testimony began with "I was shown"! Obviously, one of the testimonials has to be an error. But they were both supposedly written under the guise of divine inspiration.

There are many other examples of Ellen White contradicting her statements. These two are gleaned from the book, The Truth About Seventh Day Adventism by Walter R. Martin (Zondervan Publishing House 1960)

This book was given to me by a patient of mine. I was very biased against this book when I first saw it. On looking back on it now it is obvious that it sowed the seeds for my eventual liberation from Seventh-day Adventism. This friend is now gone: I did not have a chance to thank him in person. However I do believe that ‘at that day’ I will be able to communicate my thanks to him face to face.
 Beware This Cult!
Chapter 15 – Ellen White's Teaching on Depression
By Gregory G. P. Hunt, M.D., B.Sc., F.R.C.P.

Depression certainly was no strange to Ellen White. I am she had her own despondent episodes. Certainly her poor husband James, a minister of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, suffered a prolonged serious depression.

Mrs. White's statements about depression have been among the most impressive for me. While still a strong believer in her teachings I certainly had my troubles with depression. When I discovered her writings on the subject it was almost disastrous for me.

In Prophets and Kings, p. 145 we find,

"From the depths of discouragement and despondency Job arose ... Despondency is sinful and unreasonable."

From these two statements, with simple logic, we can deduce that Job was a sinner because he was despondent. I have noticed that some people have great difficulty in following this simple logic and I do not understand how that conclusion can be denied. According to Mrs. White, Job was a sinner when he was despondent.

Let us look at the Book of Job. In the first chapter we find that Satan killed all his children, many of his servants, sheep, and camels. Job must have been rather depressed at these happenings as he rent his robe, shaved his head, fell upon the ground, and worshipped. However, notice verse 22 which says, "In all this Job did not sin." Job 2:10 adds, "In all this Job did not sin with his lips." That was when his wife was prompting him to curse God and die. In Job 23: 12 we hear, "I have not departed from the commandment of His lips." In Job 42:7 we find God commending Job's actions when He rebukes Job's attackers with the words, "My wrath is kindled against thee and against thy two friends for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right as My servant Job hath." There is no indication in the Book of Job that he sinned during this trial.

There is no doubt that he was depressed and despondent. If some want to get into a discussion of semantics, the meaning of the words depressed or despondent, then that will not help. Mrs. White could have used any word which she later defined as sinful. But the Bible tells me that, "In all this Job did not sin."

We find in Job 42:6 that Job did "repent in dust and ashes". However there is no indication here that he sinned and the word repent does not always mean that sin has occurred previously. It simply means that there has been a change of mind. We find all through the Old Testament instances where God himself has 'repented'. We cannot conclude from this that God was a sinner.

Despondency and depression are feelings. They are not thoughts or actions nor attitudes of choice. Feelings cannot possibly be sinful. A severe pain in the big toe hurts but it is not sin; it is just a bad feeling.

Jesus was called the 'man of sorrows'. There is no doubt that He was often depressed and despondent but this did not deter His mission. The ultimate in depression is reached when one 'dies of a broken heart'. It is a well known medical fact that people do, in fact, die from broken hearts and it is a common belief that Jesus died from a 'broken heart'; being crushed by the sins of the world. Jesus therefore suffered from the most severe form of depression actually resulting in His death. If depression is sinful, than our Lord was guilt! This erroneous teaching of Mrs. White can only lead to that conclusion.

I do not believe that despondency is a sin nor do I believe that Job sinned during the trial period when he was assaulted by Satan. Will Adventists believe Mrs. White or the Bible? For those of you who are depressed I pray that you do not believe that your bad feelings are in themselves sinful: and I pray for God's peace for you.

[The United States' President during the Civil War] Abraham Lincoln had a terrible time with depressions. Notice the look on Abe's face next time you see his picture. If you have read his biography you will certainly understand why he was so often depressed. I would say God used Abraham Lincoln mightily--depressed or not.
 Beware This Cult!
Chapter 16 – Ellen White Misrepresents God's Character
By Gregory G. P. Hunt, M.D., B.Sc., F.R.C.P.

One of the more distressing perversions I have discovered in Mrs. White's writings indicates that God is not just. John 5:28-29 indicates that, at the resurrection, all shall come forth from the grave, some unto the resurrection of life, the others unto the resurrection of damnation. Mrs. White had other ideas! She has written,

"God cannot take the slave to heaven, who has been kept in ignorance and degradation, knowing nothing of God, or the Bible, fearing nothing but his master's lash, and not holding so elevated a position as his master's brute beasts. But he does the best thing for him that a compassionate God can do. He lets him be as though he had not been. (Spiritual Gifts Vol. 1, p. 193)

So, in Mrs. White's view, instead of either heaven or hell, as is taught in the Bible, we have a place comparable to the Catholic purgatory; and that is the possibility of remaining in the grave and never being resurrected as promised. Can you imagine our God allowing a fellow human being to go through such a horrendous life and then allowing him to remain forever in his grave providing him with neither reward nor vengeance?

