Standard of Truth

A deep dive into the Lord’s Prayer explores sincere worship, vain repetition, and the Joseph Smith Translation’s wording on temptation. The discussion travels through the Didache, Reformation-era prayer, Puritan confessions, Cromwell’s England, and the late emergence of the modern sinner’s prayer. It closes by considering Catholic devotion, shared Christian truths, and Christ’s enduring love.

A deep dive into the claim that angelic revelation proves Mormonism false, with biblical examples that complicate the argument. The discussion explores Jesus in Islamic theology, evangelical views of Latter-day Saints, and the way social media turns complex theology into simplistic charts. It also traces early attacks on Joseph Smith, including comparisons to Muhammad by Abner Cole and Alexander Campbell.

A lively mailbag explores why early Latter-day Saints did not use the sign of the cross, Joseph Smith’s political leadership, and the controversy surrounding Moses Thatcher and the political manifesto. The discussion then tackles a viral comparison of Joseph Smith and Muhammad, examining biblical angels, continuing revelation, Galatians 1:8, and whether scripture ever teaches that revelation ended.

A lively look at the October 2026 General Conference, from favorite messages on love, gratitude, peacemaking, covenants, and Christ to statistics on the leaders most often quoted. The discussion centers on President Christofferson’s counsel about gambling, the rise of sports betting and prediction markets, and a hilarious montage revisiting years of gambling jokes. The conversation also explores prophetic authority, repentance, and kindness in an angry media culture.

A listener’s question about D&C 76 opens a discussion of mercy, postmortal repentance, and why one rejected missionary encounter cannot determine a person’s eternal fate. The conversation then tackles “after all we can do,” grace versus works, Pelagianism, Calvinism, Arminianism, evangelical salvation assurance, and prophetic teachings on repentance, covenants, and becoming like God.

Missionary letters from the Philippines and beyond open a lively investigation into whether Joseph Smith cursed Cincinnati. Manuscript changes in Doctrine and Covenants 61, Orson F. Whitney’s later dedication, and five-way chili all enter the debate. The discussion then turns to a vicious 1831 newspaper attack, Yom Kippur and grace, and how wild historical claims expose unreliable sources.

A look at how Latter-day Saints received temple endowments before Utah temples were completed, including Addison Pratt’s remarkable mountain-top ordinance. The discussion explores authorized exceptions, human imperfection, and why God determines when rules may bend. It also features a rare 1830 Shaker account of Oliver Cowdery, spectacles, a hat, and an unusual rejection of the Book of Mormon.

A deep dive into Joseph Smith’s 1841 teachings on the Second Coming, the Millennium, and Christ’s intermittent earthly presence. The discussion compares premillennial, postmillennial, and amillennial views, explores agency, embodiment, and resistance to temptation, and examines Brigham Young’s related sermons. Personal stories, missionary updates, college football, and tricky Norwegian names add lively detours.

Richard hadn't showered in days, his water heater's dead, and his family staged an intervention over his baggy clothes. We read emails from listeners and missionaries, including an elder serving in the California Ontario Mission, whose Gen Z slang ("capping," "yapping") had us reaching for a translation guide. Then we got into apostate #8: Ezra Booth. A former Methodist minister and early high priest, Booth apostatized barely a year into the Church and published the first widely reprinted insider attacks on Joseph Smith, fuel for Eber Howe's Mormonism Unveiled. We dug into Sidney Rigdon's public debate challenge, D&C 71, and why Booth grasped prophetic authority better than today's splinter movements. The takeaway, vet your sources and stay close to the prophets. If you are interested in joining us in 2027 in Palmyra and Kirtland, August 1st through August 7th, click on the link below and reserve your spot: https://pci.jotform.com/form/261567888174171 Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ ⁠⁠https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com⁠⁠ (https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com/) If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠⁠[email protected]

In this episode, we continue our deep dive into Ezra Booth's anti-Mormon letters from October 1831, examining how this early apostate mounted his attack against our fledgling church. What fascinates us most is that Booth personally witnessed miracles, including Elsa Johnson's arm being healed, yet later dismissed such spiritual experiences as delusion or deliberate fraud.  We highlight striking logical contradictions in his arguments: he claims only Joseph saw angels, then attacks witness testimonies about seeing them. His scattershot approach, depicting believers as liars, crazy, or stupid, mirrors modern anti-Mormon rhetoric perfectly. Ironically, Booth himself confirms early church members used "Melchizedek priesthood" language and testified of spiritual experiences, undermining later revisionist claims these were later developments. If you are interested in joining us in 2027 in Palmyra and Kirtland, August 1st through August 7th, click on the link below and reserve your spot: https://pci.jotform.com/form/261567888174171 Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ ⁠⁠https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com⁠⁠ (https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com/) If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠⁠[email protected]