John and Carah discuss information received from a stake president currently serving along the Wasatch Front. On condition of anonymity, he was eager to share insider information and proprietary data about:
- Declines in church participation and mission activity since the COVID-19 pandemic;
- Widespread non-literal belief and crises of faith among active members;
- Right-wing disaffection by “Preppers,” “Trumpers,” “anti-vaxxers,” etc.; and
- Chaos as administration scrambles to meet the dramatic rise in temple construction ordered by President Russell M. Nelson.
Show Notes:
- Brad Wilcox’s Alpine Youth Fireside on February 6, in which he made racist and sexist remarks, and said that other faiths are only “playing church”
- The Black Menaces denounce Brad Wilcox on TikTok
- “Saying he has been ‘corrected,’ LDS leader Brad Wilcox again apologizes for his remarks on race,” by Tamarra Kemsley, Salt Lake Tribune, February 14, 2022
- Brad Wilcox’s apology
- “Alpine Utah Mormon Youth Rescue With Brad Wilcox,” on Mormon Stories
- “Top 10 Problems with Mormonism that Brad Wilcox’s Speech Unveiled,” on Mormon Stories
- “Listeners Call In: Responses to Brad Wilcox’s Talk,” on Mormon Stories
- “Brad Wilcox showed up at my religion class at BYUI today to say hi”
- “How the LDS Church made $22B during the pandemic,” by Tony Semerad, Salt Lake Tribune, February 15, 2022
- Questions From the Closet, with Charlie Bird and Ben Schilaty
- “The Gay Mormon Reformation,” on Mormon Stories
- “The Mormon Influences on Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow,” on Mormon Stories
- “Ezra Taft Benson and the Making of the Mormon Right,” with Matt Harris on Mormon Stories
Part 1
Part 2 - “The LDS Church’s Coverup of Sterling Van Wagenen’s Sexual Abuse of Sean Escobar,” on Mormon Stories
- Mormon Enlightenment Facebook group
- Protect LDS Children
- Mormonism Live with Radio Free Mormon and Bill Reel
- “Will Mormons Get Their Own Planets?” A panel discussion on Mormon Stories
- “Cognitive Dissidents: Sam Harris, Jordan Peterson, and the Damage of Dogma” on Mormon Discussions
- “Experiencing Sexual Assault as a Missionary: Camille and Maddy” on Mormon Stories
- “Elder Jeffrey R. Holland Urges BYU to Embrace Its Uniqueness, Stay True to the Savior,” an August 2021 speech in which Holland called for “musket fire” in defense of the school’s opposition to LGBTQ+ equality
- “BYU cancels care for transgender clients receiving voice therapy at its speech clinic,” by Courtney Tanner, Salt Lake Tribune, February 10, 2022
- “Mormon British Rescue? The Britvengers React” on Mormon Stories
- 21st Century Saints Podcast with Jane Christie
- Ruben Hoyos’ TikTok
- “Anastasia Bigun: A Ukrainian Mormon Journey” on Mormon Stories
- Trans, Nonbinary, and Genderqueer Network
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10 Responses
Yesss LOVING this content!!!
I think you guys should call it a faith transition or faith awakening… The church wants you to think it is a crisis, but really it is the ultimate freedom!
I think the church is intentionally changing the demographic and it’s an intentional decision that membership is declining. They are weeding out the extreme far right individuals and appealing to moderate/left peoples. They are in a gradual shift that is too gradual for leftists right now but once it’s complete they will rebuild with the moderate demographic they want.
I think you’ve got it backwards. The church seems to me to be skewing right to keep the rich old-timers. Younger people who are more moderate/left are reportedly leaving in droves. They are not building moderacy.
Edit to add… I meant to say “They are in a gradual shift that is too gradual for leftists and too fast for the far right…”
No doubt Nelson has burned the book on community member requirements (tithing and temple attendance being a key ones) for getting temples built. Back in the 90s, our stake president said that SLC said that our temple attendance was too low to get one by. Clearly, those policies are gone.
First time I have watched. At this point (33 minutes) I must ask: Why is that woman there with John? She is not helpful, just strange, immature, and disruptive.
The people who gave video responses were delightfully genuine, open, sincere, and clear-eyed. The comfort they feel in having a forum where they can express their real thoughts and feelings and the truths of their lives is so apparent. In the church, they could only feel like a valued member if they did and said what was expected, acceptable, and proscibed. The freedom to speak frankly is liberating and you can see it in their countenance. The contrast between them and the chuch’s spinmasters who are trying to do damage control speaks volumes. I am repeatedly struck by this contrast each time I watch a podcast interview. As for the church’s approval of celibate homosexuality, and their marriages to heterosexuals, that is not a change in policy and it is not tenable or healthy. When is the church going to get out of the bedroom and get over its obsession with sex . . . Who has it, with whom, and in what fashion.. After centuries of unsuccessfully trying to guilt away and preach away human sexuality, surely by now religions should turn their focus elsewhere. Our hormones are not going to go away.
I could not refrain from commenting. Perfectly written!
I don’t see the Mormon church going away. History is a good predictor of the future. The church has had other major crises throughout its history. You wouldn’t think it would survive them but it did. I’m fascinated by people’s persistence to believe in anything, whether it be in religion, politics, holistic wellness. People like to believe in something and for many this church still suits them just fine. Most of the people I know are somewhat aware of the problems with the church and they don’t care. People still want to worship and serve and the church provides that for them.