Mrs. White describes the destruction which takes place at Jesus' second coming. "The false watchmen are the first to fall. There are none to pity or spare. Men, women, maidens, and little children perish together." (Great Controversy p. 575) I am not exactly sure of how 'little' these children are that are perishing. It seems that she is describing very young children (who have not sinned). She makes it appear that our just God is going to wipe out little children, in fact, they will 'perish'. Of course, God wiped out many little children in the records of the Old Testament. But this only indicates a first death and does not really leave us with the idea that these children will not receive justice. However, at the end of time, these little children 'perishing' have not been translated. Therefore, they will suffer the second death also. Do you believe that your God will do that?

According to Ellen White, it seems that God made a dreadful mistake at the time of the flood.

"After the flood everything had been destroyed upon which man could subsist, and therefore, the Lord in their necessity gave Noah the permission to eat the clean animals which he had taken with him into the ark." (Spiritual Gifts, Vol. 3, p. 121)

Did God really need to break His plan if He intended man not to eat meat? Could He not have supplied food in some other way such as 'manna from heaven' as He did for the Israelites for forty years?

Some people say that the people were crying and begging for meat and that is why He allowed Noah to eat it. But apparently Noah had never eaten meat previously. There was nobody left but he and his family. I can't imagine that they were begging God for meat. If all the food was destroyed at the flood, and no provisions were made, how did all the other carnivorous animals survive? Ellen White thinks God made a mistake! I don't believe her.

Mrs. White’s writings do much to malign the purity of Jesus Christ. Let us look at this example.

"His countenance did not wear an expression of grief and repining, but ever one of peaceful serenity." (Steps to Christ, p. 120) Here we are told that Jesus' face always appeared peaceful and serene. What sort of expression do you think was on His face when He wept over Jerusalem? What did His face look like during His cleansing of the temple when He was overturning the money changers' tables? Can you imagine the look of anguish on His face in the Garden of Gethsemane? Then picture the scene on the cross begging forgiveness for His executioners; giving His mother into the custody of apostle John. Imagine the tortured look when He cried out, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Why does Mrs. White try to paint a false picture of Jesus? Isn't He well known as the 'man of sorrows'? There is no doubt that Jesus had the 'peace of God', but to describe His facial expression as above is nonsensical. If you believe that statement you have to ask yourself the question, did He really come and suffer for me?

Mrs. White also indicates that Jesus was a doubter and was hopeless. Picture Jesus in agony hanging on the cross.

"Hope did not present to Him His coming forth from the grave a conqueror or tell him of the Father's acceptance of the sacrifice. He feared that sin was so offensive to God that their separation was to be eternal." (Desire of Ages p. 664)

On the cross did Jesus really doubt that He would be resurrected? Did He doubt that His sacrifice would be accepted by the Father?

Here we have a picture of a hopeless and doubting Saviour. If we hold on to this picture how can we possibly have any hope ourselves? This description of Mrs. White's makes Jesus more of a doubter than was doubting Thomas! This is completely unacceptable to me and in my opinion is blasphemous. It is against every precious feeling I have for my Saviour.

As if it was not bad enough to have Jesus doubting on the cross, He was still not quite sure whether His sacrifice would be accepted later. Picture this. He had risen. According to Ellen White, Jesus returned to heaven almost immediately after His resurrection. This may be true; it is not quite clear in the Biblical account and is not an important doctrine anyway. However, the reason for His return there is important. She says, "Jesus refused to receive homage (as He entered heaven) ... until He had the assurance that His sacrifice was accepted by the Father." Can you imagine Jesus doubting on the cross, still not quite sure when He walked out of the tomb alive, and needing to go up to heaven, confront His Father, and ask whether His sacrifice had been accepted? What a horrible teaching! This degradation of Jesus' character is the hallmark of the cults. Any group detracting from the deity of Jesus Christ necessarily fulfills the definition of a cult.

Of course, on the cross, Jesus did cry, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" I realize that none of us can really understand the depth of the meaning of those words. However I do know that Jesus was not hopeless and he was not a doubter.

Mrs. White was rather fanatic at times, depending on which issue was currently on her mind. The next example really illustrates and shows how her own words betray her. Mrs. White was addressing herself to tithes and offerings under the heading, "The Only Way to Manifest Gratitude." (Counsels on Stewardship p. 18 & 19)--

"The Lord does not need our offerings, we cannot enrich Him by Our gifts ... Yet God permits us to show our appreciation ... This is the only way in which it is possible for us to manifest our gratitude and love to God. He has provided no other way." Notice that Mrs. White is saying no other way and that it is the only way to show our gratitude and love by giving tithes and offerings.

