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The following appears in the 2nd Edition of Dave MacPherson’s The Rapture Plot in Appendix F and is reproduced here by permission. I recommend you pick up a copy of it if you need an antidote to the lies about the origins of the pretrib rapture being propagated by hucksters in fine suits. What does it say about a man’s character when he will steal other men’s work? Can you trust him? Can you believe he is hearing from the Lord when he writes a book about Bible prophecy?
Stealing?
The appendix you’re now reading has in mind literary stealing, commonly known as plagiarism. Webster’s New College Dictionary defines plagiarism as passing off as one’s own the ideas or words or products of someone else.
Writers who use the ideas or words of others without permission or without giving proper credit are plagiarists.
For starters, let’s compare part of a recent Jack Van Impe article in his own publication (The Moment After, Perhaps Today, March/April, 2000, p. 5) with part of a Grant Jeffrey book (Final Warning, 1995, p. 306).
Van Impe wrote: The early Christian writer and poet Ephraim the Syrian (who lived from A.D. 306 to 373) was a major theologian of the early Byzantine Eastern Church. To this day, his hymns and homilies are used of the Greek Orthodox and Middle Eastern Nestorian Churches. He also wrote a large number of commentaries that have never been translated into English.
Match that with what Jeffrey had written earlier: The early Christian writer and poet, Ephraim the Syrian, (who lived from A.D. 306 to 373) was a major theologian of the early Byzantine Eastern Church.To this day, his hymns and homilies are used in the liturgy of the Greek Orthodox and Middle Eastern Nestorian Church. He also wrote a large number of commentaries that have never been translated into English.
Nowhere did Van Impe even mention Jeffrey or his book. And it wasn’t the first time he had handled Jeffrey’s material in this manner!
( Interestingly, even though Paul Alexander---whom Jeffrey described as the most authoritative scholar on the early Byzantines --- viewed Pseudo-Ephraim and not Ephraim the Syrian as the author of the manuscript in which Jeffrey claimed to find pretrib, Jeffrey, copied by Van Impe, continued to refer to only Ephraim the Syrian!)
My 1998 book The Three R’s uncovered, among other things, the massive and embarrassing plagiarism in books authored by some leading prophecy writers, including C. C. Carlson, David Jeremiah, Hal Lindsey, and even the late Merrill Unger!
Additional similarities in print, equally shocking, have been discovered in recent days. On the following pages I will offer comparison quotes from some other influential prophecy books and let you decide who should wear the guilty label.
Dollar, pp. 93-8:Harry Emerson Fosdick was born near Buffalo, New York on May 24, 1878. He attended Colgate, where he revolted against orthodox views. At Colgate came under the influence of William Newton Clarke. Transferring to Union Seminary and Columbia University. One major influence on Fosdick at Union was the stress on the social application. He found the social gospel of Rauschenbusch challenging. From 1904 to 1915 he was pastor of the Baptist church at Montclair New Jersey. His sermons on problem-solving drew from within the Bible and outside. From 1919 to 1925 he supplied the pulpit of First Presbyterian Church in New York. In May, 1922, he preached a sermon entitled Shall the Fundamentalists Win? He resigned from First Presbyterian church. From 1925 to 1930 Fosdick served the Park Avenue Baptist Rockefeller was willing to give a large sum for the erection of the new edifice, and by 1930 the very beautiful Riverside Church was ready in Morningside Heights in Manhattan. Riverside provided a pulpit for Harry Emerson Fosdick.The National Broadcasting Company was so impressed by his stature that it gave him free time on Sunday afternoon for ‘National Vespers. He retired from Union Seminary and Riverside Church in1946. |
