Search for the Truth (video)
Encyclopedia
Search for the Truth is an anti-Mormon
video produced by Tri-Grace Ministries. The video begins with the claim that Jesus Christ and Joseph Smith Jr. were “two of the worlds most prominent and influential men.” It then presents what it claims to be the teachings of Joseph Smith Jr. and contrasts them to what it claims to be the teachings of Jesus Christ. A question is raised regarding whether the movements which the video classifies as “Christianity
” and “Mormonism
” are compatible, despite the claim by both that “Jesus is the Christ.” The video takes portions of the Book of Mormon
and compares it
to the Bible
. The video implies that you have to follow Jesus or Joseph Smith but not both.
The letter goes on to say that the "Mormon Church is vulnerable. We firmly believe that with enough exposure, Mormonism will crumble and become a shadow of what it is today."
), claims that the “Jesus of Mormonism” is different than the “Jesus of the Bible.” Roberts claims that Mormons believe that God
became a god “by adherence to a system of Mormonism in a previous world in a previous life.”
Dr. John Whitcomb
(Theology Professor, Old Testament Scholar), quotes and interprets passages from the Bible to support this claim. Referring to Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 8:4 about “many gods and many lords,” Whitcomb points to his head and states that that “the Bible says through the Apostle Paul they’re only in here.”
Dave Hunt
(Author and Founder, The Berean Call Ministries) states that the serpent in the Garden of Eden
promised Eve that “she could become a god.” Hunt continues by claiming that Brigham Young
said that “the devil told the truth.”
Charles Larson (Historian, Author) claims that the Book of Abraham
, one of the Mormon standard works
of scripture, authorizes lying by God, and states that the account of Abraham
claiming that his wife was his sister
, “is similar to the Bible version only in the book of Abraham god is telling Abraham to lie.”
President Gordon B. Hinckley
, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is misquoted as saying, “No I don’t believe in the traditional Christ. The traditional Christ of whom they speak is not the Christ of whom I speak, for the Christ of whom I speak has been revealed in this, the dispensation of the fullness of times.”
The narrator repeats a quote from Brigham Young, in which he claims that “no man or woman in this dispensation will ever enter the celestial kingdom of god without the consent of Joseph Smith.”
It is claimed that Mormons believe that their "godhood rests on the act of polygamy”, based upon a quote made by Brigham Young in 1866: “The only men who become Gods, even the sons of God, are those who enter into polygamy.”
were recorded. The on-screen list includes both accounts of the first vision that is claimed to have occurred in the Sacred Grove
and several accounts of the visit of an angel in Smith’s bedroom. The onscreen list shows the following accounts:
The narrator claims that Brigham Young “denied that the Lord came to Joseph Smith in the first vision.” Several sentences from a speech given by Brigham Young are shown which state, “The Lord did not come…but He did send His angel to this same obscure person, Joseph Smith…and informed him that he should join any religious sects of the day…”
.” A 1969 quote by BYU professor Dee Green is referenced in which he “confesses” that “No book of Mormon location is known.” It is stated that “not even one coin” has been found, and that coins were mentioned as “being common in Joseph’s writings.”
Joel Kramer (Director, Living Hope Ministries) relates that his group went to the Middle East
and Central America
and talked to experts in archaeology and anthropology. Kramer states that “in all cases” that they found the “historical reliability” of the Bible and that for the Book of Mormon it was “non-existent.”
Floyd McElveen (Author and Lifetime Evangelist) adds that “Joseph Smith claimed there were huge cites – thirty eight cities in the Americas,” but that “not one single city has ever been dug up.” McElveen adds, “would you want to base your eternity on something that is totally unknown?”
Sandra Tanner
(President, Utah Lighthouse Ministry) notes that the LDS Church will not “commit itself” to a specific map of Book of Mormon lands.
.
, which is claimed by the narrator to be “an organization that believes that Jesus is not divine.” It is further claimed that certain Mormon practices and architecture have “Masonic overtones.”
