SDA DAUGHTER OF BABYLON

The Road to the Inquisition
by Mike Bauler

"We should be very cautious lest we take the first steps in this road that leads to the Inquisition."

Open Apostasy in Russia

About the same time as the Hungarian Crisis, a similar situation occurred in Communist Russia. The issues that the faithful Adventists in Russia faced at this time were that the Conference was 1) promoting SDA children attending school on Sabbath, 2) working to stop evangelism in Russia and 3) allowing the pastors to read fictional books from the pulpit on Sabbath morning.

The faithful Seventh-day Adventists began to write letters to the General Conference about the issue of sending their children to school on the Sabbath. Their reply was that they could not find a Biblical reason for them not to be attending schools on the Sabbath. (See The Kulakov File, 49.)

Kulakov, a self-appointed leader, was a strong supporter of all of the apostasy which the faithful Adventists were standing up against. When these faithful ones went to the General Conference for help, with reports of what Kulakov was promoting, not only did they not receive any help, but Kulakov received the support of the GC.

Without opposition from the General Conference, Kulakov went to the civil authorities, and with their help, forced the faithful Adventists out of their long established churches. He and his followers then became the registered church in Russia. This then made the faithful Adventists an illegal organization, no longer recognized by the state as legitimate, and this forced them to go underground and hold their worship services in secret. (See The Kulkov File, 64,65.) One hundred ministers sought help from the GC, but did not find it. In their letter to the conference leadership they correctly predicted what would happen. "If you give the permission that Kulakov requests, you will open the door to the possibility of persecution by the authorities." (See Ibid, 56.)
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STUDY 11 - Part II - STUDY 11 - Part II - CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION OR COMBATANCY?

1. In the Soviet Union

During their fifth general assembly in Russia, the leaders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church declared:

"The Soviet Government is actually endeavoring to ensure our full freedom of conscience, permitting us to fulfill our duty toward the State according to our conscientious convictions before God and before the Soviet Government. The doctrine of the Seventh-day Adventists grants their members freedom of conscience in this question, and does not give them any instruction as to how they should act, inasmuch as each individual must be responsible for himself in regard to the military question, in accordance with his own conscience. The Seventh-day Adventist Conference, moreover, does not forbid its members to render military service if their conscience permits them to do so." -Report of the Fifth General Assembly of Seventh-day Adventists, Moscow, August 16-23, 1924.

The following declaration was made during the sixth general assembly of Adventists in Russia:

"1. Based on the teachings of the Holy Scriptures (Old and New Testaments: 1 Sam. 8:10-12; 10:25; Luke 20:25; Rom. 13:1-6 and Titus 3:1), which show that the authorities are ordained of God to protect the faithful and punish the wicked, and having in view the declaration of the Fifth General Assembly of Seventh-day Adventists, where our relationship to the Soviet Government was clearly outlined in 1924, this Sixth Assembly of Seventh-day Adventists, 1928, declares and decides that SDA's are required to render to Caesar that which belongs to Caesar and to God that which belongs to God. This means that they are to serve the State in the army and render all forms of service, according to the established rule for all citizens.

"This assembly regards as false teachers all those who teach contrary to this decision and who try to induce the people not to perform their duties toward the State. Those doing so act contrary to the Holy Scriptures and separate themselves from the united church of God, placing themselves outside the Seventh-day Adventist organization. http://www.sdarm.net/northwestfield/publications/way/gws-11-2.htm

2. In Romania

The following declaration was submitted by the Adventist Church to the Ministry of Public Worship and Education in 1923:

"It is true that at the mobilization in 1914, and also during the war, 1916-1918, all Seventh-day Adventists, numbering many hundreds, reported themselves. Their officers have in many instances praised them, testifying to their faithful service rendered during the time of the war....

"If there are any who refuse to take the oath or decline to bear arms and do military service, then these either belong to another sect or do not belong to any, but interpret the Bible according to their own understanding."-Memorial Acts, p. 18.

In 1924, the Romanian Union issued a publication authored by its president, P. P. Paulini, stating:

"Doing military service and taking part in war does not involve a covenant with the world, nor is it equivalent to taking sides with Babylon. Participation in war is a mere civil duty. As far as the war service is concerned, our young men will perform' their duties also on the Sabbath."-Prophecy, p. 41.
http://www.sdarm.net/northwestfield/publications/way/gws-11-2.htm

"It is hard to believe, but there [in Europe] the lack of liberty is a real problem. Not even in one country of our Division are the children allowed to attend the Sabbath school. All of them are enrolled in public schools, except those whose parents can pay tuition for their children in private schools. In some of the countries private schools are not permitted.

"In one country, Yugoslavia, children have to produce baptismal certificates in order to attend school. Therefore, all Adventist children are baptized by a Catholic priest so they can obtain a baptismal certificate.

"In practically all countries military service is compulsory by law. All young men have to be under arms for one and a half to three years. They cannot even dream of keeping the Sabbath. Military service takes the young people in their most impressive age and places them under the most unfavorable conditions, without any religious help. Some of our brethren show a true character by obeying God. In some countries all army units have to listen to Catholic preaching and attend mass. These conditions seem to be real obstacles to the development of a Christian character."-La Revista Adventista [SDA paper published in Argentina], November 1937, last page. http://www.sdarm.net/northwestfield/publications/way/gws-11-2.htm