Falwell et al, p. 104:Harry Emerson Fosdick was born near Buffalo, New York, on May 24, 1878. He attended Colgate, where he revolted against orthodox teachings. At Colgate he was influenced by William Newton Clarke, transferred to Union Seminary and Columbia University. At Union he was influenced by the importance of a social consciousness. He was challenged by the influence of Rauschenbusch, who was the pioneer champion of the social gospel. His preaching utilized the Bible and extrabiblical sources in dealing with problems. From 1904 to 1915 Fosdick was pastor at the Baptist Church at Montclair, New Jersey. From 1919 to 1925 he supplied the pulpit of the First Presbyterian Church in New York, After his famous sermon in May 1922, ‘Shall the Fundamentalists Win?' He was forced to resign from the Presbyterian Church. From 1925 to 1930 he served at Park Avenue Baptist. In 1930 a new church was erected and paid for by John D. Rockefeller the Riverside Church in Morningside Heights in Manhattan. The church provided the public forum for Harry Emerson Fosdick. His pulpit ministry was so impressive that the National Broadcasting Company allowed him free time on Sunday afternoon for the broadcast of the ‘National Vespers.’ Fosdick retired from Union Seminary and Riverside Church in 1946. |
Compare George Dollar’s A History of Fundamentalism in America (1973) with The Fundamentalist Phenomenon (1981), edited by Jerry Falwell with Ed Dobson and Ed Hinson:
Dollar, pp. 217-218:. . .the Baptist Bible Fellowship .. .owes its origin to the ministryand inspiration of J. Frank Norris. . . .in the late 1940’s serious tensions arose in the [World Baptist]-Fellowship, and several of itsyounger pastors broke away. . . .Among these were G. BeauchampVick, John W. Rawlings, NoelSmith, W. E. Dowell and ScottyAlexander. . . Papers to incorporate a new school were taken out on June 29, 1950. . . In Springfield, Missouri . . . for the academic year 1971 - 1972 over two thousand were enrolled. . . . the printed voice of the BBF has been the Baptist Bible Tribune with its able and outspoken editor, Noel Smith. He has beene specially effective in uncovering unbiblical teachings among Southern Baptists. He has beene qually sharp in his criticisms of communism, the National andWorld Councils of Churches, and ModernismHe has been openly against Billy Graham’s evangelism |
Falwell et al, pp. 126-7Much of the vision and momentum of the Baptist Bible Fellowship came from the leadership of J. Frank Norris. During the late forties, many of the preachers [in the World Baptist Fellowship] began to experience disillusionment. . . .a number of men, including Vick, John W. Rawlings, NoelSmith, W. E. Dowell . . .and Scottie Alexander, left the World BaptistFellowship and formed the Baptist Bible Fellowship. . . On June 29 [1950] papers were taken out to open a new school, in Springfield, Missouri. . .by 1970 more than 2000 were enrolled . . .the Baptist Bible Tribune, edited by Noel Smith. This served as the official publication for the newly formed BBF. Smith devoted his energies to such matters as error among Southern Baptists, dealing with communism, the National and World councils of churches, and modernism. Through the years he also dealt with the issues of BillyGraham’s evangelism |
Dollar, pp. 242-3:Southwide Baptist Fellowship. . . of Fundamental Baptists in the Southeastern section of our nation owes its origin to a meeting of pastors in Highland Park BaptistChurch in Chattanooga, Tennes-see, on March 20, 1956. . . . Therewere 147 charter members. . . Its purpose was to provide a fellow-ship for men of Fundamentalist Baptist convictions. . .Among thefirst members were such men asLee Robertson, John R. Rice, Harold B. Sightler, J. R. Faulkner,Wayne Van Gelderen, Norman G.Lemmons, Gene Arnold, BobGray, Bob Bevington, and John R. Waters. . Lee Robertson of Highland Park Baptist has held acommanding place of influence in the Southwide Fellowship because of the 33,000-memberchurch he pastors and the growthof Tennessee Temple Schools. ..composed of a Bible college, aliberal arts college, and aseminary |
Falwell et al, pp. 131-2:One of the prominent fundamen- talist influences in the Southeast is the Southwide Baptist Fellowship. It was founded on March 20, 1956, with 147 charter members at High- land Park Baptist Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee. This organization was designed to providefellowship for pastors of fundamentalist Baptist convictions. The early members of this group included Lee Robertson, John RRice, Harold B. Sightler, J.R. Faulkner, Wayne Van Gelderen, Norman G. Lemmons, Gene Arnold, BobGray, Bob Bevington, and John R. Waters. . .One of the leaders of this fellowship has been Lee Robertson of Highland Park Baptist Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He is pastor of the 33,000-member Highland Park Baptist Church and is founder of Tennessee Temple Schools. Currently Tennessee Temple University includes a Bible school, a liberal arts college, and a seminary. |
