Was Ellen G White a real prophet?

Question

FACT: She plagiarized about 75% of writings.
FACT: No Biblical prophets were challenged by most Christians, many close-to-modern-day "prophets" are (such as White and the Mormons' "prophet").
FACT: She suffered an injury to her head as a child and this may have affected the way she thought. Her "visions" may have truly been her thinking about what she learned and piecing it together in her mind; because of the injury, these thoughts warped into what she interpreted as a vision.
SDAs (Seventh Day Adventists) say: She was a real prophet because she wrote so many great books.
SDAs: In the middle of a sermon, she was holding a heavy book w/ one hand and suddenly had a vision; while in vision, she continued holding the book.

Was she or wasn't she?

I'm a fourth generation SDA but I'm beginning to question the religion because of the Ellen White issue and the fact that SDAs believe only they will make it to heaven. I'm trying to make up my mind whether I should stay or leave the church.

I would have put this in the above message but I ran out of space: Are any of you Adventists? Were you born into the religion or converted by missionaries/friends/etc.? If you were converted what convinced you to join and to subsequently stay?

Answer 1

I did not realize that SDA thought that only they would go to heaven. My cousin (Christian) married a SDA and my understanding was that it was very similar.

I don't know anything about White but I don't believe there are any modern-day prophets. I believe that prophecy ended when the Bible was concluded.

The Bible says that if a prophet is wrong, just once, he should be stoned. There shouldn't be people running around claiming to have the words of God. If they claim to be the voice of God and get it wrong, just once, they're out. As I said, I don't know who White was or what she said... but if she was wrong, just once, then no. She's definitely not a prophet.

Do you believe your God is powerful enough to have only prophets that give true prophecies and not false prophecies?

Answer 2

I'm not an Adventist, but it could be argued that the religious teachings of many groups are plagarized. Ever since the Reformation, all the groups that have split off did so because they didn't agree with what someone else was saying or doing. It was more a vote "against" than "for."

I think it's good you are questioning. In the end, you'll either be a stronger Adventist or you'll find a belief system that suits you better. I did the same thing with Catholicism many years ago, and while I no longer attend the Catholic church or any church, my basic faith in God is not shaken. Believe in God, not in any man or woman claiming to be a prophet.

Answer 3

Many books have been written on the subject. In support, are "Prophet Among You" and "Prophet of Destiny", for example. Of course, there were those who wrote against her, D.M. Canwright being one of the earliest from within the SDA church.

I would recommend that you STUDY the book "Prophet Among You" by T.H.Jemison. 4th generation SDA do not inherit their parent's religion: you need to study for yourself. Based on the "FACTS" that you listed, I can see that you have not done that. Study both sides of the issue, and then make a decision. I think E.G. White was really a prophet.

Answer 4

“Plagiarism by foundress rocks Adventist Church,” declared a headline in the Atlanta Journal and Constitution. The controversy centers around recent findings regarding the writings of the Church’s main founder, Mrs. Ellen G. White. She had claimed that her writings, from 1844 to 1915, were based on the many visions she had in which God’s voice supposedly instructed her on everything from Bible doctrine to matters of diet and dress. However, Adventist scholars have discovered that in her writings she had copied various other sources “more extensively than we had previously believed.” Desmond Ford, who was recently stripped of his ministerial credentials by the Church for challenging Mrs. White’s writings, said: “Her teachings have been misused as a basis for doctrine, almost as a substitute for the Bible.”

Former Adventist minister Walter Rea, who also was ousted after finding extensive evidence of her plagiarism, declared: “She copied and borrowed for almost everything. Some of this was known before, but not the immense extent of it. What we’ve now discovered magnifies it tremendously, much of it at the very heart of her theology.” He noted that a “shocking amount” of the plagiarism is being concealed from lay members of the Church, adding: “This [concealment] is more damaging than simply telling the truth. It’s not going to go away. It’s going to get worse.”

Answer 5

hi,
i was raised sda. 4th gen also. once i was grown, i found my own relationship with God. He has brought me on a long, interesting journey. i've learned many things. and am once again in a huge spiritual transition at this time (10 yrs after leaving traditional adventism.)
you have to decide for yourself from your own studying, not from what people tell you. keep studying, don't let anyone put guilt trips on you. you have a good mind and you will be fine as long as you trust God and keep searching.

Answer 6

all it takes is a leap of faith.
personally i don't trust the ones that claim they are the only ones who understand and know the truth.
does sda still claim the catholic church is the anitchrist?

Answer 7

how she is real or real depends almost entirely on the person's perspective. I can't tell you if she's real or a loon who should be in an asylum because we really can't prove that with solid evidence.

Answer 8

You mean Ali G. ?
Running of the Jew in Borat?

Answer 9

No. There were lots of prophesies of hers that did not come true. .

Answer 10

even the demon said to the man who said he wanted to cast them out in the name of Jesus....even the demon spoke and said " Paul i know , Jesus i know but who are you ? "

who is Ellen G White ?

is she not anti-christ ?

ANY that denies GOD came in flesh the" CHRIST"
and JESUS came in his Fathers Name

is ANTI-CHRIST no matter what affiliation they are of !!!