Episodes

Jacob Hansen has been slowly but surely losing his mind over the last several years. Okay. Not so slowly. But still. The past week has brought not one, but two, videos from Jacob that seem bent on proving he is now officially non compos mentis. Take a look at these new videos from Jacob and… Read More »Mormon Apologist Loses Mind: RFM: 466 The post Mormon Apologist Loses Mind: RFM: 466 appeared first on Mormon Discussions Podcasts - Full Lineup.

Tonight’s Mormon Newscast is packed with major developments affecting the LDS Church, Mormon culture, and the communities surrounding it. Our lead story examines the guilty plea entered by the brother of a sitting LDS apostle, D. Todd Christofferson, in a child sexual abuse case. We also cover: • A Southern Utah active Latter-day Saint, bishopric counselor, stake clerk, and middle school teacher who has been charged with the sexual exploitation of minors. • A new article asking why many gay L...

Radio Free Mormon details the circumstances leading up to the guilty plea last Thursday in federal court by Wade Christofferson to CSA charges. What did D. Todd Christofferson know, and when did he know it? And based on the little information the Church has disclosed, D. Todd definitely knew about the danger his brother posed to small children at least as recently as 2020 or 2021. Which means if D. Todd had reported it to police at that time, the child abuse to which Wade just pleaded guilty wou...

RFM was a Mormon apologist 40-years ago, and as part of that ended up writing a paper on Lehi’s Dream that was published in The Journal of Book of Mormon Studies. It is an important paper that continues to be cited by Mormon apologists in various publications and formats, even as recently as March of 2026, long after I have slipped the surly bonds of Mormonism, and reached out to touch the face of RFM. This is an important part of my story, and how it is that a dream I had when I was younger cam...

We have shown in a prior podcast that the Book of Mormon answers all the important religious disputes of Joseph Smith’s day. In this episode we demonstrate that the Book of Mormon uses the language and expressions of other early 19th Century authors to do so! Using only publications from prior to 1830! The results are in! Whether you look at the Book of Mormon from the 20,000 foot level at the contemporary religious issues it solves, or whether you look at the Book of Mormon from the microscopic...

The preliminary hearing has begun for the man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk, and prosecutors are laying out the evidence they believe justifies taking the case to trial. We examine the latest developments, the Mormon connection to the accused, and what this case says about America’s increasingly volatile political climate. Also tonight: • The reaction to a male fashion designer, ballet dancer, and Greg Adviser whose style has generated discussion among Latter-day Saints. • Pete Hegset...

Dr. Randall Bell and RFM head east for a crazy two days of jamming as many church history sites in as we possibly can handle! We took photos and video to document our misadventures and share it all here with you! Well, almost all. Part is still a secret of Dr. Bell’s that he will… Read More »RFM Does Church History Sites: RFM: 464 The post RFM Does Church History Sites: RFM: 464 appeared first on Mormon Discussions Podcasts - Full Lineup.

For decades, the historical consensus has been that Joseph Smith introduced and practiced plural marriage in Nauvoo. But a small group of researchers has argued for a very different conclusion: that Joseph Smith was not the founder of Mormon polygamy and that the historical evidence has been misunderstood. In this episode of Mormonism Live, we sit down with researcher Jeremy Hoop to explore that perspective in depth. Jeremy has spent years examining William Clayton’s journals, the Nauvoo land de...

Another week, another roundup of stories from the world of Mormonism. This week we begin with another disturbing case involving child sexual abuse. An LDS bishopric counselor accused of abusing multiple boys has accepted a plea deal that could allow him to avoid prison and sex offender registration. We’ll break down the allegations, the plea agreement, and why so many are questioning the outcome. We’ll also cover a Young Women’s activity that many are calling an example of normalizing grooming ...

Tonight on Mormonism Live, Bill Reel and Radio Free Mormon take a deep dive into one of the most talked-about Mormon history stories in recent memory: the recent leaking of the William Clayton journals. For years, the full Clayton journals have been a source of speculation, controversy, and anticipation. William Clayton was not a peripheral observer. He was in the inner circle of Joseph Smith’s Nauvoo world, served as Joseph’s clerk, recorded the revelation that became Doctrine and Covenants 132...

RFM is joined by Dr. Don Cohen who outlines his fascinating journey from the Jewish faith in which he was born, to his conversion to Mormonism, and from there to where he has landed today. Throughout, Don’s allegiance to evidence and research has been his guiding star. Join us as Dr. Cohen explains his spiritual journey; a journey that is still continuing! The post From Jewish to Mormon and Beyond! RFM: 463 appeared first on Mormon Discussions Podcasts - Full Lineup.

Does the Book of Mormon fit better in the ancient world or in early nineteenth century America when it was created? Defenders of the book point to a handful of twisted and strained comparisons to the ancient world to make their case. Bill and RFM, on the other hand, demonstrate conclusively that the Book of Mormon is a much better fit for the early nineteenth century in which it was produced. Indeed, no book is more obviously a product of its times than the Book of Mormon. And that time was the ...

