Welcome to the MormonNewsRoundup where Dives ruminates on the great and spacious Beehive!

Hey guys! Dives here, and it’s Throwback Thursday.

Today I’m bringing you highlights from one of my favorite episodes of the Mormon News Roundup—Episode 116, featuring Landon Brophy, cohost of the Mormonish podcast.

If you’re not already familiar with Landon, you’re in for a great discussion. As an ex-Mormon and outspoken critic of the LDS Church, he brings a thoughtful but candid perspective to some of the most controversial topics in Mormonism today.

In this highlight reel, we dive into:

Church tithing lawsuits

Temple garments

LDS culture and inbreeding discussions

Ward Radio reactions

And plenty more

The original episode runs about an hour, but I’ve trimmed it down to ~25 minutes of the most engaging, can’t-miss moments—so you can jump straight into the good stuff.

👉 Watch the full original episode here:

https://youtu.be/IxM44qvGyXY

So grab a snack, settle in, and enjoy this curated highlight reel from Episode 116.

And as always—remember, remember: no unhallowed hand can stop the Mormon News Roundup from progressing.

#MormonNewsRoundup #ExMormon #LDS #ThrowbackThursday #Mormonish

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Gordon B. Hinckley is remembered by many Latter-day Saints as a kind, media-savvy prophet who modernized the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He smiled easily, charmed journalists, built temples across the globe, and became the public face of Mormonism for over a decade.

But behind the polished image lies a far more troubling record.

In this episode of the Mormon News Roundup, we count down the Top 10 Fails of Gordon B. Hinckley, taking a hard look at the decisions, statements, and leadership patterns that caused real harm to members and damaged the church’s credibility. From founding the secretive Ensign Peak Advisors fund, to misleading claims about church finances and humanitarian aid, to the City Creek Mall controversy, Hinckley’s tenure was marked by secrecy, exaggeration, and image management.

We also examine his homophobic rhetoric toward LGBTQ+ members, his misleading public statements about polygamy, his role in patriarchal leadership structures like the Proclamation on the Family, and the disastrous handling of the Mark Hofmann forgeries. Finally, we explore how Hinckley’s massive temple-building program prioritized prestige and legacy over transparency, charity, and accountability.

This video isn’t about personal attacks — it’s about power, authority, and accountability. When religious leaders claim divine guidance, their words and actions deserve scrutiny. Hinckley’s failures shaped the faith, finances, and lives of millions, and their consequences are still being felt today.

👇 Chapters include:

• Ensign Peak & financial secrecy

• False claims of transparency

• City Creek Mall

• Policing culture & media

• LGBTQ+ harm

• Polygamy contradictions

• Inflated humanitarian claims

• Patriarchal leadership

• The Mark Hofmann scandal

• Temple expansion & vanity projects

If you value honest analysis, historical accountability, and unfiltered discussion of Mormon leadership, like, subscribe, and turn on notifications.

Gordon B. Hinckley — dismissed without further argument.

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A few years ago I released a video covering the infamous FAIR Mormon / “This Is The Show” Inglourious Basterds parody controversy—the one where a violent execution scene was used to depict John Dehlin being killed in a parody video posted by Kwaku El and Brad Whitbeck.

At the time, my reaction felt straightforward. The imagery was disturbing, inappropriate, and wildly out of line. I said so clearly in my original critique, and I still stand by that assessment today.

But recently, while reviewing archived TikTok-era content from Mormon Stories Podcast, I came across something that completely changed how I view the situation.

In a now largely forgotten TikTok clip, a scene from Doctor Strange—the famous confrontation between Doctor Strange and Dormammu—was edited to depict “the Mormon Church” repeatedly killing various excommunicated or marginalized figures, including Bill Reel, Natasha Helfer, and Jeremy Runnells.

When I saw it, I was honestly shocked.

Because structurally and visually, it relies on the exact same type of symbolic violent imagery that caused such a massive backlash in the FAIR Mormon controversy.

Yet the reactions couldn’t have been more different.

In this video, I revisit the entire saga, play a clip from my original breakdown, and explain why I now believe there’s a serious double standard in how the ex-Mormon community responded.

If we’re going to condemn violent imagery in religious discourse—and I think we absolutely should—then we have to apply that standard consistently, regardless of which side of the debate it comes from.

