Counter-Reformation Deceit: Futurism & Preterism Infiltrate Protestantism

The marvelous book of Daniel is one of the most prophetic books in all of Scripture.  When Revelation, a prophetic powerhouse in its own right, is studied alongside Daniel, amazing truths shine forth!  Many have devoted countless hours trying to decipher the exact meanings of the metal man statue, the fantastical animals, and for the purposes here, the 70 Weeks Prophecy.  Several interpretations abound but “no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation” (2 Peter 1:20).  We must let the Bible interpret Itself.  To do so, one must start by actually reading the text:  

"Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city, To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy.  "Know therefore and understand, That from the going forth of the command To restore and build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times.  "And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the princewho is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined. … he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.”  Daniel 9:24-27

It is clear that this whole section is talking about the same person, Yahushua.  It does not make sense that in the middle of the text it uses a pronoun to start talking about someone different, the antichrist.

WLC takes the Historical view when understanding the 70 Weeks Prophecy.  In other words, the “Seventy Weeks” happened in the past in chronological order.¹  To be clear, these prophetic 70 Weeks do not equal 70 weeks of seven literal days.  According to Numbers 14:33 and Ezekiel 4:4-5, Prophetic Time is given in days but counted in years.  Therefore, 70 Prophetic Weeks equal 490 prophetic days, which are actually 490 literal years.  Thus, the Historical view of this prophecy is that 490 years were determined for the Children of Israel.  The “going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem” happened in 457 BC.  See Ezra 7.  During the first 7 weeks (49 years), Jerusalem was rebuilt and completed in 408 BC.  Then 62 weeks (434 years) followed and at their completion, Yahushua was baptized in 27 AD, beginning His earthly ministry.  During the 69^th week or the last 7 years of the prophecy, Yahushua confirmed the covenant with the Children of Israel.  His crucifixion 3 ½ years into the final 7 years in 31 AD, brought the end to sacrifice and offering (Matthew 27:51; Mark 15:38).  Then at the end of the second 3 ½ years, with the stoning of Stephen in 34 AD, the time allotted for the Children of Israel was completed, the covenant  fulfilled, and the Gospel went to the Gentiles.  Yahuwah’s promise to Abraham was brought to fruition.  His promise to Adam and Eve was carried out.  He upheld His end of the bargain.  Although not the thrust of this article, it must be noted that from this point forward in History, the Children of Israel were NO LONGER Yahuwah’s chosen people. 

 

The Secret Rapture: Satan's Secret Weapon

One would assume, after seeing this outline, that this understanding of the “70 Weeks” would be how all Christians would understand it.  And if you were living in the days of the Apostles, you’d be right.  The Apostles and subsequent remnants, like the Waldensians, held tight to this understanding.  However, as the Papal system began to rise in power and authority over the world so, too, did their untrustworthy interpretations of Scripture.  Daniel and Revelation prophesied the antichrist power would rise in religo-political strength.  They controlled the belief system for the majority of humanity and kept the world shrouded in darkness for 1260 years – “times, time, and half a time” (Daniel 7:25, 12:7; Revelation 12:14; much more on this here).  There were pockets of true Christians spread abroad, like the Waldensians, who held on to Apostolic Christianity, and this came with heavy persecution from the Church of Rome. 

As the time determined for Papal Rome’s control over the world began to wind down, the precious knowledge of their true identity as the little horn and antichrist power began to resurface.  ALL of the Reformation leaders and believers knew and preached that the Roman Catholic System was the foretold antichrist power, even before the completion of the 1260 day/year prophecy in Revelation Chapter 12 and Daniel 7:25.  Even Paul warns of “the man of sin…who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called Elohim or that is worshiped, so that he sits as Elohim in the temple of Elohim, showing himself that he is Elohim.” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4)  Queue the most vicious and deplorable organization.  Queue the Jesuits.  Rome knew that they could not allow this growing band of Protestant “heretics” to continue preaching the true Gospel if they wanted to remain in power.  Thus the Society of Jesus, or the Jesuits, was officially formed to combat the Reformation.  The Dragon was truly enraged with the Woman.  They went about the tearing away of Truth in several ways, with burning at the stake and torture being some of the most gruesome.  However, more cunning and decisive measures were used as well, and they are still being used today and deceiving millions, even being used by Protestants themselves!  A highly effective way to deceive is to teach lies and claim all other views are heretical.  This is exactly the function of the Counter Reformation with the false teachings of Futurism and Preterism.

 

The plan to wipe out the Reformation with the death of “heretics” backfired.  The more they killed Protestants, the more faithful believers grew.  The Roman Church needed a way to intellectually distance themselves from being the “little horn” of Daniel 8, a fact all Protestants at the time were well aware of.  Francisco Ribera, a Jesuit scholar, introduced Futurism in 1585.  Cardinal Robert Bellarmine, one of the best known Jesuit apologists, helped to promote Ribera’s ideas.  Ribera took the last week of the 70 week prophecy, split it into two halves, and applied it to the antichrist, rather than to Christ.  He also placed this one week way into the future, as if the antichrist power would not be around until 7 years before the second coming of Yahushua.  This is the “7 years of Tribulation” that people are always speculating about.  Therefore, many have been deceived into waiting and watching for the antichrist while staring him right in the face!  A flood of incorrect doctrines have come from this false teaching – the Secret Rapture, 7 years of Tribulation, a group of Super Jews who fight at the end of time after the Secret Rapture – just to name a few. 

Futurism also required the creation of the State of Israel, which happened in 1948.  Zionist and Jesuits are working together for a common deception.  Because of their false interpretation of Daniel 9:27, they need a third temple to be built and abominable sacrifices to be reinstated in order to herald in a phony “antichrist” to be brought down by the REAL antichrist posing as the true Christ.  It is the perfect crime against humanity because almost all of popular Christianity unknowingly embraces this counterfeit eschatology.

Who are the Jesuits?

The fact is Daniel 9:24-27 has already been fulfilled in its entirety, in the life and ministry of Yahushua and the subsequent death of Stephen, the first Christian Martyr. 

Since they love confusion, Rome, however, was not finished with their faulty interpretations to eschew their true identity.  There is a second false teaching surrounding the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation, Preterism.  Not long after Ribera concocted Futurism, Spanish Jesuit Luis De Alcazar wrote a commentary called Investigation of the Hidden Sense of the Apocalypse.  He proposed that all of Revelation and Daniel applied to pagan Rome and “found no application of prophecy to the middle ages or to the papacy.”²  It is truly remarkable just how gullible people were/are to accept these two teachings.  Futurism and Preterism were spread abroad and are now deceiving almost the whole world, even Protestants.

It must be noted that many publications aided this deception, namely the works of Margaret McDonald, Samuel Maitland, John Darby [known as the father of the modern Rapture], Samuel Tregelles, and Cyrus Scofield.  Scofield was “greatly influenced by the writings of J. N. Darby, incorporated Futurism in the notes of his Scofield Reference Bible. First published by Oxford University Press in 1909, one million copies were printed by 1930. The Scofield Bible was instrumental in firmly establishing the Jesuit inspired Futurist interpretation in the Protestant Bible schools of the United States in the 20th century.”3

Thus, the Jesuit Futurist lie spread through America’s Protestant Seminaries. 

Click here for a list of some of these high-profile seminaries and names.

• Dallas Theological Seminary (a nondenominational Protestant school): Lewis Sperry Chafer (1871-1952), a student of Cyrus Scofield, founded Evangelical Theological College (now DTS) in 1924, which is likely the most influential seminary in the United States today. Futurism, and the secret rapture (which they call the blessed hope), are covered in articles 18-20 of the DTS Full Doctrinal Statement.
  
