If you love the anti-Mormon book Mormonism Unvailed boy, do we have an episode for you. In this episode, Gerrit reads from Mormonism Unvailed where definitive statement after definitive statement is given by friends and family of Solomon Spaulding saying how the Book of Mormon was taken word for word from Spaulding’s manuscript called “Manuscript Found”. Unfortunately for all of Spaulding’s lying friends and family, Manuscript Found is found and doesn’t resemble anything in the Book of Mormon...

In a premium episode several weeks ago Gerrit may or may have gone on a rant about Doctor Philastus Hurlbut and Solomon Spaulding and we wanted to play a section of that rant. So In this episode, Gerrit provides additional context to Hurlbut and the Solomon Spaulding Manuscript. Gerrit also talks about the Restoration Proclamation that was read during General Conference in April 2020. Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com If you have any questions...

We continue our discussion of Eliza Gibbs and the trials she suffered in Nauvoo, Iowa, and Utah. Despite her difficulty, she remained faithful. Gerrit shares a letter to Eliza from Wilford Woodruff to comfort her and share with her the laws that govern angels and spirits that depart this life.   Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ ⁠https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com⁠ We had a couple of cancelations and have a couple of spots available on the Palmyra/Kirtland tour and 2 spots...

We begin this episode, like most episodes, with a discussion of the faith crisis of a 19th-century 20-year-old woman with consumption (tuberculosis). She has a miraculous experience and seven years later is introduced to the gospel. She believes the message immediately and despite the opposition she faced by her family she joins the Church.  Images mentioned on the podcast: ⁠https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/13hmR2rOTiVKUWRZblFsmG9hTwIu7R_oU?usp=share_link⁠ Sign up for our free monthly...

In this episode, Gerrit discusses D&C 128 and the identity of the Angel Raphael. We start with what we know from modern revelation and then bring in the Apocrypha. We talk about the Book of Tobit, written by Tobit, where Raphael is discussed but his identity is not disclosed. Gerrit also discusses the Book of Jude and the Book of Enoch. The Book of Enoch is not in the Apocrypha but was mentioned in the Book of Jude and was in circulation at the time of Jesus. Photo of Raphael binding a...

Gerrit shares some of his thoughts about the responses to several talks during General Conference. He compares the responses of General Conference to the responses to “The Vision”. We read a letter from Joseph Smith discussing the response to “The Vision”. We also had a very kind anonymous donor offer to pay for the Standard of Truth Tour for six people. We are calling it the Dirk Moss Scholarship. The gift is for the Palmyra/Kirtland tour and people would still be responsible for booking...

In this episode, Richard starts by thanking all the kind listeners who donated money to help 118 people in Peru travel to the Arequipa Temple. We discuss a listener’s question about Joseph Smith telling the missionaries in Cincinnati to wash the dust of that wicked city off their feet. Gerrit talks about the likely origin of that story and provides additional context. We also discuss the keys given to Joseph Smith by Michael and Gabriel and where we learn that Michael is Adam and Gabriel is...

On Thursday we released an episode that sounded like it was recorded in Gerrit’s bathroom in a cave. We fixed the audio and explained how you can access it. We also give our thoughts from the 194th Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Spoiler Alert, we liked it. Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com The Kirtland temple is under new management. See it with us the first week of June. We have ordered a larger...

We had a corrupted audio file that made the episode sound terrible. We have fixed the audio quality, however, the terrible content remains. We apologize for the inconvenience. We begin the episode with how a person can resolve concerns they may have with Church history. Gerrit begins by sharing several statements from Martin Harris as he witnesses of the Gold Plates. He also shares a testimony of Oliver Cowdery For details about our live studio audience recording on Saturday, March 16th...

In this episode, we really wanted everyone in attendance to feel comfortable, so we discussed politics and polygamy. We learned the history of political parties in Utah, and we talked about the insanity of Idaho’s Anti-Mormon Constitution that disenfranchised Mormons regardless of whether or not they practiced polygamy. We also learned that Richard is not capacitated to pronounce the word “anarchist”. Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com The...

Like every sitcom in the 1980s, this episode was recorded in front of a live studio audience. We cannot even begin to thank all the amazing people who attended the event. People came from all over the country and we cannot properly articulate how much fun we had. Many listeners to the show brought friends and significant others who do not listen and have never listened. These people brought to the show against their will are the true heroes among us just behind the military, teachers,...

We finally get back to the Witnesses of the Book of Mormon. Sure, we first spend a little time talking about the Book of Abraham and the characters copied from the gold plates, but then we jump right into the Whitmer family being baptized. After much “teasing” by Martin, Oliver, and David Joseph Smith goes to the Lord and receives D&C 17 as a revelation. The Angel Moroni shows the gold plates to Oliver, David, and Martin, and the voice of the Lord commands them to testify of the Book of...

