A Critique of the Jeremiah Films Video:

Seventh-day Adventism - The Spirit Behind the Church

Introduction, Indexes, Points #1-#20

by Bob Pickle

(note from webmaster- links on this document connect to Bob Pickles Site.)

This is a critique of a video on Seventh-day Adventism which I saw in October of 1999. 

Repeatedly the video seemed to try to lead the viewer to look upon Adventism as a cult or as less than Christian. Having studied into a lot of the areas covered by the video, it wasn't difficult for me to see that many of the points covered, if not all, were just not valid. It was absolutely shocking how much misinformation the video contained, all put together in a very convincing way.

I spent three months trying to dialog with Jeremiah Films as well as the author of the script (Lorri MacGregor of MacGregor Ministries), and two of the former pastors featured on the video (Dale Ratzlaff and Mark Martin). These attempts went nowhere. So the next step I felt was to provide to the public exactly where the video falls short.

This critique covers a total of 239 points for a video that is about 50 minutes long. Of these 239 points, 232 also relate to the slightly shorter edition of the video, which runs about 45 minutes long.  Thus we have an average of about 4 or 5 disputed points per minute of footage.

The document has extensive hyperlinks. Look for buttons and hyperlinked text (typically in a different color and underlined).

Also notice that any emphasis I have supplied in my responses will always be both bolded and italicized, and that the Bible version used for quotations, unless otherwise noted, is the King James Version. 

The reader will find repeated references to a Documentation Package which is offered at the end of the video to those wanting proof that the allegations on the video are true. It is copyrighted 1999 by MacGregor Ministries, and is analyzed along with the video in this critique.

Sometimes the video confuses Millerite Adventists and First-day Adventists with Seventh-day Adventists. I have therefore attempted in my discussion to make clear which group is being referred to.

All the video's disputed points found in the critique are listed in a table of contents which immediately follows this introduction. They are also listed in a topical index which has the points categorized in the following categories: Major Factual Errors (a total of 86 points); Lesser Inaccuracies: Less Important Than "Major Factual Errors" (65 points); Bad Quotations: Non-Existent, Rearranged, or Context Removed (12 points); Bad Pictures: Pictures That Grossly Misrepresent the Facts (4 points); Oversimplifications: More Detail Would Neutralize Point (18 points); Straw-Man Arguments: Arguments Against Points That Are Basically Irrelevant (19 points); Arguments That Essentially Attack the Bible and Its Teachings (20 points); Statements That Beg the Question: That Assume To Be Fact What Needs to Be Proven (4 points); Contradictions: Arguments or Statements that Demolish Other Arguments or Statements (9 points); and Arguments That Essentially Attack Prominent Christian Leaders of Old (2 points).

In categorizing the various points, a bit of subjectivity entered, as would be expected. For example, was the point a major error or a minor inaccuracy? To help determine this, I took into consideration the magnitude of the error, the gravity of the accusation, and the ready availability of correct information concerning the point. Still, some would probably categorize the points differently.

Any errors, typographical or otherwise, that are found I would greatly appreciate being brought to my attention.  

I am deeply indebted to the Words of the Pioneers CD-ROM from Adventist Pioneer Library, to The Published Ellen G. White Writings on Compact Disk from the White Estate, to the commentaries found on the Online Bible CD-ROM, and to the Master Christian Library from Ages Software. These reference tools provided a good bit of the material and facts found below.

Lastly, let me mention who I have chosen to dedicate this critique to. Near the end of the video is this statement:

You really just have to search for it yourself, and if you, if you love the Lord, if you really do, then you really want to know the truth. (Kim Marshall)

For all such who "really want to know the truth," this critique is sincerely dedicated.

