ED DECKER: Man of God or godless con-man? A shocking expose' of the maker of "The God Makers"
Darrick Evenson
author of "The God Makers" books and films. He has authored many other
anti-Mormon books, videos, and pamphlets. He is the most successful
professional anti-Mormon OF ALL TIME! Literally MILLIONS of
Evangelical Christians around the world see him as a "Christian
brother" and "Man of God".
Ed Decker is revered by millions of Evangelicals the world over as a
brave and courageous "Christian brother" and "Man of God" whom Jesus
rose-up to warn the Christian world of the evils of "Mormonism" and
"Freemasonry"; to warn them against the worldwide International
Luciferian/Masonic/Mormon Conspiracy to take-over the U.S, then the
World, and introduce the End-Times ANTI-CHRIST!
This article will reveal the TRUTH about Ed Decker, and his closest
friends and associates.
Ed Decker has been preaching against the LDS Church since about 1976.
He started "Ex-Mormons for Jesus" (now Saints Alive in Jesus) in
1978.
Ed has traveled to Chile, Brasil, Tonga, Hawaii, Samoa, England,
Ireland, Scotland, Israel, Canada, Australia, and various other places
to promote his films and anti-Mormon publications as well as to preach
against the Church in lectures. He is the most successful anti-Mormon
there has ever been; by far! He is a personal friend of the King of
Tonga, and has shown Temple of The God Makers before the Israeli
Knesset. He is viewed by TENS OF MILLIONS of Evangelical Christians
around the world as a "true Christian brother" raised-up to warn them
about the evils of Mormonism and Freemasonry; a truly "Christ-like"
and honorable "Man of God".
Who is Ed Decker? Is he a "Man of God"?
I'll give you my own opinion; from what I know of him, and from what
others have told me over the past 23 years. This article will reveal
the TRUTH about J. Edward Decker Jr.
Decker's Claims of Why He Left the LDS Church
Decker's "story" of why and how he left the Church has changed over
the years, and even changes with audiences. Here are some stories he
gives:
Decker first claimed that he was "a card-carrying [Temple-recommend]
Temple-Mormon for over 19 years." [FALSE: He had a temple-recommend
for only a few years during the 19 he was on the rolls of the
Church].
He first claimed that he became a Christian because, after 19 years as
an active "card-carrying" Temple-Mormon, he knew he could not keep all
the hundreds of Mormon commandments, and each Mormon MUST keep each
and every one "perfectly" in order to become a god. Decker says that
at a Sacrament meeting one day, he held the sacrament WATER in his
hand, and began to wonder why the Church used water and not wine or
grapejuice. He was told that it was because Mormons "despise the blood
of Jesus". Also, he had a son (Jason) born without normal outer ears
or earcanals, and he realized that the "Mormon god" was a "judgmental
god" and was punishing Ed for not keeping the hundreds of Mormon laws
perfectly; as every Mormon is commanded to do. Finally, realizing his
own sinfulness and imperfection, and realizing he could not keep all
the hundreds of Mormon commandments perfectly, he realized he could
never become a "god". He told his Mormon wife this, and his Mormon
wife told her bishop. Her bishop then commanded his Mormon wife to
"divorce" Ed and marry a good Mormon. She did. Although not believing
he could become a "god" he still remained an active Mormon, but he met
a Christian woman. He tried to convert her, and she tried to convert
him. They fell in love and married. They went to his Ward one Sunday,
and to her Pentecostal church the next Sunday; alternating each
Sunday.
One Sunday, at the Pentecostal church, Ed was passed the communion
which consisted of red grape-juice. Ed said, "If I partake of this
Gentile Sacrament, the Mormon god will KILL ME ON THE SPOT!!!" Decker
used to tell Evangelical audiences that Mormons are taught "to despise
the blood of Jesus" and that "the Mormon god" would "kill them on the
spot" if they "partook of an ACCURSED Gentile sacrament of wine or red
grapejuice". Yet, the redness of the grapejuice caused him to think
about the Blood of Jesus. Mormons, said Ed, were taught to "despise
the Blood of Jesus", and this is why clear water, and not wine or
grapejuice, is used in Mormon sacraments. Yet, the grapejuice got Ed
to think more and more about the Blood of Jesus; something he "utterly
despised" as a Mormon.
Decker's son Jason was born deformed, and the Bishop couldn't heal him
with his Melchizedek Priesthood. Ed couldn't heal him. Ed's new
Christian wife suggested that the Pastor and Elders at her Pentecostal
church try to help Jason. Still being Mormon, Ed refused; knowing that
such a thing was "blasphemous" to Mormons, and would cause the "Mormon
god" to send down more curses upon Ed. However, he finally relented,
and the Pastor and the Elders at the Pentecostal church layed their
hands upon Jason and HEALED HIM. Jason was no longer deaf!!!
Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!
After Jason's miraculous healing by the Pastor and Elders at his
wife's Pentecostal church, Ed finally realized that his Melchizedek
Priesthood had no power, and that the "Mormon Jesus" was not the
"Jesus of the Bible", etc. Soon afterwards Ed claimed to have a "born
again" experience. He became a born-again Christian! Ed soon told
other Mormons what had happened. Enraged, his Mormon bishop told his
Mormon Stake President and they quickly had him excommunicated. Soon
afterwards Ed started giving classes on "Mormonism", and soon after
that formed Ex-Mormons for Jesus: to "reach out to those lost in
Mormonism with the precious blood of Jesus Christ"!
This was Decker's FIRST story. I know because I was in Tacoma
Washington when I first heard it; in 1979. This story changed somewhat
over the next few years, because more and more people began to know
Ed. They also began to realize a few things about Ed:
*Jason is the son of Ed's SECOND wife; not his first Mormon wife.
*Ed Decker was divorced for YEARS before he was remarried.
STORY #2
Decker started changing his story. In the second story Decker's Mormon
wife divorces him because he becomes a Christian. Decker says whenever
a spouse becomes a Christian, the Mormon leaders command the remaining
Mormon spouse to divorce. Decker becomes a Chrisitan (in Story #2)
while still married to his Mormon wife. The miraculous healing of
Jason is still included.
STORY #3
In the last version, Decker no longer says that his wife divorced him
because he became a "Christian". He goes back to the first story; that
she divorces him because he comes to the conclusion he can not attain
Godhood; like every Mormon male is supposed to aspire to. However, in
Story #3, the miraculous healing of Jason is gone. The grape-juice
story is still there, but gone is Decker telling himself, "If I
partake of this accursed Gentile sacrament, the Mormon god will KILL
ME ON THE SPOT!!!"
Why did the stories change?
Because people started finding-out facts about Decker and "calling
him" on those facts; often at public meetings where Decker is
speaking.
Here are some FACTS:
1) Decker's first wife divorced him on ground of MULTIPLE ADULTERY and
mental and emotional cruelty. This is in the public divorce records of
the Court. Decker DID NOT CHALLENGE her claims. The divorce was
granted on those grounds. Copies of the Court records and an affidavit
from Phillis Decker (his first and only Mormon wife) are reprinted in
They Lie In Wait To Deceive volume 4. Her affidavit is also online at:
www.angelfire.com/mo3/pma/Edswife.html
2) Mormon bishops are NOT instructed to tell Mormon spouces to divorce
if their spouse joins another church or religion. Simply doesn't
happen. In the case of Ed Decker and his Mormon wife, Mormon bishops
told her repeatedly to "forgive" Ed's adulteries. Mormon bishops are
told to try to keep the family together in all cases except for
ongoing and unrepented physical and/or sexual abuse of the wife or
children. Since there was none in Decker's case, they told his wife to
forgive him and try to make the marriage work. This is in Phyllis
Decker's affidavit in They Lie In Wait To Deceive volume 4.
3) Mormons are NOT told to "despise the Blood of Jesus"! This is a
LIE! Mormons drink water instead of wine or grapejuice because, in
Missouri in the 1830s, it was in many cases impossible to get wine or
grapejuice to most Mormon congregations. Imported wine was scarce on
the frontier and extremely expensive. Grapejuice simply wasn't
available at that time (no refrigeration). So, water was used. At the
Mormon Sacrament prayer, a priest says, "We partake of this water in
remembrance of the blood of Thy Son, which was shed for them,....." Ed
is simply lying.
4) Jason Decker was NOT miraculously healed by the pastor and elders
at the Pentecostal church he and his second wife used to belong to.
Jason Decker was NOT "healed" by anyone but specialists at the
University of Washington Medical Center. Jason Decker has had MANY
surgeries which have corrected much (but not all) of his deformities
regarding his ears.
5) Mormons are NOT expected to "live all of the hundreds of Mormon
laws and commandments perfectly" in order to become a god! They are
expected to "keep the commandments" to the best of their ability; to
"endure to the end" in moral cleanliness and faithfulness. Mormons
believe that only Jesus Christ could live all the laws perfectly.
Mormons are expected to live them the best they can, but perfection
for mortals is absolutely impossible.
In 1979 I first heard Decker's story at the Fern Hill Branch Library
in Tacoma, Washington. I decided to check-out his claims. So, I went
up afterwards and asked him: "You say that your son Jason was healed
by the pastor and elders at a Pentecostal church. Which one was that?"
Ed replied, "It was the Angle Lake Assemblies of God, next to the
airport." I asked Decker some other questions, to which he responded
by showing me various "penalties" in the Temple endowment ceremony
(i.e. in an effort to "offend" me and stop me from asking him further
questions). He also told me that night that they were making a film
called "To Kolob And Back" which would appear on NBC or perhaps PBS.
He also told me that he had letters from "thousands of Mormons" who
had "come out of Mormonism" because of his ministry. I asked him where
the letters were. He said they were kept at his ministry offices. I
later visited "Saints Alive HQ"; which was at that time a mobile home
on Decker's May Valley, Washington, property; next to his huge home.
The secretary working that day was a 16-year old girl; the daughter of
Dean and Linda Roberts. She looked confused when I asked to see some
of the "thounsands" of letters. She pulled out about two dozen, and
said, "That's all we have. That's all there is!"
I also asked him about the assassination attempt. At the meeting he
said "Mormon Danites" had tried to kill him, and that he still had the
bullet-hole in his window at his home. During his lecture at the Fern
Hill Library he told the audience that "the bullet missed my head by
inches". I asked him if I could see the bullet hole. He said I could.
I will tell you later what I saw.
The Mormon Oval Office
During the lecture Ed also said that inside the Washington D.C. Temple
was "an exact replica" of the White Houses' Oval Office, and that when
the Mormon Prophet said "Go!" Mormons in the military, and Mormons in
government, and Mormons in general would take their 2-years supplies
of guns and ammunition and try to take over the Unites States
government, and when that happened the Mormon Prophe would take a
plane from Salt Lake City to the Washington D.C. Temple, and "reign"
as a dictator over the U.S. from the exact replica of the Oval Office
inside the Washington D.C. Temple, but that the exact replica was "now
just used for storage".
I asked Decker about the Oval Office, and he again went into the
Signs, Tokens, and Penalties, of the old Endowment Ceremony.
Several weeks later I decided to contact the Pastor of the Angle Lake
Assembles of God; where Decker said his son Jason was miraculously
healed by the pastor and elders. I discovered that it was called the
Angle Lake Neighborhood Church, and that they were affiliated
(somehow) with the Assemblies of God. I met the Pastor, who told me he
did not know Ed or his wife, but he told me to contact the retired
Pastor of the church; who knew Ed and his wife very well. He gave me
his telephone number.
I called up the retired pastor (he was in his mid-70s and ailing) and
asked to speak with him. He said I could. I went over to his home, and
he sat on a piano bench; shaking but with a very smug and defiant
expression. I told him I was Mormon, and I wanted to confirm a story
Ed Decker had told me at a lecture several weeks before. I told him
exactly what Ed had told me and dozens of others at the lecture.
During this time the pastor would give me facial expressions as if I
was lying to him. He would sniker and shake his head. After I told him
he looked at me and said, "Like all Mormons, YOU'RE A LIAR! Ed Decker
NEVER told you ANY of that!!!"
To say the least, I was SHOCKED! I had told the pastor exactly what Ed
had told me and all others at the lecture in Tacoma (Ed also said this
in numerous lectures he gave around the country for years). I said, "I
can give you a cassette tape that PROVES Ed said this!" He laughed
sarcasticly and said, "Oh, GET OUT OF MY HOUSE! I'm not gonna let a
Mormon STINK UP my house!" He then threw me out; telling me just
before slamming the door that I was going to "burn in Hell" for all
eternity!
Decker Goes to Chile
Ed and his first Mormon wife had two sons: Jeff and John. Both of them
served LDS missions; John to Italy and Jeff to Chile. When Jeff was
send on a mission to Chile in 1980, Decker traveled to Chile and spoke
at numerous Assemblies of God churches. He told everyone who would
listen that Mormon missionaries "were really CIA agents"; working for
the Central Intelligence Agency. At this time, in 1980, there was
great anti-American and especially anti-CIA feelings in Chile. A
popular Chilean president (a Socialist) was assassinated in 1973; with
the help of the CIA. The Chilean military government was supported by
the CIA; even when the military government had killed thousands of
young university students who supported Communism or Socialism (or
even social causes) in Chile. Now, Decker was telling everyone that
Mormon missionaries were "really CIA agents".
Not long after Decker was in Chile, there began bombings of LDS
chapels in Chile. Over the next two decades there would be hundreds of
bombings of Mormon chapels, and the killing of at least 6 Mormon
missionaries in Chile, Bolivia, and Peru, by Communist forces. After
1980, Communist and Socialist organizations in Chile, and neighboring
Peru and Bolivia, began to suspect that Mormon missionaries were CIA
agents, and the Mormon Church simply a "front" for American
imperialism.
There was an American Protestant missionary in Chile who refused to
have anything to do with Decker after he began telling everyone that
Mormon missionaries were really only "CIA agents".
The Saints Alive newsletter reported the murder of two Mormon
missionaries in Bolivia in 1989 this way:
"LDS MISSIONARIES SHOT: A tragic shooting in La Paz, Bolivia, claimed
the lives of two young Mormon missionaries, both 20 years of age, as
they were returning to their apartment. A terrorist group 'Zarate
Willka Armed Liberation Front' claimed responsibility,...this is the
same group which claimed to have bombed a Mormon meetinghouse last
year in Boliva.
Sadly, this sort of thing happens because the missionaries are
identified with the CIA and other US interests...There are reasons for
this perception. It is no secret that the CIA does heavy recruiting
among returned LDS missionaries....It is heartbreaking that these
innocent young men paid with their lives for the Church's dabling in
political intrigue." (Saints Alive newsletter, June/July, 1989, p.4)
These missionaries were 19 and 20 year old boys. Killed because they
were "CIA". They weren't!
Dean Helland, an Evangelical Christian who wrote his doctrinal
dissertation (Meeting The Book of Mormon Challenge in Chile) at Oral
Roberts University in 1990, wrote that Decker's wellknown "Mormon
missionary/CIA agent" rhetoric "may have been partially responsible
for the continual bombings of Mormon churches by political extremists
in Chile." (quoted in Offenders for a Word, pp.180-1).
The FACTS are:
*Mormon missionaries are NOT CIA agents. Decker of course knows this.
*To equate Mormon missionaries with CIA agents would threaten their
vary lives in many South American countries. Decker knew this.
*The CIA does recruit out of Brigham Young University, which has a LOT
of returned missionaries. But the CIA recruits out of just about all
major universities in the U.S.! Returned missionaries who are
recruited out of BYU are not called on missions again and pretend to
be Mormon missionaries. Far, FAR, more CIA agents come from Yale or
other Ivy League schools than from BYU.
Decker knew that telling people in Chile that Mormon missionaries were
"really CIA agents" would put those young innocent missionaries lives
in danger. He did it anyway. To date, 6 missionaries have been killed
by Communist forces in South America because they were considered "CIA
agents". Mormon chapels have been bombed hundreds of times for the
same reason; this is no exaggeration.
Decker lied, and innocent people died.
Decker Attempts Suicide?
In The God Makers film a blonde overweight actor plays the part of
Decker in the first few scenes. The actor says that when he became a
Christian his wife's Mormon bishop told her to divorce him, and that
"they took my own children away from me". When "they" did that, "I
tried to commit suicide" (the actor then choke's up as if to breakdown
in tears).
The LDS Church has no legal authority to take anyone's children away
from anyone. Decker's only Mormon wife divorced him on grounds of
multiple adulteries and emotional cruelty; grounds not contested by
Decker. Ed always had liberal visitation rights which were never
revoked or overturned. According to Phyllis Decker (Ed's only Mormon
wife), her Mormon bishops told her to forgive Ed of his adulteries and
try to keep the family together. AT NO TIME did one of them tell her
to divorce or even suggest divorce.
When Mormons bring up the court records and Phyllis' affidavits to Ed,
he responds by the following:
*Telling them that his Mormon wife committed adultery against her
third husband.
*Telling them that she is a liar and her claims were false but he did
not contest it at the time because he was on the East Coast and could
not get to Seattle where the procedings were.
When the subject is brought up by a non-Mormon, Ed tells them:
*The court records are FAKES; produced by the Mormon Church and
secreted into official court records by undercover Mormon agents.
*The judge in the case was a Mormon; so "what do you expect?" His wife
committed adultery against HIM!
Notice that Decker's story changes with time, location, and who his
audience is.
Decker in the Holy Land
Since the mid-1970s Brigham Young University (owned and operated by
the LDS Church) has had a Department of Middle-East Studies. In about
1981 the Church decided to build a BYU-Jerusalem Center on Mount
Scopus, in Jerusalem. Why? For the same reason other American
universities build study-centers in Israel; to study Arabic language
and culture, to study Hebrew, and archaeology of the Bible.
Construction would begin in 1983.
Ed Decker read about the BYU-Jerusalem Center plans. So, Ed went to
Israel! He donned a skull-cap and prayed at the Wailing Wall. He told
everyone his mother was a Jew (?); which would, in the eyes of Jews,
make him a brother Jew! He played down considerably that his religion
was "Christianity". He showed Temple of The God Makers before a
special session of the Knesset (Israeli Parliament). He told Israeli
journalists that he was in Israel to "warn" the people about the
Mormon Church plan to open a "Missionary Training Center" on Mount
Scopus. He told everyone that the Mormon Church was "LYING". They
weren't building a study center, but constructing a Missionary
Training Center; so that Mormon missionaries would convert Jews to
Mormonism.
The Ultraorthodox Jews believed what their "Brother Ed" was telling
them. They decided that the building of the BYU-Jerusalem Center had
to be stopped; at all costs. Proselyting was illegal in Israel, and
the Mormon church was trying to "deceive" the Israeli government! The
Ultraorthodox Jews began to riot to prevent construction. Israeli
mounted police broke up many of these riots. Many people were hurt in
these riots; some seriously.
