The credits list people associated with the production of the video. There is one section of the credits, entitled Special Thanks, that lists people who provided commentary on the video.
It may be helpful to those viewing the video to know a little more about some of these people—more than what you will discover through the video itself. We are sure that the video's producers, who want people to know more about the "true" Joseph Smith, won't mind if others know more about the people they have selected as experts on Mormonism.
Individuals are highlighted, below, in alphabetical order.
Marvin Cowan
|
|
Marvin is the director or owner of Utah Christian Publications. This organization sells exclusivly anti Mormon books and material. Many of the books sold by UCP are written by the other people listed in the credits of this DVD.
|
Scott Gallatin
|
|
Scott Gallatin is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Finger Lakes in Farmington, New York.
|
Dennis Higley
|
|
Dennis Higley is married to Rauni Higley. Dennis and Rauni are active anti Mormons in the Finnish language.
|
Rauni Higley
|
|
Rauni Higley is an active anti Mormon in the Finnish Language. She is married to Dennis Higley.
|
Tim and Karen Howard
|
|
Info
|
Dave Hunt
|
|
Dave Hunt is the coauthor of both the original and the "updated and expanded" version of The God Makers. He is "an internationally recognized cult expert." The 1984 edition says he's the author of 10 books in 20 languages, and the 1994 edition gives him "20-plus books [with] combined sales of more than 3 million copies."
Mr. Hunt's work was characterized by the non-Mormon US National Council of Christians and Jews as follows:
- "The Godmakers" ... does not, in our opinion, fairly portray the Mormon Church, Mormon belief, or Mormon history. It makes extensive use of 'half-truth', faulty generalizations, erroneous interpretations, and sensationalism…not reflective of the genuine spirit of the Mormon faith...It appears to us to be a basically unfair and untruthful presentation of what Mormons really believe and practice.
- — National Council of Christians and Jews, "Programs in Pluralism," April 1984.off-site
It appears that very little has changed. Mr. Hunt needs to repent for continuing to bear false witness.
To read more:
- Gilbert W. Scharffs, "The Truth About 'The Godmakers'" (a line-by-line refutation) FAIR link
- Craig L. Foster, "Old Themes and Stereotypes Never Die: The Unchanging Ways of Anti-Mormons," FAIR link
- Robert Brown and Rosemary Brown, They Lie In Wait to Deceive: Vol. 4 FAIR link
|
Scott Johnson
|
|
Scott Johnson is the "Producer" for Living Hope Ministries, a "Ministry," lead by Joel Kramer, which produces anti Mormon DVDs.
To read more
- Brant Gradner, "Behind the Mask, Behind the Curtain: Uncovering the Illusion (Review of The Bible vs. the Book of Mormon FAIR link
- David E. Bokovoy, "The Bible vs. the Book of Mormon: Still Losing the Battle: Review of The Bible vs. the Book of Mormon by Joel P. Kramer and Scott R. Johnson," FARMS Review 18/1 (2006): 3–19. off-site wiki
- Louis Midgley, "Orders of Submission: Review of "Essays on Mormonism," Southern Baptist Journal of Theology 9/2 (Summer 2005): 1–81.," FARMS Review 18/2 (2006): 189–228. off-site wiki
|
Joel Kramer
|
|
Joel Kramer is the Director of Living Hope Ministries from Brigham City, Utah. Their mission statement is: "Living Hope Ministries exists to share biblical truths with Mormons, and to educate and equip Christian individuals, ministries and churches to reach Mormons for the biblical Jesus Christ. " Living Hope Ministries have produced several anti Mormon DVDs.
Joel has been recently arrested for disorderly conduct as he refused to comply with a police officer as he was allegedly unlawfully video taping an LDS pagent. Of course just being arrested may not mean anything, but it certainly was important to the writers of this DVD when talking about Joseph Smith. Since it was so important to them, we thought it only fair to include it here.
To read more:
- Brant Gradner, "Behind the Mask, Behind the Curtain: Uncovering the Illusion (Review of The Bible vs. the Book of Mormon FAIR link
- David E. Bokovoy, "The Bible vs. the Book of Mormon: Still Losing the Battle: Review of The Bible vs. the Book of Mormon by Joel P. Kramer and Scott R. Johnson," FARMS Review 18/1 (2006): 3–19. off-site wiki
- Louis Midgley, "Orders of Submission: Review of "Essays on Mormonism," Southern Baptist Journal of Theology 9/2 (Summer 2005): 1–81.," FARMS Review 18/2 (2006): 189–228. off-site wiki
|
Charles Larson
|
|
Larson is the author of the well-known but deeply flawed anti-Mormon book "By His Own Hand Upon Papyrus": A New Look at the Joseph Smith Papyri. This book has been reviewed by LDS Egyptologists who hold degrees in the field. One reviewer summed up Larson's work:
- Larson's historical method is as follows: Invent evidence, read minds, attribute motives, misquote sources, argue from circumstantial evidence—or better yet—argue from no evidence....
- If Larson stumbles as a historian, he falls flat on his face as an Egyptologist. He betrays no knowledge of any foreign language, yet offers to guide us through Egyptian, "a unique area of study that is extremely difficult to master."
