Religion Today

In this episode of Religion Today, host Martin Tanner describes the little known details of the restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood, on Sunday, May 24, 1829, nine days after the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood, on Friday, May 15, 1829.  Peter, James and John appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, at the crack of dawn, the day after they had been acquitted after a two day trial, of all charges, including "deception" which be the same as a "fraud" charge today.  A mob, angry over the acquittal, waited for Joseph and Oliver to exit the courtroom at Colesville Tavern (a lodging place, post office and courthouse, not a liquor store or drinking establishment).  Instead of exiting out the front door, Oliver and Joseph jumped out a rear window of the Coles Tavern, and walked all night on their 27 mile journey home through the wilderness.  After traveling about 17 miles, Oliver, exhausted, was ready to give out. Just then, at early dawn, Peter, James and John appeared and conferred the Melchizedek Priesthood on Joseph and Oliver  

Host Martin Tanner gives an overview of the Garden of Eden, Noah's Ark, the Tower of Babel and the story of Sodom and Gomorrah.  He gives the background and meaning of each of these narratives, and demonstrates the meaning behind each is punishment for wickedness, or in other words disobeying God, always has consequences.  Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden, a "stepped" location on a hillside, for breaking God's command.  All mankind were drowned except Noah and his family, due to wickedness.  Martin explains why Noah and the Ark was likely a localized event, not a worldwide flood. The Tower of Babel was real.  It was a ziggurat, or stepped pyramid. God confounded the languages due to their wickedness in building the ziggurat.  The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were utterly destroyed by God due to their wickedness.  The Bible says those cities were located where the southern end of the Dead Sea is now found.  They are under the waters of the Dead Sea.

Martin Tanner, the host of Religion Today, shares eight compelling near-death experiences, from people he knows:  (1) neuro-surgeon Eben Alexander, MD, from atheist to believer; (2) Stanford, from afraid of death to wanting to go to the other side; (3) Charlotte, who saw her two grandaughters who were waiting to be born; (4) Erica Mckenzie, who died from an eathing disorder, and learned we are all given gifts from God; (5) Ted Whiting, who met on the other side his father, who had been murdered; (6) Liz Clark, who died from a drug over-dose; (7) David Chevalier, who saw the beginning of the Second Coming of Jesus; and (8) Howie Jensen, who went from a drug dealer who committed suicide, to a believer in Jesus.

In this episode of Religion Today, host Martin Tanner explains how many items in the Book of Mormon would be counter-intuitive for a fake, or a forger to place there, but nonetheless turn out to be true.  In other words, many oddities in the Book of Mormon are now proven true by science, archeology and anthropology.  

Martin Tanner explains that the Jewish sect that wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls was called the "Latter-day Saints" and were led by a "Teacher of RIghteousness" and a counsel of 10 to 12 men.  The Dead Sea Scrolls confirm many truths from the Book of Mormon, that there were ancient Jewish prophets not mentioned in the Bible, like Zenock and Zenos in the Book of Mormon, and Zadock in the Dead Sea Scrolls. They confirm pre-Christian Jews practiced baptism by immersion.  They believed their Messiah would be pierced and die.  The Nag Hammadi Library is noteworthy because it has authentic words of Jesus, not in the Bible, its Gospel of Philip implies Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene, and it speaks of a Heavenly Mother.  The Secret Gospel of Mark says Jesus taught Lazarus, after bringing him back from the dead, about the "mysteries of the Kingdom of God" in a which which appears to be very much like the LDS Temple Endowment.  

Martin Tanner discusses the purpose and meaning of Temple Garments.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has sacred clothing, which is not unique. Sacred garments are mentioned in Genesis 3:21 says God made clothing for Adam and Eve. Joseph, who was sold into Egypt, was given a coat of "many priesthood powers" (not many colors). Nuns, priests, ministers and Jewish Rabbis all wear sacred clothing, with meanings, similar to Temple Garments.  When Elijah was taken into heaven, he left his "Mantle" or sacred cloak/coat, which was a symbol of his power as a prophet, to his successor Elsha.

Host Martin Tanner highly recommends a new, historically accurate, highest quality LDS film Six Days in August, about the succession issue, who would lead the Church after Joseph Smith was murdered on June 27th, 1844.  For several months it was unclear who would lead the Church.  The Council of the Twelve Apostles and its president, Brigham Young, promised to continue to lead the Church just as Joseph Smith had been planning.  Sidney Rigdon, another possible successor, would have kept the Church in Nauvoo or in the mid-West.  James Strang claimed to be a successor prophet and wanted to lead the Church.  Emma wanted Joseph Smith, III, to be the next president, but he was only 11 years old.  In a Church assembly in August 1844, Sidney Rigdon spoke and convinced many he should lead, but them Brigham Young spoke, and according to the diaries of over 120 people who were at the assembly, Brigham Young appeared to appear as Joseph Smith, or sounded like Joseph Smith, which was taken as a sign from God. The Church members overwhelmingly voted for Brigham and the Apostles to lead the Church.

Your host, Martin Tanner, provides sources, including the Bible, that support the belief that God the Father is a divine man.  Although Jews, the Orthodox faith, Catholics and Protestants believe God the Father is a spirit only, confirmation that God the Father is a divine person is found in many sources.  Martin provides many of those sources, together with logic and common sense, on a topic not often discussed.

Details of how and why Joseph Smith, with Emma, went to the hill (not yet known as Cumorah) just after midnight, September 22, 1827, to acquire the golden plates.  Descriptions of the dimensions of the golden plates, and how much they weighed, from those who picked them up.  How Joseph Smith began to translate.  Why Martin Harris decided to take a few lines of characters copied from the plates, with a translation, to Columbia Professor Charles Anthon and Samuel Mitchell.  Why were there contradicting stories from Anthon, Mitchell and Harris.

In this episode of Religion Today, host Martin Tanner laments that Evangelical and Latter-day Saint Christians do not get along better.  He then responds, point by point to an Evangelical Critic who has come up with 50 flawed reasons why the LDS Faith is not true. Martin's Response points out the flaws in the Evangelical pastor's points, and presents facts which prove them to be wrong.