Table of Contents

  1. All quotes of Ellen White in video are from official sources. False. Some quotes just don't exist at all, or don't exist in the form portrayed on the video.
  2. Adventism is based around the teachings and philosophies of Ellen White. False. Most Seventh-day Adventist doctrines had been discovered in the Bible and accepted before she wrote them out.
  3. Ellen White was the founder of the Adventist Church. She was not the sole founder.
  4. William Miller was a powerful preacher. Oversimplification. Miller was a Baptist preacher, and but one of 200 preachers and 500 lecturers from many denominations all preaching about the same thing.
  5. Miller taught that Christ would return in 1843. Oversimplification. His major point of difference with the theology of the times was not the date, but his conviction that Christ would come visibly and literally before the millennium instead of after.
  6. Miller taught that Christ would return on October 22, 1844. False. As of October 21, he had not yet accepted the date of October 22, much less taught it. 
  7. October 22 was not the Day of Atonement in 1844 False. Biblically speaking, it was the Day of Atonement for that year.
  8. Miller's meetings were marked by emotionalism and hysteria. False. Miller and his associates suppressed all such things.
  9. Picture depicts radical fanaticism of Miller's meetings. False. Picture is actually of a critic's description of a post-1844 meeting that Miller was not present at.
  10. When Christ did not return, Ellen White said she was in a "hopeless condition for months." She said no such thing.
  11. Ellen White was depressed when Christ did not return on October 22. False. The record indicates that she was not.
  12. Ellen White could not admit her mistake of expecting Christ to return in 1843 or 1844. False. She first admitted what she thought was a mistake, and then admitted that she had made a mistake in identifying the wrong mistake.
  13. Miller admitted his mistake of expecting Christ to return in 1843 or 1844. Oversimplification. He did not admit a mistake in his interpretations of the prophecies. Rather, he thought there must be a mistake in the chronologies used by historians, which might throw his calculations off a little.
  14. Ellen White's first vision said that the 1843 chart should not be altered. False. Her first vision was in December 1844. This one was on September 23, 1850.
  15. Ellen White claimed God hid the mistake. Bad quotation. The last clause that was omitted explains that her words meant that God was not revealing the mistake to the people, rather than hiding it.
  16. Ellen White claimed God had made the mistake. False. She made no such claim.
  17. Ellen White's vision was controversial. False. There was nothing controversial about it.
  18. Ellen White's vision forced readjustment of many Adventist dates and doctrines. False. Many dates and doctrines were not readjusted as the result of either her first vision or the vision of 1850.
  19. Ellen White's vision readjusted the 1843 date to 1844. False. It was already readjusted months before she had her first vision.
  20. The 1844 date was still an error. Cannot be presently proven. No better interpretation of the prophecies in question has ever been found.
  21. Ellen White became the absolute authority figure. False. She never has been the absolute authority figure.
  22. Her writings grew to be seventeen times larger than the Bible. So? Luther, Wesley, and Spurgeon wrote a lot too.
  23. Adventists view her writings as inspired as the Bible. So? Adventists believe in degrees of authority, but not in degrees of inspiration. One prophet is not more inspired than another, but the prophets of the Bible have the final say.
  24. Church publications use her writings as the last word on doctrine. False. The Bible is the last word.
  25. Twenty-seven Fundamental beliefs say that the Bible is a source of authority. False. They state that the Bible is the source of authority.
  26. Ellen White's writings are an authoritative source of truth. So? The Adventist quote referred to ends by saying that the Bible is to be the standard by which Ellen White's writings are tested.
  27. Some of Ellen White's writings are unavailable, locked in a vault. False. All published writings are available on CD-ROM. Unpublished writings are available at 15 locations, and are only locked away after hours.
  28. Her more embarrassing writings are unavailable. Oversimplification. What makes them embarrassing is that sometimes she had to rebuke people's problems, like adultery.
  29. She claimed an angel stood by her bed. So? Angels came to visit Bible writers too.
  30. History shows that Ellen White's prophecies did not come true. Not one sound, clear-cut example is given.
  31. She said Jerusalem would never be built up. The phrase "built up" had a different meaning at times back then.
  32. Ellen White said she would be alive and would be caught up in the air to meet Jesus. This undermines faith in the Bible, for the apostle Paul said the same thing.
  33. She said the second coming was only months away. False. She said no such thing.
  34. At a conference in 1856, she said that some present would be food for worms and that some would be alive when Jesus came. Oversimplification. The video omits an immediate fulfillment in which a woman actually present at the conference was impressed that she would "food for worms." She was dead within three days.
  35. Ellen White would have been stoned in Bible times for being a false prophet. Then so would the biblical prophets Jonah and Huldah. Some prophecies are conditional, as Jeremiah tells us.
  36. She predicted the downfall of the United States. False. She predicted defeat if certain conditions didn't change.
  37. She made false predictions during the Civil War. This quotation from Ellen White has been rearranged.
  38. Ellen White predicted England would declare war on the United States. False. She never said England would declare war.
  39. She predicted world war during the Civil War. False. She never said there would be world war at that time.
  40. Ellen White predicted the humbling of the United States in defeat. False. She predicted the nation's humbling, which came to pass, but she never said the nation would be defeated.
  41. She claimed to travel to other planets in vision. So? John, Ezekiel, and Paul as well tell us about their supernatural journeys in the Bible.
  42. Ellen White said animals and people crossed sexually. False. She said no such thing.
  43. The picture indicates that Ellen White believed that the crossing of people and animals produced the black race. Ellen White never said if she was talking about Blacks, Whites, or Asians. There is no basis for the use of such a picture.
  44. Her visions are unbiblical. This begs the question, for not one unbiblical aspect of her visions has been shown.
  45. Adventists say her writings are as inspired as the Bible. This straw man is answered already under #23. The Documentation Package's documentation for this point makes it clear that Adventists believe the Bible is the final authority, not Ellen White.
  46. The investigative judgment doctrine was a reinterpretation. Not really, for Miller had been teaching for over a decade prior to 1844 that the judgment was about to begin.
  47. Miller's prediction of October 22, 1844, failed. As mentioned under #6, Miller didn't make this prediction or even accept it. As far as his calculations go, his most learned opponents, like Dr. George Bush, could find no fault in them, and the greatest scholars of several centuries had come to similar conclusions.
  48. Adventists believed that the door of mercy was shut on October 22. It's not hard to see why they believed this for a short time.
  49. Adventists believed that the door of mercy was shut on October 22. Peter and the apostles thought the door of mercy was closed to the Gentiles. Should we reject them as being part of a cult?
  50. With prophetic authority Ellen White supported the shut-door-of-mercy doctrine. False. She never did.
  51. Her first vision taught the shut-door-of-mercy doctrine. False. Her first vision taught that there would have to be a lot of evangelism yet before Christ returned.
  52. The preface to the reprinting of her first vision said there was no change in idea or sentiment. It said no such thing. Instead, the preface said that a portion was left out.
  53. The other shut-door-of-mercy passages were dropped after 1851. False. There were no other shut-door passages.
  54. The other shut-door-of-mercy passages were reinterpreted after 1851. False. Besides there being no other shut-door passages, the "reinterpretations" came well before 1851.
  55. Adventists never admitted their error regarding expecting Jesus to come in 1844. False. Adventists freely admitted their error.
  56. Ellen White immediately put God's endorsement on Edson and Crosier's conclusions. Oversimplification. She put God's endorsement on their conclusions before she had heard about them.
  57. All doctrines were soon adjusted to fit the cleansing of the sanctuary and the investigative judgment doctrines. The doctrines identified do not fit this description.
  58. The shut door was opened. Oversimplification. As in the apostolic church, God opened the door of opportunity to reach others with the truths of His Word. This had nothing to do with the cleansing of the sanctuary and the investigative judgment doctrines.
  59. Soul sleep was introduced because of the investigative judgment doctrine. False. Soul sleep was introduced before October 22, 1844, while the investigative judgment was formulated afterwards.  
  60. The prophecies of Daniel and Revelation were reinterpreted to fit the investigative judgment. The basic interpretations of Daniel and Revelation were already worked out before Edson and Crosier published their findings on the cleansing of the sanctuary in 1846, and before the doctrine of the investigative judgment was crystallized in 1857.
  61. It was a time of doctrinal reversal. Neither the video nor its documentation provides evidence that that time was characterized by doctrinal reversal.
  62. The idea that an angel is recording everything we do, and that we will be judged by such a record, is harsh. But that's what the Bible clearly teaches in Matthew, Revelation, Daniel, and Ecclesiastes.
  63. Ellen White taught that we would be judged for trying to have some leisure time. False. She taught that we must have leisure time in order to be balanced people.
  64. The investigative judgment doctrine is unique to Seventh-day Adventists. Not quite. Nearly every basic aspect of this doctrine has been taught by prominent scholars of other faiths.
  65. The investigative judgment doctrine cannot be supported by the Scriptures. False. It can be supported by the Scriptures.
  66. The investigative judgment doctrine states that a believer's works determines their salvation. Not quite. The investigative judgment doctrine does not teach that the believer's works determine his salvation in the sense meant by the typical evangelical when he says, "I'm saved."
  67. The investigative judgment doctrine is blatantly unbiblical. False. This point is similar to #65, but more Scriptures are added under this number to show that it is biblical.
  68. Seventh-day Adventism is not a legitimate Christian denomination. This point plainly begs the question, for it assumes what must be proven.
  69. The investigative judgment doctrine teaches that believers will be lost if they have unconfessed sins. The Bible says that we can only be forgiven if we confess our sins. Is the video saying that the Bible is wrong?
  70. The investigative judgment doctrine teaches that believers will be lost if they have forgotten sins. Not even the Documentation Package could find a quotation to substantiate this wild charge.
  71. The investigative judgment doctrine requires perfect obedience to the Ten Commandments. But the New Testament plainly says that adulterers, fornicators, thieves, and murderers cannot enter heaven.
  72. The investigative judgment doctrine teaches that all believers will be lost if they do not keep the Fourth Commandment. False. Both Ellen White and the New Testament teach that God does not hold what we do not know and could not know against us.
  73. The investigative judgment doctrine is diametrically opposed to the gospel of grace. The points being objected to by the video are the very essence of the gospel and of the New Covenant.

