Radio Free Mormon

WHY MORMONS HAVE TO LIE ABOUT MORMONISM. RFM and Kolby Reddish take Austin Fife out behind the woodshed yet again in this newest analysis of “The Light and Truth Letter.” The more Austin defends the LDS Church, the deeper the hole he digs for Mormonism. In Chapter 19 titled “Critical Myths,” Austin Fife proves that truth should be no obstacle in defending the Mormon Church. RFM and Kolby are right there to point out all the lies, half-truths and distortions that Austin must use to make Mormonism defensible. And then they address the real elephant in the living room: Why do Mormons have to lie in order to defend Mormonism? This is one you won’t want to miss!

When Radio Free Mormon says this is the show the LDS church doesn’t want you to see, he’s not kidding! The LDS church already took down the original version of this episode by lodging a copyright strike against it with YouTube. But now, what with Dallin H. Oaks being made president of the LDS church, and what with excommunications on the rise again, this message has never been more timely! Is there a connection between increasing church discipline and President Oaks’s injunction to local leaders that they need to excommunicate more members? Listen, and you decide

Radio Free Mormon and Kolby Reddish dissect chapter 17 of Austin Fife’s Light On Truth Letter. Easily the worst chapter so far, Austin inadvertently reveals a lot about himself, including the fact that the way he deals with critics of Mormonism is to “stop listening to them.” This was surprising from somebody who wrote an entire book to address their arguments, but there you have it. Austin also lets us know that he systematically mischaracterizes critics of Mormonism as the worst people on the planet so he can make Mormons look good by comparison. It is a tour de force of bad apologetics. And you get a front row seat! Don’t forget your popcorn! And remember to fasten your seatbelt. It’s going to be a bumpy night!

Tonight on Mormonism Live we celebrate the 5th anniversary of Mormonism Live. 5 years of in depth dives into Mormon History. 5 Years of examining the theology of the LDS Church, 5 years of current events. All on a weekly live show designed to entertain you! It’s our 5th Anniversary special, and we’re turning the show over to you. Call in and tell us your favorite episodes, your favorite RFM breakdowns, your favorite Bill Reel rants, the moments that shocked you, cracked you up, or helped you see Mormonism in a whole new way. Whether you’ve been with us since Episode 1 or joined somewhere in the chaos, this community has carried the show for five years and tonight we’re celebrating every wild, weird, hilarious, and meaningful moment we’ve created together. Come hang out, share your story, and help us look back on the episodes that shaped the conversation. If you want to support the work we do, donations for Mormonism Live can be made here:https://donorbox.org/mormonism-live And if anyone needs support dealing with spiritual trauma, 1-on-1 coaching and support groups are available athttps://awakenandthrive.org/ Let’s make this anniversary one to remember.  

A lot of people feel down around the holidays. So did RFM! But a few years ago, RFM stumbled across some wisdom from a guy who lived 2,000 years ago that turned everything around. And maybe it will for you, too! RFM shares how he used to be in love with Christmas as a boy, how he parted ways with Christmas in a messy break-up, and how after a long period of alienation, they finally got back together. Join RFM as he tells the wonderful stories that led him through this experience, and how he gained an unexpected insight into the authorship of D&C 132 along the way! This message is for everyone who loves Christmas, and for those who used to love Christmas and would like to love it again!

Oliver Cowdery was more than Joseph Smith’s scribe. Oliver was a co-founder of the Mormon movement, a visionary of sacred experiences with Heavenly Messengers, and one of the three witnesses to the Book of Mormon’s golden plates as well as an angel. But what happens when that witness walks away? In this episode of Mormonism Live, we dive deep into Cowdery’s life, exploring his pivotal role in early Church history, his fiery fallout with Joseph, and the twists and turns of his life outside Mormonism and in the end, back in. Did he ever truly deny his testimony? Are there holes in his credibility? And what does his journey say about the reliability of the Book of Mormon’s origin story? Join us as we trace the complex, fascinating arc of a man who saw angels, practiced law, stood in courtrooms—and maybe stood on the edge of belief itself. CRUISE INFO:To Register For the Cruise – https://kheskethtravel.com/post-mormon-celebration-cruiseAdditional Info – https://mormondiscussionpodcast.org/post-mormon-celebration-cruise/ Help support Bill Reel & Radio Free Mormon in making informative entertaining content that shines a light on truth and leads with transparency. DONATE VIA DONORBOX! https://donorbox.org/mormonism-live Join our Mailing List – subscribepage.io/MormonDiscussionhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mormon-discussions-podcasts-full-lineup/id562296100https://open.spotify.com/show/0lEZJF0ZH6ccoteUP9Z4Fu Instagram: /https://www.instagram.com/mormondiscussion/ TikTok: @mormondiscussion https://www.tiktok.com/@mormondiscussion Mormon Discussion Merch store https://www.exmoshirts.com/collections/mormondiscussions Mormon Discussions Website – https://mormondiscussions.org/ Contact Bill Reel, RFM, and the Mormon Discussions Team: MormonDiscussionsPodcasts@gmail.com