The video cites comments made by LDS historian Dr. Reed Durham regarding an item referred to as the “Jupiter Talisman," which is said to have been owned by Joseph Smith Jr. The narrator refers to this as an "occultic" item whose “talismatic magic” is said to bring riches, power and women to its possessor. The narrator claims that the talisman was “found in Joseph’s pocket the day he died in Carthage.”
The video includes a segment copied from the 1982 film The God Makers, which shows what it claims to be a re-enactment of Mormon temple rituals.
The Anti-Defamation League
, an advocacy group which fights anti-Semitism
, condemned the video as "nothing more than 'Mormon bashing'." Bill Straus, Regional Director of the Anti-Defamation League, stated,
The LDS Church noted in its news release that, "The Jewish Anti-Defamation League in Phoenix promptly condemned the distribution, saying that 'hate
directed at any of us is hate directed at all of us.'" Bill McKeever
, Director of an organization called the Mormonism Research Ministry, sent a letter to the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints protesting what he called the church's "tacit approval" of the Anti-Defamation League's condemnation of the video. McKeever states, "I wish to express my indignation at your church’s tacit approval of the Anti-Defamation League's accusation of hatred towards Christians who were involved in a recent DVD distribution. It is one thing to disagree with the content of the DVD, but it is quite another to accuse them of being motivated by hate." He concludes by stating, "With all the talk of repentance at your last conference, I think you need to lead by example and offer an apology to the thousands of Christans you have offended with this false accusation." McKeever followed up on this letter with an article posted in the Christian Examiner Online, in which he claimed that the "Mormon Church went into one of its most hypocritical frenzies in modern times." Claiming that the media in Utah is "either owned by the LDS Church or is sympathetic to it," McKeever claimed that "[t]alk show hosts did their best to stir up their listeners against the 'religious bigots' who dared come onto 'our property' with their 'message of hate.'"
The Foundation for Apologetic Information & Research
(FAIR), a non-profit organization specializing in Mormon apologetics
, produced a point-by-point rebuttal of inaccuracies and exaggerations in the video. This was posted on the FAIR Wiki web site one week before the initial distribution of the DVD. In addition, the LDS affiliated Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies
posted a page with links to articles written by Mormon scholars which deal directly with subjects addressed in the video.
Anti-Mormon
Anti-Mormonism is discrimination, persecution, hostility or prejudice directed at members of the Latter Day Saint movement, particularly The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
video produced by Tri-Grace Ministries. The video begins with the claim that Jesus Christ and Joseph Smith Jr. were “two of the worlds most prominent and influential men.” It then presents what it claims to be the teachings of Joseph Smith Jr. and contrasts them to what it claims to be the teachings of Jesus Christ. A question is raised regarding whether the movements which the video classifies as “Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
” and “Mormonism
Mormonism
Mormonism is the religion practiced by Mormons, and is the predominant religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement. This movement was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. beginning in the 1820s as a form of Christian primitivism. During the 1830s and 1840s, Mormonism gradually distinguished itself...
” are compatible, despite the claim by both that “Jesus is the Christ.” The video takes portions of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
and compares it
The Book of Mormon and the King James Bible
The Book of Mormon contains many linguistic similarities to the King James Bible. In some cases, entire passages of scripture are duplicated in the Book of Mormon. Sometimes the source is acknowledged, as in the book of Second Nephi, where 18 chapters of Isaiah are quoted. There exist 478 verses in...
to the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
. The video implies that you have to follow Jesus or Joseph Smith but not both.
Distribution
The production of the DVD was funded by "an ex-Mormon businessman who financed the project by selling stock in his company." The video was distributed by many groups, one of which was called Concerned Christians, Inc.: the same group that initially distributed the film The God Makers in 1982. The producers claim that the video was made out of love for the Mormon people. The video distributed around 500,000 videos in Utah and 5,000 in the Palmyra New York region. A letter of instruction was included with copies of the DVD to those that were to perform the initial door-to-door distribution, several days before the 177th Annual General Conference of the Church that was held on March 31 and April 1, 2007:
This video is to be viewed by CHRISTIANS ONLY until AFTER the nation-wide distribution which is scheduled for March 25, 2007. In-other-words, do not allow any Mormon people to view the video or learn of our intended evangelisticEvangelismEvangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
outreach until after March 25, 2007. Why such extreme caution? If the leadership of the Mormon cultCultThe word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
learns of our plans, they will publicly instruct their people not to watch the video and many Mormons will blindly obey.
