Podcast appearances and mentions of Jeremy Runnells

Join us today as we rebroadcast the story of the man behind the famous CES Letter: Jeremy Runnells.In February 2012, Jeremy Runnels experienced a crisis of faith, which subsequently led to a faith transition in the summer of 2012. In the spring of 2013, Jeremy was approached and asked by a Church Education System (CES) Director to share his concerns and questions about the LDS Church's origins, history, and current practices. In response, Jeremy wrote what later became publicly known as Letter to a CES Director.Letter to a CES Director very quickly went viral on the internet. The CES Director responded that he read the “very well written” letter and that he would provide Jeremy with a response. No response ever came.From then on, hundreds of Mormons have stumbled across the CES Letter and it has caused them to question their faith. Other believing sites have attacked Jeremy Runnells over the years, saying that he was insincere or that he never believed the church was true. His story clears up all doubt that he was a true-believing Mormon.___________________YouTubeMormon Stories Thanks Our Generous Donors!Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today:One-time or recurring donation through DonorboxSupport us on PatreonPayPalVenmoOur Platforms:YouTubePatreonSpotifyApple PodcastsContact us:MormonStories@gmail.comPO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117Social Media:Insta: @mormstoriesTikTok: @mormonstoriespodcastJoin the Discord

In this episode of LDS Discussions, we explore how BYU Professor Anthony Sweat's artwork reflects the troubling aspects of church history found in the CES Letter by Jeremy Runnells. Despite being excommunicated for questioning the church, Runnells' CES Letter, published in 2013, exposes discrepancies in the official narrative. Meanwhile, Sweat's art, starting in 2014, delves into controversial topics like Joseph Smith's treasure digging, the use of a seer stone, and polygamy. We compare Sweat's paintings to the CES Letter's criticisms, highlighting how the church's history is often presented inaccurately. Join us as we discuss these bold portrayals and the ongoing tension between church teachings and historical truth. ___________________ At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals. Our overall mission is to: 1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology 2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis 3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions

In this episode of LDS Discussions, we explore how BYU Professor Anthony Sweat's artwork reflects the troubling aspects of church history found in the CES Letter by Jeremy Runnells. Despite being excommunicated for questioning the church, Runnells' CES Letter, published in 2013, exposes discrepancies in the official narrative. Meanwhile, Sweat's art, starting in 2014, delves into controversial topics like Joseph Smith's treasure digging, the use of a seer stone, and polygamy. We compare Sweat's paintings to the CES Letter's criticisms, highlighting how the church's history is often presented inaccurately. Join us as we discuss these bold portrayals and the ongoing tension between church teachings and historical truth.Show NotesYouTubeMormon Stories Thanks Our Generous Donors!Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today:One-time or recurring donation through DonorboxSupport us on PatreonPayPalVenmoOur Platforms:YouTubePatreonSpotifyApple PodcastsContact us:MormonStories@gmail.comPO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117Social Media:Insta: @mormstoriesTikTok: @mormonstoriespodcastJoin the Discord

Today we are joined with Sandra Tanner to discuss Mormon historian, Richard Bushman's recent response to the CES Letter. Bushman's response was on the topic of the translation of the Book of Mormon. Did Joseph Smith really use a seer stone? Is the author of the CES Letter, Jeremy Runnells, wrong for feeling betrayed by the church? Did the church really hide that Joseph Smith had and used a seer stone to translate their most sacred text? Join us to find out these answers! Show Notes YouTube Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today: One-time or recurring donation through Donorbox Support us on Patreon PayPal Venmo Our Platforms: Youtube Patreon Spotify Apple Podcasts Contact us: PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117 Social Media: Insta: @mormstories Tiktok: @mormonstoriespodcast Join the Discord

  In this episode of The Interpreter Radio Show, our hosts are Martin Tanner, John Gee, and Kevin Christensen. They discuss Come, Follow Me New Testament lesson 32, Jeremy Runnells and John Dehlin‘s claim that “second sight” means “imagination”, and the article this week by John Gee. They are then joined by Ron Esplin to […] The post Interpreter Radio Show — July 9, 2023 first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.

Back in 2015 there was a letter that was published that shook many peoples testimony of the Restored Gospel. That letter was authored by a man named Jeremy Runnells and was addressed to an employee of the Church Educational System that letter became known as the CES letter.  In the letter Mr. Runnels attacks foundational truth claims of the Restored Gospel and Joseph Smith. On this episode I have on Sarah Allen. Sarah is a life-long devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and a volunteer for Fair Mormon which is a group dedicated to providing informed well documented answers to Gospel questions. In our conversation Sarah provides well documented and accurate historical data to refute some of the letters most well-known accusations. Stick around to get equipped to defend the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.   Restoration Torah Conference https://restorationtorahconference.org/2023-speakers-talks/ Energy Unvieled https://www.amazon.com/Energy-Unveiled-Secrets-Destiny-Reality/dp/B0BPWC39QN/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=3TTTFLV2RR4MI&keywords=energy+unveiled&qid=1672606497&sprefix=energy+unveiled+%2Caps%2C217&sr=8-1 Annotated Version Of the Doctrine & Covenants https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/d-c-annotated-learn-at-the-feet-of-the-prophets#/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dave-kirkenbower/support

In part two of our series on world religions, we take a look at the Mormon faith. What is it, how does it differ from Christianity and what is the best way to lovingly enter into conversations with our friends of the Mormon faith? Hint: it starts with prayer. Resources mentioned in today's episode are: Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer and CES Letter: My Search for Answers to My Mormon Doubts by Jeremy Runnells.

Welcome to season three of Nobody Knows Your Story. In episode one, I talk with Jeremy Runnells who shares his life story which contains some great Hawaiian memories. He actually sent me a list of three of his favorite Hawaiian songs by the great Maui singer and chanter, Keali'i Reichel and as luck would have it, I had all three.Jeremy's story is unique in several ways, but most certainly because of Jeremy's issue with hearing. He talks about gradually losing his hearing around age three, getting hearing aids around age five, and eventually cochlear implants in his twenties. We discuss what it's like to have to question issues we thought were unquestionable, and the importance of being kind and understanding of the problems everyone has to deal with.  Jeremy also talks about the love he has for his family and of course, we talk about Hawaii and what the aloha spirit means to us.  

