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A repeat broadcast discussing the results of a survey done by the Christian bookstore company.
Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star and NYT best selling author of Told You So Mayci Neely is here! We talk about her new book, surviving an abusive relationship and the loss of her son's father. She opens up about healing, motherhood, faith, BYU rebellion, and raising her kids Mormon(ish). Plus: newborn life, drama on Secret Lives of Mormon Wives and more!This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.Ebay.com – things people love.Right now, IQBAR is offering our special podcast listeners twenty percent off all IQBAR products—including the sampler pack—plus FREE shipping. To get your twenty percent off, text NOTSKINNY to 64000. Message and data rates may apply. See terms for details.This year, skip breaking a sweat AND breaking the bank. Get this new customer offer and your 3-month Unlimited wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month at MINTMOBILE.com/notskinny. Head to Columbia.com to get your hands on an Amaze Puff jacket - they're tough on cold, soft on you.Curious about ByHeart? Head to ByHeart.com and use code NOTSKINNY30 to save 30% off your first subscription order for a limited time. ByHeart is also available at Target, Walmart and major retailers nationwide. Check us out in stores today! Additional terms and conditions apply.Go to us.frankie4.com and use code NOTSKINNY for 20% off your first order.Right now Merit Beauty is offering our listeners their Signature Makeup Bag with your first order at meritbeauty.comProduced by Dear MediaSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Guest host Jo Feldman welcomes Emily Walker back to the podcast to dish on “Told You So,” the memoir of “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” star Mayci Neeley. They unpack Mayci's harrowing journey from teen mom and abuse survivor to her rise from TikTok fame to reality stardom. Plus: what the book reveals about growing up Mormon and a little gentle Chelsea tea. A content warning: This episode contains discussions of sensitive topics, including sexual assult, abuse, religious trauma, and suicide. Take care while listening and find helpful resources here. Join the cookie community: Become a member of the Patreon Show Notes: Kendra Wilkinson Memoir Episode (with Jo Feldman) Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Season 2 Premiere: Soft Swinging & Sexy Baptisms Secret Lives of Mormon Wives S2E2: Barbecue Breakdown and Affleck Drama The Secret Life of Mormon Wives & A Well-Trained Wife: Scandals and Faith (Glamorous Trash) Where to find our guest Emily Walker: Instagram *** Glamorous Trash is all about going high and low at the same time— Glam and Trash. We recap and book club celebrity memoirs, deconstruct pop culture, and sometimes, we cry! If you've ever referenced Mariah Carey in therapy... then this is the podcast for you. Thank you to our sponsors: Quince - Go to quince.com/glamorous for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Libro.fm - Click here to get 2 audiobooks for the price of 1 with your first month of membership using code TRASH. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Was Joseph Smith a mystic? Searching for the term ‘mysticism' on the Church website yields, “See: False Doctrine, Sorcery, Superstitions; Traditions of Men.” So it's no wonder many church members haven't thought much about mysticism—the role it may have played in Joseph's experience, or how it might inform their own everyday lives or transform their spiritual practices. But poet Kathryn Knight Sonntag describes it differently: “Trusting the groundless ground, trusting that the darkness or the chaos or the unknown place actually is deeply full of knowing and love and purpose. And that it's ultimately the path into apotheosis. It's ultimately where we begin that journey of becoming divine.” In Episode 241, Kathryn joins Susan and Cynthia to explore the concept of mysticism. What might it look like for Latter-day Saints to step off the prescribed map and onto the sacred ground of our own lives in pursuit of personal encounters with God?
Comedian Scott Filmore sits down with Lauren Compton on the First Date Podcast to share his most outrageous and honest dating experiences. From navigating life as a gay Mormon to bizarre Grindr encounters, awkward first dates, and the challenges of keeping romance exciting, Scott delivers stories full of humor and heart. He also opens up about mistakes, relationships, and what it's really like being a comedian in love.Scott Filmore: https://www.instagram.com/scottfillmorecomedy First Date Ep. 122 https://www.tiktok.com/@iamlaurencompton https://store.ymhstudios.com Chapters 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:30 - Gay Mormon Secret 00:03:10 - Scott's Mission 00:05:25 - Big Cook 00:08:52 - The Perfect First Date 00:12:27 - Gay Archetypes 00:21:15 - The Grinder Breakdown 00:26:27 - One Person Forever? 00:28:38 - Getting Bored Easily 00:32:13 - Owning Your Mistakes 00:33:46 - Being around Non-Comedian People 00:35:37 - I'm A Bad Boyfriend Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Two Mormon missionaries knock on the wrong door in A24's psychological thriller Heretic, starring Hugh Grant as a man who traps them in his home for a deadly debate about religion. This episode digs into the film's exploration of faith, proselytizing, and the fine line between genuine discussion and manipulation.We examine how the movie humanizes its missionary protagonists while challenging both religious certainty and militant atheism. Hugh Grant's character mirrors the psychological control tactics religions have historically employed, creating a disturbing reflection that questions whether any side of the faith debate has clean hands.Questions We Discuss:Does the horror genre enhance or distract from the film's religious debate?Are the Mormon missionaries or Hugh Grant's character the real "sea lions" in this conversation?How does the film challenge both rigid faith and aggressive atheism?What does the ambiguous ending say about belief and proof?Can you maintain faith while acknowledging contradictions in your religion?Why does the film intentionally leave the supernatural elements unresolved?**************************************************************************This episode is a production of Superhero Ethics, a The Ethical Panda Podcast and part of the TruStory FM Entertainment Podcast Network. Check our our website to find out more about this and our sister podcast Star Wars Generations.We want to hear from you! You can keep up with our latest news, and send us feedback, questions, or comments via social media or email.Email: Matthew@TheEthicalPanda.comFacebook: TheEthicalPandaInstagram: TheEthicalPandaPodcastsTwitter: EthicalPanda77Or you can join jump into the Star Wars Generations and Superhero Ethics channels on the TruStory FM Discord.Want to get access to even more content while supporting the podcast? Become a member! For $5 a month, or $55 a year you get access to bonus episodes and bonus content at the end of most episodes. Sign up on the podcast's main page. You can even give membership as a gift!You can also support our podcasts through our sponsors:Purchase a lightsaber from Level Up Sabers run by friend of the podcast Neighborhood Master AlanUse Audible for audiobooks. Sign up for a one year membership or gift one through this link.Purchase any media discussed this week through our sponsored links.
A repeat broadcast discussing the results of a survey done by the Christian bookstore company.
Today we welcome to the podcast Keira Shae, who joins us to share her story of converting to the LDS Church as a teenager while growing up in an abusive home.Living in Utah, Keira was surrounded by Mormons and idealized them as a contrast to her tumultuous home life. Around the age of fifteen, she went to live with a foster family who required her to follow church guidelines very rigidly. At the time, however, this structured lifestyle was a welcome change from her chaotic upbringing.After marrying and starting a family with a return missionary, Keira did her best to live up to the expectations of being the “perfect” Mormon wife and mother. Over time, though, she found herself struggling with perfectionism, scrupulosity, and the process of discovering her bisexuality.Join us to hear how Keira confronted these challenges and where she stands with the Mormon Church today.You can purchase Keira's memoir, How the Light Gets In here.___________________YouTubeAt 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: Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theologySupport Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisisPromote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions
They are cultural allies, but Christians and Mormons don't worship the same God. __________ Register for our Colson Fellows informational webinar at colsonfellows.org/webinar.
Dallin H. Oaks was just named the new Mormon prophet, which gives us a lot to talk about. We're doing a refresher on how a prophet is chosen, breaking down who Dallin picked as his counselors, and diving into the most problematic things he's said as a church leader so far. To listen to the entire episode, you can join the Girlscamp: After Dark Patreon here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What does that mean? Find out today in a repeat broadcast with Bill McKeever and Eric Johnson
Week 43 - Doctrine and Covenants 121-123: "That the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven."
From pop culture jabs to subtle discrimination, why do so many feel it's okay to target members of the LDS Church?
Welcome back to Part 18 of our Joseph Smith Podcast series, where we continue our in-depth exploration of Dr. John Turner's groundbreaking biography, Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet.In this episode, we dive into parts of Chapter 16 and 17 –two of the most dramatic and revealing sections yet. We cover the explosive sibling feud between Joseph Smith and his brother William, explore the first child abuse scandal in 1835, and trace Joseph's evolving leadership and spiritual promises as the Restoration movement matures.From the aftermath of Zion's Camp and early church discipline to visions of divine power and the early roots of temple ritual, these chapters reveal a prophet under pressure –and a family and faith community in turmoil. This is an episode you won't want to miss!Please purchase the book here.To support this series please donate here. One half of all donations will go to Dr. Turner for as long as he is participating in the series.___________________YouTubeAt 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 theology2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions
Segment 1 • Can my weight discredit my witness? Should I stop evangelizing until I look “credible”? - Anonymous • How do I share the gospel with Mormon missionaries at my door? - Anonymous Segment 2 • Is my pastor plagiarizing sermons—or just being practical? - Pam • Does sin break my covenant with God until I repent? - Evan Segment 3 • Are generational curses real—or just spiritual anxiety? - Anonymous • Can I trust God with love again after betrayal? - Anonymous Segment 4 • Is a courthouse wedding dishonoring to God? - Gabrielle • Where should I start memorizing Scripture—and how do I keep it up? - Anonymous ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn't be more thankful for you if we tried!
We can't get enough of these stories! Bonus Episode 240 features more ALSSI listeners answering the question, "What triggered your faith journey?"
Lorrana stays with Garrick as Dannielle sleeps alone. Yessel breaks rules meeting a possible sister wife. Shanay reveals relationship news to the Johnsons.Get tons more cringey content on our Patreon! https://patreon.com/realitytvcringeFollow us on IG https://instagram.com/realitytvcringeSubscribe to see our raccoon faces on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_2CgqXLWjIEKV9PCtH3Kjw?sub_confirmation=1Leave a message for us on SpeakPipe: https://speakpipe.com/realitytvcringeSupport the pod by leaving a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platform! Thank you so much!