The Church was sued by many Israeli citizens; who believed Decker. The
Church hired an Israeli attorney to defend them. He did a good job,
but he was killed in a car-bomb. Somebody assassinated him. The
attorney's son later attended BYU-Provo.
About every ten years or so there is more than usually snow on the
Wasatch mountains; which causes the Great Salt Lake to rise and flood
surrounding areas. This is expected. This happened in 1983; during the
BYU-Jerusalem Center controversy.
During the controversy, the Ultraorthodox Rabbi of Jerusalem heard
that the Great Salt Lake was flooding, and he uttered a "prophecy"
that the floods would continue until and unless "the Mormons vacated
Mount Scopus" (i.e. abandoned construction of BYU-Jerusalem Center).
He also promised that if the Mormons did not abandone the cite
hundreds of Jews blowing shofars would converge on the Center and blow
it down as was the walls of Jericho blown down by the blowing of
shofars in the Book of Joshua.
The Saints Alive newsletter at this time reported the 'Word of
Prophecy' of the Chief Rabbi as genuine, even showing on the cover of
the newsletter a drawing (by Dean Roberts) of the Salt Lake Temple
submerged in water, with a Mormon temple-goer in scuba-gear swimming
around with a stupid surprised look on his face (see appendix). The
newsletter said:
"As the Jews continue to gather and blow Ram's horns in a declaration
of Spiritual war against the powers of Mormonism, a word of prophecy
given to us, at the start of the Feast of Tabernacles in late
September, is being fulfilled before our eyes.
We were told by Rabbi Elliot Sherman of old Jerusalem, that the Great
Salt Lake would begin to rise at the end of the Feast of Tabernacles,
and wold not stop until the LDS leaders repented and vacted Mount
Scopus...
Utah is already sandbagging its East-West highways and planning a
gigantic pumping project to pump the water into its western desert.
This is okay for the floods, but what are they going to do about the
earthquakes? I would get off Mount Scopus! The last time the Jews blew
multiple shophars was at the battle of Jericho...and there, they only
used seven!***
The pumping of the great Salt Lake will be a waste of time and cost us
[taxpayers] all lots of money because of the Mormon Church and its
leaders." (Saints Alive in Jesus newsletter, July -August 1983)
The Tanners later wrote:
"The reader will remember that it was prophesied that the lake would
not stop rising 'until the LDS leaders repented and vacated Mount
Scopus'. Mr. Decker labored very hard to get the Jews to remove the
Mormons from Mount Scopus, but his efforts were in vain. Although the
Mormons remained, the level of the lake continued to drop. We.
therefore, can only conclude that the 'word of prophecy' was not from
God." (Problems in The God Makers II., p.51)
The BYU-Jerusalem Center was build. Some Ultraorthodox Jews came out
and blew their shofars all day long until they had no more energy to
blow. They blew and blew and blew and blew until their cheeks turned
red and their lungs gave out. They finally gave up and went home.
Nothing happened. BYU-Jerusalem Center remains to this day.
It is still incredible that Decker would claim to believe in a "word
of prophecy" by the Chief Rabbi; a man who believes Jesus as a "FALSE
messiah".
Joseph Smith once said: "The false prophets shall always oppose the
true ones".
Decker lied, and an innocent man died. Many others were hurt.
Decker At Temple Open-Houses
One thing that Decker and his followers at Saints Alive used to do a
LOT was to go to LDS Temple Open Houses; where the public is invited
to tour the inside of a Temple before it is closed to the public.
During these times Decker would dress in full Temple-patron regalia
(temple robes, hat, sash, apron, etc.), and walk around carrying a
huge sign which read: "Welcome to America's Newest PAGAN Temple!"
But that's not all he would do!
Parked not far from Decker would be a van with tinted windows, and
inside the van would be a Saints Alive member (often two) with a video
camera. Why, you ask, with a video camera?
Well...
Decker would wear his temple-robes (which Mormons consider to be very
sacred and NOT to be worn outside of Temples, and carry this sign
which read "Welcome to America's Newest PAGAN Temple!". He would also
re-enact various Temple Signs and Tokens (which Mormons also consider
VERY sacred and not to be shown or seen outside Mormon Temples). What
Ed was doing was deliberately profaning Mormon Temple rites.
Why?
Ed claims he was merely showing people what goes on inside Mormon
Temples; what Mormons are trying to "hide" from others.
But, the real reason is this:
Decker was hoping that he would piss-off a Mormon; especially a Mormon
security guard (who works for the Church). He was hoping to make some
Mormon SO ANGRY at him that he would come and PUNCH ED IN THE FACE!
Now, why would Ed Decker want a Mormon to punch him in the face?
Easy one! So Ed could SUE THE CHURCH FOR MILLIONS OF DOLLARS! That's
what the van with the tinted windows with the video recordres inside
were for; to show the "proof" of persecution, and the "proof" needed
so Ed would win a case against the Church for many MILLIONS of
dollars.
This is why Ed could often step on the toes of Mormon security guards,
he would often deliberate "pop" his "ps" (i.e. spray spittle in the
face) of Mormon men and security guards at this Temple Open-Houses; in
the hopes that one would punch him. This attack or punch would be on
video, and used for two purposes:
1) in litigation against the Mormon Church for millions of dollars; Ed
being the recipient.
2) in later films/videos to show his fellow Christians how Mormons are
"persecuting" him.
So, here is Ed, wearing Temple Robes, openly displaing Signs and
Tokens, spraying Mormons in the face with his spittle, walking on
Mormons security guards' feet, occassionally insulting the wives of
Mormon officials, all while being video-taped secretly from a nearby
van.
The MOST Ed ever got was a Mormon official holding his arm (which he
later displayed proudly). Decker had walked on the Mormon official's
feet twice and was attempting to walk on them again. The Mormon
official gently but firmly grabbed Decker's arm and prevented him from
doing this a third time. The scene of the Mormon official holding
Decker's arm, while Decker was in full Temple-Robes, made the FRONT
PAGE of a local newspaper. That's it. No punches. No lawsuit this
time! Poor Ed!
Decker DID sue the LDS Church many, MANY times; one time for 11
million dollars. All suits were thrown out of court. Decker tells his
followers that the lawsuits were thrown out because "the Mormon Church
has alot of money" (i.e. they bribed all the judges).
Decker, Danites, and BAD Scottish Pizza
Anti-Mormons love to talk about the "Danites"; the Mormon Church
assassins who are constantly trying to kill them, but never can seem
to get it right! They are the "gang-that-couldn't-shoot-straight".
They've been trying to kill Decker (and all other Anti-Mormons) for
the past 170 years, but can't seem to get their act together! I like
to call the Danites "The Absent-Minded Assassins".
During lectures I attended where Ed Decker was speaking, and on old Ex-
Mormons for Jesus cassette tapes, I have heard Decker say the
following:
*Fanatical Mormons have tried to kill him and his wife.
*Danites have tried to kill him by bullet and arsenic poisoning.
*Mormon leaders have hired men to kill him.
As "evidence" for these assassination attempts, Ed loved to show
people the bullet hole in his bedroom window at his old house in May
Valley, Washington.
During a lecture he gave at the Fern Hill Public Library in 1979, I
still remember Ed saying that Mormon leaders sent "an assassination
squad" to kill him in his home, and that they fired a bullet into his
bedroom window and "the bullet whizzed by my head and only missed my
head by a few inches."
Several months after I heard this I discovered where Ed lived, and I
drove up to his home in May Valley, Washington; about 15 miles
southeast of Seattle and about 5 miles southwest of Issaquah,
Washington. Ed lived on about 10 acres in a HUGE two-story modern
home; with a guesthouse in the back, a classic MG in the driveway, and
a large mobilehome which (at that time) served as Saints Alive H.Q. I
would think the complex today would cost at least 1.5 million; perhaps
more.
I knocked on the front door, and both Ed and his wife Carol answered.
I held a camera, and I asked if I could take a photo of the bullet
hole. They let me in and led me upstairs to their bedroom; which was
HUGE, and had a HUGE vaulted ceiling. The window itself was huge, and
was about 6 feet off the floor and continued for another three feet.
The ceiling on the window side of the room was about 12 feet off the
floor. In the exact center of the window was a bullet-hole; covered
with clear Scotch tape. I took several photos.
Ed pointed to the bullet hole in the ceiling of their bedroom; which
was about 3 1/2 feet inside from the window. For the bullet to have
missed Ed's head "by inches" Ed MUST have been jumping on his bed,
with him up at least 4 to 5 feet in the air off his bed, for the
bullet to have missed his head by "inches". However, there was no
furniture on the window side of the room. The bed was on the other
side.
I asked ask why they didn't replace the window. He replied, "Those
windows are very expensive you know!" Standing in that LAVISHLY
furnished million-dollar home, I thought his reply rather odd.
I couldn't find any record of a 911 call or any police report
regarding this assassination attempt. One would think that he would
have called the police (the King Co. Sheriff's Office which patrols
May Valley) after somebody tried to shoot him in his house. But this
did not happen. After all, Ed must have been home at the time because
he claimed for years that "the bullet missed my head by inches." When
Mormons ask Decker why he didn't call the police, they are told, "I'm
not gonna do you research for you! You figure it out!"
. For more than a decade, whenever anyone went to his home in May
Valley, he proudly showed them the bullet hole in his bedroom window.
Jerald Tanner, a prominent ANTI-Mormon researcher in Salt Lake City,
wrote Decker a letter in 1990 regarding his assassination-attempt
claims. Here are excerpts:
"Now that you have indicated you are willing to provide information
concerning the poisoning, I am making a request directly to you...I
also have questions concerning relating matters...
To begin with, there is more involved here than the arsenic poisoning
story. In a tape...dated July 15, 1988, you claimed that the year 1986
was a very ad year for you. You stated, '...God showed me that I was
in for a time of attack, and the next year I suffered three
coronaries, I was poisoned twice, and at least one gunman that they
caught was dressed in battle fatigues...I'm not going to hide. I'm not
going to stop what I'm doing...I you want to try to kill me then try
it, because I'm not going to go inside some place and hide from you.'
In addition to all these troubles, you reported...'The day after
Capstone [anti-Mormon conference in Utah], I came down with
Legionnaires' Disease....'
In addition to all this, I understand that you have stated that the
Mormons have tried to kill you THREE TIMES before you were poisoned in
1986." (Jerald Tanner to Ed Decker, dated August 11, 1990, quoted in
Problems in The God Makers II, p.81)
Jerald Tanner, and ANTI-Mormon researcher upon whose research 75% of
The God Makers book is based, wanted from Ed Decker dates, names,
times, and so forth so he could check-out Decker's claims. Ed never
wrote back to Jerald, but mailed him a copy of a letter from Saints
Alive in Jesus Board of Directors which was addressed to Ed Decker,
saying:<
"...it is the instruction of the Board of Directors that you refrain
from any further discussion with the Tanners and their
organization...and any affiliated persons associated with that
organization." (letter from Saints Alive in Jesus Board of Directors
to Ed Decker, August 31, 1990, quoted in Problems in The God Makers
II, p.81)
In other words, they told Ed not to write back to Jerald Tanner
answering any questions he had.
Decker presents himself as a "brave Christian soldier" in battle with
the "Great Red Dragon" (i.e. the Luciferian/Masonic/Mormon Worldwide
Conspiracy). He's been shot at three times, poisoned twice, came down
with Legionaire's Disease (i.e. the Mormon Church had biological
warfare scientists), etc. But, instead of going into hiding, he comes
out and says, "HERE I AM! Come get me!" What a BRAVE Christian soldier
isn't he?
But, anti-Mormon researchers Jerald and Sandra Tanner asked him for
any corroborating evidence about the man "dressed in battle fatigues"
who was "caught". Who caught him? What police department caught him?
Where is the arrest report? Where is the police report if there was no
arrest? Who was the officer? Decker replies to the Tanners by having
his Board of Directors command him not to reply to them! Mind you, Ed
wants to reply, but, after all, he MUST OBEY his Board of Directors!
I suppose it doensn't matter that Ed is President of the Ex-Mormons
for Jesus Evangelical Association. He controls it. "Saints Alive in
Jesus" is just the dba (doing-business-as) name for the EMFJ
Evangelical Association. Ed has full legal and financial control of
Saints Alive.
What about the poisoning in Scotland? Was Ed Decker really poisoned by
Masons (or Mormons) who dropped "7 times the lethal dose of arsenic"
in his coca-cola at a pizza restaurant?
Decker had claimed for years that while lecturing against Mormonism
and Freemasonry in Scotland he was invited to lunch by a pastor, but
at this lunch table was a suspecious man he didn't know. The "man"
asked Decker if he could get him a refill on his Coke. Decker agreed.
The man got up, took his Coke, and came back several minutes later
with the refill. Decker thought that was odd that he would disappear
and take so long, but he didn't think much of it and finished his
Coke. Then, only 20 minutes later, Decker began to vomit and had
horrible stomach pains. He was immediately rushed to the emergency
room of the local hospital where they pumped his stomach. Blood tests
there found "7 times the lethal dose" of arsenic in his system. The
doctors couldn't understand why he was still alive. But, praise the
Lord, his life was spared yet again!
When Decker is preaching against the Mormons he says it was the
Mormons who tried to kill him with arsenic poisoning. When he is
preaching against the Masons he suggests it was the Masons. He
strongly insinuates that the unitentified "man" was a secret agent for
the Mormons (or Masons) sent there to kill him.
Several ANTI-Mormon researchers, Wally Tope and Jerald Tanner, looked
into Ed Scotland-pizza-parlor-arsenic-poisoning claims.
They found those claims groundless and fraudulent.
Wally Tope (a well-known and quite likeable anti-Mormon who handed out
his own homemade tracts) did an intense amount of research into his
poisoning claims; so much so that Tope wrote a book on the matter
titled Poisoning in Pizzaland: The REAL Story of Decker's Arsenic
Poisoning. The book is well over 100 pages long, and fully documented
with photocopies of letters from physicians and others in Scotland and
the U.S. who knew the Decker during his time in Scotland and treated
him. The book contains copies of Decker's blood and urine tests. The
book shows clearly that Decker had invented the arsenic-poisoning
story only after coming back to the U.S.
Tope acutally spoke to the people Decker stayed with in Scotland, and
to a veterinarian doctor in Ireland who treated Decker for stomach
pains after eating a pizza in Scotland several nights before as well
as Decker's own physician in Auburn, Washington. None of the people
remember Decker vomitting or in convulsions. There was NO hospital
stay (much less an emergency room) for Decker either in Scotland or
Ireland as he had later claimed. There was NO pumping of the stomach
at the hospital as Decker claimed. The very night Decker claimed he
was in an emergency room having his stomach pumped, he was actually at
a local Evangelical church preaching against Freemasonry. Tope got a
taped copy of the actual lecture that night; Decker spoke clearly and
strongly without any indictation he was sick at all. He got letters
from the vary pastor who took Decker to the Pizzaland pizza parlour.
Tope found that Decker complained of stomach pains after the lecture,
but slept well that night. The next day Decker flew to Ireland, where
the stomach pains increased. He was seen by a friend of the people he
was staying with, a veterinarian physician, and given something for
the stomach pain. That was it.
Tope even got a letter from Decker's physician after he came back to
the U.S. The blood and urine tests showed Decker had an arsenic of 27
micrograms; well within normal parameters.
Pastor Sam Burton, the Evangelical pastor who asked Decker to come to
Scotland, and who took Decker to Pizzaland, later wrote Tope, saying:
"When I first heard that Mr. Decker was implying that either I or my
dear friend, Leslie Jappy, had poisoned him, I thought it was a joke.
The passing of time has shown that I thought wrong.
***
For 10 years of so, I have lectured to churches and young groups on
the subject of Mormonism. I have travelled a great deal, and have had
a couple of articles published....when I heard of Mr. Decker's
insinuations of attempted murder, I was shocked and even hurt. I had
bought several copies of his book to distribute, payed good money to
rent halls to show his film in, and Leslie and I had bought his lunch.
Why would one Christian make that kind of accusation, who was like a
kid at Christmas, being suspected of trying to take a brother's
life...I'm terrible disillusioned by the whole affair. I can assure
the reader of this. Leslie did not get a refill of diet coke (the
poison was said to have been in a diet coke refill). I remember, not
so much of my great powers of recall, but because I've eaten at
Pizzaland many times and they have waitress service and the waitresses
bring you your refill should you request one. Even refill is a poor
word. Another drink would be a better expression. My sincere prayer is
that all this childishness goes away before the Mormons are able to
capitalize upon it....Let the truth of this 'poisoning' affair be
known, and let it die, that we might be about the Father's
business." (Serious Charges Against the Tanners, 1991, p.43)
Decker had claimed that Pastor Burton had taken him to a pizza parlour
in Inverness, Scotland, and brought a man he didn't know along, and
that the "man" asked Decker if he could refill his Coke, and Decker
consented, but soon after drinking the refill he got "violently" ill
and had to be rushed to the emergency room at a local hospital to have
his stomach pumped, and it was found that he had "7 times the lethal
dose" of arsenic in his blood!
Pastor Burton, a man who lectured against the Mormon Church in
Scotland for 10 years, who rented halls to show The God Makers film,
said that he and Decker spoke for several hours after the lunch at
Pizzaland, and that Decker showed "no signs of being ill." (ibid.).
Pastor Burton was upset that Decker would insinuate that the "man" who
they had lunch with put arsenic in his Coke; the man (whom Decker
never names) was Leslie Jappy, a man Pastor Burton knew for many years
as a Christian brother; a man who had never been a Mason nor a
Mormon.
Dr. Charles B. Sweigard of Auburn, Washington, Decker's physician at
that time, took blood and urine test of Decker as soon as he arrived
home, and he found that Decker had, among other things, a arsenic
level of 27ug (micrograms). A normal person at any given moment has an
arsenic level of anywhere from 0ug to 30ug. Decker reported that his
doctor told him that he had "7 times the lethal dosage" of arsenic in
his system. In fact, he had a "normal" amount as any person on earth.
A person eating a seafood dinner would have at least 170ug
(micrograms) of asenic in their system; many times the amount Decker
had. The minimal amount of arsenic that would cause somebody to die
would be about 120,000 ug. Decker had 27ug.
In a lecture, taped February 1987, Decker says:
"I'm still fighting the problems of having what the doctor's estimated
as seven times the amount of arsenic in my body that would kill a
man." (Serious Charges, p.36)
Decker lied.