Joe and Smith introduce each other and their podcast. The guys discuss some early LDS lore and invent a new early saint called W.W. Wphelps, who may have had a hand in inventing the World Wide Web. Joe notices his tendency to want definitive truth when learning something new. The guys are going to use swear words and sometimes offend, but not for the sake of being offensive. Joe and Smith are pretty convinced that they are the worst people, self-esteem is not their strong suit, but they're working on it. The guys bring up how they still hang on to some doctrines from the church, like Brian Regan. Smith says that he wants the podcast to help people who feel like they're on the outside who may be dealing with some trauma and sadness from their families and from the church. The guys started watching Under the Banner of Heaven (2022), aka Garfield, on Hulu. Joe feels like he has only ever won one fight with the church and that it was deciding not to go anymore. The guys give an overview of the process of having one's name removed from the church's records. The BOM has 239 chapters. Goddammit. Smith denies being a Star Wars fanboy, but he really is. The guys bare their testimony that the BOM was written by a fraud (JS) and written for purposes such as gaining power and money. It's a secret combination. They devolve into some righteous indignation toward JS, but they steer out of it by singing a hymn. Smith feels like the overwhelming pressure for perfection in the church conditioned him to lie, while Joe feels like he told the truth and was just “less than”. The guys notice that it may be easier to stay in the church if you don't take the church very seriously.  Smith reads us the title page, which is super confusing. The guys try to piece together some of the details but give up and refer the listener to people like Jeremy Runnells and John Dehlin, aka Jahndalyn. Smith points out how easy it is to get distracted by the levels of details and minutia in the BOM, but that it's all made up.  The guys read the introduction to the BOM, which essentially positions itself as Bible fanfiction. Smith tells about getting duped by fake Harry Potter fanfiction before book 5. Russel M Nelson is a bastard. The guys take some issue with the church adding the word “among” to the intro page. Smith knows a lot about the temple, but he'll get into that later. Smith talks about how he tried to “make up” for the church's sexism by elevating women to a higher level.  Mormon Stories Podcast 480-482: JEREMY RUNNELLS AND HIS LETTER TO A CES DIRECTOR JUNE 18, 2014 https://mormonstories.org/podcast/jeremy-runnells-and-his-letter-to-a-ces-director/    CES Letter My Search for Answers to my Mormon Doubts BY JEREMY RUNNELLS https://cesletter.org/    THE DOLLOP Dave Anthony | Gareth Reynolds https://allthingscomedy.com/podcast/the-dollop    Music Provided by Eric VanAusdal with permission from the artist.  The Book of Mormon is publicly available at churchofjesuschrist.org   Email us at joeandsmithpod@gmail.com   Remember who you are and what you stand for

Come explore with us at https://truenorthproject.com Jeremy Runnells is the author of the CES Letter - a bombshell document that went viral in 2013 and sent waves out through the greater Mormon community. This document has impacted thousands of Mormons and has been a contributing factor to the mass exodus currently occurring in Mormonism. You can explore this document, the LDS response, and much more, at https://cesletter.org In this conversation Jeremy and I discuss both of our Mormon stories (Jeremy's being LDS and mine being Fundamentalist) We also take a high level perspective of the CES Letter and Mormonism including:  - DNA evidence of the peopling of the America's - Anachronisms found in the Book of Mormon - Translator verbiage of the 1769 King James Bible (that Joseph Smith had in his possession) showing up in the 1st edition of the Book of Mormon - The book of Abraham and the actual Egyptian translation of the source document papyrus  - Polygamy, Polyandry, and the suspect behavior of Joseph Smith. - Dartmouth College and the group collaboration of the Smith family and others in founding a Masonic religion (Mormonism) Links mentioned in the podcast: Jeremy Runnells' CES Letter  Alan Watts - Jesus, His Religion Graham Handcock's book America Before  Brian Muraresku's book The Immortality Key  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/truenorthproject/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/truenorthproject/support

Join hosts John Dehlin and Gerardo Sumano as they explore what happens when a Mormon missionary reads the CES Letter. Kolby Sorensen was raised a devout Mormon in West Valley and West Jordan, Utah. In 2020, he was called to serve a mission as the COVID pandemic began, when missionaries were encouraged to use social media to proselytize.   Show Notes: Letter to a CES Letter Director by Jeremy Runnells: https://bit.ly/3t6Sici "Reflections on the CES Letter," Daniel Peterson, FAIRmormon Conference 2014: https://bit.ly/3w4lwKx "Belief after the CES Letter," Jim Bennett on Mormon Stories: https://bit.ly/3Jb4gXX "A Faithful Reply to the CES Letter from a Former CES Employee," by Jim Bennett: https://bit.ly/35OJfE5 Jeremy Runnell's responses to "Debunkings of the CES Letter”: https://bit.ly/3i7wYNj "Missionaries returning home at their own insistence," Mission President's Handbook, Ch 4: https://bit.ly/3taSCGI Kolby's posts on Ex-Mormon Reddit: https://bit.ly/3w3hbY8 "Telling Your Loved Ones About Losing Your Faith," on Mormon Stories: https://bit.ly/37xIFet "Mormon Inoculation" on Mormon Stories: https://bit.ly/36gBiXS "Personal Peace in Challenging Times," Quentin L. Cook, General Conference October 2021: https://bit.ly/3CEqnn7 "Britvengers React: The Mormon British Rescue" on Mormon Stories: https://bit.ly/3q6c05V "LDS Church addresses health of church president," by Ric Wayman, St. George News, May 3, 2015: https://bit.ly/3w4Ccla "Is the Mormon Church in Decline?" An Insider Report on Mormon Stories: https://bit.ly/3KHOUuh "No More Strangers," by Alexander B. Morrison, Ensign, September 2000: https://bit.ly/3MLKEvz "Strong Impressions of the Spirit," by D. Todd Christofferson, New Era, June 2013: https://bit.ly/3CU5OmZ "Founder of the Book of Mormon Heartland Model," Rodney Meldrum on Mormon Stories: https://bit.ly/3MOkKra "Jesus Christ is the Answer," Ronald A Rasband, Evening With a General Authority, February 8, 2019: https://bit.ly/3MOkNDm [CW: May be triggering for those experiencing suicidal thoughts] "Daughter of Mormon General Authority Hartman Rector, Jr." Lila Tueller on Mormon Stories: https://bit.ly/3JhIT7u Gerardo Sumano interview on Mormon Stories ; https://bit.ly/3KycRUS Kolby and Cami Reddish interview on Mormon Stories: https://bit.ly/3q4hnT5 "From TBM to RFM: Radio Free Mormon Discusses His Transition from Mormon Apologist to Non-Believer," on Mormon Stories: https://bit.ly/36gd9ku ————— 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

If you could write a letter to the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that they were obliged to actually read instead of just forwarding it to your Stake President to deal with without reading it as they usually do, what would YOU want to put in it?  This is a vanishingly rare, once in a lifetime opportunity for a faithful Latter-day Saint.  The high price of this privilege is excommunication, so it needs to be worth it to pay that much! I was giddy with excitement when my Stake President formally invited me to write to the First Presidency if I wished to appeal against his decision to excommunicate me.  There is so much I want them to know about our real experiences, and the havoc they are wreaking upon my family and the Church in my country.   Whoever it is that does wind up reading it, I determined that they will be taken on a mind expanding journey!  And if Presidents Nelson, Oaks or Eyring do actually read it, you can rest assured that they HAVE been told.  They have been told precisely what they are getting wrong that is crashing the Church's active membership and credibility with the next generation. They have been told what they could do to save the Church.  They have been invited to retire or radically reform.  And they have been invited to answer the 3 simple questions my CES Director Stake President has repeatedly refused or been unable to answer, and excommunicated me for publicly asking.  In a gripping sequel to Jeremy Runnells' ‘Letter to a CES Director', MY letter to a CES Director is now a ‘Letter to the First Presidency.'  ...I've become a bit competitive since being cast into Outer Darkness as a dangerous apostate!Pop your popcorn, slurp on a caffeinated soda and enjoy the ride intrepid listeners!

