SILVER SPRING, Md. — Amid fears of budding ecumenism within their ranks, Adventist world leaders have begun cracking down on various General Conference departments that have engaged in conversations outside of the church. To the surprise of many, the World Pathfinder Department has been singled out for punishment.
“The Bible clearly states that we are to be separate from the world,” said GC Isolationism Director Miles Thompson in a recent interview. “We are worried that our Pathfinder leaders are jeopardizing our unique remnant status by engaging with sinners: the unevangelized and various large scouting organizations.”
Many Adventists are unused to the church taking this strong of a stand against conversations outside of the church and, Thompson admits, the stance has taken on a new dimension. “We were cautious but accepting of talks with evangelical Christians since they hold similar beliefs to ours,” he said. “But now that evangelical Christianity has started cozying up to the papacy, we do not want to be associated with the beast and will therefore cease conversation with the other side.”
The Pathfinder leadership interactions at the heart of the current dust-up involve an ongoing series of monthly scouting leadership conferences in which Pathfinder, Boy and Girl Scout leaders discussed knot tying and survival camping best practices as well as sharing program idea
All funding to scouting conference attendance has now been cut and per diem privileges for the Pathfinder officials have been suspended for the rest of the year. “We’re keeping these Master Guides on a short leash,” said Thompson, adding that the leaders had each been stripped of all their honor badges as an added, outward display of the seriousness of their offense.
Special thanks to Charles Snitch for the story