The Tanners conclude that Decker probably got sick on the prescription
medication he was taking for arthritis which contained indomethacin;
which causes weakness in the mustles and upset stomach (the only
symptoms reported by the Irish veterinarian and Decker's own physician
in Auburn, Washington).
Tope was working on a larger book which was a purported "expose'" of
Ed Decker and Jeremiah Films. Tope was claiming that after he wrote
Poisoning in Pizzaland he began to research more into Decker's claims,
and had found enough for a large book, and was working on it. Tope
confronted Decker at an anti-Mormon conference in Utah; pointing his
finger at Ed and calling him a "fraud" and "liar". Ed grabbed Tope's
finger (the one he was pointing at Ed with) and SNAPPED IT! Ed Decker
broke Wally Tope's finger!
Decker presents himself as a spiritual-giant, a "Man of God". Yet
Mormons who know him KNOW he is a coniving, vile, vengeful, UTTERLY
ruthless and VICIOUS man who uses ANY lie, and anyTHING, to get back
on anyone who criticizes him in the least. Decker does NOT turn-the-
other-cheek! Not once.
Wally Tope did not get a chance to finish his expose of Ed Decker.
During the L.A. riots in 1991, Wally Tope had driven from his home in
La Canada-Flintridge (just above Pasadena) to the riot areas; for the
purpose of "witnessing for Jesus" to the people rioting. A black man
and a Chicano man were coming out of a supermarket. They had stolen
goods in their arms. Wally confronted them and tried to "witness" to
them. They dropped the goods and commenced to beat Wally; eventually
kicking him while he was on the ground and unconscious. They continued
to kick Tope in the head after he was on the ground and obviously
unconscious. Wally died later in a hospital of head injuries.
The Tanners later reproduced much of Tope's evidence against Decker's
poisoning claims in a book they published titled Problems in The God
Makers II; which is available via Utah Lighthouse Ministries online.
What happened is typical "Decker". He goes to Scotland to show The God
Makers and preach against Masons and Mormons. He is invited for lunch
by a pastor and another man who helped pass-out leaflets for The God
Makers showing. Decker takes his arthritis medication. He later gets
and upset stomach and becomes very weak, but continues to lecture. The
next day he is flown to Ireland where his stomach becomes more upset,
and considers going to a hospital. The people he is staying with ask a
veterinarian to look at him. He returns back to the U.S. and still is
very weak and has a very upset stomach. At no time does he enter a
hospital. He goes to his own physician who runs blood and urine tests.
He is tested for arsenic, and it proves negative (he has a normal
level). Later, Decker invents a story where he insinuates he is
poisoned by a man who accompanies him and the pastor; a man who did
not know who got a refill for him on his Coke. Twenty minutes later he
is rushed to the emergency room and his stomach is pumped. He is told
that there was "7 times the lethal dose" of arsenic in his stomach,
and doctors can't understand why he is still alive! He tells these
stories, and many similar false and fabricated stories, to large
audiences of Evangelicals around the county who, upon hearing it,
shout "Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!"
Decker et al vs. the Tanners et al
If you are wondering why the Tanners, two of the most prominent anti-
Mormon researchers and publishers, are publishing things which expose
Ed Decker as a LIAR, then I'll tell you.
Today (2002 A.D.), anti-Mormons and their followers fall into two
opposing "camps": the Deckerites and the Tannerites. The Deckerites
are the followers of Ed Decker and his "camp". The Tannerites are the
followers of Jerald and Sandra Tanner and their "camp". The Deckerites
believe Decker and read "The God Makers" books and other Decker books
and tracts. The Tannerites read "Mormonism: Shadow or Reality?" and
other Tanner books and publications.
The Deckerites are, how do I say this, rather "simplistic" in their
view of Mormonism. They think it is part of a worldwide Luciferian/
Masonic/Mormon conspiracy; to take over the world and prepare it for
the End-Times Anti-christ. They believe Mormon leaders are Mafia-like
murderers who openly worship Lucifer while rank-and-file Mormons are
liars and hypocrites and dupes, that Lucifer is the god of Mormonism,
etc.
The Tannerites, on the other hand, are abit more sophisticated.
Tannerites include more intellectual Evangelicals, as well as quite a
few Agnostics and Atheists. There are also quite a few "Liberal"
Mormons in the Tannerite camp; who see all religion as more or less
"man-made" The Liberal Mormons (often called "Sunstone Mormons") don't
want the Church destroyed; just "changed" from within. They seen
themselves as "agents of change". Quite a few of them actually work
for the Church as lower-level managers; as a means to "change-from-
within". The Evangelicals among the Tannerites see Mormonism as just a
false religion; founded by a charlatan. They see Mormons as sincere,
but deceived. They don't see Mormon leaders are "evil" men, but not
that good either.
The Deckerites and Tannerites used to basically co-operate with each
other; at least yearly during a yearly anti-Mormon conference called
"Capstone"; held in Salt Lake City or sometimes Park City, Utah. Each
year anti-Mormons would give lectures, and new publications or films
would be promoted.
However, the Tannerites also thought of the Deckerites as "boobs" and
"conspiracy-nuts" and "simpletons". On the other hand, the Deckerites
have always considered the Tannerites to be "deceived" because they
did not see the worldwide Luciferian/Satanic conspiracy like the
Deckerites did.
In the mid-1980s, James Spencer (an ex-Mormon) and William Schnoebelen
(an ex-Mormon and Associate Director of Saints Alive in Jesus) wrote a
book titled Mormonism's Temple of Doom. In the book they claimed to
show how the Mormon Endowment Ceremony was taken "bodily" from
occultic Witchcraft rituals. They also claimed to show that the very
architecture of the Salt Lake Temple was occultic and Satanic.
Spencer and Schnoebelen began to promote their new book, and lectured
and appeared on various Evangelical radio talkshows. Schnoebelen began
claiming that when he and his wife first went to the Temple they were
taught three Hebrew words, and they later discovered, to their horror,
that those three Hebrew words meant in Hebrew: "O WONDERFUL LUCIFER!"
Later, in a meeting with Mormon Apostle James Faust, Bill's wife said,
"Lucifer is the god of the Mormon Temple isn't he?" Elder Faust is
supposed to have said in reply, "Flesh and blood hath not revealed
this to you! You are correct!" Realizing they had joined a Lucifer-
worshipping cult, they left Mormonism and became born-again
Christians....Praise the Lord!
Many Tannerites began to hear about the claims of Schnoebelen and
Spencer. Many of the Tannerites were quite intellectual and
sophisticated people; many of them did their own research. Many were
quite well-read and highly educated. They KNEW that the Mormon
Endowment Ceremony had many close parallels to Freemasonic rites, but
NOT to witchcraft rituals as Spencer and Schnoebelen were saying. Many
Tannerites (some of these Liberal Mormons) KNEW that the three Hebrew
words Mormons chanted in the old Endowment ceremony DID NOT MEAN "O
Wonderful Lucifer!" They started writing and calling the Tanners,
saying: "What are you gonna do about this?"
The Tanners decided to write a reply to the claims of Spencer and
Schnoebelen. They basically wrote:
*The Three Hebrew Words in the Endowment ceremony DO NOT mean "O
Wonderful Lucifer!" but "Hear [my]Mouth [O] God" in Sephardic Hebrew.
*Claims that the Signs and Tokens in the Mormon Endowment Ceremony
came from Witchcraft are FALSE.
*There is no evidence that the architecture of Mormon Temples are
based upon anything known as "Satanic architecture". This is an
invention by William Schnoebelen.Mormonism's Temple of Doom are often
contradictory, misleading, or false.
Instead of James Spencer and Bill Schnoebelen withdrawing their
claims, they made new claims! They began claiming that Jerald and
Sandra Tanner, authors of scores of anti-Mormon books, and whose
research MOST of The God Makers book is based upon, were "secret
agents working for the Mormon Church".
Ed Decker stood by his associates! He came out squarely on the side of
Spencer and Schnoebelen. After all, Bill Schnoebelen was the Associate
Director of Saints Alive in Jesus.
Decker accepted the claim that the three Hebrew words Mormons chant
(before 1990) in the Mormon Endowment Ceremony meant "O Wonderful
Lucifer!'; thereby proof that Mormons was unknowingly worshipping
Lucifer in Mormon Temples. To substantiate this claim Decker asked the
Rev. Wesley P. Walters, and anti-Mormon researcher who had studied
Hebrew for 3 years in seminary. Jerald Tanner writes what happened
next:
"Unfortunately, Decker could not get over the sensationalistic claim
that the words 'pay lay ale' actually meant 'Wonderful Lucifer'. He
called Wesley P. Walters, who was one of the most knowledgeable
critics of the LDS Church, and asked his opinion on the matter.
Walters, who had also studied the Hebrew language, examined the claim
and responded by frankly telling Mr. Decker that the idea could not be
supported from the Hebrew language. According to Walters, Decker then
stated that he did not care and was going to use the arguement
anyway." (Problems in The God Makers II, p.49)
With the publication by the Tanners, the lines began to be drawn.
Soon, James Spencer was claiming that Jerald and Sandra Tanner weren't
Christian researchers on Mormonism after all, but "secret agents"
hired and directed by Mormon Church leaders as way of
"controlling" (watering-down) anti-Mormon claims. This was why the
Tanners rejected the worldwide Luciferian/Masonic/Mormon conspiracy;
because they were part of it!
Other Deckerites, such as Loftes Tryk (an ex-Mormon and anti-Mormon
writer) began saying that the Tanners were "demonized secret agents"
working for the Mormon Church.
Jerald and Sandra Tanner produced several publications which not only
refuted the absurd claims Decker/Spencer/Schnoebelen, but exposed Bill
Schnoebelen as an ABSOLUTE PATHOLICAL-LIAR AND FRAUD. These
publications are:
*The Lucifer-God Doctrine (90 pages)
*Covering-up Syn (one of their Salt Lake Messenger newsletters)
*Serious Charges Against the Tanners (44 pages)
Covering-up Syn can be read online. The other two publications can be
purchased online from Utah Lighthouse Ministries for $4 and $1 (plus
shipping and handling) respectively.
Decker stood squarely behind Spencer and Schnoebelen, and against the
Tanners. After all, at that time Bill Schnoebelen was the Associate
Director of Saints Alive in Jesus. This was a rather contradictory
things to do; since 75% of The God Makers book was based upon research
by the Tanners. Indeed, The God Makers book plagarized much of the
Tanners' book Mormonism: Shadow or Reality?.
Decker featured Sandra Tanner in The God Makers film as a "renowned
researcher" on Mormonism. Much of The God Makers was based upon Tanner
research. Now, Ed Decker, and Pat Matrisciana (president of Jeremiah
Films who produced The God Makers and other anti-Mormon films by
Decker) were calling the Tanners "liars".
During this time, Decker wrote:
"They [the Tanners] want to put the Matricianas and me out of
business. Well, it isn't going to happen, Jerald and Sandra. Not by
your kind of cheap journalistic claptrap. If this is the way the
Tanners go about all their research, I've got a lot of Mormons to
apologize to and so does Pat [Matrisciana]."
"Either the Tanners are the greatest dupes in the business, or bald-
faced liars." (Saints Alive in Jesus newsletter, March-April 1993)
Ed later send this letter to Jeff Craine:
"I have to apologize to every Mormon I have ever shared Tanner
materials with. I have even used it heavily in my own research and
publications, writings, films. I had always thought the Tanners to be
exacting researchers and without a real ax to grind. No more. What has
happened is that they have manipulated data to make it say what they
want it to say in order to defame someone they want to destroy. If
they would do it to Ed Decker, or Jim Spencer, or Bill Schnoebelen and
we are others can see it, then what does it say about their reporting
on Mormonism? Therefore, I have to apologize and will have to re-
evaluate a whole lot of what we did with their material." (letter
quoted in Problems in The God Makers II,, pp.52-3)
The only way to "not use" the Tanners material would be to recall all
copies of The God Makers book and do a complete rewrite without using
these research. However, since 75% of The God Makers book was taken
bodily from the Tanner's Mormonism: Shadow or Reality?, this would
essentially mean scrapping the book and writing a completely new one.
This was never done. A new "expanded edition" of The God Makers book
was published by Harvest House; with all the Tanner materials
unchanged. Indeed, additional materials were used which came straight
from new Tanner newsletters, but without the unwary Reader knowing
this.
The Tanners DID prove that much of the materials in The God Makers
book was taken bodily from Mormonism: Shadow or Reality?; as if
someone cut-up the Tanner's book, pasted the pages on cardboard, then
mixed the cardboards up (to try to hide the plagarism), and then wrote
The God Makers from the cardboards; only adding comments and
additional materials (like a Luciferian/Masonic/Mormon conspiracy-
theory) here and there.
In other words, whoever wrote The God Makers book plagarized heavily
from the Tanner's book (Mormonism: Shadow or Reality?), tried to hide
it, then included comments and additional information here and there
from Decker and co-author Dave Hunt. Later, Decker claimed that the
Tanners were either dupes, secret agents hired by the Mormon Church to
"control" anti-Mormon research, or "bald-faced liars". Decker wrote
that the Tanner materials could not be trusted, yet, he continutes to
produce hundreds of thousands of copies of The God Makers.
Decker claimed that while he was in Scotland, preaching against the
Masons (or Morons...the story changes with the audience) the Masons
(or Mormons) had tried to poison him (kill him) with arsenic in a
glass a coca-cola. According to his own claims, a man he did not know
gave him a glass of coka-cola at a Pizza parlor. He drank it, but soon
afterwards he became quite ill; vomiting, in violent convulsions, so
much so that he was taken to an emergency room THAT NIGHT and it was
discovered that he had been given "7 times the lethal dose of
arsenic". Although given seven times the lethal dose, he survived
(Praise the Lord!).
Decker was on the Phil Donahue television show in 1991, and Donahue
said:
Donahue: "Ed Decker was a Mormon for 19 years. After speaking out
against the Mormon Church, he claims, Mr. Decker does, that he was
shot at and even poisoned. He believes Mormon followers are
responsible for the actions against him. Now, Ed, I mentioned a few
times that the fact that you had been shot at twice. Has anyone been
arrested in those cases?"
Decker: "No, my wife and I were shot at in our bedroom in the middle
of the night."
Donahue: "It is an established fact that indeed a shooting did take
place?"
Decker: "OH YEAH! I was poisoned with arsenic! I have the doctor's
reports, the urine tests, the blood test." (Problems in The God Makers
II, Appendix B)
Decker told Donahue that the "Mormon followers" were responsible for
the shots fired and for the poisoning in Scotland! Yet, on a Mormon
radio program in Salt Lake City in 1992, Decker says it was the
"Masons" who tried to poison him. Ed said:
"It wasn't the LDS Church that I was dealing with at the time. It
wasn't even the Mormons that were involved in the poisoning." (Martin
Tanner Radio Show, July 19, 1992, quoted in Problems in The God Makers
II, Appendix B)
In truth, Decker was in Scotland to preach against Mormonism and
against Freemasonry. Scotland has comparatively few Mormons, but a lot
of Masons, and Knight Templars. Ed was telling Evangelical Christian
groups there that 32nd and 33rd Degree Masons "secretly worship
Lucifer" and then lie about this openly. Ed has claimed that 32 degree
Scottish Rite Masons knowingly worship Lucifer, but Masons less high
don't know this, etc. Along with Saints Alive (his anti-Mormon
ministry), Decker also has an anti-Masonic ministry called "Free the
Masons Ministries". When preaching against Freemasonary, he tells a
story on how the Masons in Scotland tried to poison him by putting "7
times the lethal dose" or arsenic in his coke at a Pizza parlor.
However, on the Phil Donahue show, and in other places, when Ed is
preaching against the LDS Church, he blames the poisoning on
"Mormons".
The "truth" is that there was no poisoning nor a poisoning attempt.
The "man" whom Decker insinuated put poison in his Coke refill did not
get Ed's refill; the waitress did. There was no rush to the Emergency
Room! There was no stomach pumping. There was no "7 times" the lethal
dose of arsenic in his blood! Decker's symtoms was consistent with the
side-effects of the medication he was then taking for arthritis. His
arsenic level was normal. He simply "invented" this story as a way to
present himself as a "brave Christian soldier" whom the Lord
miraculously saves. Why? In order to get more money from Evangelicals;
who believe every word of what Decker tells them!
Who shot Decker's bedroom window? I don't know. But I don't believe it
was a "Mormon". At about the same time Decker's window was shot by a
high-velocity bullet, the same kind of bullet hit the statue of
Moroni, on the top of the Seattle Temple, several times. Why would a
Mormon wish to shot a statue of Moroni on the Seattle Temple? Of
course, an anti-Mormon would have good reason to shoot a bullet
through Ed's bedroom window; without Ed being there or anyone hurt; so
as to get MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF FREE ADVERTISING for Ed and Saints
Alive via local secular press and national "Christian" press!
And IT WORKED!
In 1990 Jerald Tanner, the most prominent anti-Mormon researcher in
the world, wrote a letter to Ed Decker. Here are excerpts:
"Now that you have indicated you are willing to provide information
concerning the poisoning, I am making the request directly to you...I
also have questions concerning related matters...To being with, there
is more involved here than the arsenic poisoning story. In a
tape...dated July 25, 1988, you claimed that the year 1986 was a very
bad year for you. You stated, '...God showed me that I was in for a
time of attack, and the next year I suffered three coronaries, I was
poisoned twice, and at least one gunman that they caught was dressed
in battle fatigues...I'm not going to hide. I'm not going to stop what
what I'm doing...if you want to try to kill me, then try it, because
I'm not going to go inside some place and hide from you.' In
additional to all these troubles...you reported..'The day after
Capstone [the anti-Mormon conference in Utah] I came down with
Legionnaries' Disease.' In addition to all this, I understand that you
have stated taht the Mormons have tried to killed you THREE TIMES
before you were poisoned in 1986." (Jerald Tanner to Ed Decker, August
11, 1990, quoted in Problems in The God Makers III,, p.81)
Jerald Tanner wanted answers; dates, times, names, so he could check-
out Decker's claims. Why? Because the Tannerites (the Tanner's tens of
thousands of sophisticated readers and followers) were demanding it.
Also, because Decker and the Deckerites were "dissing" (disrespecting)
the Tanners because the Tanners severly criticized Bill Schnoebelen
and his book Mormonisms' Temple of Doom. It was "tit-for-tat" time!
Ed Decker never responded to Jerald Tanner's request for references.
Instead, Jerald Tanner received a copy of a letter from the Board of
Dirctors of Saints Alive in Jesus to Ed Decker, which read in part:
"...it is the instruction of the Board of Directors that you refrain
from any further discussion with the Tanners and their
organization...and any affiliated persons associated with that
organization." (ibid.)
