Implications of John Taylor's Just Published 1886 Revelation on Plural Marriage
Martin Tanner's Religion Today
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,...
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Does the Constitution Require a "Wall of Separation" Between Religion and Government?
Martin Tanner's Religion Today
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...
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Is God the Father described as a Man, or a Spirit, in the Scriptures?
Martin Tanner's Religion Today
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.
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Four Puzzling, Difficult to Understand New Testament Verses Explained
Martin Tanner's Religion Today
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...
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Important Lessons from the Dead Sea Scrolls
Martin Tanner's Religion Today
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.
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Was There an Apostasy?
Martin Tanner's Religion Today
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)...
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Was Jesus Married?
Martin Tanner's Religion Today
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.
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Palestine and Israel - Conflicts and History
Martin Tanner's Religion Today
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...
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The Origins of the Four Gospels
Martin Tanner's Religion Today
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.
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Archaeological Evidence that Third Nephi Chapter Eight is Genuine History
Martin Tanner's Religion Today
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,...
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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.