  74. Seventh-day Adventism is a man-made religion. This is another point that begs the question, that assumes what needs to be proven.

  75. Seventh-day Adventists have their own version of the Bible. Not so. Jack Blanco's paraphrase is not in any sense an official Seventh-day Adventist version. I do not own a copy and have no present intention to get one.

  76. This Seventh-day Adventist version is known as The Clear Word Bible. Not any more. Quite a few quickly realized that something like this might come up one day, so the second edition carries only the title, The Clear Word. The contributors to the video knew this.

  77. In The Clear Word, the words and ideas of Ellen White are inserted into the biblical text. False. The words and ideas of theologian and college professor Jack Blanco, not Ellen White, are inserted.

  78. 300 words have been added to Daniel 9 in The Clear Word. Straw man. As the video admits, it's an expanded paraphrase, and the interpretations utilized have been held for centuries.

  79. Daniel 8:14 is a blatant example of alteration of the biblical text. Straw man. Paraphrases by their very nature insert interpretations into the text. 

  80. It's called The Clear Word Version. Why did the makers of the video change the title of Jack Blanco's paraphrase? It's not called The Clear Word Version.

  81. The Clear Word was written to support their prophetess. The Clear Word contains the words and ideas of Jack Blanco, not Ellen White, and was not written to support "their prophetess."

  82. The Clear Word manipulates and distorts Scripture. Again, paraphrases contain, by their very nature, the inclusion of interpretations into the text.

  83. Seventh-day Adventists have also published their Study Bible. Contradictory argument. If The Clear Word is the Seventh-day Adventist version, why is the Study Bible a King James Version instead of The Clear Word? 

  84. The Study Bible is "theirs." False. It was published by a private organization, not the denomination, so it cannot be said to be "theirs."

  85. The Study Bible of Seventh-day Adventists contains Ellen White quotes. So? Lots of Bibles contain footnotes and study helps. 

  86. Adventists teach that Christ's atonement on the cross was incomplete. This is blatantly false. Christ's atonement on the cross was complete.

  87. Adventists teach the heresy that Michael is Christ. This charge makes Charles Spurgeon and Matthew Henry heretics. And the 1599 Geneva Bible must have been put out by heretics too.

  88. Adventists teach that there is no hell. This is blatantly false. Adventists consistently teach that there is a hell.

  89. Adventists taught doctrines contrary to tradition. So has every other Protestant group. The Bible, not tradition, is (supposed to be) the authority of Protestants.

  90. Many of the doctrines of Adventists are similar to Jehovah's Witnesses. This is no more true than the statement that "many" doctrines of other denominations are similar to Jehovah's Witnesses.

  91. N. H. Barbour was an early Adventist. False. The impression is left that Barbour was a Seventh-day Adventist, and there is no evidence that he ever was.

  92. Both Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh-day Adventists teach the heresy of soul sleep. Guess that makes Martin Luther, John Wycliffe, William Tyndale, and a host of Baptists, Methodists, Anglicans, and Presbyterians all heretics. Guess that even makes the apostle Peter himself  a heretic.

  93. Both Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh-day Adventists teach the heresy that Michael is Christ. The Bible clearly teaches that there is an "angel" sent from God who Himself is called God. If it isn't Christ, who is it? If it isn't Christ, must we conclude that the Bible endorses polytheism, that there is a mere angel who is God as well as the Father, Son, and Spirit?

  94. Uriah Smith and James White denied the deity of Christ like the Jehovah's Witnesses. False. They were always firm believers in the deity of Christ.

  95. Both Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh-day Adventists have produced altered versions of the Bible. False. The New World Translation is a translation produced by the Watchtower Society. The Clear Word is an expanded paraphrase put out by a private individual.

  96. Both Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh-day Adventists have set dates for Christ's return. False. Jehovah's Witnesses have set dates, but not for Christ's return. And Sabbatarian Adventists early on took a strong stand against date-setting. Ellen White opposed such as early as 1845, even before becoming a Sabbatarian. Seventh-day Adventists as such did not exist in 1844.

  97. Both Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh-day Adventists claim to be the only remnant church. False. Jehovah's Witnesses claim that, as of 1991, 99.9169% of Jehovah's Witnesses are not the remnant.

  98. Both Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh-day Adventists plagiarized. No attempt is made by the video or Documentation Package to prove that Russell or any Jehovah's Witness ever read J. A. Brown's book.

  99. Both Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh-day Adventists were "guilty" of plagiarism. J. A. Brown published his book in Britain. Since there was no copyright in America at the time on British books, neither Russell nor anyone else could be said to be "guilty," even if they had copied it.