Decker WANTS to provide names/dates by the way, but the Board of
Directors has tied his hands. What can he do but obey them? The fact
that Decker is Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Ex-Mormon for
Jesus Evangelical Association (the legal name of Saints Alive in
Jesus) seems not to matter much.
Decker presents himself as a brave and heroic Christian soldier in
battle with the "Great Red Dragon" (the Luciferian/Masonic/Mormon
worldwide conspiracy). He's been shot at three times, poisoned twice,
came down with Legionnarie's Disease (hint: the Mormon Church has
biological warfare specialists), but, instead of going into hiding, he
comes out boldly saying, "Here I am, come get me!" WOW! What a brave
and heroic Christian soldier isn't he? The all-powerful Mormon Church
has tried to kill him in umpteen ways for DECADES and they can't seem
to succeed. Surely, the Lord is protecting this "Man of God"! He wants
Evangelicals to believe this, and MILLIONS do!
Can you spell d-u-p-e-s?
Decker and the Mark Hofmann Affair
On October 15th, 1985, two pipebombs exploded in Salt Lake City. One
of them killed a Mormon bishop named Steve Christensen; the son of Mac
Christensen; the owner of "Mr. Mac's" clothing stores (quite famous in
Salt Lake City for giving missionaries discounts and for TV ads). The
other person killed was Kathy Sheets; a housewife, mother of four. She
was the wife of Gary Sheets; a Mormon, former bishop, who owned CFS
(Consolidated Financial Services); an investment company that had
recently lost most of it's investor's money due to bad investments and
a downturn in the economy. Police initially believed the bombings were
done by professional hitmen hired by disguntled investors. Christensen
had once worked for Gary Sheets at CFS. Now, Christensen and Kathy
Sheets were dead from pipebombs.
The very next day another pipebomb exploded. This time the victim was
Mark Hofmann; a well-known "documents" dealer. He became famous for
"discovering" hundreds of early Mormon and American documents. Some of
his finds were quite controversial. He found old Mormon documents
which said:
*The Angel Moroni turned into a white salamander and bit Joseph Smith
three times on the hand (Salamander Letter).
*The Angel Moroni commanded Joseph Smith to dig up his dead brother
Alvin and bring a hand to the Hill Cumorah so he could get the gold
plates (Martin Harris Letter)
*Joseph Smith ordained his son to succeed him, and not Brigham Young
(Joseph Smith III Letter).
*Brigham Young tried to destroy the Joseph Smith III letter to hide
the fact he was not the true successor (Thomas Bullock Letter).
*etc.
Nobody praised and supported Mark Hofmann more than Ed Decker and
Saints Alive. Everytime Mark Hofmann made another "find" the member of
Saints Alive were literally dancing in the aisles at their meetings;
shouting at the tops of their lungs: "HALLELUYAH! PRAISE THE LORD! WE
KNOW HAVE PROOF MORMONISM IS A FRAUD!!! PRAISE THE LORD!!!!"
Hofmann was seriously injured in the bombing; which happened in his
car. He told TIME magazine that a "fanatical Mormon" did it (i.e.
Darrick Evenson did it, because I was telling everyone that Hofmann
was an "atheist" and a "liar" and "forged" the documents---I was not
believed by anyone--Mormons and anti-Mormons laughed at me both and
called me a "nut"). I had tried to warn the Church about Hofmann as
far back as 1981. I wrote leaders to Church leaders and contacted
Church Security. I was immediately dismissed as a "nut" and Church
Security would intercept my letters to Church leaders and make sure I
"didn't waste the Brethren's precious time". When I tried to tell my
bishop and Institute directors they would all tell me that Hofmann was
"a good Member of the Church" and that "all is well" and that the
Brethren had everything in control. Liberal "Sunstone" Mormons would
tell me that Hofmann was "coming out with truth" and I "just had to
accept it".
After Hofmann discovered the Salamander Letter, Saints Alive did
another newsletter; this time with a salamander blowing a trumpet on
the top of the Salt Lake Temple.
After Hofmann was carbombed Decker immediately starting telling
everyone (including journalists) that "Mormon leaders" had ordered the
bombing because they wanted to silence Mark Hofmann because "he's
coming out with too much truth about Mormon origins". The New York
Times Magazine came out with a huge 4-page front-page article that
basically said the same thing! The bombings were part of a "Mormon
conspiracy" to silence Hofmann. But then why were Christensen and
Sheets killed? Decker responded, "That's all part of the conspiracy!"
ATF (Alcohol Tobacco and Firearm) agents knew day 1 that Hofmann had
dropped his own bomb; because the bomb-blast pattern didn't "fit" with
what Hofmann said happened. The police then launched a massive
investigator of Hofmann that would take many months and tens of
thousands of man-hours. They discovered:
1) Hofmann was an atheist; although he served a mission and was an
active Mormon.
2) Most of Hofmann's friends in Utah were bi-sexual and homosexual
Mormons who were active in the Church, but secretly were very angry at
Mormon leaders for being "anti-Gay". Police suspected Hofmann of being
"a switch bater" (i.e. bisexual).
3) Hofmann had spent hundreds of hours with Michael Marquardt; an anti-
Mormon researcher who specialized in Mormon history.
4) Hofmann had visited Jerald and Sandra Tanner many times, and
offerred them information on numerous occassions.
5) Hofmann had purchased the materials to make the pipebombs under the
pseudonym of "Mike Hansen".
6) Hofmann had FORGED just about all of his "finds"; including ALL of
the documents that made Joseph Smith and Brigham Young look bad and
involved in Black Magick.
It was George Throckmorton who "broke" the forgery case; proving that
Hofmann had ingeniously forged the documents by stealing old paper
from old books, then making ink to appear old, and adding charcoal to
try to fool Carbon 14 dating.
Devastating evidence was presented at the Preliminary Hearing;
afterwhich Hofmann confessed to forging the documents, making the
pipebombs, and killing Christensen and Sheets. He killed Christensen
because Christensen was beginning to suspect Hofmann of being a fraud.
He killed Kathy Sheets merely to throw off police suspecting him;
hoping they would think the bombings were a disgruntled CFS investor
(they did at first).
When asked why he forged the documents, Hofmann replied that he had
been an atheist since age 14. He went on a mission for the Church to
please his parents. On his mission he decided he wanted to someday
"discover" the evidence to prove Joseph Smith a fraud. He tried for
years, but he couldn't find any "smoking gun". So, he decided the next
best thing was to "create" the "evidence".
When Hofmann was asked why he killed Christensen, he replied that
Christensen was beginning to suspect him, and he couldn't afford to be
suspected; because he was forging the ultimate "smoking gun" against
Joseph Smith.
When Hofmann was asked why he killed Kathy Sheets, he replied that he
needed to throw police off of suspecting him. He knew that Christensen
once worked for CFS (owned by Gary Sheets), and that CFS had lost tens
of millions of investor dollars. He hoped that by killying Sheets and/
or his wife, police would suspect it was a disguntled investor (they
did at first).
After Hofmann confessed, Decker said that Hofmann was "framed" and
that the documents were "real". Was not the judge in the Pre-Lim a
Mormon? Was not the forensic scientist who discovered the forgery
Mormon? Was not the chief prosecutor Mormon? Was not half of the
police investigator's Mormon?
There ya go!
It was just another Mormon Church conspiracy!
Why did Hofmann confess? Well, easy! The Mormons wanted to kill him;
put him against a wall in a fireing squad! The only way Hofmann could
save his life was to "confess".
And, YES, Evangelicals believed Decker...every word...yet again!
I don't know if Hofmann and Decker every communicated. I DO know that
they had a mutual friend; Michael Marquardt. Decker and Marquardt both
attended the yearly "Capstone" anti-Mormon conferences in Utah, and
had many one-to-one conversations together.
In "The God Makers II" (produced in 1991-1992) Decker claims that the
Angel Moroni ordered Joseph Smith to dig up his dead brother Alvin and
cut off his hand and bring it to the Hill Cumorah in exchange for the
gold plates (the film shows a scene of a skeleton--then Joseph Smith
receiving the gold plates from Moroni). This was based upon one of
Hofmann's forgeries; the "Martin Harris" letter. Hofmann confessed to
forging it in 1986. "The God Makers II" was produced in 1991-2.
After Hofmann confessed and was convicted I called the Mormons who had
laughed at me and called me a "nut". All of them but one hung up the
phone on me. One of them said, "But Mark Hofmann was a FAITHFUL member
of the Church!!!"
I kid you not!
After Hofmann confessed many of the Liberal "Sunstone" Mormons went
into what I could only call a "state of mourning". Hofmann was their
hero. They saw this as a terrible set-back to their cause. One of
them, a Mormon historian named D. Michael Quinn, wrote Mormonism and
the Magic World View; which was based on many of Hofmann's forged
documents. The book was published before the bombings. After Hofmann
confessed, Quinn (who left the Church and now lives with his gay
lover) said that the documents are "real" but refuses to defend them
beyond that. Anti-Mormons still use Quinn's book as "proof" that
Joseph Smith was heavily involved in the occult/Black Magick. Mark
Hofmann and Quinn knew each other; both attended the yearly Sunstone
Symposiums in Salt Lake City. Quinn was a closet "Gay" Mormon. Most of
Hofmann's friends were Mormon closet homosexuals who were active in
the Church, but secretly engaged in gay liaisons and ranted against
Church leaders for being "homophobes" and for contibuting Church funds
to Anti-Gay political campaigns.
Jerald Tanner was wise enough to distance himself from Hofmann right
at the beginning. However, Deckerites still believe that Hofmann is
"innocent" and was "framed" by the Mormon Church; who murdered two
people and framed Hofmann. The judge, police, forensic examiners, etc.
are all part of a Mormon Church's frame-up that would make O.J.'s
defense team "white police conspiracy" look amateurish!
Hofmann has been in the Utah State Prison since 1986. He is not
expected to every be paroled; although this is possible.
Decker and the Van Damme Episode
Back about 1985 there was a man named Charles Van Damme who was dying
of AIDS. He claimed that Gordon B. Hinckley (now President of the
Mormon Church) had been his bisexual lover in the late '60s/early
'70s, and even had bought a home in Salt Lake City specifically for
bisexual orgies that included black prostitues and underage young men.
Jeremiah Films did a video regarding this titled The Truth About
Mormon President Gordon B. Hinckley. The video showed a black man and
a woman (identified as a former prostitute) claiming that "Mr.
Hinckley" or "Gordon B. Hinckley" had engaged in sex with black
prostitutes at the sex-house he had bought. Van Damme is shown in his
death-bed claiming that "Gordon B. Hinckley" had sex with "boys as
young as 15" at this house. The black man (a former pimp) claimed that
"Gordon really liked black girls".
Gordon B. Hinckley was the Acting President of the Church from about
1984 to 1985, and again from 1987 to 1988. He became the President of
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1990, and remains
the President today (2003 A.D.)
Jerald and Sandra Tanner, long-time anti-Mormon publishers and
researchers in Salt Lake City, decided to check-out these claims. They
found them abit too fantastic. They got from a friend (Wally Tope) an
UNedited copy of the death-bed interview of Charles Van Damme; where
Van Damme claims (among other things):
*He first met Gordon B. Hinckley when he was ordained a Priest in
1963. Apostles had to ordain men priests, so Hinckley was sent from
Salt Lake to California to ordain Van Damme. (NOTE: This is ABSURD!
Priests in the Mormon Church are 14 and 15 year old boys, NEVER
ordained by apostles but by their own local ward bishops or sometimes
their own fathers).
*The house Van Damme said was bought by Gordon Hinckley for the sole
purpose of staging sex-parties was in fact NEVER bought, sold, or
owned by Gordon B. Hinckley, but by another "Hinckley" who was a
relative of Gordon B. Hinckley, but never an apostle in the LDS
Church.
*The man who actually WAS associated with Van Damme in the late 60s
was a "Hinckley" who was a close relative of Gordon B. Hinckley. This
"Hinckley" owned a car dealership that Van Damme worked at. This
"Hinckley" did own the house in question during the time in question.
The Tanners do not reveal the name of the "Hinckley" (perhaps for fear
of legal action), but assure it was not "Gordon B. Hinckley"; current
President of the LDS Church.
*The Tanners discover that Charles Van Damme had married a Mormon
woman, then was baptized into the Mormon Church soon afterwards. He
was excommunicated from the LDS Church in 1970. Soon afterwards his
wife divorced him, and he lost his part-ownership in a car dealership
in Salt Lake City. He then moved to Denver and openned two gay bars;
later involved in several FBI investigations into organized crime in
Denver.
*The Tanners found a man who knew Van Damme while he lived in Salt
Lake City. Van Damme had pretended to be a "good Mormon" but at the
same time used drugs, held sex-parties (in the house in question),
sometimes had sex with very young homosexual men, and would steal
money from his partners in the car dealership. All this changed when
Gordon B. Hinckley, then an apostle, discovered that Van Damme was
having a homosexual affair with one of Hinckley's close relatives. The
close relative had confessed and apparently repented, and named Van
Damme as his former lover. Perhaps to protect his close relative,
Gordon B. Hinckley decided to "take care of the problem" himself
rather than let local bishops do it (apparently to protect his close
relative's marriage). Gordon B. Hinckley called Van Damme into a
meeting at the Church Administrative Offices. Van Damme came, and a
confrontation occurred. Van Damme apparently DID NOT REPENT or show
sorrow for his actions. He was soon excommunicated from the Church.
Back in 1970 excommunications were "publicized" by the Church in
Church publications (not so today because of libel suits against the
Church that have proved very successful and lucreative). Van Damme
lost his wife, his children, his business...EVERTHING! Mormons no
longer bought cars from him. His wife divorced him. His life in Utah
WAS RUINED! Instead of blamming this on his own deviant behaviors and
hypocrisy, he blamed Gordon B. Hinckley for his misfortunes (this is
typical of many ex-Mormons who blame the Church instead of
themselves).
Charles Van Damme's death-bed confessions were simply one final "pay-
back" upon the man (Gordon B. Hinckley) whom Van Damme blamed for
ruining the "good life" he had had in Salt Lake City.
Gordon B. Hinckley sued Jeremiah Films, and an out-of-court settlement
was reached. Jeremiah Films stopped distributing The Truth About
Mormon President Gordon B. Hinckley. Then, years later, Jeremiah Films
began to quietly redistribute it; only to be "caught" and then again
stop distribution.
Decker and the FEN Episode ("Put-em On The Payroll")
In the late 1980s two Mormon businessmen from Ogden, Utah, Jared Brown
and Sheldon Young, decided to create Bible Story and Book of Mormon
Story animated videos. They both owned a company called "Living
Scriptures" which had, since the early 70s, produced dramatized Bible
and Book of Mormon cassette tapes which were sold to Mormons
throughout the U.S. Brown and Young wanted to produce animated videos
on the same subjects. So, they hired Mormon writers and producers who,
along with Korean animators, produced a series of Bible and Book of
Mormon animated cartoons of a very high quality. Mormons bought them
up like hot cakes!
Just then, Brown and Young decided to expand their market. It was
decided that the "Christian" market was 20 times larger than the
Mormon market; so they decided to distribute their Bible Story videos
to the Christian market. However, they soon discovered that
"Christian" bookstores and distributors would UTTERLY REFUSE to buy or
even stock "Mormon" videos or any sort. What to do? They decided to
use a little strategem!
Brown and Young formed a subsidiary of Living Scriptures called
"Family Entertainment Network ("FEN"), and they recruited several
prominent Evangelical Christians to become "partners". One was Jerry
Falwell. The "partners" would basically be "partners" in name only. In
return for the use of their "names" they would receive a portion of
the profits from the sale of every video.
Brown and Young then placed an "Evangelical Christian" as President of
FEN, and openned an office in Dallas, Texas. No mention was made that
FEN was wholly owned by Living Scriptures; a company owned by two
Mormons in Ogden Utah.
It worked!
FEN began to distribute the Bible Story videos all across the country!
Evangelicals began to buy them as soon as they hit the shelves. They
went like hot-cakes! Soon FEN was taking in millions of dollars.
But, all was not well in Paradise!
A man who worked for an anti-Mormon "ministry" in Oklahoma purchased
several of the tapes, and noticed in the "credits" that "Orson Scott
Card" was the "scriptwriter". He KNEW that Orson Scott Card was a
famous MORMON writer! He then began to check things out. He called FEN
in Dallas, and they DENIED that they were associated with the Mormon
Church in any way. He did more research and discovered that FEN was
owned by "Living Scriptures" of Ogden, Utah. He called FEN and "Living
Scriptures". Both denied they had anything to do with the other. But,
he had the information and began sharing it with other anti-Mormon
"ministries"; including Saints Alive in Jesus.
As soon as Decker learned that FEN was "Mormon owned" he began his
anti-FEN crusade. Decker went on a Christian radio campaign, saying:
*FEN is owned by the Mormon CHURCH.
*FEN was created by the Mormon CHURCH as a way to get Mormon teachings
into Christian homes.
*The money Christians pay to FEN for the videos goes straight into
"Mormon Church coffers".
*FEN videos were full of Satanic "subliminal messages" that try to
hypnotise young Christians into Mormonism.
*Buying FEN videos was "letting Satan into your homes" and "just like
letting Mormon missionaries into your homes".
NOTE: The LDS Church does not own FEN nor Living Scriptures. The LDS
Church has no stock in either company (which are privately owned and
do not issue stock). The ONLY connection the LDS Church has with FEN
or Living Scriptures is that the two owners of both are Mormons. There
is no "business tithe" in the Mormon Church. Neither FEN nor Living
Scriptures pays a dime to the Mormon Church.
Sales of the Bible Story videos began to decline rapidly. What to do?
Brown and Young had a stroke of genius!
They decide the best way to shut Decker up is to put 'em on the
payroll!
They put ED DECKER on the payroll of FEN!
They asked Decker to become a member of the "Board of Advisors" of
FEN, and to "review" each Bible video FEN produced; for an "advisor's
fee" of $1000 per video. There were 28 Bible videos.
Decker accepted!
Apparently no longer concerned with filling "Mormon Church coffers"
Decker "reviewed" the 25 FEN Bible story videos, andthen came out with
this written statement:
"I am pleased to report that FEN has enthusiatically implemented my
recommendations and the products now stand clean of any Mormon or
other not-orthodox influence. As such, I endorce them as products of
the highest quality and I confidently recommend them to Christian
families and churches." (The Christian Research Journal, Summer 1992,
p.34)
We don't know what "recommendations" that Decker made to FEN, but we
DO know this:
*The two Mormons (Brown and Young) remained the controlling-owners of
FEN.
