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Criticism of Mormonism/Video/Search for the Truth DVD/Credits: Difference between revisions
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Dave Hunt has been actively involved in the self-styled countercult movement for over two decades. He is the coauthor, with Ed Decker, of both the original and the "updated and expanded" version of ''The God Makers.'' According to common marketing hype, 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." | Dave Hunt has been actively involved in the self-styled countercult movement for over two decades. He is the coauthor, with Ed Decker, of both the original and the "updated and expanded" version of ''The God Makers.'' According to common marketing hype, 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." | ||
This, of course, still does not answer who Mr. Hunt really is—what credentials he has to speak to Christianity in general and Mormonism in particular. Mr. Hunt's lack of credentials have been problematic to many, if not to the video's producers. | This, of course, still does not answer who Mr. Hunt really is—what credentials he has to speak to Christianity in general and Mormonism in particular. Mr. Hunt's lack of credentials have been problematic to many, if not to the video's producers. | ||
In commenting on the "problem of authority and credibility" within the Christian countercult movement (of which ''Search for the Truth'' is a product), one non-LDS scholar comments specifically on Dave Hunt's place within the movement: | In commenting on the "problem of authority and credibility" within the Christian countercult movement (of which ''Search for the Truth'' is a product), one non-LDS scholar comments specifically on Dave Hunt's place within the movement: | ||
:Robert Wise begins his critique of ''The Seduction of Christianity'' in what seems an obvious, if often overlooked, place: who are Dave Hunt and Thomas Aloysius McMahon? Noting that "Hunt and McMahon define truth in a way peculiar to themselves," Wise continues: "We are never told who Hunt and McMahon are nor what credentials they have. Apparentlyl Hunt is a self-certified authority on cults" (1986: 40). DeMar and Leithart complain similarly: "That Dave Hunt, a man with a bachelor's degree in mathematics, is now the most prominent theologian of the dispensationalist movement...indicates the extent of the crisis" (1988: xvii). | :Robert Wise begins his critique of ''The Seduction of Christianity'' in what seems an obvious, if often overlooked, place: who are Dave Hunt and Thomas Aloysius McMahon? Noting that "Hunt and McMahon define truth in a way peculiar to themselves," Wise continues: "We are never told who Hunt and McMahon are nor what credentials they have. Apparentlyl Hunt is a self-certified authority on cults" (1986: 40). DeMar and Leithart complain similarly: "That Dave Hunt, a man with a bachelor's degree in mathematics, is now the most prominent theologian of the dispensationalist movement...indicates the extent of the crisis" (1988: xvii). | ||
::<small>—Douglas E. Cowan, ''Bearing False Witness: An Introduction to the Christian Countercult'' (Westport, Connecticut: Praeger Publishers, 2003), 199.</small> | ::<small>—Douglas E. Cowan, ''Bearing False Witness: An Introduction to the Christian Countercult'' (Westport, Connecticut: Praeger Publishers, 2003), 199.</small> | ||
Mr. Hunt's work relative to ''The God Makers'' was characterized by the non-Mormon US National Council of Christians and Jews as follows: | Mr. Hunt's work relative to ''The God Makers'' was characterized by the non-Mormon US National Council of Christians and Jews as follows: | ||
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:"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.'' | :"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.'' | ||
::<small>— National Council of Christians and Jews, "Programs in Pluralism," April 1984.</small>{{link|url=http://www.lightplanet.com/response/nccj.htm}} | ::<small>— National Council of Christians and Jews, "Programs in Pluralism," April 1984.</small>{{link|url=http://www.lightplanet.com/response/nccj.htm}} | ||
Mr. Hunt believes that his version of Christianity is the only true version, and that all those who disagree are following religions that have their roots in Satanism. Included in his cadre of false religions (besides Mormonism) is Roman Catholicism. According to one non-Mormon observer, | Mr. Hunt believes that his version of Christianity is the only true version, and that all those who disagree are following religions that have their roots in Satanism. Included in his cadre of false religions (besides Mormonism) is Roman Catholicism. According to one non-Mormon observer, | ||
