Shows / Standard of Truth
Standard of Truth
The purpose of this podcast is to help Latter-Day Saints better understand their history and increase their faith. The podcast hosted by Dr. Gerrit Dirkmaat, associate professor of Church History and Doctrine at BYU.
Episodes
- Standard of Truth
S3E48 Walking on Water Part 1
We respond to a question from a sister serving her mission in Pennsylvania who had someone call them up and share an outlandish story about Mormons attempting…
- Standard of Truth
S3B4 Every Time A Bell Rings, An Angel Doesn’t Get Their Wings
This episode that was referenced in Moroni Part 5 and so we wanted to make it easier to find by dropping it as a bonus episode. We hope you have a Happy…
- Standard of Truth
S3E47 Moroni Part 5
We conclude the five-part series on the Angel Moroni. We discuss additional scolding and training that Moroni gives to the Prophet Joseph Smith. We also spend…
- Standard of Truth
S3E46 Moroni Part 4
We conclude our four-part series on the Angel Moroni by admitting that there will be at least one more episode on the Angel Moroni. We talk about the…
- Standard of Truth
S3E45 Moroni Part 3
In this episode, we discuss the book I gave Gerrit for his birthday. The book was a review of the opinion that the Supreme Court rendered in 1878 in the case…
- Standard of Truth
S3E44 Moroni Part 2
In this episode, we continue our discussion about Moroni’s interaction with Joseph Smith. If you would like to join us on a Standard of Truth Tour in the…
- Standard of Truth
S3E43 Moroni Part 1
In this episode, we review some of the extensive feedback we received in the Hero Worship episodes and then start the long process of answering a question we…
- Standard of Truth
S3E42 Hero Worship Part 2
In this episode, we continue our discussion on hero worship and give several examples from the early days of Joseph Smith. If you would like to join us on a…
- Standard of Truth
S3E41 Hero Worship Part 1
In this episode, we begin with an emailer's question about dogs going to heaven. We also discuss the problem of “hero worship” in the church. The point is made…
- Standard of Truth
S3E40 History of the Hosanna Shout
In this episode, we discuss the history of the Hosanna shout from Kirtland to Salt Lake and beyond. If you would like to join us on a Standard of Truth Tour in…
- Standard of Truth
S3E39 Baptism Required for Salvation
In this episode, we discuss the claim made by the pastor at Alvin Smith’s funeral that Alvin was in hell because he wasn’t baptized. We go on to discuss the…
- Standard of Truth
S3E38 Colonizing the Holy Land
In this episode, we discuss the bizarre conclusion to George Adam's attempts to found a Church prepared for the Second Coming and Richard learns that at least…
- Standard of Truth
S3E37 Apostles, Apostates, and Apothecaries: George Adams
In this week’s episode, a listener's question about the Council of Fifty leads us to a discussion of George Adams and a blistering letter from his brother…
- Standard of Truth
S3B4 Okay, Let’s Try That Again
We were so excited to launch our Standard of Truth Tours for 2024...and then our credit card processor (Square) crashed. We talk about a couple of funny things…
- Standard of Truth
S3B3 Standard of Truth Tours 2024
We are excited to announce two tours in 2024. Please click on the link for additional details https://standardoftruth.com/tours/
- Standard of Truth
S3E36 Questioning Richard’s Understanding of Authority
In this week’s episode, a listener takes Richard to the woodshed because she believes his discussion of what constitutes a "general authority" is incorrect. We…
- Standard of Truth
S3E35 The Final Charge to the Twelve
We discuss the final charge of Joseph Smith to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles wherein Joseph gave all of the keys he possessed to the Twelve collectively…
- Standard of Truth
S3E34 The Standard of Truth Has Been Erected
Disclaimer: Halfway through the episode Richard’s mic stopped working. You’re welcome. In this episode, we answer a thoughtful listener's question about the…
- Standard of Truth
S3E33 Why Me?