The letter goes on to say that the "Mormon Church is vulnerable. We firmly believe that with enough exposure, Mormonism will crumble and become a shadow of what it is today."
Nature of God and Jesus Christ
Dr. Phil Roberts (President, Midwestern Baptist Theological SeminaryMidwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary is one of six official seminaries of the Southern Baptist Convention. It is located in Kansas City, Missouri. Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary also houses an undergraduate college, Midwestern Baptist College, SBC. Although the seminary focuses...
), claims that the “Jesus of Mormonism” is different than the “Jesus of the Bible.” Roberts claims that Mormons believe that God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
became a god “by adherence to a system of Mormonism in a previous world in a previous life.”
Dr. John Whitcomb
John C. Whitcomb
John Clement Whitcomb, Jr. is an American Old Testament theologian and young earth creationist. Whitcomb is sometimes credited for establishing the modern young earth creationist/creation science movement by authoring with Henry M...
(Theology Professor, Old Testament Scholar), quotes and interprets passages from the Bible to support this claim. Referring to Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 8:4 about “many gods and many lords,” Whitcomb points to his head and states that that “the Bible says through the Apostle Paul they’re only in here.”
Dave Hunt
Dave Hunt
Dave Hunt is a Christian apologist, speaker, radio commentator and author. He has been in full-time ministry since 1973. The , which highlights Dave's materials, was started in 1992...
(Author and Founder, The Berean Call Ministries) states that the serpent in the Garden of Eden
Garden of Eden
The Garden of Eden is in the Bible's Book of Genesis as being the place where the first man, Adam, and his wife, Eve, lived after they were created by God. Literally, the Bible speaks about a garden in Eden...
promised Eve that “she could become a god.” Hunt continues by claiming that Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
said that “the devil told the truth.”
Charles Larson (Historian, Author) claims that the Book of Abraham
Book of Abraham
The Book of Abraham is a 1835 work by Joseph Smith, Jr. that he said was based on Egyptian papyri purchased from a traveling mummy exhibition. According to Smith, the book was "a translation of some ancient records....purporting to be the writings of Abraham, while he was in Egypt, called the Book...
, one of the Mormon standard works
Standard Works
The Standard Works of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are the four books that currently constitute its open scriptural canon.* The Holy Bible * The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ...
of scripture, authorizes lying by God, and states that the account of Abraham
Abraham
Abraham , whose birth name was Abram, is the eponym of the Abrahamic religions, among which are Judaism, Christianity and Islam...
claiming that his wife was his sister
Wife-sister narratives in Genesis
There are three wife-sister narratives in Genesis, part of the Torah, all of which are strikingly similar. At the core of each is the tale of a Biblical Patriarch, who has come to be in the land of a powerful foreign overlord who misidentifies the Patriarch's wife as the Patriarch's sister, and...
, “is similar to the Bible version only in the book of Abraham god is telling Abraham to lie.”
President Gordon B. Hinckley
Gordon B. Hinckley
Gordon Bitner Hinckley was an American religious leader and author who served as the 15th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from March 12, 1995 until his death...
, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is misquoted as saying, “No I don’t believe in the traditional Christ. The traditional Christ of whom they speak is not the Christ of whom I speak, for the Christ of whom I speak has been revealed in this, the dispensation of the fullness of times.”
Character of Joseph Smith
A quote from the Bible (Ephesians 2:8-9) regarding boasting is juxtaposed with a quote from Joseph Smith Jr. in which he claims to boast.The narrator repeats a quote from Brigham Young, in which he claims that “no man or woman in this dispensation will ever enter the celestial kingdom of god without the consent of Joseph Smith.”
It is claimed that Mormons believe that their "godhood rests on the act of polygamy”, based upon a quote made by Brigham Young in 1866: “The only men who become Gods, even the sons of God, are those who enter into polygamy.”
