Welcome to another fabulous week. BYU fans are up in arms about BYU being fine with running Carl's Jr. promotions on the back of their football tickets. Because Carl's is into lasciviousness and ladies. But are we hitting on a bigger issue of tacit endorsements from the Church of stuff that doesn't really align with LDS teachings?

In other news of outrage, BYU-Idaho President Kim B. Clark has received a whole lotta flack for posting a Facebook update that served as pleasant, erm, "reminder" about dress and grooming standards at the school. Looking beyond the mark? Valid points about obeying the little things having a larger impact? We'd love your thoughts.

The Ogden Temple gets rededicated. We have your coverage.

A Mormon kid travels to New York to intern at Radiolab. His experiences are not unlike those of many others, but read about how his faith was both shaken and strengthened from being forced to truly assess his faith and move past assumptions and lifelong inculcation.

You know all those LDS.org essays we've been covering for the past year? Apparently, Salt Lake is none too please with the paucity of exposure they've received, so they've sent a letter to local leaders reminding them of the importance of these essays.

We have 5-9 things you didn't know about Mormon missionaries. Yup.

Other stuff: "Mormonism" Google search results are wrong and the Internet wins a victory against the Rapture; the Church History Museum is closing; it's okay to be a Mormon Democrat; a list of the YSA scenes across the United States; "'I'm A Mormon" picture week; a fictional Mormon Tabernacle Choir film; and, of course, polygamist ninja housewives.

Links:

* Outcry over Carl's Jr. at BYU

* Ogden Temple rededication

* Kim B. Clark provokes the ire of the Interwebs

* A Mormon in New York

* 9 things you didn't know about Mormon missionaries

* Polygamist ninjas

* YSA across the USA

* Fictional MoTab film

* LDS.org essays need to be seen by all

* Church his...

Author and founder of The Mormon Women Project Neylan McBaine joins us in the studio this week to talk about her new book, Women at Church: Magnifying LDS Women's Local Impact, as well as a lengthy discussion on gender issues in the Church. She also joins us for the news! Huzzah! Use the links below to visit Neylan, and make sure to read our review of her book.

And speaking of that news, Ordain Women has announced their next steps, which do not include another march on Temple Square. Rather, now it appears they want women to view Priesthood Meeting at their local buildings, which they were always able to do in the first place before Ordain Women started this whole thing. One eternal round, folks.

President Benson will be featured in next year's manual for Teachings of the Presidents of the Church. Are you listening, Grady?

FamilySearch wants your grandma. Or rather, they want your grandma to regale them with grandma-esque tales of the good ol' days. But really, this is a big push. Call Grams!

Did you know that Mormons prefer Republicans? What?! We're serious!

There are rumors of a massive Provo Temple expansion/remodel once the Provo City Center Temple is done. We have mixed feelings about this. #leaveprovoprovo

Wanna see Meet the Mormons outside of Utah? Well, you'll have to petition to get it, because markets outside of Utah don't really care. And yet, Utah is the least necessary market. This is real life.

LCR is slowly rolling out to replace MLS for clerking and other administrative functions. Listen in for details.

Other news: A dramatized, fictional film about one woman's fight to join the Mormon Tabernacle Choir is underway; some genius built a Deseret alphabet translator; former Presiding Bishop H. David Burton will now head up the Utah Transit Authority's Board, giving him free FrontRunner use all the live-long day; a missionary wins his lawsuit against a musk ox; Mormons using social media to push back on so-called antiquated Church policies; and MORMONS VS ZOMBIES.

This is a king size show this week, folks! We thought of splitting it into two downloads, but we're not chumps, so we didn't. Enjoy!

 

Links:

* Neylan McBaine

* The Mormon Women Project

* Women at Church: Magnifying LDS Women's Local Impact

* FamilySearch wants your grandma

* Ordain Women's next steps

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Elder Ballard is an old man and tells stupid jokes. Sometimes these jokes aren't so well received, such as one he gave at a training that was leaked on YouTube. Let's break down chauvinism within the Church.

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir apparently offers us 5 lessons on leadership. Al contests all of these.

General Conference will now allow speakers to give their remarks in the language of their choosing. We are pushing for some Pawnee from Elder EchoHawk.

The Mormon Newsroom goes after prominent blogger Jana Riess in what can only be described as a strange reaction to content that doesn't exist. Listen in to get more details.

Denver Snuffer, now excommunicated after about a year, is claiming the mantle as a prophet. He's got new doctrine, new practices, and a bevy of stuff to offer, but it's not a church. OK.

Assorted news: Gladys Knight's conversion story, John the Beloved or one of the Three Nephites saves a sister missionary, and a happy Mormon novel is allegedly plagiarized into a sex romp

Linkage:

* 5 leadership lessons from MoTab

* Gladys Knight's conversion

* Katherine Heigl loves Utah and dislikes cohabitating before marriage

* The Snufferites

* Newsroom vs Jana Riess

* John the Beloved vs Sister missionary

* Sex romp and plagiarism

* General Conference language love

Max Hall gets arrested, but what does it all MEAN? And should we be allowed to laugh? Schadenfreude, anyone?