  
  Some of the more well known alumni and faculty of DTS:
• John Walvoord (Professor Emeritus of Systematic Theology, President of Dallas Theological Seminary from 1952 to 1986, Chancellor of DTS since 1986), author of The Rapture Question (1957), and member of the revision committee for The New Scofield Reference Bible.
• Chuck Swindoll (Insight for Living), President of Dallas Theological Seminary since July of 1994.
• Charles C. Ryrie (Professor Emeritus Dallas Theological Seminary), author of The Ryrie Study Bible, which has been characterized as the updated Scofield Reference Bible for the end of the twentieth century.
• Hal Lindsey, (hallindsey.com - hallindseyoracle.com) author of The Rapture: Truth or Consequences (1983), perhaps the best known prophecy author of the last 30 years. Sole credited Bible authority for Trinity Broadcasting's recent Futurist antichrist movie Omega Code.
• J. Vernon McGee (1904-1988), Through the Bible Radio series.
• Kenneth N. Taylor (former director of Moody Press, founder of Tyndale House Publishing), author of The Living Bible. Tyndale House publishes the hugely popular Left Behind Futurist series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins.
• Thomas Ice (Executive Director of the Pre-trib Research Center), Th.M. from DTS, co-founder of Pre-trib Research Center with Tim LaHaye.
• Renald Showers, Most High God: A Commentary on the Book of Daniel.
• Moody Bible Institute of Chicago: In 1890, C. I. Scofield began a Comprehensive Bible Correspondence Course, later taken over about 1914 by the Moody Bible Institute (Dwight. L. Moody, founder of the Moody Church, had converted Scofield, and Scofield preached and presided at Moody's funeral in 1899). [It is worth noting that Dwight Moody himself may have had nothing to do with this teaching.]
• Moody Press supplied Sunday School lessons to the Assembly of God churches about 1914, introducing Pentecostals to Futurism and the secret rapture theory.
• The Ryrie Study Bible, by Charles C. Ryrie, a graduate Dallas Theological Seminary, boasts 10,000+ study notes and is listed among the best selling books published by Moody Press.
• Jerry B. Jenkins, co-author of the Left Behind series, is the former vice president for publishing of Moody Bible Institute, and former editor of Moody Magazine. Currently he is Moody Bible Institute's writer-at-large.
• Western Theological Seminary (Reformed Church in America).
• Alma Mater of Tim LaHaye, founder of the Pre-trib Research Center, co-author of the Left Behind series of books, by far the most popular series promoting Futurism and the secret rapture, which has sold 20+ million copies. Published by Tyndale House, at least 12 titles are planned for the series. The film version of the first book in the series has been produced by prophecy authors Peter and Paul Lalonde of Cloud Ten Pictures. Released first on video cassette, and then in theaters in early 2001, people who have seen Left Behind say it is confusing, and lacks a Gospel presentation of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, making it of little (if any) evangelistic value, much like TBN's Omega Code and Megiddo (Omega Code II).
• Tim LaHaye School of Prophecy - opens in January 2002 on the campus of Liberty University
  Lynchburg, V.A., Dr. Jerry Falwell - Chancellor. Tim LaHaye says he was impressed by the prophecy conferences of Albury Park and Powerscourt held in Britain in the 1820's and 1830's and this led directly to his co-founding the Pre-trib Research Center. Edward Irving and J. N. Darby attended, and apparently greatly influenced, these 19th century British prophecy conferences where the secret rapture and futurism gained in acceptance among Protestant prophecy scholars.

Well known ministries teaching Futurism and the Secret Rapture:

• Trinity Broadcasting - perhaps the largest Christian TV Broadcasting Network, TBN has produced two futurist themed movies: Omega Code and Megiddo (Omega Code II). TBN also airs the following movies with end-times, secret rapture / futurism themes:

The Moment After -  TMA Productions.

Two FBI agents investigate the reason for the sudden mysterious disappearance of millions of people.

The Gathering -  DRC Productions.

Two unbelieving women and a believing husband have disturbing visions of the impending tribulation and sudden rapture of Christians.

End of the Harvest - Christiano Film Group.

A college student, who experiences strange dreams of a farmer harvesting wheat, reluctantly defends end-time Bible prophecy when another student fails to give the presentation to a group of die-hard atheists in a philosophy club. Subtly promotes spiritualism(communications from the dead).

• Jack Van Impe Ministries - Author of The Jack Van Impe Prophecy Bible and a verse-by-verse commentary on the book of Revelation entitled Revelation Revealed. On his TV program, Jack claims that God Himself has shown him the error of previous Bible interpreters and given him the absolutely correct interpretation of the book of Revelation. Producer of the following futurist-themed movies:
• Apocalypse I: Caught in the Eye of the Storm.
• Apocalypse II: Revelation.
• Apocalypse III: Tribulation.
• Apocalypse IV: Judgment. 
• Jerry Falwell Ministries - heavily promotes the Tim LaHaye School of Bible Prophecy, which opened in January 2002 on the campus of Falwell's Liberty University.
• John Hagee Ministries - Offers the John Hagee Prophecy Study Bible, billed as "the only Prophecy Study Bible of its kind", with over 300 pages of Bible Prophecy study notes and having unique Bible Prophecy charts. John Hagee has strongly promoted the Left Behind books and movie with hour long infomercial TV programs.
• The King is Coming, World Prophetic Ministry, Colton, California, Ed Hindson President. Founded by Dr. Howard C. Estep (1916-1986),  author of The Catching Away (1967). Committed to the literal interpretation of the Bible. Dr. Dave Breese, former President of W.P.M. and Teacher on "The King is Coming." referred to Scofield's margin notes when teaching the Futurist interpretation of Daniel's 70 weeks on The King is Coming. Contributed to the Tim LaHaye Study Bible, billed as "the most complete study Bible ever!". Tim LaHaye has been guest speaker for a series of programs on the "The King is Coming".
• Grant R. Jeffrey (Prophecy Online) 
• Hilton Sutton World Ministries
• Zola Levitt - Zola Levitt Ministries "holds to a strictly literal and inerrant Bible interpretation, salvation through Christ alone, a soon pre-tribulation Rapture of all believers and the establishment of a thousand-year kingdom on Earth."
• John Ankerberg (Ankerberg Theological Research Institute), (Harbor Lighthouse)
• Perry Stone (Manna Fest), Founder and President of Voice of Evangelism Ministries Inc. 
• Chuck Missler (Koinonia House). Questions Continue: The Great Snatch?
• Dave Hunt (The Berean Call) - author of A Woman Rides the Beast, remarkably enough, teaches the secret rapture and future antichrist.

(taken from Biblelight.net/antichrist.htm)

So, is all hope lost?  Certainly not!  Yahuwah’s faithful are preaching out against these false doctrines.  Tried and true Protestants will always speak against popery.  Joseph Tanner had this to say 100 years ago, even before the “deadly wound” was being healed in 1929:

So great a hold did the conviction that the Papacy was the Antichrist gain upon the minds of men, that Rome at last saw she must bestir herself, and try, by putting forth other systems of interpretation, to counteract the identification of the Papacy with the Antichrist.

Who is the Beast in the Book of Revelation?

Accordingly, towards the close of the century of the Reformation, two of her most learned doctors set themselves to the task, each endeavouring by different means to accomplish the same end, namely, that of diverting men's minds from perceiving the fulfilment of the prophecies of the Antichrist in the Papal system. The Jesuit Alcasar (sic.) devoted himself to bring into prominence the Preterist method of interpretation, which we have already briefly noticed, and thus endeavoured to show that the prophecies of Antichrist were fulfilled before the Popes ever ruled in Rome, and therefore could not apply to the Papacy. On the other hand the Jesuit Ribera tried to set aside the application of these prophecies to the Papal Power by bringing out the Futurist system, which asserts that these prophecies refer properly not to the career of the Papacy, but to that of some future supernatural individual, who is yet to appear, and to continue in power for three and a half years. Thus, as Alford says, the Jesuit Ribera, about A.D. 1580, may be regarded as the Founder of the Futurist system in modern times.

It is a matter for deep regret that those who hold and advocate the Futurist system at the present day, Protestants as they are for the most part, are thus really playing into the hands of Rome, and helping to screen the Papacy from detection as the Antichrist. It has been well said that "Futurism tends to obliterate the brand put by the Holy Spirit upon Popery." More especially is this to be deplored at a time when the Papal Antichrist seems to be making an expiring effort to regain his former hold on men's minds. Now once again, as at the Reformation, it is especially necessary that his true character should be recognized, by all who would be faithful to "the testimony of [Yahushua]."⁴

These two Jesuit interpretations could not be more different; however, they were both created to be diversionary to the Protestant Reformation.  No matter how improbable or contradictory these two interpretations may be, they have successfully fulfilled their purpose in deceiving almost all of modern Christianity.