:[Hunt] presents the darkest possible version of Roman Catholic history, laying responsibility squarely at Rome's door for, amng other tings, the rise of Nazism in Germany (elsewhere he claims Hinduism is responsible; cf. Hunt 1983); the implementation of the Final Solution (Hunt 1994:265-93); and the Ustaschi (Croat) massacres of Yugoslavian Serbs in teh early 1940s (Hunt 1994: 297-307). For Hunt...the syllogism is simple: Because there were at least nominal Catholics involved in these attrocities, therefore the Roman Catholic Church as an institution supported and encouraged their actions--a convenient, monocausal explanation for these various attrocities. (XXXXX, p. 187) | :[Hunt] presents the darkest possible version of Roman Catholic history, laying responsibility squarely at Rome's door for, amng other tings, the rise of Nazism in Germany (elsewhere he claims Hinduism is responsible; cf. Hunt 1983); the implementation of the Final Solution (Hunt 1994:265-93); and the Ustaschi (Croat) massacres of Yugoslavian Serbs in teh early 1940s (Hunt 1994: 297-307). For Hunt...the syllogism is simple: Because there were at least nominal Catholics involved in these attrocities, therefore the Roman Catholic Church as an institution supported and encouraged their actions--a convenient, monocausal explanation for these various attrocities. (XXXXX, p. 187) | ||
::<small>—Douglas E. Cowan, ''Bearing False Witness: An Introduction to the Christian Countercult'' (Westport, Connecticut: Praeger Publishers, 2003), 187.</small> | ::<small>—Douglas E. Cowan, ''Bearing False Witness: An Introduction to the Christian Countercult'' (Westport, Connecticut: Praeger Publishers, 2003), 187.</small> | ||
Hunt's intolerant views don't extend solely to those in other religions. The same author goes on to describe his overtly misogynistic tendendencies: | Hunt's intolerant views don't extend solely to those in other religions. The same author goes on to describe his overtly misogynistic tendendencies: | ||
:For Hunt there is no doubt that the Roman Catholic Church plays a pivotal role in the end-times drama. She is the "Great Whore of Babylon," allegedly prophesied in the Revelation to St. John (17:3-6)—the "woman who rides the beast." For Hunt, as well, there is no doubt why it is a ''woman'' who rides the beast. | :For Hunt there is no doubt that the Roman Catholic Church plays a pivotal role in the end-times drama. She is the "Great Whore of Babylon," allegedly prophesied in the Revelation to St. John (17:3-6)—the "woman who rides the beast." For Hunt, as well, there is no doubt why it is a ''woman'' who rides the beast. | ||
::Worldwide, today's women are asserting themselves as never before in history. Contrary to popular opinion, "women instigate more domestic violence [and] hit men more frequently and more severely [than men hit them]" and violence is far more frequent in lesbian relationships than between husband and wife. Women are taking over what were once men's jobs, and there is a growing acceptance of women at the highest levels of leadershipin business, government, and religion. Only God could have given John, 1900 years ago, a vision that so fits out day—a ''woman'' in control. From current trends, it seems inevitable that a ''woman'' must ride the beast. (Hunt 1994: 456; glosses and emphasis in the original) | ::Worldwide, today's women are asserting themselves as never before in history. Contrary to popular opinion, "women instigate more domestic violence [and] hit men more frequently and more severely [than men hit them]" and violence is far more frequent in lesbian relationships than between husband and wife. Women are taking over what were once men's jobs, and there is a growing acceptance of women at the highest levels of leadershipin business, government, and religion. Only God could have given John, 1900 years ago, a vision that so fits out day—a ''woman'' in control. From current trends, it seems inevitable that a ''woman'' must ride the beast. (Hunt 1994: 456; glosses and emphasis in the original) | ||
:There are two points of interest here, one methodological, the other substantive. First, while arguments like this surface from time to time, Hunt's [sic] takes his citation of domestic violence statistics from ''USA Today'' (June 29, 1994; Hunt 1994: 541 n.20) rather than a recognized research source. In addition, as is often the case, Hunt misrepresents the reference he does use. On that date, ''USA Today'' published three articles related to domestic violence—none of which contain the statistics Hunt cites, and two of which contain information in direct contradition to it. Second, one is led to wonder about Hunt's thinly veiled misogynism, given that his chief candidate for the Whore of Bablylon is a church that has yet to ordain its first woman priest. | :There are two points of interest here, one methodological, the other substantive. First, while arguments like this surface from time to time, Hunt's [sic] takes his citation of domestic violence statistics from ''USA Today'' (June 29, 1994; Hunt 1994: 541 n.20) rather than a recognized research source. In addition, as is often the case, Hunt misrepresents the reference he does use. On that date, ''USA Today'' published three articles related to domestic violence—none of which contain the statistics Hunt cites, and two of which contain information in direct contradition to it. Second, one is led to wonder about Hunt's thinly veiled misogynism, given that his chief candidate for the Whore of Bablylon is a church that has yet to ordain its first woman priest. | ||
::<small>—Douglas E. Cowan, ''Bearing False Witness: An Introduction to the Christian Countercult'' (Westport, Connecticut: Praeger Publishers, 2003), 187-188.</small> | ::<small>—Douglas E. Cowan, ''Bearing False Witness: An Introduction to the Christian Countercult'' (Westport, Connecticut: Praeger Publishers, 2003), 187-188.</small> | ||
Revision as of 18:25, 22 March 2007
| Credits |
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.
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