Keystone

The witnesses of the Book of Mormon "golden plates" either lied, were tricked, or were telling the truth. In this episode, David sits down with long-time scholar Daniel C. Peterson to talk about the different theories, and whether or not they align with the available evidence. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@keystoneldsInsta: https://www.instagram.com/keystonelds/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@keystoneldsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/keystonelds/Website: https://www.keystonelds.com

In this episode, David Snell and special guest Terryl Givens talk about perhaps the most controversial divide between members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (colloquially, Mormons) and mainstream Christianity: The nature of God. Buckle up!YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@keystoneldsInsta: https://www.instagram.com/keystonelds/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@keystoneldsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/keystonelds/Website: https://www.keystonelds.com

You guessed it, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the least-liked religious group in the United States, according to a recent PEW Research survey. In this episode, David Snell and Kristen Walker Smith review the data and chat about why people feel this way, and what Latter-day Saints can do about it. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@keystoneldsInsta: https://www.instagram.com/keystonelds/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@keystoneldsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/keystonelds/Website: https://www.keystonelds.com

Joining me today is Joshua Miller, a former patient of Jodi Hildebrandt and faithful Latter-day Saint, sharing his story of recovery from Jodi's "therapy" through the gospel of Jesus Christ. As you know, Hulu recently released "Devil in the Family: The Story of Ruby Franke," a documentary chronicling LDS vlogger Ruby Franke's interactions with the former mental health counselor, Jodi Hildebrandt, another Latter-day Saint, and how they both wound up in prison for child abuse. Critics claim that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is responsible for "creating" people like Ruby and Jodi through it's doctrine. By dissecting his personal experiences with Jodi and responding to a few clips, Joshua and I will explore exactly what role (if any) the Church's doctrine played in his abuse, as well as the role it played in his recovery and redemption. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@keystoneldsInsta: https://www.instagram.com/keystonelds/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@keystoneldsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/keystonelds/Website: https://www.keystonelds.comMusic by Zach Sundwall

In this episode, David sits down with BYU law professor Shima Baughman to talk about Hell, criminal justice, divine punishment, and the Latter-day Saint conception of the afterlife. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@keystoneldsInsta: https://www.instagram.com/keystonelds/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@keystoneldsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/keystonelds/Website: https://www.keystonelds.comMusic by Zach Sundwall

For almost 200 years now, skeptics have been trying to come up with how Joseph Smith could have possibly come up with the Book of Mormon on his own. One of the most popular theories today is that Joseph Smith used information or was inspired by another book called View of the Hebrews, by Ethan Smith (no relation). In this episode of Keystone, David Snell sits down with Latter-day Saint scholar Stephen Smoot to talk about what the evidence tells us, and what it doesn't tell us.YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@keystoneldsInsta: https://www.instagram.com/keystonelds/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@keystoneldsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/keystonelds/Website: https://www.keystonelds.comMusic by Zach Sundwall

In this episode, David Snell chats with scholar and author W. Paul Reeve about how the early leaders of Utah Territory grappled with the question of slavery. Paul recently co-authored a book on this subject (along with co-authors Christopher B. Rich Jr., and LaJean Purcell Carruth) called "This Abominable Slavery: Race, Religion, and the Battle over Human Bondage in Antebellum Utah". YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@keystonelds Insta: https://www.instagram.com/keystonelds/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@keystonelds Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keystonelds/ Website: https://www.keystonelds.com Music by Zach Sundwall

Joseph Smith's "King Follett Discourse" was essentially his last general conference talk, and boy was it controversial. It still is, almost 200 years later. In this episode, David Snell sits down with BYU professor Casey Paul Griffiths to dive into the nitty gritty. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@keystonelds Insta: https://www.instagram.com/keystonelds/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@keystonelds Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keystonelds/ Website: https://www.keystonelds.com Music by Zach Sundwall.

Brother Brad Wilcox joins David Snell to talk about "His Grace is Sufficient" 10+ years later, along with how ordinances fit into a grace-based plan of salvation. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@keystonelds Insta: https://www.instagram.com/keystonelds/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@keystonelds Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keystonelds/ Website: https://www.keystonelds.com Music by Zach Sundwall.

In this episode, Latter-day Saint historian Ben Spackman talks about change in the Church — past, present, and future. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@keystonelds Insta: https://www.instagram.com/keystonelds/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@keystonelds Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keystonelds/ Website: https://www.keystonelds.com Music by Zach Sundwall.

Some critics claim that the angel Moroni was originally referred to as "Nephi," and that the name was switched by later church leaders because it made more sense for the "made-up" storyline of the Book of Mormon. In this episode, David Snell investigates the claims. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@keystonelds Insta: https://www.instagram.com/keystonelds/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@keystonelds Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keystonelds/ Website: https://www.keystonelds.com Music by Zach Sundwall.

Latter-day Saint Bible scholar Ben Spackman discusses whether Latter-day Saints are "biblical" or not. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@keystonelds Insta: https://www.instagram.com/keystonelds/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@keystonelds Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keystonelds/ Website: https://www.keystonelds.com Music by Zach Sundwall.

Catholic apologist Trent Horn recently published a video aimed at discrediting the Book of Mormon by claiming that our 531 pages of the Book of Mormon would not have been able to fit in an ancient language on the golden plates. In this episode, David Snell takes a closer look at these claims, and highlights some of the research that Trent didn't address in his video.  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@keystonelds Insta: https://www.instagram.com/keystonelds/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@keystonelds Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keystonelds/ Website: https://www.keystonelds.com Music by Zach Sundwall.