In this "New Hope" episode, my good buddy Sarah and I reveal unto the world our thoughts on the first few sections of the extremely controversial Church Education System Letter written by Jeremy Runnells. This is dense stuff. Strap in. If you're interested in reading the CES Letter, it is free to download @ cesletter.org

Join us today as we continue with part two of our three-part interview with former baseball player and LDS seminary teacher, Marc Oslund. Fascinating for so many reasons, I believe this is one of the most important Mormon Stories Podcast episodes I've ever released. Marc was a heavily recruited high school baseball and football player in the L.A., California area. He converted to the Mormon church as a teen. He was drafted to the baseball Major Leagues three different times, and turned down those offers to go on an LDS mission and to BYU. He was an all-American baseball player at BYU. He served an LDS mission where he was often racked with guilt and shame - almost sent home for it. When his baseball career ended (due to post-mission injuries), he became a Mormon CES seminary teacher, and served from around 2013 to 2019 - while the Mormon church was trying to become more open/honest about its history, and deal with public activists like Kate Kelly, myself, Sam Young, Jeremy Runnells, etc. Even though he constantly had doubts/questions/concerns, his position as a seminary teacher caused major rifts in his marriage when his wife expressed occasional doubts, specifically about the Mormon temple ceremony. Marc became a liberal/progressive/Givens Mormon while a seminary teacher - but was punished by CES for his progressive stances. Marc ultimately lost his orthodox Mormon faith as a seminary teacher, and was pressured to quit his job. In part 2 of his story, we will hear about Marc's experience working for the Church Educational System as a seminary teacher, his attempts to be open with students about church doctrines, and why he eventually began to question the leadership of the LDS church - all while working within the CES program.

Join us now as Anthony Miller and Douglas Stilgoe join me to break down the recent rebranding and partial repenting of FAIRMormon, which includes: 1) taking down the controversial "Kwaku" / Cardon Ellis / Bradley Witbeck videos that attacked Jeremy Runnells and John Dehlin, 2) promising to cease ad hominem attacks, and 3) a name change.

In a recent video released by paid actors supported by FAIRMormon and the More Good Foundation, Kwaku El, Brad Witbeck, and Cardon Ellis make the claim that I and Mormon Stories (and Jeremy Runnells) are intentionally "homewrecking for profit" with the work we do. In an attempt to combat this hurtful claim, I reached out to our amazing Mormon Stories Listeners, requesting your help by sharing if/how Mormon Stories Podcast has helped your family. I have been deeply honored and humbled by the overwhelming support we have received, and would like to personally thank each one of you that were brave enough to share your own “Mormon Story” with me. Mormon Stories podcast seeks to understand, explore, challenge, and improve the Mormon experience through stories, and has never had the intention of harming families in any way. In fact, we strive to support and mend family relationships by promoting healthy communication skills and unconditional love. The primary objectives of Mormon Stories podcast include: Providing support to Mormons who are transitioning away from either orthodox Mormonism, or from Mormonism altogether, with a particular emphasis on: Minimizing the anxiety, depression, and occasional suicidality that can accompany a transition away from religious orthodoxy. Reducing the number of unnecessary divorces attributable to Mormon faith crises. Creating a community of support for liberal/progressive and post-Mormons. Building greater awareness regarding accurate LDS/Mormon church history, doctrine, and theology – so that both active, believing Mormons and investigators of the church can make informed decisions regarding their investment in, and engagement with the church. Identifying opportunities for growth/improvement within the LDS church, and within broader Mormon culture. Mormon Stories Podcast by no means benefits from the destruction of families, and we are saddened to see our community mis-represented in this way. It is my hope that the personal accounts represented in this video will be evidence of how Mormon Stories has actually benefited the lives of our listeners, and lay to rest the claim that Jeremy Runnells and myself have ever participated in “homewrecking for profit.” Thank you.

Jim Bennett is the author of "A Faithful Reply to the CES Letter."  He is also the son of the late Utah U.S. Senator Bob Bennett. In Part 1 of a multi-part series with Jim, we discuss in-depth his approach to maintaining belief in the Mormon church AFTER exposure to to all of the historical and social problems currently vexing the LDS church, as highlighted in Jeremy Runnell's groundbreaking book "CES Letter: My Search for Answers to my Mormon Doubts. Today's episode covers: How/why to continue believing in God after a Mormon crisis of faith. How/why to continue believing in Jesus after a Mormon crisis of faith. What it means to Jim to be a fallible Mormon prophet. How Jim views the claim that the Mormon church is the "one true church." Jim's condemnation of FAIRMormon's recent YouTube videos attacking Jeremy Runnells and me.

Recently, the Mormon apologetic organization FAIRMormon has released several aggressive new videos via their YouTube Channel starring the actors Kwaku El, Cardon Ellis, and Brad Witbeck. These videos are intended to appeal to younger Latter-day saints, but also launch aggressive attacks against me (John Dehlin) and Jeremy Runnells (author of the CES Letter). The historical accuracy/honesty of these videos has also been called into question by many. Today we interview Anthony D. Miller - a wise and thoughtful post-Mormon - about these latest events. Some of the topics we hope to cover are listed below. We would also welcome your questions/comments. Topics for today: Motivations behind Mormon apologetics. Differences between Mormon apologetics and critical scholarship Contrast traditional apologetics and more progressive, nuanced apologetics Examples of people who have shifted from apologetics towards critical scholarship, and their explanations as to “the why.” Examples of people who engage with critical scholarship, but operate within Mormonism with a mostly a metaphorical paradigm with an apologetic bent. Contrast how GenZ, Millennials, GenX, and Baby Boomers engage with information. How GenZ at times experiences fragility, catastrophizing, call-out culture, and perception of violence in speech, and how these things affect engagement with apologetics and scholarship. (Jonathan Haidt’s book, The Coddling of the American Mind). Current spectrum of apologetics Approaches and methods for distribution Firesides and conferences Radical Orthodoxy proclamation, Deznat, etc. Adaptations to respond to social media, YouTube, TikTok What we might expect going forward Will this approach work? Will it backfire? Is it ethical?

Mormon Stories Listeners, I really need your help.  The Mormon Church is funneling millions of dollars each year into non-profit "charities" like the More Good Foundation and FAIRMormon to smear my name and Jeremy Runnell's name, in hopes of destroying the positive impact of Mormon Stories Podcast.  Watch any cult documentary.  It's what cults do. In a recent video released by paid actors supported by FAIRMormon and the More Good Foundation, Kwaku El, Brad Witbeck, and Cardon Ellis make the claim that I and Mormon Stories (and Jeremy Runnells) are intentionally "homewrecking for profit" with the work we do.  Here's a clip of their lies. https://youtu.be/3jYZNBwsS3Q?t=86 I could really use your help in the following way: Please record a short video or write out a paragraph or two describing if/how Mormon Stories Podcast has helped (or harmed) your family. Feel free to include what role (if any) the LDS Church, and/or apologetic sites like FAIRMormon played in promoting family health and unity, or in harming your family. Please email your videos to me here: mormonstories@gmail.com, or you can message them to me on Facebook. Or if you prefer to write your story, please do so in the comments below. Please know that these videos and/or this text could be used publicly. This would mean the world to me, and will help blunt the lies that FAIRMormon, Cardon, Kwaku, Brad, and the More Good Foundation are telling people. Thank you so, so much for your support. John Dehlin

