Mormon Stories Podcast

Hello, everyone! We are excited to announce some upcoming events for the Open Stories Foundation and our sister foundation THRIVE. There are several events coming up that we want to make you aware of today. All the events we talk about today can be found on MormonStories.org under the EVENTS tab. Check back frequently for new event announcements! SUPPORT GROUPS: Free and/or low-cost Faith Crisis Support Groups begin the week of February 22, 2022.  Support group locations: Bountiful, Holladay, American Fork, Provo, St George, & Online.  In-person sessions will be Tuesday nights from 7-9 pm. Online/Zoom sessions time and date will be announced soon.  All donations go towards making the OSF Support Groups program sustainable for future attendees. Please choose whatever amount you can afford. Link: https://donorbox.org/faith-crisis-support-group-8-weeks THRIVE MEETUP ALPINE, UT:  We also have a THRIVE meetup on Sunday, March 6th in Alpine, UT at KNOT AND PINE. This is an adults potluck and community building event. Follow the link above to sign up! www.knotandpine.com Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1ZleUTNA6EjcYDb-nlGA5k_cXI9_UduFa2oeBXSS2RTc/viewform?edit_requested=true WORKSHOPS & RETREATS: Alpine Faith Crisis Workshop with John and Margi Dehlin on Sunday, March 20th. One day Workshop includes: Navigating a Faith Transition Rebuilding your Family & Life Values Communicating with believers Mental and spiritual health Healthy sexuality after a faith crisis Q&A with John and Margi Community *Lunch and snacks provided Link: https://donorbox.org/faith-crisis-workshop-alpine-lehi Mixed-Faith Marriage Retreat with John Dehlin & Julie Hanks in Provo, UT July 15-17th. This retreat is 2.5 days and will include: Navigating a faith crisis for yourself or a family member Improving your Mental Health Communicating with believing/non-believing family and friends Restructuring your family values together Healthy marriage/committed relationships after a faith crisis Spirituality after a faith crisis Healthy sexuality *Lunch and snacks provided on full retreat days Link: https://donorbox.org/mixed-faith-retreat-provo We are also planning on putting together a monthly meet-up for post-Mormon women in the Salt Lake City area.  Email events@openstoriesfoundation.org if you are interested in participating. ————— We are 100% donor funded! Please click HERE to donate and keep this content coming! Click here to donate monthly: $10 $25 $50 ————— MSP on Spotify MSP on Apple Podcasts MSP Blog Instagram Patreon TikTok Discord   Contact Us! MormonStories@gmail.com PO Box 171085 Salt Lake City, UT 84117

Recently John Dehlin had lunch with a mid-level Mormon church leader along the Wasatch front who was eager to share insider information regarding the statistical and programmatic health of the Mormon church since the COVID-19 epidemic.   Topics that were covered include: - The pervasiveness of "faith crisis" issues within Mormon stakes and wards. The rise of conservative/fundamentalist/"Prepper"/"Trumpers"/anti-vaxxers/Q-Anoners as a source of disaffection from the Mormon church. Attempts to increase the involvement of women. How post-COVID Mormon apathy has led to a decline in church activity. The rise of "PIMO" Mormons (Physically in, mentally out). The decline of the Mormon youth programs, with a dramatic decline in young men church participation and mission service. The leader was willing to share activity statistics within his stake to demonstrate the post-COVID decline. Finally, the source was willing to share information regarding three significant changes at Mormon church headquarters: The dramatic rise in temple building since Russel M. Nelson became the Mormon prophet, and the effect this is having on the temple department. A new Mormon temple prep course that will soon be released. Significant upcoming changes regarding 1 on 1 youth interviews. Show Notes: Brad Wilcox's Alpine Youth Fireside on February 6, in which he made racist and sexist remarks, and said that other faiths are only "playing church"  The Black Menaces denounce Brad Wilcox on TikTok "Saying he has been 'corrected,' LDS leader Brad Wilcox again apologizes for his remarks on race," by Tamarra Kemsley, Salt Lake Tribune, February 14, 2022 Brad Wilcox's apology "Alpine Utah Mormon Youth Rescue With Brad Wilcox," on Mormon Stories "Top 10 Problems with Mormonism that Brad Wilcox's Speech Unveiled," on Mormon Stories "Listeners Call In: Responses to Brad Wilcox's Talk," on Mormon Stories "Brad Wilcox showed up at my religion class at BYUI today to say hi" "How the LDS Church made $22B during the pandemic," by Tony Semerad, Salt Lake Tribune, February 15, 2022 Questions From the Closet, with Charlie Bird and Ben Schilaty "The Gay Mormon Reformation," on Mormon Stories "The Mormon Influences on Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow," on Mormon Stories "Ezra Taft Benson and the Making of the Mormon Right," with Matt Harris on Mormon Stories Part 1Part 2 "The LDS Church's Coverup of Sterling Van Wagenen's Sexual Abuse of Sean Escobar," on Mormon Stories Mormon Enlightenment Facebook group Protect LDS Children Mormonism Live with Radio Free Mormon and Bill Reel "Will Mormons Get Their Own Planets?" A panel discussion on Mormon Stories "Cognitive Dissidents: Sam Harris, Jordan Peterson, and the Damage of Dogma" on Mormon Discussions "Experiencing Sexual Assault as a Missionary: Camille and Maddy" on Mormon Stories "Elder Jeffrey R. Holland Urges BYU to Embrace Its Uniqueness, Stay True to the Savior," an August 2021 speech in which Holland called for "musket fire" in defense of the school's opposition to LGBTQ+ equality "BYU cancels care for transgender clients receiving voice therapy at its speech clinic," by Courtney Tanner, Salt Lake Tribune, February 10, 2022 "Mormon British Rescue? The Britvengers React" on Mormon Stories 21st Century Saints Podcast with Jane Christie Ruben Hoyos' TikTok "Anastasia Bigun: A Ukrainian Mormon Journey" on Mormon Stories Trans, Nonbinary, and Genderqueer Network ————— We are 100% donor funded! Please click HERE to donate and keep this content coming! Click here to donate monthly: $10 $25 $50 ————— MSP on Spotify MSP on Apple Podcasts MSP Blog Instagram Patreon TikTok Discord   Contact Us! *MormonStories@gmail.com *PO Box 171085 Salt Lake City, UT 84117

