Book of Mormon Poetry Composed and Read by Judge Thomas Kay
Book of Mormon poetry composed and read by Judge Thomas Kay, recently returned from a couples mission to the Phillippines, to act as legal counsel.
Dec 09, 2023•21 min•Season 33Ep. 50
Religion Today
Issues of faith and spirituality that matter to LDS, Mormons, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
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Episodes
Brief Overview and Explanation of the Book of Revelation
In this episode of Religion Today, host Martin Tanner explains that the Book of Revelation is "apocalyptic" literature from the meaning to uncover or reveal, hence the English title, the Book of "Revelation." Tanner explains tha basic meaning behine each chapter, including the Mark of the Beast, the Second Coming, how the City of Zion is like a giant cube, 1,500 miles wide and 1,500 miles high - big enoug for any person who wants to go in.
Dec 02, 2023•22 min•Season 33Ep. 49
God Will Answer Your Heart Felt Prayers
Through scriptures and examples, host Martin Tanner explains why he believes God always answers every heart-felt prayer, provided it meets a few often overlooked criteria.
Nov 25, 2023•22 min•Season 33Ep. 48
Early Christian Church Leaders After the Apostles
In this episode of Religion Today , host Martin Tanner introduces the most important early Christian Church leaders after the death of the apostles. A short summary of their life and major writings is given. The early Church Fathers were Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Polycarp of Smyrna, Papias of Hierapolis, Quadratus of Athens and Hermas, who wrote The Shepherd based on his five visions. This episode is a look into those who led the early Christian Church and influenced its doctrine. It...
Nov 18, 2023•22 min•Season 33Ep. 47
Just Published, The Annotated Book of Mormon
Host Martin Tanner interviews University of North Carolina, Asheville, Professor Grant Hardy, PhD, Yale, who's new "The Annotated Book of Mormon" was just published by Oxford University Press. Prof. Hardy describes this exception edition of The Book of Mormon, which is about 900 pages in length. With its extensive, scholarly annotations on every page, exceptional introductions to each individual book, lavish explanatory comments, thoughtful general essays, comprehensive list of Biblical quotatio...
Nov 11, 2023•22 min•Season 33Ep. 46
A Brief History of Israel and Palestime
The State of Israel is named after Jacob, who's name was changed to Israel (Genesis 32:22-31). What is Palestine? Palestine was the new name given by the Roman emperor to Israel, after he put down the Bar Kokhba Rebellion in 132 AD. He changed the name of Israel to "Philistinia" or "Palestine" as an ironic joke. Remember Goliath? He was a Philistine. Goliath was killed and later, the Bablyonians killed or assimilated all of the Philistines. The Philistines had been completely obliterated in 597 ...
Nov 05, 2023•22 min•Season 33Ep. 45
New Archaeological Discoveries
In this episode of Religion Today , host Martin Tanner describes amazing archaeological discoveries relating to the Bible and Book of Mormon, including: (1) Mid-fourth century AD Nag Hammadi texts with authentic saying of Jesus, many of which are not found in the Bible; (2) the Tel Dan "David" stela, dating to the ninth century BCE, referring to the "House of David" and to the "King of Israel" which is the earliest reference to both; (3) A Jewish inscription dating to circa 870 BCE referring to ...
Oct 28, 2023•22 min•Season 33Ep. 44
The new "After Life" movie
Martin Tanner interviews Stephen Gray, Director, and Tyler Friesen, Executive Producer, of the new film After Death in over 2,200 theaters on October 27th, on near-death experiences (NDEs). This full length feature film, of extraordinary quality, meticulously explores the NDEs of Howard Storm, PhD, MDiv, Mary Neal, MD, Dale Black, Don Piper, Steven Kang, Pam Reynolds and others. From Angel Studios, producers of The Chosen series about the life of Christ.
