Mormon Discussion Podcast

We sit down with Janet Eyring. She tells her story of being a seeker, losing faith and leaving the Church, the sense of loss from having missed out on the faith of her youth while spending 20 years outside the Church, and her return the LDS Church. We talk about how her advice for those with similar journeys and where her faith has brought her. Janet L. Eyring (BA Spanish, Brigham Young University; MA TESOL and Ph.D. Applied Linguistics, UCLA) chaired the Department of Modern Languages at California State University, Fullerton, from 2003-2010. She is currently a professor of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). Her research and teaching interests include: Methods of Teaching Reading and Writing, Pedagogical Grammar, Second Language Curriculum, Second Language Assessment, Experiential Learning, Technology and Language Learning, and Service-Learning. She served on the ICAS ELL Task Force to study ESL students in California public higher education and is a current member of the English Language Advisory Panel for the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, investigating teacher preparation for English Language Learners (ELLs) in California. She is married to Brian Thompson and has two step-children, Melanie Thompson Spencer and Melissa Thompson. https://mormonscholarstestify.org/2334/janet-l-eyring http://www.fairmormon.org/perspectives/fair-conferences/2013-fair-conference/2013-the-loss-and-rekindling-of-faith http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865584385/Panelists-discuss-leaving-and-returning-to-the-LDS-Church-at-FAIR-conference.html?pg=all The post 071: Janet Eyring: Once Was Lost But Now Am Found appeared first on Mormon Discussion by Bill Reel.

Today I want to express my Gratitude for what “The powers that be” (First Presidency, Quorum of the 12 Apostles, Curriculum committee, and others who impact what I hear and learn on Sundays) have done to help me in my trial of faith.  I also want to ask and offer ideas on behalf of me and all who struggle for things that seem reasonable and which would lessen one’s trial of faith. I hope this reaches those who have the ability to impact such things. The post 070: My request to Church Leadership appeared first on Mormon Discussion by Bill Reel.

[[[ WARNING — WARNING — WARNING ]]] – This episode contains mature conversation that may be inappropriate for young listeners. Today we sit down with Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife, licensed psychotherapist, who Specializes in Individual and Couples Counseling. We talk today about LDS sexuality, how it is affected by LDS Culture and Doctrine and how to battle sexual suppression found in LDS culture. We also specifically address Masturbation and Oral Sex within LDS culture and Doctrine. We end speaking how to be more proactive in stopping sexual abuse. While this is a sensitive and at times embarrassing topic, it is a crucial discussion to healthy LDS relationships. http://www.finlayson-fife.com/html/homepage.html . http://www.drjenniferfife.blogspot.com/ Here is the link to check out the classes she holds http://rationalfaiths.com/lets-talk-sex/#comment-32233http://rationalfaiths.com/lets-talk-sex/#comment-32233 The post 069: Jennifer Finlayson-Fife: LDS sexuality appeared first on Mormon Discussion by Bill Reel.

Today’s episode focuses on discussing some assumptions about what we know about the 12 Apostles in the Meridian of Time.  We use as a backdrop for this episode an article titled “Fishers of Fish, Fishers of Men” where non LDS author Jerome Murphy-O’Connor discusses the Historical context of these men were.  We end this episode then relaying how this understanding changes our assumptions about another scripture. RESOURCES http://appuntisugerusalemme.it/Dati/Fisher%20of%20fish,%20fisher%20of%20men.htm http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-sites-places/biblical-archaeology-sites/the-house-of-peter-the-home-of-jesus-in-capernaum/ http://www.allaboutarchaeology.org/house-of-peter-at-capernaum-faq.htm The post 068: Fisher’s of Men appeared first on Mormon Discussion by Bill Reel.

Today we talk about the far reaching repercussions beyond the sole issue of the priesthood ban.  I attempt to show our Church is growing up and while this announcement provides problematic issues to work on such as defining Doctrine and how we as members dissent it also shows great maturation of the Church and may indeed usher in a whole new paradigm in which we view what the Church is and how we define it. http://www.lds.org/topics/race-and-the-priesthood?lang=eng http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/04/the-doctrine-of-christ?lang=eng http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/no-other-gods?lang=eng http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/come-join-with-us?lang=eng http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/trial-of-your-faith?lang=eng https://mormonstories.org/other/Lowry_Nelson_1st_Presidency_Exchange.pdf http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_racial_issues/Blacks_and_the_priesthood/Statements   The post 067: Repercussions of the LDS.org’s Race article appeared first on Mormon Discussion by Bill Reel.