*Mormon writers and producers continued to produce animated Bible
videos for FEN.
*Not ONE of the 25 Bible Story videos produced by FEN that Decker
allegedly "reviewed" was edited or changed in any way.
Does that sound "clean" to you?
Nothing changed except the weight of Decker's wallet!
Decker presented FEN as a "Mormon Church conspiracy" to get Mormon
doctrines into Christian homes to try to convert Christian children
and, at the same time, fill "Mormon Church coffers" with Evangelical
money. But, after they put Decker on the payroll, and he "cleaned" the
videos (?), he couldn't endorce FEN highly enough!
Decker's Disappearing Radio Station
For years Decker claimed that after appearing on a Christian radio
station and playing a secret cassette tape recording of the Mormon
Endowment Ceremony (considered vary sacred to Mormons) the Christian
radio station he was at soon afterwards burned to the ground! Decker
hints that Mormons did it, or the Mormon leaders sent
"Danites" (Mormon hit-men) to burn it to the ground in retaliation for
his playing the Mormon Endowment ceremony cassette.
At the Capstone Conference for 1998, held in Park City, Utah, Decker
repeats the claim that he once played an audio tape of the Mormon
Endowment ceremony, and soon afterwards "the Mormons" had the radio
station burned to the ground [audience moans]. At this particular anti-
Mormon conference was Wade Wenglund; a Mormon Apologist ('defender of
the faith'). Mormon Apologists are NOT "sent" or "controlled" by
Mormon leaders. They are simply individual Members of the Church who
research anti-Mormon claims, and try to refute as many as they can.
Many are just armchair intellectuals who enjoy the intellectual
challege of refuting anti-Mormon claims. Others are abit more active.
Wade was one of the more active ones.
Wade was at the 1998 Capstone Conference and heard Decker speak. He
later sent an email to Decker asking for dates/times/names to confirm
that the radio station was indeed burned to the ground. Here is Wade's
email plus Decker's email in reply:
WADE: "Mr. Decker, I took the opportunity to sit in on the [Capstone]
conference sesson in which you spoke...
DECKER: "Too bad you didn't take the time to introduce yourself, I
would have enjoyed talking to you."
WADE: "...and I was wondering if you could give me a few more details
on some of the items you made mention of:
1. What is the name of the radio station that burnt down after you
spoke about the temple ceremony? What was the name of your show? What
was the date that the station burnt down? Where was the station
located? Was there an investigation made into the causes of the fire?
If so, what were the findings of the investigation? And, was there any
evidence that members of the LDS faith may have been involved, as you
intimated?"
DECKER: "Wade, I don't think I owe you any of the details when I know
you approach me in a very strong and adversarial position. Be kind
enough to do your own research. We wrote about it at the time and it
was in the news."
[NOTE: What newsletter? When? What news? Where? Decker refused to say]
WADE: "2. In which Ward did you teach the Gospel Doctrine class for
years?"
DECKER: "I taught GD a number of times in a number of Wards. Ask the
Church, they have the records. Do your own research, OK?"
WADE: "3. You spoke of many false claims that the LDS have leveled
against you, and you even listed several of them--including the
assertion that you committed adultery. Are the claims attributed to
your former wife, that you had several affairs during the course of
yours and hers marriage, false in every way?"
DECKER: "I have an idea. DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH, Ok?" [NOTE: Decker then
goes on to tell Wade that his Mormon wife committed adultery against
her third husband, but never answers his question]
(My Correspondance With Ed, p.1-2 online)
Ed's followers NEVER ask him for dates/times/names. When Mormons do he
either brushes them off, changes the subject, asks THEM unrelated
questions, goes into demonstrating Mormon temple "signs and tokens",
or says, "Do you own research!"
The only two Christian radio stations in Utah (KANN and KBBX) were
never burned to the ground. They were never burned period. What radio
station is Decker referring to? Decker doesn't seem to want to say.
One time he told me, "Darrick, if I tell you which one then the
station may be burned down again!" But I replied, "Ed, don't you THINK
the Mormon Church KNOWS which one it burnt down the first time? How is
telling me jepardizing anything?" He quickly changed the subject.
Decker and 'Prof. Dee Jay Nelson'
For decades Decker and Saints Alive promoted "Prof. Dee Jay Nelson";
the world's "greatest Egyptologist". Nelson had claimed that as a
"Mormon Egyptologist" he was comissioned by the Mormon Church to
"translate" the Joseph Smith Papyri; recently rediscovered in 1968 at
the Metropolitan Museum in New York City. The Prophet Joseph Smith
claimed to have "translated" The Book of Abraham from such papyri.
Nelson claimed he translated the papyri and discovered, to his horror,
that it was NOT the ancient "Book of Abraham" but rather a common
first-century A.D. pagan "Book of Breathings"; a document which the
"soul" of the dead took with them into the Afterlife. Nelson claimed
when he told Mormon leaders they told him to "keep quiet" about it,
but Nelson couldn't so he published his translation and then was
excommunicated. Dee Jay Nelson's claims were published both by Saints
Alive in Jesus and by Jerald and Sandra Tanner in pre-1981 editions of
Mormonism: Shadow or Reality? and The Changing World of Mormonism.
Nelson's claims were also put-forth in many other anti-Mormon works;
including The Maze of Mormonism by "Dr." Walter R. Martin.
In 1980 Robert and Rosemary Brown, two Mormons living in Mesa,
Arizona, attended an anti-Mormon lecture given by "Prof. Nelson" at a
local Baptist church. The Browns decided to check-out his claims.
After 9 months of research they discovered:
*Nelson was a high-school and community college drop-out with no
earned degrees of any kind.
*Nelson was not a "professor" of any sort, but gave non-credit
lectures on tourism to Egypt at a small Community College in Billings,
Montana; not as a professor or teacher but as a tour-guide to Egypt.
*Nelson's "degrees" came from a diploma mill in Seattle, Washington,
called "Pacific Northwestern University"; closed down as illegal by
the State of Washington not long after openning.
*Nelson had been a "Deacon" (12 year old boy) in the Mormon church,
but was not active in the Mormon church since the age of 12 or 13.
*Nelson had published two self-published books on "Pyramidology"; an
occultic psedo-science having to do with healing via pyramid shapes.
True Egyptologists refer to "Pyramidologists" as "Pyram-idiots".
*Nelson had been a tour-guide in Egypt on at least two occassions.
*Nelson was NEVER commissioned by the Mormon church to do anything;
much less translate the Joseph Smith Papyri.
In 1981 Robert and Rosemary Brown published an expose' of Dee Jay
Nelson; titled They Lie In Wait To Deceive volume one. Soon afterwards
Moody Press told the Tanners to do a new edition of Changing World
that would remove all references to Nelson. They did. They also
removed most references to Nelson from further editions of Mormonism--
Shadow or Reality?. Other anti-Mormon books removed all references to
"Dr. Dee Jay Nelson" from all post-1981 editions of their books;
usually without explanation.
Saints Alive, however, continued to promote Dee Jay Nelson as "Dr."
and "Prof." Nelson, and his bogus story, for YEARS after he was
exposed as a fraud. Then, in about 1984, Decker began to say at his
lectures (after Mormons began to ask questions about Nelson and tell
the audience Nelson was a "fraud") that Nelson was a "secret agent"
for the Mormon Church! He said Nelson was a "Mormon" who was sent by
Mormon leaders to "infiltrate" Christian ministries to Mormons and try
to discredit them. I was all just another a Mormon Church conspiracy!
It was the Mormons who promoted Nelson, got his phoney degrees, had
Christian "ministries" use him ONLY to "expose" him in the end!
And if you believe THAT, I've got a bridge in Brooklyn I'd like to
sell you----TWICE!
The Deckerites, of course, believed every word!
The Browns continued to research anti-Mormons and their claims, and
published the following exposes:
*They Lie In Wait To Deceive Vol.1 (an expose'of Dee Jay Nelson)
*They Lie In Wait To Deceive Vol.2 (an expose' of Who Really Wrote the
Book of Mormon?)
*They Lie In Wait To Deceive Vol.3 (an expose' of "Dr." Walter R.
Martin, founder of the "Christian Research Institute")
*They Lie In Wait To Deceive Vol.4 (an expose' of Ed Decker, Dick
Bear, et al)
*The Lie In Wait To Deceive Vol.5 (an expose' of Jerald and Sandra
Tanner)
The series does not 'deal' with most major anti-Mormon issues (Adam-
God, plural marriage, etc.), but merely "exposes" the deceptive
techniques, personal claims, and practices that anti-Mormons use. Each
volume is from 320 to 550 pages; with photocopied documentation
included.
They Lie In Wait To Deceive (the series) is available for sale (ON
SALE) online via the FAIR website:
http://www.fairlds.org/pubs/liw/
The God Makers
Decker's film (video) "The God Makers" (originally titled "To Kolob
and Back") was produced around 1980-82 by Jeremiah Films of Hemet,
California. The film declares it is a "fair and accurate" presentation
of "What Mormons REALLY Believe!" It is just the opposite! While the
film contains many truths, it ALSO contains many half-truths,
fabrications, distortions, misleading innuendos, generalizations, and
outright lies. One Mormon who reviewed it, James Carver (author of A
Reply To "Moroni With Love) described the film as "Mormonism in a
circus funhouse mirror".
The premise of the film is that it is a "re-inactment" of a real
situation:
1) Ed Decker and Richard Bear are ex-Mormons. The Church took their
families away from them because they became Christians. The Church is
"breaking up families" in this way every day. Can't they do something
"legally" to stop this.
2) They meet with lawyers who are experts in the First Amendment
(Freedom of Speech). Ed and Dick explain to them what Mormons believe.
The lawyers can't believe what they are hearing!
3) A cartoon is made so Ed and Dick and can what Mormons believe. They
show the cartoon to the lawyers.
4) Ed and Dick tell the lawyers that the Mormon Church is "breaking up
families" and Mormons are commanded to "store two years" of supplies
(guns and ammunition are shown) so that they can take over the United
States when the Mormon Prophet says "Go!" The film says that there are
Mormons in government (Congress, Senate) in the military, law
enforcement, because they are there to help take over the U.S. when
the Mormon Prophet says "Go!"
5) At the end of the film one of the lawyer's says, "You've taken us
to Kolob and back, but WE CAN'T HELP YOU! The Mormon Church HAS
BILLIONS!!!!"
6) The narrator finishes the film by saying that the Church is a
threat to families, and to freedom, as long as it "is allowed to
continue" its diabolic quest for world domination.
7) The "message" of the film is that the Mormon Church is part of an
internationally Luciferian/Masonic/Mormon conspiracy to take over the
U.S., and then the World, and install the end-times Anti-Christ. As
long as Mormons have freedom to live and practice their religion, they
are a satanic threat to the rest of us; including our families. What
are YOU going to do about this horrible conspiracy against YOUR
FAMILY????
If this reminds you of pre-WWII Nazi propaganda films against the
Jews, it should! The Nazis got into power saying the exact same things
about the Jews!
The major claims of "The God Makers" film and video are:
*The Mormon Church "breaks up families". If a spouce becomes a
Christian Mormon bishops tells the Mormon spouce to divorce the
Christian and marry a faithful Mormon. [FALSE! The very opposite is
true. Many pastors of Evangelical churches have told their members to
divorce their Mormon spouces so "as not to unequally yoked". Mormon
bishops counsel forgiveness and to try to keep the family together in
ALL cases except in cases of physical/sexual abuse]
*The Mormon Church prevents Christian spouces from seeing their Mormon
children.[FALSE! The Mormon Church has no power to do this, and it
simply does not happen.]
*The Church trains it's missionaries to "use Christian terminology" so
as to "deliberately deceive" Christians into thinking that the Mormon
Church "is just another Christian church". [FALSE! There are no "two
sets" of terminology. Mormon missionaries are sincere, and try to
deceive nobody.]
*Mormons practice satanic "occultic rituals" in Mormon Temples which
include "blood oaths".[DISTORTION! The rituals are Masonic-like in
nature. A "blood-oath" means a pact using blood. This was never done
in Mormon temples]
*The Mormon Endowment mocks all Christians pastors and calls them
"hirelings of Satan".[DISTORTION! No indication the "sectarian priest"
represented all Christian ministers.]
*Mormons promise to have their throats cut if they review temple
secrets.[FALSE! Patrons promise to keep "signs and tokens" sacred even
if it means they are tortured by enemies in order to reveal them.]
*Only a small number of the "Mormon Elite" may go to the Temple.
[FALSE! One must only be of age and be active and worthy Member]
*The Church tells Mormons to store "two years" of food, water, guns
and ammunition, in order to take over the U.S. Government when the
Mormon Prophet says "Go!"[FALSE! Mormons commanded to store one-year
of food in case of national disasters. No command to store
ammunication. Mormons know of no plot to take-over U.S.]
*Mormons believe that Joseph Smith, and not Jesus, is their true
Savior, and that his blood, and not Jesus' blood, saves them.[FALSE! A
BIG LIE! Mormons see Joseph Smith as a martyr, nothing more.]
*Mormons believe that God the Father and Mary had sex to produce Jesus.
[Some do, but not official Church doctrine! Official Church doctrine
in the Bible, Book of Mormon, and Jesus the Christ by James Talmage,
says Jesus' conception a miracle.]
*Joseph Smith claimed he had done more than any other man, including
Jesus Christ.[DISTORTION! He claimed he had done a "greater work" in
that he kept the Church together. Jesus said His true disciples would
do "greater works" see: John 14:12]
*Mormons believe that they may become gods; this was Lucifer's "Big
Lie" in the Garden of Eden.[Mormons believe this, but this was NOT
Lucifer's lie! The Lord confirms in Genesis 3:22. Lucifer's lie was
"Ye shall not surely die." They surely did.]
*The Church forces young Mormons to commit suicide by having an
unrealistic moral code and a too-judgemental god. Kip Elias, a young
Mormon in Idaho, committed suicide because he could not keep Mormon
standards. The film shows his father crying at the end. [DUMB! A few
Mormon youth 'may' commit suicide every year because they feel
unworthy, and have mental problems. However, do not Evangelicals have
the SAME moral code? Are they not ALSO expected to remain cellibate
before marriage and chaste in marriage? Is not masturbation and
petting also forbidden or considered "sinful"? Kip Eliason's father,
Gary Elias, was an alcoholic and an abusive husband, according to
court records. Kip's mother, Gary's wife, ALSO committed suicide. Gary
Elias sued the Church for MILLIONS of dollars, but lost his case]
The film contains a cartoon which is about 12 minutes long and which
is rather ridiculous. It portryas Elohim as being married to thousands
of young blonde women wearing almost see-thru lingere. It portays
white blonde-haired spirits in heaven turning into Negroes. It has
Joseph Smith in the central role at the final Judgement; flanked by
Elohim and "the Mormon Jesus". It has interviews of "Mormons" looking
and sounding like robots or people hypnotized, along with attractive
ex-Mormons with smiles and easy-going demeanors.
Robert Bowman, an Evangelical and a researcher at the Christian
Research Institute (CRI) wrote an email reply in 1998, which reads:
"The video [The God Makers] is edited in such a way that Mormon
authorities are cut-off in mid-sentence, in some cases thereby made to
appear to be saying something very different from what they meant. The
cartoon presents a caricature of Mormon beliefs so distorted that
hardly any Mormon will recognize their own beliefs in it. Decker and
Hunt [in The God Makers book] did not present an accurate description
of what Mormons believe or have ever believed." (The Modern Christian
Counter-Cult Movement, p.4 online)
Temple of The God Makers
Not long after "The God Makers" was released, Jeremiah Films released
"Temple of The God Makers" which, I think, are the edited-out portions
of the original "God Makers" film (which was first supposed to be two-
hours but was edited down. In "Temple of The God Makers" we have
former "Temple Workers" (Chuck and Dolly Sackett) going through
portions of the Endowment Ceremony (one of the three rites of Mormon
Temples).
The film is supposed to show "exactly" what happens in "secret Mormon
temple rituals". One segment is supposed to show the "washings and
anointings", but the film shows a man, and then a woman, standing in
temple garments with a pitch black background; with screeching violins
being played. Chuck Sackett plays the part of the male Washer, and
Dolly the female Washer. The film does not show Chuck or Dolly
touching the private parts of the man and woman, but it heavily
IMPLIES that they are foldling the private parts of the man and woman.
It shows the Washers reaching under the garments of the man and woman
and the man and woman having horrified looks on their faces. [FALSE!
No touching of private parts are done in Mormon Temples]
The film shows the "Signs and Tokens" of the Priesthoods; the most
sacred parts of the Endowment Ceremony.
The Endowment room in the film resembles the Endowment rooms of LDS
temples, but the veils in the film are BLACK instead of white! Very
evil and eery music is played in the background. There are no black
veils in Mormon Temples, and there is no music of any kind.
The "film" portion of the Mormon Endowment Ceremony (in a few of the
older temples the film is not used, but actors play the various roles)
is surprisingly NOT shown or used in this expose' of what the Mormon
Endowment is supposed to be. [NOTE: The makers of "Temples of The God
Makers" probably did not wish to show that the Endowment is based upon
the Bible, especially Genesis chapter 2 and 3. This would make the
Endowment seem to the unwary Evangelical too "biblical" and not
"satanic" enough, so they left it out, although it is the MAJOR theme
of the true Endowment Ceremony.]
The temple patrons (Mormon temple-goers) in the film are dressed
correctly, but look and move about like Zombies or "possessed" by evil
spirits. The 1950s horror-movie soundtract, plus the dark backgrounds
and black veils, adds to the general mood of evil and darkness. In
reality, the inside of Mormon Temples are not dark but very light.
"Temple of The God Makers" gives the inference of the following:
*The Endowment Ceremony is very evil and satanic.[False, it's based
upon Genesis 2 and 3]
*Mormons promise to be killed if they reveal the "Signs and Tokens".
[False! They promise to keep them sacred even if threatened with death
by their enemies. This has actually happened in the past.]
*Mormons are possessed by evil spirits when they enter Mormon temples.
[False! I never saw any Zombie-like patrons during the Mormon
Endowment ceremony, although I DID see a few of them asleep during the
film portion of it! ;-) ]
*Mormon men who go to the Temple have their private parts washed and
anointed with oil by the hands of male Washers, and Mormon women who
go to the Temple have their private parts washed and anointed with oil
by female Washers. [FALSE! The private parts are not touched at all by
the Washers!]
The "Temple of The God Makers" repeats the 12-minutes cartoon as was
shown in "The God Makers".
