Episodes

I had a faith crisis in my mid-twenties. A big faith crisis. It involved a salamander and it involved a letter. It made me question everything I thought I knew about Joseph Smith, the book he produced, and the religion he founded. The LDS religion. MY religion! And in that time of despair, I clung to the most significant single evidence that the Book of Mormon is ancient, and therefore authentic, and therefore true. I clung to the presence of “chiasmus” in the Book of Mormon; that incredible anc...

Tonight on Mormonism Live, we explore one of the most uncomfortable and fascinating questions in early Mormon history: Was Moroni originally understood through the same treasure-digging framework Joseph Smith had already been practicing for years? Long before the Book of Mormon was published, Joseph Smith and those around him were involved in treasure seeking using seer stones, ritual practices, magic circles, guardian spirits, and buried treasures hidden in hills. In the earliest recollections ...

What if the harm didn’t start with a crisis… but with what you were taught as a child? In this episode of Mormonism Live, we sit down with researcher and clinician Samuel Clemens, PhD, LCSW, to unpack his groundbreaking study on religious trauma among former Latter-day Saints—particularly those who identify as sexual minorities. This isn’t a conversation about people being “offended” or simply losing belief. It’s about something deeper. Clemens’ research reveals that for many, the damage isn’t t...

Tonight on The Mormon Newscast we dive into one of the most secretive and controversial topics in Mormonism: The Second Anointing. Recent photos posted by the LDS Church along with a TikTok video by Mormon apologist Jasmine Rappleye appears to openly discuss and display imagery associated with the Holy of Holies, raising fresh questions about whether the LDS Church is becoming less guarded about its highest temple rites. We discuss the video and what it says about Mormonism’s hidden inner ordina...

RFM is joined by Kolby Reddish to finish off our analysis of the historic trouncing Bill Reel recently gave to Mormon apologist Robert Gurr! This is one for the record books! My favorite part is Mr. Gurr’s argument for why it is horses went extinct in the Americas. Hint: It has nothing to do with the ice age, and everything to do with hungry Nephites! Hungry, Hungry Nephites! The post Mormon Bring Knife To Gunfight! RFM: 457 appeared first on Mormon Discussions Podcasts - Full Lineup.

Who won the debate? Bill Reel or Robert Gurr? Bill Reel and RFM dissect Bill’s recent debate about Mormonism with Robert Gurr. This one is going to be a lot of fun! Don’t miss it! The post Another Mormon Bites The Dust! appeared first on Mormon Discussions Podcasts - Full Lineup.

This week’s Mormon Newscast centers on what looks like a renewed willingness by Church leadership under Dallin H. Oaks to draw sharper lines and enforce them. Whether it’s the Church’s trademark lawsuit involving John Dehlin or the excommunication of Landon Brophy, such seems to signal a broader shift toward tightening control over both narrative and dissent a shift Elder Oaks requested not too long ago. From there, we hit a range of developing stories across the Mormon landscape. We’ve got an u...

RFM is joined by esteemed co-counsel Kolby Reddish to dissect Jacob Hansen’s recent debate with Allie Beth Stuckey of The Blaze. Strangely, Jacob seems to want to talk about anything other than Mormonism. His efforts to make Mormonism sound like Protestantism grow increasingly bizarre. But Allie is not going to let him get away with his typical Jacob Hansen obfuscation, and neither are we! We are left with the question of why is it that Jacob Hansen wants to defend Mormonism while being complete...

This week on The Mormon Newscast, we’re covering two major developing stories. First, more alleged victims have come forward in the Wade Christofferson CSA cases, adding new layers to an already disturbing situation. As details emerge, the scope and handling of the allegations are becoming harder to ignore. Second, we take a deeper look at the ongoing trademark dispute involving John Dehlin and the LDS Church. New information sheds light on what’s at stake, why it matters in the broader landscap...

An attorney looks at the complaint! What is up with the Mormon Church? Why are they suing John Dehlin? Radio Free Mormon uses his 36-year career as an attorney to review and dissect the Church’s complaint, and discovers a number of fascinating elements to what the Mormon Church may really be up to! If you want to know what’s going on with this lawsuit, there is no better place to turn than Radio Free Mormon! The post Why Is The Mormon Church Suing John Dehlin? RFM:455 appeared first on Mormon D...

Tonight, one of the darkest chapters in Mormon history—the Mountain Meadows Massacre. This isn’t a surface-level retelling. We walk through what led up to it, how it unfolded, and what happened afterward… and we let the historical record speak for itself. We examine the environment in southern Utah at the time—heightened fear, isolation, and rhetoric that blurred the line between obedience to leaders and loyalty to God. We talk about the Baker–Fancher wagon train, why they were targeted, and how...