Oct 21, 2023•22 min•Season 33Ep. 42
Religion, Hamas, Israel and War
In this episode of Religion Today, Martin Tanner explains why the war between Hamas and Israel is a religious war and why calls for a cease fire and restraint by Hamas and Israel will never result in peace. Hamas is branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. In other words, Hamas is an Islamic or Muslim organization. The preamble to its charter says Israel has no right to exist, Israel and all Jews must be killed, exterminated. Martin uses the background and statements of Ayaan Hirsi Ali, to make his poi...
Oct 15, 2023•21 min•Season 33Ep. 42
How to Influence Others For Good
In this episode of Religion Today, host Martin Tanner, provides ideas for influencing others for good with your words, through encouragement and language.
Oct 08, 2023•22 min•Season 33Ep. 41
Descriptions of Jesus by Those Who Have Actually Seen Him
In this episode of Religion Today, host Martin Tanner shares a number of descriptions of Jesus appearance, traits, personality and other qualities from people who have actually seen Jesus.
Oct 01, 2023•22 min•Season 33Ep. 40
2023-09-24 Religion Today - Visions in Other Faiths - Apparitions of Mary in Catholicism and Visions of Emanuel Swedenborg
Other faiths besides Mormonism have traditions of visions. In this episode of Religion Today, host Martin Tanner describes nine visions or apparitions of the Virgin Mary, acknowledged as genuine by the Catholic Church. Next, the visions of Emanuel Swedenborg are briefly described. Swedenborg, born in 1688, died in 1772, claimed to have visions of heaven and hell, and described them in ways similar to Joseph Smith. Swedenborg said our purpose in this life was to be placed between heaven and hell ...
Sep 23, 2023•21 min•Season 33Ep. 39
2023-09-17 Religion Today - Insights From Old Testament Quotes Found in the New Testament
All of the ancient manuscripts of the New Testament are in Greek. Although people are surprised to hear this, except for the Dead Sea Scrolls, by far the oldest Old Testament manuscripts are also in Greek. Why? After Alexander the Great conquered most of the known world in about 300 BC, everyone spoke Greek, even the Jews. The Hebrew speaking Jews needed a new translation of their scriptures for the new Greek speaking generation of Jews. That translation, the Septuagint, is the Old Testament fro...
Sep 16, 2023•21 min•Season 33Ep. 38
2023-09-10 Religion Today - Prayer, its Purposes, Goals, and, Double-blind Studies that Demonstrate it Works
Prayer works. Peer reviewed, double-blind studied demonstrate prayer works. In this episode of Religion Today, Martin Tanner explains why some prayers are not answered because they seek to stop free agency. From scriptures what to pray for and what not to pray for, are explained. The ultimate goal of prayer is described as becoming more like Jesus and Heavenly Father by understanding them and their will for each of us. How God can hear, understand and answer millions of prayers at the same time ...
Sep 10, 2023•22 min•Season 33Ep. 37
2023-09-03 Religion Today - Jesus' Sermon on the Mountain
In this episode of Religion Today, host Martin Tanner shares his own translation of Jesus' "Sermon on the Mount" in modern, contemporary English and explains in additional detail, the meaning of its contents.
Aug 29, 2023•22 min•Season 33Ep. 36
2023-08-27 Religion Today - Don Bradley and His Book The Lost 116 Pages
Martin Tanner interviews LDS scholar Don Bradley about his book "The Lost 116 Pages" which took a decade of research and pieces together some amazing facts, including: (1) Lucy Harris did not burn or destroy the lost 116 pages; (2) Laban was drunk during the Passover Festival when he was killed by Nephi: (3) combining the Book of Mormon we now have with the amount lost, Joseph Smith may have translated up to 900 pages; (4) the lost 116 pages were written on "Fools Cap" paper (named for the "dunc...
