Enoch is mentioned in the OT Book of Genesis and the NT Book of Jude. In 2 Corinthians 12:2-4 Paul says he was taken up into heaven.  In the Apocalypse of Paul, an angel takes Paul to heaven and introduces him to Enoch.  The Book of Enoch is widely considered the most quoted source in the NT.  In the last 200 years much more information has been found.  Enoch's writings are in the Dead Sea Scrolls.  Early Christian Church Fathers Irenaeus and Tertullian considered the Book of Enoch to be scripture. The Book of Enoch was rediscovered by the Scottish explorer James Bruce in September 1769.  Other manuscripts of Enoch have been found.  It contents, generally divided into five sections, (1) Book of Watchers, (2) the Similitudes, (3) the Astronomy Book, (4) Book of Dreams, and, (5) Epistle of Enoch.  The contents are fascinating.

Jesus taught the greatest virtue is love.  Specifically, he said love  God, and love others.  In this episode of Religion Today, host Martin Tanner suggests the greatest virtue or good is love.  We learn this from Jesus, from the Old Testament, from near-death experiences and from personal experiences with family and friends.  Although "love" is difficult or impossible to adequately define, we instinctively know we should foster it in ourselves as a quality.  Martin suggests two ways to use love in dealing with difficult people and people with whom we disagree. 

Are the Old Testament stories real?  Most religious people say they are, except perhaps the early parts of Genesis.  Was there a "King David" who killed Goliath?  Could someone as tall as Goliath have lived?  There are skeptics, but Robert Wadlow, a resident of Illinois, who died at age 22 while he was still growing, was less than an inch away from nine feet tall and was slender, even though weighing 440 lbs. proving Goliath was possible.  In fact archaeology now proves 53 people mentioned in the Old Testament, including King David, who slew Goliath, were real people who actually lived.  Hear the details from host Martin Tanner in this episode of Religion Today. 

Many Latter-day Saints are studying Isaiah now.  In this episode of Religion Today, host Martin Tanner gives some tips for how to understand Isaiah.  These include: (1) finding an 8th century BC map of Jerusalem. Realizing that Jerusalem in Isaiah's time had a population of 1,500 to 2,750.  In comparison the LDS Conference center with 21,000 seats holds well over ten times the total population of Jerusalem in Isaiah's day; (2) reading Isaiah in a Modern English version, such as the New Revised standard Version (NRSV) or the Contemporary English Version (CEV); and, finding a good commentary on Isaiah.  Isaiah was a highly educated man with a masterful writing style.  He is easily included in the most gifted writers of all time.  He spoke of future events in our day, as well as events in his own day.  With a little effort, Isaiah will become understandable and of great value to any careful reader.

Due to a new book on the subject, there has been a flurry of discussion on the Internet, pro and con, on whether Joseph Smith borrowed or stole Masonic oaths, tokens, signs and penalties, words and phrases, and used them in the LDS Temple Endowment.  In this episode of Religion Today, host Martin Tanner explains why this is impossible.  The LDS Endowment had its origins in 1833, well before the involvement of Joseph Smith or any other LDS leader in Masonry.  Further, the signs, tokens, oaths, covenants, and penalties in the Endowment are very different in wording, nature, description, use and most importantly purpose, then anything similar in Masonry.  University fraternities and other organizations, including the Carbonari, are closer to Masonic rites than the LDS Endowment. 

Most depictions of Jesus appearance, his vocation and family life are inaccurate.  In this episode of Religion Today, host Martin Tanner explains that Jesus was clean shaven with short hair.  His robe was tan or wheat colored, made of undyed linen, to his knees and elbows, not to his ankles or wrists.  Jesus job was more than the mistranslation "carpenter."  Jesus and Joseph were "craftsmen."  To make it in their field they had to be skilled construction workers, able to make or repair buildings, gates, barrels, walls, furniture, roofs, wheels, carts - almost anything.  The New Testament tells us Jesus had brothers and sisters.  Early Christians, like Christians today, have a wide variety of ideas about whether Mary had any children other than Jesus, and what Jesus actual relationship was to these New Testament brothers and sisters.  Martin explains the ideas of early Christians on this.

In this episode of Religion Today, host Martin Tanner describes how Catholicism, the Eastern Orthodox faith, and most of Protestant Christianity do not believe in the pre-existence of souls, spirits or intelligences.  Latter-day Saints are the current exception.  There are many however, many Bible verses, in the Old and New Testaments, which clearly state or pre-suppose the pre-mortal existence of the human spirit or soul.  The Book of Mormon's Book of Ether includes a description of the pre-earth life spirit body of Jesus.  Early Christian Father Origin, Jewish philosopher Philo and early Greek philosopher Plato believed in the pre-mortal existence of human spirits.  Joseph Smith also described such a belief in his famous funeral sermon, the King Follett Discourse, just weeks before he was killed.

In this episode of Religion Today, host Martin Tanner describes archaeological discoveries which are strong evidence the Bible is genuine history, not just myth. Included are the significance of the Rosetta Stone, Dead Sea Scrolls, Tel Dan Inscription (9th century BC reference to "House of David"), Ketef Hinnom scrolls (7th century BC text of Numbers 6), Moabite stone (referencing Chemosh, Omni 1:9) and 2 Kings 3, the Lachish Letters, Epic of Gilgamesh, Hezekiah's tunnel, Seal of Mulek (Mosiah 25:2), crucified man at Givat Hamivtar, and, God as a Man in the Diorite Stele (depicting God as a seated man).

Martin Tanner's guest Scott Drummond shares a little of his near-death experience which has had over 19 millions views on YouTube.  Scott Drummond Martin discuss the near-death experiences conference sponsored by IANDS coming to Salt Lake City September 1-4, 2022.  A 60% discount is available to listeners, students, listeners and anyone who uses this code:  STUDENT288  when signing up at: iands.org.  Sign up for one speaker, one day or the entire conference.  Speakers include:  Mary Neal, MD, Professor Dan Peterson, Scott Drummond, Jeff Olsen, Emily Spear, Martin Tanner and dozens of others.  See the new film Remembering Heaven about near-death experiences in which those waiting to be born are seen.  Email Martin Tanner with any questions:  [email protected]

Several daguerreotype photographs, one newly discovered this year, are purportedly of Joseph Smith.  In this episode of Religion Today, host Martin Tanner explains why most of them are not of Joseph Smith.  Martin also provides details about Joseph Smith's personality, hair color, eye color, height, weight and so forth, from reliable sources, people who actually knew him.