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<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!><font size=1><b>quote:</b></font><p>Our Story <BR> <BR>During the uproar of the 1960s the younger generation questioned everything. It focused its attention on such major issues as the Vietnam War, civil rights, traditional morality, and ecology. Patriotism, rules, and values were no longer taken for granted. <BR> <BR> <BR>Seventh-day Adventist students were no exception. As more and more church members began to attend non-Adventist universities and colleges they applied critical thinking learned in their studies to other topics—including their church's beliefs and practices—that meant much to them. Many Adventist graduate students and other like-minded individuals began to meet in groups for discussion and fellowship. <BR> <BR>These groups were the forerunners of local Forum chapters that meet today throughout the world. In time, these diverse discussion groups came together under the umbrella of the Association of Adventist Forums (AAF). In 1968, the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists officially endorsed the association in the Adventist Review. The organization is currently known as Adventist Forum (AF). <!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote> <BR> <BR><a href="http://old.spectrummagazine.org/aaf/about.html" target=_top>http://old.spectrummagazine.org/aaf/about.html</a>
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Spectrum, like Adventist Today are both independent journals. The need for independence should be self-evident as the official publications are completely controlled by the denomination. A free press is just as important in religion as in the secular sphere. It is one of first importance, as reflected in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
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<b><font color="0000ff">In 1968, the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists officially endorsed the association in the Adventist Review.</font></b> <BR> <BR>(All of these links need a DjVu Browser Plugin for viewing. See <a href="http://www.adventistarchives.org/GetDjVuControl.asp" target="_blank">**here**</a>. ) <BR> <BR>Later on, according to Roy Branson, GC President Neal Wilson denounced Spectrum before an Annual Council. <BR><a href="http://www.spectrummagazine.org/articles/spectrum_interview/2008/10/01/short_history_spectrum_editor" target=_top>http://www.spectrummagazine.org/articles/spectrum_ interview/2008/10/01/short_history_spectrum_editor</a> <BR> <BR>Neal Wilson's 1984 statement distancing the organization from AAF can be found at: <BR><a href="http://www.adventistarchives.org/docs/RH/RH19841115-V161-46/index.djvu?djvuopts&page=4" target=_top>http://www.adventistarchives.org/docs/RH/RH1984111 5-V161-46/index.djvu?djvuopts&page=4</a> <BR> <BR>The 1968 endorsement in the Review can be found at: <BR><a href="http://www.adventistarchives.org/docs/RH/RH1968-32/index.djvu?djvuopts&page=23" target="_blank">http://www.adventistarchives.org/docs/RH/RH1968-32 /index.djvu?djvuopts&page=23</a> <BR> <BR>And at: <BR> <BR><a href="http://www.adventistarchives.org/docs/RH/RH1968-42/index.djvu?djvuopts&page=16" target="_blank">http://www.adventistarchives.org/docs/RH/RH1968-42 /index.djvu?djvuopts&page=16</a> <BR> <BR>Roy Branson wrote of the forums in 1970. <BR><a href="http://www.adventistarchives.org/docs/RH/RH1970-20/index.djvu?djvuopts&page=16" target="_blank">http://www.adventistarchives.org/docs/RH/RH1970-20 /index.djvu?djvuopts&page=16</a> <BR> <BR> <BR><font color="ffffff"><font size="-2">.</font></font>
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Independence from what? Independence is good as far as it produces positive results not just new ideas that don't jive with Biblical inspiration. I object to individuals like Alex Carpenter spewing forth stuff he finds important when it turns out to just be garbage. Independence may lead away from truth with the wrong Editor/Leader. Dwyer and Carpenter don't necessarily com up with a good product, example: issues on homosexuality not based on sound Biblical background leading to a wrong position on Prop 8, IMO. With that kind of product, thank you for blocking me.
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<b><font color="0000ff">A free press is just as important in religion as in the secular sphere.</font></b> <BR> <BR>It is easy to misunderstand the nature of a free press. It is free in that government cannot legally touch it with its interests. It is not free from the bias, or vulnerability, of its owners. Some "free" press reflect Republican thinking while others, equally "free" reflect Democratic thinking, and still others reflect the thinking of whatever the owner wants to think. The individual reporter working for the owner may not be all that "free". <BR> <BR>Spectrum has developed a reputation within Adventism. It has a history of addressing issues which Adventist publications won't or can't address. From the late 1960's, we have in the Spectrum archives a record of Adventism found nowhere else. A record bigger than any one editor or patron. <BR><font color="ffffff"><font size="-2">.</font></font>
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A "free press" means that it is free from outside interference. The independent SDA journals should be free from the official church to maintain their freedom. <BR> <BR>Biases are demonstrated in all publications; whether official newspapers or official church publications. "Independence" means just that: they are not subject to outside interference but only to inside editors. <BR> <BR>All institutions should have independent voices. Judging from past experience, the officials will always object to anything that disagrees with the official positions. <BR> <BR>SDA "official" publications operate like the old Russian paper "Pravda" which was a laughingstock there.
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