Quotation Marks in EGW's Writings

don · 09-01-09 10:12 am

Quotation Marks in EGW's Writings I ran across this statement while preparing a lesson on inspiration. <blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!>quote:Although I am as dependent upon the Spirit of the Lord in writing my views as I am in receiving them, yet the words I employ in describing what I have seen are my own, unless they be those spoken to me by an angel, which I always enclose in marks of quotation. Selected Messages, vol. 1, p. 37. <!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote>Note the distinction between the "I was shown" and the "Angel said" concepts. I have not done a study comparing these two. People have pointed to the "I was shown" statements and their "obvious" error, at times. How do the "Angel said" statements hold up. This thread intends to examine some of EGW's statements using angel quotation marks. .

elaine · 09-01-09 10:26 am

Pay no attention to them. How could anyone document what an angel said--where would they go--Wikepedia--to authenticate. To people who love to quote EGW, does it make a differentiation between "I was shown" or an "angel said" when quoting her. It really makes no difference, if they believe her, it is irrelevant--only that it comes from her pen.

don · 09-01-09 11:18 am

Elaine, thanks for your view on this. How could anyone document what an angel said This should not, cannot, be the goal. The same is true of the Scriptures. The Biblical prophets may use, "Thus saith the Lord." Of course, there is no way to authenticate the claim. Believers, at least some, desire to understand the nature of the counsel. Others will take literally everything said without reference to context or meaning or limitations. There are, of course, many assertions which must be examined in order to avoid extreme interpretations. From spiritual-social-literary-historical viewpoints, Ellen White's report of angels talking to her can provide a rich source of study. (Message edited by Don on September 01, 2009)

elaine · 09-01-09 2:22 pm

Regardless of the claims, consider that all religions make claims: Islam, Mormons, Adventists--that cannot be supported. When will we come to realize that all religions are man made, and derive their power from those people who are eager to follow. All writings, including, and especially the Bible, were written by humans. They may have honestly believed that God was guiding and instructing them in all sorts of nefarious and murderous plots, but we should not be deceived by those who claim it is "God's Word" directly from him. Commonsense is not so common, and we should be able to read from all religions and choose the gems (many are so similar) from them and apply them to our lives and let the esoteric ones be followed by those who do so unquestioningly. God gaves us reason and judgment to discern and when we choose not to use it when reading the Bible, we are neglecting the only God-given way of making decisions and have deferred and subordinated them to ancient writers.

don · 09-01-09 6:29 pm

God gave us reason and judgment to discern and when we choose not to use it when reading the Bible, we are neglecting the only God-given way of making decisions and have deferred and subordinated them to ancient writers. I agree that we must use our God-given reason and judgment. I view the writings of the ancients as their way of sitting at the table, so to speak. They are not around to explain themselves, so we must do that for them, as best we can. Adventist Christians tend to discount the idea that any of the Bible should be viewed as esoteric. As for all religions holding gems of truth, I agree. Even atheistic evolutionists can offer truth for me to treasure. .

elaine · 09-01-09 9:28 pm

One of the better ways to understand the perspectives of Bible writers is to study the anthropology, geography, sociology and place of religion in all contemporary societies. The writers were products of their time and had no extraperceptive abilities. Too often, readers of the Bible bring their 21st century perspective and attempt to apply it to ancient literature. It doesn't work. After studying ancient literature: The Illiad and Odyssey, and Virgil's Aeneid I have a much better understanding of the era in which the Bible was written.

don · 09-01-09 10:33 pm

One of the better ways to understand the perspectives of Bible writers is to study the anthropology, geography, sociology and place of religion in all contemporary societies. Ancient historical studies certainly help, but for the believer, nothing compares to reading what the "inspired" writer wrote; being moved by the very ideas which "proceed from the mouth of God" Of course, only the believer can have such an experience. .

elaine · 09-02-09 12:33 pm

Are the Bible's writers inspired, or is every word they wrote inspired. Is there a difference, and evidence clealy demonstrates that too many read the Bible as though it were a 20th century document with little or no understanding of the thought processes and perspectives of ancient peoples. IOW: Would you believe if someone told you today that serpents and donkeys can talk, or that people have been raised from the dead of that a large fish swallowed a man and he remained alive after three days--yet if it happened long ago, it is somehow truthful, or is it because ancient people truly did believe these things.

don · 09-02-09 6:30 pm

IOW: Would you believe if someone told you today that serpents and donkeys can talk, or that people have been raised from the dead of that a large fish swallowed a man and he remained alive after three days--yet if it happened long ago, it is somehow truthful, or is it because ancient people truly did believe these things. Do miracles happen? The story of Jesus seems tied to miracles. If I view stories such as the snake's talking in the Garden as a unique, one of a kind, happening, then I do no harm to my sense of the world. Yet, I retain my belief that miracles do happen. Today, in class, I invited my students to share stories of answered prayer. The belief in the working of God in the lives of humans is alive and well. The key miracle is the resurrection from the dead of Jesus Christ. .

elaine · 09-02-09 8:32 pm

Do we conflate facts with belief--We can believe many things, but that is always subjective, but not objective. They should always be separate.

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