Crater,
The only thing I have seen independent ministries do is bash the SeventhDay Adventist church.
Where I live there is a lady who is with HopeInt, and this is exactly what she does. I have also seen others who profess to be Christians, and the same venomous accusations come out of their mouths, and they do the exact same thing that Ellen White wrote about i.e. Sow discord, break up unity, and have their imaginary battlecry "standing by the old landmarks".
I have actually entertained ideas from these independent groups, have talked with them to get an understanding of what it is they believe, and in fact look at what I believe and see where I may be wrong. I see very little and in fact very rarely anything about the 3rd Angels message, or talks about having the mind of Christ. Some have areas of specialty i.e. Feast Days, the Trinity, or showing documentation at how much the SDA organization has apostatized.
My mental response is "Who cares" since we share the same air with murderers, look at the same moon as prostitutes, and share the same telephone connections and internet connections used to broadcast pornography, and all live on a planet where evil is all around us, and all they can talk about is how worldly the church is, how it has apostatized, how it has lied bla bla.
I am sure every organization has its dark secrets, but I am not attached to a mental collective and turned into a drone. I as an individual make up my own mind, and take action based on what I have seen, and I actually prefer the SDA organized church to be more fruitful with all it's faults in it's proclamation of the Gospel than I do these independent minsitries, who seem to be a support group for disgruntled people. This is what I have seen, and heard with my own eyes and ears.
What are your thoughts?
God Bless & Happy Sabbath,
Will

Your list is very similar to the list I made from the same quote (Pillars/Landmarks). It looks like the 28 is a superset of the pillars from that quote. But I wouldn't say that the rest of the 28 are non-essentials. Topics such as the Scriptures and the Godhead did not make it on the list in CW, but I think they are pretty important.

I've had my share of experiences with those you describe. And I think one fundamental reason why they do what they do is because they are drones. Perfectly mimicking their leader, they will attack the church by enumerating the errors of past and present leaders, evidently believing that SDAs are members because of particular human leaders and assuming that you will join them once you see that the leadership is imperfect. They can't quite comprehend that one can be part of an organization, without surrendering one's will to the human head of the organization.

But don't ever try to disagree with their leader. Their leader is perfect in all his interpretations and pronouncements. If you do, you are a Jesuit spy, or a dumb dog, or a willing dupe, or a ....

OTOH, the SDA organization does fall short of its mission. And there are too many who are satisfied with the status quo. If we would be more faithful to duty, I think there would be fewer independent ministries (and their followers).

I read the entire thread from the link you posted asygo, and I think the landmarks you listed and the ones here are exactly the same thing.
The items you listed were not mentioned as being a landmark. This is not what made the SDA church special with the message God had given it to proclaim to others. All other churches have that, what was a landmark in making the SDA Church different? I believe the landmarks identified illustrate it in all its simplicity.
What do you think?
God Bless & Happy Sabbath,
Will

I agree asygo, many are satisfied with the status quo, and there are several areas the SDA church falls short in, let alone condones things that aren't correct, but that's "them". I know that when I made the decision to join the SDA church it was for one obvious clear reason, and it was because of they keep the commandments of God and are strong regarding prophecy.
As a body made up of members, we can all do something to tell others about Jesus Christ and how He is coming again.
God Bless & Happy Sabbath,
Will

I'm not sure that the landmarks are unique to Adventism. The 7th-day Baptists got the Sabbath first. I've heard that our only unique teaching is the sanctuary. But regardless, they are all true.

And to answer the original question, I think there is a difference, but there is no conflict.

You're right asygo, I forgot about SDB's. However isn't the Three Angels Message unique to SDA's also, and also what is called annihilation where the dead are completely destroyed instead of living for eternity in hell also unique to SDA's?
God Bless,
Will

Come to think of it, maybe the Sanctuary teaching is unique to the SDA's. The reason I mention that is that the early SDA's were a mixture of people from different backgrounds, William Miller was Baptist, Ellen White Methodist, and others were from different denominations. Some doctrines from each of those or from some came into the SDA church.
God Bless,
Will

I was thinking of the terms being used here: pillars, landmarks, fundamentals, etc. The word pillar reminds me of construction. The foundation, therefore, must be Christ and Him crucified. The pillars stand upon it. The roof rests upon the pillars. I suppose the rest of the fundamental beliefs make up the roof? I dunno know. Was just thinking out loud.

RE: Babylon bashers. I like the following statement: " The way to dispel darkness is to admit light. The best way to deal with error is to present truth. It is the revelation of God's love that makes manifest the deformity and sin of the heart centered in self." {DA 498.5} Why focus on fighting darkness when focusing on the light does the job?

I think not any of them isolately, but all of them together is what distinguishes the SDA Church from other churches.