Hal Lindsey’s The Late Great Planet Earth (1970) followed by LaHaye’s The Beginning of the End (1972):
Lindsey, p. 188:In the early centuries, the Christians had a word for greeting and departing; it was the word‘maranatha.’ |
LaHaye, p. 12:‘Maranatha’ gained popularity in the first century and became acommon mode of greeting and parting. |
Lindsey, pp. 70-1:the Cossacks have always loved horses and have been recognizedas producing the finest army of cavalry in the world . . . the countries . . . as part of this great army are already armed with weapons created and manufactured in Russia. |
LaHaye, p. 74:The Cossacks still boast of hav ing the finest horseflesh in the-world. . .Russia. . . the supplier of weapons to future invaders of Israel, is today the leading manu- facturer of weaponry. |
John Walvoord’s The Blessed Hope and the Tribulation (1976) followed by LaHaye’s No Fear of the Storm (1992)
Walvoord, p. 12:the Alexandrian school of theology in Egypt [that tried to] harmonize systematic theology with Platonic philosophy. |
LaHaye, p. 206:the Alexandrian school of theology from Egypt that seemed to merge biblical theology with Platonic philosophy. |
Lindsey’s There’s A New World Coming (1973) followed by LaHaye’s Understanding the Last Days (1998):
Lindsey, p. 280:Evidently each person has a recording angel (Lindsey alsoquoted Eccl. 12:14) |
LaHaye, p. 191:It may be that each one of us has a recording angel. (LaHaye alsoquoted Eccl. 12:14) |
Lindsey, p. 281:The New Testament refers to the‘Book of Life’ eight times, and al-though the Old Testament doesn’tcall it by that name, it refers three times to a book in which names are written. This book contains the name of every person born into the world. If by the time hedies, a person has not received God’s provision of sacrifice to remove sin, then his name is blotted out of this ‘Book of Life.’ |
LaHaye, pp. 192,194:The New Testament refers to thebook of life eight different times, and although the Old Testament does not call it by that name, it does allude three times to a book in which names are written The book of life is that book in which the names of all people ever born into the world are written. If, at the time of a person’s death, he has not called upon the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, his name is blotted out of the book of life. |
Charles C. Ryrie
Compare Hal Lindsey’s The Late Great Planet Earth (1970) with Dallas Seminary Professor Charles C. Ryrie’s The Living End(1976):
Lindsey, p. 82:a great and formidable boundary between the peoples east of it and those west of it. . .and is scarcely fordable anywhere or any time . . . from three to twelve hundred yards wide, and from ten to thirty feet in depth (from J.A. Seiss’s The Apocalypse which Lindsey credited.) |
Ryrie, p.70:a formidable boundary between those who lived east and west of it scarcely fordable at any point or at any time . . . From 300 to to 1,200 yards wide and 10 to 30 feet deep (Ryrie gave no credit to either source.) |
Lindsey, pp. 84-85:the real sleeping giant of Asia was awakened they went from the testing of a crude atomic bomb to the successful test firing of an H-bomb in two and one halfyears (part of this was a citation of the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists |
Ryrie, p. 72:The Giant Comes to Life Sheexploded her first atomic bomb in1964, and tested her first H-bombtwo and a half years later. (Ryrie gave no credit for any of this.) |
Compare Lindsey’s There’s A New World Coming (1973) with Ryrie’s The Living End (1976):
Lindsey, pp. 90-1:After a period of writing [a scribe] would stop, roll the parchment enough to cover his words,and seal the scroll at that point, and seal it. Then he would write, stop again, roll the scroll, and add another sealit was to prevent unauthorized persons from tampering with the scroll or reading and revealing its contents. Only a ‘worthy’ person could have legal access to the scroll’s message when a Jewish family was required to forfeit its land and possessions through some distress, the property could not be permanently taken from them. Their losses were listed in ascroll and sealed seven times, the conditions necessary to purchase back the land and possessions were written on the outside of the scroll. When a qualified redeemer could be found the possession [was returned] to the original owner. (paraphrase of a W. A. Criswell work which Lindsey credited.) |
