Mormon Stories - LDS

In these episodes of Mormon Stories, we interview Sean Carter—traveling law humorist of Lawpsided Seminars, and former member of the LDS Church.  In this entertaining and lively interview, we discuss:

  • Sean's upbringing in the Compton area of Los Angeles and how he determined his career path
  • How he became funny as a way for people to like him in school
  • His experience of growing up black as a young man and his later realization of his efforts to "exempt himself out of blackness," or to make sure that he himself didn't experience discrimination while being aware that it existed against his community
  • His path to attending Harvard Law School, and coincidentally at the same time as President Barack Obama
  • His marriage to his educated wife who was not religious in any way, and how his investigation of the LDS Church began as a way to bring "Jesus to her"
  • How one of his biggest struggles with joining the LDS Church was being endowed and having someone else pick out his underwear, which for Sean was a stigma attached to young black men who had their underwear picked out for them while in prison symbolizing that they became property of someone else
  • His growing realization that the policies of the Church favored white culture, and how the revelation preventing young children with gay parents from joining the Church as being one of the last straws
Direct download: MormonStories-790-SeanCarterPt2.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 7:31am MDT

In these episodes of Mormon Stories, we interview Sean Carter—traveling law humorist of Lawpsided Seminars, and former member of the LDS Church.  In this entertaining and lively interview, we discuss:

  • Sean's upbringing in the Compton area of Los Angeles and how he determined his career path
  • How he became funny as a way for people to like him in school
  • His experience of growing up black as a young man and his later realization of his efforts to "exempt himself out of blackness," or to make sure that he himself didn't experience discrimination while being aware that it existed against his community
  • His path to attending Harvard Law School, and coincidentally at the same time as President Barack Obama
  • His marriage to his educated wife who was not religious in any way, and how his investigation of the LDS Church began as a way to bring "Jesus to her"
  • How one of his biggest struggles with joining the LDS Church was being endowed and having someone else pick out his underwear, which for Sean was a stigma attached to young black men who had their underwear picked out for them while in prison symbolizing that they became property of someone else
  • His growing realization that the policies of the Church favored white culture, and how the revelation preventing young children with gay parents from joining the Church as being one of the last straws
Direct download: MormonStories-789-SeanCarterPt1.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 7:28am MDT

In this episode of Mormon Stories, we hold a panel discussion with Dr. Darron Smith—author of When Race & Religion Collide: Black Athletics at BYU and Beyond, Ryan McKnight—MormonLeaks publisher, and Vanessa Judd—a victim of assault by a BYU athlete. We discuss the MormonLeaks video which depicted an interaction between the Provo Police Department, a BYU football player, and other unidentified individuals. The video was recorded on December 4, 2016 and in it we learn that this is the second visit from the police that night and one of multiple visits they have had to make over time to the athlete.

We discuss:

*The ethics of releasing the video
*The ethics of NCAA athletics (especially at BYU), and
*The relationship between Provo Police, BYU and the Honor Code, especially regarding the many claims and accusations made concerning students being expelled or suspended for less than what is admitted to in this video

Direct download: MormonStories-788-BYUAthletics.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 8:22am MDT

In this mini-episode of Mormon Stories, we follow-up with John O’Conner—father of a Mormon Missionary in the path of Hurricane Harvey.  John had an email exchange with his son’s mission president that was released on MormonLeaks wherein John was given little to no information on his son’s whereabouts, a disaster plan of action, or a phone number to reach his son directly.  Instead, the mission president encouraged John to “support him in his decision to serve with all his heart, might, mind, and strength and to keep the mission rules and policies.”

Direct download: MormonStories-787-ParentofMormonMissionary.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 7:08am MDT

In these episodes of Mormon Stories, we interview Jon Ogden—author of When Mormons Doubt. Jon describes how his faith crisis blossomed during his LDS mission and time at BYU and ultimately became the impetus to writing the book, which strives to explore how the pursuit of truth, beauty, and goodness can save relationships even when we disagree with those we love.

We cover:

*How his faith crisis developed on his LDS mission, but he finished his mission anyway
*Dating while at BYU and how it distracted him from his faith crisis
*How when a family member left the LDS Church, it forced him to confront his own doubts and begin an academic study of the truth claims of the Church
*When he realized that the same problems with Mormon historicity were also at play with Christianity in general
*He and his spouse’s current belief state, and their desire to have a sense of community and solid religious framework for their children to hold onto
*The main topics of his book, When Mormons Doubt, including a deep dive into sections on “Truth,” “Goodness,” and “Beauty.”

Direct download: MormonStories-786-JonOgdenPt2.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 8:02am MDT

In these episodes of Mormon Stories, we interview Jon Ogden—author of When Mormons Doubt. Jon describes how his faith crisis blossomed during his LDS mission and time at BYU and ultimately became the impetus to writing the book, which strives to explore how the pursuit of truth, beauty, and goodness can save relationships even when we disagree with those we love.

We cover:

*How his faith crisis developed on his LDS mission, but he finished his mission anyway
*Dating while at BYU and how it distracted him from his faith crisis
*How when a family member left the LDS Church, it forced him to confront his own doubts and begin an academic study of the truth claims of the Church
*When he realized that the same problems with Mormon historicity were also at play with Christianity in general
*He and his spouse’s current belief state, and their desire to have a sense of community and solid religious framework for their children to hold onto
*The main topics of his book, When Mormons Doubt, including a deep dive into sections on “Truth,” “Goodness,” and “Beauty.”

Direct download: MormonStories-785-JonOgdenPt1.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 8:00am MDT

In these episodes of Mormon Stories, we interview Jason Echols of /r/exmormon.  For many, the exmormon subreddit serves as a one-stop shop for current events and happenings that may interest those who have left the faith.  Jason gives us the inside scoop of this prominent gathering place, and details his belief that the forum provides a training ground for exmormons to learn how to voice opinions in healthy and assertive ways.

Direct download: MormonStories-784-JasonEcholsPt2.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 7:57am MDT

In these episodes of Mormon Stories, we interview Jason Echols of /r/exmormon.  For many, the exmormon subreddit serves as a one-stop shop for current events and happenings that may interest those who have left the faith.  Jason gives us the inside scoop of this prominent gathering place, and details his belief that the forum provides a training ground for exmormons to learn how to voice opinions in healthy and assertive ways.

Direct download: MormonStories-783-JasonEcholsPt1.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 7:54am MDT

In this two-part episode we sit down for final time with Grant Palmer to discuss the release of his final book: Restoring Christ: Leaving Mormon Jesus for Jesus of the Gospels.  

  • In part 1 of the interview we dig deep into two chapters: one on Joseph Smith's possible treason against the United States government, and one on Joseph Smith's use of concubinage in addition to polygamy and polyandry.
  • In part 2 we discuss Grant's research into "leaving Mormon Jesus for Jesus of the Gospels," and conduct a final Q&A with Grant.
Direct download: MormonStories-782-Grant_PalmerRestoringChristPt2.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 11:41am MDT

In this two-part episode we sit down a final time with Grant Palmer to discuss the release of his final book: Restoring Christ: Leaving Mormon Jesus for Jesus of the Gospels.  

  • In part 1 of the interview we dig deep into two chapters: one on Joseph Smith's possible treason against the United States government, and one on Joseph Smith's likely use of concubinage in addition to polygamy and polyandry.
  • In part 2 we discuss Grant's research into "leaving Mormon Jesus for Jesus of the Gospels," and conduct a final Q&A with Grant.
Direct download: MormonStories-781-Grant_PalmerRestoringChristPt1.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 11:35am MDT