In this episode, we finally get to a persistent listener’s email. We didn’t come close to answering his question, but by reading a portion of his email we felt…
- Standard of Truth
S3E32 ”Mormon Hell”
Richard and Gerrit discuss Gerrit’s favorite topic…Mormon Hell…or the lack thereof in response to a listener’s question. Rex’s Elder’s Quorum President should…
- Standard of Truth
S3E31 Building Temples
We answer a few listeners’ questions about the Joseph Smith Papers and then about the building of temples for Latter-day Saints in the last days. Rex’s Elder’s…
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S3E30 Speaking in Tongues in the Early Church
Rex’s Elder’s Quorum President should begin listening at the 8th minute If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts…
- Standard of Truth
S3E29 Joseph Smith’s Public Rebuke of Brigham Young
In this episode, we discuss the well-known story of Brigham Young being publicly rebuked by Joseph and its origin. We also discuss who really was the first…
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S3E28 Getting ”Bogged” Down by Alleged Prophecy Part 2
Gerrit and Richard continue discussing John C. Bennett's role in claiming Joseph Smith ordered Porter Rockwell to murder Boggs and put up a reward for it. They…
- Standard of Truth
S3E27 Getting ”Bogged” Down By Alleged Prophecy Part 1
In this two-part conversation, Richard and Gerrit discuss a listener's inquiry about a rumored Joseph Smith prophecy about the death and grave of former…
- Standard of Truth
S3B2 Rerelease of the 4th of July Extravaganza
We wanted to rerelease our 4th of July Extravaganza episode. What better way to celebrate our nation's independence than rereleasing an episode that talks…
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S3E26 Apostles and Apostates Part 1 (the Calling of the Twelve Apostles)
We apologize that we had some sound issues with Richard’s microphone. The good news is that Gerrit’s mic sounds great. In this episode, we begin our discussion…
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S3E25 Standard of Truth Tour: Recorded Live Before a Studio Audience
In this episode, we take a swing at recording the podcast in front of a studio audience while on the Standard of Truth Tour's maiden voyage. We talk about the…
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S3E24 The History and Doctrine of Baptism for the Dead
We answer a listener’s question about the actual burial location of Seymour Brunson. It was during his funeral sermon that Joseph Smith first taught the…
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S3E23 Joseph Smith Stepping Down As Prophet
We answer a listener’s question about something he heard from a political science professor about Joseph Smith supposedly becoming so frustrated with the…
- Standard of Truth
S3E22 Happiness Part 2
In this episode, we continue our discussion of the “Happiness Letter” and how it came to be regarded as an authentic teaching of the prophet Joseph Smith…
- Standard of Truth
S3E21 Happiness Part 1
We begin a discussion about one of the most well-known documents in Latter-day Saint history and its provenance. We get to bag on one of the great villains of…
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S3E20 Dreadful Resurrection
In this episode, we answer a listener's question about an obscure Joseph Smith quote that was once related in General Conference. Richard barely contains his…
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S3E19 Did Joseph Smith Really Use A Seer Stone?
In this episode, we hear from a longsuffering listener and member in Wisconsin, who take a brief break from constantly filling baptismal fonts to let us know…
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S3E18 D&C 4 and 5 (formerly premium content from HPFOP)
As it is the season when many missionaries receive their callings, we want to help provide additional resources for mission prep. In this episode, we replay a…
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S3E17 The Beginnings of the Apostasy (formerly premium content from JSR)
As it is the season when many missionaries receive their callings, we want to help provide additional resources for mission prep. In this episode, we replay a…
- Standard of Truth
S3E16 Missionary Extravaganza
In this episode, we discuss some of the topics that are important to study as you prepare to serve a mission. Gerrit also shares several stories of early…
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S3E15 Bad Sources and Animal Sacrifice
In this episode, we answer a missionary's inquiry about antagonistic claims that Joseph Smith and his family performed animal sacrifices. Richard also gets…
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S3E14 Free Will or Fate
We respond to a listener's question about a sacred ordinance and another listener's question about whether or not we are truly free to act if God has…
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S3E13 What Documents Should the Church Keep Private?