Join Margi, John, and Carah for the premiere episode of Thrive Stories this coming Tuesday at noon (MST). Get to know Margi as she shares how her journey has allowed her a process of becoming significant to herself and finding her own voice. We hope that you will join us as we introduce Margi, the main interviewer of Thrive Stories by having her share her own Thrive story. Thrive Stories is a new podcast series where Margi (alongside John and Carah) will be interviewing a member of the community twice per month.  The interviews will be shorter (1-2 hours), story-based, but will be focused on a particular aspect of healing and growth AFTER a Mormon faith crisis (thus the THRIVE name).  They will happen on Tuesdays at noon (MST). Some examples of areas of thriving include:  Family Relationships, Healthy Boundaries, Finding Community, Finding Meaning/Purpose, Dealing with Grief/Death, Religion after Mormonism, Health Sexuality, Parenting, Improving Physical Health, Identity, Health Marriage/Relationships, Secular Spirituality, Word of Wisdom 2.0, and Women Finding Their Own Voice after Mormonism. If you would like to nominate someone you know who would be a great candidate for a THRIVE interview, please nominate them (or yourself) here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSefPM4vCZXpQeOjxXJcNHLCnpYv2Sej1tfNcOeipEt8UdE-rw/viewform ————— We are 100% donor funded! Please click HERE to donate and keep this content coming! Click here to donate monthly: $10 $25 $50 Or, send a mail-in a donation to: PO Box 171085 Salt Lake City, UT 84117 ————— MSP on Spotify MSP on Apple Podcasts MSP Blog Instagram Patreon TikTok Discord   Show Notes:  THRIVE Stories Application form Margi’s Broken Open essay Podcast on Nihilism Noah Rasheta Secular Buddhism episode on groundlessness Template for Thrive interviews:  Eckhart Tolle podcasts with Oprah Margi’s blog “Beauty in the Now” Contact Us! MormonStories@gmail.com PO Box 171085 Salt Lake City, UT 84117

Do you see secular and religious views at odds with one another? In what ways can they work together to become a better expression of one’s Mormon faith? On this very special episode of Mormon stories we chat with Carl Youngblood and Lincoln Cannon, who are leaders in the Mormon transhumanist movement. Mormon Stories listeners may remember Carl, who came on the podcast back in October 2020, where he discussed with John his life and philosophy as a Mormon and a transhumanist. In this follow up episode, we keep the discussion going and ask more hard hitting questions about how Lincoln and Carl view God, Christ, the resurrection, and Book of Mormon historicity - and their answers are unlike anything you’ve probably ever heard before! Buckle up for a fun and different Mormon Stories interview! We hope to have these amazing guys back again soon for another chat, so leave a comment or question that we can save for next time! Show Notes: Carl Youngblood Mormon Stories interview as a Mormon transhumanist Mormon Transhumanist Association Humanity Plus Check out their upcoming conference, using code “MSFRIEND” Lincoln Cannon blog Youtube channel Transfigurism ————— We are 100% donor funded! Please click HERE to donate and keep this content coming! Click here to donate monthly: $10 $25 $50 Or, send a mail-in a donation to: PO Box 171085 Salt Lake City, UT 84117 ————— MSP on Spotify MSP on Apple Podcasts MSP Blog Instagram Patreon TikTok Discord