In what could only be described as a stunning reversal, Protestants have over time actually become the papacy's greatest ally by spreading its Jesuit spawned propaganda. What irony that Protestants, who originally broke away from what they clearly recognized to be the harlot antichrist led church of prophecy, now champion the Futurist interpretation from high profile global ministries. Futurism has without doubt, been successful beyond the wildest dreams of its Jesuit authors. The same can be said for the Preterist interpretation of Luis De Alcazar, although to a lesser degree.⁵

Papal Rome is the little horn, the antichrist power, the drunken harlot, the blasphemous seat of the man of sin.  Almost all of Christendom has lost this precious Truth and is being steered off course.  Think of how popular Pope Francis is today.  The world loves him.  Be not deceived, Beloved of Yahuwah.  Find yourself covered in His Shadow.  Be prepared, keep the Commandments, and have the Testimony of Yahushua, for the Dragon is wroth and time is short.

---

¹ There is absolutely no Biblical precedent for dividing the 70 weeks up and postponing the final week to some point in the future.  The prophecy was given as one timeline. 

² http://biblelight.net/antichrist.htm

³ Ibid.

⁴ From Daniel and the Revelation: The Chart of Prophecy and Our Place In It, A Study of the Historical and Futurist Interpretation, by Joseph Tanner, published in London by Hodder and Stoughton, 1898, pages 16,17.

⁵ http://biblelight.net/antichrist.htm

Date Line Deception: What it is & Why it matters! [MUST READ: SDAs]

A close examination of the International Date Line irrefutably proves that the modern weekly cycle has not cycled continuously without interruption since Creation. To suggest otherwise is to bow to tradition and assumption - to the exclusion of the evidence.

What is the International Date Line?

The International Date Line is an imaginary line that runs through the middle of the Pacific ocean. It was officially1 established in 1884 at the International Meridian Conference in Washington, D.C. for the sole purpose of differentiating between days on the Gregorian calendar.

The International Date Line functions as a "line of demarcation" separating two consecutive calendar dates. When you cross the date line, you become a time traveler of sorts! Cross to the west and it’s one day later; cross back and you’ve "gone back in time."2

For the most part, the Date Line follows the 180° meridian, which is opposite the Greenwich meridian (Prime Meridian) in London, England.3 This line is far from being straight, though, as there are several contrived deviations to accommodate the political and economic affiliations of nearby areas. The location selected for the International Date Line is arbitrary; its location is a matter of convenience and has no ties whatsoever to anything in nature.

180 degrees was chosen [for the International Date Line] because it runs mostly through open ocean in the central Pacific, zigging and zagging to keep nearby nations on their own day and date. So the choice of 180 degrees was arbitrary, but it established the IDL in use today.4

The International Date Line can be anywhere . . . But it is most convenient to be 180° away from the defining meridian that goes through Greenwich, England. It also is fortunate that this area is covered, mainly, by empty ocean. However, there have always been zigs and zags in it to allow for local circumstances.5




"The 180° meridian was selected as the International Date Line because it mostly runs through the sparsely populated Central Pacific Ocean. It was decided at the International Meridian Conference in 1884 in Washington, D.C. where 26 countries attended." (https://www.timeanddate.com/time/dateline.html, retrieved on May 20, 2017.)


International Date Line (IDL) Summary:
The IDL is imaginary.
The IDL was contrived by a committee of men in Washington, D.C. in 1884.
The location of the IDL is arbitrary and has no link to anything in nature.
Because the IDL is arbitrary, it is movable. (It has been moved several times for political/economic convenience. We will touch more on this later.)
What is the Luni-Solar Date Line?

The Luni-Solar Date Line is the line of demarcation established on earth by the sun and moon at the luni-solar conjunction.6 This phenomenon takes place at the beginning of each lunar cycle and is very predictable. Unlike the man-made Date Line, the Luni-Solar Date line is not arbitrary; rather, it is based upon the motions of the heavenly bodies, just as Yahuwah intended.

And Elohim said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons [worship times7], and for days, and years. (Genesis 1:14)

Notice that Genesis does not say...

"And Elohim said, Let a committee of men (about 6,000 years from now) create an imaginary line at their discretion to divide the day from the night; and let it be for signs, and for seasons [worship times], and for days, and years."

What makes the Luni-Solar Date Line so remarkable is that it allows us to differentiate between calendar days without man's inventions (i.e. the International Date Line).8 When reckoning New Moon Day as commencing at dawn after the luni-solar conjunction, the entire world is united in the observation of not only the feasts and Sabbaths, but every day. That is to say that everyone on earth begins their day within the same 24-hour period.
How the Luni-Solar Date Line Works

The first dawn after the luni-solar conjunction marks the beginning of the date line. Dawn then moves forward from that point bringing with it New Moon Day to the world. Subsequently, six work days follow and then the seventh-day Sabbath (Lunar Sabbath). Although Yahuwah's date line, which could also be called His "dawn line," changes geographically from one lunation to the next, commencing New Moon Day at dawn after the conjunction ensures that everyone on earth begins their day within the same 24-hour period. Consequently, there is no need whatsoever for man's counterfeit date line.

Had the Father's feast days never been forgotten and His calendar never forsaken, there would have been no reason to conjure up the man-made IDL.
How does the International Date Line compare to the Luni-Solar Date Line?

(1a) Is the International Date Line based on observable phenomenon?

No. The IDL is 100% imaginary and arbitrary.

(1b) Is the Luni-Solar Date Line based on observable phenomenon?

Yes. It is based on the motions of the heavenly bodies (in accordance with Gen. 1:14).

(2a) Can the International Date Line be moved by man?

Yes. Men have moved the IDL several times for political/economic convenience.

(2b) Can the Luni-Solar Date Line be moved by man?

No. Because the Luni-Solar Date Line is determined by the heavenly bodies, it is out of man's reach. The Luni-Solar Date Line is under the direct supervision of Father Yahuwah, who by wisdom founded the earth and by understanding established the heavens.(Proverbs 3:19)

(3a) Who created the International Date Line?

The IDL was contrived by a committee of men in Washington, D.C..

(3b) Who created the Luni-Solar Date Line?

The Luni-Solar Date Line was established by Yahuwah. It is determined at the beginning of each lunation by the motions of the heavenly bodies (in accordance with Gen. 1:14).

(4a) When was the International Date Line established?

The IDL was established in 1884.

(4b) When was the Luni-Solar Date Line established?

The Luni-Solar Date Line was established at Creation with the ordination of the sun and moon.
Which date line do you suppose Heaven endorses?

International Date Line

Luni-Solar Date Line

Imaginary & Arbitrary 

Real; it is objectively established by observable phenomenon in the heavens.

Can be moved my men (The IDL has been moved several times for political/economic convenience.) 

Cannot be moved by men (Because the Luni-Solar Date Line is determined by the heavenly bodies, it is out of man's reach. The Luni-Solar Date Line is under the direct supervision of Father Yahuwah.)

Contrived by a committee of men gathered in Washington, D.C. 

Ordained by the Creator (The Luni-Solar Date Line is established at the beginning of each lunation by the motions of the heavenly bodies, in accordance with Gen. 1:14.)

Established in 1884 

Established at Creation 

Waking Up...

Many, today, are waking up to the half-truths and outright lies being promulgated within the institutionalized church and are returning to covenant torah. They are being enlightened to the perpetual nature of Yahuwah's feast days and are zealously promoting a return to set-apart living and the observance of all that Yahuwah has commanded. Often overlooked, though, is that the calendar being used to calculate the feast days is irreparably pagan. Not only that, but it is inexorably dependent upon the International Date Line. This is a huge problem for those who profess to adhere to Scripture alone. To zealously proclaim sola scriptura9 while making Yahuwah's feast days subservient to the man-made International Date Line is utterly inconsistent. Pause for a minute and think about this. How can the Sabbaths and the annual feasts be dependent upon a 130 year old man-made invention?



