Mormon Stories - LDS

In this episode an EPIC panel reviews the October 2015 General Conference wherein: 

1) the LDS Church misses an incredibly important opportunity to fill 3 vacancies in the quorum of the 12 with a person of color, and instead selects (again) three white males from Utah, and 

2) the LDS Church doubles down on its "the Internet is evil," "doubting is bad," "choose to believe," and "stay in the boat" rhetoric.

Panelists for this conference review include Dr. Gina Colvin, Sean Carter, Andrew Ainsworth, and Jamie Hanis Handy.  These panelists are incredibly passionate, insightful and witty.  I hope you enjoy.

Direct download: LDSGenCon2015Pt3.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 8:58am MDT

In this episode an EPIC panel reviews the October 2015 General Conference wherein: 

1) the LDS Church misses an incredibly important opportunity to fill 3 vacancies in the quorum of the 12 with a person of color, and instead selects (again) three white males from Utah, and 

2) the LDS Church doubles down on its "the Internet is evil," "doubting is bad," "choose to believe," and "stay in the boat" rhetoric.

Panelists for this conference review include Dr. Gina Colvin, Sean Carter, Andrew Ainsworth, and Jamie Hanis Handy.  These panelists are incredibly passionate, insightful and witty.  I hope you enjoy.

Direct download: LDSGenCon2015Pt2.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 8:56am MDT

In this episode an EPIC panel reviews the October 2015 General Conference wherein:

1) the LDS Church misses an incredibly important opportunity to fill 3 vacancies in the quorum of the 12 with a person of color, and instead selects (again) three white males from Utah, and 

2) the LDS Church doubles down on its "the Internet is evil," "doubting is bad," "choose to believe," and "stay in the boat" rhetoric.

Panelists for this conference review include Dr. Gina Colvin, Sean Carter, Andrew Ainsworth, and Jamie Hanis Handy.  These panelists are incredibly passionate, insightful and witty.  I hope you enjoy.

Direct download: LDSGenCon2015Pt1.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 8:54am MDT

A presentation entitled "What I've Learned after 15 Years of Mormon Transitioning" delivered by Dr. John Dehlin at Utah Valley University on August 18, 2015.  Sponsored by the Utah Valley PostMormons.

Direct download: MormonTransitions-001-JohnDehlinUVUKeynote.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 2:15pm MDT

In this episode we interview Tanner Gilliland and Samantha Snyder.  Tanner was raised as an orthodox Mormon in Tucson, Arizona.  Samantha converted to the LDS Church in the U.K.  Both lived very orthodox LDS lives as millennials, attending BYU-Idaho as devout members, and interning for Deseret Book after graduating from BYU-I.  Samantha co-founded the web site Millennial Mormons.  

As Tanner and Samantha began to question the modern LDS Church, they briefly entertained the teachings of Denver Snuffer (Tanner was actually re-baptised according to Snuffer's teachings).  Earlier this year, both Tanner and Samantha left the LDS Church, and recently co-founded the new post-Mormon millennial blog called ZelphOnTheShelf.com.

As recent reports suggest that the LDS Church is losing its Millennial members at a rapid pace (see here and here), this interview begins to explore why.

Direct download: MormonStories-574-LosingMormonMillennialsPt2.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 9:45am MDT

In this episode we interview Tanner Gilliland and Samantha Snyder.  Tanner was raised as an orthodox Mormon in Tucson, Arizona.  Samantha converted to the LDS Church in the U.K.  Both lived very orthodox LDS lives as millennials, attending BYU-Idaho as devout members, and interning for Deseret Book after graduating from BYU-I.  Samantha co-founded the web site Millennial Mormons.  

As Tanner and Samantha began to question the modern LDS Church, they briefly entertained the teachings of Denver Snuffer (Tanner was actually re-baptised according to Snuffer's teachings).  Earlier this year, both Tanner and Samantha left the LDS Church, and recently co-founded the new post-Mormon millennial blog called ZelphOnTheShelf.com.