Reformed Brotherhood | Sound Doctrine, Systematic Theology, and Brotherly Love
In episode 465 of The Reformed Brotherhood, hosts Tony Arsenal and Jesse Schwamb explore Jesus's parable of the wheat and tares (weeds) from Matthew 13. This thought-provoking discussion examines Christ's startling teaching that good and evil will always coexist within the visible church until the end of time. The brothers carefully unpack the theological implications of Jesus's command not to separate wheat from weeds prematurely, challenging our natural tendency to judge others while offering wisdom about God's sovereign plan for final judgment. This episode wrestles with difficult questions about church purity, assurance of salvation, and how believers should approach the reality of false professors within Christ's church—providing biblical guidance for faithfully enduring in a mixed communion. Key Takeaways The Coexistence of True and False Believers: Jesus teaches that the visible church will always contain a mixture of genuine believers and false professors until the final judgment. The Danger of Premature Judgment: Christ explicitly warns against attempting to completely purify the church before the harvest (end of age) because doing so would damage the wheat (true believers). Proper Biblical Interpretation: Unlike some parables, Jesus provides a detailed allegorical explanation of this parable—the sower is Christ, the field is the world, the good seed represents believers, and the weeds are the sons of the evil one. The Challenge of Discernment: One of the most difficult theological pills to swallow is that it's often impossible to perfectly distinguish between true and false believers. Final Judgment as God's Prerogative: The separation of wheat from weeds is reserved for the angels at the end of the age, not for current church leaders or members. The Reality of False Assurance: Some professing Christians may have false assurance of salvation while genuinely believing they are saved. The Importance of Theological Integrity: Public theologians and pastors have a moral responsibility to be transparent about their theological convictions and changes in their beliefs. Deeper Explanations The Difficult Reality of a Mixed Church Jesus's teaching in the parable of the wheat and weeds directly challenges our natural desire for a perfectly pure church. By instructing the servants not to pull up the weeds lest they damage the wheat, Christ is establishing an important ecclesiological principle that will hold true until His return. This means that no matter how rigorously we apply church discipline or how carefully we examine profession of faith, we will never achieve a perfectly pure communion this side of eternity. The visible church—which can be understood as those who profess faith and are baptized—will always include both true and false believers. This reality should cultivate humility in how we approach church membership and discipline. Jesus isn't suggesting that all attempts at church purity are wrong (as other Scripture passages clearly call for church discipline), but rather that perfect purification is impossible and attempts at achieving it will inevitably damage true believers. This teaching directly refutes movements throughout church history (like Donatism) that have sought absolute purity in the visible church. The Problem of Discernment and Assurance One of the most challenging aspects of this parable is Christ's implicit teaching that true and false professors can appear nearly identical, especially in their early development. Like tares growing alongside wheat, false believers can profess orthodox doctrine, participate in church life, and exhibit what appears to be spiritual fruit. This creates profound implications for how we understand assurance of salvation. As Tony notes, while "assurance is the proper and rightful possession and inheritance of every Christian," there's also the sobering reality of false assurance. Some may sincerely believe they are saved when they are not, raising difficult questions about self-examination and spiritual discernment. This doesn't mean believers should live in perpetual doubt, but rather that we should approach assurance with both confidence in God's promises and healthy self-examination. True assurance must be grounded in the finished work of Christ rather than merely in our experiences or behaviors, while false assurance often lacks this proper foundation. The brothers wisely note that final judgment belongs to God alone, who perfectly knows who belongs to Him. Memorable Quotes "The visible church is set before us as a mixed body. Maybe everybody else's churches, but certainly not my church, like the one that I actually go to on the Lord's day. So it seems like there might be this shocking statement possibly that he has for us, whether you're Episcopalian or Presbyterian or independent or Baptist or Christian life assembly, whatever it is, that no matter what we do to purify the church, our churches, we're never gonna succeed in obtaining a perfectly pure communion." - Jesse Schwamb "I think that's what I find shocking. It is like a massive statement of reality that is at equal points totally sensible. And other times we would think, 'well, surely not in the church Lord, like of all the places, like aren't we talking about a kind of purity of your people?' ...and what I think he's striking at, which I do find a little bit wild, is that Jesus is essentially saying, at least to my ear, anything we try to do, even the purest preaching of the gospel, is not gonna prevent this in every age of the church." - Jesse Schwamb "I'm affirming that assurance is the proper and rightful possession and inheritance of every Christian." - Tony Arsenal Full Transcript Jesse Schwamb: Welcome to episode 465 of The Reformed Brotherhood. I am Jesse. Tony Arsenal: And I'm Tony. And this is the podcast with ears to hear. Hey brother. Jesse Schwamb: Hey brother. Guess what? It looks like you and I are taking another trip back to the farm on this episode. Tony Arsenal: Yes. For a couple episodes. Jesse Schwamb: For a couple episodes. Yeah. [00:01:01] Exploring Jesus' Parables in Matthew 13 Jesse Schwamb: Because what, Jesus will not stop leading us there. We're looking at his teachings, specifically the parables, and we're gonna be looking in Matthew chapter 13, where it seems like, is it possible that Jesus, once again has something very shocking for us to hear? That is for all the ages. 'cause it seems like he might actually be saying, Tony, that good and evil will always be found together in the professing church until the end of the world. Like in other words, that the visible church is set before a mixed body. I mean. Maybe everybody else chose churches, but certainly not my church, like the one that I actually go to on the Lord's day. So it seems like there might be this shocking statement possibly that he has for us, whether you're Episcopalian or Presbyterian or independent or Baptist or Christian life assembly, whatever it is, that no matter what we do to purify the church, our churches, we're never gonna succeed in obtaining a perfectly pure communion. Could that possibly be what Jesus is saying to us? I don't know what we're gonna find out. Tony Arsenal: We are. We are gonna find out. Jesse Schwamb: It's gonna be definitive. And if now that makes sense. If you don't even know why we're looking at Jesus' teachings, you could do us a favor even before you go any further. And that is just head on over in your favor, interwebs browser to or reform brotherhood.com, and you can find out all of the other episodes, all 464 that are living out there. There's all kinds of good stuff, at least we think so, or at least entertaining stuff for you to listen to. And when you're done with all of that in a year or two, then we'll pick it up right back here where we're about to go with some affirmations or some denials. [00:02:39] Affirmations and Denials Jesse Schwamb: So Tony, before we figure out what Jesus has for us in Matthew 13, in the parable of the weeds, or the tears, or the tears in the weed, what gets all of that? Are you affirming with, are you denying against, Tony Arsenal: I am denying. First of all, I'm denying whatever this thing is that's going on with my throat. Sorry for the rest of the episode, everyone. Um, I'm denying something that I, I think it is. How do I want to phrase this? Um, maybe I'll call it theological integrity, and maybe that's too strong of a word, but maybe not. So the listener who's been with us for a little while will remember that a while back. Um, you know, we've, we've talked about Matthew Barrett and he was a Baptist, uh, who's heavily involved in sort of the theology, proper controversies. He wrote Simply Trinity, which is just a fantastic book. He was a teacher or a professor at Midwestern, um, Baptist Theological Seminary. And he recently, um, uh, converted is not the right word. I hate calling it a conversion when you go from one faithful Bible tradition to another. But he recently, um, changed his perspective and joined the Anglican Church. And at the time I kind of, you know, I kind of talked about it as like, it's a little bit disappointing, like the reasons he cited. [00:03:57] Theological Integrity and Public Disclosure Tony Arsenal: Where I'm bringing this into a matter of sort of theological integrity. And it's not, it's not just Matthew Barrett. Um, there's other elements of things going on that I'll, I'll point to too is it's often the case when someone who is in some form of professional theological work or professional vocational ministry, that as they start to change perspectives, um, there comes to be like an inflection point where they should notify whoever it is that they are accountable to in that job or vocation, uh, uh, and then do the right thing and step down. Right? And so with Matthew Barrett, um. He continued to teach systematic theology at a Baptist Theological Seminary, which has a faith statement which he was obligated to affirm and hold in good faith. He continued to teach there for quite some time, if, you know, when he, when he published the timeline and he's the one that put all the timelines out there. So it's not like people had to go digging for this. Um, he continued to teach under contract and under that, that faith statement, um, for quite some time after his positions changed. I remember in college, um, sim very similar situation, one of my professors, um, and I went to a Baptist college. It was a General Baptist college. Um, one of my professors became Roman Catholic and for quite some time he continued to teach without telling anyone that he had converted to Roman Catholicism. Um. And I think that there's a, there's a, a level of integrity that public theologians need to have. Um, and it, it really makes it difficult when something like this happens to be able to say that this is not a moral failing or some sort of failure. Um, you know, James White has jumped on the bandwagon very quickly to say, of course we told you that this was the way it was gonna lead. That if you affirm the great tradition, you know, he was very quick to say like, this is the road to Rome. And I think in his mind, um, Canterbury is just sort of one, one stop on that trip. Um, it becomes very hard after the fact to not have this color and tarnish all of your work before. 'cause it starts to be questions like, well, when, when did you start to hold these views? Were you writing, were you, were you publicizing Baptist theology when you no longer believed it to be the truth? Were you teaching theology students that this is what the Bible teaches when you no longer thought that to be true? Um. Were you secretly attending Anglican services and even teaching and, and helping deliver the service when you were, you know, still outwardly affirming a Baptist faith statement. And the reason I, I'll point out one other thing, 'cause I don't want this to be entirely about Matthew Barrett, but there's a big, uh, hub glue going on in the PCA right now. Um, a guy named Michael Foster, who some of our audience will probably be familiar with, um, he and I have had our desktops in the past, but I think he and I have come to a little bit of a, of a uneasy truce on certain things. He, uh, went to work compiling a, a list and there's some problems with the data, like it's, it's not clean data, so take it for what it's worth. But he compiled a list of. Every publicly available church website in the PCA. So something like 1800 websites or something like that. Huge numbers. And he went and looked at all of the staff and leadership directories, and he cataloged all the churches that had some sort of office or some sort of position that appeared to have a, a woman leading in a way that the Bible restricts. And that more importantly, and starting to say it this way, but more importantly, that the PCA itself restricts. So we're not talking about him going to random church websites and making assessments of their polity. We're talking about a, a denomination that has stated standards for who can bear office and it's not women. Um. So he compiled this and people in the PCA are coming out of the woodwork to basically defend the practice of having shepherdess and deacons. There was one that he cataloged where, um, the website actually said, uh, that was the pastor's wife and the title was Pastor of Women. Um, and then as soon as it became public that this was the case, they very quickly went in and changed the title to Shepherd of Women or Shepherdess of Women or something like that. So it's, it's really the same phenomena, not commenting, you know, I think we've been clear where we stand on the ordination of female officers and things like that, but not that all that withstanding, um, when you are going to be a part of a body that has a stated perspective on something and then just decide not to follow it, the right thing to do the, the upstanding morally. Uh, in full of integrity move would be to simply go to another denomination where your views align more closely. PCA churches, it's not super easy, but it's not impossible to leave the PCA as an entire congregation and then go somewhere like the EPC, which is the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, which still on the spectrum of things is still relatively conservative, but is in general is in favor of, uh, female officers, elders, and diegans. So I, I think, you know, and you see this with podcasters, there was the big, there was a big fu and Les became a Presbyterian, and then when Tanner became a Presbyterian on the pub, I think it is, um, incumbent on people who do any form of public theology and that that would include me and Jesse when our views change. There comes a point where we need to disclose that, be honest about it, um, and not try to pretend that we continue to hold a view that we don't be just because it's convenient or because it might be super inconvenient to make a change. I don't even want to pretend to imagine the pressures, uh, that someone like Matthew Barrett would face. I mean, you're talking about losing your entire livelihood. I, I understand that from an intellectual perspective, how difficult that must be, but in some ways, like that kind of comes with the territory. Same thing with a pastor. You have a Baptist pastor or a Presbyterian pastor. It can go both ways, I think. I'm more familiar with Baptist becoming Presbyterians. I don't, I don't see as many going the other direction. But you have a, a Baptist pastor who comes to pay to Baptist convictions and then continues to minister in their church for, I've, I've seen cases where they continue to minister for years, um, because they don't, they don't have the ability to now just go get a job in a Presbyterian context because there's all sorts of, um, training and certification and ordination process that needs to happen. Um, so they just continue ministering where they are, even though they no longer believe the church's state of, you know, state of faith statement. So that's a lot to say. Like, let your yes be yes and your no be no, and when we really all boil it down. So I think that's enough of that. It, it just sort of got in my craw this week and I couldn't really stop thinking about it. 