To zealously proclaim sola scriptura while making Yahuwah's feast days subservient to the man-made International Date Line is utterly inconsistent.
SDAs & the International Date Line: Cognitive Dissonance at its Best

The Seventh-day Adventist Church has been blessed with a wealth of Scriptural truth. One area, in particular, is their recognition of the tremendous importance of keeping the Sabbath day holy. Sadly, though, SDAs have adamantly rejected the fullness of the three angel's messages and the increasing light of Biblical calendation. Consequently, they continue to blindly cling to the lopsided theology of exalting the Papal Gregorian Saturday (as determined by the man-made IDL) while professing Scripture as the sole rule of faith and duty.
A Closer Look at SDA Theology


If you are an SDA, we humbly implore you to stop and think about this for a moment: If the final conflict is to be as simple as Saturday versus Sunday, how can it be that the only difference between these two days is an imaginary line contrived in 1884 by a committee of men in Washington D.C.?



Seventh-day Adventists ardently claim that Saturday is the Biblical Sabbath ("the seal of Yah") and that Sunday is the pagan day of worship (the "mark of the beast"), yet they ignore the fact that it is the man-made date line alone that separates the two days. They recognize the importance of keeping the Sabbath and the grave error of exalting the pagan sun-day, yet they have no problem allowing man to determine when the seventh day ends and the following day begins (via the International Date Line). This makes no sense. The only difference between the "Seal of Yah" and the "Mark of the Beast" in SDA theology is the man-made date line. If you are an SDA, we humbly implore you to stop and think about this for a moment: If the final conflict is to be as simple as Saturday versus Sunday, how can it be that the only difference between these two days is an imaginary line contrived by a committee of men in Washington D.C.? And if Saturday is the ancient Sabbath of Scripture, why is it governed exclusively by an 1884 invention?
On the Move


The International Date Line has been relocated for convenience several times since its inception. Not only that, but even the unofficial10makeshift line that preceded the IDL was moved on at least two occasions:

 

The course of the makeshift date line after the Alaska adjustment of 1867, but neglecting the Philippine adjustment of 1844/45, as published in the 4th edition (1885-90) of Meyers Konversationslexikons (longitudes are reckoned from the meridians of Ferro and Paris) Source: https://www.staff.science.uu.nl/~gent0113/idl/idl_philippines.htm

The Philippines: In 1844, the Philippines (along with the Mariana Islands, Guam, and the Caroline Islands) removed Tuesday, December 31 from its calendar, shifting the make-believe date line to the east. Consequently, what had previously been recognized as Friday, became Saturday, and what had previously been recognized as Saturday, became Sunday. SDAs in the Philippines disregard this conundrum entirely, though, by worshipping on the new Saturday and boasting, "Our Sabbath is the New Testament Sabbath."11 By default, SDA theology demands that those who exalt what had previously been Saturday (the new Sunday) are in danger of receiving the "mark of the beast." This is both illogical and inconsistent. How can an honest truth seeker continue to cling to the erroneous doctrine of a continuous weekly cycle in the face of such clear evidence to the contrary?

Alaska: When the United States purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867, the makeshift line was moved to the west. Consequently, Alaska observed two Fridays in a row.

At the instigation of U.S. Secretary of State William Seward, the United States Senate approved the purchase of Alaska from Russia for $7,200,000 on April 9, 1867, and the United States flag was raised on October 18 of that same year (now called Alaska Day). Coincident with the ownership change, the de facto International Date Line was moved westward, and Alaska changed from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar. Therefore, for residents, Friday, October 6, 1867 was followed by Friday, October 18, 1867; two Fridays in a row because of the date line shift.12

This means that what had previously been recognized as Saturday, became Friday, and what had previously been recognized as Sunday, became Saturday. Think about it; Saturday Sabbatarians in Alaska today worship on what was Sunday only 150 years ago. Again, the ramifications for the SDA Church are huge because their theology insists that those who persist in Sunday observance will ultimately bear the mark of the beast. How can this be, when only 150 years ago, their day of worship (Saturday) was Sunday? Integrity demands that Yahuwah's faithful acknowledge the egregious fallacy of making Heaven's holy days subordinate to a man-made date line.

Samoan Islands and Tokelau: In 1892, the IDL was moved to the west of the Samoan Islands. This was achieved by observing Monday, July 4 for two consecutive days in the islands. 119 years later, in 2011, Samoa shifted the IDL back to the east by removing Friday, December 30 from its calendar. Tokelau, a nearby island belonging to New Zealand, made the transition as well. Today, the IDL passes between the islands of Samoa and American Samoa.


The majority of SDAs in Samoa now worship on the new Sunday because, they say, the continuous weekly cycle is what matters. Yet, they ignore the fact that the 2011 adjustment was only returning Samoa to the calendar week it was observing prior to 1892. This is utterly nonsensical and again makes clear the fallacy of claiming that the modern week has cycled continuously and without interruption since Creation. 

According to SDA theology, the seal of Yah (seventh-day Sabbath observance) and the mark of the beast (Sunday observance) must be one and the same in Samoa. This, alone, should be enough to make any honest SDA re-evaluate their paradigm. (Suggested Reading: International Date Line Change: The Sabbath Unchanged?)

Kwajalein Atoll: In 1993, Kwajalein (one of the Marshall Islands) removed Saturday, August 21 from its calendar, causing the IDL to be moved to the east. This brought Kwajalein into harmony with the other islands which, up to that point, had been on a different day.

Eastern Kiribati: In 1995, Kiribati moved the IDL to the east for "administrative convenience."13 (Prior to this, the Republic of Kiribati was divided by the date line.)
Modern "Jews" Admit a Problem

Within modern Judaism, there are four major opinions14 regarding where the date line should be:
90° East of Jerusalem
180° East of Jerusalem
Mid-Pacific: Closely Resembling the International Date Line
There is No Specific Date Line (observe when the locals do)

While no genuine truth seeker should be looking to the Ashkenazi "Jews" for anything, the fact that there is any debate at all among the self-styled rabbis is indicative of a larger problem.
The Patriarchs & Prophets

So, how did the Patriarchs and Prophets manage time? Are we to believe that the antediluvian men of Yah and the post-flood patriarchs/prophets used a zigzagging imaginary date line in the middle of what is now the Pacific ocean to determine when the Sabbaths and feast days arrived? This is truly absurd. Again, the modern date line was created in 1884 by mere men for the purpose of worldly commerce.
Noah's Descendants

Think about this for a moment: When Noah's family began to grow and replenish the earth after the flood, some would have travelled east and some would have travelled west. Eventually the two groups would have met each other on the other side of the world.15 Now consider this: If Noah's descendants were observing a continuous weekly cycle, they would have been one calendar day apart when they met on the other side (e.g. one group would be observing the sixth day, while the other group was observing the seventh day). The reason for this is that those who travelled east were travelling towards the rising sun (beginning their days earlier with each eastward movement), while those who travelled west were travelling towards the setting sun (beginning their days later with each westward movement). Consequently, when the two groups met on the other side of the world, those who had been travelling east would be one day ahead of those who were travelling west. So, who would be right? Who's calendar would have been correct? The answer: If they had been observing a continuous weekly cycle, they would both be correct, which is not possible. This again demonstrates the fallacy of a continuous weekly cycle.

Question: If these ancient men and women of Yahuwah were not using the modern counterfeit date line to measure time, what were they using?

And Elohim said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years. (Genesis 1:14)

Answer: They were using the Luni-Solar Date Line, which is established each lunation by the "lights in the firmament of heaven." If erring men had not abandoned Heaven's calendar and neglected Yahuwah's feast days, the counterfeit date line would never have been necessary. The man-made IDL is the result of open rebellion against Heaven.
Challenge for all Saturday Sabbatarians (teachers and pastors included):


Question: How can you consistently observe a Saturday Sabbath without using the man-made International Date Line?


