Pastor David Cuke is the pastor of Beacon Light Tabernacle in Wappinger Falls NY. Everything I have heard suggests to me that he is a good man, committed to shepherding his flock in the love of God. His church is in the Northeastern Regional Conference.
On July 10 of this year, the Beacon Light Church hosted a Zoom meeting to discuss covid, personal health and the Covid vax. The meeting was moderated by Miguel Crespo, President of the New York Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, who did a superb job. There were both pro and con positions represented in what turned out to be a vigorous and informed discussion.
Pastor David’s congregation asked him if a follow-up meeting could also be hosted, as many of them wished to hear more on this topic.
A follow-up Zoom meeting titled Right to Choose was scheduled for July 31 (last Sabbath) and ‘advertised’ around the internet.
This is where Adventist Cancel Culture kicks in. On Friday, July 30th (the day before the Zoom meeting), the organizers of the meeting received this email from Pastor David Cuke.
To my dear brother ———,
This communication is to inform you that I have been contacted by my conference president and he indicated that the zoom program scheduled for Saturday, July 31, 2021 at 8pm (The Right to Choose) does not reflect the position of the Northeastern Conference, Beacon Light Tabernacle nor the General Conference of the SDA. In fact he indicated that the General Conference is in support of the COVID 19 vaccination program and further said that a house divided against itself cannot stand. Therefore he mandated that the program be canceled since the name of the Beacon Light Tabernacle, a Northeastern Conference of the SDA church, was given as the one sponsoring the program. And since the program had been promoted far and wide, it would give the impression that the church officially endorsed the sentiments of the program. Unfortunately I must request that this program be cancelled and I hope that this change does not cause too much inconvenience to you or your organization.
Thank you very much for your prompt attention to this very important matter.
Yours in the love of Christ,
Pastor David Cuke
Cancelled. On very short notice.
The next day, over 1,000 people (exceeding Zoom’s maximum of 1,000 participants) logged in to the Zoom meeting, only to discover that the meeting had been cancelled. It did not raise their opinion of the entities that conspired behind the scene to cancel the meeting. Nor should it.
The meeting has been rescheduled for August 8, minus any connection to the Beacon Light Tabernacle.
Observations
When a freedom of conscience meeting is shut down by coercion, that kind of proves the point, eh?
If people wish to hear a viewpoint that they feel has been suppressed, Christian dignity behooves us to allow our brothers and sisters the freedom to hear both sides and make decisions based on their conclusions.
Working behind the scenes to prevent people from hearing an alternative viewpoint is a dark spirit, one that we will likely see again in the Time of the End.
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“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. For one who has died has been set free from sin” (Galatians 5:1).