An antagonistic source called the CES Letter compiles several quotes that talk about the Book of Mormon witnesses only seeing the golden plates in a vision, or with their imagination, or under entrancement, etc. How reliable are these quotes? If they really did see the plates in a “vision,” is that even a problem? Stick around and find out. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@keystonelds Insta: https://www.instagram.com/keystonelds/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@keystonelds Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keystonelds/ Website: https://www.keystonelds.com Music by Zach Sundwall.

An antagonistic source called the CES Letter compiles 4 quotes that talk about Book of Mormon witness Martin Harris only seeing the angel and the golden plates through spiritual eyes. How reliable are these quotes? What does “spiritual eyes” even mean? And, is it a problem? YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@keystonelds Insta: https://www.instagram.com/keystonelds/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@keystonelds Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keystonelds/ Website: https://www.keystonelds.com Music by Zach Sundwall.

YouTuber Johnny Harris recently published the second installment of his series on Latter-day Saint history. In this episode, David Snell gives his reaction to the video, and offers some additional context to a few sections that deserve to be fleshed out a bit more. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@keystonelds Insta: https://www.instagram.com/keystonelds/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@keystonelds Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keystonelds/ Website: https://www.keystonelds.com Music by Zach Sundwall.

Did Joseph Smith write the Book of Mormon? In this episode, David explores how theories about the origin of the Book of Mormon have changed over time. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@keystonelds Insta: https://www.instagram.com/keystonelds/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@keystonelds Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keystonelds/ Website: https://www.keystonelds.com Music by Zach Sundwall.

Did you know that some of the different writers/narrators in the Book of Mormon have measurably different and distinct voices? In this episode, BYU Professor John Hilton III shares some of the remarkable research he's been working on over the last 10+ years. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@keystonelds Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keystonelds/ Insta: https://www.instagram.com/keystonelds/ Website: https://www.keystonelds.com Music by Zach Sundwall.

Some people claim that Brigham Young instructed Latter-day Saint settlers to give Native Americans sacks of flour that had shards of glass hidden within. Who is making this claim? Where does it come from? And most importantly, is it true? YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@keystonelds Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keystonelds/ Insta: https://www.instagram.com/keystonelds/ Website: https://www.keystonelds.com Music by Zach Sundwall.

In this episode, David talks about perhaps the single most controversial conflict between the Utah pioneers and Native Americans: the Battle at Fort Utah (also known as the Fort Utah Massacre or Provo River Massacre). This episode is marked as "explicit" due to descriptions of historical violence. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@keystonelds Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keystonelds/ Insta: https://www.instagram.com/keystonelds/ Website: https://www.keystonelds.com Music by Zach Sundwall.

After being expelled from Illinois in 1847, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, led by Brigham Young, traveled west and settled on land that at the time was inhabited by various Native American tribes. The relationship between the Saints and the natives was … complex. In this episode, David talks about both the ups and the downs. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@keystonelds Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keystonelds/ Insta: https://www.instagram.com/keystonelds/ Website: https://www.keystonelds.com Music by Zach Sundwall.

Recently, father and son pastors Cliffe & Stuart Knechtle of Grace Community Church publicly responded to a question about Joseph Smith. In this episode, I offer some thoughts and corrections regarding what was said. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@keystonelds Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keystonelds/ Insta: https://www.instagram.com/keystonelds/ Website: https://www.keystonelds.com Music by Zach Sundwall.

Are science and faith mutually exclusive? According to this Yale professor, not by a long shot! In this episode, David interviews Dr. Samuel T. Wilkinson about what he believes science and evolution can teach us about our spiritual purpose here in mortality. Original music by Zach Sundwall. facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keystonelds/ insta: https://www.instagram.com/keystonelds/ tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@keystonelds website: https://www.keystonelds.com

In this episode, David highlights an interpretation of Satan's “plan of salvation” that sometimes doesn't get as much attention as it deserves. Which of the two interpretations presented in this video make the most sense to you? Check out our channel on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok! Music by Zach Sundwall.

In this episode, David chats with BYU professor Jan Martin, who recently wrote an incredibly insightful article about Christ's death, resurrection, and recovering from disillusionment. Here's a link to Jan's article: https://rsc.byu.edu/vol-24-no-1-2023/resurrection-recovering-disillusionment Follow us on YouTube, Instagram, and Tiktok! Original music by Zach Sundwall.

In this episode, David talks about a framework originally outlined by Bruce and Marie Hafen that can help members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints formulate realistic expectations, and can help them approach tough questions in a productive way. Follow us on YouTube, Instagram, and Tiktok! Original music by Zach Sundwall.

In Biblical Hebrew, possessive pronouns are usually attached to their respective nouns. When translated into English, those pronouns can thus sometimes be repeated (this is most noticeable in lists of nouns). In this episode, David shows where we see similar grammatical happenings throughout the Book of Mormon. These instances support the claim that the Book of Mormon is of an ancient Hebrew literary tradition. Follow us on YouTube, Instagram, and Tiktok! Original music by Zach Sundwall.

Inverted or upside-down stars are commonly associated with Satanism today. So… why are there inverted stars on some Latter-day Saint temples? Is there something malevolent going on here? That is the subject David explores in this episode. Follow us on YouTube, Instagram, and Tiktok! Original music by Zach Sundwall.

William McLellin was an early leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and also became an early apostate and critic of Church leadership. One might expect him to have also been a severe critic of the Book of Mormon, but the documents he left behind reveal quite a different story. Follow us on YouTube, Instagram, and Tiktok! Original music by Zach Sundwall.

Welcome to Keystone! I'm your host, David Snell. On Keystone, our goal is to fortify Latter-day Saint faith and combat misinformation through good old-fashioned research, presented in a respectful and easily-understandable way. Follow us on YouTube, Instagram, and Tiktok! Original music by Zach Sundwall.