Conservatives love Ben Carson! But they don’t seem to know one of the most important things about him. At least judging from the utterly unscientific evidence on hand at this humble blog, it looks like people want to know more about Dr. Carson’s peculiar religion.
SAGLRROILYBYGTH are well aware that we’ve spent our share of time discussing Carson’s ideas and background. As a devout Seventh-day Adventist, Carson has publicly and explicitly supported his denomination’s firm and fairly extreme creationist doctrines.
Unlike most other conservative Protestant denominations, SDA believers have a good reason to believe in a literal six-day creation within the past 8,000 years ago or so. Their founding prophet, Ellen G. White, saw it herself.
Today in the ILYBYGTH newsroom, we got some evidence that suggests people are curious about Dr. Carson’s religion. In this screenshot captured early this morning, we can see a number of people came to these pages searching for news about Carson’s denomination. Is he a Seventh day “aventist?” What religion is he? What church does he attend?
Who is this Carson fellow, anyway?
Conservatives love him, but it seems some of them want to know more. Would it be a turn-off for some voters if they knew about Carson’s denomination? Historically, as I argued in my first book, some conservative evangelical Protestants viewed Seventh-day Adventism as a dangerous and deceptive cult.
Things have changed, for sure. I wonder, though, if news of Carson’s denomination would hurt his chances with some conservative Christians.
I Love You but You're Going to Hell 
Ruth
/ September 10, 2015Can I assume, as a neurosurgeon and potential president, that he doesn’t adhere very strictly to keeping the Sabbath? Around here the SDA’s don’t cook, clean, or do anything that might be construed as work, after sundown on Friday night until sundown on Saturday night.
Adam Laats
/ September 10, 2015Good question. I don’t know. Anyone
else?
sheila0405
/ September 10, 2015OMG, are we really going to do an Obama in reverse? “Is Obama really a Muslim?” “Is Ben Carson a ‘true’ 7th Day Adventist?” I had enough with Glenn Beck making himself to be the God police after he attacked Jim Wallis. I don’t need any more of this stuff. How about we just elect an atheist? That would be fine with me.
Ruth
/ September 11, 2015Ha! Turn about’s fair play?
No, I really am not trying to say whether Carson’s a *true* 7th Day Adventist or not. I’m not even certain what that criteria might be. I don’t doubt his faith. I just know that I want the president, no matter what faith(or no faith at all), not to phone it in on a Saturday because he can’t help the oxen out of the ditch. 😉
sheila0405
/ September 11, 2015I got a good laugh out of your pulling an ox out of a ditch comment! Thanks! I agree with you about phoning it in. It would be so much nicer if we elected an atheist. I know I’m dreaming, here, but then we would really have separation of church and state.
sheila0405
/ September 10, 2015Well, Liberty University invited Mitt Romney to speak, so there’s that. And, Bernie Sanders is likewise invited. LU, as you know, was founded by ultra-conservative Jerry Falwell. I suppose in this crazy election year, conservatives are likely to head to any port in a storm? I’m still having issues with evangelicals supporting Mr Trump. What do I know?
Ruth
/ September 11, 2015I’m still having issues with evangelicals supporting Mr Trump. What do I know?
Ooh…me too. Puzzly puzzler that is. I think it just goes to show that these so-called evangelicals put the mighty dollar before their faith. Makes me wonder who or what they’re really worshiping.
Dan Knauss
/ September 14, 2015Those conservative Evangelicals a right — Seventh Day Adventism is potentially dangerous, deceptive cult, as are a lot of conservative evangelical Protestant churches. Every religious conservative stumbles over others’ beliefs while being blind to the strangeness of their own. For everyone else, I think there is just a general interest in assessing just how out of step with reality a politician is, according to the secular orthodoxies of liberalism, science, and so on. Does Carson’s religious affiliation deny evolution, climate change, and take a generally skeptical view of science? Does it look at the ideal of equal freedoms for all classes of people as a threat to the social order? Does it have theocratic intentions or see the nation as “chosen” by God? Does it have an apocalyptic view of history? Does it focus on an interventionist idea of God who most likes to intervene militarily in foreign affairs and retributive justice at home? These are things you want to know about political leaders and presidential candidates.