Gregory Matthews 6,479 Posted January 11 Report Share Posted January 11 Currently two SDA publication have published an article about an offer of $500 to anyone who could prove that the Bible taches a Sunday Sabbath. My thoughts on that follow: Since I was a little child, I have heard stories of people being offered money (often $1,000.) if they could prove that the Bible taught that the Sabbath occurs on the day we call Sunday. We have taken pride in those we have been told that have come to truth by accepting the challenge and come into an understanding that the Sabbath is on the day we call Saturday. I have never considered those offers to be a positive reflection of our faith. Rather I consider them to be lacking in the positive ethical values that we should reflect. I will suggest that they present God in a manner that lacks integrity. In those offers, the decision as to whether or not the person has demonstrated that the Bible teaches that the Sabbath occurs on Sunday is always made by a person who is irrevocably committed to the idea that the Sabbath occurs on Saturday. IOW, the person making the decision is never going to agree that the Bible teaches Sunday as the Sabbath, regardless of any scriptural evidence presented. This is not ethical. It is a false presentation that suggests that one has a fair chance to be awarded the promised money. I agree that the Biblical teaching is for a Saturday Sabbath. But, there are honest people who believe that the Bible teaches a Sunday Sabbath. While I do not accept that position, an ethical offer of money should respect those people and give them a fair chance to be awarded the promised money. We live in a society that expects a certain level of ethical behavior. It expects that such judgments should be made by people who do not have a pre-formed bias. We do not honor the God we profess when we make such false offers. No one has ever been awarded any money. No one is ever going to be awarded such money. We should do better. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gregory Matthews 6,479 Posted January 11 Author Report Share Posted January 11 The Review has posted my comment. You may read it at: https://www.adventistreview.org/would-you-like-to-make-five-hundred-dollars phkrause 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gustave 326 Posted January 12 Report Share Posted January 12 As you said, its essentially a shill. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
B/W Photodude 2,141 Posted January 12 Report Share Posted January 12 Shill is probably not the correct word here, however, one other problem remains. However inappropriate it may be considered to offer such a reward to prove something from the Bible, no one has ever won the reward. I have read many accounts of people who took up the challenge and became converted in spite of their original objective to try and prove it and gain a reward. (Social media "influencers" are the new modern form of a shill.) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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