I think it was Donald Trump, in attack mode, who first brought up the religion of Dr. Carson, Seventh Day Adventism. All I knew about this group was they worshiped on Saturday, didn’t drink alcohol or eat meat, had a female founder, and were known for their good works and social action—i.e., they are living out Matthew 25.
“Carson, the only African-Amercian presidential candidate for 2016, said two stories inspired him in his life: Up from Slavery, an autobiography of Booker T. Washington, and the account of Joseph's life in the Old Testament in the Bible.
"That really spoke volumes to my heart. Where you end up has a lot to do with the attitude you adopt in your life," he told the congregation” http://www.christianpost.com/news/ben-carson-shares-with-iowa-church-how-he-became-christian-142552/#eVSeF3vf2jhgBMHk.99
Today I came across Teresa Beem who grew up in the faith and wrote a book about why she left. Then later she became a Catholic and in 2008 was interviewed on Marcus Grodi’s Coming Home Network. I also found a letter to the Adventist church written by her and her husband in 2001 on the scriptural reasons they left their church.
I’m accustomed to squabbles among denominations. There are approximately 30-40,000 Protestant groups, all claiming Biblical authority, but in fact, the final authority rests with the believer, not the Bible, a tradition or a leader from the past. They see the Pope everyday in the mirror, combing their hair or putting on make-up. Add to that all the Gen-X and Millennials who claim the faith of “None” meaning they are “spiritual” but not “religious” and they have a veneer of Christianity. But I’m sure if Carson grows in popularity, the media will begin to make an issue of his faith—particularly what it teaches about Roman Catholicism.
Beem says her earliest memories of the faith are fear of Catholics—that they would come to kill anyone who didn’t worship on Sunday. And even today (she said in 2008 on the Journey Home) Adventism is growing particularly in South America among nominal Catholics, because it isn’t just evangelization, but fear that Catholics will rise up and kill them. Wow. I didn’t know that. Growing up Protestant (Church of the Brethren) I heard all the whisper myths, like Catholics worship Mary and statues and can sin without worry because they can go to confession. Yes, I was told this by my little friends when I was about 9 or 10. Beem also says Adventists are conspiracy theorists and believe and teach the government will take away their religious rights based on the teachings of their founder Ellen White, using todays headlines to confirm many of her prophecies.
I believe Barack Obama was elected to a second term because millions of Christians (evangelicals and fundamentalists) stayed home and didn’t want to elect a Mormon, so they got a socialist who is giving away the store. Fear of Mormonism worked beneath the surface to elect Obama, so I hope we don’t get the fear mongers in the media (who mostly support Hillary) to attack Carson.
Beem on EWTN Journey Home (2008)
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