This isn’t about defending FAIR Mormon or attacking Mormon Stories. It’s about examining principles, consistency, and credibility in the broader Mormon discourse space.

Let’s talk about it.

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The Mormon News Roundup is NOT affilated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Why do so many Americans have a negative view of the LDS Church?

This episode of Mormon News Roundup breaks down the data, polling, and public perception behind Mormonism’s reputation problem.

This is not just a personal story or anecdotal criticism. Multiple national surveys show that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is viewed less favorably than most mainstream religious groups in the United States.

A major Pew Research survey found that roughly 25% of Americans hold an unfavorable view of Latter-day Saints, while only 15% hold a favorable view, with the remainder neutral or unfamiliar. A YouGov poll ranking 35 belief systems placed Mormonism near the bottom, with a net favorability score of –21.

These surveys don’t measure legal guilt or theological truth claims.

They measure how people feel—and the data is clear.

In this episode, I count down the Top 10 reasons many Americans don’t like Mormonism, rooted in history, doctrine, and institutional behavior, including:

• Polygamy and its ongoing doctrinal legacy

• The Church’s treatment of LGBTQ members

• Political activism against LGBTQ civil rights

• Secretive temple rituals viewed as cult-like

• Aggressive missionary practices

• Excommunication and silencing of critics

• Deep institutional patriarchy

• The priesthood and temple ban on Black members

• Non-Trinitarian theology and changing revelation

• Extreme wealth, limited transparency, and the Ensign Peak scandal

This episode makes an important distinction: individual Mormons are often sincere, kind people. But institutions are judged by their actions—and polling shows that many Americans are responding negatively to the LDS Church as an institution.

Whether you’re a believing member, former member, or simply curious about religion and public perception, this episode explains why Mormonism struggles with favorability in modern America—and why those perceptions didn’t come out of nowhere.

🔔 Subscribe to Mormon News Roundup

Independent analysis of Mormonism, church leadership, history, and current events.

💬 Comment below

Which of these reasons do you think has done the most damage to the Church’s public image?

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For most of its history, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has claimed that excommunication is rare, loving, and purely spiritual. Since 2015, that claim has become increasingly difficult to defend.

In the internet age, church discipline no longer happens quietly behind closed doors. It unfolds in newspapers, podcasts, television interviews, and viral social media posts. From child-protection advocate Sam Young, feminist activist Kate Kelly, and CES Letter author Jeremy Runnells, to podcasters John Dehlin and Bill Reel, and even sitting General Authority James Hamula, these cases reveal a clear pattern: when influence extends beyond the chapel, discipline follows.

On this episode of Mormon News Roundup, we count down the Top 10 most high-profile Mormon excommunications of the last decade — many covered by CNN, NPR, The New York Times, Time Magazine, and international media.

These are not resignations.

These are not quiet exits.

These are members who were formally cast out — and whose stories the Church could not contain.

🔟 The Countdown

10. Peter Bleakley – UK high councilor turned public critic

9. Natasha Helfer – Licensed sex therapist and mental-health advocate

8. Sam Young – Founder of Protect LDS Children

7. Nemo the Mormon – Evidence-based YouTube critic

6. Bill Reel – Former bishop and podcaster

5. Kate Kelly – Ordain Women founder

4. Denver Snuffer – Charismatic dissenter turned movement founder

3. John Dehlin – Mormon Stories Podcast

2. Jeremy Runnells – Author of the CES Letter

1. James Hamula – Sitting General Authority Seventy

🔚 Conclusion

These cases don’t just reveal who gets excommunicated — they reveal why. Quiet disbelief is tolerated. Private doubt is managed. But public dissent — especially when it reaches beyond Church control — is punished.

Excommunication in modern Mormonism is no longer just about belief. It’s about narrative control, institutional authority, and reputational risk. And in the digital age, every attempt to silence a voice has only amplified it.

📺 Clips play throughout

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The Mormon News Roundup is NOT affilated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

For this Throwback Thursday, we’re revisiting one of the most memorable episodes of the Mormon News Roundup — Episode 115 — featuring the hilarious and unapologetically sharp Makenzie Vance.

Makenzie has built a reputation in the ex-Mormon space for her brutally honest and wildly funny commentary. On her YouTube channel she blends dark humor, self-awareness, and fearless criticism of Mormon culture in a way that’s completely unique. She’ll take on the LDS Church, internet personalities, and even prominent ex-Mormons without hesitation — and that bold style has helped her videos regularly pull 100K+ views.