I sit down with Valerie Hudson and discuss feminism and being who you are in spite of the pressure to conform. we also touch on subjects like mental illness, her conversion, and the ordain women movement. Dr. Valerie Hudson joined the faculty of the Bush School in 2012 as the George Bush Chair. An expert on international security and foreign policy analysis, she received her PhD in political science at The Ohio State University and comes to Texas A&M University from a senior faculty position at Brigham Young University. In 2009, Foreign Policy named her one of the top 100 Most Influential Global Thinkers. Her co-authored book, Bare Branches: Security Implications of Asia’s Surplus Male Population, and the research it presents, received major attention from the media with coverage in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Financial Times, Washington Post, BBC, CNN, and numerous other outlets. The book also received two national book awards. Her latest co-authored book is Sex and World Peace, published by Columbia University Press; and her current book project is The Hillary Doctrine: How Sex Came to matter in American Foreign Policy. Dr. Hudson developed a nation-by-nation database on women (http://womanstats.org) that triggered both academic and policy interest (the latter includes its use by both the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee and various agencies of the United Nations). Using this data, Hudson and her co-principal investigators from The WomanStats Project have published a wide variety of empirical work linking the security of women to the security of states, with research appearing in International Security, the Journal of Peace Research, Political Psychology, and Politics and Gender. Dr. Hudson offers core courses on research methods for national security and defense students, adding important new seminars on women and nations as well as foreign policy analysis. Throughout her career, Dr. Hudson has demonstrated a strong commitment to collaboration with other scholars both in her own field and in other disciplines, and received significant research grants, including grants from the National Science Foundation, to support her work in international affairs. Her research and teaching experience is also complemented by three major teaching awards and numerous research awards. Hudson served as vice president of the International Studies Association for 2011-2012. She is a founding editorial board member of Foreign Policy Analysis, and also serves on the editorial boards of Politics and Gender and International Studies Review. More information can be found on her professional website, http://vmrhudson.org . The post 066: Valerie Hudson: Mormon Feminist appeared first on Mormon Discussion by Bill Reel.

Today we spend time discussing the narrative and timeline of the Priesthood ban, it subsequent rescinding. We also talk about the wider breadth of its impact on Doctrine http://www.lds.org/topics/race-and-the-priesthood?lang=eng http://www.pbs.org/mormons/interviews/holland.html https://mormonstories.org/other/Lowry_Nelson_1st_Presidency_Exchange.pdf http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/trial-of-your-faith?lang=eng http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=1570 The post 065: Race, Priesthood, and Doctrine appeared first on Mormon Discussion by Bill Reel.

In today’s episode we explore who is called of God and where those called of God can be found. We end correlating this with understanding how we should treat those of other faiths. – Are only leaders in the LDS church “called” of God? – Is there a valid reason to be arrogant on any level because God has placed you in the LDS Church? – Does LDS Doctrine and theology allow for us to see LDS leaders as only one small segment of those called of God to lead his children unto Salvation? The post 064: Called Of God appeared first on Mormon Discussion by Bill Reel.

Todays episode is an interview with Mark Ashurst-McGee. He is an employee of the Church History Department. He is also one of the editors on the Joseph Smith Papers project. Bro. Ashurst-McGee received a B.A. and B.S. from Brigham Young University (BYU) in 1994,[4] and an M.A. in History from Utah State University (USU) in 2000. His master’s thesis on Joseph Smith’s religious development won the Reese History Award from the Mormon History Association. His dissertation was on Joseph Smith’s early social and political thought, and won the Gerald E. Jones Dissertation Award from the Mormon History Association. Through this training, he became a “specialist in documentary editing conventions and transcription methodology.” A BYU professor of religious education and colleague in the Joseph Smith Papers Project, Steven C. Harper, stated Ashurst-McGee “probably knows the field of documentary editing better than anybody that I know. Ashurst-McGee is a member of the Joseph Smith Papers Project. Along with Richard L. Jensen and Dean C. Jessee, he co-edited the first volume to be published from the series, which was on the early journals of Joseph Smith. Released in 2008, the book became very popular and sold very quickly, prompting expanded additional printings. In 2009, it received the Steven F. Christensen Best Documentary Award (Mormon History Association) and a Special Award in Textual Criticism and Bibliography (Association for Mormon Letters). Bro Ashurst-McGee is expected to edit future volumes of Smith’s papers. http://josephsmithpapers.org/ http://deseretbook.com/Joseph-Smith-Papers-Journals-Vol-1-1832-1839-Dean-C-Jessee/i/4389351 http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=5ff141dc0d186110VgnVCM100000176f620a____ The post 063: Mark Ashurst-McGee: Church History Department appeared first on Mormon Discussion by Bill Reel.

Today I sit down with Seth Payne.  A religion and Mormon Studies scholar.  We discuss why people leave the LDS faith and what ways we could better support them Seth was one of the presenters at the 2013 FairMormon Conference and his paper he presented is included below http://www.sethpayne.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2013/08/Pastoral-Apologetics-FAIR-FINAL.pdf http://www.sethpayne.com/ex-mormon-narratives/ http://www.sethpayne.com/new-mormon-history/ The post 062: Seth Payne appeared first on Mormon Discussion by Bill Reel.