First Vision
It is stated that nine different versions of Joseph Smith's first visionFirst Vision
The First Vision refers to a vision that Joseph Smith, Jr. said he received as a youth in a wooded area in Manchester, New York, which his followers call the Sacred Grove. Smith described it as a personal theophany in which he received a forgiveness of sins...
were recorded. The on-screen list includes both accounts of the first vision that is claimed to have occurred in the Sacred Grove
Sacred Grove
The foundational event of the Latter Day Saint movement took place in what is commonly referred to as The Sacred Grove. This Grove is a forested area near the border of western New York near the home of Joseph Smith, Jr....
and several accounts of the visit of an angel in Smith’s bedroom. The onscreen list shows the following accounts:
- 1827 – A spirit appears to Joseph telling him of a record on gold plates at age 17.
- 1827 – An angel appears to Joseph telling him he has been chosen to be a prophet and bring forth a record on gold plates at age 18.
- 1830 – An angel tells Joseph where to find a secret treasure. Joseph returns once a year for several years before obtaining the plates.
- 1832 – Jesus Christ appears to Joseph at age 15.
- 1834 – Angel appears to Joseph in his bedroom at age 17.
- 1835 – Two personages appear to Joseph in grove at age 14.
- 1835 – Many angels appear to Joseph in grove at age 14.
- 1838 – God the Father and Jesus appear to Joseph in grove at age 14.
- 1844 – Two unidentified personages appear to Joseph at age 14.
The narrator claims that Brigham Young “denied that the Lord came to Joseph Smith in the first vision.” Several sentences from a speech given by Brigham Young are shown which state, “The Lord did not come…but He did send His angel to this same obscure person, Joseph Smith…and informed him that he should join any religious sects of the day…”
Archaeology
The narrator states that because Joseph Smith’s writings are now over 150 years old, that they should be “easily validated by historical and archaeological evidencesArchaeology and the Book of Mormon
Since the publication of the Book of Mormon in 1830, both Mormon and non-Mormon archaeologists have studied its claims in reference to known archaeological evidence...
.” A 1969 quote by BYU professor Dee Green is referenced in which he “confesses” that “No book of Mormon location is known.” It is stated that “not even one coin” has been found, and that coins were mentioned as “being common in Joseph’s writings.”
Joel Kramer (Director, Living Hope Ministries) relates that his group went to the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and talked to experts in archaeology and anthropology. Kramer states that “in all cases” that they found the “historical reliability” of the Bible and that for the Book of Mormon it was “non-existent.”
Floyd McElveen (Author and Lifetime Evangelist) adds that “Joseph Smith claimed there were huge cites – thirty eight cities in the Americas,” but that “not one single city has ever been dug up.” McElveen adds, “would you want to base your eternity on something that is totally unknown?”
Sandra Tanner
Jerald and Sandra Tanner
Jerald Dee Tanner was an American writer and researcher who, with his wife Sandra McGee Tanner spent nearly fifty years annotating and publishing archival and evidential materials which, the Tanners claim, accurately portrayed the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
(President, Utah Lighthouse Ministry) notes that the LDS Church will not “commit itself” to a specific map of Book of Mormon lands.
Prophecies
Joseph Smith is claimed to have described “the inhabitants of the moon as being about six-foot tall, dressed like Quakers, and living to be about 1000 years old.” The narrator adds that “Since Neal Armstrong’s walk on the moon in 1969, we now know there are no Quaker looking people on the moon.” In addition, Brigham Young thought that the sun was also inhabitedMormon cosmology
Mormon cosmology is the description of the history, evolution, and destiny of the physical and metaphysical universe according to Mormonism, which includes the doctrines taught by leaders and theologians of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , Mormon fundamentalism, the Restoration...
.
Occult
The video notes that on March 15, 1842, Joseph Smith joined the MasonsFreemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
, which is claimed by the narrator to be “an organization that believes that Jesus is not divine.” It is further claimed that certain Mormon practices and architecture have “Masonic overtones.”