As recent reports suggest that the LDS Church is losing its Millennial members at a rapid pace (see here and here), this interview begins to explore why.

Direct download: MormonStories-573-LosingMormonMillennialsPt1.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 9:37am MDT

Healing and Growth after an LDS Crisis of Faith: Weekend Retreat
with John Dehlin, Ph.D.

  • Who: Progressive, Inactive, and Post-Mormons.  Couples and individuals welcome.
  • When: October 23-25, 2015 (Starts at 6pm on 10/23, ends at 4pm on 10/25)
  • Where: Park City, UT
  • Purposes of Retreat
    • Tips on healing and thriving after a loss of LDS faith.  Major topics include:
      • Rebuilding identity, morality, mental health, meaning, and purpose after losing faith.
      • Healthy communications with believing family and friends after losing faith.
      • Strengthening marriages after losing faith.
      • Raising children after losing faith.
      • Rebuilding friendships and community after losing faith.
      • Finding joy, meaning, and fulfillment after losing faith.
    • Building relationships and community with others like you.
  • Cost:
    • Suggested donation: $350/person. Donation does not cover meals/lodging.
    • Scholarships available based on need – please do NOT stay away because of financial need.  We will do our best to accommodate those who want to attend (until the slots fill up).  Email mormontransitions@gmail.com to request scholarship information.
    • All proceeds go to support Mormon Transitions.

To reserve your spot, visit: http://mormontransitions.org

Direct download: MT2015OctoberRetreat.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 4:06pm MDT

Announcing the Mormon Transitions Project.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIuN4GoOUeY

Direct download: MormonTransitions-001.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 8:51pm MDT

UnknownIn this episode, three geneticists respond to the LDS Essay "Book of Mormon and DNA Studies," and to Apologist Michael Ash's article entitled "The DNA Challenge to the Book of Mormon that Fizzled."  The respondents are as follows:
12011706_10207551637653918_1539143381_oJamie Hanis Handy has a B.S. in Zoology and an M.S. in Biological Science Education and Genetics from Brigham Young University. She is the mother of 5, a pianist, a photographer, and a lover of science, truth, and sensibility.  Jamie is the author of a recent article entitled "DNA and Mormonism."

Simon Southerton completed a PhD in plant science at the University of Sydney in 1989. For 15 years he worked at CSIRO, Australia’s national research organization, where he Unknown-1
led its forest genomics team. In 2014, in partnership with his brother Bob, he formed a CSIRO spin off company named Gondwana Genomics. Gondwana provides DNA testing services to tree breeders to enable them to select better trees when they are seedlings. Simon first encountered DNA research on Native Americans and Polynesians in 1998
while serving as a bishop in Brisbane, Australia. In response to Mormon apologetics in 2004 he published Losing a Lost Tribe, which explores the origins of Amerindian and Polynesian DNA and its implications for LDS beliefs arising from the Book of Mormon. Simon is married to Jane who is an English teacher/librarian. They live in Canberra along with their five wonderful offspring.  Simon's blog on DNA and Mormonism can be found here.

Eric Fairfield has a Ph.D. in moleular biology from State University of New York at Stony Brook. He is currently EricFairfieldfounder and owner of Cognitive Architectures for Learning, a company that understands cell by cell and synapse by synapse what learning and memory are and how to build devices from this knowledge. Eric has also run a number of church courses and seminar series bringing together science and religion. He is the proud father of a female nanotech physicist. He is also a geneticist and biochemist with expertise in genes and their enzymes across many organisms. When there is time, Eric is a swimmer, photographer and chef.

Direct download: MormonStories-571-BOMDNA.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 7:42pm MDT

In this two-part episode John Dehlin is interviewed by Dan Wotherspoon about his evolving perspectives on Mormonism, and on his upcoming "Mormon Transitions" project.

Direct download: MormonStories-570-DanWInterviewsJohnPt2.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 11:54am MDT