'cause it's been very frustrating. And now there are stories coming out of. Doctoral students that, um, that Barrett was teaching who have now also become Anglican. Um, so, you know, there starts to be questions of like, was he actively pros? I mean, this is like Jacob Arminius did this stuff and, and like the reform tradition would look down on it, where he was in secret in like sort of small group private settings. He was teaching convictions very different than the uni. I'm talking about Arminius now. Not necessarily Barrett. He was teaching convictions very different than the, the stated theology of the university he taught for, and then in public he was sort of towing the line. You have to ask the question and it is just a question. There's been no confirmation that I'm aware of, but you have to ask the question if that was what was going on with Barrett, was he teaching Baptist theology publicly and then meeting with, with PhD students privately and, and sort of convincing them of Anglican theology. I don't know. I'm not speculating on that, but I think it, the situation definitely right, brings that question to mind. It forces us to ask it. Um, and had he. Been transparent about his theological shifts sooner than that may not be a, a question we have to ask. Um, the situation may not be all that different, but we wouldn't have to ask the question. Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, that's totally fair. I mean, disclosure is important in lots of places in life and we shouldn't think that theological dis disclosure, especially like you're saying among our teachers, among our pastors, it is a critical thing. It's helpful for people to know when perspectives have changed, especially when they're looking to their leaders who are exhibiting trust and care over their discipleship or their education to express that difference. If there's been a mark, change it. It's worth it. Disclose, I'm guessing you don't have to over disclose, but that we're talking about a critical, we're talking about like subversive anglicanism, allegedly. Yeah. Then. It would be more than helpful to know that that is now shaping not just perspective, but of course like major doctrine, major understanding. Yeah. And then of course by necessary conviction and extension, everything that's being promulgated or proclamation in the public sphere from that person is likely now been permeated by that. And we'd expect so. Right. If convictions change, and especially like you're talking about, we're just talking about moving from, especially among like Bible believing traditions, just raise the hand and say loved ones, uh, this is my firm conviction now. Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. I think if someone walks up to you and says, do you think that we should baptize babies? And you're like, yeah, I think so. Then you probably shouldn't be teaching at a Baptist seminary anymore. Like, seems like a reasonable standard. And that seems to be what happened, at least for some period of time. Um, you know, and, and it, that's not to say like, I think, I think there are instances where the church, a given church or um, or a university or seminary or, or whatever the situation might be, can be gracious and recognize like, yeah, people's perspectives change and maybe we can find a way for you to continue to finish out the semester or, you know, we can bridge you for a little while until you can find a new, a new job. Um, you know, we'll, we'll only have you teach certain courses or we'll have a guest lecturer come in when you have to cover this subject that is at variance and like, we'll make sure we're all clear about it, but it doesn't seem like any of that happened. And that's, um, that's no bueno. So anyway, Jesse. What are you affirming and or denying Tonight? [00:13:43] Music Recommendations Jesse Schwamb: I'm just gonna go with something brief. I suppose this is an affirmation of me. I'm saying that like somewhat tongue in cheek, but maybe it's, wait, I'll rephrase. It's because this will be more humble. I'm affirming getting it right, even more than I thought. So I'm just gonna come back to the well and dip it into something that I mentioned on the last episode. So the keen listener, the up-to-date listener might remember. And if you're not up to date, uh, just let this be fresh for you. It'll, and I, it's gonna be correct because now I have posts, you know, I'm on the other side of it. I've clear hindsight. I am affirming with the album Keep It Quiet by Gray Haven, which I affirmed last week, but it came out on the same day that the episode released. And since you and I don't really like record in real time and release it like exactly as it's happening, I only did that with some, a little bit of reservation because I only heard they only released three songs in the album. And I thought I was overwhelmed that they were, they were so good that I was ready to jump in and loved ones. Oh, it, it turns out. I was so correct and it was, it's even better than I thought. So go check it out. It's Grey, GRE, YH, and they are, this is the warning, just because I have to give it out there and then I'll balance it with something else for something for everybody here today. So, gr Haven is music that's post hardcore and metal core. You're getting two cores for the price of one, if that is your jam. It has strong maleic sensibilities. It's very emotional, it's very experimental. But this new album, which is called, um, again, keep It Quiet, is like just a work of arts. It real like the guitar work is intricate haunting, lovely, and it's bold, like very intentional in its structure and very el loose in its construction. It's got hook driven melodies and it's got both heart and soft. It really is truly a work of art. So if you're trying to, to put it in your minds, like what other bands are like this? I would compare them to bands like, every Time I Die, Norma Jean, let Live Hail the Sun. If you just heard those as combinations of words that don't mean anything to you, that's also okay. No worries. But if you're looking for something different, if you're looking for something that's maybe gonna challenge your ear a little bit, but is like orchestral and has all of these metal core post hardcore, melodic, textured movements, there's no wasted notes in this album. It's really tremendous. If that's not your thing. I get, that's not everybody's thing. Here's something else I think would be equally challenging to the ear in a different way. And that is, I'm going back to one other album to balance things out here, and that's an album that was released in 2019 by Mark Barlow, who I think is like just. So underrated. For some reason, like people have slept on Mike Barlow. I have no idea why he put together an album with Isla Vista Worship called Soul Hymns, and it's like a distinct soul and r and b album of praise with like these really lovely like falsetto, harmonies. It's got these minimalistic instrumentation, warm keys, groove oriented percussion, like again, like these false soul driven melodies. It's contemplative. It's got a groove to it. This is also equally a beautiful album for a totally different reason. So I think I've given two very book-ended, very different affirmations, but I think there's something for everybody. So my challenge to your loved ones is you gotta pick one or the other. Actually, you could do both, but either go to Gray Havens, keep it quiet, or go to Mike Bellow's Soul hymns. I do not think you will be disappointed. There's something for everybody on this one. Tony Arsenal: Yeah, I, it was funny because as you were saying the names of those bands, I literally was thinking like Jesse could be speaking Swahili and I wouldn't know the difference. And then you, you, you know me well, yeah. Uh, I haven't listened to Gray Haven. Uh, I probably will give it a couple minutes 'cause that's how it usually goes with songs that meet that description. Uh, I can always tell that the music that Jesse recommends is good from a technical perspective, but I never really, I never really vibe with it. So that's okay. But I mean, lots of people who listen to our show do so check that out. If, if you ever. Want a good recommendation for music. Jesse is the pers so much so that he can recommend amazing music before it's even available and be a hundred percent correct, apparently. That's right. So Jesse Schwamb: affirm with me everybody, because turns out I was right. Uh, it was easy to be correct when of course I had all of that fair sightedness by being able to listen to those. Yeah, those couple of songs, it, this is a kind of album. Both of these, both of these albums. When I heard them, I reacted audibly out loud. There are parts of both of 'em where I actually said, oh wow. Or yeah, like there's just good stuff in there. And the older you get, if you're a music fan, even if you're not, if you don't listen to a lot of music, you know when that hook gets you. You know when that turn of melody or phrase really like hits you just, right. Everybody has that. Where the beat drops in a way. You're just like, yes, gimme, you make a face like you get into it. I definitely had that experience with both of these albums and because. I've listened to a lot of music because I love listening to music. It's increasingly rare where I get surprised where, you know, like sometimes stuff is just like popular music is popular for a reason and it's good because it's popular and it follows generally some kind of like well established roots. But with these albums, it's always so nice when somebody does something that is totally unexpected. And in these, I heard things that I did not expect at all. And it's so good to be surprised in a way that's like, why have I never heard that before? That is amazing. And both of these bands did it for me, so I know I'm like really hyping them up, but they're worth it. They're, they're totally worth it. Good music is always worth it. Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. I, uh, I think that is a good recommendation. I will check those out because, you know, you're a good brother. I usually do, and I trust your judgment even though it, you'll like the second one. Yes. Hopefully. Yeah. Yeah. Jesse Schwamb: You'll like the second one. Second one is like, just filled with praise and worship. And like, if, if you're trying to think, like say, here's how I'd couch the proper atmosphere for Mark Barlow's soul hymns you're having, you know, it's, it's a cold and chilly. A tal evening, the wind is blowing outside. You can hear the crisp leaves moving around on the pavement and the sun has gone down. The kids are in bed, the dinner dishes are piled up in the sink. But you think to yourselves, not tonight. I don't think so, and you just want that toneage to put on. You want that music as you dim the lights and you sit there to just hang out with each other and take a breath. You don't just want some kind of nice r and b moving music. You don't want just relaxing vibes. You want worshipful spirit filled vibes that propel your conversation and your intimacy, not just into the marital realm, but into worship and harmony with the triune God. If you're looking for that album, because that situation is before you, then sol hymns is the music you're looking for. Tony Arsenal: See, I'm gonna get the, I'm gonna get the recommendations backwards and I'm gonna sit down with my wife with a nice like evening cup of decaf tea and I'm gonna turn the music on. Yes, it's gonna be like, yes. That was me screaming into the microphone. That was not good for my voice. Well, the good news is it's gonna, it's gonna wake the kids up. That's, I'm gonna sleep on the couch. That's, it's gonna be bad. That's, Jesse Schwamb: honestly, that's also a good evening. It's just a different kind of evening. It's true. So it's just keep it separated again, uh, by way of your denial slash affirmation. Tony disclosure, I'm just giving you proper disclosure. Everybody know your music KYM, so that way when you have the setting that you want, you can match it with the music that you need. So it's true. Speaking of things that are always worth it. [00:21:30] Parable of the Weeds Jesse Schwamb: I think the Bible's gotta be one of those things. Tony Arsenal: It's true. Jesse Schwamb: And this is like the loosest of all segues because it's like the Sunday school segue into any topic that involves the scriptures. We're gonna be in Matthew 13, and how about we do this? So this is one of these parables and in my lovely ESV translation of the scriptures, the, we're just gonna go with the heading, which says the parable of the weeds. You may have something different and I wanna speak to that just briefly, but how do we do this, Tony? I'll hit us up with the parable and then it just so happens that this is one of the parables in the scripture that comes with an interpretation from our savior. It's true. How about you hit us up with the interpretation, which is in the same chapter if you're tracking with us, it's just a couple verses way. Does that sound good? Tony Arsenal: Let's do it. Jesse Schwamb: Okay. Here is the parable of the weeds. Jesus puts another parable before them saying The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sewed good seed in his field. But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sewed weeds among the weeds and went away. So when the plants came up and bork rain, then the weeds also appeared, and the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds? He said to them, an enemy has done this. So the servant said to him, then, do you want us to go and gather them? Then he said, no. Lest in gathering the weeds, you root up the wheat along with them, but let them grow together until the harvest and at harvest time, I will tell the reapers, gather the weeds first, and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn. Tony Arsenal: Alright, so then jumping down. To verse 36. We're still in Matthew 13, he says, then he left the crowds and went into the house and his disciples came to him saying, explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field. He answered, the one who sows the good seed is the son of man. The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angel. Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age, the son of man will send his angels and they will gather out of his kingdom, all that, all causes of sin in all lawbreakers and throw them into the fiery furnace. It is that in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their father. He who has ears let him hear. Jesse Schwamb: So let me start with just like a little bit of language here, which I've always loved in this passage because where else in like the contemporary context, do you get the word tear? Yeah. Aside if you're like using a scale, and that's a totally different definition. I like this. I like the word tear. It force, it forces to understand that what's common to our ear, why that's being used, it often is translated weed. Here's just like my, my little like linguistic addition to the front end of our discussion and is the reason I like it is because here does have a specific definition. If like you were to look this up in almost any dictionary, what you're gonna find is it's like a particular type of weed. It's actually like an injurious weed that is indistinguishable in its infant form from the outgrowing of green. So I like that because of course that is exactly why. Then there's all this explanation of why then to not touch anything in the beginning because one, it causes damage to it looks like everybody else. I just thought I'd put that out there as we begin our discussion. Tony Arsenal: Yeah, yeah. You know, I, um, I am a homeowner and I don't own the land that I'm on, but I'm responsible for the land that I'm on. And we have this really gnarly weed problem. There's this, uh, sort of floor growing, uh, carpeting weed called, uh, I think it's called like a carpeting knob, head weed or something like that. Some really descriptive thing. And I went out there the other day and there's really nothing you can do about this other than to rip it up. But I went out there the other day to start to pull some of it up and it totally wrecks the yard. Like it totally pulls up the grass, it destroys the sod. And when you're done, this is why it's kind of nice that I don't have, I'm not responsible for the land as I'm not gonna have to pay to resod the land. But when you're done pulling up this weed, you have to resod the whole place. You have to regrow all the grass because it, first, it takes over for the grass, and then when you rip it up, it rips the roots of the grass up as well. And so this parable, um, on one level is immediately obvious, like what the problem is, right? The situation is such. That the good, uh, the good sower, right? He's a good sower. He knows what he's doing. He understands that simply ripping up the weeds. Even if you could distinguish them right, there's this element that like at an early stage, they would be very difficult, if not impossible to distinguish from, uh, from wheat. Even if you could distinguish them, you still wouldn't be able to pull up the weeds and not do damage to the grain. And so we, we have this sort of like, um, conflict if you wanna follow like literary standards, right? We have this conflict and as we come to sort of the climax of this, of this plot is when all of a sudden we see that, that the problem needs a resolution and there is a resolution, but it's not necessarily what we would think it would be. Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, I think that's what I find shocking. It is like a massive statement of reality that is that like equal points or equal times totally sensible. And other times we would think, well why surely not in the church Lord, like of all the places, like aren't we talking about a kind of purity of your people, the very people that you're assembling together, the chief of which is Christ and the apostles being the building stones and Christ of course being the cornerstone. And I, I think that's what I find and I wonder the people hearing this, if they thought like, well, surely Lord, that not be the case like you are bringing in and ushering in this new kingdom. Isn't this new kingdom gonna be one of absolute purity? And, and what I think he's striking at, which I do find a little bit wild, is that Jesus essentially saying, at least to my ear, anything we try to do, even like the purest preaching of the gospel, is not gonna prevent this in every age of the church. The same state of the things that's existed in that is in the time of the early fathers. In the first century, and the church as it stands right now in the land and the time of the reformers, and of course with the best ministers at this hour right now and on your next Lord's day, and everyone after that, there is always and ever will be a visible church or a religious assembly in which the members are not all wheat. Yeah. And then I like what you're saying. It's this idea that. There's a great harm that's gonna come about if you try to lift them up because you cannot tell. So, and this is what's hard, I think this does influence like how we interact with people online. Certainly how we interact with people in our own congregations, but we are going to have no clear convicted proofs. We might only have like probable symptoms if we're really trying to judge and weigh out to discern the weeds from the weeds, which at most can only give us some kind of conjectural knowledge of another state. And that is gonna sometimes preemptively judge cause us to judge others in a way that basically there's a warning against here. It, it's, it's not the right time. And ba I think mainly from the outside where I find like this parable coming together, if there's like maybe a weird Venn diagram of the way Christians read this and the way unbelievers hear this, the overlap between them is for me, often this idea of like hypocrisy and you know. When people tell me that the church is full of hypocrites, either like Christian or non-Christian, but typically that's a, a, you know, statement that comes from the non-Christian tongue. When people say that the church is full of hypocrites, I do with a little bit of snark, say it's definitely not full of hypocrites. There are always room for more in the church and, and there's like a distinction of course between the fact that there is hypocrisy in the Christian or whether the Christian is in fact or that person is a hypocrite. So like when I look through the scriptures, we see like Pharaoh confessing, we see Herod practicing, we see Judas preaching Christ Alexander venturing his life for Paul. Yeah, we see David condemning in another, what he himself practiced and like hezeki glorifying and riches Peter. Doing all kinds of peter stuff that he does, and even all the disciples forsaken Christ, an hour of trouble and danger. So all that to say, it goes back to this like lack of clear, convicted proofs that I think Jesus is bringing forward here, but only probable symptoms. And I'm still processing, of course, like the practicality of what you're saying, Tony, that in some ways it seems like abundantly clear and sensible that you should, you're, you're gonna have a problem distinguishing. But our human nature wants to go toward distinguishing and then toward uprooting sometimes. And the warning here is do not uproot at the improper time. And in fact, it's not even yours to uproot because God will send in the laborers to do that at the time of, of harvest. And so there will be weeds found among the wheat. It's just like full stop statement. And at the same time it's warning, do not go after them now. Tony Arsenal: Yeah, I, I'm sure this, um, I, I'm sure this will spill over into a second conversation, but we, I think we have to talk a little bit about the interpretation here before we, before we even like talk more about the parable itself, because if you're not careful, um, and, and. I need to do a little bit more study on this, but it, it's interesting because Matthew almost seems to want you to sort of blend these parables together a little bit. Jesse Schwamb: Yes. Tony Arsenal: Right. These, these, there's three, um, there's three, maybe four if you count the parable of the treasure in the field. But there's three agricultural parables that have to do with sowing seed of one, of, one way or another. And in each one the seed is something different. And I, it almost seems to me. And then on top of that, the parables are like interwoven within each other. So like right smack in the middle of this, we have the parable. Uh, is given. Then the next parable of the mustard seed, which we're gonna talk about in a future episode, is given, and then the explanation of this parable of the tears is given. Um, and so we have to talk a little bit about it and sort of establish what the seed is, because we just spent three weeks talking about the seed in the par of the sower. Um, or the parable of the, of the soils. And in that parable, the seed was the word of God in this parable. And this is where I think sometimes, um, and again, this is like the doctrine of election in parable form, right? Yes. I think sometimes we read this and we, we misstep because the seed is not, uh, is not the word of God in this. The seed is the believers. Jesse Schwamb: Yes. Tony Arsenal: Right. So the good seed is sewn into, uh, into the field, which, you know, I think maybe there'll be some, we, we can save this for, for next week. But a little sneak peek is, it's not always clear exactly what the field is. Right. And I think we often, we often talk about the field as though it's the church that doesn't necessarily align a hundred percent with how Christ explains the parable. So we'll have to, we'll have to talk through that a little bit. I affirm that it is the church in, in a, a broad sense. Um, but, but the, the way that Christ explains it slightly different, but the, the seed is sewn into the world. The sons of the kingdom of heaven are sowed into the, into the world. And then the seed of the enemy, the bad seed, is the sons of the devil that's also sewn into the world. And so these two seeds grow up next to each other. If we think about the seed here as though it's the word of God, rather than the, the actual believers and unbelievers that elect in the ate, we're gonna make some missteps on how we understand this because we're not talking about, um, the, the seed being, you know, doctrine being sewn into the world. And some of it grows up good and some of it grows up bad or good doctrine and bad doctrine. We're talking about the believers themselves. Sorry, Jesse is mocking my rapid attempt to mute before I cough, which I, I did. That was pretty good. Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, that was, that was pretty good. Listen, this is real. Podcasting is how it goes. Yeah, I'm with you. Thank you for pulling out that distinction. 'cause it is critical. We, we have some overlap of course, with Jesus being really ascribed as the farmer, the son of man, right. He's sowing this good seed, but not the word. It's believers or the sons of the kingdom. And it is into his field, which is the world. Part of that world of course, is necessarily the church, right? But while everybody's sleeping, this enemy, the devil, he comes, he sows weeds or unbelievers, the sons of the evil one among this weed, they grow, go up together. And of course, like if I were servants in this household, I'd ask the same thing, which was like, should we get the gloves out? Yeah. Just pull those bad boys out. Like and, and so again, that's why I find it very so somewhat shocking that. It's not just, you could see like Jesus saying something like, don't worry about it now because listen, at the end of all time when the harvest comes, uh, I'm gonna take care of it. Like it's just not worth it to go out now. Right. That's not entirely The reason he gives, the reason is lest they uproot the wheat by mistake. So this is showing that the servants who are coming before Jesus in the parable, in this teaching here to really volitionally and with great fidelity and good obedience to him to want to please him to do his will. He there, he's basically saying, you are not qualified to undertake this kind of horticulture because you're just not either skilled enough or discerning enough to be able to do it right. Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. And you know, I think, um. Maybe just a word of meth methodology too. Um, this parable also flies in the face of all of the, like, parables are not allegories, kind of kind of people. Um, and this is, we talked about this in our introductory episode. You have to take each parable for what it's worth, this parable very much is explained like a traditional allegory, right? Right. [00:35:39] Understanding the Parable's Symbols Tony Arsenal: It's got, it's got several different elements and Christ goes through and the first thing he does is tell you what each element represents, right? The sower is the son of man, the field is the word. The good seed is the sons of the kingdom of the weed. It's like, he's like clicking down all of the symbols and then he explains how all of it works together and like a good, all like a good allegory. Once you understand what each element and each symbol is, the rest of it actually is very self-explanatory, right? When you understand who's what in the parable. The outcome and the sort of the punchline writes itself as it were. And I think this is one of those parables that we would do. [00:36:18] Challenging Our Sensibilities Tony Arsenal: I think we would do well to sort of let marinate a little bit because it does challenge a lot of our sensibilities of what, um, what is real in the world, what is real in terms of our interaction with the world, right? What's real in terms of the role of unbelievers in the life of a Christian, um, whether we can identify who is or isn't an unbeliever. Um, I think we, you know, I, I'm not one of those people that's like, we should assume everyone's a Christian. And I'm certainly not one of those people who's like, we should assume nobody is a Christian. But I think there are a lot of times where we have figures either in public or people in our lives. Like personal acquaintances that have some sort of outward appearance. And, and that's like the key here that that distinction between weeds is a, is not a great translation as you said. Right. Because right. That distinction between wheat and weeds, to go to my analogy, like it's very clear what is grass and what is this like carpeting, knob weed. Like there's no, there's no doubt in my mind, which is the weed and which is the grass. Um, that's not what we're talking about here. And so it does, it does say here, I mean, it implies here that it's not going to be easy to distinguish the difference between exactly. The, a son of the kingdom and a son of the evil one. And I think that's a, that's a. A theological pill that is very difficult to swallow. Yes. [00:37:43] Personal Reflections on Identifying Christians Tony Arsenal: Because a lot of us, um, and this goes back to like what I, what we were saying in the last, the last parable, A lot of us were reared in our Christian faith on sort of this idea that like, you can check your fruit or you can check other people's fruits and you can determine, you can easily identify who's a Christian and who's not. I remember when I was in high school, you know, I got, I was converted when, when I was 15 and, um, I got to high school and it felt very easy to me to be able to identify the people who were play acting Christianity and the people who were real Christians. That felt like the most natural thing in the world to me. Um, it, it's an interesting story, but one of the people that I was absolutely sure was not a Christian. That he was just doing kinda civic Christianity. He was in confirmation 'cause his parents wanted him to. Um, and I had good reason to believe that at the time he was very worldly. He, he, um, did not seem to be serious about his faith at all. There was good reason to make the assessment that I did. And then I ran into him on Facebook like 15 years later and he's a pastor at the Lutheran Church and he's, you know, he loves the Lord Jesus Christ. And he would not explain it as though he had a later conversion story. It's not as though he would say like, well yeah, in high school I pretended to be a Christian. And then, you know, I got through college and uh, I really became like I got converted. He would, would grow this, or he would explain this as slow, steady growth from an immature state that knew the facts of the gospel and in a certain sense trusted that Jesus was his savior and didn't fully understand the ramifications of that. I mean, who did at 15 years old? Mm-hmm. Um. And, and that it was a slow, steady growth to the place that he's in now. [00:39:21] The Difficulty of Distinguishing Believers Tony Arsenal: So I, I think we should take seriously, and maybe this is the takeaway for this week at least, and we can, we can talk about it more, is we should take seriously the fact that the Sons of the Kingdom and the Sons of the evil one in this parable are not only inseparable without doing damage, but in many ways they are not easily distinguishable. Jesse Schwamb: Right. On. Tony Arsenal: Um, and that, that's a baked into the parable. And I think we do spend a fair amount of time and I, I'll. I'll throw myself on on this. You know, this, we, I'm not just saying we, um, we as a genuine statement, like I have participated in this. I'm sure that I still do participate in this sometimes intentionally. Other times, uh, subconsciously we spend a fair amount of time probably in our Christian lives trying to figure out who is a Christian who's not. And it's not as though that is entirely illegitimate, right? The, the, as much as we kind of poke at the, the, um, workers in this who sort of are kind of chumps, right? They're sort of like the idiots in this. They, they don't seem to know how this happened. They propose a course of action that then the master's like, no, no, that's not, that's not gonna work. They can tell the difference, right? They can see that some are weeds and some are are weeds, and they're asking, well, what do we do about it? But at the same time he is saying like, you're not really competent to tell the difference, Jesse Schwamb: right? On Tony Arsenal: a good, uh, a good. Competent farmer could probably go out and take all the weeds out. Just like a really good, I dunno, landscape technician, I'm not sure what you would call it. I'm sure someone could