In order, from the beginning. Each page has the audio, the video, chapter markers, and a full transcript.
In this episode, we explore the fascinating and lesser-known history of Joseph Smith’s treasure digging, a critical aspect of his early life that raises important questions about the origins of Mormonism. While often…
Today John is joined by LDS Discussions and Nemo to review the history of the “Golden Plates” as they relate to the creation of the Book of Mormon. Who did the first accounts come from of the existence of these plates?…
Description: Join John, Jenn and Mike from LDS Discussions as we break down the “translation” of the Book of Mormon. Did Joseph use the “spectacles” and breastplate found with the Gold Plates? Or his seer stone and a…
Join us for another fascinating conversation with LDS discussions on the lost 116 pages of the Book of Mormon. LDS Discussions Essay on The Lost 116 Pages LDS Discussions is made possible by generous donors! Help us…
While God (in the D&C), Joseph Smith, and most Mormon Prophets certainly knew who the Lamanites were, DNA Science has put the modern Church in a precarious position. Today, The Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-day…
John, LDS Discussions and Nemo go over the tight and loose translations of the Book of Mormon. Special Guest: Nemo the Mormon LDS Discussions Essay on Tight vs. Loose Translation LDS Discussions is made possible by…
What did Joseph Smith have within reach in 1820s New York, and how much of it shows up in the Book of Mormon? In the seventh episode of the LDS Discussions series, Mike walks John Dehlin through the sources, ideas, and…
Mike from LDS Discussions and John Dehlin spend two hours on the anachronisms in the Book of Mormon, and deliberately move past the familiar list of horses, steel and elephants to the ones that get less attention…
Mike of LDS Discussions walks John Dehlin through the errors, italicized filler words and New Testament phrasing of the 1611 King James Bible that show up, unchanged, in the Book of Mormon, and asks what that says about…
After nine episodes tracing the Book of Mormon from Joseph Smith’s treasure digging through its King James borrowings, Mike of LDS Discussions, John Dehlin and co-host Nemo pull the clues together and lay out how a…
Mike from LDS Discussions argues that the story of Adam and Eve, which most biblical scholars read as an ancient origins myth, becomes a problem for Mormonism precisely because Joseph Smith and the prophets who followed…
Mike from LDS Discussions and John Dehlin take on Noah, the ark, and the global flood, and make the case that Mormonism, unlike many other Christian traditions, cannot quietly let the story go: Joseph Smith wrote it…
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We dive into the Sermon on the Mount and look at why it appears in the Book of Mormon along with what the changes tell us about the author of the Book of Mormon. ________ WE ARE 100% DONOR FUNDED! Thank you for your…
A look at how a late addition to the New Testament ended up in the Book of Mormon and what that tells us about the Book of Mormon’s credibility as an ancient text. ________ WE ARE 100% DONOR FUNDED! Thank you for your…
Join John and Mike, from LDS Discussions for an introduction to the multiple authors of Isaiah and what that means for the Book of Mormon. ________ WE ARE 100% DONOR FUNDED! Thank you for your donations! Monthly Donor…
John and Mike take a look at the timeline of Joseph Smith’s First Vision accounts against the official church narrative. ________ WE ARE 100% DONOR FUNDED! Thank you for your donations! Monthly Donor: Monthly Donor or…
John and Mike take a look at the timeline of Joseph Smith’s accounts of the revelation and restoration of the LDS Concept of priesthood. ________ WE ARE 100% DONOR FUNDED! Thank you for your donations! Monthly Donor…
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John and Mike discuss the origins and influences around Joseph Smith and the Creation of the Word of Wisdom. ===== Mormon Stories Thanks Our Generous Donors! Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a…
Join Mike from LDS discussions.com and John as they discuss race and Mormon scripture. This is part 1 of a 2-part series. We are also grateful to have a few call-in guests for this episode. Today’s episode covers…