URGENT: Dr. Ritner is facing kidney failure and is in need of a living donor to secure his life and continued research. If you can help, please contact Dana McClain, Northwestern Medicine Transplant Coordinator, 312-695-0828. Living donors save lives! Also, if you are grateful for Dr. Ritner's time and expertise with this podcast, please email him and express your gratitude!!! ============ Part 1: Dr. Ritner's story, the historical context for the Book of Abraham, and Facsimile 1 https://youtu.be/ORNYUyHg3pY Part 2: Facsimiles 2 & 3 https://youtu.be/df4flxToFvM Part 3: The Abraham Egyptian Papers, return of the "lost" papyrus, and an in-depth discussion of LDS Book of Abraham Apologetics   Series Description:  For more than a century Joseph Smith's Book of Abraham "translation" has been revered as holy scripture by devout Mormons, and denounced by all credible non-LDS Egyptologists as a 100% erroneous translation -- a combination of Joseph Smith's imagination and some plagiarism (much like the Book of Mormon, the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible, and the Mormon temple ceremony. The first major scholarly analysis and critique of the Book of Abraham by world-class Egyptologists came in 1912 and was published in the New York Times.  Of course this article was neither appropriately considered nor adequately addressed by LDS church leadership, and ultimately the issue faded from LDS church membership consciousness for several more decades. Beginning in 1966 with the rediscovery of the core Book of Abraham papyri fragments found in the archives of the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art (that were thought to have been lost in the 1871 Great Chicago Fire), Mormon apologists such as Hugh Nibley, John Gee, Daniel C. Peterson, Kerry Muhlestein, Michael D. Rhodes, etc. have attempted to employ apologetic tactics to rescue the Book of Abraham from a total loss of credibility - once credible translations of the papyrus demonstrated undeniably that Joseph Smith's "translation" was 100% inaccurate, and in fact, had nothing to do with Abraham at all.  In fact, the papyri were dated to be written over 1500 years after the time Abraham would have lived. For decades questioning, doubting, and non-believing Mormons have engaged with Mormon apologists like Nibley, Gee, Muhlestein, and Rhodes to determine the historicity and legitimacy of the Book of Abraham - with the credibility of Joseph Smith and the LDS church restoration hanging in the balance.  In spite of the LDS church's century-long efforts to either hide or convolute the issues surrounding the Book of Abraham, many Mormons have lost their faith and left the church over the Book of Abraham, as it is often listed as one of the primary reasons that Mormons lose their faith. While many orthodox, doubting, and post-Mormons have heard the opinions of pseudo-Egyptologists/Book of Abraham apologists like John Gee, Kerry Muhlestein, and Michael D. Rhodes, few Mormons or post-Mormons have actually heard the opinions of a legitimate, world-class Egyptologist about the historicity and credibility of the Book of Abraham - until today. Today, as a joint production of Mormon Stories Podcast and Radio Free Mormon podcast, we interview Dr. Robert Ritner.  Dr. Ritner is Professor of Egyptology at the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago and was from 1991-1996 the first Marilyn M. Simpson Assistant Professor of Egyptology at Yale University.  Dr. Ritner is the author of over 100 publications on Egyptian religion, magic, medicine, language and literature, as well as social and political history. He has lectured extensively on each of these topics throughout the United States, Europe and Egypt.  Ritner has led Oriental Institute tours of Egypt for 30 years.  He is also the author of The Joseph Smith Egyptian Papyri: A Complete Edition, and an essay entitled “Translation and Historicity of the Book of Abraham” — A Response - written as a response to the LDS church's gospel topics essay on the Book of Abraham, which is deeply problematic according to Dr. Ritner. In this three-part sit-down with Dr. Ritner, we will discuss his upbringing in Houston, Texas and his scholarly background and the events that led to him becoming interested in the Book of Abraham.  We will provide a contextualizing history to the Book of Abraham story, and discuss in-depth Joseph Smith's completely erroneous translation of Facsimiles 1-3 from the papyrus.  We explore the emergence of the Abraham Egyptian Papers in the mid 1960s, along with the discovery of the "lost" Book of Abraham papyrus.  We end this series by exploring some of the seemingly unscholarly and disingenuous tactics used by Book of Abraham apologists John Gee, Kerry Muhlestein, and Michael D. Rhodes to try to bolster belief in the Book of Abraham. Finally, a HUGE thanks to Bruce MacArthur for making this interview possible. Also, a MASSIVE thanks to RFM for co-hosting, Bill Reel for all of his great work over the years, along with all of the amazing scholars who helped me/us prepare for this interview, including: Mike Brown of the Mormon Stories Truth Claims essays, MormonThink, Jeremy Runnells and the CES Letter, Dan Vogel, Brent Metcalfe, Letter for my Wife, MormonInfoGraphics.com, this super cool video, and much much more content than I could ever fully list here. URGENT: Dr. Ritner is facing kidney failure and is in need of a living donor to secure his life and continued research. If you can help, please contact Dana McClain, Northwestern Medicine Transplant Coordinator, 312-695-0828. Living donors save lives!