There's a Girls Camp movie! And we will all suffer.

The rest of the stuff will be in the show notes.

 

Links:

* Girls Camp movie

* Max Hall arrested

* Investing with faith

* Missionary allegedly threatened with being sent home for holding a Reddit AMA

* Utah Women vs Carl's Jr

* Rare church history stuff on display

* Polygamy is not not legal in Utah

* Poster for sisters meeting has just dudes

* The Church gives an award to a Chilean lady allegedly suffering from homophobia who says mean things about gays.

* Missionary throws first pitch at Orioles game!

* The Atlantic thinks that missionaries have to watch each other go to the bathroom

* Portland Oregon Temple turns 25

* American religions on a chart. Guess where Mormonism falls!

For this week's episode name, we took inspiration from Elder Bednar's social media talk. The best way to spread our love is via click bait titles of posts!

Sadly, we've had three missionary deaths over the weekend - two elders in Taiwan and one sister in Oklahoma. Our thoughts with the families and those immediately affected.

Related stuff: a blogger argues missionaries should have weekly Skype calls home, right after we hold their hand through every step of their mission and make sure they never endure adversity.

Seminary requirements are changing. Now you actually have to read the entire book that's being taught in a given year. So what we're saying is, one must actually read the presented material. This is madness! Also, there will be tests. So will this strengthen those who exist or dissuade fence-sitters from continued involvement?

Al receives lots of barbs for his remarks on last week's show about Elder Bednar's social media plan. We recap. We have more thoughts. This will never end. Also, the Marriott Center literally flooded, per Elder Bednar's request.

BYUtv meets with the Television Critics Association for the first time, and the critics use the opportunity to question BYUtv's interpretation of "family entertainment." The better question, folks, is ABC Family's definition of "family," because I wouldn't want my kids watching seventy percent of what's on there!

Other stuffs: a brief history of financial transparency in the Church; ground broken at the Meridian Idaho Temple; President Monson turns 87; Ed Lamb of Southern Utah University is not LDS but is a great person, anyway; and some updates on stake organizations, et al.

And gay greeting cards at the BYU Bookstore. There is a God, and he has a plan for us all.

 

 

If you Click, you will be a winner:

* Missionary deaths

* How do we get missionaries to not come home early?

* New seminary requirements

* Water main ruptures at BYU

* History of Mormon financial transparency

* Ground broken for Meridian Idaho Temple

* BYUtv meets the critics

* Gay greeting cards at BYU

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Elder David A. Bednar presents on social media at BYU Education Week, and Al thinks he fails miserably, especially since the Brethren don't really do anything themselves on social media. Are we not to follow their lead? Great rundown of the social media talk, as well as the new Meet the Mormons documentary that will hit theaters this fall.

So really, we, as social media quasi-professionals, have tons of thoughts on this. We welcome yours in response. Sound off on here or shoot us an email if you like.

Elder Russell M. Nelson spoke at BYU commencement last week and focused his remarks on gay marriage. Seems like an odd choice to many, and many in the Bloggernacle took issue with his words. What's your take?

McKay Coppins is still active in the Church despite the Internet. He actually writes a great piece for Buzzfeed about how the "discoveries" of the Internet age that lead so many people into inactivity have actually become merely one facet of his faith. McKay, we salute you.

Remember that girl from last week's show who wanted to change BYU's honor code to allow sex? Turns out Cosmo contorted and misquoted her to their ends. Shocking, eh?

Provo has a growing economy and is becoming hipper by the day, but did you also know it has the seventh-fastest growing poverty rate in the nation? We blame Beto's.

Assorted news: two temples are getting their copies of the Angel Moroni aka Angels of Moroni aka Angels Moroni. There's a petition for full financial disclosure from the Church. An app shows us which apostles were alive in a given year and in which order of seniority. The Phoenix Arizona Temple gets its open house dates.

Links:

* Elder Bednar needs to actually use social media, too

* Elder Nelson upsets some folks

* McKay Coppins: Internet hero

* Keli Byers actually believes in the law of chastity

* Moroni now resides in two more places

* App for apostles

* Phoenix Temple open house

* Provo 7th-fastest growing in poverty

* Petition for full financial disclosure

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Greetings from the South!

Robin Williams' death leads us to think about the way depression affects many of us. Did Williams sin by killing himself? Do we need more compassion toward those who suffer from depression? YES. Great discussion.

Does Mormon tradition fail women? Al loves this stuff.

A wily minx lady at BYU has decided to change the Honor Code to allow sexual relations. She will not be deterred!

Mormon temples are worth a lot of money. It's true!

So what's up with the pornography-that's-not-pornography on HBO and Netflix shows and how many Mormons are OK with it? We seriously want your input on this!