In this follow-up to “To Catch a Thief,” Radio Free Mormon and Bill Reel return with a deeper, wider investigation into the claims and credibility of Ward Radio’s Jonah Barnes. Last time, we showed clear evidence that Barnes lifted Eldon Watson’s Adam-God research and passed it off as his own. This time, we broaden the lens. RFM and Bill walk through a lineup of respected scholars and historians whose work directly contradicts Barnes’s narratives, exposing just how far he’s been stretching, bending, or outright stealing ideas to prop up his platform. When someone pretends to be a scholar but builds influence on borrowed work, eventually the bill comes due. But the story doesn’t stop at plagiarism. In this episode, we document an additional example of theft that goes well beyond plagiarism. This episode lays out the receipts. Clear. Detailed. Irrefutable. If you care about integrity in Mormon scholarship, or you’ve just been waiting for the sequel, this is the deep dive you’ve been asking for.RESOURCES: https://mrm.org/jonah-barnes https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/assets/e6a939a0-3402-4771-814d-4eaf2547e613/0/0?lang=engRUISE INFO: To Register For the Cruise – https://kheskethtravel.com/post-mormon-celebration-cruise Additional Info – https://mormondiscussionpodcast.org/post-mormon-celebration-cruise/Help support Bill Reel & Radio Free Mormon in making informative entertaining content that shines a light on truth and leads with transparency. DONATE VIA DONORBOX! https://donorbox.org/mormonism-live Join our Mailing List – subscribepage.io/MormonDiscussion https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mormon-discussions-podcasts-full-lineup/id562296100 https://open.spotify.com/show/0lEZJF0ZH6ccoteUP9Z4Fu Instagram: /https://www.instagram.com/mormondiscussion/ TikTok: @mormondiscussion https://www.tiktok.com/@mormondiscussion Mormon Discussion Merch store https://www.exmoshirts.com/collections/mormondiscussions Mormon Discussions Website – https://mormondiscussions.org/ Contact Bill Reel, RFM, and the Mormon Discussions Team: MormonDiscussionsPodcasts@gmail.com

In this episode, we break down the story of a Latter-day Saint Bishop who when he was currently serving when he officially stepped away from the Mormon Church. We’ll walk through what led to his decision, what he saw behind the curtain as a leader, and how the gap between the Church’s public messaging and its private reality became impossible for him to ignore. This isn’t just another faith transition story. It’s a rare account from someone who lived the system, moved up in the ward hierarchy, enforced the rules, and finally couldn’t keep pretending the narrative matched the facts. We’ll also talk about the fallout: how his ward reacted, how local leaders tried to handle the situation, and what this kind of departure says about the broader institutional cracks appearing inside modern Mormonism. It’s raw, honest, and a window into the experiences that thousands in leadership quietly wrestle with. Support Mormonism Live: https://mormonismlive.org/Donate-To-Mormonism-Live/ If anyone needs support dealing with spiritual trauma, 1-on-1 coaching and support groups are available at https://awakenandthrive.org/ To Join the Post-Mormon Celebration Cruise – https://kheskethtravel.com/post-mormon-celebration-cruise/And for more info on the cruise – https://mormondiscussionpodcast.org/post-mormon-celebrati

Radio Free Mormon is joined once again by esteemed co-counsel Kolby Reddish to take apart yet another chapter of Austin Fife’s “Light On Truth Letter.” RFM and Kolby agree this has got to be the crappiest chapter in an otherwise crappy book. But sometimes, the crappier the chapter, the longer it takes to break down. We point out numerous logical fallacies Austin Fife engages in to try to make Mormon plural marriage defensible, many of which Austin Fife mentioned earlier in his own book! That’s right! Austin Fife sets forth in the first chapter of his book a list of logical fallacies to be aware of when used by critics. This turns out to be a timely warning, as Austin Fife proceeds to employ pretty much every logical fallacy he lists; seven of them at least in this chapter alone! Join RFM and Kolby as they continue the work of making mincemeat of this mouse, Austin Fife!

In this episode, Radio Free Mormon welcomes Bill Reel into the studio for a deep-dive investigation into a troubling pattern coming out of the Ward Radio camp. RFM walks viewers through clear, point-by-point evidence that Ward Radio’s Jonah Barnes is presenting another scholar’s research as if it were his own. Bill acts as the jury weighing the evidence and speaks to why this matters for anyone trying to do responsible Mormon scholarship. And in the end you get a front row seat as RFM attempts to catch a thief. They also explore what happens to a community when influencers cut corners, how repeated plagiarism undermines trust, and why ethical standards in religious commentary are more than just academic nitpicking. With RFM’s legal mind and Bill’s grounded ethics teaming up, the two present a compelling case that pulls no punches while keeping the conversation accessible, sharp, and genuinely eye-opening.