Martin Tanner's Religion Today

Martin Tanner describes the contents and origins of the books in the Old Testament. Next he describes the ancient Jewish model of creation found in Genesis 1, and compares it with other, later creation models, including the earth as center of the universe, the sun as the center of the Universe, the Big Bang theory, and others. Next, the creation and location of the Garden of Eden is discussed. Finally, the creation of Adam and Eve were discussed, and how literal or figurative elements of Genesis 1 and 2 are discussed.   

Host Martin Tanner lists famous and infamous predictions of the Second Coming of Jesus from the Apostle Paul, a Catholic Pope, Psychics, Theologians, Scientists, Clergy, and many others, who let Matthew 24:36 slip their minds, which says, "No one knows the day or hour of the Second Coming, not the Angels or even the Son, but the Father only."

Have you wondered why we know the exact date of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection, but not the date Jesus was born? Who is the Angel Gabriel? Why did Joseph want to divorce Mary, before they were married? Who were the Wise Men? Martin Tanner answers these and other questions about the birth of Jesus.

The planetariums have it wrong - the Star of Bethlehem could not be a conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. It also could not have been a supernova or other natural star. Host Martin Tanner explains why the Bethlehem Star could only have been either a supernatural event or the 5 BC comet.  You will also learn details about who the "Magi" were, where they came from, and why they came to see Jesus. 

While the King James Bible is widely regarded as the most-read book in the world, especially during the Christmas season, let us also remember William Tyndale. He translated the vast majority of the text of the King James and all other modern English translations of the Bible. 

Galatians 1:8-9 condemns those who preach another, different Gospel from that preached by Paul and other New Testament writers. Host Martin Tanner demonstrates why the critics, not the LDS Church, have changed New Testament teachings on God, Jesus, salvation, scripture, and other doctrines. Evangelicals, not Latter-day Saints, are preaching another, different Gospel in violation of Galatians 1:8-9. 

Host Martin Tanner explains why the "Cambrian explosion," the Punctuated Equilibria theory, the age of the oldest star, DNA, ocean mammals, and the "fine tuning" of the universe, all demonstrate the existence of God.

By reference to the Articles of Faith, 1 Corinthians 7:14 and other scriptures, and, statements of General Authorities, host Martin Tanner explains why wayward children are not lost and will be saved in the Kingdom of God.

Martin Tanner describes details about the horribly difficult life of the Prophet Jeremiah and his little-known messages about the following: (1) What happened to the Ark of the Covenant, (2) The Restoration of the Gospel in the latter-days, (3) Jewish belief in a Queen of Heaven, or Mother-in-Heaven, (4) God has a physical body, (5) pre-existence of spirits, and, (6) the Latter-day "New Covenant" foretold in Jeremiah 31:31-34.

Host Martin Tanner provides a description and details about the Jewish, Early Christian and Latter-day Saint ideas of a War in Heaven, as found in Isaiah 14:12-20; Revelation 12:7-9; D&C 29:36-38; Abraham 3:24-28; and Moses 4:14. The war was over free will, agency and the ability to act without coercion. This is also the underlying scriptural basis for the idea that Jesus and Satan are "spirit brothers" which is often distorted by Church critics. The fundamental difference of opinion over whether people should be able to choose or should be coerced is played out in many settings throughout the world...

Although critics and anti-Mormons try to suggest the Kinderhook Plates demonstrate Joseph Smith was not a true prophet, the opposite is true. Joseph detected them to be fakes and never translated them. Critics also try to claim the Zelph incident shows Joseph Smith was a false prophet. During the Zion's Camp march, Joseph Smith received revelation about a large skeleton that was unearthed, saying the person was "Zelph," a Lamanite (Native American) prophet. The statements of Joseph Smith must be taken on faith as true by those who believe he was a prophet, or disbelieved by skeptics due to their...

Host Martin Tanner explores the origins of the ideas believed by many that:   (1) The Genesis flood covered the top of every mountain, including Mt. Everest;   (2) The Genesis flood was the baptism of the earth, because the earth needed baptism;   (3) The earth is female, and is alive.    He concludes that although some General Authorities and members take these ideas literally, there is not enough water on the earth to cover all of the mountain tops, and the idea the earth was baptised and is female, are figurative, not literal. The earth did not sin and could not need baptism. These ideas shoul...

In this podcast, host Martin Tanner gives just a few of the many, many indisputable evidences that the Book of Mormon is a genuine ancient work, and that its contents demonstrate that the events described within its pages happened in Central America, not North America. 

