Black Skin A Curse From God? Rumors have been swirling recently that the LDS Church is changing certain verses in its African language translations of the Book of Mormon; certain verses that in the English Book of Mormon talk about black skin being a curse from God. The rumor is that those verses have been changed in African language translations so as to keep Africans from knowing that the Book of Mormon calls black skin a curse. Radio Free Mormon investigates those rumors and reports the facts!

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We dig into one of the lesser-known but deeply revealing historical sources from early Mormonism: the Fayette Lapham interview with Joseph Smith Sr. Lapham’s account places Joseph Smith’s father in conversation about the earliest days of the movement — before the Church had polished narratives, before later offices were cleanly defined, and before memory had decades to smooth out the rough edges. What emerges is a version of early Mormon leadership that feels far less settled and far more experimental than most members were ever taught. One claim in particular raises eyebrows: the suggestion that Joseph Smith may have identified or spoken of twelve apostles years before the traditionally accepted 1835 calling. Was this an early attempt at organization? A loose use of terminology? Or a later memory shaped by what the Church eventually became? We walk carefully through the evidence, the problems, and the implications — without overstating the case and without pretending the question isn’t uncomfortable. As always, we separate what the sources actually say from what later narratives need them to say. We look at how early language was used, how memory works, and why moments like this matter when trying to understand how Mormonism developed in real time rather than in hindsight. If you care about early Mormon history, shifting priesthood structures, and how institutional stories get built — sometimes retroactively — this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

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Tonight on The Mormon Newscast we lead with breaking local news out of Layton: a junior high employee has been arrested and charged with inappropriate conduct involving a 17-year-old. We break down what we know, the legal implications, and the community response. In other headlines, we cover a troubling case out of Cody where a woman allegedly wiped her husband’s phone after his arrest on suspicion of child sex crimes and now faces significant prison time and fines if convicted. Also in Cody news, an LDS man has been accused of sexually abusing a minor and we’ll bring you the latest and context around the charges. We share the sad news of the death of an LDS missionary serving abroad as well as take a look at public facing Church discussion around missionaries using English language classes as a tool to facilitate gospel teaching, including what it means now that the Church is more openly acknowledging the strategy. Plus, cultural corner segments covering the new Netflix documentary Evil Influencer, the latest apostle shortlist developments within the LDS Church, and important updates to the youth interview schedule that every member family should know. Tune in for comprehensive coverage, thoughtful analysis, and all the top stories shaping Latter-day Saint communities today.

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Time to Vote for X-MoOTY and the Brodie Awards 2025!!

Time to Vote for X-MoOTY and the Brodie Awards 2025!!

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Join us on New Year’s Eve for a special episode of Mormonism Live. We’ll look back at the biggest Mormon news stories of the year from The Mormon Newscast and reveal the Top 5 stories you voted for. We’ll also dig into a few late-breaking developments, including the passing of Elder Holland.

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David Whitmer is one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, but his life after Mormonism raises some of the most challenging questions anyone serious about truth claims has to wrestle with. He broke with Joseph Smith. He rejected Brigham Young. He condemned polygamy, secret combinations, and priesthood hierarchy. And yet, for nearly sixty years, he never denied seeing the angel or the plates. In this episode of Mormonism Live, we take a careful, historically grounded look at David Whitmer’s life and testimony. We explore what he actually claimed to see, how he described the experience, why he believed the church went off course, and why skeptics and believers alike kept coming to him for answers. We examine the moments that test his credibility, the consistency of his witness, and the uncomfortable tension between affirming the Book of Mormon while rejecting the institution built around it. If you’ve ever wondered how to weigh the testimony of a witness who walked away from the church but never walked away from the plates, this episode is for you.

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WHY MORMONS HAVE TO LIE ABOUT MORMONISM. RFM and Kolby Reddish take Austin Fife out behind the woodshed yet again in this newest analysis of “The Light and Truth Letter.” The more Austin defends the LDS Church, the deeper the hole he digs for Mormonism. In Chapter 19 titled “Critical Myths,” Austin Fife proves that truth should be no obstacle in defending the Mormon Church. RFM and Kolby are right there to point out all the lies, half-truths and distortions that Austin must use to make Mormonism defensible. And then they address the real elephant in the living room: Why do Mormons have to lie in order to defend Mormonism? This is one you won’t want to miss!