Answer: You can't. It is irrefutably impossible to use the Roman Papal Gregorian Calendar without also using the man-made date line - for it is this very line that tells you when to transition from one day to the next; it is this very line that tells you which days to reckon as holy, and which days to reckon as common. This perhaps makes no difference to the institutionalized Sunday-keeping churches that teach lawlessness, but to those who are zealous for the things of Yahuwah and who recognize the eternal value of His Sabbaths and feast days, this makes all this difference in the world!


If we are to serve the Father without compromise, we must allow His word alone to distinguish for us that which is holy from that which is common. That is to say we must use Heaven's calendar and Heaven's date line to determine when the Sabbaths and feast days arrive, not man's counterfeit date line that's been zigzagging its way throughout the Pacific ocean for the last 130 years.

Ask Questions

If you are a Saturday Sabbatarian, ask your pastor, "How can we consistently observe a Saturday Sabbath without using the 130 year old man-made International Date Line?" If he is honest, he will have to concede that it is impossible. The world simply cannot be united in observing a Gregorian day/date without using the International Date Line. The question that logically follows then is, "How can Saturday be Heaven's ordained seventh-day Sabbath?" There is simply no way around it; if the day matters, then the method used to calculate the day matters, too. You cannot have it both ways, i.e. you cannot say that the seventh-day Sabbath is of the upmost importance to our Father in Heaven, while also saying it is acceptable to let worldly men determine when the seventh-day Sabbath begins and ends (via the International Date Line).


Embrace Truth

Now that your eyes have been opened to the deceit of the modern calendar, what will you do? Will you obey at once and begin studying/observing Heaven's calendar? or will you obstinately plug your ears, cover your eyes, and turn your back to the light? Will you pick up your cross and follow the Lamb wherever He goes? or will you shrink from the invitation and return to the complacency and darkness from whence you were called? It is our prayer that you will shake off the spirit of Laodicea and flee Babylon while there is yet time.

Please do not make the mistake of believing that there is safety in numbers. Your pastor might choose to remain in darkness. Your church family might prefer the comfort of a pew over the discomfort of bearing the cross. Everyone you know might reject the latter rainand the increasing light of the Father's calendar. This, however, does not excuse you from your responsibility to embrace the truth. Yahuwah has made it known to you. Incomprehensible blessings await those who trust and obey.


But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. (Proverbs 4:18)

Related Content:
Sabbath (Content Directory)
Annual Feasts (Content Directory)
The Creator's Calendar (Content Directory)
International Date Line Change: The Sabbath Unchanged?
Why does the Sabbath occupy more than one day on the Gregorian Calendar?
Other websites teach that the lunar Sabbath should be calculated from Jerusalem. Why doesn’t WLC?
How can a single Sabbath fall on different days of the week within the same general area? 

1 "The International Date Line was not established officially until the 1880s, but the need for such a line on Earth to adjust the day was inadvertently discovered by Magellan's crew who, from 1519 to 1521, were the first to circumnavigate the world." (Peterson, James F., Sack, Dorthy., Gabler, Robert E.. “Physical Geography.” 11th ed. Cengage Learning, Feb. 4, 2016. Education. 672 pp. p. 34. http://tinyurl.com/kps2efn, retrieved on May 11, 2017.)

2 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/international-date-line.html, retrieved on April 29, 2017.

3 The Greenwich meridian (Prime Meridian) was established in 1851 by Sir George Biddell Airy, an English mathematician and astronomer. It is the Greenwich meridian that today establishes Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Selecting Greenwich as the anchor point for measuring time "was arbitrary. It was based more on national pride and convenience." (http://www.livescience.com/44292-international-date-line-explained.html, retrieved on April 29, 2017.)

4 http://www.livescience.com/44292-international-date-line-explained.html, retrieved on April 29, 2017.

5 Astronomical Applications Department of the U.S. Naval Observatory, http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/international_date.php, retrieved on May 8, 2017.

6 The sun, because of its slightly faster motion, pulls ahead of the moon by about 12.2° each day. Consequently, it gets so far ahead of the moon that it circles around behind it and overtakes it again after about 29.5 days (12.2° x 29.5 = 360° = a full circle). The luni-solar conjunction is the precise moment in time when the sun is again in line with the moon (the same celestial longitude) before it once again moves ahead of the moon at the beginning of the next lunar cycle. The time of conjunction is often referred to as the astronomical "new moon."

7 The word translated as "seasons" in Genesis 1:14 is mo'ed. "Mo'ed is used in a broad sense for all religious assemblies. It was closely associated with the tabernacle itself. . . . [Yahuwah] met Israel there at specific times for the purpose of revealing His will. It is a common term for the worshiping assembly of . . . [Yahuwah's] people." ("Lexical Aids to the Old Testament," Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible, p. 1626.)

8 While we do utilize modern technologies to determine precisely when the conjunction will occur, we do not use the man-made date line; rather, we use the heavenly bodies alone to reckon time, just as we are instructed in Genesis 1:14. The ancients were much smarter and in tune with the heavens than we are today. This is evidenced by the countless ancient structures around the world that can accurately predict eclipses, equinoxes, solstices, etc. Consequently, they were able to accurately forecast heavenly phenomenon without the use of modern amenities.

9 Sola Scriptura was the rallying cry of the Protestant Reformation. It is a Latin phrase, meaning "Scripture alone."

10 "The necessity of a calendar date line was popularized by 13th century geographers who marveled how a circumnavigator would 'paradoxically' gain or lose a date depending on his travel direction. . . . Various popes and empires subsequently declared calendar date lines in accordance with their needs." (The Jerusalem Post [emphasis suppied], http://www.jpost.com/Jewish-World/Judaism/Ask-the-Rabbi-A-matter-of-time-167236, retrieved on May 18, 2017.)

11 http://adventist.ph/philippines-profile, retrieved on May 8, 2017.

12 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Department_of_Alaska, retrieved on May 12, 2017.

13 BBC News quoting Michael Walsh, the Kiribati Honorary Consul to the UK, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-13334229, retrieved on May 13, 2017.

14 http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1736567/jewish/The-Sabbath-the-International-Date-Line-and-Jewish-Law.htm, retrieved on May 18, 2017.

15 The noted illustration is not specific to a globe. If both groups start at the same point and move in opposite directions on the flat earth, they will be one day apart when they meet on the other side of the flat earth. "The reason for this is that those who travelled east were travelling towards the rising sun (beginning their days earlier with each eastward movement), while those who travelled west were travelling towards the setting sun (beginning their days later with each westward movement)." Related Content/Illustration: https://www.worldslastchance.com/flat-earth/countless-explorers-have-circumnavigated-the-globe.html

8 Indispensable Weapons in the War Against Sexual Sins

Sin Addiction: Guarding the Avenues to the Soul

Time is drawing to a close. Now, more than ever before, it is imperative to guard every avenue to the soul through which Satan would seek to entice and ensnare.


Sin is addictive. It does not matter what the sin is: anger, malicious gossip, drugs, evil surmising, pride, nicotine/alcohol, pornography, masturbation, or something else. It is all addictive.

he only answer for any of us is found in Yahushua. Each one is answerable to Yahuwah for his own soul. As Scripture explains, “Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in [the land], they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Master Yahuwah.” (See Ezekiel 14:14.) With probation soon to close, every single one of us must search our hearts for hidden sin and surrender it all to Yahushua.

Lust—for sex, for food, for drugs, foranything impure—is the appetite of demons expressed through human beings. The only way Satan has to entice the soul is through the five senses. These must be carefully guarded. A healthy diet, an abstemious life-style, sufficient sleep, all work together to guard and strengthen the five senses.

Satan entices through the five senses, but he ensnares through the mind. Those who would be purified and made ready to greet the Saviour at His coming must be diligent in guarding the thoughts because thoughts dwelt upon, become feelings. And it is the thoughts and feelings combined that form the character.