- —John Gee, "A Tragedy of Errors," p. 99.
The only qualifications listed for Larson at his publisher's web site are "former Mormon and Brigham Young University graduate." If the producers of the video can dismiss trained Egyptologists only because they are Mormon, is it reasonable to likewise dismiss critics like Larson because of his religious beliefs? Or should we add to those critical religious beliefs the fact that he is not trained in Egyptology at all? The producers willingly apply a double standard here.
To read more:
- John Gee, "A Tragedy of Errors (Review of By His Own Hand Upon Papyrus: A New Look at the Joseph Smith Papyri by Charles M. Larson," FARMS Review of Books 4/1 (1992): 93–119. off-site
- Michael D. Rhodes, "The Book of Abraham: Divinely Inspired Scripture (Review of By His Own Hand upon Papyrus: A New Look at the Joseph Smith Papyri by Charles M. Larson)," FARMS Review of Books 4/1 (1992): 120–126. off-site
- Reviews of Charles Larson
|
Living Hope Ministries
|
|
Living Hope Ministries is a Utah-based anti-Mormon ministry. They exist solely to lead Latter-day Saints out of Mormonism and to prevent other people from becoming Mormons. To accomplish their goals they have produced and distributed several anti-Mormon videos and plan on doing even more.
Their videos display the same superficiality, lack of respect, and dishonesty as Search for the Truth.
- To read more:
- Brant Gradner, "Behind the Mask, Behind the Curtain: Uncovering the Illusion (Review of The Bible vs. the Book of Mormon FAIR link
- David E. Bokovoy, "The Bible vs. the Book of Mormon: Still Losing the Battle: Review of The Bible vs. the Book of Mormon by Joel P. Kramer and Scott R. Johnson," FARMS Review 18/1 (2006): 3–19. off-site wiki
- Louis Midgley, "Orders of Submission: Review of "Essays on Mormonism," Southern Baptist Journal of Theology 9/2 (Summer 2005): 1–81.," FARMS Review 18/2 (2006): 189–228. off-site wiki
|
Brian Mackert
|
|
Brian Mackert was a member of the Allred polygamous group. His ancestors left the LDS church in 1890 with the issuing of the Manifesto ending plural marriage.
|
John McCartney
|
|
John McCartney is pastor of the First Baptist Church in Tooele, Utah.
|
Floyd McElveen
|
|
Floyd McElveen wrote a book that was distributed in Utah about 20 years ago. On the cover it says God's Word, Final, Infallible and Forever, but inside it is actually 3 different books written by Floyd: the one on the cover, The Mormon Illusion, and From Mormon Illusion to God's Love. The book was published by Gospel Truths Ministries in Grand Rapids, MI. In the author bio it says he "is the national evangelist for the Conservative Baptist Home Mission Society."
|
Roger Oakland
|
|
Roger Oakland is with Understanding the Times International. He has a number of articles at the Website including many that attack Catholics, Mormons, Muslims, science, and New Age religious movements.
|
Phil Roberts
|
|
Phil Roberts is listed as one of the authors of The Counterfeit Gospel of Mormonism, along with Francis J. Beckwith, Norman Geisler, Ron Rhodes, and Jerald and Sandra Tanner. It was published in 1998. He wrote the part titled "Salvation." His bio says he is the "director of the Interfaith Witness Division of the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention."
|
Sandra Tanner
|
|
Sandra Tanner and her late husband are certainly among the most prolific anti-Mormon authors. However, non-Mormon scholars of LDS issues have noted that the Tanners display a consistent bias in their work:
- [The Tanners] always assume the worst possible motives in assessing the actions of Mormon leaders, even when those leaders faced extremely complex problems with no simple solutions.... Every bit of evidence, even if it could be most plausibly presented in a positive way, is represented as yet another nail in the coffin being prepared for the Mormon Church. There is no spectrum of colors, only blacks and whites, good guys and villains in the Tanners' published writings.... The Tanners have repeatedly assumed a holier-than-thou stance, refusing to be fair in applying the same debate standards of absolute rectitude which they demand of Mormonism to their own actions, writings, and beliefs.
- —Lawrence Foster, "Career Apostates:Reflections on the Works of Jerald and Sandra Tanner," Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 17 no. 2 (Summer 1984), 45–46.
Sandra Tanner's research is agenda-driven and unreliable. Sincere seekers of the truth about Latter-day Saint beliefs and history deserve more reliable sources.
To read more:
|
Chip Thompson
|
|
Chip Thompson director of Tri-Grace Ministries in Ephraim, UT. Tri-Grace Ministries runs a college house facility, which is "intended to be safe haven for all Christian students who attend Snow College." His advisory board includes:
- Bill Mckeever, (Mormon Research Ministries, Sandy, UT)
- Luke Wilson, (Institute for Religious Research, Grand Rapids, MI )
- Keith Walker, (Evidence Ministries, San Antonio, TX)
- Bob Betts, (Board Member, Concerned Christians, Mesa, AZ)
- Timothy Oliver, (Utah Director, Watchman Fellowship, Santaquin, UT)
It is curious why a facility for college students should have a board composed entirely of professional anti Mormons.
|
John Whitcomb
|
|
Info
|
|
|