  100. Walter Rea's The White Lie was dedicated to those who would rather believe a bitter truth than a sweet lie. Oversimplification. The bitter "truth" both declared and implied by The White Lie is totally repugnant to evangelicals who believe in the final authority of Scripture.
  101. Ellen White's inspiration was borrowed from others without credit. This argument directly undermines the authority of the Scriptures, for the Bible writers did the same.
  102. Ellen White's major books contained "stolen" material. What she did cannot be called "stealing" since the words she took did not belong to the original writers.
  103. Sketches from the Life of Paul was plagiarized in its entirety. False. The books are different, as anyone who peruses them can plainly see.
  104. This resulted in a lawsuit. False. Such a lawsuit would have been a legal impossibility.
  105. Because of this, the book was quickly taken out of print. False. Published in 1883, the book was promoted in Signs of the Times through 1885, advertised in Great Controversy through 1887, and included on the title page of Great Controversy until 1907 in England, homeland of the authors who were "stolen" from.
  106. The evidence is irrefutable that Ellen White "stole" her inspiration from others. False. It has already been demonstrated in this critique that the evidence is anything but irrefutable.
  107. The main line of defense in the book The White Truth is that there were no copyright laws back then. False. Out of the six chapters in this 98-page book, one deals with plagiarism. Out of 16 pages in that chapter, only 4 deal with what copyright laws were like back then.
  108. The White Truth says that there were no copyright laws back then. False. Page 32 says that the first American copyright law was passed in 1790.
  109. The White Truth sidestepped the issue by concentrating on the legal question. False. The video is confusing the two allegations: 1) Ellen White was "guilty" of theft. 2) Ellen White got her inspiration from others. The White Truth deals with both allegations, as well as other points.

  110. The Adventist hierarchy has been unable to respond to Rea's challenge: Prove that 20% of Ellen White's writings are original. False. The "hierarchy" responded to his challenge 31 years before his book was written.

  111. Prove that 20% of Ellen White's writings are original. Such a challenge doesn't make sense, for it would require infinite knowledge to prove that 20% of her writings are original. It makes more sense to say, Prove that 80% of her writings are not original.
  112. Her visions which she claimed came from God were shaky. One thing the video doesn't touch with a ten-foot pole is the fact that she didn't breathe and had supernatural strength during her public visions.
  113. The Seventh-day Adventist ministry is not a Christian ministry. This begs the question, assuming what must be proved. Besides, Dan Snyder admits under #232 that he was a Christian while being an Adventist minister!
  114. Ellen White's early health documents produce a rude awakening because of their fixation on moral issues. A minor portion of her early health documents dealt with moral issues.
  115. Most of her health advice dealt with suppressing the male sexual urge. Absolutely ludicrous(!), as anyone who has read her books knows.
  116. Most of her health advice dealt with suppressing the male sexual urge, which she thought was excessive. Technically, she was against the excessive indulgence of sexual urges by both men and women.
  117. [Not in all editions of the video.] Mrs. White felt she had been given special light on the subject of masturbation. That this was the opinion of her grandson the Documentation Package proves, but no evidence is ever given to substantiate that Ellen White herself felt she had been given special light.
  118. [Not in all editions of the video.] Mrs. White (apparently) gives a list of diseases caused by masturbation. Actually, the quotation is not accurate. The video combines a statement by Mrs. Gove with the views of Dr. Deslandes. The video adds words, and omits words and quotation marks without using an ellipsis.
  119. [Not in all editions of the video.] Mrs. White (apparently) said kids who masturbate will get green skin. These are the words of Dr. E. P. Miller, not Ellen White.
  120. Ellen White said that meat inflames the passions. The quotation leaves this impression only because it is out of context.
  121. Ellen White said rich and highly seasoned foods act as aphrodisiacs. Medical science has neither proven nor disproven what she said. It's like when she said that cancer is caused by a germ. She said this five years before a maverick scientist proposed the idea. After being ridiculed by the scientific community, this scientist years later won the Nobel Prize for being right.
  122. Ellen White (apparently) said, "Sip no more the beverage of China, no more the drinks of Java." These are the words of Professor O. S. Fowler, not the words of Ellen G. White.
  123. Ellen White advised skipping all suppers in order to bring the male sexual appetites under control. False. Professor Fowler said this, not Ellen White. She consistently said that some people need a third meal (though two meals are better for most), and even called for Avondale College to begin to serve suppers.
  124. [Not in all editions of the video.] Ellen White (apparently) said the use of feather beds led to masturbation. False. Dr. E. P. Miller, not Ellen White, is quoted. He was against sleeping on feather beds in small, unventilated rooms, not against sleeping on feather beds per se.
  125. [Not in all editions of the video.] Ellen White used a feather bed against her own advice. False. There is no evidence that she ever used a feather bed in an unventilated, small room, which would have been against Dr. E. P. Miller's advice, not her own. She was strongly opposed to unventilated rooms.
  126. [Not in all editions of the video.] The Battle Creek Sanitarium used hydrotherapy to treat secret vice. Actually, hydrotherapy treatments stimulate the immune system and increase the white blood cell count. They have been used successfully to treat a variety of ailments.
  127. [Not in all editions of the video.] The picture illustrating the last point, showing a shivering man with his feet in boiling water over a camp fire, depicts Battle Creek's hydrotherapy treatment. False. The quote the picture is illustrating says that you must not get chilled. Also, the heat source for a hot foot bath is never under the basin of water, which is never boiling. The picture is totally inaccurate.
  128. Ellen White controlled her female followers through directives on dress. False. She was opposed to anyone forcing convictions about dress on people.
  129. Ellen White was against wearing any kind of wig. False. The context of her statement clearly shows that she was not talking about simple wigs. Her published and released writings do not contain the word "wig" at all.
  130. The picture of a skeleton looking through a window at a woman who is presumably putting on a simple wig. The picture doesn't illustrate at all the heavy monstrosities Ellen White was talking about.
  131. After Ellen White dealt with wigs, she introduced the reform dress. False. The reform dress was introduced more than six years before her counsel against heavy hairpieces.
  132. Ellen White tried to force the reform dress on people. False. As pointed out under #128, she was against forcing the reform dress on anyone.
  133. The reform dress was hot. False. Far from being hot, it was comparatively light. The dress was designed as a healthful alternative to the too-heavy, too-long, multiple skirts typically worn by women in those days.
  134. The reform dress was uncomfortable. False. This light dress was designed for comfort as well as for health.
  135. The reform dress was bulky. False. Nor was this light dress bulky.
  136. The reform dress was long. False. It was not long. Besides being called the "reform dress," it was also called the "short dress."
  137. Faithful sisters struggled with the reform dress. False. Problems arose when these so-called "faithful sisters" did one of the following: a) wouldn't quit complaining about not being fashionable, b) pushed the dress on others contrary to Ellen White's expressed counsel, or c) constructed it distastefully.
  138. The reform dress was cumbersome. False. This light dress was not cumbersome.
  139. Ellen White gave no explanation for why she quit wearing her reform dress. False. She explained the matter well.
  140. Ellen White said those who aren't vegetarians when Jesus comes can't go to heaven. False. She never made such an extreme statement.
  141. Ellen White taught that you have to keep the letter of the law to put yourself on the road to salvation. False. She taught that you are totally incapable of obeying God's commandments until you have come to Christ.
  142. Ellen White had no patience with those who say, I am saved. The quotation has been rearranged and has had the context removed.
  143. Ellen White had no patience with Christians who say, I am saved. Ellen White was not denouncing the doctrines of justification and righteousness by faith. The first quotation is not talking about those who mean, "I have been justified." The second quotation is referring to those who believe they can continue to murder and steal and sell dope, and still go to heaven.
  144. Adventists believe that Jesus made the down payment for our salvation. Thus the speaker contradicts the point he made under #141. If Jesus made the down payment, then we don't have to work to put ourselves on the road to salvation.
  145. Adventists believe that Jesus made the down payment for our salvation, but we must make the monthly installments. Thus it is suggested that Adventists believe we partially earn our salvation. This is false.
  146. Adventists do not rely upon the grace of God alone. Ellen White repeatedly said we must rely upon the grace of God alone.

