The following appears in the 2^nd 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?

APPENDIX F

“THOU SHALT NOT STEAL”

Stealing?

The appendix you’re now reading has in mind literary stealing, commonly known as plagiarism. Webster’s New Col-lege 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 in the liturgy 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.

Jerry Falwell & Friends

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. 93-8: Falwell et al, p. 104:

“Harry Emerson Fosdick…was “Harry Emerson Fosdick …was

born near Buffalo, New York on born near Buffalo, New York, on

May 24, 1878….he attended May 24, 1878. He attended

Colgate, where he…revolted Colgate, where he…revolted

against orthodox views….at against. . .orthodox teachings.. .

Colgate…came under the… At Colgate he was influenced by

influence of…William Newton William Newton Clarke. . . trans-

Clarke….transferring to Union ferred to Union Seminary and Col-

Seminary and Columbia Univer- umbia University. At Union he

sity….One major influence on was influenced by the importance

Fosdick at Union was the stress of a social consciousness. . . . He

on the social application…. He was challenged by the influence

found the social gospel of Rau- of Rauschenbusch, who was the

schenbusch . . . .challenging . . . . pioneer champion of the social

From 1904 to 1915 he was pastor gospel. His preaching…utilized

of the Baptist church at Montclair the Bible and extrabiblical sources

, New Jersey….his sermons… on in dealing with problems . . From

problem-solving … drew from… 1904 to 1915 Fosdick was pastor at

within the Bible and outside. . . . the Baptist Church at Montclair,

From 1919 to 1925 he supplied the New Jersey. From 1919 to 1925 he

pulpit of First Presbyterian Church supplied the pulpit of the First

in New York . . . . In May, 1992, Presbyterian Church in New York,

he preached a sermon entitled After his famous sermon in May

‘Shall the Fundamentalists Win?’ 1922, ‘Shall the Fundamentalists

. . He resigned from First Presby- Win?’ he was forced to resign

terian church . . . . From 1925 to from the Presbyterian Church.

1930 Fosdick served the Park Av- From 1925 to 1930 he served at

enue Baptist . . . . Rockefeller was Park Avenue Baptist. In 1930 a

willing to give a large sum for the new church was erected and paid

erection of the new edifice, and by for by John D. Rockefeller: the

1930 the very beautiful Riverside Riverside Church in Morningside

Church was ready in Morning- Heights in Manhattan. The

side Heights in Manhattan . . . . church…provided the public

Riverside provided a pulpit for forum for Harry Emerson Fosdick

Harry Emerson Fosdick . . . .The His pulpit ministry was so impres-

National Broadcasting Company sive that the National Broadcast-

was so impressed by his stature ing Company allowed him free

that it gave him free time on time on Sunday afternoon for the

Sunday afternoon for ‘National broadcast of the ‘National

Vespers.’. .He retired from Union Vespers.’ Fosdick retired from

Seminary and Riverside Church in Union Seminary and Riverside

1946.” Church in 1946.”

Dollar, pp. 217-218: Falwell et al, pp. 126-7

“. . .the Baptist Bible Fellowship . “Much of the vision and momen-

. .owes its origin to the ministry -tum of the Baptist Bible Fellow-

and inspiration of J. Frank Norris. ship came from the leadership of J.

. . .in the late 1940’s serious ten- Frank Norris. During the late

sions arose in the [World Baptist] forties, many of the preachers [in

Fellowship, and several of its the World Baptist Fellowship] be-

younger pastors broke away. . . . gan to experience disillusionment.

Among these were G. Beauchamp . . .a number of men, including

Vick, John W. Rawlings, Noel Vick, John W. Rawlings, Noel

Smith, W. E. Dowell and Scotty Smith, W. E. Dowell . . .and Scottie

Alexander. . . Papers to incorpo- Alexander, left the World Baptist

rate a new school were taken out Fellowship and formed the Baptist

on June 29, 1950. . . In Springfield, Bible Fellowship. . . On June 29

Missouri . . . for the academic [1950] papers were taken out to

year 1971 - 1972 over two open a new school, in Springfield,

thousand were enrolled. . . . the Missouri. . .by 1970 more than

printed voice of the BBF has 2000 were enrolled . . .the Baptist

been the Baptist Bible Tribune Bible Tribune, edited by Noel

with its able and outspoken Smith. This served as the officia

editor, Noel Smith. He has been publication for the newly formed

especially effective in uncovering BBF. Smith devoted his energies

unbiblical teachings among to such matters as error among

Southern Baptists. He has been Southern Baptists, dealing with

equally sharp in his criticisms of communism, the National and

communism, the National and World councils of churches, and

World Councils of Churches, and modernism. Through the years he

Modernism…He has been openly also dealt with the issues of Billy

against Billy Graham’s evangel- Graham’s evangelism…”

ism…”

Dollar, pp. 242-3: Falwell et al, pp. 131-2:

“Southwide Baptist Fellowship. . . “One of the prominent fundamen-

of Fundamental Baptists in the talist influences in the Southeast

Southeastern section of our nation is the Southwide Baptist Fellowship.

owes its origin to a meeting of It was founded on March 20, 1956,

pastors in Highland Park Baptist with 147 charter members at High-

Church in Chattanooga, Tennes- land Park Baptist Church in Chat-

see, on March 20, 1956. . . . There tanooga, Tennessee. This organi-

were 147 charter members. . . .Its zation was designed to provide

purpose was to provide a fellow- fellowship for pastors of funda-

ship for men of Fundamentalist mentalist Baptist convictions. The

Baptist convictions. . .Among the early members of this group in-

first members were such men as cluded Lee Robertson, John R.