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Join us this Christmas Eve for the Third Annual Radio Free Mormon Christmas Eve Party. RFM will be joined by over Mormon influencers from the Mormon and post-Mormon space, and maybe even a few surprises! Get stocked up on eggnog and gingerbread cookies! Stay up with RFM and watch the stars come out! This is going to be a blast!

Thomas murphy

Unsettling Scripture

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When Radio Free Mormon says this is the show the LDS church doesn’t want you to see, he’s not kidding! The LDS church already took down the original version of this episode by lodging a copyright strike against it with YouTube. But now, what with Dallin H. Oaks being made president of the LDS church, and what with excommunications on the rise again, this message has never been more timely! Is there a connection between increasing church discipline and President Oaks’s injunction to local leaders that they need to excommunicate more members? Listen, and you decide

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The LDS Church has quietly opened the door for English-speaking members to read Bible translations beyond the King James Version. On the surface, that may sound harmless. But once members begin reading the Bible in clearer, modern language, some long-standing Mormon doctrinal assumptions start running into friction. Tonight, we look at why this change matters and what happens when Mormon theology is measured against a less filtered biblical framework. We also cover several additional stories making waves this week: We’ll look at how a Primary song may be quietly showing doctrinal shifts, a spell-check mishap involving Wade Christofferson, and break down the announcement of 55 new missions. There is also a petroglyph story, we examine what’s really behind the Church’s plan for bishop interviews in 2026, and we share a surprisingly funny story involving Christian Christmas tree ornaments. And there are a few darker stories that made the headlines too. As always, we cut through the spin and focus on what actually matters. The Mormon Newscast airs Mondays at 6pm Mountain Time.

Biggest Stories From 2025 Mormon Newscast As we wrap up 2025, we want your voice shaping our Top Stories episode. Which Mormon Newscast stories stood out, stirred conversation, or actually mattered? You get to Vote but you can only pick 1, so choose wisely! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdtvlcNwyz7-_B3HApEUaTGVbsOZlnPQJH0oAFH11FbP0MLaQ/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=112716079610019952856

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This week on The Mormon Newscast, we lead with new data from sociologist Jana Riess showing that Gen Z and younger Millennials are leaving the LDS Church at significant rates, raising serious questions about the Church’s repeated claims of strong growth. We break down what the data actually says, what it does not say, and how this trend collides with the Church’s public narrative. We also look at the newly announced Young Men’s Advisory Board and what it signals about where is heading. At the same time, Apostle David Bednar suggests that faithful parents can ultimately save wayward children, a message that raises concerns about shame, pressure, and misplaced responsibility placed on families. Finally, we cover multiple temple-related developments, including updates on the Heber Valley temple, new temple announcements quietly disappearing from public discussion, and why the Church appears to be shifting how it manages temple messaging altogether. We close with disturbing updates in the Saratoga Springs sexual abuse case and what it reveals about accountability and responsible handling of such. Support The Mormon Newscast: https://donorbox.org/the-mormon-newscast https://donorbox.org/mormonish-podcast If anyone needs support dealing with spiritual trauma, 1-on-1 coaching and support groups are available at: https://awakenandthrive.org/ You can get your own quote to attend our Post-Mormon Celebration Cruise by visiting – https://kheskethtravel.com/post-mormon-celebration-cruise And you can attain more info on the cruise by visiting – https://mormondiscussionpodcast.org/post-mormon-celebration-cruise/ Make your nominations for the 2025Brodie Awards https://mainstreetplaza.com/2025/12/03/collecting-nominations-for-the-2025-brodie-awards/ Make your nominations for 2025 X-Mormon of the Year https://mainstreetplaza.com/2025/11/26/collecting-nominations-for-william-law-x-mormon-of-the-year-2025/

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