Aug 26, 2023•22 min•Season 33Ep. 35
2023-08-20 Religion Today - Brigham Young Papers Project Interview with R. Esplin, G. Dirkmaat, B. Rogers
Host Martin Tanner interviews Ron Esplin, Gerrit Dirkmaat and Brent Rogers on the new Brigham Young Papers project. Volume one of Brigham Young's diaries is now available in book stores. The BY Papers Project is massive in scope, many times larger than the JS Papers project. Not all of it will be published. Most will be online. An example of the scope. JS wrote and received a total of just over 600 letters. BY wrote about 10,000 letters and received more than 30,000. JS lived 14 years after the ...
Aug 19, 2023•22 min•Season 33Ep. 34
2023-08-13 Religion Today - Changes to the New Testament in the First 300 Years of Christianity
Martin Tanner discusses the many changes to the New Testament during the first 300 years of Christianity, including removal of the beloved book "Shephard of Hermas" and the "Didache" or Testament of The Twelve Apostles" and others.
Aug 12, 2023•22 min•Season 33Ep. 33
2023-08-06 Religion Today - Brief Introduction to the New Testament, The Authors, Purposes and Dates of the Books
A brief introduction to the New Testament. Host Martin Tanner explains why it is most likely Paul's letters were written about 20 to 30 years after Jesus' resurrection. Then, the Gospels, probably Mark first, next Matthew, followed by Luke, and last, near the end of the first century, the Gospel of John, written to Greek speaking converts. According to early Christian tradition, the Book of James was written not by the Apostle James, but by Jesus' half brother. The Book of Jude was also written ...
Aug 05, 2023•22 min•Season 33Ep. 32
2023-07-30 Religion Today - Angels in Jewish and Christian Tradition, in the Bible, and in the LDS Faith
The word "angel" means messenger from God. In this episode of Religion Today host Martin Tanner gives information about the seven archangels in Judeo-Christian tradition, in the Old and New Testaments, in LDS scripture, and the idea that just as the Angel Raphael was believed to be the healing angel at the Pool of Bathesda, in Nauvoo, Raphael was believed to heal the sick and infirm in the baptismal fonts in the Nauvoo Temple. Guardian angels and the roll of angels in LDS tradition are also disc...
Jul 29, 2023•22 min•Season 33Ep. 31
2023-07-23 Religion Today - Why a News Paper Editorial Caused the death of Joseph Smith, About the Pioneer Trek West, and the Pioneers in the Salt Lake Valley
In this episode of Religion Today, Martin Tanner discussed details about the death of Joseph Smith, including why newspaper editor Thomas Sharp was the one who was responsible. Information about the "Vanguard Pioneer Wagon Train" and how three black Elders were among those in the Vanguard group is presented, along with the appearance of the Salt Lake Valley when the pioneers arrived.
Jul 22, 2023•22 min•Season 33Ep. 30
2023-07-16 Religion Today - The Hebrew meaning of the words Elohim, YHWH, Adam, Eve and the phrase, help mete, in Genesis
Host Martin Tanner adds additional depth to your understanding of the words "Elohim" which is a plural derivative meaning "strength" or "power"; "YHWH" or "Jehovah" meaning the one who exists on his own power or who is self-existent; Adam which means "red man" or man made from red soil, the color red being derived from "blood" which another meaning of "Adam" who gives life as does life's blood in living animals. "Eve" which comes from Hebrew "breath" because only living things breath. "Help mete...
Jul 15, 2023•22 min•Season 33Ep. 29
2023-07-09 Religion Today - God Inspired the U.S. Constitution and the U.S. was Founded on Christian Principles
How could the U.S. Constitution be inspired, since it included the right to have guns and allowed slavery to continue. In this episode of Religion Today host Martin Tanner explains why a citizenry authorized to own guns actually inhibits crime. He also describes how the Founding Fathers were inspired by Isaiah 33:22 to create three branches of government: executive, legislative and judicial. How this Biblically inspired system creates a balance of power. Martin gives examples of how we know the ...