The God Makers II
About 7 years after "The God Makers" Decker and Jeremiah Films
produced "The God Makers II". While "The God Makers" was simple
distortion and mockery, "The God Makers II" pulled out all the stops
and portrays Mormon leaders as mass-murdering/bi-sexual/Lucifer-
worshipping hypocrites. It portrays Mormons are ignorant self-
righteous lying dupes who have blind-faith in Mormon leaders.
The film includes:
*An interview with a woman who says that "Church leaders" killed 27
members of her own family, and they are after her to kill her because
she tried to "escape Mormonism".
COMMENT: The woman in the film is NOT talking about the LDS Church,
but about the Church of the Lamb of God; an offshoot of an offshoot of
an offshoot of an offshoot of an offshoot of the LDS Church. The
woman, Lillian LeBaron Chynoweth, was never a Member of the Mormon
Church, but was a member of The Church of the Lamb of God; founded by
her father, Ervil LeBaron. And it was on the orders of Ervil LeBaron
that 27 members of her extended polygamist and in-law family were
killed; because they opposed Ervil in one way or another. Ervil
LeBaron had plans to kill the entire First Presidency and Quorum of
Twelve Apostles of the LDS Church, but could not carry that out
because he was imprisoned for murder, and died in prison. Ervil
LaBaron killed his own brother (Joel), and one of his own daughters
along with many others. The Church of the Lamb of God was an offshoot
of The Church of the Firstborn which was an offshoot of The Apostolic
United Brethren which was an offshoot of The United Order Effort which
was an offshoot of The Council of Friends which was formed by a small
group of men who opposed Mormon leaders over the subject of polygamy,
and other subjects, in the early 1920s.
The makers of "The God Makers II" wants people to believe that Lillian
LeBaron Chynoweth was a Mormon who tried to leave the Mormon Church,
but was killed (along with 27 others) BY MORMON LEADERS! But that is
NOT what Lillian was saying. By "Church leaders" she meant leaders of
the only "Church" she ever belonged to: The Church of the Lamb of God.
By "Mormonism" she meant The Church of the Lamb of God; the only
"Mormonism" she ever knew!
*The film shows excerpts from a death-bed interview of Charles Van
Damme; a man dying of AIDS who claimed that Mormon Church President
Gordon B. Hinckley had been his bisexual lover in the late 1960s, had
bought a house specifically for bisexual sex-parties, and who had had
sex with black prostitutes and 15-year old boys.
COMMENT: The Tanners, anti-Mormon publishers and researchers, showed
that the "Hinckley" that Van Damme was involved with was not Gordon B.
Hinckley; currently President of the LDS Church, but a close relative
of Hinckley's. It was Gordon B. Hinckley who had Van Damme
excommunicated; hardly a way to "hide" one's own scandalous affairs!
Van Damme blamed Hinckley on the loss of his family and financial
disaster in Utah (Mormons would no longer buy cars from him after he
was excommunicated for homosexuality). This was Van Damme's final "pay-
back" to Gordon B. Hinckley.
*The film claims that a "spirit" appeared to Joseph Smith and told him
to bring a piece of his dead brother Alvin's body, like a hand, to the
Hill Cumorah so he could obtain the Gold Plates. The video shows
pictures of Joseph Smith and the Angel Moroni, a picture of a replica
of the Gold Plates (from which The Book of Mormon was translated), and
a photo of a skeleton (I suppose to represent Alvin's dead body).
COMMENT: Decker got the story about Alvin Smith's dead hand being dug
up on Moroni's instruction from "The Salamander Letter"; a letter
forged and fabricated by Mark Hofmann; a man later convicted of
hundreds of forgeries and double-homicide! Decker actually used a
KNOWN fabricated letter as evidence for this claim! AMAZING! Mark
Hofmann CONFESSED to fabricating the letter only months after forensic
experts discovered it was a forgery! This was in 1986! "The God Makers
II" was produced in 1989-1991 (final editing in 1992) and released in
1992; MANY years after "The Salamander Letter" was PROVED to be a
FAKE! How in the world did Decker think he could get by with this?
Easy! Decker knew that not 1 in 10,000 Evangelicals KNOW the Mark
Hofmann story. They simply DO NOT KNOW that Decker is using evidence
from a known and confessed forgery! Amazing, isn't it?
Several Evangelicals in Utah, who KNEW that the Salamander Letter was
a fake, later wrote to Decker and asked him why "The God Makers II"
used a forgery as "evidence" against Mormonism. Decker replied that
there was "other evidence" outside of the Salamander Letter which said
that Joseph Smith dug-up Alvin's body and cut off his hand and took it
to the Hill Cumorah. When they asked where this was Ed Decker said it
would be "published soon". In 1994 Decker published a small article by
an anti-Mormon who offered as "evidence" the Salamander Letter!
Yes! Believe it or not. But believe it, because it's TRUE!
And he gets away with it!
And HOW!
The God Makers books
The God Makers book is basically a "cut-and-paste" collage of anti-
Mormon literature often taken "bodily" from anti-Mormon books;
especially Jerald and Sandra Tanner's Mormonism~Shadow or Reality? The
Tanners have basically proved that whoever wrote The God Makers took a
copy of their Mormonism~Shadow or Reality?, cut it up into sections,
pasted these cut-ups on cut-up boards, mixed the boards around (to try
to hide the plagarism), and then wrote directly from the boards;
adding comments here and there plus a Luciferian/Masonic/Mormon/End-
times-Anti-christ world-take-over conspiracy-theory.
The only unique item in The God Makers book is the CONSPIRACY THEORY!
In The God Makers book 'Mormonism' is presented as part of an
International Luciferian/Masonic Conspiracy to take over the United
States, then the World, and then install the end-times Anti-christ as
the World Leader. How does "Mormonism" fit into this worldwide
conspiracy? Well, are there not Mormons in politics and law
enforcement? Are there not Mormon judges and congressmen and senators?
Don't Mormons want to convert the world to Mormonism?
There ya go!
The conspiracy-theory of The God Makers book goes like this:
*Lucifer is the Devil (Satan). He told Eve "Ye shall be as gods". This
was the BIG LIE. Mormons believe they can become "gods". They believe
Lucifer's Big Lie; the "Grand Lie of Lucifer".
*When Adam and Eve accepted the Grand Lie, Lucifer became the god of
this world. He started the pagan Mystery Religions of antiquity in
order to perpetuate his "Grand Lie". These Mystery Schools were set-up
in opposition to God's Prophets; Abraham, Moses, etc., who taught
people "You are not gods nor shall never be gods!"
*In the 18th century (1700s) Lucifer started Freemasony; which is just
a "modern" version of his Mystery Schools; couched deceptively in
biblical language and symbols, but still teaching the "Grand Lie" of
Lucifer. Anyone who becomes a Mason is helping Lucifer establish his
New World Order and ultimately helping usher in the End-Times Anti-
christ.
*Joseph Smith was a fraud and charlatan who pretended to see treasures
under the earth in stones as a way to scam people out of their money,
but at the same time he was used by Lucifer, posing as an angel of
light, to start Mormonism. Why start Mormonism? Lucifer wanted a
Church to try to deceive Christians into helping him and his cause.
So, he created "Mormonism" out of Freemasonry; in order to get
gullible Christians to leave Christianity and join his legions.
*Mormons are in fact NOT Christians, and they are well-aware they are
not Christians but just "pretend" to be Christians in order to convert
real Christians.
*Mormons store a TWO-YEAR SUPPLY of food, guns, and ammunition, hoping
and waiting for the day when they will take over, by force, the United
States. Then they will take over the world, and usher in the End-Times
Anti-christ. Mormons work with other cult organizations, like the
Moonies, for the same goal.
*Luciferians are in the background of the wouldwide "Luciferian"
conspiracy. In the foreground are Freemasons who recruit politicians
and men in government and business and education. Then there is
Mormonism which tries to recruit unsuspecting Christians; all for the
same evil satanic Luciferian goals of final world domination and
introduction of the end-times Anti-christ.
That is the conspiracy-theory of The God Makers book! It is the
central thread that runs throughout the book.
Comments
Here are my comments on The God Makers conspiracy-theory:
1) The Serpent in the Garden did not lie when he said "Ye shall be AS
gods, knowing good and evil." The LORD Himself said:
"Behold, the man has become as one of us, knowing good and
evil." (Gen. 3:22)
The Serpent's lie was "And ye shall NOT surely die." Adam and Eve
surely DID die after eating of the forbidden fruit! Before eating they
were IMmortal. After eating they become mortal (subject-to-death).
All of the Early Church Fathers (the ancient Christian writers such as
St. Irenaeus, St. Augustine, Clement of Rome, Clement of Alexandria,
etc.) taught that the very purpose of Christianity was to turn men and
women "into gods". All Eastern Orthodox Churches still teach this!
C.S. Lewis, the most popular Christian writer in English ever, taught
this. Some modern Evangelical preachers teach this.
2) The conspiracy-theory part of The God Makers book is very similar
to the Nazi and White-supremacist "conspiracy-theory". In the Nazi/
White-suprematic conspiracy-theory we have Lucifer establishing the
mystery schools, and then Freemasonry; which is used by secret Zionist
Jews as a way to control nations and then eventually the world! This
conspiracy-theory actually was believed by a large number of Germans
during the Depression, and helped get the Nazis into power. Today,
this conspiracy-theory is believed by a large number of Muslims around
the world, and inspired the 9-11 attacks and other terrorist attacks.
Ed Decker once contributed to a book by "Col. Jack Mohr"; a well-known
anti-Semite and white-supremacist. Mohr is a Brig.General in the
"Christian Defense League"; a group that Oklahoma City bomber Timothy
McVeigh once belonged to. The book Decker contributed to was The
Hidden Power of Freemasonry by Jack Mohr, and published by Mohr. In
Mohr's writings he equates "Negroes" with sub-human souless "beasts of
the field" created solely to serve whites.
"The God Makers" films (videos) were produced by Jeremiah Films of
Hemet, California. Jeremiah Films produces a number of videos on
conspiracy theories, and has close ties to the "Christian Patriot
Movement"; an organization with ties to White-supremacist groups that
teach a Luciferian/Masonic/Zionist worldwide conspiracy.
All this is rather ironic since Decker LOVES to portray the Mormon
Church as "racist" and "anti-black".
3) Evidence for the conspiracy-theory rests upon the writings of Manly
Hall; a Freemason who is also a Gnostic. The Gnostics believe that
Jehovah is the evil creator-god, but that Jesus was sent by the
"Unknown Father" to free humanity from the evil Jehovah; who created
matter in order to "trap" spirits (i.e.humans) to make them his
slaves. Decker and Hunt quote Manly Hall numerous times in The God
Makers book to "prove" that Freemasonry came from the Mystery Schools,
and ultimately from Lucifer.
But....
They DO NOT quote Manly Hall when Hall writes that "Christianity" also
came from the Mystery Schools, and Jesus was initiated into a Mystery
School in Egypt. This would, of course, BLOW their entire theory! So,
they quote Hall when it suites them, and they ignore Hall (certainly
NOT letter the unwary Reader know) when he contradicts their own
beliefs!
The Freemasonry that Joseph Smith belonged to was York Rite (Royal
Arch) Freemasonry. There "is" a Gnostic type of "Freemasonry" in
Europe (called "Continental" Masonry) which is considered "false"
Masonry by York (Royal Arch) and Scottish Rite Masons. York and
Scottish Rite Masons refuse to fellowship with "Continental" Masons
(otherwise known as "Grand Orient" Masons). In fact, there is no
evidence (other than the writings of Manly Hall) that Freemasonry came
from the Mystery Schools. There is not one shred of evidence that
"Lucifer" started the Mystery Schools. The Mystery Schools of the
ancient world encouraged initiates to be honest and moral. Why would
Lucifer (the Devil) want this?
The Mystery Schools of the ancient Greek and Roman world came from
similar schools in Persia; which were founded by the Magi; the "wise
men" of Persia who were followers of the Persian prophet Zoroaster. It
was a prophecy of Zoroaster that sent some wise men to worship Jesus
as is recorded in the Gospels. Why would "Luciferians" wish to worship
Jesus and offer Him gifts?
Freemasonry came NOT from the Mystery Schools, but from the Order of
the Temple of Solomon; which was originally the Order of the Poor
Soldiers of Christ. It was originally an order of warrior-monks who
defended Christian pilgrims to the Holy Land during the Dark Ages. It
was an order of Christian warrior-monks, but included cooks, servants,
scribes, priests, and stonemasons who built castles and other works
for the Order.
After the Order was persecuted in the 13th century some Knight
Templars fled to Scotland. The stonemasons of the Order (stonemasons
were needed to build the knights castles) later formed a brotherhood
of their own which eventually became open to non-stonemasons. This
became Free Masonry.
What Ed Decker and Dave Hunt did in The God Makers was to take an old
anti-Semitic conspiracy-theory and cross out "Zionist" and "Jewish"
and write in "Mormon" and "Mormonism".
4) Mormons store food in case of local or national emergency. This is
known as "food storage". They are NOT commanded or asked to store guns
and ammunition! Mormons know of no plan to take over the United
States. Mormons DO wish to convert the World, but not take it over by
force or deception.
5) Anti-Mormons are (or at least claim to be) Evangelical Christians,
and they do not believe it is possible to lose their salvation once
they have been saved ("once-saved-always-saved"). So, by their own
belief, Mormons cannot deceive them into becoming Mormons! Why then
anti-Mormon literature? [Ans. to make $$$ for professional anti-
Mormons! ;~) ]
6) Anti-Mormons are or at least claim to be Evangelical Christians who
believe in one God (Jehovah), and deny the existence of all other
gods. The name "Lucifer" in many English Bibles is simply a
translation of the Hebrew/Canaanite name "HEYLEYL" ("Shining One"); a
pagan Canaanite "god" who, in Canaanite myth, tries to ascend above
all other stars (the Canaanites believed the stars were gods) and sit
upon the Throne of El; the chief father-god of the Canaanites. Instead
of sitting upon El's throne, Heyleyl is cast out of Heaven. According
to Evangelical Christian belief LUCIFER (Heyleyl) CANNOT EXIST! Since
there is no God but Jehovah, the Canaanite god Heyleyl cannot have any
existence of any kind. In other words, in Evangelical theology,
Lucifer does not exist! If Lucifer does not exist, then there can be
NO "Luciferian" conspiracy! If Lucifer does not exist, then he could
NOT have been the Serpent in the Garden of Eden! In Mormon theology,
El is the Father, and Heyleyl is one of His sons, and the Canaanite
myth of Heyleyl is basically a true story (although somewhat
corrupted) that was told by Adam to his children and handed down from
one generation to another.
7) For the conspiracy-theory of The God Makers book to be true...
*Lucifer MUST exist, but he can't in Evangelical theology which
teaches that none of the Canaanite gods (except perhaps for
El=Jehovah) exist.
*Lucifer MUST have established the Mystery Schools. Not likely since
the prophet Daniel was once a "Rab Mag" (see Daniel chapter 5); a
chief of one school in Babylon, and the three Wise Men were also
members. That's right, the Prophet Daniel was the HEAD of the Mystery
School of Babylon! He did not refuse this appointment; although he
refused to eat unkosher food even when threatened with death.
*Lucifer's "Grand Lie" MUST have been "Ye shall be as gods". This was
NOT his lie, for the LORD Himself says, "Behold, the man has become as
one of us, knowing good and evil." (Gen. 3:22)
*Freemasonry MUST have been established by the Mystery Schools. The
only one who even claims this is Manly Hall, who also claims that
"Christianity" was established by the Mystery Schools, and Jesus was a
member of one in Egypt (which Decker and Hunt NEVER let the Reader
know).
The Conspiracy-Theory portion of The God Makers book simply DOES NOT
WORK! It is a pious fraud created to scare and dupe Evangelicals and
make them contribute financially to Decker and Saints Alive. It is
based upon old anti-Semitic conspiracy-theory used by the Nazis and
still used by White-supremacists and extremist Muslim fanatics.
Has it worked?
Yes! Hundreds of thousands, if not MILLIONS of Evangelical Christians
truly believe in the International Luciferian/Masonic/Mormon
conspiracy; thanks to "The God Makers" book and films.
General Claims in The God Makers Book
Besides the conspiracy-theory The God Makers book simply follows
general anti-Mormon claims. In fact, Jerald and Sandra Tanner, two
professonal anti-Mormon researchers and publishers in Salt Lake City,
have PROVED that whoever wrote The God Makers book plagarized directly
from their magnus opus Mormonism~Shadow or Reality? They simply cut-up
the Tanner's book into sections, pasted the sections on storyboards,
rearranged the boards to try to hide the plagarism, then wrote
directly from the storyboads; adding comments here and there. The
Tanners show irrefutable evidence of this in their publication Serious
Charges Against the Tanners. A new expanded edition of The God Makers
book was released by Harvest House Publishers which had additional
information, but also covered-up the plagarism evidence.
The book's basic claims (outside of the conspiracy-theory) are:
*Joseph Smith was teller of tall tales, and pretended to look through
a stone to find buried treasure.
*Joseph Smith lied about a religious revival in 1820 in Palmyra.
*Joseph Smith started polygamy to gratify his lusts and later lied
about practicing it.
*Joseph Smith claimed to be greater than Jesus Christ.
*Mormons pretend to worship Jesus to outsiders but they really worship
Joseph Smith as their Lord and Savior.
*Joseph Smith and Brigham Young had "Danites" kill anyone who
criticized them.
*Mormon assassins (Danites) kill anti-Mormon critics if they can.
*Mormonism comes from Freemasonry, and this is why the rites are so
similar.
Freemasonry comes from the occult, which come from the ancient Mystery
Schools; which were founded by Lucifer at Babylon.
*Joseph Smith was a hypocrite who stole people's money and violated
the Word of Wisdom (i.e. he drank wine and beer and smoked cigars)
*The Mormon Church has billions of dollars and controls many companies
and corporations.
*Utah is mosly Mormon but higher in divorce, alcoholism, teen-age
pregnancy, suicide, drug-use, etc.
*The Book of Abraham is a fraud.
*The Kinderhook Plates were a fraud and fooled Joseph Smith into
translating them.
*The Book of Mormon is a fraud and archaeological evidence is against
it but the Mormon Church tries to use archaeology to promote it.
*Mormon missionaries are trained to deliberately deceive Christians;
to deliberate lie and deceptively use "Christian" terminology which
speaking with Christians.
