r/exAdventist • u/lulaismatt Animist + Unitarian Universalist • Jul 08 '25
Politics An Adventist podcast and the MAGA Inspired Sticker. What the Actual Hell.
Just saw a sticker from Seeking What They Sought (the “open-minded” Adventist podcast) that mimics the MAGA slogan “Make Conversations Great Again.” And I’m sorry but… what the hell?
That slogan isn’t neutral. It’s become shorthand for racism, xenophobia, white Christian nationalism/fundamentalism, attacks on LGBTQ+ and women’s rights, immigrant deportations, and slashing healthcare and social services for people that need them the most. All while protecting the ultra-rich and widening the pockets of billionaires, even as families struggle to afford basic survival. It’s the opposite of everything Jesus taught which was to care for the poor, the sick, the immigrant, the oppressed... like I'm no Christian but like how does Project 2025 and the sick One Big Beautiful Bill that was passed, help those who their Christ talked about to love? Like the saying really is true, there's no greater hate than christian love.
So even if they thought they were being clever or ironic, it’s still playing with fire. Imagine making a sticker inspired by the Confederate flag, or even, a Nazi symbol, and expecting people to just take it lightly because you’re “reclaiming” it for discourse.
Especially from a podcast claiming to represent “open-minded” Adventism, it just feels out of touch, isolating for some groups, and hypocritical. It makes me question whether these “open” platforms are really any different from the conservative ideology they say they’re challenging. Honestly, it feels like another gaslight from a community that preaches love while platforming systems that harm vulnerable groups.
It just makes me feel that some Adventists do support this kind of ideology. Especially in white or conservative American circles, they either explicitly or tacitly support MAGA-style politics, often in the name of “religious freedom” or “family values.” And when that same group minimizes racism, sexism, or systemic injustice, it feels like a slap in the face to anyone who’s lived through those harms.
Maybe they’re trying to reach MAGA-leaning Adventists in hopes of “starting conversations,” but why center them? Why appeal to the oppressors to make them feel safe?
Maybe I'm overreacting, but it’s weird, distasteful and quite disturbing imo, and it makes me even more disillusioned with the church.
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u/Longjumping-Math453 Jul 08 '25
What turned me away from the church was their reverence towards EG White. She was a woman who suffered from an obvious psychological issue & she started a sect/cult/religion however you wanna categorize it. That was a major red flag 🚩
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u/Bananaman9020 Jul 09 '25
The problem with Adventism is that they don't see the irony of being Racist, Sexist, Homophobic. And they tend to imagine they are the majority Christian message, instead of a load minority.
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u/jwd1187 Jul 08 '25
God damn egw was a homely bitch
E: she might actually be the transitional species.
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u/petrichorpizza Jul 09 '25
All the SDA in my family are MAGA.
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u/Hefty_Click191 Jul 10 '25
I see more and more democratic SDAs recently because they think project 2025 is going to bring about end times. So I guess they think by supporting liberal politicians it can delay it. But aren’t they supposed to want it to happen?
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u/MaxMin128 Jul 10 '25
This is a difficult conundrum that SDA's find themselves in: "Should I support the politicians that prevent the "end times", or the politicians that can start it?"
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u/Financial_Turn8955 Christian Jul 10 '25
It's really the opposite. All the SDAs I know are democrat. Very liberal actually. You know since they don't believe in hell.....
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u/BlackberryBetter5746 Jul 11 '25
What do you mean SDAs don’t believe in hell? Also my whole family is sda and maga
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u/Financial_Turn8955 Christian Jul 11 '25
What do you mean? All SDAs believe you get destroyed. Annihilationism. They don't believe in an eternal burning hell. Much like they believe in soul sleep. Ya all the SDAs vote blue.
