Religion Today

In this episode of Religion Today, host Martin Tanner describes the groundbreaking psychological research of Columbia Professor Allen Bergin, which has been replicated, and shows religious people are happier and healthier than the general population.  Specifically, religiously active people have lower rates of depression, anxiety, suicide, substance abuse, Obsessive-compulsive disorder, Bipolar disorder, PTSD, and eating disorders, than the general population.  And, religious people with these problems are more likely to improve.    

As recently as 20 or 30 years ago, most leading scientists believed science demonstrated God does not exist.  But in the last twenty years, leading scientists have come to believe life and the Universe itself cannot be explained, without an intelligent designer, namely, God.  In this episode of Religion Today, host Martin Tanner highlights many reasons leading scientists in many fields now say only an intelligent designer. or God, is the only explanation for the existence of life, and for way the Universe works.

The Tower of Babel described in the Book of Genesis is not a myth.  It did exist.  It has been found.  It was a ziggurat, or stepped pyramid, located about 56 miles south of present day Bagdad, Iraq.  Its name was "Etemenanki" with means "Temple of the Foundation of Heaven and Earth."   It was dedicated to the pagan god Marduk.  It was built about the14th century BC.  It was a 7-layered pyramid, meaning it had seven stories, or steps.  The earliest pyramids were not smooth-sided like the Great Pyramid at Giza, Egypt.  The descriptions, ancient and modern, of Etemenanki are so similar to the descriptions of the Tower of Babel in Genesis, there is no doubt they are one and the same.

In this Religion Today episode, host Martin Tanner shows from many passages in the Bible and Book of Mormon, that God has a sense of humor.  Examples of exaggeration, hyperbole, sarcasm and humorous situations, in the Bible and Book of Mormon, are given by Martin in this rarely discussed topic.

Host Martin Tanner shares the narrative of the birth of Jesus, in modern English, from the Good News Translation of the Bible, with explanations of seeming contradictions, such as:  When Joseph found out Mary was expecting, why would he need to divorce her?  They weren't married yet.  Who were the Wise men?  Why are they part of the Gospel story of Jesus's birth?

In this episode of Religion Today, host Martin Tanner looks at the Atonement, and answers questions, including:  (1) Does every world have a savior, or is Jesus the Savior of all worlds? (2) What does and word Atonement mean?  How or in what way or sense did Jesus take upon himself the sins of the world? (3) Does the Atonement cover more than sins, including losses, sicknesses, physical and mental defects, etc.? and, (4) How can a person know if the Atonement works for her or him? 

The Gospel of Mark can be read in about an hour and a half.  The show's host, Martin Tanner, suggests that during the Christmas season everyone should read the Gospel of Mark. It is the earliest Gospel, and in effect, the Gospel of Peter, because John Mark, the author was writing Peter's description of what Jesus said and did.  The Gospel of Mark is a marvelous testimony of Jesus as the Messiah promised by God, to save his chosen people.  This is what people are celebrating at Christmastime.

As a follow-up to last week's show, in which host Martin Tanner described his text debate with uninformed, evangelical, anti-Mormon critic Iain Sharp, Host, Martin Tanner suggests two books for listeners interested in more information comparing and contrasting Latter-day Saint Christian beliefs with those of Evangelical Christians:  "Are Mormons Christians?" and "How Wide the Divide."  BYU Professor Stephen Robinson authored both books.

Next, Martin gives a brief sketch of early Christian beliefs about Christmas, including, when Jesus was born, information about about Mary and Joseph, and, Jesus's vocation as a Tekton (craftsman). Martin discusses Jesus's earthly family, and then traces the belief in a Second Coming of Jesus to Acts 1:11 and 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.  The "Son of Man" described in Daniel chapter 7, was the annointed one, or Messiah, to early Christians.  Jesus most used phrase to describe himself was "Son of Man," 30 times in Matthew, 14 times in Mark, 25 times in Luke, and 12 times in John.  

