Milagre 
The “Men on the Moon” Question A listener asked whether Joseph Smith ever taught that the moon was inhabited by people dressed “like Quakers.” The episode uses this question to illustrate how to evaluate historical claims about prophets and doctrine. Many critical arguments follow a familiar pattern: Assert: “Joseph Smith said X.” Quote a late … Read more
Question About the Illuminati and the Temple A missionary reported teaching a family whose father once investigated the Church and had prepared for baptism. Before his baptism, he watched an illegal video of the temple endowment online. Disturbed by what he saw and by perceived similarities to other religious rites, he asked a member why … Read more
Revelation 11: Summary of the Prophecy Revelation 11 describes two special witnesses who will appear in Jerusalem in the last days: The city is under hostile control for 42 months (three and a half years). Two prophets prophesy there for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth. They demonstrate power reminiscent of ancient prophets: Calling down fire, … Read more
Jesus’ family has been understood in different ways throughout Christian history. Traditions about Mary’s parents, interpretations of Jesus’ siblings, and non-canonical writings have all shaped how believers understand Jesus’ family beyond the New Testament record. Jesus’ Family and Traditions About Mary’s Mother Some modern reflections highlight the devotion or righteousness of Mary’s mother without referencing … Read more
Traditional Christian Teaching on the Trinity In mainstream Christian theology developed through the early creeds, God is understood as one divine being who eternally exists as three distinct persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three persons are not interchangeable and are not manifestations of a single role, yet they share one … Read more
Are “Mormons” Christian? – Part 1 President Polk’s Motive for the Mormon Battalion It was long assumed that President James K. Polk called for the Mormon Battalion out of military necessity and that the Saints responded patriotically. Traditional narratives describe this as mutually beneficial: the U.S. gained troops for the Mexican-American War, and the Saints … Read more
Counterfeiting Scholarship – Part 1 Introduction These episodes analyze how historical claims about Joseph Smith and early Latter-day Saint history are often misused, misinterpreted, or built on weak methodology. They explain how legitimate historical scholarship works and contrast it with common problems found in anti-LDS arguments, especially those presented in a modern book alleging that … Read more
Old Testament Background: Suffering and Divine Punishment In the Old Testament, suffering is frequently framed as a consequence of wickedness: The Kingdom of Israel (the Ten Tribes) was destroyed because of its wickedness. The Kingdom of Judah fell and was carried into Babylonian captivity for the same reason. This creates a simple worldview: God directly … Read more
Overview of Postmaster General Amos Kendall Amos Kendall and Political Power in the Postal System Amos Kendall served as Postmaster General under President Andrew Jackson. During the 19th century, the Postmaster General held vast national power because the postal system was one of the few large federal structures. Kendall became widely known for using the … Read more
Early Life and Family Background Garrett Dirkmaat was born on Halloween as the fifth child in a large family with five brothers and one sister. His father was an immigrant from the Netherlands, born during the German occupation of World War II. Hearing stories of wartime experiences deeply shaped Garrett’s early fascination with history. Childhood … Read more