This is almost a doctrine of salvation by works. It does not live up to the standards put down in the Bible indicating to us how we should express our love to God. John 14:15 says, "If ye love me keep my commandments." Matthew 23:23 speaks of the qualities of judgment, mercy, and faith, and relegates things like tithing to a much lower position. Micah 6:6-8 indicates that we cannot please God with any or all of our riches, but that we must do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. I certainly cannot agree with Mrs. White's theology on this point. Besides, this is a very disgraceful way of soliciting money from poor gullible Adventists. With this type of brainwashing and guilt tripping, it is no wonder that Adventists are the highest per capita givers of any church. I wonder how many are truly 'cheerful givers'.
 Beware This Cult!
Chapter 17 – Some Very Dangerous Adventist Theology
By Gregory G. P. Hunt, M.D., B.Sc., F.R.C.P.

Most denominations have some theological beliefs which I feel are dangerous. Obviously some are more dangerous than others. One of the more dangerous beliefs held by some denominations is the 'Second Chance Theory'. The Pentecostal Church teaches that some people will get a second chance after the supposed secret rapture. Jehovah's Witnesses believe that in the new world, the people who were saved the first time around will have a chance to convert the people who were lost on the first try and they will get a second chance. Catholics have the doctrine of Purgatory which in a way is a second chance theory. Adventists have a theory somewhat like the second chance doctrine but it is a little more subtle. This is the belief that, man by his actions can hasten or delay the Lord's Second Coming.

This, in a way gives one a second chance. If one's actions can delay Jesus Second Advent, then the more He is delayed the more chances one has to be saved. Adventists looking around at one another must conclude that the Second Advent is delayed by many years by the actions of their brethren. This leaves lots of time to be saved and rather dampens the Biblical exhortation; "Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation." (2 Cor. 6:2)

This erroneous belief I suspect has come out of the Biblical passage, "Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of persons ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God." (1 John 3:11,12) A footnote to this verse in the Bible indicates another translation of the word hastening as "earnestly desiring". The passage would then read in part "Waiting for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God". This second translation makes this Bible passage more consistent with others I will be quoting shortly.

Mrs. White feels that Adventists of 1844 and shortly thereafter were very incompetent in the work given them. She feels that had the people been more faithful and done their work, Jesus would have come long ago and all this would be over. She lays the blame squarely on the shoulders of early Adventists: contemporaries that she wanted to manipulate by inferring guilt.

"Had Adventists, after the great disappointment in 1844, held fast their faith ... receiving the message and proclaiming it to the world, they would have seen the salvation of God, the Lord would have wrought mightily with their efforts, the work would have been completed, and Christ would have come ere this to receive his people to their reward ... it was not the will of God the coming of Christ should be thus delayed." (Selected Messages, Book 1, p. 68)

Another similar passage:

"Had the purpose of God been carried out by His people in giving the world the message of mercy, Christ would, ere this, have come to the earth, and the saints would have received their welcome into the city of God." (Testimonies 6, p. 450)

Ellen White describes Jesus waiting. She suggests that He must wait because too many are not ready for Him.

"The long night of gloom is trying, but the morning is deferred in mercy, because if the Master should come, so many would be found unready. God's unwillingness to have His people perish, has been the reason for so long a delay". (Testimonies 2, p. 194)

Surely this argument is self-defeating. So many are dying daily in a lost condition. Many more are being born to run the risk of not being saved.

Not only did Adventists fail to do their work, they also failed to give enough money.

"If they will be faithful in bringing to His treasury the means lent them, His work will make rapid advancement. Many souls will be won to the truth and the day of Christ's coming will be hastened." (Counsels on Stewardship p. 45)

Being barraged with this type of guilt producing statement, I must repeat, it is no wonder that Adventists give so much money. Shouldn't they feel rather guilty about not giving all their money to the church to have Jesus come even sooner?

The Bible says, "He hath appointed a day to judge the world." (Acts 17:31) When that day of judgment occurs and we have been judged, what is the point of Him delaying, His coming any further? The first advent of our Saviour was on schedule and there is no reason to believe that His second advent will not be on schedule and preplanned, as are all other major events in God's overall plan.

Further, in Daniel 8:19 we find, "For at the time appointed, the end shalt be." Paul tells us in Hebrews 10:37; "For yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry." By all means, we are instructed to pray that His Kingdom will come but that does not mean that our prayers or any of our deeds will actually have any effect on the date. We find that Daniel prayed for future events even though he knew God had set a specific fixed date.

Let me ask Adventists a few serious questions. If you are delaying Jesus' coming by your current lifestyle, don't you feel extremely guilty? How can you possibly live with yourself under this load of guilt? Have you not seen the guilt trips handed out by fellow church members when they felt you were not doing enough work to hasten His coming? Is this not one of the main reasons why there is a total lack of love in your congregation? These false beliefs are leading you down the wrong path.