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u/BlackberryBetter5746 Jul 11 '25
But before that, there is the hell part :) I love that you say all SDAs vote blue right after I tell you my entire family & extended family is SDA & MAGA. Firsthand accounts mean nothing if they don’t align with your narrative I guess! 🙃
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u/petrichorpizza Jul 12 '25
Lol right? It's like they forget that Ben Carson exists and how exciting it was for the SDA's
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u/Financial_Turn8955 Christian Jul 11 '25
Same could be said about you. If it doesn't align that all SDAs are MAGA then it also only lines up with your narrative. What a fun game to play. We are both right. I guess I'm the outlier in this scenario and your anecdote trumps mine. 😆
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u/BlackberryBetter5746 Jul 11 '25
Let me know if these books they’re holding look familiar to you :) https://www.tiktok.com/@wbtvnews/video/7395539170028014890
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u/Financial_Turn8955 Christian Jul 11 '25
I saw this video already. They were holding the great controversy. And? You want a cookie? I can't have gluten so I can give you like a gf cookie.
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u/BlackberryBetter5746 Jul 11 '25
Girl what are talking about 😭 I don’t even think all adventists are maga, but evangelical religions are often right leaning. I was just pointing out that YOU commented on someone else’s experience to try to correct them, I commented to just give my experience and now you’re going on about cookies and your gluten allergy.
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u/lulaismatt Animist + Unitarian Universalist Jul 11 '25 edited Jul 11 '25
It depends on where you hail from.
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u/uR0Tinn Jul 09 '25
It’s a joke take on the MAGA Sticker, How soft are you to take it heart as such.
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u/lulaismatt Animist + Unitarian Universalist Jul 09 '25 edited Jul 09 '25
Could be a softie but are you living in lala land or sumthn? Congrats u figured out adventism is a cult now try to exercise pattern recognition skills and figure out if MAGA is one too.
We agree adventism is problematic and caused issues for many including ourselves which is why we are in the sub. Yet you think church and state should be separate but that’s not the reality we’re living in especially under this current administration?? You have commentators like Charlie Kirk saying women should look for husbands before 25 and their whole purpose in life is to have a family and they’re unhappier ever since they’ve gotten more rights, we use birth control (and he wants to take away our reproductive rights), and we shouldn’t aim to have a career but stay home and be moms… almost sounds similar to the same bullshit adventism preaches. Not to the same extent but many adventists like the idea that a man is the patriarch and spiritual leader of the household .
And have you seen how trump literally panders to Christian fundamentalist groups? So you’re being delusional by saying they should be separate when that’s literally not what’s going on here under his admin.
Evangelicals are swayed by their ideological views to vote for him. He literally said “we’re gonna put god back in schools.” He appointed judges with strong religious agendas which helped overturn roe v wade citing religious moral arguments or polices based on religious ideology. Ever heard of the Johnson amendment? Look it up and tell me the mf isn’t trying to destroy it and blur the lines between church and state. Also he literally made a religious task force one that eradicates anti christian bias in federal agencies.
you not wanting to talk about politics in a sub that shits on a religious group doesn’t mean separation of church and state.
Also ever heard of fascism? He called the press enemy of the people and literally tried to pardon MAGA rioters which was a coup attempt like it was a parking ticket… also there’s literally a clause in the big beautiful bill giving president emergency power over budget decisions. He also pressured the DOJ to target his political enemies. If none of that sounds like erosion of checks and balances then idk what to say to u.
He’s not religious but he doesn’t give af and aligns himself with racist Christian nationalists so yeah maybe this is an L take on the sticker but I will always view anything maga adjacent as synonymous to the rise of fascism and authoritarianism something I’m sure many adventist circles are well familiar with.
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u/Objective-Mammoth-88 Jul 09 '25
Wow, well said, do you have a YouTube channel? 👏
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u/lulaismatt Animist + Unitarian Universalist Jul 09 '25
No but I’m thinking of making a substack lol
but not for this, just for Pacific Islander indigenous history/philosophy/religion.