Join us for Part 2 of our discussion on Race and the Book of Mormon. Today Mike and John go over the various apologetics for the apparent racism in the Book of Mormon and early Church leaders, from denying those…
Join Mike and John as they discuss Mormonism’s early connection with Masonry through Joseph Smith and the unique problems it creates for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to grapple with today.…
Mike and John discuss the timeline and cultural context surrounding Joseph Smith at the time he claims to receive the revelation on polygamy which became canonized and is still considered scripture for many modern…
Today’s episode continues the discussion on Polygamy with the (in)famous revelation still canonized in Mormon/LDS scripture as Section 132 of the Doctrine & Covenants. Mike sets up the historical & personal context of…
Join Mike (LDS Discussions), Elisha, and John as they look at the techniques of influence that Joseph Smith used to propose to his plural wives. Special Guest: Elisha Lee Faith Unraveled Tiktok (Faith Transition…
Join Mike (LDS Discussions), Elisha, and John for Part 2 as they look at the techniques of influence that Joseph Smith used to propose to his plural wives. Helen Mar Kimball’s age reduction digital illustration by Adam…
In part 5 of our 6-part series on polygamy within the LDS Discussions project, we discuss “The Happiness Letter,” which was the letter Joseph Smith wrote to Nancy Rigdon to try to convince her to become one of his…
Join John, Mike & Elisha Lee as they discuss common problematic apologies around the practice of polygamy in early Church History. From lies being called “carefully worded denials” and attempts to differentiate between…
For many, the Book of Abraham is one of the most problematic subjects within Mormonism due to our ability to translate Egyptian after Joseph Smith released the Book of Abraham. We want to give a brief overview of the…
Today we’re going through various apologetics and theories around the Book of Abraham to reconcile it being considered scripture along with what we know the literal interpretation of these things to be. What problems do…
In Parts 1 and 2 of this series Mike, John, and Nemo explored the history and controversies over whether the Book of Abraham is a literal translation of Egyptian as claimed by Joseph Smith. Now for Part 3 they are back…
Did Joseph Smith have another shot at translating ancient scripture, or is it just rumor? Mike, Nemo and John take a look at the Kinderhook Plates. What were they? Did Joseph Smith try to translate them, and what was…
In this episode we recap all the different areas where Joseph Smith claims to have translated an ancient source and we analyze his work and compare it against modern scholars and experts in the field to see how he did.…
Radio Free Mormon joins the usual crew (Mike, John & Nemo ) as they discuss evidence for prophecies that appear to have been backdated after the events of the supposed prophecy already happened. LDS Discussion Essay on…
Today we identify and analyze four problematic patterns in Joseph Smith’s “revelations”: 1) Using revelations to convince others to submit to his requests, 2) Using revelations to get out of a jam, 3) Changing…
In this engaging interview, Mike from LDS Discussions, Nemo the Mormon, and John Dehlin review the failed prophecies of Mormonism’s founder, Joseph. They start by discussing what the Bible says about failed prophecies…
Today we discuss several problematic “revelations” by LDS prophets that succeeded Joseph Smith. These include: John Taylor’s 1886 revelation on the continuation of polygamy. The multiple “manifestos” allegedly ending…
In this thought-provoking interview, Mike, Nemo, and John Dehlin delve into the controversial topic of personal revelation in Mormonism. The discussion covers a range of doctrinal problems and contradictions that…
Discover the truth behind Mormon Patriarchal Blessings in this eye-opening interview with hosts Mike, Nemo, and John. From reflections on their own blessings to the harmful effects of this mechanism of control over…
Join John, Nemo, and Mike in a captivating episode as they unravel the intricate tapestry of influences that shaped the founder of Mormonism, Joseph Smith. From the unique doctrines of Mormonism to the enigmatic Book of…