I think that Satan would be very happy if we were to believe that we could delay or hasten Jesus' coming. If we are sitting here condemning others for delaying His coming then it is impossible for Jesus to come now. But remember what Jesus said in Matthew 24:44, "Therefore be ye also ready for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh." He is coming when you and I think he is not coming. This should make us very careful and watchful indeed.

Let us now turn to some more serious errors. Nowhere does Mrs. White seem quite as confused as in her descriptions of the end of probation and the seven last plagues. My next point is rather difficult to follow and quite confusing, even in the Bible. Mrs. White's beliefs can be found in the Great Controversy, Chapter 39, entitled 'The Time of Trouble'. In essence Mrs. White believes that the close of probation is announced by Jesus in Heaven standing up saying, "It is done." He also says, "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still." (Rev. 22:11) At that point, the plagues begin, and Jesus leaves the sanctuary. Mankind is without an intercessor during these seven plagues for an unknown period of time before the second advent. There are several errors to point out here and this belief can have disastrous effects.

First read Rev. 16:17. "And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the Temple of Heaven from the throne saying, "It is done." Notice that Jesus says, "It is done." at the time of the seventh plague and not as Mrs. White indicated before the onset of the first plague.

I have heard a very crafty defense of this criticism. I was told that Jesus may have said, "It is done," many times. On the cross He said, "It is finished." However, I can only find "It is done." twice in the Bible. The above quotation is one and the second occurrence is in Rev. 21:6. Here Jesus again says, "It is done." but this is after John saw a new heaven and a new earth and after he saw the holy city descending from heaven. The defense goes on by saying, "Well, maybe he also said an 'It is done.' before the first plague and it wasn't recorded in the Bible." This seems to be impressive, fast thinking. But on the first page of Chapter 39, where this occurs notice that "It is done." is surrounded by quotation marks. This means that Mrs. White is actually quoting the Bible here as all quotation marks indicate a passage taken directly from the Bible. She has to be either talking about the "It is done." in Rev. 16:17 or the one in 21:6. She cannot possibly be talking about an, "It is done." occurring before the first plague which is not recorded in the Bible.

And why should she take Rev. 22: 11, "He that is unjust let him be unjust still…" and suppose that occurs at the time of the close of probation? There is no such indication for this time sequence in the Bible.

For the next point, again please read Rev. 16:17. This is during the seventh plague and a great voice came from where? It came from out of the temple. But didn't Mrs. White say that Jesus left the sanctuary or temple before the first plague began? What is He doing in the temple at that time? Are we really going to be without an intercessor during the plagues?

Suppose that, as an Adventist, you believe Mrs. White's version of the above. Picture the plagues beginning. You now believe that you have been declared just and that you will remain just (that means you cannot sin). Jesus will be returning in one or two years. You have always had this belief but one fateful day you recognize that you have sinned terribly. But you remember that you were supposed to be among the saved and were now incapable of sinning. Now you realize you have made a mistake and that you must not be included among those saved at the time of the close of probation. What will be your reaction? Who is going to mediate this terrible sin for you? You are doomed! What can you do? It seems to me the only course at that time would be suicide. Do you now see the danger in believing this false doctrine? This teaching is not necessary for our salvation; we need only believe that Jesus paid the penalty for our sins. Why take such a terrible chance?

There is another angle. The Bible quite plainly indicates that we will not be perfect (i.e. sinless) until, "that day". It is obvious from 1 Cor. 15:50-57, that those of us who are living will remain sinners until Christ returns and changes us, "in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump". Mrs. White is trying to tell us in her story that we will be completely sinless for a year or so during the seven last plagues. Can you buy her story? I submit to you that Mrs. White's rendition can lead to nothing but the loss of many souls. And superficially, it all seems so innocent!
 Beware This Cult!
Chapter 18 – Ellen White and Miscellaneous Nonsense
By Gregory G. P. Hunt, M.D., B.Sc., F.R.C.P.

How did Ellen White feel about herself? Many Adventists say that she never called herself a prophet. They take great pride in the fact that Mrs. White was being very humble. Mrs. White is quoted as saying,

"Why have I not claimed to be a prophet? Because, in these last days many who boldly claim that they are prophets are a reproach to the cause of Christ and because my work includes much more than the word prophet signifies. To claim to be a prophetess is something I have never done. If others call me by that name, I have no controversy with them. But my work has covered so many lines that I cannot call myself other than a messenger." (Questions on Doctrines p. 92)

It is notable that many of the revelations of God given to men came through an angel who often called himself 'a messenger'. In this passage Mrs. White is indicating that she had much more responsibility than that of mere prophet and preferred to use the term messenger. This obviously signifies a higher position than ordinary prophet and puts her on the same level as angel messengers.