Going to Heaven through the grave is different than being translated without seeing death at the Second Coming. Everyone who goes to Heaven without seeing death, will come up to some point or struggle in their lives over which they cannot conquer on their own. It does not matter if 95% of a person’s character is inherited tendencies to evil or if only 5% is comprised of inherited tendencies to evil. Only Yahushua can save. A person with 95% inherited tendencies to evil can still be saved if he surrenders all to the Saviour. And a person, raised in the best environment, of Yah-fearing parents, with only 5% inherited tendencies to evil, can still be lost if he thinks he can overcome in his own strength and refuses to surrender to Yahushua.

“The injunction to cleave to Yahuwah will be precious to us if we will understand and obey it. Trust constantly in Yah. Have unswerving faith in Him because of the unmistakable evidence given you of His love and power. Never does one stretch out his arms in faith to the Saviour, but there are placed around and underneath him the everlasting arms, and he is comforted and sustained.” (Ellen White, Letter 17, January 14, 1903.)

Many are inquiring, “How am I to make the surrender of myself to Yahuwah?”¹ You desire to give yourself to Him, but you are weak in moral power, in slavery to doubt, and controlled by the habits of your life of sin. Your promises and resolutions are like ropes of sand. You cannot control your thoughts, your impulses, your affections. The knowledge of your broken promises and forfeited pledges weakens your confidence in your own sincerity, and causes you to feel that Yahuwah cannot accept you; but you need not despair. What you need to understand is the true force of the will. This is the governing power in the nature of man, the power of decision, or of choice. Everything depends on the right action of the will. The power of choice Yahuwah has given to men; it is theirs to exercise. You cannot change your heart, you cannot of yourself give to Yahuwah its affections; but you can choose to serve Him. You can give Him your will; He will then work in you to will and to do according to His good pleasure. Thus your whole nature will be brought under the control of the Spirit of Yahushua; your affections will be centered upon Him, your thoughts will be in harmony with Him.²

One area that is particularly difficult to the men of the final generation is sexual impurity. Many sincere Christian men struggle with addictions to pornography and masturbation. What needs to be clearly understood is that these sins start with the eyes. When a man allows his eyes to linger on a woman’s body, the mind and imagination become engaged. Christian women dress modestly, but ultimately the responsibility lies with the man to allow his eyes to linger, or to choose to avert his eyes. Where the eyes are allowed to linger, the thoughts are inclined to dwell.

“When we come to Yahuwah confessing our unworthiness and sin, He has pledged Himself to give heed to our cry. The honor of His throne is staked for the fulfillment of His word unto us.

“… Our great High Priest remembers all the words by which He has encouraged us to trust. He is ever mindful of His covenant.

“All who seek of Him shall find. All who knock will have the door opened to them. The excuse will not be made, Trouble Me not; the door is closed; I do not wish to open it. Never will one be told, I cannot help you. Those who beg at midnight for loaves to feed the hungry souls will be successful.”

(Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 148)

Steps for Conquering

Whatever your cherished sin, there are four specific steps you can take to overcome:

1. Call upon the name of Yahuwah. Claim the promises applicable to your situation and pray, fully expecting to receive an answer.
2. With determination and great firmness, state your intent. Be specific and put it into words.
3. Ask Yahuwah to make you aware of impending danger when you first start to wander close to temptation. Ask Him to remind you to pray and ask for help before your emotions are enticed into lusting after the desired sin.
4. Have friends help hold you accountable.

Having a trusted group, even if only one other person, with whom you can be mutually accountable, can be a tremendous help in overcoming addictions to sin. The men and women who work to spread truth via WLC are committed, heart and soul, to Yahuwah. But we, too, are still human. We, too, still make mistakes. We, too, still need a Saviour.

Take Sin Seriously

Brothers and sisters, the end is too near to gamble with our salvation. We need to take sin seriously. We need to guard the avenues to our souls. In the storms of life, turn to the Saviour and He will lift you up.

Do not listen to the enemy’s suggestion to stay away from Christ until you have made yourself better; until you are good enough to come to Yahuwah. If you wait until then, you will never come. When Satan points to your filthy garments, repeat the promise of Yahushua, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:37. Tell the enemy that the blood of Yahushua cleanses from all sin. Make the prayer of David your own, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” Psalm 51:7.

Arise and go to your Father. He will meet you a great way off. If you take even one step toward Him in repentance, He will hasten to enfold you in His arms of infinite love. His ear is open to the cry of the contrite soul. The very first reaching out of the heart after Yahuwah is known to Him. Never a prayer is offered, however faltering, never a tear is shed, however secret, never a sincere desire after Yahuwah is cherished, however feeble, but the Spirit of Yahuwah goes forth to meet it. Even before the prayer is uttered or the yearning of the heart made known, grace from Christ goes forth to meet the grace that is working upon the human soul.³

Porn-proofing Your Child

Use these techniques to raise your child to stand firm against the allure of pornography.

Jace and Haylie were the quintessential golden couple. Jace was broad and tanned with the white-cotton blond hair of his Nordic ancestors. He played defense on the high school’s football team. Haylie was tall and slender with dark gold hair the color of wheat at harvest time. She was athletic and on the track and field team at the same high school as Jace. Together, they made a striking couple.

Often after school Jace would come hang out in his father’s engineering firm where I worked. He would hit his father up for some cash or play computer games on an extra computer no one was using. Jace’s mother laughingly told my wife that she and Haylie’s mother were already speculating on what any future grandbabies might look like, having two such striking looking parents.

One day, Jace’s father asked me to track down the source of computer problems we had been having at the office. The computers were networked, so whatever affected one computer, affected them all. The on-going virus problems seemed to come from the computer Jace spent time on at the office. When I dug deep into the computer, I discovered the cause of the problem. Although Jace had deleted his browsing history, he didn’t know all the ways to hide his on-line activity and I discovered he had been spending a lot of time downloading pornography.

Porn negatively impacts relationships because it changes how the opposite sex is viewed. This, in turn, changes how they are treated.

I knew from first hand experience how addictive porn can be, so the next time Jace dropped by, I invited him into my office for a quiet, man-to-man talk. I told him what I had found and that I was concerned because it is so addictive. I warned him that if he continued to watch porn, it would change how he viewed girls and this would effect how he treated them. I told him this would ultimately screw up any relationship he tried to have with women. Jace thanked me for the warning and promised to quit.

Not long after that, Jace talked his dad into giving him the computer, since it was not being used at the office anyway, and he moved it to his bedroom at home. In the upcoming months, I noticed that the way Jace treated Haylie began to change. He was not as interested in spending time with her and he was not as kind to her as he had been before. He often spoke to her impatiently. Haylie did not understand why Jace had changed, but she sure didn’t like it. Half way through their senior year, Haylie broke it off with Jace. Their mothers, who were friends, were very disappointed, but I was not surprised. Porn changes you and not for the better. It had changed how Jace viewed Haylie and that, in turn, changed how he treated her.

Pornography is a trap. It is just as addictive as nicotine or alcohol and wise parents will do anything and everything in their power to prepare their child to resist the temptation when it is presented, because at some point, it will be.

The Porn Problem

Young people¹ today face challenges previous generations did not. The Internet has made the most depraved pornography available at the click of a button. The problem is, watching porn changes the brain chemistry of the one who routinely views it.

There is a rising problem of pornography addiction in teens. The negative effects of pornography addiction is even greater in teens as their brains are more susceptible to the chemical overload effects that come with continued viewing. … Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is central in our drive for personal reward. When teens take part in stimulating or potentially addictive habits, such as pornography, there is a flood of dopamine in the brain. With repetitive increases of dopamine released into the teen brain it is rewired to crave the same effect.

Teen brains are the most sensitive to dopamine at around age 15 and react up to four times more strongly to images perceived as exciting. A teen’s brain is at its peak of dopamine production and neuroplasticity, making it highly vulnerable to addiction and rewiring as their brain is not yet finished developing.

Sexuality specifically increases DetaFosB a protein that serves a role as a mediator in natural reward memory. This study also found that overexpression of DeltaFosB induced a hypersexual syndrome.²

Ultimately, the problem is not really pornography any more than it is alcoholism, drugs, or nicotine. The real problem is addiction. Long term use of porn actually results in a lowered sex drive as real women with normal bodies no longer hold appeal.