URGENT: Dr. Ritner is facing kidney failure and is in need of a living donor to secure his life and continued research. If you can help, please contact Dana McClain, Northwestern Medicine Transplant Coordinator, 312-695-0828. Living donors save lives! Also, if you are grateful for Dr. Ritner's time and expertise with this podcast, please email him and express your gratitude!!! ============ For more than a century Joseph Smith's Book of Abraham "translation" has been revered as holy scripture by devout Mormons, and denounced by all credible non-LDS Egyptologists as a 100% erroneous translation -- a combination of Joseph Smith's imagination and some plagiarism (much like the Book of Mormon, the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible, and the Mormon temple ceremony. The first major scholarly analysis and critique of the Book of Abraham by world-class Egyptologists came in 1912 and was published in the New York Times.  Of course this article was neither appropriately considered nor adequately addressed by LDS church leadership, and ultimately the issue faded from LDS church membership consciousness for several more decades. Beginning in 1966 with the rediscovery of the core Book of Abraham papyri fragments found in the archives of the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art (that were thought to have been lost in the 1871 Great Chicago Fire), Mormon apologists such as Hugh Nibley, John Gee, Daniel C. Peterson, Kerry Muhlestein, Michael D. Rhodes, etc. have attempted to employ apologetic tactics to rescue the Book of Abraham from a total loss of credibility - once credible translations of the papyrus demonstrated undeniably that Joseph Smith's "translation" was 100% inaccurate, and in fact, had nothing to do with Abraham at all.  In fact, the papyri were dated to be written over 1500 years after the time Abraham would have lived. For decades questioning, doubting, and non-believing Mormons have engaged with Mormon apologists like Nibley, Gee, Muhlestein, and Rhodes to determine the historicity and legitimacy of the Book of Abraham - with the credibility of Joseph Smith and the LDS church restoration hanging in the balance.  In spite of the LDS church's century-long efforts to either hide or convolute the issues surrounding the Book of Abraham, many Mormons have lost their faith and left the church over the Book of Abraham, as it is often listed as one of the primary reasons that Mormons lose their faith. While many orthodox, doubting, and post-Mormons have heard the opinions of pseudo-Egyptologists/Book of Abraham apologists like John Gee, Kerry Muhlestein, and Michael D. Rhodes, few Mormons or post-Mormons have actually heard the opinions of a legitimate, world-class Egyptologist about the historicity and credibility of the Book of Abraham - until today. Today, as a joint production of Mormon Stories Podcast and Radio Free Mormon podcast, we interview Dr. Robert Ritner.  Dr. Ritner is Professor of Egyptology at the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago and was from 1991-1996 the first Marilyn M. Simpson Assistant Professor of Egyptology at Yale University.  Dr. Ritner is the author of over 100 publications on Egyptian religion, magic, medicine, language and literature, as well as social and political history. He has lectured extensively on each of these topics throughout the United States, Europe and Egypt.  Ritner has led Oriental Institute tours of Egypt for 30 years.  He is also the author of The Joseph Smith Egyptian Papyri: A Complete Edition, and an essay entitled “Translation and Historicity of the Book of Abraham” — A Response - written as a response to the LDS church's gospel topics essay on the Book of Abraham, which is deeply problematic according to Dr. Ritner. In this three-part sit-down with Dr. Ritner, we will discuss his upbringing in Houston, Texas and his scholarly background and the events that led to him becoming interested in the Book of Abraham.  We will provide a contextualizing history to the Book of Abraham story, and discuss in-depth Joseph Smith's completely erroneous translation of Facsimiles 1-3 from the papyrus.  We explore the emergence of the Abraham Egyptian Papers in the mid 1960s, along with the discovery of the "lost" Book of Abraham papyrus.  We end this series by exploring some of the seemingly unscholarly and disingenuous tactics used by Book of Abraham apologists John Gee, Kerry Muhlestein, and Michael D. Rhodes to try to bolster belief in the Book of Abraham. Finally, a HUGE thanks to Bruce MacArthur for making this interview possible. Also, a MASSIVE thanks to RFM for co-hosting, Bill Reel for all of his great work over the years, along with all of the amazing scholars who helped me/us prepare for this interview, including: Mike Brown of the Mormon Stories Truth Claims essays, MormonThink, Jeremy Runnells and the CES Letter, Dan Vogel, Brent Metcalfe, Letter for my Wife, MormonInfoGraphics.com, this super cool video, and much much more content than I could ever fully list here. URGENT: Dr. Ritner is facing kidney failure and is in need of a living donor to secure his life and continued research. If you can help, please contact Dana McClain, Northwestern Medicine Transplant Coordinator, 312-695-0828. Living donors save lives!

URGENT: Dr. Ritner is facing kidney failure and is in need of a living donor to secure his life and continued research. If you can help, please contact Dana McClain, Northwestern Medicine Transplant Coordinator, 312-695-0828. Living donors save lives! ============ For more than a century Joseph Smith's Book of Abraham "translation" has been revered as holy scripture by devout Mormons, and denounced by all credible Egyptologists as a 100% erroneous translation -- a combination of Joseph Smith's imagination and some plagiarism (much like the Book of Mormon, the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible, and the Mormon temple ceremony. The first major scholarly analysis and critique of the Book of Abraham by world-class Egyptologists came in 1912 and was published in the New York Times.  Of course this article was neither appropriately considered nor adequately addressed by LDS church leadership, and ultimately the issue faded from LDS church membership consciousness for several more decades. Beginning in 1966 with the rediscovery of the core Book of Abraham papyri fragments found in the archives of the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art (that were thought to have been lost in the 1871 Great Chicago Fire), Mormon apologists such as Hugh Nibley, John Gee, Daniel C. Peterson, Kerry Muhlestein, Michael D. Rhodes, and Brian Hauglid have attempted to employ apologetic tactics to rescue the Book of Abraham from a total loss of credibility - once credible translations of the papyrus demonstrated undeniably that Joseph Smith's "translation" was 100% inaccurate, and in fact, had nothing to do with Abraham at all.  In fact, the papyri were dated to be written over 1500 years after the time Abraham would have lived. For decades questioning, doubting, and non-believing Mormons have engaged with Mormon apologists like Nibley, Gee, Muhlestein, and Rhodes to determine the historicity and legitimacy of the Book of Abraham - with the credibility of Joseph Smith and the LDS church restoration hanging in the balance.  In spite of the LDS church's century-long efforts to either hide or convolute the issues surrounding the Book of Abraham, many Mormons have lost their faith and left the church over the Book of Abraham, as it is often listed as one of the primary reasons that Mormons lose their faith. While many orthodox, doubting, and post-Mormons have heard the opinions of pseudo-Egyptologists/Book of Abraham apologists like John Gee, Kerry Muhlestein, and Michael D. Rhodes, few Mormons or post-Mormons have actually heard the opinions of a legitimate, world-class Egyptologist about the historicity and credibility of the Book of Abraham - until today. Today, as a joint production of Mormon Stories Podcast and Radio Free Mormon podcast, we interview Dr. Robert Ritner.  Dr. Ritner is Professor of Egyptology at the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago and was from 1991-1996 the first Marilyn M. Simpson Assistant Professor of Egyptology at Yale University.  Dr. Ritner is the author of over 100 publications on Egyptian religion, magic, medicine, language and literature, as well as social and political history. He has lectured extensively on each of these topics throughout the United States, Europe and Egypt.  Ritner has led Oriental Institute tours of Egypt for 30 years.  He is also the author of The Joseph Smith Egyptian Papyri: A Complete Edition, and an essay entitled “Translation and Historicity of the Book of Abraham” — A Response - written as a response to the LDS church's gospel topics essay on the Book of Abraham, which is deeply problematic according to Dr. Ritner. In today's sit-down with Dr. Ritner, we will discuss his upbringing in Houston, Texas, his scholarly background and the events that led to him becoming interested in the Book of Abraham.  We will provide a contextualizing history to the Book of Abraham story, and discuss in-depth Joseph Smith's completely erroneous translation of Facsimile 1 from the Book of Abraham.  We end this episode by beginning our exploration of some of the seemingly unscholarly, and disingenuous tactics used by Book of Abraham apologists John Gee and Terry Muhlestein to try to bloster belief in the Book of Abraham.  This episode represents the first in a series of interviews with Dr. Ritner.  In future episodes we will discuss the other Facsimillies, the Kirtland Egyptian Papers, the "cataylist" theory for the Book of Abraham, and finally a more in-depth look at the history of unscholarly, disingenuous, and utterly wasteful Book of Abraham apologetics by John Gee, Kerry Muhlestein, and Michael D. Rhodes.  We also plan to coordinate a direct discussion between Dr. John Gee and Dr. Robert Ritner (if John Gee accepts the invitation...if not...we have other plans). Finally, a HUGE thanks to Bruce MacArthur for making this interview possible. Also, a MASSIVE thanks to RFM for co-hosting, Bill Reel for all of his great work over the years, along with all of the amazing scholars who helped me/us prepare for this interview, including: Mike Brown of the Mormon Stories Truth Claims essays, Dan Vogel, Brent Metcalfe, MormonThink, Jeremy Runnells and the CES Letter, Letter for my Wife, MormonInfoGraphics.com, this super cool video, and much much more content than I could ever fully list here. URGENT: Dr. Ritner is facing kidney failure and is in need of a living donor to secure his life and continued research. If you can help, please contact Dana McClain, Northwestern Medicine Transplant Coordinator, 312-695-0828. Living donors save lives!