In this episode of Religion Today, host Martin Tanner shares the highlights of his debate by text with self-contradictory, anti-Mormon critic, Iain Sharp from Scotland, on:  (1) Sola Scriptura, which means only the 66 books in the Bible are scripture, (2) Trinitarian concept of God, which means that God, Jesus and the Holy Ghost are one undivided substance.  Martin points out that neither Sola Scriptura nor the Trinitarian concept of God is found in the Bible, which means that Evangelicals who adhere to them, are self-contradictory. Martin also discusses the idea found in many places in the scriptures, including Hebrews 1:1-5, which say Jesus and God look almost exactly like each other.

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.

Requests from a few listeners led host Martin Tanner to present in this episode of Religion Today, a few of the very best evidences of the Book of Mormon, including, (1) although writing on metal plates was unknown in Joseph Smith's day, examples of writing on metal plates during Book of Mormon times have been found in the Middle East and Central America; (2) During Joseph Smith's lifetime, horses were thought to have been unknown to Native Americans until the arival of Columbus, but the Book of Mormon mentions horses, and now examples of horses prior to Columbus have been found by archaeologists; (3) During Joseph Smith's lifetime, Native Americans were thought to use bows and arrows, and spears as weapons, but examples of Head-shields, Head-plates, scimitars, and other items of warfare have been found which verify statement in the Book of Mormon.  Martin gives many other examples of evidence Joseph Smith could not have known, which are found in the Book of Mormon, that are now supported by archeology, linguistics and other scientific evidence.  

Requests from a few listeners led host Martin Tanner to present in this episode of Religion Today, a few of the very best evidences of the Book of Mormon, including, (1) although writing on metal plates was unknown in Joseph Smith's day, examples of writing on metal plates during Book of Mormon times have been found in the Middle East and Central America; (2) During Joseph Smith's lifetime, horses were thought to have been unknown to Native Americans until the arival of Columbus, but the Book of Mormon mentions horses, and now examples of horses prior to Columbus have been found by archaeologists; (3) During Joseph Smith's lifetime, Native Americans were thought to use bows and arrows, and spears as weapons, but examples of Head-shields, Head-plates, scimitars, and other items of warfare have been found which verify statement in the Book of Mormon.  Martin gives many other examples of evidence Joseph Smith could not have known, which are found in the Book of Mormon, that are now supported by archeology, linguistics and other scientific evidence.  

Host Martin Tanner explains Jewish, Christian and Latter-day Saint ideas about what happened to the Lost 10 Tribes.  He explains various explanation about where they are now, and when and under what circumstances they will return

Martin Tanner points out the pros and cons of some of the most popular, most popular and widely read English Bible translations, including the King James Version, the Good News Bible, the New Revised Standard Version updated edition, New English Translation with over 60,000 scholarly footnotes, and Martin's personal favorite, the Contemporary English Version. 

Martin Tanner describes the Jewish sects that existed about a century before the time of Christ, during the lifetime of Christ, and about a century after, including the Maccabees, Sadducees, Phrisees, Zealots, Essenes, Gelileans, and several Baptist groups. The Maccabees were the first sect within Judaism.  The Sadducees denied the resurrection.  The Pharisees were the "lawyers" of the New Testament era.  They knew the laws of Judaism.. The Zealots did not separate religion and politics, and were the terrorists of their day, killing with knives those who they thought were thwarting the truth.  The Essenes were the Dead Sea Scrolls community.  They though themselves to be the livers of the higher law.

Seven forest fire-fighters who died in the flames and saw each other's spirits above their bodies, only to miraculously return to life after the fire had passed.  Knowledge of the future acquired during near-death experiences, only to be supressed upon returning to life through the veil of forgetfulness.  Premonitions and warnings in the form of actual voices from God or a guardian angel. Miraculous healings, from Multiple Sclerosis and Acute Myelogenous Leukemia.  Religion Today host, Martin Tanner describes these events, and other rare and lesser known elements of near-death experiences.