Lee Robertson, John R. Rice, Rice, Harold B. Sightler, J.R. Faulk-

Harold B. Sightler, J. R. Faulkner, ner, Wayne Van Gelderen, Norman

Wayne Van Gelderen, Norman G. G. Lemmons, Gene Arnold, Bob

Lemmons, Gene Arnold, Bob Gray, Bob Bevington, and John R.

Gray, Bob Bevington, and John Waters. . .One of the leaders of

R. Waters. . .Lee Robertson of this fellowship has been Lee

Highland Park Baptist has held a Robertson of Highland Park

commanding place of influence in Baptist Church in Chattanooga,

the Southwide Fellowship be- Tennessee. He is pastor of the

cause of the 33,000-member 33,000-member Highland Park

church he pastors and the growth Baptist Church and is founder of

of Tennessee Temple Schools. Tennessee Temple Schools.

..composed of a Bible college, a Currently Tennessee Temple

liberal arts college, and a University includes a Bible

seminary.” school, a liberal arts college, and a

seminary.”

______________

Tim LaHaye

Hal Lindsey’s The Late Great Planet Earth (1970) fol-

lowed by LaHaye’s The Beginning of the End (1972):

Lindsey, p. 188: LaHaye, p. 12:

“ In the early centuries, the Chris- ‘”Maranatha’ …gained popularity

tians had a word for greeting and in the first century and became a

departing; it was the word common mode of greeting and

‘maranatha.’” parting.”

Lindsey, pp. 70-1: LaHaye, p. 74:

“the Cossacks have always loved “The Cossacks still boast of hav-

horses and have been recognized ing the finest horseflesh in the

as producing the finest army of world. . .Russia. . . the supplier of

cavalry in the world . . . the coun- weapons to future invaders of

tries . . . as part of this great army Israel, is today the leading manu-

are already armed with weapons facturer of weaponry.”

created and manufactured in

Russia.”

John Walvoord’s The Blessed Hope and the Tribulation

(1976) followed by LaHaye’s No Fear of the Storm (1992):

Walvoord, p. 12: LaHaye, p. 206:

“the Alexandrian school of theol- “the Alexandrian school of theol-

ogy in Egypt [that tried to] harm- ogy from Egypt that seemed to

onize systematic theology with merge biblical theology with Pla-

Platonic philosophy.” tonic philosophy.”

Lindsey’s There’s A New World Coming (1973) followed by LaHaye’s Understanding the Last Days (1998):

Lindsey, p. 280: LaHaye, p. 191:

Evidently each person has a re- “It may be that each one of us has

cording angel” (Lindsey also a recording angel.” (LaHaye also

quoted Eccl. 12:14) quoted Eccl. 12:14)

Lindsey, p. 281: LaHaye, pp. 192,194:

“The New Testament refers to the “The New Testament refers to the

‘Book of Life’ eight times, and al- book of life eight different times,

though the Old Testament doesn’t and although the Old Testament

call it by that name, it refers three does not call it by that name, it

times to a book in which names does allude three times to a book

are written. This book contains in which names are written…The

the name of every person born book of life is that book in which

into the world. If by the time he the names of all people ever born

dies, a person has not received into the world are written. If, at the

God’s provision of sacrifice to time of a person’s death, he has

remove sin, then his name is not called upon the Lord Jesus

blotted out of this ‘Book of Christ for salvation, his name is

Life.’” 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: Ryrie, p.70:

“a great and formidable boundary “a formidable boundary between

between the peoples east of it those who lived east and west of

and those west of it. . .and is it… scarcely fordable at any point

scarcely fordable anywhere or …or at any time . . . From 300 to

any time . . . from three to twelve to 1,200 yards wide and 10 to 30

hundred yards wide, and from ten feet deep” (Ryrie gave no credit to

to thirty feet in depth” (from J.A. either source.)

Seiss’s The Apocalypse which

Lindsey credited.)

Lindsey, pp. 84-85: Ryrie, p. 72:

“the real sleeping giant of Asia “The Giant Comes to Life… She

was awakened…they went from exploded her first atomic bomb in

the testing of a crude atomic 1964, and tested her first H-bomb

bomb to the successful test firing two and a half years later.” (Ryrie

of an H-bomb in two and one half gave no credit for any of this.)

years” (part of this was a citation

of the Bulletin of Atomic

Scientists.)