  147. Adventists are striving to be rigidly obedient. False. Many Adventists will tell you that the Adventist Church has grown a bit lax.

  148. Adventists are inflexible, guilt-ridden legalists. False. While it is true that every faith has its legalists, the vast majority of Adventists are opposed to legalistic concepts. Legalism is generally not the cause of guilt but a faulty method of trying to get rid of the guilt brought on by a conviction of sin. Therefore the discovery of a genuinely guilt-ridden legalist would indeed be a rare find, regardless of his or her religious affiliation.

  149. Ellen White was wrong when she said that believers must keep the law of God. Thus the video condemns not only Ellen White, but Paul, John, Peter, Jude, James, and Jesus.

  150. We don't have to worry about obeying the law, since we are under the New Covenant now, not the Old Covenant. A popular antinomian argument, this doesn't really make sense in the light of the only New Testament passage describing the New Covenant.

  151. We don't have to worry about obeying the law, since Christ is the end of the law. Since James 5:11 talks about the "end of the Lord," we know that sometimes "end" must mean something other than a cessation of existence. Christ is "the end of the law" because the law leads sinners to Christ for release from guilt (Gal. 3:24), not because the Ten Commandments don't exist anymore.

  152. We are not under the tutorship of the law, so we don't have to worry about obeying the law. This inaccuracy ignores what Paul meant by the phrase "under the law."

  153. Christians will keep God's commandments out of love. Thus Mr. Martin destroys the force of much of his whole argument thus far: We don't have to keep God's law, but if we love God we will gladly keep His law. The simple conclusion from his words is that if we don't keep God's law, it shows that we don't really love God.

  154. Being under the law leads to sin. Actually, according to the New Testament, it seems more natural to say that sinning leads to being under the law, rather than that being under the law leads to sinning.

  155. Being under grace leads to holiness. Mr. Martin contradicts himself again, for if we don't have to obey the law, why would the grace of God lead to holiness?

  156. A pre-advent judgment of works is incompatible with the gospel of grace. But this makes the apostle Paul contradict Revelation 14:6, 7.

  157. Soul sleep was introduced because of the investigative judgment doctrine. False. Soul sleep was introduced before 1844, and the video makes it clear that the investigative judgment doctrine came after 1844.

  158. The doctrine of soul sleep is unbiblical. Not so. Tyndale, Luther, Wycliffe, and many others came up with this idea just from studying the Bible. Besides, saying that our souls are immortal undermines the necessity of 1) the gospel, 2) the resurrection, and 3) the second coming.