References:The Book of Mormon (1830 edition), by Joseph Smith JuniorCES Letter My Search for Answers to my Mormon Doubts by Jeremy Runnells

In 2012 a Mormon named Jeremy Runnells compiled a document of concerns and inconsistencies he found with the Book of Mormon, the early history of the church, and several other aspects of the Mormon faith. He sent this letter to the CES Director of the Church and published it online. The letter has since gone viral among the Mormon community and has contributed to the mass exodus of Mormons leaving the faith. Let's dive in and see what all the fuss is about shall we? You can access the letter for free at: https://cesletter.org The article of the Mormon financial scandal I read in the podcast: https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/mormon-church-has-misled-members-on-100-billion-tax-exempt-investment-fund-whistleblower-alleges/2019/12/16/e3619bd2-2004-11ea-86f3-3b5019d451db_story.html Thanks for your Support! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/truenorthpodcast Anchor: https://anchor.fm/truenorthpodcast True North Float: www.tnfloat.com Save some money on some bomb CBD products: cbdamericanshaman.com/truenorth Use Promo Code: True North at checkout to receive 20% off your order. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/truenorthpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/truenorthpodcast/support

On November 17th in Salt Lake City we will be holding the largest conference for post-Mormons ever assembled. The focus of THRIVEDAY will be healing, growth, and community for post-Mormons. This meeting will NOT be about criticizing or discussing the Mormon church. We are hopeful that everyone who attends will feel educated, uplifted, and empowered. Speakers for the event include: - Wayne Sermon - Lead Guitarist for Imagine Dragons - Amber Scorah - Ex-Jehovah's Witness and Author of Leaving the Witness - Dr. John Dehlin - MormonStories.org - Stephenie Sorensen Larsen - Encircle - Natasha Helfer Parker - Marriage and Sex Therapist - Mindy Gledhill - Musician - Christian Moore - Author of "The Resilience Breakthrough" - Laci Green - Youtuber and Podcaster - Hans H Mattsson - Former LDS Area Authority (Sweden) - Julienna Viegas - Elizabeth Paulson Dalton - Attorney and Marriage/Divorce Coach - Lisa Swain Hacking - THRIVE Committee - John Hamer - Community of Christ - Sarah Newcomb - Lamanite Truth - Book signings with Jeremy Runnells and more! - Karaoke led by Allan Mount (Marriage on a Tightrope) Register here! http://thrivebeyondmormonism.com

On November 17th in Salt Lake City we will be holding the largest conference for post-Mormons ever assembled. The focus of THRIVEDAY will be healing, growth, and community for post-Mormons. This meeting will NOT be about criticizing or discussing the Mormon church. We are hopeful that everyone who attends will feel educated, uplifted, and empowered. Speakers for the event include: - Wayne Sermon - Lead Guitarist for Imagine Dragons - Amber Scorah - Ex-Jehovah's Witness and Author of Leaving the Witness - Dr. John Dehlin - MormonStories.org - Stephenie Sorensen Larsen - Encircle - Natasha Helfer Parker - Marriage and Sex Therapist - Mindy Gledhill - Musician - Christian Moore - Author of "The Resilience Breakthrough" - Laci Green - Youtuber and Podcaster - Hans H Mattsson - Former LDS Area Authority (Sweden) - Julienna Viegas - Elizabeth Paulson Dalton - Attorney and Marriage/Divorce Coach - Lisa Swain Hacking - THRIVE Committee - John Hamer - Community of Christ - Sarah Newcomb - Lamanite Truth - Book signings with Jeremy Runnells and more! - Karaoke led by Allan Mount (Marriage on a Tightrope) Register here! http://thrivebeyondmormonism.com

We sit down with Jim Bennett, son of former Utah Senator Bob Bennett, to discuss Jim’s response to the CES Letter. This interview takes place over several different days and comprises looking at the troublesome issues the CES Letter presents and reviewing where Jeremy Runnells and Jim Bennett disagree. I try to play a mediator […] The post Jim Bennett and Bill Reel and the Issues of the CES Letter Part 7 appeared first on Mormon Discussions Podcasts - Full Lineup.

We sit down with Jim Bennett, son of former Utah Senator Bob Bennett, to discuss Jim’s response to the CES Letter. This interview takes place over several different days and comprises looking at the troublesome issues the CES Letter presents and reviewing where Jeremy Runnells and Jim Bennett disagree. I try to play a mediator […] The post Jim Bennett and Bill Reel and the Issues of the CES Letter Part 7 appeared first on Mormon Discussion by Bill Reel.

We sit down with Jim Bennett, son of former Utah Senator Bob Bennett, to discuss Jim’s response to the CES Letter. This interview takes place over several different days and comprises looking at the troublesome issues the CES Letter presents and reviewing where Jeremy Runnells and Jim Bennett disagree. I try to play a mediator […] The post Jim Bennett and Bill Reel and the Issues of the CES Letter Part 1 appeared first on Mormon Discussion by Bill Reel.

We sit down with Jim Bennett, son of former Utah Senator Bob Bennett, to discuss Jim’s response to the CES Letter. This interview takes place over several different days and comprises looking at the troublesome issues the CES Letter presents and reviewing where Jeremy Runnells and Jim Bennett disagree. I try to play a mediator […] The post Jim Bennett and Bill Reel and the Issues of the CES Letter Part 6 appeared first on Mormon Discussion by Bill Reel.

  We sit down with Jim Bennett, son of former Utah Senator Bob Bennett, to discuss Jim’s response to the CES Letter. This interview takes place over several different days and comprises looking at the troublesome issues the CES Letter presents and reviewing where Jeremy Runnells and Jim Bennett disagree. I try to play a […] The post Jim Bennett and Bill Reel and the Issues of the CES Letter Part 5 appeared first on Mormon Discussion by Bill Reel.

  We sit down with Jim Bennett, son of former Utah Senator Bob Bennett, to discuss Jim’s response to the CES Letter. This interview takes place over several different days and comprises looking at the troublesome issues the CES Letter presents and reviewing where Jeremy Runnells and Jim Bennett disagree. I try to play a […] The post Jim Bennett and Bill Reel and the Issues of the CES Letter Part 4 appeared first on Mormon Discussion by Bill Reel.

  We sit down with Jim Bennett, son of former Utah Senator Bob Bennett, to discuss Jim’s response to the CES Letter. This interview takes place over several different days and comprises looking at the troublesome issues the CES Letter presents and reviewing where Jeremy Runnells and Jim Bennett disagree. I try to play a […] The post Jim Bennett and Bill Reel and the Issues of the CES Letter Part 3 appeared first on Mormon Discussion by Bill Reel.

We sit down with Jim Bennett, son of former Utah Senator Bob Bennett, to discuss Jim’s response to the CES Letter. This interview takes place over several different days and comprises looking at the troublesome issues the CES Letter presents and reviewing where Jeremy Runnells and Jim Bennett disagree. I try to play a mediator […] The post Jim Bennett and Bill Reel and the Issues of the CES Letter Part 2 appeared first on Mormon Discussion by Bill Reel.

