Radio Free Mormon – Radio Free Mormon

RFM talks about his background in law from over thirty-years of practice, and applies those principles to the LDS Church. By the end, we start to get a good idea why it is the LDS Church seems to like to call lawyers to positions of leadership–especially over the Church Historian’s Office!

I was recently interviewed by the host of Priesthood Dispatches , a new podcast from one of my friends across the pond! I had a great time doing this interview and I hope you will enjoy listening to it!

RFM deconstructs the Brad Wilcox Fireside as no one else can! Strap on your seatbelts! It’s going to be a bumpy night!

RFM has saved the best for last in this third and final installment of his landmark series on Magic and Mormonism. Turns out all those hours of practicing magic as a kid weren’t a complete waste of time after all!

Radio Free Mormon continues his exploration of how an understanding of basic principles of stage magic helps illuminate various aspects of early Church history!

RFM uses his background in stage magic to illuminate different aspects of Mormonism and Church History!

This is the audio of the presentation I gave in St. George at the invitation of the Southern Utah Post-Mormon Support Group on January 9, 2022 . It goes not only into a paper I had published in BYU-Studies, but also into how that paper developed over the course of about two decades, and the two un published papers that led up to it! As strange as this story is, it is a story I have long wanted to...

RFM analyzes an often overlooked theme in “A Christmas Carol” where Dickens plays with the idea of time. Then we turn to the LDS temple endowment where something similar occurs! It is a fun ride and a good time is guaranteed to all!

I was recently honored to be asked to give a presentation before the Mormonism and Western Esotericism Group .  My address on the subject of Ancient Hebrew Numerology in the Book of Mormon was warmly received, and we had a wonderful time talking about it and related subjects during the second half of the evening. I want to thank Professor Trevor Luke of Florida State University for his gracious in...

I went on John Dehlin’s show recently to talk about the turning points in my life that have turned me from a True Believing Mormon into Radio Free Mormon. I had to do a lot of introspection for this podcast, and as it turns out, the answers surprised even me! A must-listen for anyone who wants to know what makes RFM tick!

RFM sits down with Kerry Shirts, former believer, former director of research for FAIR (Formerly FairMormon, formerly FAIR), former apologist known as the Backyard Professor. Kerry discusses his time as an apologist defending The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and his subsequent loss of belief.

We did it!  We finally got through all of General Conference from April 2021! Join Jonathan Streeter and me as we slice and dice the talks given in the Sunday Afternoon Session! I am exhausted! But General Conference has still never been so much fun!

The most controversial talk of April 2021 General Conference was likely given by President Nelson at the close of the Sunday morning session.  You remember–The “Lazy Learners” talk! Jonathan Streeter and I take a full two hours to dive deeply into this talk and excavate its deeper implications. General Conference has never been so much fun!!!

I am happy to be joined once again by the brilliant Jonathan Streeter of Thoughts on Things and Stuff for a jolly discussion of the Sunday Morning Session of April 2021 General Conference! General Conference has never been so much fun!!!

Tonight I am joined once more by my good friend Jonathan Streeter from Thoughts on Things and Stuff for part 3 of our post mortem of the  2021 General Conference. Time for the Priesthood Session! General Conference has never been so much fun!

RFM and Jonathan Streeter have a rollicking good time talking about the talks given in Saturday afternoon session of the April 2021 General Conference! General Conference has never been so much fun!

Join Jonathan Streeter and RFM as they take apart General Conference one talk at a time!  This episode covers the Saturday morning session of April 2021 General Conference.  Speakers for this session include Elder (not President!) Uchtdorf, Sister Joy Jones, Elder Gong and President Eyring !  GenCon has never been this much fun!

RFM joins Jonathan Streeter to discuss how lawyers use words to deceive. Even when the lawyers are LDS Church leaders. And even when they’re not lawyers! Prepare to have your eyes opened!

This just in!  Elder Oaks has proven that he is NOT a liar! In this joint podcast with the fabulous Jonathan Streeter from Thinker of Thoughts , we dissect a 1993 talk Elder Oaks gave to the students of BYU’s law school. In his remarks, Elder Oaks demonstrates convincingly to all assembled that he does not justify lying in any form, nor is he himself a liar! Either that, or this is actually...

Was Ethan Smith’s View of the Hebrews a potential source for Joseph Smith’s Book of Mormon ? That is the question RFM tackles in this important episode hosted by Dr. John Dehlin. After having heard about this allegation since the 1980s, RFM finally took the time to get View of the Hebrews and methodically work his way through it. The results are explosive!

Today I am joined by John Dehlin to discuss several essays (two recent!) written by Dr. John Gee criticizing the Joseph Smith Papers Project volume dealing with the Abraham Egyptian Manuscripts.  Is Dr. Gee fair in his criticisms, or is he grinding a well-honed axe?  You be the judge!

Jonathan Streeter and I continue our analysis of October 2020 General Conference with the Saturday afternoon session!  This session may contain the worst GenCon talk I have heard in forty years!  The audio is a bit sketchy toward the beginning (thanks, Zoom!) but it levels out pretty quickly!  Hang in there and you will be amply rewarded!

Tonight we do a deep dive into the hit-piece John Gee wrote about his former Egyptology professor Robert Ritner , ostensibly as a book review for The Journal of the Society for the Study of Egyptian Antiquities .  Is there bad blood between Gee and Ritner ?  You bet there is!  And John Gee’s hit-piece brings it into high definition!

John Dehlin and I discuss the history and merits of the ongoing class action lawsuit against the LDS Church.  As a special bonus, the lawyer suing the LDS Church phones in and shares some startling behind-the-scenes information on how the LDS Church used strong arm tactics to try to get her to drop the case!

Join Sue as she tells the rest of her harrowing tale; how she escaped from the polygamy compound in Mexico, made her way back to the United States, and finally made her way back into the good graces of the LDS Church.  As it turns out, all the hoops the LDS Church made her jump through in order to be rebaptized and have her temple blessings restored ended up pushing her out of the Church . . . aga...