Unearth the captivating rise of Brigham Young from the mesmerizing “Transfiguration” that altered Mormonism’s course. Mike, Nemo, and John explore this event through meticulous analysis of historical records…
Join hosts Mike, Nemo, and John Dehlin as they delve into the intricacies of spiritual witnesses within Mormonism. How do sincere seekers often end up with different answers when appealing to “the Spirit”? Can…
In this eye-opening episode of LDS Discussions, Mike, John Dehlin, and Nemo the Mormon explore the Mormon church’s approach to handling doubt. They take a brief historical journey into the realm of Mormon doubt and…
In this interview, we delve into how Russell M. Nelson, the leader of the LDS Church, addresses doubt. Nelson’s 2021 talk on doubts and “lazy learners” encourages members to “choose to believe” and not dwell on doubts.…
Mormon apologetics have been around ever since Mormonism has existed. Join with Mike, Nemo and John as they discuss the types of apologetics that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints engage in and…
In this captivating episode with John Dehlin, Nemo the Mormon, and Mike on LDS Discussions, we delve into the controversial miracle stories of Mormon Prophet Russell M. Nelson. What are the implications for a…
Does accepting Joseph Smith as a prophet require rejecting vast fields of science and scholarship? Join us as we consider long-held assumptions about Joseph Smith and the truth claims of Mormonism. We highlight…
Thumbnail Credits: Imags of John C. Bennett and Joseph Smith from the public domain; Background image of the Mansion House taken by Julia Sanders. Dive into the captivating saga of John C. Bennett, an enigmatic figure…
In this episode, we expose the layers of Bennett’s role in divulging Joseph’s polygamous secrets. From secret women’s organizations with captivating names like Cyprian Saints to the complex web of polygamous…
The team discusses controversial allegations of sexual impropriety against Joseph Smith and John C. Bennett in Nauvoo, the existence of the Danites as a violent vigilante group, Bennett’s subsequent exposes of Mormonism…
Martin Harris, Oliver Cowdery, and David Whitmer signed a statement saying an angel showed them the gold plates. Julia of Analyzing Mormonism pulled together what those three men said afterward, in letters, newspapers…
John Dehlin is joined by Julia, Nemo, and Mike (LDS Discussions) for the next installment of their LDS Discussions series on Mormon Church truth claims, this time tackling the Eight Witnesses to the Book of Mormon’s…
In this riveting interview, @nemothemormon and @analyzingmormonism are back to delve into the lesser-known accounts surrounding the plates of the Book of Mormon. Witness testimonies, some published decades after the…
Julia joins the team again to examine the fates of the alleged witnesses to the golden plates of the Book of Mormon, revealing a trail of broken testimonies, apostasies and bizarre offshoots. Nearly all the witnesses…
Can ancient scripture be reinterpreted to erase racism? Mormon apologists are attempting just that with controversial “skin of blackness” passages in the Book of Mormon. But can these efforts stand up to historical…
Julia Sanders, Nemo, Gerardo Sumano, and John Dehlin continue their LDS Discussions series with a second look at the Book of Mormon’s “skin of blackness” teaching, responding directly to apologetics videos from…
In this gripping third installment of our series, we dive deep into the Book of Mormon to unravel the true meaning of the cursed “Skin of Blackness.” Are recent apologetic theories—claiming it’s just paint, dark coats…
The LDS Church has quietly but significantly updated the Book of Mormon Introduction, shifting away from explicit historical claims and emphasizing a more spiritual interpretation. In this episode, we dive deep into…
Welcome to LDS Discussions, where we critically examine Mormon history, doctrine, and culture. In this episode, we dive into BYU Professor Anthony Sweat’s artwork and how it portrays controversial aspects of church…
Welcome to Mormon Stories where we critically examine the historical narratives presented by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In this episode, we respond to Keith Erekson’s January 12, 2025, fireside…
Welcome to Mormon Stories, where we explore the complex and often controversial aspects of Mormon history, doctrine, and culture. In this episode, we take a deep dive into the polygamous marriages of Joseph Smith…
