472: , Reflections on the Recently Revealed MTC Sexual Abuse Cases, Part 2

Within the past ten days, Mormonism has been rocked by a recoding and transcript released through MormonLeaks that depicts the confessions of a former president of the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah—Joseph Bishop—about his improper sexual behavior with at least two sister missionaries, including the one who in an interview with Bishop confronted him about his attempting to rape her. This episode, featuring the wonderful panelists Jennifer Finlayson-Fife, Katie Langston, and Judy Dushku, reflects on this story and the developments that have unfolded since it broke, including the LDS Church's Newsroom responses to it—responses that many have criticized for their wrong-spiritedness and for actually causing additional harm and trauma for many members of the church community, especially those who have been victims of sexual abuse or who have had any experiences in which the difficult claims they have made have not been believed or have been ignored, leading to no action taken against perpetrators. Host Dan Wotherspoon and the panel in no way offer quarter for the tremendous evils depicted in this story and its aftermath, but they also consider issues of how this public scandal and shaming being felt by leaders who failed these sisters in this and other cases might lead to positive changes in church policies regarding one-on-one interviews behind closed doors, and in many other areas. In fact, later in the evening this episode was recorded, the church indeed did release new guidelines for bishopric and stake presidency interviews. Finally, the four of them consider these scandals and their effects on the spiritual lives of Latter-day Saints, particularly on those who had already been struggling with aspects of the church and wondering if it is wise for them to continue to associate with it. How do the panelists deal with news like this and other disturbing revelations about church and the human failings of those in key leadership positions? Are they able to separate in their minds and souls such things from their own deeply held spiritual convictions? And if so, how? This two-part episode is a great discussion, full of compassion, insight, and hopefulness. Please download and listen to both sections! NOTE: As this is released, it is being rated "explicit" only as a precaution due to the subject matter being discussed, as well as two instances of swearing (not any of the "big" ones, we promise!) and an anatomical term and description that isn't one that many Mormons are used to hearing or discussing.