Join us as we hear listener thoughts and feelings about how Brad Wilcox’s talk reflects on Mormonism.  ————— We are 100% donor funded! Please click HERE to donate and keep this content coming! Click here to donate monthly: $10 $25 $50 ————— MSP on Spotify MSP on Apple Podcasts MSP Blog Instagram Patreon TikTok Discord  

Join us live Tuesday night for a special new regular weeknight segment with John and Carah called ✨Mormon Scoops✨ at 8pm mst! We just heard that Brad Wilcox apologized for the racist statements that he made in his talk to the Alpine youth of the church. We congratulate Brad. In the hours since the talk, the church has removed it from Youtube and Brad apologized on his Facebook page. Carah and John want to dive into the top 10 things that we think are worse than Brad's actual talk that still need to be addressed! Join us with your questions, comments, and additional information! Our Understanding Mormonism playlist of Brad Wilcox's full talk Our Mormon Stories episode covering Brad Wilcox's talk Brad's same talk in 2020 ————— We are 100% donor funded! Please click HERE to donate and keep this content coming! Click here to donate monthly: $10 $25 $50 ————— MSP on Spotify MSP on Apple Podcasts MSP Blog Instagram Patreon TikTok Discord

You’ve heard of The Swedish Rescue, right? Our Mormon Stories inbox had an influx of incensed Latter-day Saints across all spectrums of belief last night as Brad Wilcox gave a fireside talk that we’re calling “The Alpine Utah Mormon Youth Rescue”. Just like the LDS church’s response to the wave of apostasy in 2012 affecting Swedish members, Brad Wilcox, professor of ancient scripture at BYU and second counselor in the Young Men general presidency spoke to the youth February 6th, 2022 in a talk about how leaving the Mormon church means “you lose everything that matters”. Join John, Gerardo, and Carah as we play clips and react to Brad explaining his reasons to the youth of the church that those who leave the faith are taking the hardest possible route in life. Other quotes include:  "Maybe instead of asking 'why did the blacks have to wait until 1978’, maybe what we should be asking is 'why did the whites and other races have to wait until 1829?’" “We are the only Christians in the world led by Christ” "When you walk away from this church you lose everything that matters in your life.” Show Notes: View our playlist with the full talk on our Understanding Mormonism channel.  Individual sections are included below.  To download the raw video file click here. Grant Palmer’s books   ————— We are 100% donor funded! Please click HERE to donate and keep this content coming! Click here to donate monthly: $10 $25 $50 ————— MSP on Spotify MSP on Apple Podcasts MSP Blog Instagram Patreon TikTok Discord

Dr. Simon Southerton is an Australian geneticist and a former Mormon bishop who was excommunicated by the Mormon church for speaking too openly about his problems reconciling Book of Mormon historicity and emerging DNA research about Native Americans. On 2/4/2022 we are launching a new series on Mormon Stories Podcast.  Like with the John Larsen and Margi Dehlin (THRIVE Stories) series, Simon Southerton plans to appear monthly on Mormon Stories Podcast to explore the many ways in which Mormon Doctrine clashes with modern science. This episode covers the Mormon church teaching of The Creation. We will be paying Simon for his work, but need your financial support to make this happen.  If you want to support this series with Simon, please become a monthly donor to this campaign.  You can donate here: https://donorbox.org/science-vs-mormonism Hosts John Dehlin, Gerardo Sumano, and Carah Burrell interview Dr. Simon Southerton, an Australian geneticist and former Mormon bishop, who was excommunicated for speaking too openly about Book of Mormon historicity and the DNA research about Indigenous Americans. This interview marks the launch of a new series on Mormon Stories Podcast. Like with the John Larsen and Margi Dehlin (THRIVE Stories), Simon plans to appear monthly to explore the many ways in which Mormon Doctrine clashes with modern science. This episode covers the Mormon Church teaching of The Creation. -------------------- We will be paying Simon for his work, but need your financial support to make this happen. 100% of your donations at this link will go to support Simon! -------------------- Losing a Lost Tribe: Native Americans, DNA, and the Mormon Church by Simon Southerton The Sacred Curse: How Native American DNA Exposes Mormonism's Lamanite Myth by Simon Southerton Mormon Stories interview  with Simon Southerton, “DNA, Lamanites, and the Book of Mormon” Mormon Stories interview with Simon Southerton, “New Temples Veil Mormonism’s Decline” Mormon Stories interview with Simon Southerton, “Rod Meldrum’s Book of Mormon Heartland Model” January 2022 Old Testament Institute Lesson on the Creation Old Testament Chronology Graphic Mormon Doctrine by Bruce R. McConkie “Information, Reproduction, and the Origin of Life,” by Homer Jacobson, American Scientist, 1955 Creation: Accident or Design? by Harold G. Coffin "In defense of peer-reviewed science," BYU Department of Geological Sciences, The Daily Universe, April 4, 2017 BYU's Dr. Michael Whiting defends evolution on Twitter "Ancient European dog genomes reveal continuity since the Early Neolithic," by L. Botigué, et. al., Nature Communications, July 18, 2017 "Genetic evidence for an East Asian origin of domestic dogs," by Peter Savolainen, et.al., Science, November 22, 2002 "Rod Meldrum responds to John Dehlin and Simon Southerton" on Mormon Book Reviews with Steven Pynakker "What is DNA and How Does It Work," on Stated Clearly with Jon Perry "An Introduction to the Human Genome," HMX Genetics, Harvard Medical School Upcoming Thrive events MSP on Spotify MSP on Apple Podcasts MSP Blog Instagram Patreon TikTok Discord   Contact Us! *MormonStories@gmail.com *PO Box 171085 Salt Lake City, UT 84117  