The video cites comments made by LDS historian Dr. Reed Durham regarding an item referred to as the “Jupiter Talisman," which is said to have been owned by Joseph Smith Jr. The narrator refers to this as an "occultic" item whose “talismatic magic” is said to bring riches, power and women to its possessor. The narrator claims that the talisman was “found in Joseph’s pocket the day he died in Carthage.”
The video includes a segment copied from the 1982 film The God Makers, which shows what it claims to be a re-enactment of Mormon temple rituals.
Translator
The narrator states that Joseph Smith “boasted the bold claim” that the Book of Mormon was the “most accurate book in existence.”Response
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints responded with a news release, part of which stated,
"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has weathered such attacks throughout its history. At a time when the Church is growing strongly throughout the world, it’s not surprising that some groups try to curb that growth in such ways."
The Anti-Defamation League
Anti-Defamation League
The Anti-Defamation League is an international non-governmental organization based in the United States. Describing itself as "the nation's premier civil rights/human relations agency", the ADL states that it "fights anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry, defends democratic ideals and protects...
, an advocacy group which fights anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
, condemned the video as "nothing more than 'Mormon bashing'." Bill Straus, Regional Director of the Anti-Defamation League, stated,
"This is the same kind of plain, old-fashioned Mormon-bashing that Jim Robertson and his group have been spewing for over a quarter-of-a-century. The only difference is that back then, it was the film, 'The God Makers,' and today it's the DVD, 'Jesus Christ/Joseph Smith.' It was wrong then, and it's wrong now."
The LDS Church noted in its news release that, "The Jewish Anti-Defamation League in Phoenix promptly condemned the distribution, saying that 'hate
Hate speech
Hate speech is, outside the law, any communication that disparages a person or a group on the basis of some characteristic such as race, color, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, religion, or other characteristic....
directed at any of us is hate directed at all of us.'" Bill McKeever
Bill McKeever
Bill McKeever is an American author and critic of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He serves with Mormonism Research Ministry , which he founded in 1979 in El Cajon, California with the hope of informing people about what he perceives as differences between Mormonism and Christianity...
, Director of an organization called the Mormonism Research Ministry, sent a letter to the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints protesting what he called the church's "tacit approval" of the Anti-Defamation League's condemnation of the video. McKeever states, "I wish to express my indignation at your church’s tacit approval of the Anti-Defamation League's accusation of hatred towards Christians who were involved in a recent DVD distribution. It is one thing to disagree with the content of the DVD, but it is quite another to accuse them of being motivated by hate." He concludes by stating, "With all the talk of repentance at your last conference, I think you need to lead by example and offer an apology to the thousands of Christans you have offended with this false accusation." McKeever followed up on this letter with an article posted in the Christian Examiner Online, in which he claimed that the "Mormon Church went into one of its most hypocritical frenzies in modern times." Claiming that the media in Utah is "either owned by the LDS Church or is sympathetic to it," McKeever claimed that "[t]alk show hosts did their best to stir up their listeners against the 'religious bigots' who dared come onto 'our property' with their 'message of hate.'"
The Foundation for Apologetic Information & Research
Foundation for Apologetic Information & Research
The Foundation for Apologetic Information & Research is a non-profit organization that specializes in Mormon apologetics and responds to criticism of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . FAIR is made up of volunteers who seek to answer questions submitted to its web site...
(FAIR), a non-profit organization specializing in Mormon apologetics
Mormon apologetics
Mormon apologetics is the systematic defense of Mormonism against its critics. Notable Latter-day Saint apologists include early church leaders such as John Taylor, B. H. Roberts, James E. Talmage and modern scholars such as Hugh Nibley, Orson Scott Card, and Jeff Lindsay...
, produced a point-by-point rebuttal of inaccuracies and exaggerations in the video. This was posted on the FAIR Wiki web site one week before the initial distribution of the DVD. In addition, the LDS affiliated Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies
Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies
The Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies is an informal collaboration of academics devoted to Latter-day Saint historical scholarship. The group is formally part of the Neal A...
posted a page with links to articles written by Mormon scholars which deal directly with subjects addressed in the video.