Jul 09, 2023•22 min•Season 33Ep. 28
2023-07-02 Religion Today - Independence Day, Freedom, Patriotism and God's Hand in Founding and Preserving the United States of America
Independence Day, freedom, patriotism, agency, and God's influence in the founding of the USA. With its flaws, the USA is the country that formed a new government based on freedom, see D&C 101:77-80, and abolished slavery at great cost. If you look for something, like racism, you will think you found it, even if it is not there. Racism has been illegal since the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Anyone who sees institutional racism can find legal representation and end it. There will always been rac...
Jul 01, 2023•22 min•Season 33Ep. 27
2023-06-25 Religion Today - Are the Words Jesus, Messiah, Baptism and Bible in the Book of Mormon Anachronistic
Host Martin Tanner explains why the words "Jesus" "Messiah" "Baptism" and "Bible" are not anachronisms and are perfectly fine translations of the ancient words on the Golden Plates from which the Book of Mormon was translated. A translation is rendering a word or phrase and its their meaning in one language, into a word or phrase in another language, which carries the same meaning, as much as possible. Since Christians believe "Jesus" was the God of the Old Testament, the word "Bible" properly c...
Jun 24, 2023•22 min•Season 33Ep. 26
2023-06-18 Religion Today - Baptism for the Dead, in Early Christianity, the Bible, Scholarship, its Origins in the LDS Faith, and as Practiced Now (NDE invitation)
In this episode of Religion Today, host Martin Tanner first describes baptism for the dead as practiced in Early Christianity. He provides references to vicarious ordinances in the Apocrypha, 2 Maccabees 12:39-46 and the meaning of 1 Corinthians 15:29 in the LDS Faith, and among modern scholars. He describes how Joseph Smith's revealed the ordinance of baptism for the dead in an 1840 funeral sermon, as a comfort to a widow in the audience, who's un-baptized son had recently died. Martin describe...
Jun 17, 2023•22 min•Season 33Ep. 25
2023-06-11 Religion Today - Are There Two Cumorah's and More Evidences BoM Events Happened in Central America - Invitation to Hear a Marvelous Near-death Experience
In this Religion Today episode, host Martin Tanner, points out that no LDS Church leader, including Joseph Smith, has ever claimed revelation on where the events in the Book of Mormon happened. But the text of the Book of Mormon provides inspired details enabling us to make to strong inferences they happened in Central America. Are there two Cumorah's? How could Moroni get the plates from Hill Cumorah in Mesoamerica to the hill by the Smith Family's farm in New York? These and other questions ar...
Jun 11, 2023•22 min•Season 33Ep. 24
2023-06-04 Religion Today - Evidences that Book of Mormon Events Happened in Central America, Which are Not Found in North America
Where did the events in the Book of Mormon occur? North America? Mesoamerica? What does the evidence say? Although the LDS Church has taken no official position on where Book of Mormon events happened, it is important to carefully read Book of Mormon passages which help narrow the possible locations. The Book of Mormon describes Jesus healing those with leprosy. Leprosy was found only in Mesoamerica before Columbus, not in North America. The BoM describes cement cities, found only in Mesoamerica...
Jun 04, 2023•22 min•Season 33Ep. 23
2023-05-28 Religion Today - Religion and Memorial Day, the Inspited Constitution, its Hanging by a Thread, and the future of America
The inspired U.S. Constitution, the religious significance of Memorial Day, and the prophecy of the Constitution hanging by a thread, are just a of few of the topics discussed in this episode of Religion Today, hosted by Martin Tanner
May 26, 2023•22 min•Season 33Ep. 22
2023-05-21 Religion Today - Why Latter-day Saints Have the Jesus of the Bible, But CRI Does Not
In this episode of Religion Today, host Martin Tanner explains why Walter Martin and CRI (Christian Research Institute) have the wrong Jesus, an un-Biblical Jesus, while Latter-day Saints believe in the Biblical Jesus. What is the distinction? The CRI believes in the "Trinitarian" concept of God which is not found in the Bible, which is that God, Jesus and the Holy Ghost are of "one undivided substance" which is an idea not found in the Bible. Also, CRI does not believe or ignores Jesus' stateme...
May 21, 2023•22 min•Season 33Ep. 21
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