Mormon Stories Podcast

Ryan T. Cragun, a scholar on religiosity, and Jesse M. Smith, a sociologist and social psychologist, explore the rising trend of religious disaffiliation in America. They reveal that about 30% of the U.S. population identifies as non-religious, a significant increase from the 1990s. The duo discusses the implications for communities, especially the Mormon Church, and challenges misconceptions about secularization. They emphasize how leaving religion is often empowering, leading to new forms of social engagement and community connection.

Brent Metcalfe, an influential LDS scholar and historian, shares insights from his extensive research on the Book of Mormon and reflects on his excommunication from the church. He reveals his groundbreaking discovery of the 'Mosiah Priority', suggesting a shifted timeline in the book's translation. The conversation dives into the authorship of the text, debates surrounding its historical context, and the emotional aftermath of excommunication, blending humor with serious analysis of faith, belief, and the complexities of religious narratives.

The LDS Church is quietly but significantly updating the introduction to the Book of Mormon, shifting its focus from historical claims to a broader, more spiritual narrative. In this episode , we dive deep into these changes, exploring what they reveal about the Church's evolving stance on the historicity of its sacred text. Is this an effort to address long-standing critiques about the lack of archaeological and genetic evidence? Or does it reflect a broader shift to make the Book of Mormon more approachable for a global audience? Join us as we unpack the implications of this significant change and discuss what it might mean for the future of Mormonism.Show NotesYouTube00:02:04 Clip from Analyzing Mormonism about the New Introduction00:03:25 Questions about the new introduction00:08:50 The church backtracked on all of this00:09:20 The 1981 Book of Mormon Introduction00:19:00 Why these changes were made00:24:40 Mormon apologetics around the Introduction changes00:34:28 The Daily Universe article00:40:00 LDS Living article on the new Introduction00:48:30 Dan Peterson00:54:00 Spencer Fluhman01:04:00 What was NOT mentioned in the new Introduction01:08:20 The New Introduction to the Book of Mormon01:15:30 The removal of Moroni’s promise01:24:40 The Church is moving away from the Book of Mormon being historical01:41:30 Undoing the new change to the Introduction01:50:40 Polling the audience02:05:20 Is the church influenced by ExMormon Podcasters?02:18:10 Closing comments02:29:20 Julie Hanks is defending her membership in the churchMormon Stories Thanks Our Generous Donors!Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today: One-time or recurring donation through Donorbox Support us on Patreon PayPal VenmoOur Platforms: YouTube Patreon Spotify Apple PodcastsContact us:MormonStories@gmail.comPO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117Social Media: Insta: @mormstories TikTok: @mormonstoriespodcast Join the Discord

In this episode, Samantha, John, and Gerardo unpack the fallout from a leaked audio clip of BYU Football captain and former Mormon Missionary Tyler Batty’s explicit halftime speech, recorded outside the locker room at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. The speech, featuring vulgar language, has raised questions about BYU’s Honor Code, which strictly forbids profanity, vulgar language, and other conduct unbecoming of its standards.The controversy became even more interesting when BYU Coach Kalani Sitake defended Batty, calling his actions necessary for “helping the program.” Meanwhile, KSL, owned by the LDS Church, published an opinion piece telling critics to “get over it,” dismissing calls for accountability or discipline for Batty.We will explore the deeper implications of the incident, questioning whether public figures like Batty enjoy privileges denied to regular students—especially minorities—who are often held to stricter standards.Show NotesYouTube00:02:30 How this came about00:07:11 Washington Times - Big 1200:10:28 Clip - Elder Nelson on swearing00:12:30 Clip - Elder Oaks 00:16:44 Clip - Elder Holland00:18:30 Clip - Elder Holland (unique BYU)00:22:00 Sunday play policy at BYU00:23:35 BYU Honor Code00:30:14 BYU has been central in a lot of religious exemption laws00:33:17 Clip - Footage of team leader Tyler Batty swearing at the players00:36:10 Was it bad that this was recorded?00:41:25 Does the church come across as pious and arrogant?00:45:22 Honor Code about not using profane language00:52:20 BYU article, Batty has not been punished00:57:19 Clip - DJ and PK00:59:45 Clip - Jesus healed the sick01:02:20 Clip - That this was recorded is unacceptable01:21:19 Honor Code Stories01:40:00 Does the church actually have high standards? Mormon Stories Thanks Our Generous Donors!Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today: One-time or recurring donation through Donorbox Support us on Patreon PayPal VenmoOur Platforms: YouTube Patreon Spotify Apple PodcastsContact us:MormonStories@gmail.comPO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117Social Media: Insta: @mormstories TikTok: @mormonstoriespodcast Join the Discord