*etc. Here are answers I gave while I was a Mormon Apologist (defender
of the faith):
1) While rumors had Joseph Smith "peeping" for buried treasure,
reliable reports said that Joseph Smith and his father and brothers
were merely laborers (diggers) in money-digging (hired by others), and
that Sally Chase was the "peeper" on the treasure-seeking digs; NOT
Joseph Smith Jr. Joseph used the seerstone to find lost and stoken
objects, and was quite successful at this; his enemies claiming he
"stole" items just to "find" them with his "peepstone" (seerstone). Is
this unbiblical? The Prophet Samuel, in the Old Testament, was also a
"seer" and had the ability to find lost sheep. This is how he met
Saul; later king of Israel. Saul went to Samuel to help him find his
lost sheep.
2) There WAS a religious revival in Manchester and around the area
where the Smith's lived in 1820, but not in the village of Palmyra
(for that year). Evidence shows that Joseph Smith's family had a "beer
and sweetcake" concenssion at many of these 1819-1820 revivals; with
Joseph Smith Jr. working at as a cashier. This explains why he, as a
14 year old boy, would have been at so many religious camp-meetings;
some 30 miles from his home. Joseph Smith Jr. NEVER CLAIMED the
1819-1820 revivals were in the village of Palmyra! At that time the
village had only one church (Congregationalist). Yet, Mormon scholars
have PROVED that there were at least a dozen religious revival camp-
meetings (held in forest clearings) within 30 miles of the Smith farm
in 1819-1820; the time Joseph Smith claimed.
3) Joseph Smith denied the Church practiced "a community of wives". In
his day "polygamy" was a term for "free love" or what is now referred
to as "polyamory". Today, "polygamy" means having more than one wife,
and does NOT refer to "free love". So, YES...Joseph Smith DID deny the
Church, or he, practiced "polygamy". Joseph Smith did keep the
practice of plural marriage (a plurality of wives) a secret; in fear
of persecution. For fear of persecution Martin Luther LIED about
telling Phillip of Hesse (his mentor) to take an additional wife and
then denying it. For fear of persecution Peter LIED by denying Jesus
three times. For fear of persecution Abraham LIED (or rather told a
"half-truth") by saying of his wife, "She is my sister" both while he
was in Egypt and again while in Canaan. Paul, when brought before the
Sanhedrin, feared being stoned to death for being a "Nazarene", so he
said, "I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharises". That was a LIE! Even
prophets are still just sinful, fearful, men.
4) Joseph Smith NEVER claimed to be greater than Jesus, but claimed to
have done "a greater work" by keeping the Church together. Jesus said
that His disciples would do "greater works" than Him! (John 14:12).
Joseph Smith considered himself a sinner and FAR INFERIOR to Jesus, as
is expressed in his comments about Jesus in comparison to himself (see
THE MORMON FAITH UN-DECKER-ATED: Is Ed Decker Telling the TRUTH About
Mormonism?)
5) Mormons DO NOT see Joseph Smith as their true Lord and Savior.
Another BIG LIE by Decker.
6) Mormons DO NOT pretend to be Christians only to attract
"Christians" to the Church! Another absurd BIG LIE by Decker.
7) The "Danites" existed as a defence force in Missouri in the 1830s
against Anti-Mormon mobs, but were disbanded after Sampson Avard, a
Mormon convert, used the group for personal gain and personal glory.
The Danites 'may' have continued as a secret combination within the
Church, but there is no evidence that Church leaders approved or
directed them after Avard was excommunicated. It is possible that the
"Danites" were behind horse-thievery (against other Mormons) in early
Utah, and tried to assassinate Brigham Young after he advocated
"killing thieves" (i.e. killing "Danites"). The only "witnesses" that
the Danites were Church-directed was The Confessions of John D. Lee
(an OBVIOUS fake written by Lee's lawyer after he died), and Brigham's
Destroying Angel; whose author Bill Hickman, a convicted murderer,
later admitted was "fiction"; written to make money.
8) Mormon and Freemasonic temple rites are very similar (in certain
respects) because, according to Joseph Smith, Freemasonry was a
"corruption" of the Higher Priesthood; just as Catholicism was a
"corruption" of the Lesser Priesthood. Catholicism is a corruption of
the Aaronic Priesthood and Freemasonry was a corruption of the
Melchizedek Priesthood. In other words, Freemasonic rites were ancient
Christian rituals "corrupted" over millenia, but restored to purity as
part of the "Restoration of all things".
9) The Mormon Church does have "billions" of dollars, and owns a lot,
but so what? Is one man or set-of-men benefiting? Mormon apostles make
decent salaries, but no set-of-men or families have become wealthy
because the Mormon Church has billions. Most of the "billions" are
locked up in real-estate and in churches, temples, and schools.
10) Utah has about the national average in divorce and suicide. Utah
is 70% "Mormon", but half of the "Mormons" in Utah don't go to Church;
nor follow Mormon laws. In actuality, active Mormons are a minority
(about 30%) of Utahns. Utah has lower rates of alcoholism than all
other states. In Utah, people would report a child of 12 alone at home
unattended for a few hours each day as "child abuse" while in New York
or Chicago this would not at all be reported as "abuse"; so a slightly
higher number of "child abuse" reports are not indicative of greater
abuse. Teen-pregnancy is higher in Utah than most other states because
of a very low abortion rate in Utah, and a very high rate of teen-age
marriage. Illegal drug-use is low in Utah. Prescription drug-use is
higher than average perhaps because alcohol and illegal drug use is
much lower and people with depression in Utah turn to prescription
drugs rather than alcohol or illegal drugs for self-medication.
11) The Book of Abraham is a revelation to Joseph Smith. It is not a
"translation" of the Joseph Smith Papyrus; which is a pagan Book of
Breathings document. Joseph Smith's interpretations of the symbols in
Hypocephalus are mostly correct. Joseph Smith identified the pagan god
Osiris with Abraham. However, some scholars now believe that the
Egyptian god O-SHAR (Greek: "Osiris")--the "Eastern Prince"--is in
fact based upon Abraham; who, according to Josephus, taught the
ancient Egyptians astronomy (something Osiris supposedly did).
12) The "Chicago Plate" ("discovered" in 1920) is a fake; admittedly.
It was NOT part of the original Kinderhook Plates; of which Joseph
Smith "translated a portion". The Chicago Plate is a different size,
has different symbols, and was not one of the original Kinderhook
Plates. The symbols on the Kinderhook Plates are very similar to the
Byblos Script. The provinance (line-of-ownship) of the "Chicago Plate"
and the original Kinderhook Plates also strongly suggests the "Chicago
Plate" is a FAKE alone and not the original Kinderhook Plates.
13) The Mormon Church DOES NOT try to use archaeology to "prove" the
Book of Mormon is true! Just the opposite. Another BIG LIE by Decker.
There is no evidence of the Nephites in America. True. There is also
NO EVIDENCE that the Isrealites were ever in Egypt; much less lived
there (by the millions) for 450 years! Does that mean the Bible isn't
true? I think not. While archaeological evidence is lacking, the
ancient American native histories of Ixtilxoquitl ("Ishtil-show-kee-
til") and other native writers, DO have parallels in the Book of
Mormon.
14) Mormons missionaries are NOT "deliberately trained to deceive
Christians into thinking they are Christians by using Christian
terminology". Mormon missionaries sincerely believe they ARE
Christians. There are no "two sets" of terminology. Yet another BIG
LIE by Decker; one that has angered some Evangelicals so much they
have threatened and in some cases physically assaulted Mormon
missionaries.
You can read a 65-page 13-point detailed response to Decker's major
anti-Mormon claims I wrote a number of years titled "MORMOISM UN-
DECKER-ATED". You'll read more about that below.
It is estimated that over 12 million people saw viewings of The God
Makers film, and tens of thousands of more have rented the videos.
Perhaps up to 750,000 or more have read The God Makers books (I and
II).
Gilbert Scharffs, a Mormon Institute teacher, wrote a reply to The God
Makers book titled The TRUTH About 'The God Makers' in which he
found:
Repetition of charges from once to several times...169
Statements that are not true...141
Unwarranted conclusions based upon facts...131
Misinterpreted statements...123
Exaggerated statements...119
Broad generalizations...48
Significant quotes or charges without documentation...47
Historical material quoted out of context which altered the meaning...
39
Scriptures quoted out of context or paraphrased which altered the
meaning...18
Footnotes references that were not where they were indicated...7
Wrong footnote because the source copied by the authors had the wrong
footnote also...5
Scharffs found over "600" major errors in The God Makers book.
The God Makers II book was later published which closely followed the
"The God Makers II" film. It was so bad and so inaccurate that other
anti-Mormons like Jerald and Sandra Tanner wrote expose's of it in a
publication called Problems in The God Makers II. Decker's associate
in "The God Makers" film, Richard Bear, disassociated himself from
Decker and the second film and book. Bear was later interviewed by the
Sacramento Union, and is quoted as saying:
"Ed has a penchant to sensationalize, embellish the facts, and center
on bizaar issues to shock people." (The Sacremento Union, Dec. 26,
1992)
Rumors About Ed Decker
What I have written above I KNOW to be true! What I write here under
"Rumors" I have every reason to believe to be true, and I don't KNOW
they are true.
Anti-Mormons use rumors, even those they KNOW to be false, against
Joseph Smith, the Church, and their Mormon adversaries. Rumors are
"true" if they "work" for them. Anything negative against Joseph
Smith, or Brigham Young, or any modern Mormon apostle, or any Mormon
apologist THEY PRESENT AS ABSOLUTE "FACT"; regardless of it is true or
not.
Mormon apologists, on the other hand, simply don't publish rumors.
They may share them with other Mormon apologists, but they don't
"publish" them. Why? Because Mormon apologists don't wish to publish
anything they don't absolutely KNOW to be true as "truth". But I will
brake the mold here. I will publish the following rumors about Ed
Decker as rumors. These are things I believe to be true, but don't
know absolutely that they are true.
Sexual Liaisons
Robert and Rosemary Brown, the Mormon authors of They Lie In Wait To
Deceive series told me several times that they had heard of quite a
few women Decker had had affairs with both before and AFTER his
'conversion' to Evangelical Christianity. They contacted as many as
they could find. Not all wanted to speak. Some were quite afraid of
Decker. Months afterward Decker discovered this was happening, and
apparently he contacted these women and threatened them. Several had
dead cats placed on their doorsteps; one with a noose around it's
neck. The Browns wanted to get affidavits from several women he had
had affairs with after he married his "Christian" wife, but after
telephone calls and dead cats they were no longer interested in
helping. The Browns never mentioned these women in their expose' of
Decker: volume 4 of They Lie In Wait To Deceive. They don't mention
anything they can't thoroughly document.
When Decker knew I had information about his adulterous affairs AFTER
becoming a "Christian" and staring Saints Alive, and I was threatening
to send such information to the Tanners (who were having a 'war' with
him at the time) Decker sent a man to my home to see me. He knocked on
my door and asked to speak with me, because he had a "message" for me.
I openned some slats on a window next to the door and asked him what
the message was and who it was from. He said, "Come out and I'll tell
you!" He wasn't standing on my porch, but on the lawn about 5 feet
away. Immediately I called 911 (because I was getting late-night death-
threat phonecalls at that time). Police came in about 3 minutes, and
one spoke to the man and the other talked with me. The man had on him
a .38 revolver; loaded. They discovered he was a private investigator.
They asked him who he worked for and he refused to say. Then they
threatened to arrest him for harassment unless he told them. He said
Ed Decker had hired him to deliver a message in person (i.e. for me to
"leave Ed alone and stop harrassing him"). Police gave me the man's
card. I discovered later he was the only P.I. listed in the Christian
Business Pages for Puget Sound for that year (1991).
Why did Decker send an armed man to my door with a "message". Ed had
my address and telephone number. Why not a letter? Why did I have to
"come out" to "get the message"? This is PURE DECKER! This is the way
he operates.
*When I visited the Browns in Arizona for one week in 1985 they showed
me many letters they had received from all over the U.S. The letters
all had clippings from various newspapers; articles about entire
families or children being murdered; with red ink underlining
"children" and "murdered". These letters all had no return address,
and the postmarks came drom different parts of the U.S. They received
these letters after they announced they were working on a book
exposing Decker as a fraud.
*After "The God Makers" film was released a Mormon living in Los
Angeles named Robert Starling wrote up a 13 page typed response called
Errors in The God Makers Film. His paper was not copyrighted, and
Mormon Apologists began making photocopies of it and sharing it with
each other (this was before the Internet). Decker got a copy of it and
became ENRAGED. Nowhere did the paper mention Decker's adulteries nor
anything personally against Decker. It didn't even call Decker a
"liar". It simply made a number of points in the film which were
"inaccurate". Decker sued Robert Starling, his wife, his bishop, his
bishops wife, his Stake President, his Stake President's wife, and The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for defamation of
character; asking for 11 million dollars in damages.
Starling hired an attorney and went to court, and it was immediately
dismissed. Decker then told his followers that the judge was a Mormon
(a lie), and then said the judge had been "paid off" by the Mormon
Church (VERY unlikely!). Then he sued Starling AGAIN! Again, the case
was summarily dismissed.
Then a paper appeared, typed on a new typewriter, with Robert
Starling's name (not signature) on the bottom of the last sheet. It
was exactly the same before, but this one called Decker a "liar" and
said Decker had been "excommunicated for adultery". Decker sued a
THIRD time! Robert Starling testified that he never saw this new
edition of his paper until the third lawsuit, and he did not write
those things against Decker. No Mormon apologist ever had a copy of
the "2nd edition". Where did it come from? Starling said he didn't,
and wouldn't have, written it. The third suit again was dismissed, but
only after Starling had spent tens of thousands of dollars in legal
fees to defend himself. Decker came away a winner; because
Evangelicals were sending him tens of thousands of dollars a month in
this "legal battle against he Mormon Church".
Every Mormon apologist KNOWS that Decker uses threats (often via go-
betweens), vexious lawsuits, vicious false rumors, and like means to
silence his critics; whether they be Mormons OR Evangelicals! He
presents himself as a "Man of God", but he is IN FACT a vicious,
ruthless, violent, spiteful, and vengeful individual who BLOWS UP in
the face of the least amount of criticism!
I heard from James Carver, author of The Mormon Faith Un-Decker-Ated,
first published as a booklet in 1983, that a woman who had worked for
him, an ex-Mormon nurse who worked at Overlake Hospital, had once
worked as Decker' secretary but left because of Decker's extramarital
affairs and "strange voices" that sometimes came out of him. The
Mormon Faith Un-Decker-Ated contains none of this.
Scam-Artist?
I was told both by the Browns and by Carver (who do not know each
other) that Ed Decker has lived all over the U.S., and for most of the
19 years he claimed to be a 'Temple Mormon' he was in fact inactive
except to come out to church briefly and meet Mormons and get them
interested in get-rich-quick schemes, then take-the-money-and-run.
Carver told me that a year after he published The Mormon Faith Un-
Decker-Ated a bishop in the Chicago area contacted him and told him he
"should have exed him [Decker]" when Decker was a member of his ward
years and years back because of adultery (his Mormon wife was active)
and his embezzlement of funds he collected from some Members in the
ward.
Decker has claimed that he was very wealthy as a Mormon, but after
becoming a "Christian" he gave up his "jet-set and country-club" life
to be in "poverty for Jesus" because he had a "burden for the Mormon
people". Rumor has it that Decker was a scam-artist who would con
Mormons in get-rich-quick scemes then move to another state with the
funds; only to show up in another city and another ward with the same
pyramid sceme. This was in the late 50s and 60s when such schemes were
not generally known. Decker seems to have been some sort of pioneer of
them.
Prophet of God?
James Carver told me that the woman, the nurse, who had once been Ed's
secretary at--then--Ex-Mormons for Jesus--told him that when he first
started Ex-Mormons for Jesus Ed would have prayer meetings where they
would meet on their knees in a circle in his home and Ed would speak
in the name of the Lord, or speak as if the Lord Himself was speaking!
I heard the very same thing from Steve Mayfield; an independent Mormon
apologist who once "infiltrated" EMFJ back in the late '70s to spy
upon them. Steve was a former clerk with the FBI, a staunch Mormon,
and wanted to "spy" on anti-Mormon groups to see what they were up to.
He told me that Decker would speak as if he was a Prophet. He would
speak as the Lord. It was Steve who eventually convinced Decker to
drop Tom Kellie because of Kellie's bizaar behavior; a decision he now
regrets because Decker may not have been as popular as he became if he
would have kept promoting Kellie.
NOTE: Steve Mayfield took the pseudonym "Stan Fields" to spy upon
various anti-Mormon groups during the mid and late 70s. He even passed
out anti-Mormon tracts at Temple Square as a way to win the trust of
anti-Mormons. His cover was later blown when Jerald and Sandra Tanner
found him working at the Church history dept. Steve was never asked to
spy by the Church, but did this on his own. The Tanners later exposed
his spying activities and wrote a booklet called Unmasking a Mormon
Spy.
Co-conspirator?
Rosemary Brown had a rich ailing mother named Barbara. Back about 1986
Barbara (then 96) was literally kidnapped from the Brown's home in
Mesa, Arizona. The Browns would later learn that a man came to the
home when the Browns were not there and told Barbara that her
grandaughter was in an accident, and to come with him. She did.
Barbara was held for 4 months against her will; until rescued by
police.
While Barbara was still captive the Browns received letters typed and
signed by Barbara saying she did not want them looking for her and
that they should cease looking for her and that she wanted nothing
further to do with them. At the anti-Mormon "Capstone Conference" in
1986, in Park City, Utah, an anti-Mormon from Arizona read a
"statement" from Barbara which stated:
*Robert and Rosemary Browns were liars and thieves and tried to steal
her money.
*The Browns kept her against her will at their home and forced drugs
into her which made her unable to leave.
*She was now "free" and did not wish any further contact with the
Browns.
This was read at the Capstone Conference, and the anti-Mormon who read
it keep saying (this was taped and I later listened to this Saints
Alive tape) "Ed, do you want me to read more?" and "Ed, is that
enough?"
About a month after the Capstone Conference Rosemary Brown got a call
from Barbara, who was crying and saying, "Please come get me!" The
Browns called the police, and the operator had the called traced to an
apartment outside of Phoenix. Police rushed to the apartment and found
Barbara in a small apartment, dirty and disheveled. A young woman was
with her. They arrested the young woman, who confessed to helping a
man named Ray Samora kidnap Barbara. Ray Samora was a man with a long
criminal record in the Phoenix area. Ray Samora was not there, and
fled, they believe, to Mexico. The young woman had left Barbara to go
to the store to get some cigarettes, and this was Barbara's chance to
call her daughter Rosemary.
Barbara told police that she was taken by deception because she was
told her granddaughter was in the hospital. She was kept at the
apartment against her will, and forced to sign documents put in front
of her or else not get food or water.