come into my yard and if I paid them enough money they could probably fix this knobby grass, weed, whatever it is. Um, infestation. They could probably fix it without damaging the lawn. Like there are probably people that could do it. I am not that competent person and the workers in this are not that competent person. And I would say by and large in our Christian life, we are not that competent person to be able to identify who is and who isn't, um, a Christian who is or isn't a son of the kingdom versus a son of the devil. Jesse Schwamb: And there's sometimes like we just get history reprised, or it's like, again, the same thing microwaved over and served to you three or four times as leftovers. So it's also gonna remember like any as extension that like any attempt to like purify the church perfectly, and this has happened like donatism in the fourth century I think, or even like now, certain sectarian movements are completely misguided. Yeah. And Jesus already puts that out ahead of us here. It's almost like, do not worry what God is doing because God again is, is doing all the verbs. So here's a question I think we should discuss as we, we move toward like the top of the hour. And I think this is interesting. I don't know if you'll think it's interesting. I, I kind of have an answer, but I, I'll post it here first. [00:42:01] Visible vs. Invisible Church Jesse Schwamb: So the setup like you've just given us is two things. One, we got the visible church, we talk about the visible church. I think a lot across our conversations. Yeah. And we might summarize it, saying it's like the community of all who profess faith, maybe even the community of all who are baptized. Right. Possibly. Yeah. And it's going to include then necessarily as Jesus describes it here, true and false believers. So that's one group. Then we've got this invisible church, which as you said is the elect. Those who are known perfectly to God. So the good seed is those elect true believers. The weeds, then the weeds to me, or the tears, even better, they sound a lot like that. Second and third soils that we talked about previously to some, to some degree. I'm not, I'm not gonna lump them all in because we talked about receiving the word and it taking root, all that stuff, but to some degree, and also probably like a soil one. But here's, here's the way I would define them up and against or in contradistinction to the elector believers. They're the reprobate. They're false professors or they're children of the evil one. Now here's the question, Doni, Alex, I, I think this is very interesting. I'm trying to build this up for like more dramatic effect. 'cause now I'm worried it's not that good. The question is, I'm going to presume that this good seed, the elect, true to believers, the confidence of perseverance of the saints, the justification in sanctification of God's children is in fact though we at some points have our own doubts, it is made fully aware and known to the good seed. That is, we should have, as you and I have talked about before, the confidence that God has in fact saved his elect. So the question that on the other side is for the ta, do the tears always know that they are the tears? Tony Arsenal: Yeah, I mean, you know, I think, um, I've said this before and I, I mean it, and I think it takes probably more. More discussion than we have time for tonight. And and that's fine because we can do as many episodes on this as we want to. 'cause this is our show and you can't stop us actually. Jesse Schwamb: Correct. [00:43:56] Assurance of Faith and False Assurance Tony Arsenal: Um, I've said before that assurance is the proper and rightful possession and inheritance of every Christian. Jesse Schwamb: Amen. Tony Arsenal: Right. So I, I am not one to say that the technical terminology is that assurance is not of the essence of faith. Um, I think we have to be really careful when we say that it's not, but we have to be equally careful when we say that it is. Because if we say that assurance is of the essence of faith, then what that means is someone who doesn't have assurance, doesn't have faith. Um, the reason I say that we can say that is because there's a sense that that's true, right? If you don't believe you're saved, then you don't believe you're saved and you don't trust that you're saved. But that doesn't mean that you always have full awareness of that confidence. And, you know, I think, um, I think. I think you're, you're right that, um, it may not always be, let me put it this way. I, I think that we have to consider the entire life of a Christian when we're, when we're making that analysis. And in a certain sense, like, I'm not even sure we should be making that analysis. That's kind of the point of the, the, um, the parable here, or at least one of the points. But, um, when that analysis is made, we'll, we'll channel a little bit of RC sprawl. It's not as funny when he's actually, uh, gone. I don't really mean channel RC sprawl. We will, uh, speak in the tradition of RC sprawl, um, in the final analysis, whatever that means. Whenever that is. You have to consider the whole life of a Christian, the whole life of a believer. And so there may be times in the life of a believer where they don't possess that full assurance of faith or that that full assurance is weak or that it seems to be absent. But when we look at the entire life of a believer, um, is it a life that overall is marked by a confident trust, that they are in fact children of God? Um, that a confident, uh, a confident embracing of what the spirit testifies to their spirit, to, to borrow language from Romans, I think in, in the life of a true elect Christian, um, that with the perseverance of the saints, uh, with the persistence of the saints and the preservation of the saints, um, I think that yes, those who are finally saved, those who are saved unto salvation, if you wanna phrase it that way. They finish the race, they claim the prize. Um, that assurance will be their possession in their life as a Christian. Jesse Schwamb: Right on. Tony Arsenal: All of that to say, I think there are, are, there's a good case to be made for the fact that there is also people who have false assurance, right? And this is where it takes a lot more, you know, finagling and jockeying and theological explanation of how can we know we have true assurance versus false assurance. You know, it's kinda like that question, like, does an insane person know they're insane? Well, does a false, does someone with false assurance know that their assurance is false? I don't think, I don't think so. Otherwise, it wouldn't be false assurance. Um, if they knew it wasn't real assurance, then they wouldn't have any kind of assurance. So I, I think I agree with you at least where, where I think you're going is that we do have to, we do have to make some judgements. We have to look at our own life, right? Um, there is an element of fruitfulness in this parable, right? We'll talk about that. I, I think we'll get into that next week. But it's not as though this is entirely disconnected from the parable of the soils. Both of them have a very similar kind of. End point. [00:47:20] Final Judgment and Eschatology Tony Arsenal: At the end of all things, at the end of the harvest, when the end of the age comes, and the reapers, the angels are sent, what they're gathering up are fruitful Christians, right in the parable, he sends out the, it's funny be, I love my dispensational brothers and sisters, but in this parable, like the rapture is the rapture of the unbelievers, right? The angels go out and reap the unbelievers first. The, the weeds are bundled up and thrown into the fire, and then the, the fruitful wheat is gathered into the barns. Um, there is this delineation between the fruitless weeds and the fruitful wheat or the, the grain that has borne, you know, borne fruit. That is part of what the, the outward. Elements of this parable are, so we should talk about that more, of what is this trying to get at in terms of not just the difference between weeds and wheat and how that maps up to those who are in Christ versus those who are not in Christ, but also like what is this telling us about the, the end of the age eschatology. All of that's baked in here and we haven't even scratched the surface of that Jesse Schwamb: yet. Yeah, we, we, I, and we just can't, even on this episode, probably, you're right, we're gonna have to go to two so that, I guess it's like a teaser for the next one. I'm told they're with you. It's interesting. I've been thinking about that, that question a lot. And I do like what you're saying. You know, at the end here, it's almost as if Christ is saying at the time of harvest, things become more plain, more evident In the beginning. The chutes are gonna look really, really similar, and you're gonna go in and you're gonna think you're guessing properly or using your best judgment, and you're gonna get it wrong in the end when he sends out those who are harvesting. I liken this passage here in the explanation as you read to us starting in verse 36, how there's this comparison of heat and light. And so there is the heat and light of the fiery furnace into which, as you said, all of those who are the children of the enemy will be gathered up and burned. And then there's that contrast with in verse 43, then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their father. So there is like a reward that comes from the bearing of the fruit and that made evidence by a different type of heat and light. So I do struggle with this question because. It's easy to answer in some ways if we're defining the weeds in pirate or the tears in pirates as false professors typically. Let's say false professors of a nefarious kind, then it seems pretty plain that somebody, right, that the enemy has implanted certain people to stir up trouble with the intention to stir up trouble that is in fact their jam. Or they know that even if they're putting on heirs, that they're in fact play acting that the hypocrisy is purposeful and that it is part of like the missional efforts that they're doing to disrupt what God is doing in the world. So I might think of somebody like when we go, when we're looking in, um, Exodus, and we find that at least to some degree, all of Pharaoh's magicians can replicate everything that Moses is doing. Moses doing that by the power of God. But the magicians are so good and whatever means they're using, but they know, I presume they know they're not, they're not using Yahweh, they're not drawing their power or their influence from Yahweh. Tony Arsenal: Right? Jesse Schwamb: But it's so convincing to the people that Pharaoh is like, eh. Obviously I've seen that before because we just, we just did that here. Come back with your next trick until God flexes his mighty muscles in a really profound way, which cannot be replicated. And at some point there's a harvest that happens there. There's a separation between the two, those who are truly professing, the power that comes from God, the one true God, and those that are just replicating the cheap copy, the one that's just pure trickery and smoke and mirrors. So. That's an easy category. I'm with you. And I'm not saying that this is an invitation to bring the kind of judgment here that we've just spoken against. I'm not condoning this. What I do find interesting though is if the enemy is crafty, is it possible that they're always going to be forms of terror in the world that do feel that they have very strong conviction and belief about biblical things? Maybe there's, there's strong hobby horses or there are misguided directions here that pull us apart, that become distractions. Or maybe it's just even attitudes, uh, things that can be divisive, disruptive, derogatory that again, pull us away. For making the plain things, the main things and the main things, the plain things, which in some ways draws us back to like the whole purpose of you and I talking every week, which is we wanna get back to what the scripture teaches. We wanna follow the our Lord Jesus Christ very, very closely. I'm gonna clinging to the hymn of his rob as we walk through life so that we do not fall to those kind of false convictions. So I'm not, please hear me, loved ones. I'm not trying to call into question your faith as Tony just said. I am saying that there, this is kind of scary, just like we talked about. There are elements of the parables of the, of the soil that were equally scary. And so it's just in some ways to say, we gotta keep our heads not theological, swivel. We, we gotta be about the Lord's business, and we gotta be about understanding through prayer and study and communion with him, what it is that he wants to teach us in the purest way, knowing that the church itself and the world, of course, is never going to be entirely pure. At the same time, it is our responsibility to, as you already said, test for ourselves to understand what is that true gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Because some tears are going to be maybe easy to identify and with without, you know, throwing too much shade or. I was gonna say spilling the TI don't think that works here, but I'm not young anymore, so I'm trying to use or or put on blast. Yeah. I'm looking at you Mormons or Jehovah's witnesses. Like it's, it's easier there to be like, yeah, right, this is wrong. It is a false profession, but we've just gotta be careful even in our own hobby, horses not deviates into ground. I think that doesn't preclude us from being children of the light and children of the kingdom, but can still be disruptive or uh, you know, just distracting. But either way, yeah. I think what's scary to me about this is exactly what you said, Tony, is, is could it be that there are people that are very sincere about the Christian faith, but are sincerely wrong? Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Jesse Schwamb: And what does that mean for God's elected purpose? What does that mean for our understanding of how to interact in our churches in the world? Does that make sense? Tony Arsenal: It does. And I'm not sure whether you were trying to set up the, what might be the first genuine reformed brotherhood cliffhanger, but you did. Because we're on minute 54 of a 60 minute podcast, and, uh, there's no way we're gonna get into that and not go for another 60 minutes. So, Jesse, I, I'm, I'm glad that we are taking our time. Um, I know that sometimes it's easy when you put out a schedule or you put out a sort of projected content calendar to feel like you have to stick to it. But I wanna give these parables, the time they deserve and the effort and the, uh, the, uh, study and the discussion that they deserve. And I think the questions you're posing here at the end of this episode are really, really important. And they are questions that this parable forces us to ask. Right, right. It's not as though we're just using this as a launching pad. Um. If the workers can't tell the difference between the, the seed and the, or the, the weeds and the weeds, it's reasonable to think that the weeds themselves may not be able to tell the difference. Right? The sons of the evil one, um, are probably not in this parable, are probably not the people like in the back, like doing fake devil horns, right? And like, you know, like there's, there's probably more going on that we need to unpack and, and we'll do that next week. Jesse Schwamb: I love it. So we've got some good stuff coming then, because we've gotta, this is like, do you ever remember when you were in, uh, you know, doing your undergraduate postgraduate work, you'd get like a topic or an assignment or a paper and you'd be super stoked about it and you start reaching it, be like, okay, researching it. And you'd be like, all right, I've got some good topics here. And then you get into it, you're like, oh, but I'm gonna have to talk about this. And Oh, like before I could talk, I'm gonna have to explain this. Sometimes when we get into these, as you and I have been talking, that's what it feels li
Bill McKeever, Aaron Shafovaloff, and Bradley Campbell continue their disucssion from last week concerning their visit last summer to LDS historical sites in Illinois, Ohio, and New York. Check out this series, a number of interesting stories concerning LDS history.