In this bonus episode, we replay sections of a previous episode from season 3 where we discuss the origin of the Hosanna Shout and the dedication of the Kirtland Temple.

In this episode, we discuss the historic purchase of the Kirtland Temple and other Nauvoo properties. Gerrit provides additional insight into the properties that the Church has acquired.  Map of Nauvoo: ⁠https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/bc-jsp/content/jsp/images/content/library/pdf/D10_Nauvoo-Plat.pdf⁠ For details about our live studio audience recording on Saturday, March 16th please sign up for our free newsletter: ⁠⁠https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com/⁠⁠ If you would like to...

In this bonus episode, we discuss additional details of our live event on Saturday, March 16th at 6:00 PM in Orem.  Space is limited so if you would like to purchase tickets to attend the event please click on the link below to sign up for the free monthly newsletter: ⁠https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com/⁠

In this episode, we begin the podcast by talking about the pseudepigraphal nature of some of the books of the New Testament and the problem with the process academics use for identifying pseudepigraphal records. We also talk about the importance of modern-day revelation in understanding the scriptures. A litner talks about their frustration with politics making their way into their Sunday experience and Gerrit shares a quote from Brigham Young that squashes the idea of political arguments in...

In this episode, we take a slight departure from the Witnesses of the Book of Mormon to answer a litner’s question about Oliver’s attempt to translate the Book of Mormon. Gerrit provides additional context for Doctrine and Covenants Sections 7, 8, and 9. In addition, we find out that California exports 56 million pounds of cilantro per year. For details about our live studio audience recording on Saturday, March 16th please sign up for our free...

Richard feels so confident coming off his first-ever successful football pick (Kansas City over San Francisco) that he predicts the Collingwood Magpies to repeat winning back-to-back McClelland Trophies under the veteran leadership of Jack Crisp. Gerrit discusses the context and history of Doctrine and Covenants sections 10 and 17. Gerrit also talks about the items seen by the Three Witnesses, the Urim and Thummim, and the pattern the Lord has in making changes to revelations. For details...

In this episode, we continue our discussion about the witnesses of the Gold Plates, but we start with Richard’s picks for the Super Bowl which he claims to be his stone-cold lock of the century. We also read several wonderful emails from listeners. For those that care to listen to more spiritual matters the Rex’s Elders Quorum President start time is 27:17. We talk about a vision of the Savior had by Oliver Cowdery and his coming to Harmony to begin the work of translation. For details about...

In this episode, we continue our discussion about the witnesses of the Gold Plates. We discuss the setting where Joseph first learns that he will be allowed to show the plates to witnesses. We also talk about the attempt by Lucy Harris to force Joseph to show the plates or be found guilty of fraud. Rex’s Elders Quorum President start time: 17:37 For details about our live studio audience recording on Saturday, March 16th please sign up for our free newsletter:...

In a surprise usurpation of power, Richard presents a top five list of facts surrounding modern day polygamy before Gerrit can shut his microphone off. We answer a listener’s question about when Joseph might have realized that he was indeed called as a prophet and then begin a discussion about the heavy burden Joseph Smith carried even after he obtained the plates because he was not allowed to show others. Lucy Harris demands to see the plates. If you would like to join us on a Standard of...

We are excited to annouce a recording of the Standard of Truth Podcast in front of a live studio audience. We would love for you to come. We are working on possible venues and are tentatively looking at the date of Saturday March 16th. We will have some fun giveaways and will be answering listeners questions. All of the details as well as tickets for the event will be found in our monthly newsletter. We hope to see you there. Please sign up by clicking in the link below: ⁠Subscribe to...

In this episode we discuss some of the implications of Calvinism at the time of the Restoration juxtaposed against the religious world today and discussed the history behind the Book of Mormon Title Page and the early attacks on Joseph Smith from the same Egbert Grandin that would eventually publish the Book of Mormon. If you would like to join us on a Standard of Truth Tour in the summer of 2024 please sign up at: https://standardoftruth.com/tours/ If you have any questions or possible...

In this episode, we discuss an obscure anti-Mormon argument that confronted a missionary in the field. The story is about Arnold Potter a former member of the Church that became a self-declared Messiah and referred to himself as Potter Christ. At the end of the episode, Gerrit brings this crazy story back to current issues that we face from modern-day apostate arguments. Rick Duke’s Top 5 Favorite Potters 1. Beatrix Potter (wrote The Tale of Peter Rabbit) 2. Lily Potter (Harry’s mom) 3....