Join us for our annual status report where we discuss our successes for 2024, our status as a sustainable podcast/non-profit, and our plans for 2025.If you want to donate to help keep Mormon Stories alive, or to support us during "Giving Tuesday" week, you can donate here:https://www.mormonstories.org/donate/Show NotesYouTube00:02:55 This is the best year we’ve ever had00:06:00 Why we have adds in our episodes00:07:10 Our YouTube views and watch time and subscribers00:15:45 LDS Discussions series00:19:30 Second Class Saints Series00:24:00 Most popular videos on Mormon Stories00:29:10 How long have people been listening to Mormon Stories?00:35:40 We remodeled the studio00:43:20 Huge thanks to these people00:47:55 Billboard Campaign and new designs00:53:20 How many people donated to us this year01:00:15 Questions for 202501:32:00 Top city who voted number one for Donald Trump?Mormon Stories Thanks Our Generous Donors!Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today: One-time or recurring donation through Donorbox Support us on Patreon PayPal VenmoOur Platforms: YouTube Patreon Spotify Apple PodcastsContact us:MormonStories@gmail.comPO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117Social Media: Insta: @mormstories TikTok: @mormonstoriespodcast Join the Discord

Join us as we dive deep into the unique experiences of several women navigating life in and outside of Mormonism. From patriarchal blessings and missions to the complexities of dating, marriage, and personal revelation, these stories explore the pressure to conform to Church expectations and the personal growth that comes from questioning them. We discuss YSA culture, worthiness interviews, and the Church's teachings on relationships, consent, and sexuality. The women share their experiences with dating apps, "soaking," and the confusion between spiritual promptings and anxiety. Other key topics include the Church's influence on women’s roles, the challenges of single life, political and faith landscapes, and deconstructing teachings like the Family Proclamation. With insights into the CES Letter, Joseph Smith’s history, and financial concerns, this video offers a candid, thought-provoking look at life within the Mormon framework and beyond.Show NotesYouTube00:02:10 Brief Introductions00:46:47 The church’s goals and ambitions for women01:04:30 Hysterectomy- Her divine nature as a wife and a mom01:19:29 Dear Married People01:37:35 What's it like to date Mormon men?01:54:00 Consent in Mormonism02:03:30 The EXTRA for what women are needing02:26:15 Feeling like she’s running out of time at age 2402:26:50 Joseph Smith and Martin Harris02:31:55 Spiritual promptings/anxiety disorder02:29:00 Motivated reasoning and confirmation bias02:36:15 Disneyfication of Mormon Dating02:40:30 Fire round of questions02:41:20 Worthiness interviews in the YSA02:47:24 Soaking and inchworming02:49:13 Learning about your own sexual template02:12:15 This sets you up for abuse02:56:05 Politics between young adult men and young adult women03:01:20 What is the faith landscape in the YSA scene03:06:40 Asking the bishop for financial help03:07:40 The average Mormon thinks they’re giving to charity03:07:50 Her friend thought Joseph was a fallen prophet03:08:40 Moral and Truth claim accuracy issues03:11:00 The church needs to apologize03:11:40 Has the church's stance on LGBTQ issues been a problem?03:14:00 Women should be outraged03:18:15 Ordain Women movementMormon Stories Thanks Our Generous Donors!Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today: One-time or recurring donation through Donorbox Support us on Patreon PayPal VenmoOur Platforms: YouTube Patreon Spotify Apple PodcastsContact us:MormonStories@gmail.comPO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117Social Media: Insta: @mormstories TikTok: @mormonstoriespodcast Join the Discord

In this episode, we explore one woman's journey of faith, identity, and self-discovery within and beyond the Mormon Church. From her experiences in musical theater auditions, serving a mission, and navigating family trauma, to struggles with infertility and finding her own path, she shares deeply personal insights. We discuss the cultural pressures of motherhood, the challenges of deconstructing religious beliefs, and the impact of leaving the Church after COVID. Her story also touches on her evolving perspective on topics like polygamy, women's roles, and Heavenly Mother, along with finding empowerment through fitness, creative expression, and fantasy literature. Join us for a candid and heartfelt conversation about redefining purpose, embracing authenticity, and thriving in "Plan B."Show NotesYouTube00:01:35 Intentions for coming on Mormon Stories00:04:25 The story of her parents00:10:50 Her Mormon adolescence 00:13:25 IRS agents came and asked about her dad00:19:00 Her parents announced their divorce00:28:10 Her dad was excommunicated00:33:50 Her dad’s faith crisis00:40:33 Her adolescent years00:42:20 Acting and singing in plays00:48:00 How did she cope with not having a dad01:00:35 Auditioning for the Musical Theater Program01:06:10 The prospect of serving a mission01:09:00 Her dad went to prison after her mission01:11:30 Her first temple experience01:14:00 The prayer circle01:15:19 Her mission experience01:24:50 Coming home from her mission in 201701:27:26 Meeting her future husband on her mission01:31:30 Her mom got remarried while she was on her mission01:42:20 Different selves in the mission versus out of the mission01:44:45 Marriage classes at BYU about healthy sex01:50:20 Life after getting married01:54:30 How her family reacted to brother coming home from his mission02:03:44 Patriarchal blessing is Mormon fortune telling02:14:20 How she felt being the one that couldn’t have kids02:22:15 They didn’t go back to church after COVID02:29:55 Deconstruction of the idea of Satan02:39:50 We never talk about Heavenly Mother02:43:10 Sad Heaven explained02:51:40 Tom Phillips and the Second Anointing ritual02:58:00 Letter for My Wife, feeling relief that it was all false03:07:40 She didn’t know how to listen to herself or decide what she wanted03:12:20 How she views her identity now than before03:18:20 Challenges in deconstructing and rebuildingMormon Stories Thanks Our Generous Donors!Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today: One-time or recurring donation through Donorbox Support us on Patreon PayPal VenmoOur Platforms: YouTube Patreon Spotify Apple PodcastsContact us:MormonStories@gmail.comPO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117Social Media: Insta: @mormstories TikTok: @mormonstoriespodcast Join the Discord