Welcoming back JJ Vance and Operation GCD with another barn burner! Come join us as we go down the road of Mormon Para politics. What a week to do this folks, with Romney back in the news for his sister in laws death... More on Kirk and the LDS, the new Mormon leaders, Secret Societies and so much more.We delve into it all and try to bring some truth to the forefront despite the obfuscation from everywhere.Just what is this game of the elites? How does Utah fit in? Come join us as we burn down the house! Guest Links Operation GCD :https://open.spotify.com/show/59GjKbZtfwGjmwpd53MGn1?si=IY-nlc-SRIe-OSYewF_HMQRise To Liberty Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/1oiZC82CeG4QOWRMHYJlhU?si=pPwB_qRZTRuQPDlNXlMaKQUnfiltered RIse Podcast LinksWebsite: https://unfilteredrisepodcast.com/Patreon: https://patreon.com/UnfilteredRise?X: https://x.com/unfilteredrise/status/1772012349551153303?s=46IG: https://www.instagram.com/unfilteredrise_podcast?igsh=MWE4NnQ2Y2Zxa3pnNw%3D%3D&utm_source=qrYouTube: https://youtube.com/@unfilteredrisepodcast?si=IMlOVdcKU6oj4N8sTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@unfilteredrisepodcast?_t=8rjVXGsH2AY&_r=1Merch: https://heidi-luv-shop.fourthwall.com/Donations: buymeacoffee.com/unfilteredEMePlease know my podcast and its information presented are for entertainment or informational purposes. I do not threaten or wish any harm to any nation,creed, color, religion etc …. God Bless
A Texas pastor has a divine recruitment strategy—he's telling Christians to “Join ICE for Jesus.” We unpack his unholy mix of nationalism, cruelty, and theology while trying to keep their blood pressure in check. Also in this episode: • A preacher blames the wrong calendar for the rapture's no-show • Mormons raise nearly $400K for a shooter's family • Catholic preschools lose their anti-LGBTQ discrimination case • Florida high school gets “Witchy Wednesday” backlash • The ELCA names its first Black presiding bishop Then, we face off over a big question: Should atheists be anti-theists—or can religion still have a place in a secular world?
Tonight on Mormonism Live, Bill Reel and Radio Free Mormon sit down with writer and blogger Sarah Steed, whose essays contain sharp insight, poetic honesty, and unflinching critique of LDS culture. Sarah's work dives deep into the unspoken layers of Mormon life—gender, perfectionism, obedience, and the lingering ghosts of patriarchy that shape the spiritual experience… Read More »Sarah Steed: Unmasking Mormonism
Tonight on Mormonism Live, Bill Reel and Radio Free Mormon sit down with writer and blogger Sarah Steed, whose essays contain sharp insight, poetic honesty, and unflinching critique of LDS culture. Sarah's work dives deep into the unspoken layers of Mormon life—gender, perfectionism, obedience, and the lingering ghosts of patriarchy that shape the spiritual experience… Read More »Sarah Steed: Unmasking Mormonism The post Sarah Steed: Unmasking Mormonism appeared first on Mormon Discussions Podcasts - Full Lineup.
Tonight on Mormonism Live, Bill Reel and Radio Free Mormon sit down with writer and blogger Sarah Steed, whose essays contain sharp insight, poetic honesty, and unflinching critique of LDS culture. Sarah's work dives deep into the unspoken layers of Mormon life—gender, perfectionism, obedience, and the lingering ghosts of patriarchy that shape the spiritual experience… Read More »Sarah Steed: Unmasking Mormonism
It's that time of year! 195th Semi-annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We see what slipped through the cracks! David Bednar Q12 – Moral Agency means doing what you were coerced to agree to do B. Corey Cuvleier Q70 – The correct name Matthew S. Holland Q70 – Jonah, Adam and Eve, and Biblical literalism Carlos A Godoy Q70 – He's helping impoverished Africans who pay their tithing Dale G Renlund Q12 – Surgeon-scholarship-recipient really like Rusty Nailz John D Amos Q70 – Put more Tonys in it Ozani Farias Q70 – Read your sticks Dallin Oaks rounding it out – A prophet-elect ascends; no more new temples; make more big Mormon families Saturday Evening for Patrons! Patrick Kearon Q12 – Stop sinning already and embrace your hundredth start J Anette Dennis FC RS GP – Depression and atheism Steven C Barlow Q70 – His brother mowed some lawns William K Jackson Q70 – Counting and Accounting; white supremacists making lists Neil L. Anderson – idk, something about atonement Other appearances: Chris Shelton interviewed us in the beginning of a series on Mormonism on his Speaking of Cults series. He has had MANY different fascinating people on so go take a look! Here is the whole playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpGuS7GcsgA&list=PLGrPM1Pg2h72ADIuv8eYmzrJ-ppLOlw_g Email: glassboxpodcast@gmail.com Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GlassBoxPod Patreon page for documentary: https://www.patreon.com/SeerStonedProductions BlueSky: @glassboxpodcast.bsky.social Other BlueSky: @bryceblankenagel.bsky.social and @shannongrover.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glassboxpodcast/ Merch store: https://www.redbubble.com/people/exmoapparel/shop Or find the merch store by clicking on “Store” here: https://glassboxpodcast.com/index.html One time Paypal donation: bryceblankenagel@gmail.com Venmo: @Shannon-Grover-10
Bill McKeever, Aaron Shafovaloff, and Bradley Campbell continue their disucssion from last week concerning their visit last summer to LDS historical sites in Illinois, Ohio, and New York. Check out this series, a number of interesting stories concerning LDS history.
Join us as we go fisticuffs looking for the new stormin mormon cards in 2025-26 Upper Deck Series 1 Hockey Cards! 2025 – 2026 UPPER DECK SERIES 1 HOCKEY This set checklist packs in a lot, including a batch of the famed Young Guns alongside various insert debuts. It will also be the debut product for the Utah Stormin' Mormons. In total, collectors can find three inserts per Hobby pack and 36 in every Hobby box. There are 16 autographed cards, odds are 1:4,000 Hobby. AUTOGRAPHS: ON CARD 12 CARDS PER PACK | 12 PACK PER BOX | 12 BOXES PER CASE BASE SET SIZE: 200 CARDS Each Hobby Box has; 1 #'d Card or Non-#'d short print or printing plate, 6 Young Guns, and a lot of other crap that isn't autographs or relics OTHER FORMATS: TIN, BLASTER, HANGER, AND STARTER KIT Hobby Cost: $130 VERDICT: FLYING V (5/5) Check Out Our Other Content: New Product Releases with Mrs. Doc - Every Wednesday Fanatics Football Card Auction Review - Every Tuesday
Join us as we watch the LDS livestream announcing the new Prophet and 1st Presidency - Dallin Oaks, Henry Eyring, and Todd Christofferson.Please purchase the book here.To support this series please donate here. One half of all donations will go to Dr. Turner for as long as he is participating in the series.___________________YouTubeAt 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 theology2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions
LightSpeed VT: https://www.lightspeedvt.com/ Dropping Bombs Podcast: https://www.droppingbombs.com/ What if your faith crisis unlocked millionaire secrets? In this captivating episode of Dropping Bombs, I bring you solar sales powerhouse Tyler Bastian—who went from knocking doors at 13 with a squeegee to building a $50M empire at VITL Power (half-acquired by Freedom Forever). The real story isn't just the money—it's how he turned devastating family tragedies (losing his brother, sister, and father) into unstoppable mental fortitude that made him a door-to-door legend. Tyler reveals why solar isn't dead (despite the haters), how his 15-year-old son banks $100/hour washing windows, and the brutal truth about sales: if you're not making $20K/month, you're selling the wrong sh*t. Here's the no-BS playbook: Door-to-door sales teaches rejection immunity and financial freedom faster than any college degree. Tyler breaks down why Utah breeds D2D champions (Mormon missions = rejection boot camp), how to handle "no soliciting" signs the right way, and the mindset shift separating six-figure earners from quitters—it's not about avoiding rejection, it's about controlling your energy recovery time. If you're trapped in a low-wage grind, swapping your precious time for scraps, here's your wake-up call: step up to commissions, master your mindset, and attack every door like it's your golden ticket. Stop working harder for less—start working smarter for more.
