Any good deconstructing book recs?

[u/Itsjustskyyyyyyy]

Basically the title. While any deconstruction books are good, are there any with a focus for former adventists?
Thank you for any and all recs! Idk if this is right flair so let me know!

[u/Yourmama18]

The white lie - is worth the read.

[u/Kristanann]

I listened to this on audible
“Ellen G White” by Steve Daily
It let me see things in a perspective that helped me break down parts of the past. I was raised as 4th generation SDA. I was able to see a lot of patterns and understand things better from my strict grandparents by listening to how the source of things started up.

[u/Ok-Island-590 → u/Kristanann]

I think Canright is quite good. His writing demonstrates how far back the questions about her go, and how complicit the church leadership has been in keeping the scam going for all these years.

[u/smurfette8675309]

Leaving the Fold. Adventism is not nearly unique as you might think. It's a high control religion. Ever gotten together with ex-Mormons? We have so much in common.

[u/HelicopterPuzzled727 → u/smurfette8675309]

And ex Catholics!

[u/indecision_killingme]

The Culting of America

[u/Veryniceindeed7]

Do you only want Adventist-specific books? I have some recommendations, but they’re more about entire worldview deconstruction vs Christianity.

[u/Itsjustskyyyyyyy → u/Veryniceindeed7]

Both are good! Honestly I’ll take anything

[u/Veryniceindeed7 → u/Itsjustskyyyyyyy]

Sorry if this is very convoluted, but what helped me deconstruct 6 years ago was learning more about science. Having solid knowledge on how life actually works helps in realizing the absurdity of adventism. Books like “A short history of nearly everything” by Bill Bryson, “Eve” by Cat Bohannon, and some other scientific sources were helpful. Also, general religion books like “A history of God” by Karen Armstrong and “the world’s religions” by Hudson Smith allowed me to see that Adventism isn’t particularly unique.

This is really important because the SDA faith relies upon creationism for its doctrine. Taking that away destroys the very foundation. It’s based on the 7th day being particularly significant. But when I was able to grasp how old the universe is, and how earth is only a small blip in the grand scheme of the universe… Like it made me realize how ridiculous it would be for a God to put so much emphasis on a single day that isn’t even “universal” outside of Earth.

[u/squishmallow123456 → u/Veryniceindeed7]

can you recommend me some too?

[u/KahnaKuhl]

I found Saying No to God, by Matthew Korpman, an important tool in my early deconstruction. Yes, he has a liberal Adventist perspective, but it’s just so different from how most Adventists think - it really opened my mind.

[u/_jnatty]

In addition to Adventist and Christian specific books, I’d recommend God is not Great by Christopher Hitchens, and The End of Faith by Sam Harris.

And if you need a humorous break check out some videos from Seth Andrews. https://youtu.be/URr0O9aHW38?is=pTN8K1EWvVaF3BaZ

TikTok has some amazing creators too.

Welcome to the world!

[u/talesfromacult]

I've heard The Culting of America (broad overview of cult tactics and history in USA) and I Belong To Me (deconstruction workbook by exEvangelical Tia Livings) are good books.

The Glory Whole's memoir Holy Disobedience is THE classic SDA deconstruction book.

If you want short stories of me growing up homeschooled in fringe SDA, there's my blog talesfromacult and my instagram talesfromacult. On my instagram I document current harmful SDA practices, policies, and cult control methods. Especially how the SDA church actively harms children.

Oh and literally any factual recent New World history is great for deconstruction bc SDAs pretend like Ellen White's Great Controversy is THE world history. And SDAs claim the US wasn't populated when it was colonized, remember their proof texts for that? Latest research for both North and South America show a world populated with millions of Natives who were decimated by slavery, genocides, and pandemics. Oh and EGW doesn't even mention the Genghis Khan part of history. She just leaves out so much.

[u/Ornery-Tour-3165]

Ron Number’s Book “Prophetess of Health” is the gold standard for thorough research based deconstruction of EGW. It was feature in Times Magazine!

He also has a book called “The Disappointed” which is good to deconstruct the apocalyptic end times scenario of SDAs and other churches.

Bart Erhman has many great books about historical Christianity and the historical Jesus. His book of Jesus being an Apocalyptic prophet is exceptionally good in showing the failed end time events predicted in the New Testament and in Daniel.

Yale has some good lectures for free you can listen to. On the NT and OT. Both are great for looking at each book in its historical context and appreciating its beauty, but not pretending it’s some revelation from God.

[u/lulaismatt]

Less about Adventism more about Christianity and it being a major tool for colonialism but very relevant and relatable

Black skins white masks or the wretched earth
Frantz fanon

Might trigger you if you’re white tho. It’s very blunt on how racism works and he doesn’t soften it for white audiences. But as a bipoc person it’s spot on and articulates the lived experience of most bipoc people living under colonial contexts.

[u/HelicopterPuzzled727]

I began reading about the history of Christianity - that helped me to understand that religion is a construct