Today we are discussing pivotal moments, from the Church’s “Race and the Priesthood” essay to public statements on racism, and the ongoing struggle for meaningful engagement on these issues. Highlights include racial inequities, discussions on the lack of diverse representation in leadership, and the emotional impact of past and present racism on Black members. We are also covering controversial events like the fake apology prank, the “Be One” celebration, and Elder Oaks’ and President Nelson’s statements on race. Conversations extend to BYU’s Race Equity and Belonging Report, Brad Wilcox’s remarks, and efforts to make the Church and its institutions more inclusive. Join us as we examine how the Church addresses racism, the call for accountability, and the path forward for healing and equity.Show NotesYouTube00:05:55 Famous prediction that set the church on fire00:08:50 The idea of racism is terrifying to many people00:11:21 The church is attempting to acknowledge racism00:16:16 White leadership, we’ve never had any people of color00:22:40 The Church’s top leadership, including women00:31:00 Asking Uchtdorf what he meant by “leaders make mistakes”00:36:50 Oaks saying they don’t give apologies00:45:52 The church HAS apologized for some things00:50:58 What an apology might mean to Black members of the church00:57:15 The Fake Apology 01:10:50 Clip of Ahamd Corbitt on activism01:19:20 The “Be One” Celebration01:23:53 Clip of Elder Oaks 01:51:19 Racist excerpt from the 2020 Come Follow Me Manual 01:56:21 Gary E Stevenson apologized to the NAACP02:01:41 George Flloyd’s death and church statements02:12:34 Efforts to make BYU more accommodating to black students02:24:12 Brad Wilcox’s racist talk02:47:34 Ending the book on a positive note02:53:57 Is the church healthy for Black people?02:42:54 Closing remarksMormon Stories Thanks Our Generous Donors!Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today: One-time or recurring donation through Donorbox Support us on Patreon PayPal VenmoOur Platforms: YouTube Patreon Spotify Apple PodcastsContact us:MormonStories@gmail.comPO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117Social Media: Insta: @mormstories TikTok: @mormonstoriespodcast Join the Discord

In this in-depth interview, Jared and Camille share their intertwined journeys through faith, family, and personal growth within the Mormon Church. They discuss formative experiences, from Jared’s basketball career and mission (under Jeffrey Holland and Brad Wilcox) —where he faced challenges like fraudulent baptisms in Chile and an unexpected interview with Apostle Richard G. Scott—to Camille’s teenage struggles with modesty, faith and mental health. Their love story, temple experiences, and navigating higher callings in the Church, including Jared's time as a bishop, reveal the pressures and impacts of leadership roles. Join us as we explore how these experiences transformed their lives, their perspectives on faith, and how their mental health and relationship have evolved since leaving the Church. Show Notes YouTube Mormon Stories Thanks Our Generous Donors! Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today: One-time or recurring donation through Donorbox Support us on Patreon PayPal Venmo Our Platforms: YouTube Patreon Spotify Apple Podcasts Contact us:MormonStories@gmail.comPO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117 Social Media: Insta: @mormstories TikTok: @mormonstoriespodcast Join the Discord

Join us as Matthew Harris returns to discuss Gordon B. Hinckley's efforts to address lingering racism in the church, the push to remove Bruce R. McConkie's Mormon Doctrine from shelves, and members' calls for an apology for the church's past racism. We also explore Elder Holland's attempts to rebrand these doctrines as "folklore," the continuation of racist teachings by BYU professors like Randy Bott, and the creation of the Gospel Topics Essays. Show Notes YouTube Mormon Stories Thanks Our Generous Donors! Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today: One-time or recurring donation through Donorbox Support us on Patreon PayPal Venmo Our Platforms: YouTube Patreon Spotify Apple Podcasts Contact us:MormonStories@gmail.comPO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117 Social Media: Insta: @mormstories TikTok: @mormonstoriespodcast Join the Discord