The original episode runs about an hour and a half, but for today’s throwback I cut it down into a 30-minute highlight reel focusing mostly on Makenzie’s best moments from the conversation. Think of this as the greatest hits version of the episode.

If you enjoy sharp humor, unfiltered takes, and some of the funniest commentary in the ex-Mormon community, you’re going to love this one.

Grab a snack, sit back, and enjoy the ride.

And as always:

“No unhallowed hand can stop the Mormon News Roundup from progressing.”

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The Mormon News Roundup is NOT affilated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In this video, I break down why I personally stopped attending the LDS temple — from unsettling symbolism like Lucifer’s Lantern and creepy depictions of Satan, to realizing that consecrating your life to a church organization instead of directly to God just didn’t make sense for me.

I react to the original video and explain the moments that raised red flags, challenged my beliefs, and ultimately led me to step away from regular temple worship.

👉 Original video: https://youtu.be/x7cQcETuyFI?si=1VE5P-teDCIYf-tw

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The Mormon News Roundup is NOT affilated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Were Mormon teachings about race rooted in divine revelation — or the fallible opinions of imperfect men?

In this groundbreaking video, we dive deep into the history and background of the LDS Church’s teachings concerning African descent and Native American descent.

From the origins of racial doctrines to how they were taught as Revelation, this video summarizes the historical context, the claims of divine authority, and the impact these teachings have had — both then and now.

🔍 Topics Covered:

• The LDS Church and teachings about Black people

• Doctrines involving Native Americans and the Book of Mormon

• Which teachings were presented as Revelation

• How historical context shaped policy and belief

• Critical analysis of prophetic fallibility versus divine inspiration

👉 Watch the original video that inspired this vid here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZIptfaNWO8

📌 Subscribe for more deep dives into Mormon history & theology: [Your Channel Link]

👍 Like, comment, and share your thoughts!

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The Mormon News Roundup is NOT affilated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Jonah Barnes is a rising star in Latter-day Saint apologetics—but his work is increasingly controversial. From his book The Key to the Keystone to his bold claims about John 4:24 and the Adam-God theory, Barnes has attracted attention from fans and criticism from LDS scholars alike.

In this video, we break down:

How The Key to the Keystone claims to “reconstruct” Lehi’s brass plates from apocryphal sources.

Scholarly pushback from Benjamin McGuire, Robert Boylan, and others.

Barnes’s embarrassing misstep on John 4:24 and Greek grammar.

His controversial take on Brigham Young and the Adam-God theory.

The broader problem of “authority without accountability” in online apologetics.

Is popularity a substitute for competence? When confidence trumps expertise, errors flourish—and faith communities pay the price. Watch as we expose the patterns, the claims, and the mockery behind Jonah Barnes’s rise.

🔔 Subscribe for more analysis of LDS apologetics, history, and culture.

Based on: https://mrm.org/jonah-barnes

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The Mormon News Roundup is NOT affilated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In 2010, the LDS Church launched the “I’m a Mormon” campaign—a sleek, high-budget public relations effort designed to normalize Mormon identity and counter negative stereotypes. Through billboards, ads, and professionally produced videos, members introduced themselves by name, profession, and family role before confidently declaring, “I’m a Mormon.”

The message was clear: Mormonism was diverse, optimistic, mainstream, and culturally safe. What was less visible were the distinctive doctrines, historical controversies, and institutional practices that didn’t fit the brand. Critics later argued the campaign wasn’t transparency—it was image management.

Then, in 2018, church leadership abruptly reversed course, discouraging use of the word “Mormon” altogether—effectively disavowing the very branding the campaign had spent years promoting.

Ex-Mormons responded in their own way.

The “I Am an Ex-Mormon” movement emerged as a grassroots counter-campaign, replacing polished talking points with lived experience. Former members shared stories of doubt, harm, loss, growth, and awakening—often at great personal cost.

This video is a compilation of some of my favorite Ex-Mormon vignettes from that era. These are real people, from all walks of life, living full and happy lives—telling their stories in their own words.

No rebranding.

No corporate messaging.

Just truth.

I hope you enjoy.

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The Mormon News Roundup is NOT affilated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.