RFM detailed the bar complaints against him in the last episode for playing a Halloween prank on the sister missionaries; how those bar complaints were filed by members of the secret combination Mormon missionary group known as “The Cavalry,” and how those complaints were dismissed by the state bar association. This show will discuss recent developments of that story, particularly how Jaxon Washburn has chosen to thrust himself to the forefront of the controversy by writing and then cross-postin...

Mormons have turned to the Bible to prove their beliefs are true ever since the inception of the LDS Church. But are the Mormons getting the Bible right? World renowned Bible expert and prolific author Bart Ehrman joins us to get down to the bottom of the issue, and to help us answer the question, “Does the Bible prove Mormonism is true?” The post World Renowned Bible Expert Weighs In! appeared first on Mormon Discussions Podcasts - Full Lineup.

Why do apologists want to hide the truth about the LDS Church? Likely because the truth makes their job of defending Mormonism so much harder. Two Mormon apologists from FAIRMormon tried to shut my podcast down by filing bar complaints against me! This is their story. Spoiler Alert: It doesn’t go well for the two apologists. This one you won’t want to miss! Original Video of RFM’s “They Can’t Handle The Truth” The post Mormon Apologists Can’t Handle The Truth! appeared first on Mormon Discussio...

In this episode of The Mormon Newscast, we dive into the current shift in the LDS Church and what happens when the Mormon Church’s current messaging doesn’t quite match what members were taught for decades? This all came to a head this week over a recent post from Church Public Relations that highlights a husband supporting his wife’s education and career. Sounds harmless… until the comments section lights up. Faithful members are pushing back, pointing out that this doesn’t align with what they...

For most of Mormon history, Latter-day Saints believed the Hill Cumorah in Palmyra, New York was the very place where the final battles of the Book of Mormon took place and where Moroni buried the gold plates that Joseph Smith would later retrieve. But in recent decades, a growing number of LDS scholars and apologists have proposed something very different. Because no archaeological evidence exists in New York for the massive civilizations and battles described in the Book of Mormon, many now ar...

Join Bill Reel and RFM as we cue up the most scintillating and awe-inspiring moments from the April 2026 General Conference! You are sure to have a good time! The post Apostles Say The Darndest Things! appeared first on Mormon Discussions Podcasts - Full Lineup.

Join Bill Reel and RFM as we cue up the most scintillating and awe-inspiring moments from the April 2026 General Conference! You are sure to have a good time! The post Apostles Say The Darndest Things! appeared first on Mormon Discussions Podcasts - Full Lineup.

Join RFM immediately after each session of General Conference for an entertaining and insightful recap! Radio Free Mormon! Watching General Conference so you don’t have to! The post General Conference Recap: Sunday Afternoon Session: RFM: 451 appeared first on Mormon Discussions Podcasts - Full Lineup.

Join RFM immediately after each session of General Conference for an entertaining and insightful recap! Radio Free Mormon! Watching General Conference so you don’t have to! The post General Conference Recap: Sunday Morning Session: RFM: 450 appeared first on Mormon Discussions Podcasts - Full Lineup.

Join RFM immediately after each session of General Conference for an entertaining and insightful recap! Radio Free Mormon! Watching General Conference so you don’t have to! The post General Conference Recap: Saturday Afternoon Session: RFM: 449 appeared first on Mormon Discussions Podcasts - Full Lineup.

Join RFM immediately after each General Conference Session as he gives an entertaining recap! Radio Free Mormon! Watching General Conference so you don’t have to! The post General Conference Recap: Saturday Morning Session: RFM: 448 appeared first on Mormon Discussions Podcasts - Full Lineup.

Tonight’s episode dives into the LDS Church’s announcing Record Convert Baptisms. We look at those newly released membership numbers and the LDS Church celebrating massive growth, with nearly 400,000 converts baptized in 2025 alone. But when you look just a little deeper, the data raises questions and points to uncomfortable analytics. We break it all down and let the numbers speak for themselves. ALSO COVERED TONIGHT General Conference Highlights LDS Streaker at Conference New LDS Seventy ...

In this episode of Mormonism Live, we walk through the full evolution of the Word of Wisdom—from its origin in 1833 to how it functions today as a requirement for temple worthiness. We start in Kirtland, where the School of the Prophets was filled with tobacco smoke, chewing, and spitting—and where Emma Smith’s frustration becomes part of the story behind the revelation. From there, we zoom out and examine the broader 19th-century health movements already shaping ideas about diet, stimulants, an...