To check out the video version of this episode, go to youtube.com slash Mormon Stories.

To keep these podcasts alive, please consider a financial contribution today at MormonStories.org

Thanks for listening.

So, what were the big breaks? Were there any big events that sort of propelled the

Tanner's into the spotlight? Because at some point you had to go from sort of

mom and pop, you know, front of your house, salon, people just coming by to grab a pamphlet

here there. You went from that to a household name at some point. And what were there some

events along the way that really sort of launched you into the spotlight?

Well, that would be hard to say. I guess when we did our first Mormonism shadow reality

in 64, that really, the church was aware of us before that. The grand Richards had kind

of threatened to sue us, sent us an intimidating letter. Lamar Peters. I mean, Markey Peters.

Markey Peters and the Threateness. Because of legal action because of what we were publishing.

What?

Which they had no case, but they just trying to, you have to understand the mindset of

the 50s and early 60s. No one asked questions. This was like being a traitor to your country.

No one asked questions. And so, where did these two young upstarts that didn't know the

rules? And we're like, why can't I ask? It's not respectful. And so, and the church in those days

controlled the community by the fear of excommunication. And so they were used to bullying people. When you

got asked it to many questions, you said a letter to the editor, you did something to overt,

then brother, you were risking your membership. Well, that scared people to death. I'm going to lose

my job. You know, I don't have any life in the community if I lose my membership. So they

controlled people by threatening lawsuits or excommunication to shut everyone down. Well, we were,

...