Tonight on A Mormon Newscast, we’re covering another packed week of stories from inside and around the LDS Church and the greater Mormon space. Radio Free Mormon takes a closer look at the growing fallout from LDS Church Historian Kyle McKay’s recent remarks and subsequent public apology, as well as the excommunication of Shane Baldwin and what it may signal about the Church’s relationship with outspoken members. Rebecca Bibliotheca joins us to examine the latest debate over whether Mormons shou...

RFM is joined by former Mormon Ted Novak, who shares his story of faith and ultimately, of faith deconstruction. Ted thought he studied his religion while he was a member, but he realized along the way what he was really studying was the “Mormon-Approved” version. Once Ted opened himself up to studying non-Mormon-Approved sources, he slowly began to realize that what the LDS Church was selling him was a bill of goods that didn’t stand up to scrutiny; not just one one issue, but on a host of issu...

BREAKING NEWS! Elder Kyle McKay, Church Historian for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, apologized in writing for racially insensitive comments he made at a stake conference in Oklahoma last Sunday! The post Church Historian Apologizes: RFM: 461 appeared first on Mormon Discussions Podcasts - Full Lineup.

What if the most revealing thing about Mormon apologetics isn’t the evidence being presented… but the behavioral patterns behind the arguments? Tonight on Mormonism Live, Bill Reel and Radio Free Mormon sit down with Dawn McCarty who works in Forensic Criminology behavioral analysis. Can forensic criminology profile Mormon apologetics? Drawing from several of her recent forensic intelligence briefs, Dawn examines Mormon apologetics, institutional responses to criticism, and high-demand religious...

Tonight on A Mormon Newscast, a church leader’s playing on stereotypes about speech and singing style among people of color sparks discussion and controversy as members debate intent, history, and whether Church leaders should be held to a higher standard when engaging with material carrying a troubling past. We also examine the latest developments in the Livermore case, continuing questions surrounding claims that Latter-day Saints are—or are not—Christian, and a bizarre story involving an alle...

Famous Youtuber “Reckless Ben” just got served with a restraining order forbidding him from podcasting anymore about the “Bricks & Minifigs” Case and requiring him to take down any podcasts he has already published dealing with the case. Reckless Ben can’t talk about the Restraining Order. But RFM can! The post “Reckless Ben” Gets Silenced! RFM: 460 appeared first on Mormon Discussions Podcasts - Full Lineup.

The Mormon Church keeps telling us it is growing. And not only is it growing, they say it is growing faster than it has ever grown in history! And yet faithful Mormon researcher Jeff Strong says the LDS Church has lost 40 % of its active membership in the last twenty-five years. How will the Church react now that its generation-long deception is being revealed? And what will the Mormon influences do who have repeated and championed the lies told them by the Church they seek to defend? Time will ...

Tonight on The Mormon Newscast we’re diving into one of the strangest stories to capture the internet this year: the Bricks & Minifigs LEGO controversy. What began as a dispute over a massive LEGO collection has exploded into allegations of insider connections, questions about Utah influence networks, and accusations of Mormon favoritism. We’ll separate fact from speculation and examine why so many online observers believe there’s a Mormon angle to a story that has gone far beyond plastic bricks...

Ever wonder what happens when you take all the earliest accounts of the Angel Moroni appearing to Joseph Smith and compare them? The answers can be problematic but always fascinating. RFM is joined by an all-star panel of Bill Reel, Randy Bell and everyone’s favorite Rando, Kolby Reddish, to hash through the sources. The result is a story that looks less like the recounting of an incident that actually happened to Joseph Smith, and more like a work in progress. This is one show you won’t want to...

Tonight on Mormonism Live we tackle one of the most controversial and uncomfortable documents in LDS history: Joseph Smith’s 1832 First Vision account. Not the polished 1838 version members know from the Pearl of Great Price. Not the story that has been repeated in manuals and General Conference over a hundred years. We’re going back to Joseph’s own handwritten account—the one hidden away in a vault, physically cut from his letterbook with a penknife, and unavailable to the public for over a cen...

Bill Reel and RFM are joined this week by Meggan Hayes, host of the “Generally Unquotable” podcast, which features a news report on things Mormon every weekday morning! How does Meggan do it? Where does she get her stories? What are the biggest stories she has covered? These are just some of the things we’ll be finding out in this fascinating episode of Mormonism Live! The post Podcaster Meggan Hayes (Generally Unquotable) Joins the Show! appeared first on Mormon Discussions Podcasts - Full Lin...

Tonight on The Mormon Newscast: A troubling story involving race, faith, and the experience of Black Latter-day Saints in Utah. The president of the Genesis Group, an organization supporting Black LDS members, says he was the target of a racist threat while hiking in Utah County. But this story goes beyond one disturbing encounter. Is racial prejudice and hostility increasing in Mormon corridors? Is this an isolated incident, or a reflection of larger cultural issues that still linger both insid...