The life and legacy of Prophet, Seer and Revelator, Russell M. Nelson are summarized by host Martin Tanner.

An non-denominational Evangelical Christian, who had a burglary conviction, two DUIs, and was a heavy meth user, who had a bad break-up with a Latter-day Saint woman years earlier in Park City, Utah drove his vehicle into an LDS Church in Michigan. He then entered, shot and killed two, shot and wounded eight others, doused the chapel with gasoline and burned it down. He was killed in a shoot-out with law enforcement. What motivated the shooter? Host Martin Tanner gives the likely sources.  

In this podcast, host Martin Tanner explains why capitalism, toleration, discussion, debate and correct information are all part of God's plan of salvation, while socialism, communism, censorship, intolerance, wokeism, and cancel culture are not part of God's plan.

Martin Tanner describes the duties and stewardship of the archangel Raphael, one of the seven great archangels. Raphael's unique function is healing. Raphael was the angel who healed those with diseases and infirmities in the Pool of Bethesda, in the New Testament. In D&C 128, in Temple dedications, and the dedicatory prayer of the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, Raphael is invoked to heal those who enter the baptismal font with illness, defects and infirmities, including blindness.

Although not widely known, in this episode of Religion Today, Martin describes how in Jewish and Christian tradition and belief, God the Father is seen as being a person in form, with an actual physical body. God is usually depicted in Jewish and Christian scripture and art as a man with a white beard. Early Jews and Christians believed, as do Latter-day Saints today, that God the Father is not alone, but has a wife. 

Critics claim Jesus was just an impressive man, who over time, was turned into a God by the Christians. In this episode, Martin proves this is not true.  Martin shows Jesus was understood to be deity from the beginning, by a newly deciphered mosaic in an Early Christian church in Megiddo, Israel, which describes Jesus as a God. Martin also demonstrates that non-Christian historians of Jesus' time acknowledged Jesus to be a miracle worker, and someone who was crucified, at which time there was darkness with earthquakes, and that Jesus then rose from the dead and was seen by many p...

Martin Tanner answers the question, "How accurate and reliable are the Old Testament books?"  He points out that Genesis Chapter One was written to be a testimony that God created everything, not a precise scientific narrative. (No one believes the earth, light, oceans and plants were created before the sun, moon and stars). Martin provides an array of evidence, and sources, that verify the Exodus happened, Moses was a real person, Israelites were known to have established the land of Israel by at least 1,400 BC, and other facts in the Old Testament often thought to be myth or legend. 

In this Religion Today episode, Martin Tanner explains why Baptism for the Dead (not of the dead) was taught by the Apostle Paul and practiced by Early Christians. He explains how its accurate practice by Latter-day Saints solves an enormous dilemma of Christianity: How could God be just if the vast majority of people who have ever lived are somehow doomed to Hell only because they never heard of Jesus?

Martin Tanner addresses the illogical, self-contradictory, false claims made by a nameless Evangelical Christian podcaster against the LDS Church and Joseph Smith. 

Martin Tanner describes the nine known first-personal accounts of Joseph Smith's First Vision.  One was in Joseph Smith's own handwriting. Three others were dictated by Joseph Smith. Five are the notes individuals made contemporaneously as they heard Joseph Smith describe his First Vision. Each account offers an emphasis not found in the other accounts. None of the accounts are self-contradictory, or contradict the other accounts.

In this episode of Martin Tanner's Religion Today, Martin examines the alleged false prophecies of Joseph Smith often made by critics. Each example of a purported false prophecy is debunked by exposing the flaws in each claim. The correct facts are presented and the difference between a prophecy, a conditional prophecy, and a prediction, is described.

In celebration of Pioneer Day, Martin shares some little known detail about the Latter-day Saint pioneer trek to the Salt Lake Valley.

Martin Tanner interviews his friend of over 35 years, Howard Storm, who shares his near-death experience (NDE) in great detail, and then answers questions about it. Howard Storm's NDE is widely considered one of the most profound, because when he died, he was initially led by evil spirits of the dead to Spirit Prison, or Hell. But when Howard cried out for help, Jesus took Howard out of there, and healed him. From there, Howard was shown many things about Heaven and earth by Jesus, who answered many questions Howard had. Hear the details in this amazing interview.  