We sit down with Jim Bennett, son of former Utah Senator Bob Bennett, to discuss Jim’s response to the CES Letter. This interview takes place over several different days and comprises looking at the troublesome issues the CES Letter presents and reviewing where Jeremy Runnells and Jim Bennett disagree. I try to play a mediator […] The post Jim Bennett and Bill Reel and the Issues of the CES Letter Part 6 appeared first on Mormon Discussions Podcasts - Full Lineup.

We sit down with Jim Bennett, son of former Utah Senator Bob Bennett, to discuss Jim’s response to the CES Letter. This interview takes place over several different days and comprises looking at the troublesome issues the CES Letter presents and reviewing where Jeremy Runnells and Jim Bennett disagree. I try to play a mediator […] The post Jim Bennett and Bill Reel and the Issues of the CES Letter Part 1 appeared first on Mormon Discussions Podcasts - Full Lineup.

We sit down with Jim Bennett, son of former Utah Senator Bob Bennett, to discuss Jim’s response to the CES Letter. This interview takes place over several different days and comprises looking at the troublesome issues the CES Letter presents and reviewing where Jeremy Runnells and Jim Bennett disagree. I try to play a mediator […] The post Jim Bennett and Bill Reel and the Issues of the CES Letter Part 2 appeared first on Mormon Discussions Podcasts - Full Lineup.

We sit down with Jim Bennett, son of former Utah Senator Bob Bennett, to discuss Jim’s response to the CES Letter. This interview takes place over several different days and comprises looking at the troublesome issues the CES Letter presents and reviewing where Jeremy Runnells and Jim Bennett disagree. I try to play a mediator […] The post Jim Bennett and Bill Reel and the Issues of the CES Letter Part 5 appeared first on Mormon Discussions Podcasts - Full Lineup.

We sit down with Jim Bennett, son of former Utah Senator Bob Bennett, to discuss Jim’s response to the CES Letter. This interview takes place over several different days and comprises looking at the troublesome issues the CES Letter presents and reviewing where Jeremy Runnells and Jim Bennett disagree. I try to play a mediator […] The post Jim Bennett and Bill Reel and the Issues of the CES Letter Part 4 appeared first on Mormon Discussions Podcasts - Full Lineup.

We sit down with Jim Bennett, son of former Utah Senator Bob Bennett, to discuss Jim’s response to the CES Letter. This interview takes place over several different days and comprises looking at the troublesome issues the CES Letter presents and reviewing where Jeremy Runnells and Jim Bennett disagree. I try to play a mediator […] The post Jim Bennett and Bill Reel and the Issues of the CES Letter Part 3 appeared first on Mormon Discussions Podcasts - Full Lineup.

This is an unofficial audiobook version of the CES Letter created with Amazon Polly and a partially edited for audio consumption version of the book freely available on https://cesletter.org/ CES Letter My Search for Answers to my Mormon Doubts BY JEREMY RUNNELLS CES Letter is one Latter-Day Saint's honest quest to get official answers from the LDS Church on its troubling origins, history, and practices. Jeremy Runnells was offered an opportunity to discuss his own doubts with a director of the Church Educational System (CES) and was assured that his doubts could be resolved. After reading Jeremy's letter, the director promised him a response. No response ever came. https://cesletter.org/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/selfaware/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/selfaware/support

Jeremy Runnells was, unfortunately, too sick to be able to appear in this episode. We're working on re-scheduling him & will have him on the show in the very near future.   What kind of inflamed asshole attacks Stephen Hawking after he's dead? We found a New Zealand pastor who did just that. Now we hope we can lose him.   We also talked about: Help Metal Ollie get back on Twitter! The American Atheists convention is next weekend! Hannibal Buress' microphone was cut off after making a joke about the Catholic Church's history of sexual abuse while performing at Loyola University Lawrence Krauss has been accused of serial sexual harassment Should there be atheist chaplains? PATRONS ONLY -  You get to hear Ryan telling the story of when he was arrested after taking Ambien Patreon subscribers get more than 20 minutes of extras this week!   You can find the Godless Rebelution around the Internet at these links: Our Website: http://www.godlessrebelution.com Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/godlessrebelution Podbean: http://www.godlessrebelution.podbean.com Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-godless-rebelution/godless-rebelution iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/godless-rebelution/id872416298 YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/c/GodlessRebelution  FB Page: http://www.facebook.com/GodlessRebelution FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GodlessRebelution  Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/TGRPodcast You can send us hate-mail, show ideas, questions, corrections, whines, and rants at:  GodlessRebelution@gmail.com ~ OR ~ Send us a text or leave us a voicemail message at: 330-81-REBEL   YOU'RE WELCOME!

This week I speak with ex-Mormon and author of the viral CES Letter, Jeremy Runnells. In April, the leadership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints held a heresy trial which Jeremy describes as a kangaroo court. In the end, he held a press conference and ex-communicated the church from his life.In our conversation we talk about his upbringing in the church, the genesis of his questions and doubts, and the process by which he came to be an ex-Mormon and an atheist.LINKSRead the CES letter at www.cesletter.org.FOX News coverage of Jeremy Runnells' disciplinary counsel and press conference: http://fox13now.com/2016/04/17/author-of-letter-to-a-ces-director-leaves-lds-church-after-disciplinary-council/

On this episode, we start off with a discussion about the history of Mormon temples. This launches us into a discussion about the resources necessary to build such a structure, as well as how they paid for by the church. After that we discuss 6 pages in the History of the Church that sound balls to the walls crazy, I wonder what was in that anointing oil. This leads us into a question about a bigger Mormon history issue, is there a naturalistic explanation for the miraculous angel and dead prophet sightings of the Kirtland Temple dedication ceremony? The episode concludes with a discussion about Ollie and Joe’s friendship, as well as the overarching problem with Mormon Temples. Show links: Website http://nakedmormonismpodcast.com Twitter @NakedMormonism Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Naked-Mormonism/370003839816311 Patreon http://patreon.com/nakedmormonism Outro music Jason Comeau http://aloststateofmind.com/ Show Artwork http://weirdmormonshit.com/   Links:   The Spirit of God – Mormon Tabernacle Choir https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=608cbv7Qe_A   LDS Last Days Missouri Temple plat http://www.ldslastdays.com/default.aspx?page=talk_newjerusalem.htm   LDS History article on Kirtland Temple dedication https://history.lds.org/article/historic-sites-ohio-kirtland-temple-kirtland?lang=eng   Mormonthink article on Kirtland Temple dedication http://www.mormonthink.com/glossary/kirtlandtemplededication.htm   Jeremy Runnells excommunication video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNNfujkWFZI   Monster on Sunday – atheist metal http://monsteronsunday.com/   Tristan’s project – Where Babies Come From https://www.reverbnation.com/wherebabiescomefrom/songs

Jeremy Runnells was raised in the Church of Latter Day Saints as a 6th generation Mormon. He went on his two year mission. He graduated from BYU. He was an Eagle Scout. But in 2012, he began doubting some of his beliefs. He was asked by a Church Educational System (or CES) director to share his concerns. Jeremy did that in what became known as the Letter to a CES Director, or the CES letter. It is a damning document that exposes so many holes in the Mormon faith and it quickly went viral online, giving a lot of people reason to leave the Church themselves. And then, earlier this year, wouldn’t you know it, Church officials began a process to kick him out. Before they could excommunicate him for good in April, Jeremy announced he was resigning from the Mormon Church himself. He wasn’t going to give them the satisfaction of kicking him out. We spoke with Jeremy about what led him to start doubting his faith, how the "Mormon moment" from a few years ago has come to an end, and why he left the Church before it could get rid of him.