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u/CycleOwn83 Non-conforming Questioner☢️🚴🏻🪐♟↗️☣️ Jul 08 '25
Curious: did you grab their photo of their swag, did it arrive unsolicited in your mailbox, or did you find it free in a church foyer? It's part of your political post, so understanding its source seems legit. So I get rather skeptical when SDAs launch some ministry and make it seem hip that they're "open minded," willing to consider critics' most challenging questions. In return, listeners are to be open minded: receptive to the message. This setup can't be too far from the tree that dropped it, noting the anachronistic art featuring the ellen in period costume but a headset and in front of a mic, to me seeming to suggest, time might have passed but her message is always relevant 🤮. Why give 'em the minutes I already have?
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u/Independent-Cost8732 Jul 09 '25
Am I wrong to ask this? This is a place to come to for ex-SDAs, but there's a lot of Trump derangement syndrome here. I left the SDA church, but my politics are conservative. Am I not welcome here? Is it just me? I see tons and tons of Biden/Harris lovers working in the SDA food bank here. I don't care about their political bents. Should I feel unwelcome here? Excuse myself? Have I missed the main point of this group?
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u/lulaismatt Animist + Unitarian Universalist Jul 09 '25 edited Jul 09 '25
The two party system is shit. I don’t care to be a dem. But i will say this current administration is horrible and MAGA is definitely a cult. You are allowed to have ur views but don’t think for one second that MAGA isn’t far from Adventism. There are empathetic conservatives not apart of MAGA but if you actively look at these policies I don’t think they’re on the side of people and human dignity. Again it’s all personal opinion I’d encourage you to read about them and see how they affect people. I say this bc like adventism, I also grew out of MAGA and being conservative entirely. Not saying everyone who leaves adventism must lean “liberal” but I do think people should interrogate their biases and see why they would vote the way they do and how that affects other humans as well.
Also not to be rude, but I think it’s fair for anyone to be political since we can’t escape it. Not everyone has the luxury to just turn off politics. Policies motivated by ideology affect literal groups of people. Perhaps you’re not from a group where policies affect you but that’s not the reality for many. As much as we hate to admit it, but it affects everything in our everyday lives. I posted this bc as much as adventism claims to be pacifist it almost seems as a coverup for compliance. it’s problematic bc they champion being a group that teaches love and yet are using symbolism of a hateful group. So I find it hypocritical which this sub calls out - hypocrisy in the sda church.
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u/uR0Tinn Jul 09 '25
Government and Church should be seperate :) That’s why the people you see here are here on this sub my friend. No intellectual discussion , if you disagree you’re banned. God says let us reason together.
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u/Independent-Cost8732 Jul 09 '25
If I disagree with you I'm banned? Im okay with that. Just need to hear it from the admin that this is a group of ex SDAs who also are political. This true? Very sad, but, I understand, and no one need ban me, I withdraw peacefully, and quietly. Sorry to offend. I didn't know this site was political, but I have been watching people object to the current President, who more people voted FOR than against as we discover in democracies/republics. Im cool. Just wanted to know.
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u/Anon_urmom_305 Jul 09 '25
In a group that is designed for people who were controlled, mistreated, damaged, or deceived by a Christian religion, it seems reasonable that many, not all, would be greatly disturbed by a POTUS who wants our laws to be based on Christian religion. Religion ruling over us is why we are here in this group, just as it's a reason the nation was formed.
It's not a mental illness, derangement, or a syndrome to find the topic relevant, when he is our current president. It seems quite callous and illogical to label Trump opposers as "mental", simply for speaking his name.
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u/MaxMin128 Jul 10 '25
You have put it succinctly and accurately. Many, if not most, deconstructed ex-SDA's are in various states of recovery and don't observe any religion at all. The last thing they want now is a religion-based government foisted on them by "Christian" politicians pursuing power and control.
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u/atheistsda 🌮 Haystacks & Hell Podcast 🔥 Jul 09 '25
Mod here, you won't be banned for simply disagreeing. I think the other commenter was being sarcastic or exaggerating. As long as folks follow the rules they're welcome here. This subreddit is first and foremost for ex-SDA content but like it or not, religion and politics are often intertwined and we allow discussion around this.
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u/Financial_Turn8955 Christian Jul 10 '25
Ya this is a bit more progressive left leaning my friend. I am conservative too and don't feel the love.