In June 2025, an 1886 John Taylor Revelation on plural marriage was published. Critics and fundamentalists say it means polygamy should never have ended, the 1890 Wilford Woodruff Manifesto should never have been issued, the LDS Church is self-contradictory and has been hiding the 1886 revelation.  Host Martin Tanner explains why this is not true, for example: The 1886 John Taylor revelation says nothing that was not revealed much earlier, in 1843 in D&C 132. The 1890 Manifesto should have been written and is binding. Martin provided several proofs the 1886 revelation was not hidden, but was knows from the day it was written, mentioned by many General A...

The phrase "wall of separation" is not in the Constitution. It comes from a letter written by Thomas Jefferson to the Danbury Baptist Association, in which Jefferson congratulates the Baptists, and by implication all Christians, and people in other religions, on their ability to freely run for office, and participate in all governmental activities in the United States. Host Martin Tanner provides many proofs that religion was not prohibited, but encouraged in the U.S. government. Examples: The Supreme Court in several opinions said the U.S. is a Christian Nation. Congress always opens and closes sessions with a prayer...

Evangelical Christians, other Protestants, and also Catholics, say God is a Spirit only, quoting John 4:24 "God is spirit[,]" and, John 1:18 "No man hath seen God at any time[.]" In this episode of Religion Today, host Martin Tanner goes through many Bible passages which which say not only is God a man, he has been seen many times. 

Why does Matthew's Gospel begin with Jesus's genealogy, traced through Joseph, who is not Jesus's biological father, and includes an adulterer, a gentile and two prostitutes. Other options for tracing Jesus's genealogy were available. Why start a Gospel with a genealogy? Why trace Jesus's genealogy through a gentile, an adulterer and a prostitute? Martin Tanner gives the explanation, which makes perfect sense. Next, Martin tackles Matthew 22:44, in which Jesus says about the promised Messiah, "The Lord said to my Lord, 'Sit at my right hand .  .  .  ." Who are the Lord's spoken of, Jesus, God the Father, the Messiah? Martin explains who the...

Host Martin Tanner describes a few of the many ways the often neglected Dead Sea Scrolls are a treasure trove for all Christians, and especially Latter-day Saints. The DSS show there were ancient writings on metal which were hidden in the ground for future generations. The DSS show how dramatically the Old Testament has changed. The DSS were written by a Jewish sect which called themself the "Latter-day Saints" meaning they were the saints in the last days before the Messiah was born. Martin describes many other amazing details about the DSS.

Critics of the LDS Faith claim there could not have been an apostasy because virtually all Christian denominations believe in the Bible, in Jesus, and can trace their history back to the first century AD. But Religion Today podcast host Martin Tanner explains that the core doctrines of Christianity have all dramatically changed since the first century to the point they are unrecognizable.    A few of Martin's most notable examples include:    (1) the nature of God and Jesus; (2) What it takes to be saved in God's Kingdom; (3) Whether the Canon of scriptures closed; (4) Whether baptism is necessary, what kind of baptism and...

In this episode of Religion Today, host Martin Tanner provides information from scripture, early Christian writings and tradition, Jewish writings and traditions, and other sources, to lay out a compelling argument for the idea that Jesus was, in all likelihood, a married man with children.  

In this episode of Religion Today, host Martin Tanner provides a brief history of Israel, from 120,000 years ago to the present, showing that Israelites or Jews, have continuously occupied the land of Israel from at least 1,202 BC and likely much earlier, to the present. Since 1947, the internationally accepted and designated name for that land is the Country of "Israel." The name "Palestine" comes from a cruel joke made by a Roman General in circa 120 AD, renaming Israel to "Phlistinia" after the extinct Philistines. The current Palestinian chant "From the [Jordan] river to the [Mediterranean] sea, Palestine must be free" is...

In this Religion Today episode, host Martin Tanner describes the original oral sources that were apparently used by John Mark, the author of the Gospel of Mark, which was likely the first written of the Gospels. Martin describes when, how, for what purpose and by whom the other three Gospels were written.

In this Religion Today episode, host Martin Tanner outlines the archaeological evidence that 3 Nephi 8 is genuine history which happened in present day Guatemala. The volcanic activity described in 3 Nephi 8 has never happened in the United States anywhere east of western Texas, making a North-American setting for Book of Mormon event in North America impossible. However, volcanic activity in the first century AD, as described in 3 Nephi 8, did happen in and around present day Guatemala, including a number of cities that were destroyed in earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and hurricanes, including recent archeology that demonstrates a first century city, as described in 3 N...