In this episode, we dive deep into the attacks on the CES Letter and its author, Jeremy Runnells, unpacking why apologetic responses—no matter how weak—are often accepted by believing members. This is the first in a…
We are back today for part two of our examination of the CES Letter vs. the Book of Mormon. The CES Letter is perhaps one of the most influential documents in Mormon studies, and for years the LDS Church has criticized…
We are thrilled to have Sandra Tanner as a guest on our LDS Discussions series this week! Along with John, Julia, and Nemo, Sandra is here to offer commentary on three new essays recently released by the LDS Church…
Sandra Tanner is back with us on LDS Discussions to conclude our conversation on three new church essays recently published by the LDS Church. In this episode, we’ll finish our coverage of the essay on polygamy and move…
Is Nahom really the strongest evidence for the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon? In this episode, we take a deep dive into one of the most cited archaeological “proofs” of the Book of Mormon -the discovery of altars…
Welcome to another epsiode of our LDS Discussions series! In this episode, we take a detailed, evidence-based look at one of the most repeated claims in Latter-day Saint apologetics: that Joseph Smith was incapable of…
Join Kolby, Nemo, Julia, and Dr. John Dehlin for one of our most in-depth LDS Discussions episodes yet as we unpack “The Other Isaiah Problem” and what it means for the historicity of the Book of Mormon. In this…
Welcome to Episode 70 of our LDS Discussions series! In this episode, our panel takes a deep dive into one of the most debated questions surrounding the Book of Mormon: were ancient metal plates a known concept in…
In his official 1838 history, Joseph Smith described discovering the golden plates inside a carefully constructed stone box in the Hill Cumorah. According to his account, the box contained the plates, the Urim and…
Welcome to Episode 72 in our LDS Discussions series! This episode is a treat because for the first time in the history of LDS Discussions, every panelist is actually IN studio! Today we are doing a deep dive into one of…
Welcome to Episode 73 in our LDS Discussions series! In this episode, we explore the long history of fraud, forgery, and “discernment” within Mormon history –from Joseph Smith’s treasure digging and the Kinderhook…
In this episode, we expand on ideas presented by Nate Oman during a discussion on Faith Matters and trace the complicated, evolving history of Mormon sealings from Joseph Smith through the 20th century. Today, “eternal…
In a recent episode on the YouTube channel Hello Saints, Jeff McCullough interviewed Jasmin Rappleye (who got her degree from BYU in Ancient Near Eastern Studies) about one of Mormonism’s most controversial scriptures…
For years, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were taught that violations of the law of chastity were “next to murder” in seriousness. Recently, Jasmin Rappleye defended that teaching (and maybe…
Welcome to another episode of LDS Discussions! Today we are joined by Bryan Buchanan to discuss the William Clayton Diaries. For decades, the William Clayton Diaries have occupied a near-mythical place in Mormon…
Welcome to another episode of LDS Discussions! We are joined again by Bryan Buchanan to discuss the William Clayton Diaries. The William Clayton Diaries are among the most important firsthand records from Joseph Smith’s…
Welcome to LDS Discussions Part 79, where we continue our deep dive into the Book of Abraham, examining one of the most popular apologetic arguments: the claim that Joseph Smith drew on ancient traditions about Abraham…
In Episode 80 of our LDS Discussions series, Julia, Kolby, and Nemo the Mormon join together for a deep dive into one of the most significant financial controversies in modern Latter-day Saint history: Ensign Peak…
In Episode 81 of the LDS Discussions series, we take a deep dive into the history of Mormon tithing –where the concept comes from, how it appears in the Bible and Book of Mormon, how Joseph Smith and the early…
What can Nauvoo land deeds actually tell us about Joseph Smith and the practice of plural marriage? In this episode of LDS Discussions, we take a close look at Nauvoo land records and examine claims that deeds issued to…