The men (and they are overwhelmingly men) who become hooked on this bilge are often miserable about it. They know that it affects their capacity to love and be loved by real women. As [psychiatrist Norman] Doidge explained, “Pornographers promise healthy pleasure and a release from sexual tension, but what they often deliver is an addiction, tolerance, and an eventual decrease in pleasure. Paradoxically, the male patients I worked with often craved pornography but didn’t like it.”³

Addictive behaviors provide escape from the pressures, stress, and even boredom, of daily living. Addiction provides escape from reality. This is the true danger of any addiction. If parents equip their children to know how to handle stress in constructive ways, young people will be less likely to seek the emotional crutch of escapism to deal with the pressures of normal daily life.

Barricading the Soul

The most important job in the world is that of being a parent. Parents are responsible to a large extent for the characters their children form. It is important for parents to equip a child with the tools to handle stress in constructive ways. Training your child to notice and be grateful for the small pleasures and blessings of daily life is also important.

Following are seven concrete ways to help a child, from a young age, form a character that will withstand the seductive allure of pornography. These same principles can apply to other addictive behaviors as well.

1. Provide children with a healthy view of married love.

Children who see their parents enjoying a healthy, romantic marriage are far more likely to grow up to have healthy relationships of their own. When your child sees Dad loving and appreciating Mom in a real-life, romantic relationship, a foundation is laid for healthy, realistic expectations in your child’s own life.

One of the best ways for the husband to highlight real beauty is for him to pursue his wife in the home. There needs to be a lot of hugging and kissing between the husband and wife. Release biblical sexuality and romance from its shameful prison and teach your children a biblical view of love.

Children need to see marital romantic affection. The dad can send a clear message to his children regarding what beauty is and what turns him on—though he would not say it this way to his children. Holding hands, dancing in the living room, hugging for long periods of time, and smooching in front of the kids are beautiful examples of who and what is worthy of a man’s love.⁴

2. A healthy home environment.

All addictions, including pornography, are methods for escape. Make sure your home is a welcoming refuge from the world, where love, warmth, support, and non-critical acceptance are always given to your children. Praising a child for his efforts and hard work, rather than for the finished product, will develop in him satisfaction in hard work. Ultimately, this will take the child further than simply praising for the final result, or praising a child for being smart. Youth get bored easily. When a child is praised for hard work and for the effort put into accomplishing something, a character is formed that finds satisfaction and enjoyment in hard work. Then, when the stress and challenges of the teen years come, they are less likely to turn to the emotional crutches of addiction to cope.

In single-parent homes without a father, it is extremely important for the mother to establish early on a warm, supportive relationship with her son. He should feel he can talk openly and without embarrassment about any topic that concerns him. A calm, non-judgmental demeanor is necessary if you want your son to feel safe enough to confide in you.

If your home is not a warm, welcoming and encouraging place, your child will be drawn to find refuge elsewhere and porn provides an easy escape. Home should be a place to escape to, not from. Within the framework of home as refuge, a young person should be taught healthy techniques for coping with stress. These range from getting sufficient sleep, a healthy diet, and exercise, to prayer and trust in divine power.

3. Teach your child the importance of deferred gratification.

When I was 14, my parents took my brother and me on an extended overseas trip. It was my first trip out of North America and the culture shock was huge. One of the things that really shocked my young mind was the general attitude people in the other country had toward work. Where I was raised in the US, the Puritan work ethic was very much “Work now, play later (if there is no more work to be done).” In the country we were visiting, however, the attitude was “Play now, work later (maybe—unless we can play more later).” It was a culture of instant gratification.

It is extremely important to your child’s character development to instill the principle of deferred gratification. Porn is readily available on the Internet. It is certainly easier to access pornography than to develop and maintain personal relationships in the real world. A teenager who gets gratification from viewing porn on line, will grow into a man that finds it easier to pleasure himself while viewing porn, than put the love and effort in to pleasuring his wife, letting her, in turn, give him pleasure.

“When children run the home by easily persuading their parents to give them the desires of their heart, then there is nothing to stop the child from getting into porn if the opportunity arises. And the opportunity will arise. “[A recent statistic] said out of 813 adults from 18-26, two out of three agreed pornography viewing was acceptable. 86% of the men and 32% of the women used porn. The percentage among women is growing. I think we all agree porn is exponentially easier to access than it was just ten years ago. If the child is set up to get his selfish desires met, it won’t be hard for him to be allured by porn.” (Rick Thomas, author and counselor)

Deferred gratification is a principle that is taught early childhood when a child is taught to obey when Mommy or Daddy says, “No.” Children given everything they ask for develop characters that expect to be granted their every wish. Too many parents use distraction in the early years of childhood. “Distracting” a child, rather than teaching him to learn “No,” is one of the most harmful ways a parent can raise a child. It actively teaches instant gratification: “I don’t want him having this, so I will entice him away with something he finds even more attractive and desirable.” This does not develop strength of character in the child! It only entrenches the belief that he can have anything he finds desirable. Further, it encourages a short attention span that is easily bored.

A child allowed to indulge in instant gratification, bored by anything that requires commitment and hard work, will grow into a self-indulgent adult who seeks for nothing more than instant gratification in all areas of his life.

4. Teach your child that actions have consequences.

A child that is never held accountable for what he does wrong, grows into an adult that knows how to get away with anything, including lying to his wife, and even blaming her for his addiction. This will impact every other area of his life, including his spiritual life.

This starts in babyhood when a child is not taught to obey the very first time Mommy or Daddy says to do something. Some children are taught they can disobey as long as Mommy is still counting: “One … two … two-and-a-half …two-and-three-quarters-I’m-almost-to-threeeee!” And just that fast, the child has just been taught he can disobey until that point. Other children are taught they can disobey until Daddy’s voice reaches a certain decibel.

Children should be taught to obey the very first time they are told to do something in a pleasant tone of voice. Otherwise, they are being actively taught to get away with disobedience until Daddy is yelling or Mommy has counted to “two-and-three-quarters”.

Children who are taught clear, reasonable boundaries and who know they are loved, are happy, secure children. A spoiled child who has never been held accountable for doing wrong will grow up thinking rules and laws (including Yahuwah’s laws) do not apply to him. Such an entitled mental attitude is an open invitation to porn addiction.

5. Actively instill the values you do want in your child.

Christian parents are frequently accustomed to thinking of their child as a garden. Exhausting efforts are put into rooting out every unsightly weed that dares rear its ugly head in the fertile ground of their child’s heart. The problem is if all you ever do is weed, you will simply end up with a barren plot of dirt. To have a beautiful and productive garden, requires more than just weeding.

A beautiful garden will have a variety of flowers and vines that look lovely and smell good attracting butterflies and birds. A productive garden will also have fruits and vegetables for nourishment as well as medicinal herbs that can be used in a variety of productive ways. But having more than a barren plot of dirt, takes work. It requires planning. It also requires actively instilling what you do want and then nurturing what has been planted.

What sort of young adult do you want your child to be when he is 18? Do you want him to be polite, respectful towards women, hard working, kind toward others, and protective of those who are smaller and weaker than himself? Than you need to start planting those things in his character from early childhood and actively nurture them as he grows.

6. Have an honest talk with your kids.

Never, ever, ever lie to your kids. Let them grow up knowing they can always come to you for the truth. If something is not age appropriate, you can tell them that you will answer their question when they are older. Refusing to answer a question is one thing. But lying is something else altogether and will destroy their trust in you.

Start having open, age-appropriate conversations with your kids from a young age. If they cannot come to you for information, they will get it from their peers and that is certainly not a safe place for learning Christian values.

Talk honestly with your kids. You want them to learn their values from you, not their peers.

With open communication established, explain the dangers of pornography to your growing kids. In today’s world, pornographic images are so easy to access online, you will need to have this talk before they hit puberty. My youngest daughter recently stumbled across a picture on line that really upset her. She is only 11 and was looking up pictures of pretty and unusual animals such as longhaired rabbits, and other similar images. All of a sudden, while she was looking up images for the world’s largest dog, an image of a decapitated body popped up. That was not the sort of image she was searching for, but it came up anyway.