Hey, Heal Squad! We're back with Part 2 of our conversation with Mayci Neeley, star of Secret Lives of Mormon Wives! Mayci opens up about navigating the emotional rollercoaster of IVF, motherhood, and healing after trauma, and what it really takes to find balance through it all. She shares how she's learned to protect her peace, release control, and lean into faith when life doesn't go as planned (all while filming a reality TV show)! They talk about setting boundaries, staying grounded in chaos, and the daily practices that help her return to joy. PLUS, they dive into the importance of slowing down, listening to your body, and creating boundaries that protect your mental and spiritual health (even when life feels overwhelming). You're never too far from peace, and balance is something you can build, even in the hardest seasons! HEALERS & HEAL-LINERS: Healing is about doing hard things anyway. Mayci shares how her IVF journey taught her that strength isn't about having it all together, it's about walking through discomfort, uncertainty, and fear, and realizing you can survive more than you thought you could. Joy can be a form of medicine. Even after loss and trauma, Mayci chooses laughter, connection, and lightness. She reminds us that healing doesn't mean ignoring pain, it means letting joy have a seat at the table too. Friendship is a safe haven for healing. Through her bond with Michaela, Mayci shows how honest, supportive relationships can help us process pain without getting lost in it, and that sometimes healing starts simply by being seen. HEAL SQUAD SOCIALS IG: https://www.instagram.com/healsquad/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@healsquadxmaria HEAL SQUAD RESOURCES: Heal Squad Website:https://www.healsquad.com/ Heal Squad x Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/HealSquad/membership Maria Menounos Website: https://www.mariamenounos.com My Curated Macy's Page: Shop My Macy's Storefront Prenuvo: Prenuvo.com/MARIA for $300 off EMR-Tek Red Light: https://emr-tek.com/discount/Maria30 for 30% off Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com/ Briotech: https://shopbriotech.com/ Use Code: HEALSQUAD for 20% off Join In-Person Heal Retreat Waitlist! https://mariamenounos.myflodesk.com/heal-retreat-waitlist GUEST RESOURCES: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maycineeley/?hl=en TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@maycineeley?lang=en Website: https://www.babymama.co/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAadMLEGyWSSa8MHuZ3ReBzp5JobmY_FzvnLnjTy1uOFyd92jsysBdUWPD8wfdQ_aem_m-FZXZnolP7S1knN-YMjvw Book: https://go.shopmy.us/p-27154940 Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/sinnersundayconfessional/?hl=en ABOUT MARIA MENOUNOS: Emmy Award-winning journalist, TV personality, actress, 2x NYT best-selling author, former pro-wrestler and brain tumor survivor, Maria Menounos' passion is to see others heal and to get better in all areas of life. ABOUT HEAL SQUAD x MARIA MENOUNOS: A daily digital talk-show that brings you the world's leading healers, experts, and celebrities to share groundbreaking secrets and tips to getting better in all areas of life. DISCLAIMER: This Podcast and all related content (published or distributed by or on behalf of Maria Menounos or http://Mariamenounos.com and http://healsquad.com) is for informational purposes only and may include information that is general in nature and that is not specific to you. Any information or opinions provided by guest experts or hosts featured within website or on Company's Podcast are their own; not those of Maria Menounos or the Company. Accordingly, Maria Menounos and the Company cannot be responsible for any results or consequences or actions you may take based on such information or opinions. This podcast is presented for exploratory purposes only. Published content is not intended to be used for preventing, diagnosing, or treating a specific illness. If you have, or suspect you may have, a health-care emergency, please contact a qualified health care professional for treatment.
In the wake of the horrific shooting at an LDS church building in Michigan, ex-Mormon content creators (myself included) have been hit with backlash and accused of ‘fueling hate.' I break down why I think that's mostly bullshit—while also exploring where it's worth pausing to consider the line between ex-Mormonism and anti-Mormonism. From there, it's a true mixed bag: Mayci Neeley's Secret Lives of Mormon Wives book tour soundbites, the downward trend of self-identified orthodox Mormons, my newfound niche interest in polygamy (thanks to Christine Brown Woolley's new book about life on Sister Wives), and more. Christine Brown Woolley's book Mormon Stories panel on “anti-Mormonism” Mayci Neeley's NPR interview SL Tribune article on Mormon's abandoning orthodox beliefs Join the Girlscamp: After Dark Patreon account here for two bonus episodes per month and more. For more Girlscamp content follow along on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. For ad inquiries please email girlscamppodcast@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
10/15/2025 Today, we are excited to kick off a three-week series of stories, entitled “Religion to Relationship" with Jesus Christ. Linda Friedman, from our Raleigh, North Carolina community, shares her powerful journey of growing up in Taiwan with a Taoist and Buddhist foundation, how her upbringing led her to search for community and happiness within the Mormon church, and ultimately how Jesus opened her eyes to the truths of Who He is. This is a story of God‘s pursuing love and His desire for every child to discover the rest and freedom found only in Him. _______________________________________________________________________________ VERSE OF THE WEEK: Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. John 8:32 CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK: Jesus didn't call you to perform. He called you to rest in Him. How can you experience His rest this week? Links: Listen to this song by Lauren Daigle by Losing My Religion Listen to a similar story: Ep. 268- Sajeda Wilson: “My Journey to Jesus:: From Islam to Christianity” Download a phone background of the weekly verse HERE! (click the link and hold down on the photo to save to your phone) Give to StoryTellers Live in honor of Linda and all of our past storytellers!! Become a Patreon Insider to access bonus content~ including a Continue the Conversation with the podcast hosts discussing this first episode in the “Religion to Relationship” series. Register for our Finding God in the Details: A Guide to Discerning His Voice and Discovering Your Story workshop being offered online on October 29th, 9:30-12:30 CST Join us live on Thursday, November 6th, at 7:00 PM at Samford University Wright Center for a night of worship and fellowship with Ellie Holcomb, presented by Portraits of Hope! Register here and use promo code ELLIE10 for 10% off at checkout!!! Shop for our When God Shows Up Bible Study series Check out all of our live speaking engagement opportunities on our website. Sign up to receive StoryTellers Live's weekly newsletter for updates and details on our live gatherings.
Join us on this episode of Drama Darling as we dive into the latest happenings in the Bravo sphere, including a detailed recap of 'The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City. We'll talk about Katherine Dennis' release, Wendy's resignation from Wesleyan University, and recent breakups in 'Southern Charm' and 'Next Gen NYC'. Plus, we delve into the mysterious case of 'Bad Camille' and the wardrobe choices and drama among the Salt Lake City ladies. And don't miss details on Bravocon and the must-see show 'CabarAMY' at the Hard Rock. All this and more – tune in for the tea with Amy Phillips and Emily Dorezas.TICKETS to CabarAMY @ The Hard Rock Vegas:https://www.ticketweb.com/search?q=%22CabarAmy%22+Live+Comedy+Show For more Drama, Darling, and exclusive content, subscribe to Patreon:http://Patreon.com/dramadarlingFollow Drama, Darling on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/dramadarlingshow/ Email Drama, Darling with YOUR comments, questions and drama: DramaDarlingz@gmail.com Follow Amy Phillips on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/dramadarlingshow/ Eat smart with Factor Meals and get 50% off your first box, plus free breakfast for 1 year.Factorials.com/Drama50of Code: Drama50off Live Better Longer with BUBS Naturals. For A limited time get 20% Off your entire order with:https://www.bubsnaturals.com/ Code DRAMA Don't let OCD write the drama—you deserve to be the director of your own life with NOCD. https://learn.nocd.com/DRAMALumi Gummies are available nationwide! For 30% off your order go to:https://lumigummies.com/ Code: DRAMA
Patrick addresses controversies around UK misgendering laws, the growing pains of multiculturalism, and immigration’s impact on Western identity. Callers spark lively reflection on family Mass routines, Muslims praying in European churches, and the loss of Catholic spaces, with Patrick sharing personal stories and issuing strong opinions about faith, society, and the turmoil facing Christians worldwide. Tension, raw honesty, and glimpses of hope land side by side in a fast-moving blend of current affairs, candid audience exchanges, and striking spiritual insights. Audio: UK Resident “I now have a criminal record because I wrote in the Critic magazine that my stalker was a man. Because he is a man.” (00:20) Alejandro - I am an usher. They recommend going to another separate mass so that you can focus. (03:27) Sarah - Muslims asking for a prayer area. I do think there should be reciprocity and do agree with you. Muslims want to take over and show dominance. (05:18) Rusty - Free donuts and coffee are just things that the Church does to encourage teens (and others) to come to mass. (11:52) Kris (email) - Not to belabor the usher at communion topic, but I think just saying “we’re all adults” as it relates to our ability to use order when queuing up for communion can easily be refuted by the example people set for exiting an airplane (16:37) Nancy - I think politicians are ignorant and don't know enough about Islam to have an informed policy (18:13) Kathy - Muslims and Islam. I am bothered by people who say Christians and Muslims can coexist when they don’t realize that Muslims want to dominate Christians. Also, it bothers me that Catholic dioceses sell property to Muslims. (23:32) Carol - I think that the Church and Western countries are starting to adhere to Islam. (26:09) Carolyn - I found Mary's belt in Damascus. Is the Assumption biblical? (28:36) Therese - I was born and raised in Nigeria. I am from the Eastern part. They keep killing us and want every Nigerian to be Muslim. (31:22) Tony - How do I refute the Mormon practice of Baptism of the Dead? (35:22)
The Work Of The Mormon ButcherJump To The Ad-Free Safe House EditionEpisode 451 begins in the summer of 1902, when a woman's mutilated body is pulled from the Morris Canal, and the trail leads to a blood-soaked missionary's flat in Manhattan. The suspect: William Hooper Young, grandson of Mormon patriarch Brigham Young, whose notebook bore the chilling phrase “Blood Atonement.” This is a rich episode about the strange descent of a scholar turned tramp, and the murder that made headlines thunder with scandal, scripture, and slaughter.Hear More Stories About TRUNK MURDERSBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.CLICK HERE to reserve your bunk at The Safe House, where the past is present and the rent is just a buck a week but gives you access to ad-free editions of over 400 episodes in the dusty vault, early access to all new episodes, exclusive content, access to the big boss, and whatever personal services you require.
On this episode of Inside OnlyFans, CJ & Kayla sit down with OnlyFans creator Little Miss Jade. Jade talks about growing up Mormon, her husband encouraging her OF, videos with fans, and more! Full video episodes available: Patreon OnlyFans FOLLOW US! Instagram: @insideonlyfans @cjsparxx @kaylalaurenoffical @little_miss_jade_ Twitter: @insidefans Facebook: Inside OnlyFans Tiktok: @insideofpodcast YouTube: Inside OnlyFans Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Tony and Mykelti are hit with hail on their way to North Carolina, Meri wants us to know she likes eggplants, and the ghouls known as Kody & Robyn gloat about their new (but dated) $2.1 million dollar McMansion. Ugh! We hate them so much! Get tons more cringey content on our Patreon! https://patreon.com/realitytvcringeFollow us on IG https://instagram.com/realitytvcringeSubscribe to see our raccoon faces on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_2CgqXLWjIEKV9PCtH3Kjw?sub_confirmation=1Leave a message for us on SpeakPipe: https://speakpipe.com/realitytvcringeSupport the pod by leaving a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platform! Thank you so much!