Compare Lindsey’s There’s A New World Coming (1973)

With Ryrie’s The Living End (1976):

Lindsey, pp. 90-1: Ryrie, pp. 38-9:

“After a period of writing [a “After a scribe had finished writ-

scribe] would stop, roll the parch- ing a section of the scroll he

ment enough to cover his words, would stop, roll up the scroll to

and seal the scroll at that point that point, and seal it. Then he

that point, and seal it. Then he would begin again, stop, roll up

writing, stop again, roll the scroll, the scroll, and affix another seal.

and add another seal…it was to In this way he prevented any

prevent unauthorized persons unauthorized person from tamper-

from tampering with the scroll or ing with or divulging the contents

reading and revealing its con- of the scroll. Only a duly author-

tents. Only a ‘worthy’ person ized person could break those

…could have legal access to the seals…When a Jewish family was

scroll’s message…when a Jewish forced to sell its property or

family was required to forfeit its possessions, the loss was listed

land and possessions through on a scroll and sealed seven times.

some distress, the property could By law, the property could not be

not be permanently taken from taken away from them permanent-

them. Their losses were listed in a ly, so the scroll contained the rec-

scroll and sealed seven times, the ord of the loss and and what

conditions necessary to purchase would have to be done in order to

back the land and possessions get the property back. When a

were written on the outside of the qualified person came along to

scroll. When a qualified redeemer redeem that property, then it was

could be found… the possession returned to the original owners.”

[was returned] to the original (Ryrie again gave credit to no

owner.” (paraphrase of a W.A. one.)

Criswell work which Lindsey

credited.)

______________

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: Tan, p. 111:

“In discussing Tubal he said, “Tubal, the fifth son of Japheth,

’Tubal is the son of Rapheth was the founder of the Tibereni, a

[sic], founder of the Tibereni, a people dwelling on the Black Sea,

people dwelling on the Black sea west of the Moschi.” (Gives no

to the west of the Moschi.’” credit.)

(Credits Gesenius).

Lindsey, p. 67: Tan, p. 113:

“All authorities agree on who “Most scholars agree that ancient

Persia is today. It is modern Iran. . Persia is today’s Iran…It would be

.It would be much more difficult much more difficult to move a

to move a large land army across large land army across the Cauca-

the Caucasus Mountains that sus Mountains that border Tur-

border Turkey, than the Elburz key, than the Elburz Mountain

Mountains that border Iran. that border Iran. Iran’s general ter-

Iran’s general terrain is also much rain is also much easier to cross

easier to cross than Turkey’s. than Turkey’s, although both

Transportation, however, will be routes apparently will be used.”

needed through both countries.”

Lindsey, p. 69: Tan, p. 114:

“Gomer…’settled on the north of “Gomer…settled on the north of

the Black Sea, and then spread the Black Sea and then spread

themselves southward and west- south and west into eastern Eu-

ward to the extremeties of Euro- rope.’”

pe.’” (Credits Young) (Gives no credit).

Lindsey, p. 70: Tan, p. 114:

“…Ashkenaz, ‘The Rheginians’ “…Ashkenaz or ‘The Rheginians,’

and a map of the ancient Roman which would place them in the

Empire places them in the area of area of Poland, Czechoslovakia,

modern Poland, Czechoslovakia, and East Germany (to the Danube

and East Germany to the banks of River).”

the Danube River.”

Lindsey, p. 70: Tan, p. 114:

“…in rugged mountainous ter- “…horses are still the fastest and

rain, horses are still the fastest surest means of transporting

means of moving a large attack- troops, light and heavy artillery,

ing force into battle zones. Isn’t it and field equipment over moun-

a coincidence that such terrain tainous terrain. And the terrain

stands between Russia and the between the king of the north and

Israeli?” Israel is mountainous.”

Lindsey, pp. 93-4: Tan, p. 109:

“Charlemagne tried to do this in “Charlemagne in A.D.800 tried it,

A.D.800. . .was crowned by the and he was crowned by the Pope

Pope as Emperor Charles Au- as Emperor Charles Augustus…

gustus…Napoleon…snatched Napoleon crowned himself. . . .

the crown from the Pope and put Hitler said his Third Reich would

it on himself…Hitler…said his last a thousand years.”

Third Reich would last a thou-

sand years.”

Lindsey, p. 136: Tan, p. 68:

“’My dear friends in the congre- “’My dear friends. Bless you for

gation. Bless you for coming to listening to me. I know that many

church today. I know that many of you have lost loved ones in

of you have lost loved ones in this unusual disappearance of so

this unusual disappearance of so many people. However, we believe

many people. However, I believe it was God’s judgment on them,

that God’s judgment has come for their uncooperation and

upon them for their continued division on the majestic advances

dissension and quarreling with of Society and the Church on

the great advances of the church earth. Now that the separatists are

in our century. Now that the reac- removed, let us really unite in the

tionaries are removed, we can great goal of universal

progress toward our great and brotherhood, love and peace on

glorious goal of uniting all man- earth.’”

kind into a brotherhood of recon-

ciliation and understanding.’”

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?