As to the concern of not wanting to be confused with other false prophets of her time, I personally feel that if one is representing God as His prophet, then one should have enough fortitude to indicate that to God's people and be prepared to suffer the consequences. I do not think Adventists can read humility into this statement from Mrs. White.

Ellen White seemed to have an excuse for the slow growth of her particular church. "The Lord does not now work to bring many souls into the truth, because of the church members who have never been converted and those who were once converted but who have backslidden". (6 Testimonies p. 371) She is using the word 'truth' here of course to mean the Seventh-day Adventist Church. I am not aware of God ever having kept one from the truth because some other person or group of persons was not living up to par. Would God really keep people from the truth and hold them responsible for it on the basis of other peoples' actions? The problem keeping people from joining the Adventist Church seems quite obvious to me. Most people are not as gullible as I was and very early on they recognize Ellen White as a false prophet. They rather quickly part company with her followers. I have seen several intelligent people enter the Adventist Church, recognize Ellen White for what she really is and quietly leave without rocking the boat. Many people aren't quite that lucky and really get taken.

In an attempt to say at least something about almost everything, Mrs. White had the following to say about trees. "Numerous shade trees cast off many leaves which if not immediately removed, decay and poison the atmosphere". (Counsels on Health p. 58) This would suggest that a walk through the woods would be rather detrimental to one's health. Mrs. White thinks that God has things so ordered that leaves from His trees are poisoning the atmosphere. It seems she had many questions as to how God is running things.

Of the many perverted doctrines, Mrs. White was rarely the originator. She would generally pick up these ideas from someone else, then she would have a vision about it and indicate that this was proof from the Lord that the doctrine was correct. Joseph Bates was early pushing observance of the seventh day sabbath. He had considerable difficulty in convincing Mrs. White about this and she did not start keeping the seventh day until 1846 - two years after her first vision. The seventh day sabbath is probably the most important item of Seventh-day Adventist theology. Why wasn't this supposed 'great truth' revealed to her much earlier?

Joseph Bates had considerable reservations concerning Mrs. White's inspiration for quite some time as she was rather slow to accept the seventh day sabbath doctrine. However he was finally convinced of her claims when he observed her having a vision about planets. During this she mistakenly describes the wrong number of moons for Jupiter. She did not mention the name Jupiter but Joseph Bates blurted out during the vision that she was seeing Jupiter. Her husband James White was also present and the three of them must have discussed the vision later. Mrs. White did not give any hint that the planet she saw might not be Jupiter. Adventists try to excuse this blatant error by saying that Mrs. White didn't call it Jupiter but Joseph Bates did. Joseph Bates was a sea captain and an astronomer, obviously he was very impressed by this vision.

When Ellen White said, "I see four moons", Joseph Bates excitedly said, "She is viewing Jupiter". It has long been known that Jupiter has many more moons than four but in those days it was believed that Jupiter did have four moons. Certainly God hasn't added extra moons since that time. Nor does it seem reasonable that God would give someone an erroneous vision to convince one man of a prophet's integrity. God would realize that many people later would examine the evidence and use this in part as a basis for their decision. I do not believe that God would use a lie to convince one man that she was truly having visions only to have that lie used later to convince many others that she is a false prophet.

One of her other visions on astronomy is rather humorous. "Then I was taken to a world which had seven moons. There I saw good old Enoch, who had been translated." (Early Writings p. 94) The adjectives 'good, old,' are not really appropriate in describing Enoch. He was several hundred years old at the time of his translation but if we were to see him right now I don't really think he would look old. The term 'good, old Enoch' suggests that Mrs. White was talking about an old lost friend. I think she really outdid herself in this vision.

Mrs. White had a lot to say about entertainment and pastimes. You may be aware that Adventists are strictly forbidden 'worldly functions' such as movies, the circus, dances, and cards. They are not even allowed to read secular literature and the reading of novels is strictly forbidden. They must not wear make-up or jewelry and even wedding rings are forbidden! Of course many nominal Adventists don't want to know that these rules exist. If they do happen to find out they ignore them.

However others carry Mrs. White's counsel even further than she intended. I suspect some of them even refrain from voting. (Jehovah's Witnesses I believe refrain from voting) "There are amusements such as dancing, card playing, chess, checkers, etc. which we cannot approve because heaven condemns them". (The Adventist Home, p. 498) It is true that evil might develop from any pastime. Evil thoughts may occur when someone is trying to pray; evil might even develop in church. Some people may become trapped in these entertainments and almost anything can be overdone and can become sinful. Just because people get killed in car accidents is no reason for banning automobiles.