It's that time of year! 195th Semi-annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We see what slipped through the cracks! Ronald Rasband Q12 – Family: A Proclamation to the World is ‘doctrine' Chad Webb FC SS GP – Gospel not a ‘list of demands' Jeremy Jaggi Q70 – Chaplain's altar is Mormon symbol Kevin Brown Q70 – Moral agency; we are agents Gerrit Gong Q12 – Fortune cookies are American? Michael Cziesla Q70 – Funeral potatos and green jello are weird Quentin Cook Q12 – Tale of Two Cities; we live in turbulent times Other appearances: Chris Shelton interviewed us in the beginning of a series on Mormonism on his Speaking of Cults series. He has had MANY different fascinating people on so go take a look! Here is the whole playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpGuS7GcsgA&list=PLGrPM1Pg2h72ADIuv8eYmzrJ-ppLOlw_g Email: glassboxpodcast@gmail.com Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GlassBoxPod Patreon page for documentary: https://www.patreon.com/SeerStonedProductions BlueSky: @glassboxpodcast.bsky.social Other BlueSky: @bryceblankenagel.bsky.social and @shannongrover.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glassboxpodcast/ Merch store: https://www.redbubble.com/people/exmoapparel/shop Or find the merch store by clicking on “Store” here: https://glassboxpodcast.com/index.html One time Paypal donation: bryceblankenagel@gmail.com Venmo: @Shannon-Grover-10
Bill McKeever, Aaron Shafovaloff, and Bradley Campbell continue their disucssion from last week concerning their visit last summer to LDS historical sites in Illinois, Ohio, and New York. Check out this series, a number of interesting stories concerning LDS history.
For much of the twentieth century, evangelicals and Latter-day Saints occupied distinct corners of American Christianity—yet in recent decades, they've often found themselves aligned politically. In this episode of Dialogue Unbound, host Margaret Olsen Hemming… The post Strange Bedfellows: Evangelicals, Mormons, and the Politics of Power — A Conversation with Benjamin Park and Nicholas Shrum appeared first on Dialogue Journal.
It's as it says Rough Episode. It started out just a beer review and telling what has been going on with us in Freemasonry. That changed slightly when Wes starts telling what has been going on with him not so much in Freemasonry as you would think. Its fun, its Freemasonry, its beer flowing, its to hell with the Mormons in a hand basket according to Wes!?!? Find out what is going on this Rough Episode.#freemasonry #freemasons #freemason #beer #cigars #beertasting #comedy #fun #funny #AtRefreshmentMasonicVideoPodcast #atrefreshment19The At Refreshment Masonic Video Podcast is a lighthearted and educational series focused onthe world of Freemasonry. The hosts, who are Masons themselves aim to dispel myths about the fraternity while offering a glimpse into their rituals and traditions. They create a casual, fun atmosphere by sharing drinks and humorous discussions about Masonic life, often recorded in laid-back settings like after lodge meetings. The podcast blends comedy with education, making it accessible to both Masons and those curious about the fraternity. Episodes feature special guests from Masonic circles often diving into personal experiences and community contributions of members. The podcast highlights that Freemasons are regular people working to improve themselves and their communities. Also on Rumble or listen on your favorite podcast provider. Follow on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for updates. They are known for a relaxed "at refreshment" style, emphasizing that this is not a formal lodge.Watch us on YouTube @AtRefreshmentMVP https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb8IaNvD2Xmc_XJq6OdGt9Arumble https://rumble.com/user/AtRefreshmentMasonicVideoPodcastFind us onFacebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and Threads
In this powerful and first-ever interview with a Latter-day Saint convert from Kenya, we explore the remarkable faith journey of Dr. Joe Ngatia (pronounced “ga-tia”). Africa has become one of the fastest growing regions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, yet Joe's story reveals the complexities behind that growth – from faith and miracles to history, race, and resilience.Joe shares his encounter with the missionaries and how his family first reacted having only heard rumors about “Mormons being devil worshippers.” His story moves from Nairobi to Rexburg, Idaho, BYU-Provo, and on to medical school in Florida, chronicling his faith, struggles with racism in America, and developing cracks in his testimony. Joe reflects on questions of revelation, truth, miracles, and identity – asking what it means to remain true to one's own spiritual experiences while confronting painful history?This is one of our most profound and far-reaching conversations yet – bridging continents, beliefs, and experiences in search of understanding.___________________YouTubeAt 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 theology2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions
Hey, Heal Squad! This week, Maria sits down with Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Mayci Neely for a conversation about healing after abuse, loss, and trauma in relationships. Mayci opens up about the moments that broke her, the strength it took to leave an abusive marriage, and how she rebuilt her life from the ground up. She shares the tools that helped her heal… from self-forgiveness and faith to therapy, journaling, and learning to feel safe in her body again. Together, Maria and Mayci explore how emotional pain shows up physically, what it really means to live in survival mode, and how it is possible to move from fear to freedom. This is a powerful reminder that healing isn't about erasing your past, it's about reclaiming your story, your power, and your peace. Whether you're navigating heartbreak, trauma, or learning to trust yourself again, here are the tools to guide your journey forward! HEALERS & HEAL-LINERS: Healing starts with self-forgiveness. Mayci shares how true freedom began when she stopped punishing herself for her past and started forgiving herself daily. Your body remembers what your mind avoids. She explains how unprocessed emotions can manifest physically, and why feeling safe again starts with body awareness. Boundaries are a form of self-love. Letting go of people and environments that trigger pain is how Mayci began reclaiming her peace. -- HEAL SQUAD SOCIALS IG: https://www.instagram.com/healsquad/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@healsquadxmaria HEAL SQUAD RESOURCES: Heal Squad Website:https://www.healsquad.com/ Heal Squad x Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/HealSquad/membership Maria Menounos Website: https://www.mariamenounos.com My Curated Macy's Page: Shop My Macy's Storefront Prenuvo: Prenuvo.com/MARIA for $300 off EMR-Tek Red Light: https://emr-tek.com/discount/Maria30 for 30% off Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com/ Briotech: https://shopbriotech.com/ Use Code: HEALSQUAD for 20% off Join In-Person Heal Retreat Waitlist! https://mariamenounos.myflodesk.com/heal-retreat-waitlist GUEST RESOURCES: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maycineeley/?hl=en TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@maycineeley?lang=en Website: https://www.babymama.co/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAadMLEGyWSSa8MHuZ3ReBzp5JobmY_FzvnLnjTy1uOFyd92jsysBdUWPD8wfdQ_aem_m-FZXZnolP7S1knN-YMjvw Book: https://go.shopmy.us/p-27154940 Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/sinnersundayconfessional/?hl=en ABOUT MARIA MENOUNOS: Emmy Award-winning journalist, TV personality, actress, 2x NYT best-selling author, former pro-wrestler and brain tumor survivor, Maria Menounos' passion is to see others heal and to get better in all areas of life. ABOUT HEAL SQUAD x MARIA MENOUNOS: A daily digital talk-show that brings you the world's leading healers, experts, and celebrities to share groundbreaking secrets and tips to getting better in all areas of life. DISCLAIMER: This Podcast and all related content (published or distributed by or on behalf of Maria Menounos or http://Mariamenounos.com and http://healsquad.com) is for informational purposes only and may include information that is general in nature and that is not specific to you. Any information or opinions provided by guest experts or hosts featured within website or on Company's Podcast are their own; not those of Maria Menounos or the Company. Accordingly, Maria Menounos and the Company cannot be responsible for any results or consequences or actions you may take based on such information or opinions. This podcast is presented for exploratory purposes only. Published content is not intended to be used for preventing, diagnosing, or treating a specific illness. If you have, or suspect you may have, a health-care emergency, please contact a qualified health care professional for treatment.
“Differentiation of self is being a unique individual while maintaining connection with people you love,” explains Dr. Julie Hanks. “We've been trained, particularly as women, to be enmeshed—to feel other people's pain for them. And that does no one any good. It doesn't help them, and it doesn't help us.” On Episode 239, Dr. Hanks joins Cynthia and Susan for a conversation about enmeshment. It has been a core theme in her 30 years of practice as a therapist in Utah, working with families in which “the boundaries are not clear at all and everything's everyone's business.” So why are some Latter-day Saints prone to focusing too much on the lives and choices of their children or other family members? Does our church have teachings that actually promote family enmeshment?
Look at us, we're back! More prepared, but with slightly less clothing. This was another quick and fun episode covering yet another crazy couple of weeks.Mom and Dad had a great night out at Crusader Knight, the big fundraising gala for our kids' school. Danielle was the belle of the ball and was excited to show off the look she's been working so hard on. It was such a great night with even better company, the Galindos.Like everything we do, it didn't come without its fair share of stress. Leo had a bunch of dental work the same day, but thank God for Dr. Lindsay Row at Summerlin Pediatric Dentistry, because everything went great (only a few meltdowns).Danielle wants to work with Mackin, but she still has no idea what he actually does, so he's still interviewing other candidates and rebranding the marketing agency.We also attended Danielle's 20-year high school reunion and got to see so many old friends, most of whom Mackin had to remind Danielle of by name. Shoutout to the Mormons who gave us their drink tickets!Mackin also ranked the kids a little more accurately this episode. Leo is working on subtraction, Dean has a newfound appreciation for cologne, Viv is locking into middle school, and Dom's broken wrist has healed. And yes, it all counts toward their ranking on Mackin's list.Thank you all for listening, and remember, if you don't rank your kids, you're just lying to yourself because you do.
Bill McKeever, Aaron Shafovaloff, and Bradley Campbell continue their disucssion from last week concerning their visit last summer to LDS historical sites in Illinois, Ohio, and New York. Check out this series, a number of interesting stories concerning LDS history.
Tamra kicks off the podcast by trying to recruit Mayci’s mom for RHOC. Which friend did Mayci vote for on DWTS? How does Dakota feel about Taylor being The Bachelorette? Plus, Mayci is asked whether anything in her new memoir might upset her cast and how the LDS community has responded to it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jen Atkin is a celebrity hairstylist, founder of the brands OUAI and Mane, co-founder of Highlight Artists, author and BELLAMI Global Brand Ambassador. She joins me for a candid conversation on all things hair, hustling to build a successful career and hard-earned wisdom. Jen opens up about how loss has shaped her life and business, why work ethic and authenticity matter more than ever and how the Kardashians helped put her on the map after years of prioritizing clients over her own life. We get into learning to say no, overcoming perfectionism after growing up in a Mormon household, surviving the LA fires and the beauty hacks she swears by. She also shares the most flattering cuts for every face shape, the truth about extensions, the hair myths she wants us to stop believing and so much more.Go to BellamiHair.com and use code WELL to get 25% off your first clip-in order and book a free consultation. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Mark Hofmann, a lifelong Mormon, skyrockets to local fame by uncovering “historical” documents that challenge core LDS Church narratives. He sells the documents to the church, claiming he's protecting it from scandal—but the truth is much darker. The documents are forgeries, and Mark is a closet atheist and master con artist. And when his double life is about to be exposed, he takes drastic measures to protect his secrets.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Allison sits down with Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Mayci Neeley, and this one is SO good!! They talk all about Mayci's new memoir Told You So, what it was really like becoming a mom at 20, going back to BYU as a D1 athlete postpartum (!!), and how she's navigated life, loss, and a whole lot of change in Utah. This convo is so open and real and all about showing up as yourself, no matter what anyone thinks.Sponsors:Nutrafol: Nutrafol is offering our listeners ten dollars off your first month's subscription and free shipping when you go to Nutrafol.com and enter the promo code SUNDAY.Coterie: Head to coterie.com and use code SUNDAY20 at checkout for 20% off your first order at coterie.comCure Hydration: If you want to feel good about giving your kids something that's actually good for them — go to curehydration.com/sunday for 20% off your first order. Peloton: Let yourself run, lift, sculpt, push, and go. Explore the new Peloton Cross Training Tread+ at onepeloton.comSaxx: Check it out at saxx.com, that's s-a-x-x dot comAsics: Visit asics.com and use code SUNDAY at checkout for $10 off your order of $100 or more. Exclusions may apply.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.