Adventist Alumni: Thoughts on Who We Are
Adventist Alumni are all types of Seventh Day Adventist. I’m writing about this web site… and using A-A thoughts as an abbreviation for both Adventist-Alumni.com and Adventist alumnus.
Reading about who we are before continuing here might give more insight into these comments because they build upon what’s said there. What is this web site about? Yes, there’s the Mission Statement and the Not Mission but they need to be enlarged upon because it is important that the people who come here have the right understanding of where it is that they have come.
Some of you have been A-A for many years and you know where you are and you’re happy and content there. That is good. I hope you enjoy this virtual gathering place where freedom of thought and expression are highly valued. We seek and will value your input and your experience.
We Welcome You
This little essay is aimed more at those of you who are not sure you belong here; not sure you want to be here. The door is open so come on in. We promise, we will not close the door behind you. Stay for a while and observe people who have set their thoughts free to explore other possible ways of looking at the world.
The nice thing about A-A’s virtual world is that you can stay where you are and be here too. Like being two places at once.
Let me use the symbol T-A to designate “Traditional Adventist.” Now traditional is not bad. It’s a place where people are. I was once there myself. In fact, almost by definition, every A-A was at one time a T-A.
T-A is a respectable place to be. If you’re questioning the T-A position, or easing away from it, you are already, and perhaps unwittingly, headed in the A-A direction. Note that “unwittingly” is not “bad.” I was unwittingly becoming A-A long before I heard of the term A-A.
There are lots of people who are “other religion” alumni. They are welcome here too. If you are one of those you will discover you have much in common with A-A’s. The only problem is that you may not understand Adventist inside jokes—and we may not be able to explain them to you. Feel free to tell us “other religion” inside jokes…
The people here are friendly.
In fact, that’s about the only requirement for being here. The big points I want to make and emphasize here are these:
- A-A is not here to convince you to leave T-A and become A-A.
- A-A is here to help you make the transition from T-A to A-A, if you are contemplating doing so. If you already made the transition, A-A is offering you a new friendly place to be.
- If you don’t know yet that you are really A-A instead of T-A that’s fine too. Maybe you need help to figure out why it’s difficult to seek out non T-A ideas.
- You don’t have to “leave” the SDA church to become A-A. A-A is an “intellectual odyssey thing”. No, that does not mean that A-As are smarter than T-A’s. Be aware that lots of people are both SDA and A-A.
- You don’t have to believe any certain thing to be A-A, although it probably helps to believe in intellectual freedom.
- A-A is a big tent place. Both by plan and also because A-A’ers taken as a group hold a very wide spectrum of beliefs.
That’s enough big points.
Young Folks Wanted
Being old (whatever that means) is not a requirement for becoming A-A. One of the sad facts about the SDA church is that many bright young people, some of whom are highly educated, are leaving because they need a big tent and the church is not providing it for them.
We welcome young people into our big A-A tent. We look forward to the ideas they will submit.
Submitted by Ann Alumnus – A pseudonym
Anonymous
Unknown Author
Submitted by A-A