The Holy Spirit has not convinced me that it is sinful to have a game of checkers or chess, or to socialize with a group of people and have a good game of cards. There are many chess players in the Adventist Church who are not aware of this statement by Ellen White. I would say to them that they better stop playing chess at this point if they continue to believe that Ellen White is speaking on behalf of God.

We have already seen some of Mrs. White's attitude towards sex. God told Adam and Eve, "Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth". (Genesis 1:18) By the way, the word replenish seems to be a poor translation as it implies that the earth was populated sometime previously. Anyway it doesn't seem that Mrs. White would want to allow anyone to enjoy this part of God's plan. She wrote:

"When the passions are indulged, the blood, instead of circulating to all parts of the body, thereby leaving the heart and clearing the mind, is called in undue amounts to the internal organs. Disease comes as a result." (Counsels on Health p. 587)

Mrs. White is not here talking about illicit sex. She is talking about a natural function, a gift from God, intended for a multiplicity of purposes including procreation, pleasure, and to bind a man and woman together. Mrs. White sees intercourse as robbing the heart and brain of its blood supply and leading to disease. She doesn't appear to have enough faith to believe that God had looked after these complex details. This statement of course is nonsense.

The Victorian attitude was that the woman should give an appearance that she abhors sex. Women were expected to put off brutish husbands as long as possible and certainly were not ever to admit to enjoying sex. But God has indicated that this is not the way it is to be. "To the woman He said, ‘I will greatly multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children, yet your desire shall be for your husband and he shall rule over you'." (Gen. 3:16) Note the passage "your desire shall be for your husband".

God really does not set out a desired frequency for intercourse in the Bible. However, common sense would seem to indicate that sex can be overdone. Certainly in some marriages the withholding of sexual favors without just cause is sinful. Paul advised, "Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them." (Col. 3:18, 19)

In Ellen White's infamous health book we find:

"Whoever indulges often, and weekly is often in wedlock or out of it, will experience an unnatural heat, tension, tenderness, irritation, swelling, perhaps soreness, in these organs, of course resulting from their inflammation". (A Solemn Appeal p. 50)

From this passage we can infer that intercourse once a week, even between man and wife, will lead to disease.

It seems that sexual relations should be completely dispensed with during pregnancy.

"The sexual passion is indulged during pregnancy, which causes the mother to transmit doubly of the direful ail to the offspring within her womb ... every orgasm expends of the mother's vitality a portion that should go to nourish and develop her babe. Very much of the weakness and lassitude experienced during pregnancy is due to the exhaustion consequent upon the sexual embrace, and the forming child must suffer from its effects: for the mother cannot impart what she does not herself possess, health and strength." (Solemn Appeal p. 23)

There is no directive in the Bible to ban sexual relations during pregnancy.

Mrs. White was depending on visions from God for almost everything.

"I have resolved not to engage in prayer for anyone unless the Spirit of the Lord should dictate in the matter." (Counsels on Health p. 619)

She could not even use her own judgment concerning those who needed her prayers. Many of us would have been out of luck with Mrs. White as we would have been much too lowly to be worthy of her prayers. Following is a rather sickening note by Ellen White indicating just how full of herself she really was and also illustrating the above attitude.

"One Who Requested Prayer for Healing. -
My husband and I once attended a meeting where our sympathies were enlisted for a brother who was a great sufferer with the phthisic. He was pale and emaciated. He requested the prayers of the people of God. He said that his family were sick, and that he had lost a child. He spoke with feeling of his bereavement. He said that he had been waiting for some time to see Brother and Sister White. He had believed that if they would pray for him, he would be heated. After the meeting closed, the brethren called our attention to the case. They said that the church was assisting them, that his wife was sick, and his child had died. The brethren had met at his house and united in praying for the afflicted family. We were much worn and had the burden of labor upon us during the meeting and wished to be excused. I had resolved not to engage in prayer for anyone, unless the Spirit of the Lord should dictate in the matter ...

That night we bowed in prayer and presented his case before the Lord. We entreated that we might know the will of God concerning him. All we desired was that God might be glorified. Would the Lord have us pray for this afflicted man? We left the burden with the Lord and retired to rest. In a dream the case of that man was clearly presented. His course from his childhood up was shown, and that if we should pray, the Lord would not hear us; for he regarded iniquity in his heart. The next morning the man came for us to pray for him. We took him aside and told him we were sorry to be compelled to refuse his request. I related my dream, which he acknowledged was true. He had practiced self-abuse from his boyhood up, and he had continued the practice during his married life, but said he would try to break himself of it. This man had a long-established habit to overcome. He was in the middle age of life. His moral principles were so weak that when brought in conflict with with long-established indulgence, they were overcome ...

Here was a man debasing himself daily and yet daring to venture into the presence of God and ask an increase of strength which he had vilely squandered, and which, if granted, he would consume upon his lust. What forbearance has God! If He should deal with man according to his corrupt ways, who could live in His sight?

