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, and self-control. Figures like Sylvester Graham and the growing temperance movement weren’t fringe—they were mainstream. And their fingerprints are all over the Word of Wisdom. We then track how the revelation was originally given “not by commandment,” how early leaders—including Joseph Smith and Wilford Woodruff—continued to drink alcohol, and how enforcement slowly tightened over time. What began as counsel eventually became a defining boundary marker of Mormon worthiness.

Along the way, we tackle the contradictions and gray areas:
Why coffee and tea are prohibited while caffeine is not
How “mild drinks of barley” disappeared from the conversation
The shifting stance on medical marijuana
Cultural gray zones like kava
And how modern application often depends more on tradition than a consistent principle

By the end, the question isn’t just what the Word of Wisdom says—but how it became what it is today.

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Joseph Smith was a treasure seeker in his youth. But it didn’t end there. The religion he founded, and the book he dictated into existence, also bear unmistakable signs of his treasure-seeking activities, specifically the process he used to locate buried treasure. Dr. John Lundwall shares his new theory that the Book of Mormon fits best within the framework of performative spell-casting by a treasure-seeking Joseph Smith. Radio Free Mormon shares his perspective on how this framework also fits astonishing well when laid alongside the LDS Temple endowment ceremony. Joseph Smith’s ceremonial magic is with Mormonism late and soon, as it turns out. You won’t want to miss this show!

A confrontation of historic proportions happened forty-five years ago; a confrontation between an LDS apostle and a BYU professor; between Elder Bruce R. McConkie and Professor Eugene England. The subject was the nature of God. But the ramifications were more far-reaching than that. Join Bill Reel and RFM as they dig deep into this controversy and explore what it meant then, and the fallout it still has today!

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Former Bishop Nathan Hinckley joins the show, together with a very special guest appearance from his wife, Amy! Together they tell us about their journey through Mormonism; a journey that ultimately led both of them out of the church just three short years ago. This is one you won’t want to miss!

In this episode of Mormonism Live, we sit down with Ember, a Native American and former Latter-day Saint, to explore a side of Mormonism that often goes overlooked – the lived experience of Native Americans inside the Church. For many Indigenous members, Mormon doctrine didn’t just offer a spiritual framework. It reshaped identity, ancestry, and self-worth. Teachings about “Lamanites,” skin color, righteousness, and divine lineage weren’t abstract ideas—they were personal, and often deeply painful. We talk through: What it means to be labeled a “Lamanite” in a modern world with DNA evidence The psychological weight of doctrines tied to skin color and worthiness The legacy of programs like the Indian Student Placement Program Cultural loss, identity fragmentation, and the pressure to assimilate How Church narratives intersect with broader colonial and Christian history The experience of being the “token Native” in LDS spaces The tension between Indigenous spirituality and Mormon theology The long road of deconstruction, healing, and reclaiming identity This isn’t just a conversation about history—it’s about how belief systems shape identity, and what it takes to rebuild when that foundation cracks. Whether you’re familiar with these issues or hearing them for the first time, this episode invites a deeper look at the intersection of faith, culture, and personal truth.

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Dr. Randall Bell brings fresh new research to Mormon Studies in this fascinating episode of Radio Free Mormon! Apologists claim the presence of an ancient Hebrew literary form called “chiasmus” proves the Book of Mormon to be ancient. “Not so fast,” says Dr. Bell, who shares with us a much more plausible source for chiasmus in the Book of Mormon than being put there by ancient American Jews whom DNA studies show didn’t exist. This is an episode you will want to not only watch, but share with your friends and family! The more we study the Book of Mormon, the more apparent it is a product of early 19th Century America!

We’re having a party! And by “we,” I mean Radio Free Mormon and Kolby Reddish. What are we celebrating? Finally getting through our over-one-year dismantling of Austin Fife’s “Lite on Truth” Letter! And everybody is invited to this party! You will be able to join us in the studio by way of streamyard link. We will be going over our favorite parts of the twenty-episode series, together with what Kolby’s computer AI program can tell us by breaking down all sixty-plus hours of content! This will be a great send-off to Austin Fife and his aptly named “Lite on Truth Letter”!

Sam Young is the legend who did amazing things almost a decade ago to protect children in the Mormon Church. Of course, the Mormon Church didn’t appreciate Sam’s efforts to protect the children, so they excommunicated him. This is Sam’s story! And for the first time, Sam will speak publicly about what happened during his excommunication proceeding! This is a show you won’t want to miss!

If you enjoy Mormonism Live and want to support the show, please consider donating: https://donorbox.org/mormonism-live

If anyone needs support dealing with spiritual trauma, 1-on-1 coaching and support groups are available at: https://awakenandthrive.org/

Why Do People Leave the LDS Church? In this episode of Mormonism Live, Bill Reel and Radio Free Mormon examine a topic that has been discussed inside Mormonism for nearly two centuries: why do people leave the Church? From early sermons by Brigham Young to modern General Conference addresses, Latter-day Saint leaders have offered explanations for why members lose their faith. These explanations often frame departure as the result of deception, pride, sin, offense, or the influence of Satan. Tonight we take a careful look at those teachings. We explore what Church leaders have said historically, how those ideas continue to appear in modern instruction, and how these narratives shape the way believers understand those who leave. We’ll also look at the human side of the conversation: how these labels affect real people, real families, and the possibility of honest dialogue between those who stay and those who step away. This episode is not about attacking belief. It’s about understanding the stories we tell about each other — and asking whether those stories leave room for compassion, curiosity, and honest conversation.

RESOURCES:
https://faenrandir.github.io/a_careful_examination/how-those-who-leave-are-viewed/
Glen Pace memo – https://www.scribd.com/document/105967728/Memo-Bishop-Glenn-L-Pace-to-LDS-Church-Members-Committee-Ritualistic-Child-Abuse-7-19-90

If you enjoy Mormonism Live and want to support the show, please consider donating: https://donorbox.org/mormonism-live

If anyone needs support dealing with spiritual trauma, 1-on-1 coaching and support groups are available at: https://awakenandthrive.org/

RFM blows up one of the most popular apologist theories for how the Book of Mormon can still be divinely inspired . . . even though it contains indisputable elements from Joseph Smith’s 19th Century environment. It’s called “The Expansion Theory.” It was created by Blake Ostler. And Mr. Ostler is not going to be happy about the thrashing RFM gives his theory. After this episode, the only thing that will be left of Ostler’s “Expansion Theory” is a mushroom-shaped cloud on the horizon. Don’t miss this one!