Ryrie, pp. 38-9:After a scribe had finished writing a section of the scroll hewould stop, roll up the scroll to that point, and seal it. Then he would begin again, stop, roll up the scroll, and affix another seal. In this way he prevented any unauthorized person from tampering with or divulging the contents of the scroll. Only a duly authorized person could break those seals. When a Jewish family was forced to sell its property orpossessions, the loss was listed on a scroll and sealed seven times. By law, the property could not be taken away from them permanently, so the scroll contained the record of the loss and and whatwould have to be done in order toget the property back. When aqualified person came along toredeem that property, then it wasreturned to the original owners.(Ryrie again gave credit to no one.) |
Paul Lee Tan
Compare Hal Lindsey’s The Late Great Planet Earth (1970) with Dallas Seminary Professor Paul Lee Tan’s A Pic-torial Guide to Bible Prophecy (1991):
Lindsey, p. 65:In discussing Tubal he said,’Tubal is the son of Rapheth[sic], founder of the Tibereni, a people dwelling on the Black seato the west of the Moschi.’(Credits Gesenius). |
Tan, p. 111:Tubal, the fifth son of Japheth,was the founder of the Tibereni, a people dwelling on the Black Sea, west of the Moschi. (Gives nocredit.) |
Lindsey, p. 67:All authorities agree on whoPersia is today. It is modern Iran. It would be much more difficultto move a large land army across the Caucasus Mountains that border Turkey, than the Elburz Mountains that border Iran.Iran’s general terrain is also much easier to cross than Turkey’s. Transportation, however, will be needed through both countries. |
Tan, p. 113:Most scholars agree that ancient Persia is today’s Iran. It would be much more difficult to move alarge land army across the Caucasus Mountains that border Turkey, than the Elburz Mountain that border Iran. Iran’s general terrain is also much easier to crossthan Turkey’s, although both routes apparently will be used. |
Lindsey, p. 69:Gomer’settled on the north ofthe Black Sea, and then spread themselves southward and westward to the extremeties of Europe.’ (Credits Young) |
Tan, p. 114:Gomer settled on the north ofthe Black Sea and then spread south and west into eastern Europe(Gives no credit) |
Lindsey, p. 70:Ashkenaz, ‘The Rheginians’and a map of the ancient Roman Empire places them in the area of modern Poland, Czechoslovakia, and East Germany to the banks of the Danube River. |
Tan, p. 114:Ashkenaz or ‘The Rheginians,’which would place them in the area of Poland, Czechoslovakia, and East Germany (to the Danube River). |
Lindsey, pp. 93:Charlemagne tried to do this inA.D.800. . .was crowned by thePope as Emperor Charles Augustus Napoleon snatched the crown from the Pope and put it on himself. Hitler said hisThird Reich would last a thousand years |
Tan, p. 109:Charlemagne in A.D.800 tried it, and he was crowned by the Pope as Emperor Charles Augustus Napoleon crowned himself. . . .Hitler said his Third Reich would last a thousand years. |
Lindsey, p. 136:My dear friends in the congregation. Bless you for coming tochurch today. I know that manyof you have lost loved ones in this unusual disappearance of so many people. However, I believethat God’s judgment has come upon them for their continued dissension and quarreling with the great advances of the church in our century. Now that the reactionaries are removed, we can progress toward our great and glorious goal of uniting all mankind into a brotherhood of reconciliation and understanding. |
Tan, p. 68:My dear friends. Bless you for listening to me. I know that many of you have lost loved ones in this unusual disappearance of so many people. However, we believe it was God’s judgment on them, for their uncooperation and division on the majestic advancesof Society and the Church onearth. Now that the separatists are removed, let us really unite in the great goal of universal progress brotherhood, love and peace on earth. |
Well, there you have it, just a fraction of the sloppy and devious scholarship I’ve run into lately.
If you’re interested in obtaining my book The Three R’s which uncovers the huge amount of plagiarism in some of the leading pretrib works on both sides of the Atlantic since the year 1830, call (800) 967-7345 for more information.
Do you still believe that the any-moment, pretribulational rapture view inspires holy living?