Typical of your mendacity. Martin was already a very successful apologist for 16 years and didn't need a PhD to do so. In the mid 70s he was teaching at the Melodyland School of Theology and in the 80s at Simon Greenleaf School of Law and they needed their faculty to be credentialed.
Contrary to your dishonest charge his degree came from California Coast University, an accredited school still in operation:
CCU has been approved by the State of California since 1974. Such approval is currently granted by the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education a branch of the California Department of Consumer Affairs.
Before DEAC accreditation in 2005, among many other schools, CCU was investigated by the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) as part of a study of subsidies given to federal employees for coursework and degrees from possibly unaccredited schools and possible diploma mills. The GAO found no improprieties whatsoever by CCU, and CCU completed its accreditation soon thereafter.
Those who actually read Joe Smith's own words will be remember him for condemning every Christian denomination as being "an abomination" in the sight of God. Which conveniently opened the door for him to declare himself a "prophet", and invent his own religion with its pseudo biblical veneer and its invented history. People unaware of Smith's writing might assume that LDS is just another Christian sect; but it's not, and Smith's own words make that plain
My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong)and which I should join.
I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.
He again forbade me to join with any of them; and many other things did he say unto me, which I cannot write at this time. When I came to myself again, I found myself lying on my back, looking up into heaven. When the light had departed, I had no strength; but soon recovering in some degree, I went home.
“when in truth he bought a mail-order Ph.D. from an unaccredited mail-order diploma mill.”
Joseph Smith had a degree, since being a con never requires a degree. Treasure hunters? Not required. Religious fraud? Nope. Horn dog? Never.
“Even though Martin claims not to have received this Ph.D until 1977, he repeatedly, fraudulently, referred to himself as Dr. Walter Martin on a number of documented occasions.
That’s nothing, people in the cult call Joseph Smith a prophet.