  159. Conditional immortality flies in the face of two Scriptures. Actually, it doesn't, unless we want to say that the Bible contradicts itself. Martin's interpretation of these two texts in actuality flies in the face of hundreds of Bible texts from Genesis to Revelation.
  160. Adventists do not teach the biblical doctrine of hell. Actually, Seventh-day Adventists do teach the biblical doctrine of hell, and always have.
  161. The Adventist view that Sabbath keeping is a mark of true loyalty to God is severe. But the speaker basically already admitted that Sabbath keeping is a mark of true loyalty to God.
  162. Ellen White obliged by conveniently having a vision. Ellen White could not pretend to have a vision. Because of the definitely supernatural characteristics of her visions, they could not be faked.
  163. Her vision about the Sabbath introduced the Sabbath to her followers. The Sabbath was already well introduced among Millerites before this vision of April 3, 1847.
  164. Adventists weren't following what the Bible says about beginning the Sabbath at sunset. The Bible "says" to keep the Sabbath from "even to even." It doesn't "say" to keep the Sabbath from sunset to sunset. Therefore these Adventists were not blatantly disregarding the Bible during the time they were unclear about the true meaning of "even."
  165. Ellen White decided to have another vision. As mentioned before, for her to decide to have a vision was an absolute impossibility.
  166. The vision was intended to settle the matter with the dissenters. According to one account, there were only two dissenters: Joseph Bates and Ellen White. Does it not sound a bit preposterous that since Ellen White wanted to convince herself, she decided to have another vision? And this vision didn't mention sunset at all or anything not contained in the previous vision, except that they should study the Bible to find out what "even" really meant.
  167. A delegate reported that "After the conference, November 20th, the vision was given, establishing those undecided on the sunset time." The use of this quotation is devastating to these criticisms, for it comes from a pamphlet that demolishes every argument in this part of the video.
  168. Adventists continued to ask questions. False. It wasn't Seventh-day Adventists per se who were asking questions. It was their opponents.
  169. Mrs. White had visions saying that the Sabbath should be kept from 6pm to 6pm. False. Ellen White never had a single vision saying to commence the Sabbath at 6pm, or at any other time than the biblical "even unto even."
  170. It required another vision. False. The vision quoted from is not even another vision. It's the same November 20, 1855, vision.
  171. In her vision Ellen White promised to question the angel. False. It was the angel that made a promise, not Ellen White.
  172. According to Spiritual Gifts, Ellen White promised that they would find out why the visions had first said to keep the Sabbath from 6pm to 6pm. Out of context big time. Only two sentences after the quotation used, Ellen White denies ever seeing in vision that the Sabbath should begin at 6pm!
  173. Ellen White died without ever giving the promised explanation. This charge implies that Ellen White was supposed to, but she was never told by the angel who would give the promised explanation. The angel never said who.
  174. The promised explanation was never given. Actually, the promised explanation was given by 1868, 47 years before Ellen White's death.
  175. After the change of time for keeping the Sabbath, the Sabbath came to be understood as the seal. False. The Sabbath was understood to be the seal at least six years before the change to sunset time.
  176. The Sabbath was seen to be of prime importance in determining who would be saved and who wouldn't. The average viewer, uninformed about Adventist beliefs, will think that Adventists believe Sunday keepers now have the mark of the beast while Sabbath keepers have the seal. This is false.
  177. The Great Controversy supports the idea that people have already gotten the mark of the beast by keeping Sunday. The viewer tends to arrive at this conclusion because of the speaker's choice of verb tenses, and the missing context of the quotation.
  178. Adventists believe that failing to keep the Sabbath resulted in one's receiving the mark of the beast and losing one's eternal life. False. Adventists do not believe that this is a present reality. The use of the past tense verb "resulted" in describing a future event is an error.
  179. The Adventist view today about the mark of the beast is severe. How can it be severe to believe that Christians ought to obey the commandments of God? What does this say about what Jesus said: "If ye love me, keep my commandments"?
  180. Adventists teach that Sunday keeping is a mark of rebellion. Gross oversimplification. Given the standard Protestant interpretations about the beast at the time Adventism arose, and given some of the strong statements Catholics have made about Sunday keeping, it's no wonder that Adventism arrived at the interpretations that it did.
  181. Even today, Seventh-day Adventists have made salvation ultimately dependent on which day of the week one worships. False. Adventists for the last century and a half have taught that there are Sunday keepers who are bound for heaven and Sabbath keepers who are bound for hell.
  182. Even today, Seventh-day Adventists have made salvation ultimately dependent on which day of the week one worships. False. Adventists for the last century and a half have taught that the reception of the mark of the beast is a future event, not a present reality. And again, the use of the present tense for "worship" is an error.
  183. The New Testament says that the seal of God is the work of the Holy Spirit, not the keeping of the Sabbath. It isn't that simple. The New Testament indicates that the last-day seal does have something to do with the fourth commandment.
  184. Ellen White has no support at all for identifying the Sabbath as the seal of God. False. She has all kinds of support . . . from the Bible.
  185. Christ's resurrection day is the Lord's Day. False. The Bible is crystal clear that 1) Jesus rose on the first day of the week, and 2) the Lord's Day is the seventh day of the week. One must wait over a hundred years after the resurrection before one finds a document calling the resurrection day the Lord's Day.
  186. Christ's followers met regularly on the resurrection day for their worship. There is no Bible evidence for this statement. In all the New Testament, we have only one explicit instance of the disciples meeting on the first day of the week for worship. In that one instance, they met on what we call Saturday night.
  187. Christ's followers did not meet regularly on the Sabbath for worship. False. This statement disagrees with the book of Acts.
  188. The resurrection day was when the disciples usually broke bread. False. Acts 2:46 says that they broke bread daily, not just on Sabbath or on Sunday.
  189. They did not break bread on the Sabbath. False. If they broke bread daily, they must have done it on the Sabbath as well.
  190. The Sabbath is Jewish. False. Jesus Himself said that He made the Sabbath for both Adam and all his descendents.
  191. Adventists teach that Satan becomes the sin-bearer. False. Ellen White taught, and Adventists teach, that Jesus is our only sin-bearer.
  192. Thus, Adventists differ from the plain teaching of Scripture that Christ bore our sins on the cross. Straw man. A Bible verse referring to the cross is used here to prove who the scapegoat can and cannot be after the atonement is finished.
  193. Adventists strive to be included as mainline evangelical Protestant Christians. Not really. We don't have to strive. The largest church in the world says that we are the most fundamental of the fundamentalists, and "the only consistent Protestant."
  194. An Adventist pastor supplied the following five marks of a cult. But the letter these five marks came from says that the co-producers and script writer of the video have been supplying false information about Seventh-day Adventists for 14 years! The video's credibility is thus called into question.
  195. There is a "total reliance" by Seventh-day Adventists on Ellen White. False. For Seventh-day Adventists, the Bible is the final authority.
  196. Ellen White is revered by all Seventh-day Adventists. False. This is far from the case, as the video later admits.
  197. Ellen White's comments overshadow the teachings of the Bible. False, and the Documentation Package proves it.
  198. Adventists consider Ellen White's comments on the Scriptures to be more authoritative than tradition. Of course! We are Protestants, and for Protestants tradition is supposed to be subordinated to the Holy Scriptures. An inspired prophet would be next in line in authority to the Bible, and tradition would have to be less authoritative than that.
  199. Ellen White pressured people into submission. False. She was against pressuring people into submission.
  200. Ellen White publicly aired reproofs sent to people. False. When some of them were printed for the benefit of individuals having similar problems, she almost always left out the name and address of the guilty.