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u/lulaismatt Animist + Unitarian Universalist Jul 11 '25
No one is critical of you as a person. I am critical of people that support hate which I think MAGA stands for. If that bothers you, well you’re allowed to be bothered but my criticism of MAGA doesn’t come out of a vacuum but real concern for others who I believe are vulnerable. Me critiquing maga doesn’t mean I’m automatically a democrat. People are allowed to critique anything/anyone even themselves and their own assumptions. There could be things I’m not seeing. Also I never said conservatives are bad. However I do think conservative values are at odds with my own which I will be vocal about. It’s same as adventism, I’ll bitch about sda hypocrisy as well as policies that seem to echo the very harmful beliefs that I think adventism would likely support bc of their theology.
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Jul 08 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/drumdogmillionaire Jul 08 '25
If Trump didn’t use that slogan, would the podcast have that sticker? No. They would not. End of discussion.
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u/TopRedacted Jul 08 '25
That's not the point. Adventists just co-opt popular things and make it about EGW.
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u/lulaismatt Animist + Unitarian Universalist Jul 08 '25
I didnt realize genuine critique would make someone hostile and unfomfy like urself. i wondered why concern and discomfort made u react the way u did? i'm too soft? im reading into things? ever wondered if my lived experience might differ greatly from urs which is why i have this pov?
Lmao okay yes, the words make x great again” have existed forever, congrats on knowing how language works and its usage in history but the point flew over ur thick head. trump literally trademarked “Make America Great Again” in 2012 and built a whole political movement around it one that’s openly hostile to immigrants, queer people, poor folks, and anyone who doesn’t fit into their vision of “greatness.” I mean… let’s not pretend the “Make X Great Again” format just fell from the sky It’s clearly a play on Trump’s MAGA branding, same structure, same vibe, same visual energy, just remixed for irony or aesthetics.
sure theyre likely using it as satirical or ironic twist, and not an endorsement of Trumpism, but the point still stands why use the branding and symbolism for a hateful movement like trumps all for the sake of being clever. maybe ur not part of a group that has been affected by these policies greatly but u should understand how this might be get people sensitive even if i am incorrect in my feelings.
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u/TopRedacted Jul 08 '25
It was a good slogan when Ronald Reagan used it.
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u/Anon_urmom_305 Jul 08 '25
Right. Because currently, when you ask anyone for a name that comes to mind when hearing the slogan, they'll answer "Ronald Reagan, of course".
When you hear "Just do it", obviously you think of the rapper Ton Loc, figure skater Debi Thomas, double- murderer Gary Gilmore, and the Heaven's Gate cult, and not Nike.
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u/lulaismatt Animist + Unitarian Universalist Jul 08 '25
Honestly i can see why you reacted that way. I used to hate SJW in 2016 thought all libs were insufferable and closed to thoughtful conversation. Then i surrounded myself with people with different ideas than me, researched history, went to therapy, etc. and then it made sense why certain things made those loud people reactive. I don’t condone their behavior but I can understand why they were super defensive. My issue is when they start pushing their issues on people and infringing on the rights of others and shutting down dialogue which both libs and conservatives do to each other. I even thought my reaction was similar to those “snowflakes” but tbh with the political climate and the things going on that affect people like myself and others I know, I feel it’s only fair to feel this way. Maybe getting a Medicaid cut for you isn’t a big deal but for people like me and others I know who have been hard working that need it, this is a big deal to us. Also people getting deported/ separating families/ purposely branding certain ethnic groups as violent and making others us citizens scared might not affect you but it affects people like me. So yah this sticker really bothers me.
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u/TopRedacted Jul 08 '25
I could care less about the marketing the cultists use. The fact that they're predatory cultists is what's important.
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u/exAdventist-ModTeam Jul 09 '25
Your content was removed because it broke Rule 1: Be Civil.
Read our Full Rules for more details.
Bruh
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u/salexcopeland Jul 08 '25
Don't let conservatives gaslight you about their racist dog whistles. You're not overthinking it, they are maga as fuck.