What if we had been less cautious and carried the case of this man before God while he was practicing iniquity, would the Lord have heard? Would He have answered?

This is not a solitary case. Even the marriage relation was not sufficient to preserve this man from the corrupt habits of his youth. I wish I could be convinced that such cases as the one I have presented are rare, but I know they are frequent." (Child Guidance p. 450-1)

Ellen White would have us believe that God, in a dream, directed her not to pray for this poor sinner. She records many ridiculous stories like this one. Her writings tend to become very nauseating. Consider some more of her rubbish.

"Frequent bathing is very beneficial, especially at night just before retiring, … it takes a few moments to give the children a bath and to rub them until their bodies are in a glow. This brings the blood to the surface, relieving the brain, and there will be less inclination to indulge in impure practices." (Child Guidance p. 461)

"Having the clothing neat and clean will be one means of keeping the thoughts pure and sweet ... nothing of irritating character should touch the bodies of children nor should their clothing be allowed to bind them in anyway. If more attention were given to this subject, far less impurity would be practiced ... Idleness leads to the indulgence of corrupt habits. Industry does not wary and exhaust one-fifth part as much as the pernicious habit of self abuse". (Child Guidance p. 162)

"When the extremities which are remote from the vital organs, are not properly clad, the blood is driven to the head, causing headache or nosebleed; or there is a sense of fullness about the chest, producing cough or palpitation of the heart, on account of too much blood in that locality; or the stomach has too much blood, causing indigestion." (Child Guidance p. 426)

"I have been shown that persons of apparently good deportment not taking unwarrantable liberties with the other sex, were guilty of practicing secret vice nearly every day of their lives. They haven't refrained from this terrible sin even while most solemn meetings have been in session ... They were such slaves to this awful crime that they seemed devoid of power to control their passions". (Child Guidance p. 442)

Ellen White's visions and religious dreams, if she had any, were certainly preconceived notions and were consistent with the religious mentality of her day. We have already seen some examples of this particularly where she erroneously describes the Ten Commandments being written only on one side of the two stones. Another good example is her visions of Satan. We all have a mental picture of what the devil looks like. This most often consists of an ugly red man, with pointed ears, sharp barbed tail, and a pitch fork in his hand.

Notice Ellen White's description of Satan:

"I was then shown Satan as he was, a happy, exalted angel. Then I was shown him as he now is. He still bears a kingly form. His features are still noble, for he is an angel fallen. But the expression of his countenance is full of anxiety, care, unhappiness, malice, hate, mischief, deceit, and very evil. That brow which was once so noble, I particularly noticed. His forehead commenced from his eyes to recede backward. I saw that he had demeaned himself so long, that every good quality was debased, and every evil trait was developed. His eyes were cunning, sly, and showed great penetration. His frame was large, but the flesh hung loosely about his hands and face. As I beheld him, his chin was resting upon his left hand. He appeared to be in deep thought. A smile was upon his countenance, which made me tremble, it was so full of evil, and Satanic slyness. This smile is the one he wears just before he makes sure of his victim, and as he fastens the victim in his snare, this smile grows horrible." (Spiritual Gifts Vol. 1, p. 27-28)

This description is really quite hilarious. Does she think anyone might believe that the devil really looks like that? We know that the devil can disguise himself in many different forms and I doubt that he ever uses the disguise as depicted by Ellen White. The devil took the form of a serpent when he tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden. We don't have any description of what he looks like when he appeared to Jesus in the wilderness and tempted Him after forty days of fasting. Paul does however give us a description of Satan. "And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light." (2 Cor. 11:14) Surely Satan could deceive no one if he were to appear as Ellen White describes him. I wonder how many Adventists would admit to believing Ellen White's description of Satan?

Ellen White probably errs in a preconceived notion of Jesus' appearance also. Most of us have been lead to believe that Jesus was nailed to the cross through the palms of the hands. Ellen White certainly had this picture. "The wounds made by the nails gaped as the weight of His body dragged upon His hands." (Desire of Ages p. 6 71)

I can recall doing a Bible study of this subject in the Adventist Church. The pastor pointed out that the New Testament was originally written in the Greek language. He further explained that there is no word in the Greek language to correspond with the English word 'hand'. The Greek word in fact meant that part of the arm from the elbow down to the finger tips.

When considering the anatomy of the hand it is unlikely that a nail through the palm could support a man's weight. There is considerable evidence to suggest the nail was driven through the forearm just above the wrist between the two bones of the forearm. Ellen White saw the nail prints in the palm of the hand which is the customary belief. Had she seen the nail prints in the wrist area, this might have supported her claim to be a real prophet. Let me add however that there is no way I can be certain about this item.