The extremely graphic nature of the image was very upsetting to her and bothered her for months. Certain things would trigger the memory of what she had seen, and she would get upset all over again. Pornography also repeatedly pops up in totally seemingly unrelated searches. Something as innocent as looking up cute little fashions for dogs can pull up disgusting hard core porn. Webmasters for pornographic sites take advantage of various key words to suck people into their sites.

Tell your kids the danger of pornography! Don’t let your discomfort over the topic leave your kids ignorant of the dangers. Explain that the best way to avoid addiction is to never try it in the first place!

You can even implement some statements of conviction:

First Conviction: I understand that pornography is an addictive sin that can destroy any hope I have for a happy, fulfilling marriage someday.

Second Conviction: I am accountable to Yahuwah and will be accountable to my parents for what I put in my mind through books, movies, the Internet, and what I listen to.

You are the parent. It is your job to monitor the child’s entertainment. If you don’t, you will not know what they are being exposed to. The long-term consequences of neglecting your role as parent when the child is young can be loss of jobs, loss of marriages, and a deeply unhappy, dissatisfied life when your child reaches adulthood. The habits learned in childhood, for good or for evil, stay with and influence a person all life long.

7. Teach your child self control.

Of all the principles listed here, this is arguably the most important. A child that is taught self-control will grow into an adult that puts the law of Yah ahead of personal desire, and duty ahead of personal gratification. People who are not taught self-control in childhood have it imposed on them when they are older by external forces.

• A teenager that lacks the self-control to diligently study receives lower grades and, later, has fewer opportunities in the job market.
• An adult that lacks the self-control to give an honest day’s work for an honest day’s wage is passed up for promotions at work or is outright fired.
• Worst-case scenario, an adult that has no self-control will end up in prison. The state imposes the control he lacks by removing his freedom of choice and incarcerating him.

Self-control begins with the baby in his mother’s arms. An 18-month old that is allowed to throw a temper tantrum and yell, and scream, and kick, is being taught lack of self-control by default. An 8-year old that is allowed to be rude to his brothers and sisters when he is sick and not feeling well, is being taught lack of self-control by default. A 14-year old that is allowed to raise his voice and yell when angry is being taught lack of self-control again, by default. Anyone can yell when angry. It takes no strength of character to lose one’s temper. However, it takes a great deal of self-control and a strong character to maintain one’s composure and self-control when provoked. 

Parents who do not require their child to exercise self-control do a great disservice to the child that will exact a high price later in life.

Failing to teach self-control is one of the greatest disservices a parent can do to a child. It carries over into every single area of life, including the spiritual life. Surrendering the will to Yahuwah, refusing to indulge in sinful behavior when you really, really want to, requires strength of character that only comes from self-control.

Maybe you do not have the will power to overcome the temptation on your own. We all have areas that require divine assistance to over come. But it takes the learned behavior of self-control to choose, at that point, to turn to Yahushua for help when tempted, rather than give in to the desired temptation.

Where sin begins

Sin always starts first in the mind. It is harbored in the imagination. Then, when an opportunity presents itself, temptation without meets corruption within and the person sins. This can be directly traced back to a lack of self-control.

One of your greatest jobs as a parent is to instill in your young child the principles of self-control. He can never reach the stature of a true man in Yahuwah as long as he is enslaved to the changeable desires of his lower nature.

When man is a partaker of the divine nature, the love of . . . [Yahushua] will be an abiding principle in the soul, and self and its peculiarities will not be exhibited. But it is sad to see those who should be vessels unto honor, indulging in the gratification of the lower nature, and walking in paths that conscience condemns. The corruption within unites with the corruption without, and men professing to be followers of Christ, fall to a low level, always mourning over their shortcomings, but never overcoming, and bruising Satan under their feet. Guilt and condemnation constantly enshroud the soul, and the cry of such might well be, “O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Through indulgence in sin, self-respect is destroyed; and when that is gone, respect for others is lessened, because we are under the impression that others are as unrighteous as we are ourselves.⁵

If your child is already watching porn

Even in the godliest homes, with the most careful parenting, youth can still fall prey to the seduction of pornography. This does not make you a bad parent. Lucifer rebelled in Heaven! However, be aware that what you are dealing with is a true addiction.

Dr. Donald L. Hilton, Jr., urges:

[We need to] treat pornography and sexual addiction as a full addiction, and not from a behavioral/spiritual perspective alone. … Individuals struggling with pornography and sexual addiction must understand that because this is a true addiction, they will not be able to stop unless they seek help from appropriate sources. The rationalization that “this is my private sin, and I can resolve it privately with God” will only produce escalation of the addiction, and entrench them in a double life. They must have the personal desire to seek and obtain repentance and recovery.⁶

If you discover that your child has become ensnared in pornography, there are some specific things you can do to help free them.

A) Do not respond with anger, disgust or emotional tears. Do not seek to shame or humiliate your child. Children and youth are younger members of the royal family of heaven and should be accorded dignity and respect.

If your child is already struggling with a porn addiction, give him the kindness and understanding you want Yahuwah to give you when you fail.

B) Do be calm, kind and understanding. Treat your child just as you want Yahuwah to treat you when you make a mistake. If you, too, have struggled with pornography, you can share what has helped you overcome. Let your child know he (or she) is not alone.

C) Encourage and nurture your child’s trust. Now is not the time to parent with “tough love.” Parents who govern youth with “tough love” will punish even if he has confessed and apologized. Pornography, by its very nature, is a hidden, secretive vice. Do not give your teenager a reason to be even more secretive. Tough love only encourages youth to lie because they know they will be punished anyway, even if they tell the truth. Be a safe haven for your child to come to if he is struggling and needs help.

D) Explain the dangers and problems with pornography. Tell your child how watching pornography actually affects the brain chemistry.

E) Get a qualified counselor skilled in dealing with sexual addiction to work with your child. Remember, because of the changes in brain chemistry, you are dealing with a true addiction.

F) Limit computer access.

G) Keep your child occupied and physically active. Eliminate or reduce the intake of foods that stimulate and excite the lower nature (meats, eggs, excess sugar, caffeine, etc.)

H) Never, ever “write your child off” as lost. It does not make you a bad parent if you discover your child has become addicted to porn. All humans are guaranteed freedom of choice.

I) Pray, pray, pray for your child. Praying for your child is a divine mandate. When Israel insisted on having a king to be like other nations, Samuel’s inspired response is an example for every parent dealing with a struggling child: “Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against Yahuwah in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way.” (1 Samuel 12:23, NKJV) If you are not praying for your child, who is?

Helping your child overcome

Author Rick Thomas observed: “The problem for many of us is we do not understand the insidious allurement of pornography and how our behavior, though unintentional, can help shape a child to crave something which can lead him into a lifetime of slavery.”⁷ Many youth stumble across pornography and become addicted through default. If they are never taught self-control, if they are never held accountable for their actions, if the home environment is not a supportive refuge from the world, youth are far more susceptible to being drawn to the escape offered by pornography. Intentional parenting—knowing the kind of adult you wish your child to be and working toward that goal—is necessary if our children are to be over-comers.

A child who is taught to make his decisions based on principle, rather than feeling, will grow to be an honorable man who lives a principled life. Even if your child is almost grown, it is not too late to begin equipping him with the tools to live a godly, honorable life in the fear of Yahuwah.

 

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¹ This article is written from the perspective of the need to guard young men and boys from the dangers of pornography. Parents should be aware, however, that a growing number of girls have been drawn into watching pornography as well. The principles outlined in this article are equally true for young women or young men.

² http://www.teensafe.com/blog/web-pornography-addiction-affects-teenage-brain/

³ Donald L. Hilton, Jr., MD, He Restoreth My Soul, chapter 4, emphasis supplied.

⁴ http://www.covenanteyes.com/2013/03/20/porn-training-motivation/

⁵ Ellen G. White, Review & Herald, June 30, 1891.

⁶ Hilton, op. cit., Introduction.

⁷ “5 Sure-fire Ways to Motivate Your Child to Use Pornography.”