Full list of what the SDA church prohibits/frowns upon
I've been out of the church for 15 years and from what I was recently told, the church has made a lot of changes. I'm working on a project and trying to make a comprehensive list of things that were prohibited in the SDA church or that could potentially get you thrown out or “censored”, as they called it in my church, from the 1990s to 2010.
Here's what I have so far. Are there any others you can add? I know that some of these differ depending on geographic location/cultural traditions, etc. I was raised in a Spanish-speaking church, for example, and we weren’t allowed to wear any type of jewelry including wedding bands, but I know Brazilian SDAs were allowed to wear wedding bands. I think the list I have below applies to every SDA with a few exceptions, perhaps.
Appreciate any help!
- Piercings, tattoos, jewelry
- Clothing that’s too tight, too revealing, too short
- Wearing pants to church or bikinis to swim (women)
- Nail polish any color besides clear
- Wearing makeup especially lipstick and eyeshadow (women)
- Dancing of any type
- Secular music
- Going to the movie theater, dance clubs, bars
- Eating pork, most seafood, duck, not following the food rules
- Buying/shopping, working, doing anything “secular” on the sabbath
- Skipping church service / frequently absent
- Participating in Halloween
- Putting up a Christmas tree or specifically using balls in tree decorations
- Celebrating Easter, lent
- Not reading the Bible
- Marrying or being in a relationship with a non-SDA partner
- Masturbating
- Pre-marital sex of any kind / fornication
- Divorce / separation
- Pornography
- Homosexuality / not heterosexual
- Failing to tithe
- Engaging in anything occult, visiting psychics, mediums, astrology
- Not believing in Ellen G. White
- Doing drugs, drinking alcohol
- Drinking coffee
- Idolatry
- Consuming fantasy content in tv, films, book