I think the difference here isn't a matter of condemning people who are unemployed and existing on whatever the food bank (or other charitable source) will give them, the issue is rather -- people who are not in such dire straights and have the resources to eat healthy, tend to use the exceptions EGW makes for those who are unable to obtain good food, as their excuse to continue eating foods that indeed we should learn to cook without.

The introductory post ( 03/22/17 03:06 ) on this egg/milk topic started out with a post telling us "Mrs. White said we should not give up milk and eggs before God revealed it was time to do so. Many are rejecting her testimonies on this point,"

The same person wrote (03/24/17 12:01 ) " Mrs. White tells us plainly not to give up milk and eggs until God reveals that it is time....As for them having "gone off the deep end," that is exactly what veganism is. It is the "deep end." Mrs. White uses the term "extremist" to refer to vegans"

That was the general message at the beginning of this conversation-- (notice the "we" and "us" references) which was clearly implying that anyone (like us) adopting a vegan or near vegan diet was "running ahead of God" and "rejecting EGW" and an "extremist" and courting death.

Later that poster back peddled, saying he didn't say that, he was just saying "don't teach others to be vegans", but the poles were already set.

Of course, when food is scarce one must do the best with what is available to them. There are people who live on food they find in the garbage bins. They do the best they can to stay alive.

However, when taking all EGW's writings in consideration, we ARE to teach people to learn to cook without milk and eggs as far as possible.
This "learning" is progressive.
Milk and eggs aren't cheap either. A person can cook a lot more meals using the same money to buy bags of dried beans, lentils, rice, and other grains, and if you have a garden out back with fresh greens and vegetables, one can live quite healthy without a large expenditure.

True, for some it is not possible, but how many use that for an excuse to just push the warnings and admonition that we should learn a different way of cooking, away, and happily eat a diet rich in milk, milk products, and eggs simply because that's how they like to eat and cook?

Do you have any idea how many people there are who have to make a decision between a couple of pairs of socks and something to eat........

Gary, as Dedication pointed out, is that what anyone was talking about here? Are YOU in that position today? And if you had read previous posts, you would find that it was mentioned that it was for poor people. If you are not poor, you are not the exception. If you are poor and have access to supply the place of that which is given up, you are not the exception.

Gary, as Dedication pointed out, is that what anyone was talking about here? Are YOU in that position today? And if you had read previous posts, you would find that it was mentioned that it was for poor people. If you are not poor, you are not the exception. If you are poor and have access to supply the place of that which is given up, you are not the exception.

The people you should be angry with are those who are so single-minded that they destroy the lives of their own children, and their own health, through their fanaticism. They are the ones you should hold in contempt and have a problem with. They are the kind that bring health reform into disrepute, as they are health deformers. If you cannot understand that you have as big a problem as they do.

This is quite true, and very well said. It is more often than not a big mistake to try to make generalized blanket rules that everyone "must" obey in regards to diet. It is an equally big mistake to pronounce someone's salvation as hinging on what they do or do not eat. That's not where God is at on the issue of diet and health reform. "Rejection of The Testimonies" cannot be proven by someone's apparent disregard of compilation books which are compiled mostly by someone other than Ellen White, and there are better ways to illustrate the health message; which, by the way is a very small part of "The Testimonies" in their entirety.

We can have a variety of good, wholesome food, cooked in a healthful manner, so that it can be made palatable to all. And if you, my sisters, do not know how to cook, I advise you to learn. It is of vital importance to you to know how to cook. There are more souls lost from poor cooking than you have any idea of. It produces sickness, disease, and bad tempers; the system becomes deranged, and heavenly things cannot be discerned. There is more religion in a loaf of good bread than many of you think. There is more religion in good cooking than you have any idea of. We want you to learn what good religion is, and to carry it out in your families. When I have been from home sometimes, I have known that the bread upon the table, and the food generally, would hurt me; but I would be obliged to eat a little to sustain life. It is a sin in the sight of Heaven to have such food. I have suffered for want of proper food. For a dyspeptic stomach, you may place upon your tables fruits of different kinds, but not too many at one meal. In this way you may have a variety, and it will taste good, and after you have eaten your meals you will feel well. {2T 373.1}

As our first parents lost Eden through the indulgence of appetite, our only hope of regaining Eden is through the firm denial of appetite and passion. Abstemiousness in diet and control of all the passions will preserve the intellect and give mental and moral vigor, enabling men to bring all their propensities under the control of the higher powers and to discern between right and wrong, the sacred and the common. All who have a true sense of the sacrifice made by Christ in leaving His home in heaven to come to this world that He might by His own life show man how to resist temptation will cheerfully deny self and choose to be partakers with Christ of His sufferings. {3T 491.1}

Christ knew that in order to successfully carry forward the plan of salvation He must commence the work of redeeming man just where the ruin began. Adam fell by the indulgence of appetite. In order to impress upon man his obligations to obey the law of God, Christ began His work of redemption by reforming the physical habits of man. The declension in virtue and the degeneracy of the race are chiefly attributable to the indulgence of perverted appetite. {3T 486.2}

As a people we have been given the work of making known the principles of health reform. There are some who think that the question of diet is not of sufficient importance to be included in their evangelistic work. But such make a great mistake. God's word declares: Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31. The subject of temperance, in all its bearings, has an important place in the work of salvation. {9T 112.1}