  201. Usually the person conformed under the pressure. Oversimplification. One instance being cited in the Documentation Package essentially makes a joke out of this whole section in the video.
  202. Usually the person conformed under the pressure. The incident just cited reveals a lack of pressure on Ellen White's part.
  203. The type of pressure Ellen White used is one of the marks of a cult. Rather ludicrous. If such an idea be true, then the prophets of the Bible were just as cultic as Ellen White.
  204. Acceptance and fellowship are very often withheld today. The evidence indicates that this is false.
  205. Withholding of acceptance and fellowship for questioning doctrine is a characteristic of a cult. Questioning is one thing. Attacking is another. Biblically, the church must deal with members who practice grievous sins and teach false doctrines.
  206. Adventists originally denied the deity of Christ. False. An 1853 Advent Review said, "Warn those who deny the divinity of the only Saviour, that they must perish everlastingly if they go on rejecting him, for it is fearful and blasphemous to reject him."
  207. Adventists must discontinue the doctrine that Michael is a name for Christ. This can't be done while remaining true to Scripture.
  208. "Michael" being a name for Christ contradicts Hebrews 1:13. False. Scripture uses the term "angel" in a number of ways. Sometimes it refers to the uncreated Being who is simultaneously called the "Angel of the LORD," God, and Yahweh, and sometimes it refers just to the created angelic beings, as in Hebrews 1:13. There is no biblical justification whatsoever for insisting that Michael cannot be the divine "Angel of the LORD" and must therefore be a created being.
  209. Adventists can't discontinue the doctrine that "Michael" is a name for Christ without admitting that Ellen White made a mistake. Oversimplification. Adventists would have to admit that Charles Spurgeon, Matthew Henry, John Gill, and a host of others made a mistake too.
  210. It is impossible to accommodate both doctrines, that Christ is divine, and that Michael is Christ. False, as can be seen from #93.
  211. Adventists have added the investigative judgment to salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone. False. According to the New Testament, to omit the judgment would be to delete it from the gospel.
  212. Adventists have added Sabbath keeping to salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone. False. Omitting Sabbath keeping from the New Covenant is to delete it from Christ's will. It is illegal to alter a will after the one who made the will dies.
  213. Adventists have added obedience to the Ten Commandments as requirements for salvation. False. Obedience is not a requirement for justification or conversion. To omit obedience from requirements for glorification is to effectively preach another gospel than the gospel Paul and Jesus preached.
  214. Adventists have added obedience to other Old Testament laws as requirements for salvation. But both the New Testament and Old Testament prophecies about New Testament times indicate that believers should still abstain from blood and unclean animals, and should return the tenth to God.
  215. Adventists believe that the world's sins have been placed upon Satan. False. Adventists believe that no sins have been placed upon Satan.
  216. Adventists believe that the world's sins have been placed upon Satan rather than upon Christ. False. Adventists do not believe that Satan bears our sins instead of Christ. Christ is the only Sin-bearer.
  217. Adventists believe that Christians must stand before God without Christ as their mediator. Straw man. Every Bible-believing Christian who has studied the matter knows that Christ's mediatorial work must cease just before He returns.
  218. This contradicts Hebrews 7:25. Straw man. Hebrews 7:25 is talking about the present. It is not talking about eternity, when we will no longer need a mediator.
  219. Adventists believe that salvation comes by placing sin upon Satan. Utterly false. Adventists believe that salvation comes through our Sin-bearer, Jesus Christ. The sins are only placed upon Satan after salvation is completely finished. That event is future.
  220. The Adventist view of salvation, placing sin upon Satan, is not the salvation taught in the Bible. Straw man. Since this is not the Adventist view of salvation, the point is totally irrelevant.
  221. Four of the five marks of a cult apply to Seventh-day Adventists. False. None of the five marks apply to Seventh-day Adventists.
  222. These five marks of a cult are very important. If Jeremiah Films really believes this, why don't they make a video about a much larger church that clearly does fit these marks?
  223. Adventist leaders deceptively espoused the view of salvation by grace alone in the 1950's. False. Adventists had been teaching "grace alone" long before the 1950's. For instance, Ellen White wrote that "by grace alone can they be saved" in 1890. And in 1869 she wrote, "It is through his grace alone that Satan can be successfully repulsed."
  224. Many followers felt betrayed by such an espousal of salvation by grace alone. False. Some conservative members felt betrayed because M. L. Andreason, a prominent theologian, said that the book Questions on Doctrine contained capitulations on some finer points of Adventist theology.
  225. Those who felt betrayed began searching for themselves, and made lurid discoveries. False. The conservative element who felt betrayed did not do the searching referred to. The liberal element who did not feel betrayed engaged in "searching" into other issues, and in consequence ultimately abandoned a number of crucial teachings found in Scripture, including the teaching that Scripture must be the final authority! 
  226. "The Adventist Church had deceived me." If the (mis)information the preacher told you was anything like what is on this video, then it was he who deceived you, not the Adventist Church. At least, he didn't know what he was talking about.
  227. "I was never presented with [Ellen White's copying] in the [elementary] school system." Seems like 1st or 5th grade might be a bit early to deal with Peter or Jude copying from each other. Though these are obviously not issues for elementary school students to grapple with, I wouldn't be surprised if some 7th or 8th grades do touch on it.
  228. ". . . all these writings she had . . . plagiarized, . . . I felt . . . lied to." Do you feel lied to because between Matthew, Mark, and Luke, two copied from the other? Do you feel lied to because John copied from others when he put together the book of Revelation? Even though they copied, can you prove that Ellen White, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, and Jude are guilty of "plagiarism"?
  229. ". . . the [Adventist] Church was inconsistent theologically and politically." Straw man. Jesus said it would be this way.
  230. ". . . the [ Adventist] Church was inconsistent theologically and politically." This argument is what many use to excuse themselves from becoming Christians. The Bible characters were woefully inconsistent too. Does that make them members of a cult?
  231. "When expedient, they . . . contradicted Ellen G. White. . . ." The truth is out! Adventists don't follow Ellen White after all.
  232. "The last three years have been the most spiritually rewarding of my thirty-one years as a Christian." This key witness thus declares that he was both a Christian and an Adventist for 28 years, part of which time he was an Adventist minister as well. Despite all what the video says, according to this speaker, Adventists are Christians, and Adventist ministers are Christian ministers.
  233. The Adventist Church does not uphold the Bible as the sole authority of both faith and practice. If this is true, which it isn't, why does everyone who becomes a member of the Adventist Church have to vow before God that they "believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, and that it constitutes the only rule of faith and practice for the Christian"?
  234. "Jesus saves us not by our deeds. . . ." Straw man, since this is precisely what Seventh-day Adventists  believe.
  235. "Because you're not going to be able to get this information from your church." It would be a rare church that could produce this much misinformation single-handed.
  236. The Documentation Package substantiates the information contained in the video. The Documentation Package substantiates hardly anything. Sometimes it proves that the information on the video is erroneous.
  237. A number of former high-ranking Adventist Church leaders are featured on the video. Based on the information in the video, not one former high-ranking leader is featured.
  238. The video contains answers based on the best scholarship. If this video contains answers based on the best scholarship, what would the worst scholarship be like?
  239. The video contains answers based on firm adherence to the truths of God's Word. In actuality, the video undermines faith in the authority and teachings of God's Word in a number of subtle ways.