The Browns knew that anti-Mormons would use the forged documents
against them forever, so they had the entire police interview with
Barbara videotaped.
Police got the telephone records for the apartment, which were in Ray
Samora's name. They found many telephone calls on them. The Browns got
copies of these records, and found telephone calls from the kidnap
apartment to the unlisted telephone numbers of Walter R. Martin (anti-
Mormon and founder of the Christian Research Institute) and Ed Decker;
founder of Saints Alive in Jesus.
The Browns had published an expose' of Walter Martin, and they were
then working on an expose' of Ed Decker; which they later published.
Neither Walter Martin nor Ed Decker was charged with any crime in this
matter. Ray Samora is still at-large.
Months later a man with a mask and knife tried to kidnap one of the
Brown's daughters while she was in her car in the Brown family
carport, but she punched the accelerator in reverse, turned the wheel,
and the man flew out the door, rolled on the pavement for awhile, got
up and ran away.
How did Ed Decker get a copy of a forged document written by the
kidnapper Ray Samora? Ed Decker used these documents--purportedly from
Rosemary's Brown's mother--in an effort to smear and discredit them.
Why was the UNlisted and Unpublished private telephone number of Ed
Decker's home near Issaquah, Washington, on Ray Samora's kidnap
apartment telephone bill?
It was clear to police that Samora had plans to get rid of Babara and
bury her body in the desert. Her disappearance would then be blamed on
the Browns!!!
The Browns did eventually publish They Lie In Wait To Deceive Volume
4; which only a few thousand Mormons bought, and anti-Mormons
dismissed without comment or consideration.
Decker on Mormon Miscellaneous
Two Utah Mormons, Van Hale and Bill Forrest, had for years hosted a
weekly radio program in Salt Lake City called "Mormon Miscellaneous".
It started simply as a discussion of anything "Mormon" but developed
into a radio show that answered anti-Mormon claims; since most of
their non-mormon callers would try to "stump" them with anti-Mormon
questions. Kevin Graham, a Mormon Apologist, writes of one particular
incident when they had Ed Decker on as a guest:
"A number of years ago I appeared on the KBBX (Bountiful, Utah)
religious radio talkshow Mormon Miscellaneous, which was hosted by
Bill Forrest and Van Hale. This was before that station was bought by
a devout Baptist, who instructed the station manager to CAN that
"evil, non-Christian pro-Mormon show." The show's airtime was mid-
morning, ending just before lunch. Consequently, Bill and Van had a
long-standing practice of taking the guest to lunch after the show.
When they took me to lunch, the conversation turned to Ed Decker, who
had also been a past guest on Mormon Miscellaneous. Bill and Van told
me a remarkable story about their conversation with Ed when they took
him to lunch. A major thrust of Ed's anti-Mormon campaign had been to
portray the LDS priesthood as a tool of Satan, and to misrepresent the
meaning and practice of both the priesthood and the temple. While they
were at lunch, Bill asked Ed why he misrepresented these aspects of
the LDS faith. They pointed out to him that he had been a Member
[Mormon], had held the priesthood, and had been though the Temple
[i.e. gone through the Temple Endowment Ceremony], so he KNEW for a
fact taht the things he was saying [about the priesthood and temple
ceremony] wasn't so. His response to Bill and Van was, "When you are
fighting the Devil's church, anything goes!" (Who is Ed Decker?, p.1
online)
Jeff Decker
Decker's only active Mormon son, Jeff, told me in 1981 that he (Jeff)
believed his father was working with Lucifer. He told me that his
father would tell him that he had almost nightly discussions with "the
Master" and they would discuss "how to destroy Mormonism". Jeff said
he was very skeptical until one day he was in the hall of his father's
house and heard Ed talking with another man. When he openned the door
Ed was alone. Jeff asked, "Who was that man you were talking with?" Ed
replied, "That was the Master!"
Johnny Todd (Where Decker Got His Conspiracy-Theory)
I have often wondered where Decker got his conspiracy-theory. Then I
discovered that at about the time Decker started EMFJ (now Saints
Alive in Jesus) there was a man named John Todd who was quite popular
among Evangelical Christians all over America. He arose in 1973
claiming to be a new Christian who had once been a "Grand Druid" of
the Illuminati; a member of the "Council of 13" Grand Druids which
controlled all other druids/witches/warlocks in North America. John
Todd presented a vary elaborate conspiracy-theory which went something
like this:
*The Rothschilds (European Jewish bankers)control as vast network of
secret and semi-secret organizations which include the Illuminati, the
Council of 13, the Committee of 300, the CFR, the Trilateral
Commission, international banks, the UN, Wicca, Freemasonry, the
"cults", etc. All are working for the Rothschilds.
*The Rothschilds will create a fuel shortage, confescate all firearms
in America, and then try to kill all Bible-believing Christians.
*Todd knows all this because he, a man in his mid-20s, was a Grand
Druid, a member of the Illuminati, and a member of the Council of 13;
the presiding witch council in North America.
*Todd was with Presidential candidate George McGovern when McGovern (a
secret Druid himself) sacrificed a child to Satan.
*Todd claimed that before becoming a Druid he was a decorated Green
Beret in Vietnam, and graduated from Duke University. Todd claims that
when his commanding officer discovered he (Todd) was dambling in the
occult he killed him in Germany!
*Todd claimed that while he was a Witch and Druid he was the sole
owner of Zodiac Records, which had "95%" (included the Beatles, etc.)
of all rock and country-music acts under contract. He inducted most
rock and country-western bands into Witchcraft.
*Todd urges Christians to arm themselves, store 2 to 5 years supply of
food, water, and ammunition, and prepare wilderness fortifications.
[NOTE: This is probably where Ed got his idea--a LIE--to claim that
Mormons are commanded to store TWO-YEARS of food, water, guns, and
ammunition, in order to take over the U.S. Government when the Mormon
Prophet says, "GO!"]
*President Jimmy Carter is the Anti-christ, and will push-through
legislation to ban firearms and remove tax-exemption for all Bible-
believing churches.
*Todd later said that Henry Kissenger was the Anti-Christ.
Todd first appeared at pentecostal churches in Texas, and then in
Phoenix, Arizona. He would give talks about the worldwide "Luciferian/
Masonic/Illuminati" conspiracy, and people would tape the talk, and
then other people would make copies of the tape. Within only a few
years there were tens of thousands of Todd casette tapes being passed
around, and hundreds of Evangelical pastors asking Todd to come to
their own church to speak! Todd was given a fee to speak at every
church.
In the late 70s however, Todd's speeches became even more bizaar. He
started to say that the Charismatic movement was "part" of the overall
conspiracy; specifically naming Chuck Smith of Calvary Chapel,
Melodyland Christian Center in Anaheim, California, and others.
Finally, in 1978, Todd said that he'd been shot at many times, and
poisoned. The Illuminati was after to kill him. He didn't care about
himself, he was ready to die for the Lord. However, he had a wife and
a child. He would go into hiding for them.
Soon afterwards several expose's came out about Johnny Todd. They
were:
*John Todd: Severely Disturbed Individual (Last Times newspaper,
March, 1979)
*The Legend(s) of John Todd (CHRISTIANITY TODAY, Feb. 2, 1979)
After Todd began to call prominent some Evangelicals ministers "secret
witches" and part of the Luciferian/Illuminati conspiracy, there were
Evangelical journalists who began to look into Todd's background. Here
is what they found:
*Todd was a dropout who was never in Vietnam. He did live briefly in
Germany, but killed nobody. He was discharged for a mental condition.
He was a clerk-typist in the Army. He was never in the Green Berets.
*Todd began as a storefront preacher in Texas in 1972, but failed at
it. He then openned an occult bookstore. During this time he did start
a small "witches coven" where he recruited young girls. He could have
nude ceremonies which included having sex with the young girls. He
left Texas because parents were complaining to police about him. He
served 6 months in jail for statutory rape of a minor female.
*In 1973 he claimed to have his first converstion to Christianity in
Phoenix, Arizona. At first he claimed to be a "former witch" who had
his own coven in Texas (true). His story began to grow with the
retelling, until by 1975/76 he was claiming to have been a "Grand
Druid"; one of the members of the Council of 13.
*Todd was arrested for passing a bad check in New Mexico in 1968. He
was treated for drug overdose in Maryland in 1969. He did threaten to
kill an officer while in the Army in Germany.
*After Phoenix Todd and his wife (a Christian woman he met in Arizona)
moved to Orange County, California. Todd became a very popular speaker
at the Melodyland Christian Center (at that time Walter R. Martin gave
weekly seminars on the "cults" as well). While in Santa Ana Todd gave
"bible studies" for young Christians, but was later of trying to
seduce the young girls into nude witchcraft rituals. At Melodyland he
was accused of having sex with several young girls and trying to
seduce others. He was asked to leave. Chuck Smith, leader of Calvary
Chapel of Costa Mesa, also in Orange County California, head of Todd's
seducing young girls, and warned his congregation against Todd. This
is when Todd began to claim that the leaders of Melodyland, Calvary
Chapel, etc., were "secret witches" funded by the Illuminati.
*After Todd became popular at anti-Charismatic (mostly Baptist)
churches. He told them that Charismatic leaders (Melodyland/Calvary
Chapel, etc.) were funded by the Illuminati, and secret warlocks. THEY
BELIEVED HIM! He joined the huge Faith Baptist Church of Canoga Park,
California, in 1978. Todd was disfellowshipped from that church when
they found that Todd was still secretly conducting nude pagan rituals
with young girls.
*Todd had seduced several young female teenages at a Christian
coffeehouse in San Antonio before moving to Phoenix.
*Todd had gotten his wife's young teenage sister pregnant.
*Todd served two months of a 6 month sentence in jail for having oral
sex with a 16 year old girl in Texas after his second "conversion" to
Evangelical Christianity.
Later a book was published by New Leaf Press titled The Todd
Phenomenon; which was a devastating expose' of the man. It's author
wrote why he believed so many Christians around the country believed
Todd's stories:
"Certainly, Todd is giving many opportunities for Christians to live
fantasies, for the same reasons that people go to see shock or
thriller movies--'Finally it's happening! Finally Satan is taking over
so we can get it all over with!'--Just as millions stand in line to go
to absurd movies to live their fantasies, Christians have longed to be
scared, waiting to see the Revelation [woes] dangled in their
faces." (The Todd Phenomenon, p.138)
This wasn't the end of it. In 1994 Christian News reported that Todd
had been given a 300-year sentence for forcible rape in Columbia,
South Carolina. The Calvary Contender, an online Evangelical
newsletter, wrote:
"In the late 1970s John Todd deceived some fundamentalists and
evangelicals with his sensational claims of being a former witch,
Illuminati members, etc." (Calvary Contender, Oct. 15, 1994, p.1
online)
"SOME"!!!???!!! Try HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS....if not MILLIONS! Many
hundreds of thousands of Evangelicals in the United States believed
every word--every LIE--that John Todd told them! They believed he was
a "Christian brother" and a "Man of God"! Just like MILLIONS of them
today believe every word Ed Decker tells them, and that HE is a
"Christian brother" and "Man of God"! How history repeats itself! The
only difference is that Decker is not a rapist like Todd, but an
adulterer. Decker is more intelligent than Todd, and is more apt at
hiding his true self.
Tens of thousands of Evangelical Christians believed the wild WHOPPERS
of Johnny Todd. Why? How could they believe such ridiculous things?
Answer: Because they wanted to!
Most Mormons I know don't believe that ANYONE could believe "The God
Makers" movies. I assure them MILLIONS DO! They just shake their heads
and say, "I CAN'T BELIEVE ANYONE WOULD!" I say, "They DO! They believe
it because they WANT to believe it!"
An Evangelical journalist, writing for Last Times newspaper, wrote:
"Todd claims to have been an important figure in international
witchcraft before his salvation, and has traveled to churches all over
America preaching imminent attack upon believers by a looney
conspiracy of European bankers ("Jews"), Spirit-filled Christian
leaders, American politicians,...to name a few. What is now coming to
light, however, is the picture of a severly disturbed individual whose
Army records show possible brain damage as a result of childhood
beatings. They also tell of homicidal threats, false suicide reports,
and a severe personality disturbance leading up to a recommendation
for discharge.***a patter developes of an armed and dangerous
'evangelist' who uses his SENSATIONAL testimony as a cover while
seducing young girls and involving them in witchcraft for sexual
purposes." (Last Times, March 1979, p.1)
Where did John Todd get his conspiracy-theory? He basically got his
theory from a combination of anti-Semitic conspiracy-theories, anti-
Masonic conspiracy-theories, and anti-New World Order conspiracy-
theories of the John Birth Society and puts them together.
In 1973-1975, at the time Ed Decker joined an Assembly of God church,
and when he first began considering started his own "ministry to
Mormons" John Todd's tapes was extremely popular around Assembly of
God churches (and Todd made a LOT of money speaking at them)! This is
why Ed incorporated much of Todd's lies and conspiracy-theorites into
his own anti-Mormon conspiracy-theory which went into "The God Makers"
books and films; because they were "sensational" and Evangelicals LOVE
sensationalism.
Concessions
Even though Decker's works ("The God Makers" books and his dozens of
other books, and hundreds of pamphlets and tracts) are fulled with
lies, half-truths, and gross exaggerations, he does make a few good
points. I must concede that "some" Mormons do indeed believe that God
the Father had literal physical sex with His spirit-daughter Mary; a
very blasphemous doctrine, in my opinion. But, one that was taught by
some Church leaders for many years. I also must concede that there are
many "superstitious" Mormons who think their garments will save them
from physical harm, or that their tithing and meeting attendance will
bring them earthly blessings such as material wealth, success, etc. I
also must concede that many Mormons believe they are saved and exalted
by their own efforts, even though The Book of Mormon says we are saved
by the grace of God by being "born again". I must also concede that
the Church DID teach for 130 years that Negroes were the "cursed
children of Cain" and "less valiant in the War in Heaven". LDS Church
Public Affairs is now saying, "We never taught it as doctrine, but it
was merely the personal opinion of some Members of the Church!" But,
it WAS taught as doctrine, form the top down, for 130 years
(1848-1978). Decker does make a few good points, but these few truths
are buried by an avelanche of lies, half-truths, absurdities,
generalizations, and exaggerations.
CONCLUSION
Much more could be said about Ed Decker. I believe I've only
"scratched the surface" of the crimes of this man. Ed Decker is really
a very cleaver atheist who discovered long ago that many religious
people are quite gullible. Ed discovered many years ago, how to "con"
people. He started by conning Mormon girls in Logan Utah to sleep with
him. He then "conned" one of them to marry him. He then "conned"
Mormon bishops in 29 states to invest in his pyramid scheme, and after
the bishop did, and made money, then many in the Ward or Branch would
follow, only to lose their money; with Decker taking off to another
state and starting the process all over again. He "conned"
Evangelicals into thinking he left Mormonism because Christian pastors
healed his son (a lie), or for some other reason he has given over the
years. He has "conned" many Evangelicals to think that Mormon
missionaries are deliberate lying to them; only "pretending" they see
Jesus as their Lord, when in reality they see Joseph Smith as their
Lord and Savior. Decker is lying! He's lied all his life, and has been
handsomely rewarded for his lies. When Decker dies, he will be
eulogized by tens of thousands of Evangelical pastors as a "man of
God" and "Christian brother". But, Decker is not a Christian. He
thinks Jesus never existed, or, if he did exist, was just one "Jewish
nut" among many.
Decker is not a Man of God. Decker is a god-less con-man, and has
always been. He conned gullible Mormons out of their money--promising
them riches. He conned gullible Evangelicals--telling them he was
exposing the great "Luciferian Conspiracy". Had Decker been born in a
Muslim country, he probably would be the propaganda officer for Al-
Qaeda!
There are at least a dozen graves of innocent people who died as a
result of Decker's lies; leaving a dozen grieving families. The number
of Mormon missionaries beaten or threatened because of Decker's lies,
will never be known. Certainly dozens have been beaten, and many
hundreds, if not thousands, have been threatened, by men calling
themselves "born again Christians".
Had a young Mormon girl in Logan, Utah, in 1957, named Phyllis, not
thought Ed Decker was "cool" because he smoked and drank and fooled
around on the side, there would have been no "God Makers" legacy
today. Perhaps it is time to stop telling all young Mormon girls they
are "royal princesses" and "you are pure and good just the way you
are" and start telling them to "repent" of their sins! Ed Decker only
joined the LDS Church because Phyllis pressured him into it. She
wanted "both" worlds: a "worldly" materialistic husband, and the
Church at the same time. How many young Mormon women make this same
mistake?
You now know the "TRUTH" About Ed Decker: author of "The God Makers"
books and films! But, it doesn't matter. As the saying goes: "A man
convinced against his will...is of the same opinion still!" Followers
of John Todd think he is a Christian "framed" by the International
Illuminati Conspiracy, and they send him thousands of dollars every
month! Followers of Decker will always believe he is a Man of God, and
that this article is a "Mormon Church conspiracy" to try to discredit
him. They are dupes! You can't convince ignorant people they are
ignorant just like you can't convince an insane person they are
insane. It is useless. After Decker dies, other Anti-Mormons will take
his place.
WHERE IS ED DECKER TODAY?
At the time of this writing (Jan, 2011) Ed Decker is living a quite
semi-retired life in North Bend Washington, in a very beautiful
"castle" like home with a beautiful view of the cascade mountains and
surrounded by enchanted green forests with a bubbling brook; with
apparently no thought of the six dead missionaries in South America,
or of the beatings, or broken families, or suicides he has caused
through his 35 years of sensational lies and half-truths. On holidays
he gathers his sons and their children, and all his grandchildren. He
rarely shows up at his church (City Church of Kirkland, Washington),
siting health reasons (he rarely ever "went to church" after he became
a "Born Again Christian" except to preach against Mormonism or
Freemasonry.. and get paid for it). He sends out a newsletter via
email and snail-mail once a month, still asking for donations to
"fight"the worldwide Mormon/Masonic/Luciferian conspiracy. And, yes,
thousands of Evangelicals still send him money every single month.
When he eventually dies a natural death, millions of Christians around
the world will mourn him and extoll him as a heroic Christian,
defender of the Faith, and a true Man of God.
Know asuredly, that after Ed is gone, some other Anti-Mormon will
quickly take his place. There are understudies already waiting in the
wings. Nothing ever changes.
I highly encourage you to make a photocopy of this article, as many as
you want, and give them to others whom you think might be interested
in reading it. Don't ask for my permission--you already have it! Take
care.
Darrick Evenson
darrick...@yahoo.com