Matt and Corinne discuss Mormon leaders being jerks, a new anti-Mormon music video by Tyler Glenn of Neon Trees, the Kangaroo Court of Jeremy Runnells, international transgender issues, baptism rates of the Mormon Church, and Hustler Magazine's hilarious response to Utah's "porn epidemic."The show is also available on iTunes (please subscribe and rate us!). You can email us at skepticsquaredpodcast@gmail.com and check out our blog at www.skepticsquaredpodcast.blogspot.com.https://archive.org/details/E27DropTheMic

On February 8, 2016, Jeremy Runnells received notice from his stake president, Mark Ivins, that he would face excommunication (a disciplinary council) on February 14, 2016 for publishing his "Letter to a CES Director."  This press conference was held in support of Jeremy.  The next morning after the press conference, Jeremy's disciplinary council was postponed until late March, 2016.  This press conference was held at the Club/Cafe at 50 West in downtown Salt Lake City.

Matt and Corinne discuss the upcoming "Court of Love" for Jeremy Runnells, author of "Letter to a CES Director," which will likely result in excommunication from the Mormon Church. They also discuss Mormon Valentines, comments from Mormon Leaders on LGBT suicides, an article from Zelphontheshelf chastising church leaders, and an article on religious marriages.The show is also available on iTunes (please subscribe and rate us!). You can email us at skepticsquaredpodcast@gmail.com and check out our blog at www.skepticsquaredpodcast.blogspot.com.https://archive.org/details/E18CourtOfLove

In this two-part episode, Lindsay Hansen Park, Brian Whitney, and Jon Grimes join Mormon Matters host Dan Wotherspoon for a discussion of how Mormon history is understood and engaged with among typical Latter-day Saints. How do non-historians understand the nature of the historian’s task, about how many different approaches to understanding history there are, each with its own types of lenses, each with different goals? In talking about particular incidents in the Mormon past, is the history book or article we are reading trying to tell a no-frills and highly detailed account of what transpired, or are they more interested in using that event or series of incidents to illustrate larger themes--or even to teach moral lessons? No historical text is "innocent"--every one reveals assumptions, methodologies, goals, and many other motivations in the historian’s mind alongside its accounts of whatever it is describing. With websites such as MormonThink and documents such as the Letter to a CES Director by Jeremy Runnells making such an impact on so many Latter-day Saints, it’s high time for discussions like this. In these influential presentations, who is present in the story, and who is not? What questions are being asked? Are they the best ones? What else might one ask the story or teaching under question? What assumptions lie below the approach? And perhaps the even more important to ask are questions of ourselves. Why are we reacting the way we do to these storytellings? Are our responses purely from the power of the textual presentations themselves, or are they validating for us deeper things that we’ve already been feeling, or are these texts helping us continue the important processes of breaking out of un-examined understandings? In many ways, history is a Rorschach test!

In this two-part episode, Lindsay Hansen Park, Brian Whitney, and Jon Grimes join Mormon Matters host Dan Wotherspoon for a discussion of how Mormon history is understood and engaged with among typical Latter-day Saints. How do non-historians understand the nature of the historian’s task, about how many different approaches to understanding history there are, each with its own types of lenses, each with different goals? In talking about particular incidents in the Mormon past, is the history book or article we are reading trying to tell a no-frills and highly detailed account of what transpired, or are they more interested in using that event or series of incidents to illustrate larger themes--or even to teach moral lessons? No historical text is "innocent"--every one reveals assumptions, methodologies, goals, and many other motivations in the historian’s mind alongside its accounts of whatever it is describing. With websites such as MormonThink and documents such as the Letter to a CES Director by Jeremy Runnells making such an impact on so many Latter-day Saints, it’s high time for discussions like this. In these influential presentations, who is present in the story, and who is not? What questions are being asked? Are they the best ones? What else might one ask the story or teaching under question? What assumptions lie below the approach? And perhaps the even more important to ask are questions of ourselves. Why are we reacting the way we do to these storytellings? Are our responses purely from the power of the textual presentations themselves, or are they validating for us deeper things that we’ve already been feeling, or are these texts helping us continue the important processes of breaking out of un-examined understandings? In many ways, history is a Rorschach test!

In February 2012, Jeremy Runnels experienced a crisis of faith, which subsequently led to a faith transition in the summer of 2012. In the spring of 2013, Jeremy was approached and asked by a Church Education System (CES) Director to share his concerns and questions about the LDS Church’s origins, history, and current practices. In response, Jeremy wrote what later became publicly known as Letter to a CES Director. Letter to a CES Director very quickly went viral on the internet. The CES Director responded that he read the "very well written" letter and that he would provide Jeremy with a response. No response ever came.

In February 2012, Jeremy Runnels experienced a crisis of faith, which subsequently led to a faith transition in the summer of 2012. In the spring of 2013, Jeremy was approached and asked by a Church Education System (CES) Director to share his concerns and questions about the LDS Church’s origins, history, and current practices. In response, Jeremy wrote what later became publicly known as Letter to a CES Director. Letter to a CES Director very quickly went viral on the internet. The CES Director responded that he read the "very well written" letter and that he would provide Jeremy with a response. No response ever came.

In February 2012, Jeremy Runnels experienced a crisis of faith, which subsequently led to a faith transition in the summer of 2012. In the spring of 2013, Jeremy was approached and asked by a Church Education System (CES) Director to share his concerns and questions about the LDS Church’s origins, history, and current practices. In response, Jeremy wrote what later became publicly known as Letter to a CES Director. Letter to a CES Director very quickly went viral on the internet. The CES Director responded that he read the "very well written" letter and that he would provide Jeremy with a response. No response ever came.

Kevin Christensen has been a technical writer since 1984, He has a Bachelors in English from San Jose State University.  He has published articles in Dialogue, Sunstone, the FARMS Review of Books, the Journal of Book of Mormon Studies, Insights, the Meridian Magazine, including his article in the Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture entitled Eye of the Beholder, Law of […] The post Articles of Faith 5: Kevin Christensen on Inevitable Consequences of the Different Investigative Approaches of Jeremy Runnells and Jeff Lindsay appeared first on FairMormon.

Kevin Christensen has been a technical writer since 1984, He has a Bachelors in English from San Jose State University.  He has published articles in Dialogue, Sunstone, the FARMS Review of Books, the Journal of Book of Mormon Studies, Insights, the Meridian Magazine, including his article in the Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture entitled Eye of the Beholder, Law of […] The post Articles of Faith 5: Kevin Christensen on Inevitable Consequences of the Different Investigative Approaches of Jeremy Runnells and Jeff Lindsay appeared first on FairMormon.