Major Factual Errors

  1. (#1) All quotes of Ellen White in video are from official sources. False. Some quotes just don't exist at all, or don't exist in the form portrayed on the video.
  2. (#7) October 22 was not the Day of Atonement in 1844 False. Biblically speaking, it was the Day of Atonement for that year.
  3. (#8) Miller's meetings were marked by emotionalism and hysteria. False. Miller and his associates suppressed all such things.
  4. (#14) Ellen White's first vision said that the 1843 chart should not be altered. False. Her first vision was in December 1844. This one was on September 23, 1850.
  5. (#16) Ellen White claimed God had made the mistake. False. She made no such claim.
  6. (#18) Ellen White's vision forced readjustment of many Adventist dates and doctrines. False. Many dates and doctrines were not readjusted as the result of either her first vision or the vision of 1850.
  7. (#19) Ellen White's vision readjusted the 1843 date to 1844. False. It was already readjusted months before she had her first vision.
  8. (#25) Twenty-seven Fundamental beliefs say that the Bible is a source of authority. False. They state that the Bible is the source of authority.
  9. (#27) Some of Ellen White's writings are unavailable, locked in a vault. False. All published writings are available on CD-ROM. Unpublished writings are available at 15 locations, and are only locked away after hours.
  10. (#50) With prophetic authority Ellen White supported the shut-door-of-mercy doctrine. False. She never did.
  11. (#51) Her first vision taught the shut-door-of-mercy doctrine. False. Her first vision taught that there would have to be a lot of evangelism yet before Christ returned.
  12. (#53) The other shut-door-of-mercy passages were dropped after 1851. False. There were no other shut-door passages.
  13. (#55) Adventists never admitted their error regarding expecting Jesus to come in 1844. False. Adventists freely admitted their error.
  14. (#59) Soul sleep was introduced because of the investigative judgment doctrine. False. Soul sleep was introduced before October 22, 1844, while the investigative judgment was formulated afterwards.
  15. (#70) The investigative judgment doctrine teaches that believers will be lost if they have forgotten sins. Not even the Documentation Package could find a quotation to substantiate this wild charge.
  16. (#75) Seventh-day Adventists have their own version of the Bible. Not so. Jack Blanco's paraphrase is not in any sense an official Seventh-day Adventist version. I do not own a copy and have no present intention to get one.

  17. (#77) In The Clear Word, the words and ideas of Ellen White are inserted into the biblical text. False. The words and ideas of theologian and college professor Jack Blanco, not Ellen White, are inserted.

  18. (#81) The Clear Word was written to support their prophetess. The Clear Word contains the words and ideas of Jack Blanco, not Ellen White, and was not written to support "their prophetess."

  19. (#86) Adventists teach that Christ's atonement on the cross was incomplete. This is blatantly false. Christ's atonement on the cross was complete.

  20. (#88) Adventists teach that there is no hell. This is blatantly false. Adventists consistently teach that there is a hell.

  21. (#90) Many of the doctrines of Adventists are similar to Jehovah's Witnesses. This is no more true than the statement that "many" doctrines of other denominations are similar to Jehovah's Witnesses.

  22. (#91) N. H. Barbour was an early Adventist. False. The impression is left that Barbour was a Seventh-day Adventist, and there is no evidence that he ever was.

  23. (#94) Uriah Smith and James White denied the deity of Christ like the Jehovah's Witnesses. False. They were always firm believers in the deity of Christ.

  24. (#95) Both Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh-day Adventists have produced altered versions of the Bible. False. The New World Translation is a translation produced by the Watchtower Society. The Clear Word is an expanded paraphrase put out by a private individual.

  25. (#96) Both Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh-day Adventists have set dates for Christ's return. False. Jehovah's Witnesses have set dates, but not for Christ's return. And Sabbatarian Adventists early on took a strong stand against date-setting. Ellen White opposed such as early as 1845, even before becoming a Sabbatarian. Seventh-day Adventists as such did not exist in 1844.

  26. (#97) Both Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh-day Adventists claim to be the only remnant church. False. Jehovah's Witnesses claim that, as of 1991, 99.9169% of Jehovah's Witnesses are not the remnant.

  27. (#99) Both Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh-day Adventists were "guilty" of plagiarism. J. A. Brown published his book in Britain. Since there was no copyright in America at the time on British books, neither Russell nor anyone else could be said to be "guilty," even if they had copied it.

  28. (#102) Ellen White's major books contained "stolen" material. What she did cannot be called "stealing" since the words she took did not belong to the original writers.

  29. (#103) Sketches from the Life of Paul was plagiarized in its entirety. False. The books are different, as anyone who peruses them can plainly see.

  30. (#104) This resulted in a lawsuit. False. Such a lawsuit would have been a legal impossibility.
  31. (#105) Because of this, the book was quickly taken out of print. False. Published in 1883, the book was promoted in Signs of the Times through 1885, advertised in Great Controversy through 1887, and included on the title page of Great Controversy until 1907 in England, homeland of the authors who were "stolen" from.
  32. (#107) The main line of defense in the book The White Truth is that there were no copyright laws back then. False. Out of the six chapters in this 98-page book, one deals with plagiarism. Out of 16 pages in that chapter, only 4 deal with what copyright laws were like back then.
  33. (#108) The White Truth says that there were no copyright laws back then. False. Page 32 says that the first American copyright law was passed in 1790.
  34. (#109) The White Truth sidestepped the issue by concentrating on the legal question. False. The video is confusing the two allegations: 1) Ellen White was "guilty" of theft. 2) Ellen White got her inspiration from others. The White Truth deals with both allegations, as well as other points.
  35. (#110) The Adventist hierarchy has been unable to respond to Rea's challenge: Prove that 20% of Ellen White's writings are original. False. The "hierarchy" responded to his challenge 31 years before his book was written.
  36. (#115) Most of her health advice dealt with suppressing the male sexual urge. Absolutely ludicrous(!), as anyone who has read her books knows.
  37. (#123) Ellen White advised skipping all suppers in order to bring the male sexual appetites under control. False. Professor Fowler said this, not Ellen White. She consistently said that some people need a third meal (though two meals are better for most), and even called for Avondale College to begin to serve suppers.
  38. (#128) Ellen White controlled her female followers through directives on dress. False. She was opposed to anyone forcing convictions about dress on people.
  39. (#129) Ellen White was against wearing any kind of wig. False. The context of her statement clearly shows that she was not talking about simple wigs. Her published and released