Ordain Women changes its six "discussions" into "conversations." It's all in semantics, people.

The Church sends aid to Iraqi Christians fleeing ISIS and also sends aid to residents of Gaza.

...and your listener mail! Send us more!

 

Links:

* Did Robin Williams sin?

* Mental Health Anonymous Facebook group

* Mormon traditions failing women

* Mormon temples are worth money

* Fighting BYU's horrible sex ban

* Ordain Women loses "discussions"

* Church sends aid to Iraq

* Stop the boobs

 

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Post by Jamis Buck.

 

 

Why is there such a stigma around early returned missionaries? Do we have a cultural problem with relegating early RMs to a lower caste, even if they came home for completely valid reasons?

Al has to give a talk on hope, belief, and knowledge. We'd love your input and experiences, particularly with the whole "I know that..." cliche that is so common in the Church. Why are we so averse to proclaiming a belief, as if that is weak and something about which to be ashamed? When can believing be just as good as knowing?

Let's talk about when Church leaders age, go senile, etc. Should a prophet be "released"? Are we fine with the current way of doing things? Interesting discussion.

BYU is now the fourth least-gay-friendly school in America. That's up from #6 last year. Why? Aren't we making inroads with our LGBT brothers and sisters?

A BYU-I teacher resigns from the Church after being let go from his teaching position in the religion department. There's more to this than it seems, but it's worth a mention.

Random news: Mormon-con is happening, oh yes! A strip club advertises on a church building. Missionaries in Sierra Leone and Liberia transferred elsewhere due to Ebola. Elder Nelson to speak at BYU commencement. LDS Tools receives an update. And the Mormon Bachelorette chooses 5 different bachelorettes. Because we care.

Links:

* Mormon-con

* Letter from "Dumbledore" to Cassidy Stay

* BYU fourth least-gay-friendly school

* Church leadership and dementia

* BYU-I religion teacher quits church

* The stigma of early RMs

* Strip club on a church

* Missionaries in Sierra Leone and Liberia transferred

* Elder Nelson speaking at BYU commencement

* Updates to LDS Tools

Are you happy? How do we measure long-term happiness?

Israel and Gaza are having a firebomb party. Is there a moral obligation within Mormonism to support Israel? Why do Mormons not support Palestine?

Kate Kelly writes her letter of threat appeal to her bishop and stake president. She is none too pleased. Nor should she be.

Also, the amorality of Friends.

Does Mormonism need to do more in the area of international aid? We're great at sending crates of goods, but what about functioning as a legitimate NGO?

What's up with our morality around R-rated moves? Jana Riess doesn't like it, but she does love The Talented Mr. Ripley.

Other stuff: Sunstone Symposium is underway; Affirmation encourages gay Mormons to read the Book of Mormon; Church growth in Cambodia; Cliven Bundy's Hawaiian spiritual heir; FamilySearch indexing records; Manti Tabernacles. And much more!

Links:

* Do "thinking Mormons" need to support Israel?

* Cliven Bundy's true hero

* Jana Riess and R-rated fare

* Sunstone Symposium is for real

* Kate Kelly's appeal

* FamilySearch indexing record

* Affirmation Book of Mormon reading plan

* Philadelphia Temple condominium tower meets review. Geoff is unhappy.

* Church growth in Cambodia

* Manti tabernacle

* Ogden Temple ticket demand

Do you need to "relearn" your testimony after attending a Church-run school? How easily do we go beyond the mark sometimes? Does the Honor Code hurt too many people?

Jon Huntsman Sr. argues that paying tithing is not a charitable contribution, even if the IRS disagrees. What defines charitable giving to you as a Latter-day Saint?

Rexburg floods. God is listening.

The third temple film is hitting a temple near you. Be there for the midnight show!

Other temple news: groundbreaking announced for the Meridian, ID temple and rededication dates announced for the Ogden, UT temple. Yay!

It turns out Mormon pioneer children were actually healthier than non-migrating kids of their age. It also turns out Mormon pioneers on the whole were better off than previously thought. Except Martin and Willie, who skew all the stats in a bad way. Jerks.

Want to support the incredible movie Reign of Judges: Title of Liberty? Don't.

Did you know Brigham Young helped devise a new alphabet for Deseret? Geoff keeps out on all the geopolitical ramifications and Al mocks him, just as one in the Great and Spacious building is wont to do.

Mark Shurtleff goes to jail, but his losing rival in an election becomes a temple president. Wild!

It turns out pioneers actually knew how to cook something more than roadkill. Go figure.

Please let us know how you like the show!

 

Links:

* Giving to church is not charity, it's a membership due

* Groundbreaking for Meridian, ID Temple

* Dedication of Ogden, UT Temple

* Pioneer children sang as they walked

* Reign of Judges movie

* Mormon alphabet

* 100-year-old woman baptized

* Relearn your testimony after BYU

* Third temple film hits theaters!

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