Martin Tanner's Religion Today

Understanding The Spirit of God, Light of Christ, Holy Spirit, and Holy Ghost

Martin Tanner explains the similarities, differences, and overlap between the Spirit of God, Light of Christ, Holy Spirit and Holy Ghost. He describes Joseph Smith's final sermon in June 1844 in which Joseph Smith said the Holy Ghost is a person, who will have the opportunity to be born and acquire a body.

Emanuel Swedenborg and Joseph Smith

Emanuel Swedenborg, born in 1688, died 1772, taught that God is a man, those who go to Perdition do so because they denied the truth, there are three degrees of glory in heaven, consecration is practiced in heaven, etc. Did Joseph Smith, born in 1805, borrow from Swedenborg? Martin Tanner explains why Joseph Smith did not borrow from Swedenborg and why there is some overlap in their teachings.

Isaiah Quotes in the Book of Mormon Explained - Responses to Critics

Isaiah was born circa 740 BC and died circa 681 BC. Lehi left Jerusalem about 600 BC a few years before it was conquered by Babylon. Martin Tanner explains how Isaiah Chapters 40-66, which talks about Jerusalem being conquered, the Jews exiled and their return, could have been written in Isaiah since those events happened after Isaiah died. Also, since Lehi left Jerusalem in 600 BC, before the events mentioned in Isaiah 40-66 happened, how could they be on the Brass Plates and how could they be quoted, in part, in the Book of Mormon? Martin gives the three explanations suggested by scholars.

Pre-Existence in Jewish, Catholic, Protestant and Latter-day Saint Theology

From the Bible, Apocrypha, Doctrine and Covenants, and Book of Abraham, Martin describes the belief of some Jews and Protestants, all Latter-day Saints, but not by Catholics, in a pre-existence or pre-earth life, of humans, animals, plants and all other life.

God Answers Prayers

Martin Tanner shares the story of a prayer answered in a dramatic way, originally told to him by his friend Lloyd Poleman.