Mark Elwood is the author and illustrator of a groundbreaking new graphic novel entitled "The Glass Looker: Collected Tales of Joseph Smith."  The Glass Looker follows an ordinary American farm boy named Joseph Smith who discovers he possesses the magical ability for seeing in stones. Learn the origin story of the American boy-prophet through illustrated accounts collected from Joseph, his family, neighbors and enemies.  The Glass Looker illustrates the myths and legends surrounding the rise of Joseph Smith from a teen-aged treasure seer to the man who would become a prophet of God. Join Mark, along with his partner Erin, for an illustrated historical adventure. To order the novel, click here: https://theglasslooker.com/product/volume1/ To support Mark and Erin's ongoing work (future volumes in the works!, click here: https://theglasslooker.com/support/ ————— We are 100% donor funded! Please click HERE to donate and keep this content coming! Click here to donate monthly: $10 $25 $50 ————— MSP on Spotify MSP on Apple Podcasts MSP Blog Instagram Patreon TikTok Discord Show Notes: The Glass Looker: Collected Tales of Joseph Smith Vol. 1 by Mark Elwood Become of Patron of The Glass Looker Brigham Young's Journal of Discourses Brigham Young: Pioneer Prophet by John G. Turner Blood from the Sky: Miracles and Politics in the Early American Republic by Adam Jortner “The Locations of Joseph Smith’s Early Treasure Quests," by Dan Vogel, Dialogue, 1994 "Raiders of the Lost Mormon Cave," Gospel Tangents, July 4, 2021 "Discovering Joseph Smith's Cave in Miner's Hill, Manchester, New York," by KC Kern Zion by Eli Brady Maus by Art Spiegelman Joseph Smith: The Making of a Prophet by Dan Vogel Mormon Doctrine vs. Science with Dr. Simon Southerton The Sacred Curse: How Native American DNA Exposes Mormonism's Lamanite Myth by Simon G. Southerton Thrive St. George and other upcoming events

Mormon Stories is excited to welcome ex-Mormon YouTuber couple Jordan and McKay on for a three-part series about their journey! Picking up where we left off, we invited ex-Mormon Youtuber couple Jordan and McKay back on for part three to take us through their engagement, wedding, son being born, faith deconstruction and birth of their Youtube channel. Show Notes: Jordan & Mckay YouTube Jordan & McKay Baptism for the dead video Sam and Tanner MS interview Losing Mormon Millennials LuLu Rich Allan Mount TikTok What happens when an Apostle arrives and nobody is standing Exmormon reddit Faith Journey FB Meetups Tom Phillips MS interview Hans & Birgitta Mattsson MS interview Matt and Stephanie Purcell MS Interview Unshaken YouTube channel w/ Jared Halverson CES Letter Letter to my Wife Marc Oslund MS Interview “No Man Knows My History” by Fawn M. Brodie Book of Abraham Gospel Topics essay Kyle and Neesha Mormon Stories interview Excommunication of John Dehlin Kimberly Anderson TikTok Jordan & Mckay Patreon Jordan & Mckay Ko-Fi Jordan & Mckay TikTok ————— We are 100% donor funded! Please click HERE to donate and keep this content coming! Click here to donate monthly: $10 $25 $50 ————— MSP on Spotify MSP on Apple Podcasts MSP Blog Instagram Patreon TikTok Discord