Mormon Stories - LDS

In these important episodes of Mormon Stories, we interview Thomas to understand his journey in overcoming opiate addiction.  As opiate use reaches epidemic proportions in the United States and numerous other places in the world, many of our listeners have been impacted by the epidemic in some way.  There are multiple facets to this story we cover including:

  • How childhood sexual abuse had a direct affect on Thomas' later drug use
  • How the LDS Church's messaging on sexuality played a major role in negatively shaping his self-identity
  • Learning to use drugs as a tool to avoid feeling
  • What it was like living a life addicted to drugs
  • How family, friends, and church authority/members can better help struggling addicts
  • The impact his crisis of faith has on his life now, and his vision for the future

We thank Thomas for bravely sharing his story, and know it will impact many, many lives for good.

Direct download: MormonStories-799-ThomasDovePt2.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 4:32pm MDT

In these important episodes of Mormon Stories, we interview Thomas to understand his journey in overcoming opiate addiction.  As opiate use reaches epidemic proportions in the United States and numerous other places in the world, many of our listeners have been impacted by the epidemic in some way.  There are multiple facets to this story we cover including:

  • How childhood sexual abuse had a direct affect on Thomas' later drug use
  • How the LDS Church's messaging on sexuality played a major role in negatively shaping his self-identity
  • Learning to use drugs as a tool to avoid feeling
  • What it was like living a life addicted to drugs
  • How family, friends, and church authority/members can better help struggling addicts
  • The impact his crisis of faith has on his life now, and his vision for the future

We thank Thomas for bravely sharing his story, and know it will impact many, many lives for good.

Direct download: MormonStories-798-ThomasDovePt1.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 4:29pm MDT

With dueling “breaking news” events on September 21 within Mormondom, John tackles both topics with guests John Hamer and Wesley Monahan.

At a hefty price tag of $35M, the LDS Church purchased the original printer’s manuscript of the Book of Mormon from the Community of Christ who held it in possession for over 100 years.  To understand the implications of the purchase, we interview one of Mormon Stories’ favorites—John Hamer—pastor of the Community of Christ in Toronto.  We discuss what the manuscript is and its history, as well as the possible CoC motivations for the sell.

In another surprising twist, Brigham Young University announced that it would begin to sell caffeinated beverages on its campus, ending a ban on the sale of traditional colas that dated back to the 1950’s.  We discuss the original reasons for the ban, and how those explanations for the ban evolved over time to become solely an economic decision.  Wesley Monahan of Caffeine Corner, a current BYU student who is the proprietor of a service that delivers caffeinated beverages to students on campus, gives his take on the revelation and how it may (or may not) affect his business.

Direct download: MormonStories-797-ManuscriptCaffeinePt2.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 8:14am MDT

With dueling “breaking news” events on September 21 within Mormondom, John tackles both topics with guests John Hamer and Wesley Monahan.

At a hefty price tag of $35M, the LDS Church purchased the original printer’s manuscript of the Book of Mormon from the Community of Christ who held it in possession for over 100 years.  To understand the implications of the purchase, we interview one of Mormon Stories’ favorites—John Hamer—pastor of the Community of Christ in Toronto.  We discuss what the manuscript is and its history, as well as the possible CoC motivations for the sell.

In another surprising twist, Brigham Young University announced that it would begin to sell caffeinated beverages on its campus, ending a ban on the sale of traditional colas that dated back to the 1950’s.  We discuss the original reasons for the ban, and how those explanations for the ban evolved over time to become solely an economic decision.  Wesley Monahan of Caffeine Corner, a current BYU student who is the proprietor of a service that delivers caffeinated beverages to students on campus, gives his take on the revelation and how it may (or may not) affect his business.

Direct download: MormonStories-796-ManuscriptCaffeinePt1.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 8:13am MDT

In these episodes, we interview Lex de Azevedo -- son of Alyce King of The King Sisters. He served as a musical director for The Sonny & Cher Show, Michael Jackson and the Jackson Five, and The Osmonds. He composed the scores for the films Where the Red Fern Grows and The Swan Princess. He is also credited as the co-writer of the Latter-day Saint production, Saturday's Warrior.

Direct download: Lex_de_Azevedo-Part3-podcast.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 4:22pm MDT

In these episodes, we interview Lex de Azevedo -- son of Alyce King of The King Sisters. He served as a musical director for The Sonny & Cher Show, Michael Jackson and the Jackson Five, and The Osmonds. He composed the scores for the films Where the Red Fern Grows and The Swan Princess. He is also credited as the co-writer of the Latter-day Saint production, Saturday's Warrior.

Direct download: Lex_de_Azevedo-Part2-podcast.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 4:20pm MDT

In these episodes, we interview Lex de Azevedo -- son of Alyce King of The King Sisters. He served as a musical director for The Sonny & Cher Show, Michael Jackson and the Jackson Five, and The Osmonds. He composed the scores for the films Where the Red Fern Grows and The Swan Princess. He is also credited as the co-writer of the Latter-day Saint production, Saturday's Warrior.

Direct download: Lex_de_Azevedo-Part1-podcast.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 4:18pm MDT

In this episode of Mormon Stories Podcast we interview the incredibly successful Mehrsa Baradaran. Mehrsa and her family immigrated from Iran to the United States when she was 9. After joining the Mormon church, Mehrsa graduated from BYU and New York University law school, became law school faculty at both BYU and University of Georgia (where she now works). She is the author of two books:

- How the other half banks: Exclusion, Exploitation, and the Threat to Democracy
- The Color of Money: Black Banking and the Racial Wealth Gap

In addition to her successful career, she is the mother of three children, and identifies as an Immigrant, liberal, Mormon, Muslim, feminist, lawyer, mother who generally dislikes labels.

Topics of focus for today's episode include: Race and Mormonism, Mormons and Social Justice, and Tribalism and Mormon Identity.

Direct download: MormonStories-792-MehrsaPt2.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 7:59am MDT

In this episode of Mormon Stories Podcast we interview the incredibly successful Mehrsa Baradaran. Mehrsa and her family immigrated from Iran to the United States when she was 9. After joining the Mormon church, Mehrsa graduated from BYU and New York University law school, became law school faculty at both BYU and University of Georgia (where she now works). She is the author of two books:

- How the other half banks: Exclusion, Exploitation, and the Threat to Democracy
- The Color of Money: Black Banking and the Racial Wealth Gap

In addition to her successful career, she is the mother of three children, and identifies as an Immigrant, liberal, Mormon, Muslim, feminist, lawyer, mother who generally dislikes labels.

Topics of focus for today's episode include: Race and Mormonism, Mormons and Social Justice, and Tribalism and Mormon Identity.

Direct download: MormonStories-791-MehrsaPt1.mp3
Category:Religion -- posted at: 7:55am 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-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

1