In this episode of Religion Today, host Martin Tanner describes the Jewish and Christian beliefs in angels. He gives Biblical examples from the Old and New Testaments. He explains the meaning of the English word "Angel" derives from the phrase "God's Messenger" in both Hebrew and Greek. Ancient and modern examples of angel intervention in the lives of people to provide help and comfort are described.

Martin Tanner interviews renowned Film-maker T.C. Christensen about his new film which tells the remarkable story of Alma Richards, who, as a high school student from southern Utah, won the Olympic Gold Medal in the funning high jump. This is a must see film. 

In this episode of Religion Today, host Martin Tanner describes the meaning of the atonement, as reconciliation between God and Man, and how it works, as the point in time when Jesus acquired a complete, perfect understanding of the entire life of each person, and then took upon himself our sins, because of his love for each of us. Martin also describes the meaning of the resurrection, as a complete restoration of our physical body, exactly as it was when we died, from which point we grow to physical perfection, perhaps over years, during which period of time, parents will...

Martin Tanner describes why, from Book of Mormon passages, Latter-day Saints believe in three Nephites who were "translated" and allowed to remain on earth until the Second Coming of Jesus. He provides several stories of intervention by one or more of the Three Nephites, and what their purpose seems to be. 

Catholics believe life begins at conception. Most others believe in a pre-earth life, pre-existence or a reincarnation into the current life. Martin Tanner describes the pre-existence from scripture, history and belief, from the perspectives of Judaism, Early Christianity, Catholicism, the Orthodox Church, Protestant faiths and from the Latter-day Saint perspective. Citing scriptures and examples from Near-Death Experiences, he provides compelling evidence for a pre-existence. 

Host Martin Tanner explores how literal or figurative these descriptions are, from scriptures, doctrines, traditions, near-death experiences, and other sources. He discusses what it means that humans are the children of God, and, what it means that God is our father.

After describing some Bible miracles, host Martin Tanner asks whether miracles still happen? He then answers his own question, "yes" and describes eight specific, well documented miracles, from 1965 to 2015, in which someone should have died, but for reasons that defy any scientific explanation, the person lived.

What happened in Jesus's life from the time he was born until his earthly ministry?  In this episode of Religion Today host Martin Tanner explains the various theories and the evidence for and against each, including, did Jesus visit India, Nepal, England or Japan?  How did Jesus interact with those in his hometown of Nazareth?  Martin explores the few, but significant New Testament verses that give us a clue to Jesus's life before his public ministry.

In this episode of Religion Today Martin Tanner gives details of the Near-Death Experiences of Elane Durham, who saw major verified events in the future; John Hernandez, who simultaneously with other fire-fighters, had all an NDE in which they all stood above their bodies in the flames of a forest fire; and, David Chevalier, who survived a point-blank shotgun blast to his chest, resulting in an NDE, in which he was shown by Jesus the events immediately prior to the Second Coming, the Resurrection of the Dead, and, the Redemption.

Martin gives a short history of the Shroud of Turin. He explains how the latest evidence shows the Shroud is a painted image, on a linen sheet, inconsistent with the Gospel record, of a man who does not look like the real Jesus.

Host Martin Tanner explains why critics who claim the eleven papyrus scraps the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints obtained in 1967 from The Metropolitan Museum of Art are the documents from which Joseph Smith translated the Book of Abraham, are demonstrably wrong. Martin describes what is on the eleven Joseph Smith Papyri, why they cannot be the papyri from which the Book of Abraham was translated, and what happened to the papyri from which the Book of Abraham was translated. 

Host Martin Tanner describes the traditional belief that Moses himself wrote the first five books of the Bible, with evidence from archaeology, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and internal documentary evidence. He also describes the new so-called "scholarly" approach which suggests the five Books of Moses were written and compiled by many others, who attributed their work to Moses for credibility.

In this episode, host Martin Tanner describes how Near-Death Experiences confirm Mormon doctrine.  He also describes the Near-Death Experiences of ten prominent Latter-day Saints, including Church Presidents Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, and Apostles David B. Haight and Jeffrey R. Holland.

In this episode of Religion Today, host Martin Tanner shares little known facts about the D&C, including that a committee decided which of Joseph Smith's revelations would be included and which would be excluded. The D&C is by far the most historically accurate series scriptures ever recorded. Why? All revelations in the D&C were written down as they were received, or within a day or two after. That cannot be said of the Book of Mormon, Old Testament, New Testament, Pearl of Great Price, or any other scripture.