In this episode, we discuss the documents that the Church chooses to make public versus those they decide to keep private. Yup, archive talk. If that doesn't…
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S3E12 The Changing Name of the Church
Last week we said we were going to answer this question. This week we do, kind of, part of it. In this episode, we answer a listener’s email about the changing…
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S3E11 Do We Choose Our Family in the Premortal Existence?
I mean, maybe, we don’t know. In this episode, we respond to a listener's email about whether we choose our families in the premortal existence or are assigned…
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S3E10 Who is Saved and Who Burns in Hell?
In this episode, we receive one of the greatest emails in Standard of Truth Podcast history where the emailer lists all of the subjects we claimed we would…
- Standard of Truth
S3E9 Joseph Smith’s Commentary on the Sermon on the Mount
In this episode, we discuss the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible and spend some time on the Sermon on the Mount. We also read an email about how popular…
- Standard of Truth
S3E8 How Can We Know?
In this episode, a listener asks some questions stemming from their visit to the “School of the Prophets” of an apostate group. The discussion revolves around…
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S3B1 Presidents Day Potpourri of Potent Potable Questions
In this bonus episode, Richard fires away random questions to Gerrit from the fun for Latter-day Saint family game "Blast from the Past". #RIPMillardFillmore…
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S3E7 Manslaughter or Accident: A Baptism Tragedy
In this episode, we respond to a listener’s inquiry about a woman who tragically died during her baptism in England in 1843. We discuss the various accounts…
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S3E6 Men (Quakers) on the Moon
A listener’s question about an oft repeated attack on the Church, is part of our discussion on sources. An antagonist claimed that Joseph Smith said Quakers…
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S3E5 Peter, James, and John
In this episode we start by responding to a missionary’s question about the Illuminati’s involvement in the temple ceremony…spoiler alert, there wasn’t any…
- Standard of Truth
S3E4 Who Are the Two Prophets Who Die in Jerusalem?
We respond to a listener’s inquiry about the identity of the two prophets whose deaths in Jerusalem are prophesied of in Revelation. They ask a question about…
- Standard of Truth
S3E3 Brigham Young and John Taylor “Never Friends”
In this episode we discuss the relationship between Brigham Young and John Taylor. We read an email from a descendant of John Taylor who shares a story from…
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S3E2 Jesus’ Family
A recent internet post about the mother of Mary and a question about whether or not Jesus had brothers and sisters led to a discussion that examined early…
- Standard of Truth
S3E1 The Trinity and the Nature of God
Welcome to Season 3 of the Standard of Truth Podcast. In this episode we continue our discussion on the nature of God, the Trinity, and the question “Are…
- Standard of Truth
S2E51 Are ”Mormons” Christian? Part 3
We wrap up our foray into early Christian theology (for now) and discuss some of the unique aspects of Latter-day Saint theology that are different from…
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S2E50 Are ”Mormons” Christian? Part 2
The discussion about Latter-day Saint beliefs about Christ and early Christian history continues from the previous week. Because we were traveling outside of…
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S2E49 Are ”Mormons” Christian? Part 1
A recent uptick in social media conversations about whether or not Latter-day Saints (Mormons) are really Christians causes Gerrit and Richard to wade into…
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S2E48 The Problem with Punctuation
In this episode Gerrit examines the claims that particular emphasis was given to part of Joseph Smith History by way of punctuation. Few things are more…
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S2E47 Mormon Battalion Part 4
In this episode, Gerrit finally gets to the Mormon Battalion and exposes James K. Polk as the liar he is. Controversial we know, we only hope that Gerrit’s…
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S2E46 Mormon Battalion Part 3
In this episode, we continue with our discussion of the context for the Mormon Battalion as the Federal Government continues its disinformation campaign with…