The next topic concerns the widespread belief that Jesus actually sweat blood in the garden of Gethsemane. I have heard this topic many times from the pulpit of Adventist and non-Adventist Churches. I believe it comes from misinterpretation of the Bible. In Ellen White's rendition of this story she first quotes the King James version of this occurrence. "And being in agony He prayed more earnestly; and His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling to the around". (Lk. 22:44) She goes on to say "He might wipe the bloody sweat from His brow, ... a heavenly peace rested upon His blood stained face." (Desire of Ages p. 609, 610)

There are several contradictions to consider here.

First notice the words in the King James version; "Sweat was as it were great drops of blood". The words 'as it were' make it quite plain that a simile is being used here comparing large drops of sweat to large drops of blood. This no doubt was used to give an impression of how great the Lord's agony really was. The passage does not say that He sweat great drops of blood.

Comparing this passage in the Revised Standard version we find that the verse is left out of that translation. However it is included in a footnote indicating that other ancient authorities add verses 43 and 44. "And there appeared to Him an angel from heaven strengthening Him. And being in an agony He prayed more earnestly; and His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down upon the ground." (Lk. 22:43,44) In this translation the word 'like' is used to indicate that a simile is being utilized. There is no point in putting the word 'like' in there if He was actually sweating blood.

If Jesus actually did sweat blood it seems that this would be a very serious and dramatic event. However this description of His sweating is not even included in the other three gospels. It has occurred in the Gospel of Luke who was a physician. It is understandable how he might compare the agony of large drops of sweat to that of large drops of blood both indicating severe pain. And besides, Luke was not present.

Also notice that Ellen White indicated He had blood on His brow and a blood stained face. His disciples were sleeping a few feet away being unable to stay awake and pray. What would have been their reaction had Jesus wakened them and they noticed that His face was all bloody? Shouldn't at least one of the four gospels have indicated that they were horror stricken with His appearance?

With a bloody face standing before Pilate and Herod isn't it reasonable that one of them would have commented on it?

Adventists have found a learned physician who indicates that there is a disease where it is possible that a man may sweat blood. If that disease does exist, I don't think any of us would believe that Christ was suffering from that disease.

We are unable to understand the depth of our Lord's suffering in the garden of Gethsemane. However, to pervert the picture and try to make us think that He was sweating actual blood is unacceptable deception. It is just another example of Ellen White following pre-conceived opinion.

Fairly early in my course with the Adventist Church, a friend told me a few things Ellen White had predicted or talked about. One of these statements I recall was that she was the first to indicate that the function of the Nervous system depended on electrical currents. Being a doctor, this piece of information was fairly impressive. On reading Number's book [Prophetess of Health] it became very obvious that she copied this idea from predecessors as she had all of her ideas.

Consider two examples from Numbers' book showing almost word for word copying by Ellen White from a predecessor, L. B. Coles.
" Whatever disturbs the circulation of the electric currents in the nervous system, lessens the strength of the vital powers, and the result is a deadening of the sensibilities of the mind." (E. White Testimonies 11 p. 347) "Whatever mars the healthy circulation of the electric currents in the nervous system, lessens the strength of the vital forces, and through them, deadens the native susceptibilities of the soul. (L. B. Coles, Philosophy of Health p. 266-67)
" The sympathy which exists between the mind and the body is very great. When one is affected, the other responds (E. White Testimonies IV, p. 60) "The sympathy existing between the mind and the body is so great, that when one is affected, both are affected. (L. B. Coles, Philosophy of Health p. 127)

It sounds like I am repeating myself, doesn't it?

Well, it seems like this principle stated by Coles is pretty sound. Ellen White did copy some principles which are correct - but she still copied!

Why do I say Mrs. White did the copying? Coles' book was published in 1855 -- eight years before Ellen White's fantastic health vision 'from God'. These quotations from her pen were published after this health vision.

Her idea about vital force, a very interesting concept, was stolen from Coles. It is believed that this 'vital force' is drained off by masturbation and other sexual activities. This explains how this behavior leads to all the horrendous diseases we have talked about previously. As a true prophet, Mrs. White shouldn't have copied this idea of masturbation draining nervous vitality. That one doesn't look so good!

Another topic which impressed me considerably, being a smoker, was that Ellen White had indicated that smoking caused cancer. This friend of course lead me to believe as he believed; that Ellen White was the first to come up with this idea. Ellen White called tobacco a 'malignant poison' but did not really say it caused cancer. Anyway, scientists had noted previously that there was some relationship between the use of tobacco and cancer. She copied this idea from Coles too. I will not quote the comparable passages here. I must point out here that I am not condoning the foul habit of smoking.

In the mind of this particular friend and I'm sure in the minds of countless Adventists, Ellen White has been credited with many revelations that have actually been stolen from others. I hope my friend can recognize now how we were both lead astray.