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When I think back on my Mormon mission nearly 30 years later, one person stands out: my mission president, Arlen Crouch.

Crouch came from a successful corporate career with Merrill Lynch and FranklinCovey, and during my time in the Washington D.C. South Mission, his management style was unmistakable: goals, numbers, accountability, productivity, and obedience.

In this episode, I share what it was actually like serving under him, including the things he did exceptionally well, the ways his leadership affected me personally, a serious incident involving one of my companions, and what happened years later when I desperately needed his help getting a job at FranklinCovey.

Looking back, I don't necessarily see President Crouch as uniquely good or bad. I see him as a product of a system.

• A system that rewards measurable results.

• A system that values obedience.

• A system that can sometimes confuse management with ministry.

And ultimately, a system where I came to feel less like an individual and more like a cog in a very large machine.

This is the story of my mission president, and what my experience taught me about Mormon leadership, authority, obedience, and institutional culture.

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If you've spent any time on TikTok exploring Mormonism, deconstruction, or religious trauma, there's a good chance you've come across Andy Newman.

Andy is a licensed therapist and former Mormon who creates content focused on faith transitions, religious trauma, and the complicated process of questioning beliefs we were raised with.

What makes Andy's content especially interesting is the combination of personal experience and a therapist's perspective. He approaches Mormonism's emotional and psychological impact with humor, insight, and plenty of relatable observations.

In this episode, I've put together 10 of Andy Newman's best reels covering Mormonism, deconstruction, religious trauma, faith transitions, and what it can feel like to question the beliefs you grew up with.

Whether you're currently questioning Mormonism, already out, or simply interested in understanding the psychology of religious deconstruction, I think you'll enjoy this compilation.

Check out Andy Newman's TikTok:

Andy Newman / Deconstruction Therapy on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@deconstruction_therapy

👍 Follow and share if you enjoy Mormonism commentary, ex-Mormon content, and discussions about religious deconstruction.

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What happened to the Mormon concept of hell?

In this special episode of Mormon News Roundup, we trace the fascinating evolution of Mormon teachings about the afterlife—from the fiery, seemingly permanent hell described in early Mormon scripture to the modern LDS concept of Spirit Prison, postmortem repentance, and three degrees of glory.

We’ll follow four major theological shifts:

• 🔥 The Universalist Controversy — Why did early Mormon scripture strongly reject the idea that everyone would eventually be saved?

• ⏳ Redefining “Endless” Punishment — How did Joseph Smith’s 1830 revelation change the meaning of “endless punishment”?

• 👻 The Mormon Purgatory — How did the doctrine of Spirit Prison introduce the possibility of accepting the gospel after death?

• 🌟 Three Degrees of Glory — How did the celestial, terrestrial, and telestial kingdoms transform the Mormon understanding of the afterlife?

Along the way, we’ll examine claims from the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, Orson Pratt, John A. Widtsoe, Heber C. Kimball, and Bruce R. McConkie, and explore some striking tensions between earlier and later Mormon teachings.

The result is a remarkable theological timeline: from eternal punishment and no second chances to a highly differentiated afterlife where salvation and progression remain possible for the vast majority of humanity.

And that raises a much bigger question:

If Mormon teachings about the afterlife could change this dramatically, what other foundational doctrines have evolved over the history of the movement?

Let us know what you think in the comments.

Welcome back to Mormon News Roundup.

#Mormonism #LDS #MormonHistory #Afterlife #JosephSmith #BookOfMormon #ExMormon #MormonNewsRoundup

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

In December 1977, 1,800 copies of an anonymous booklet suddenly appeared in a Salt Lake City storage unit. The booklet was intended to rebut the research of Gerald and Sandra Tanner—but what followed became one of the strangest episodes in modern LDS Church history.

The Tanners began tracing the booklet’s origins, eventually connecting large portions of it to historian D. Michael Quinn and the LDS Church History Department. But the real bombshell wasn't simply discovering who wrote it. The booklet itself contained surprising historical admissions about Joseph Smith, plural marriage, the 1826 glass-looking trial, changes to historical texts, and connections between Mormon temple practices and Freemasonry.

The fallout was swift. Leonard Arrington's History Division came under increased control, his position as official church historian was removed, and the brief era of relatively open LDS historical scholarship began to close.

This is the story of “Dr. Clan Destine”—the anonymous historical operation that may have helped trigger the very crackdown it was intended to prevent.

📜 In this episode:
• The mysterious 1977 storage-unit discovery
• The anonymous booklet Gerald and Sandra Tanner's Distorted View of Mormonism
• The investigation by Gerald and Sandra Tanner
• D. Michael Quinn and the academic fingerprints
• Leonard Arrington and the Church History Department
• The booklet's surprising historical admissions
• The rise of “Dr. ClanDestine”
• The February 1978 Tanner exposé
• Arrington's demotion and the end of the “Camelot” era
• The closing of the archives

The story raises a fascinating question: Does hiding uncomfortable history actually protect an institution—or does it eventually create an even bigger public scandal?

Welcome to another edition of the Mormon News Roundup.

#MormonNewsRoundup #MormonHistory #LDS #LDSHistory #LeonardArrington #MichaelQuinn #GeraldTanner #SandraTanner

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

I have found it increasingly difficult over the years to maintain civil discourse with believing Latter-day Saints and with theists in general.

I’m not entirely sure whether that is something I should be embarrassed about—or something I should be proud of.

This video explores a difficult question: Should we be bridge builders, or should we recognize that some bridges deserve to be burned?

I’ve been told many times that my rhetoric is too harsh, too abrasive, and that I get too much into people’s faces online. I’ve been called toxic, hateful, arrogant, and just about every other name in the book.

But here is the issue: religious believers want their ideas to be taken seriously. Yet many religious claims are ultimately claims about invisible deities, supernatural beings, miracles, spirits, and forces that have never been demonstrated to exist.

At what point does respecting a person become confused with respecting their beliefs?

Carl Sagan explored this problem in The Demon-Haunted World, warning about the dangers of accepting extraordinary claims without sufficient evidence. Daniel Dennett likewise confronted the difficulty of challenging beliefs that people deeply identify with.

I understand that religious beliefs can be deeply meaningful. I also understand that criticizing those beliefs can feel deeply personal.

But sincerity is not evidence.

For years, I have asked believers a relatively simple question:

On what basis should I accept your claims about a supernatural realm inhabited by angels, demons, gods, and spirits?

What evidence separates those claims from the countless other supernatural beliefs humans have held throughout history?

So far, I have not heard anything remotely convincing.

I used to believe these things myself. I spent decades inside the worldview I now criticize. I understand the arguments because I once made many of them myself.

And that is why I believe what many believers need is not more reassurance. They need a serious examination of whether their beliefs are actually supported by evidence.

I respect people who are willing to admit uncertainty. I respect people who follow evidence wherever it leads.

But I do not believe unsupported supernatural claims deserve automatic respect simply because they are sincerely held.

Ideas do not deserve immunity from examination because they are old, popular, sacred, or deeply meaningful to someone.

Civil discourse has value. But civil discourse does not mean silence. It does not mean pretending every idea deserves equal treatment. And it does not mean politely accepting claims that have no evidentiary foundation.

Sometimes bridges are worth building.

Sometimes bridges are worth crossing.

And sometimes bridges should simply be burned.

This isn't about destroying people.

It's about challenging ideas.

And if an idea cannot survive honest questions, criticism, and evidence, then perhaps it was never a bridge worth saving in the first place.

#Mormonism #ExMormon #Atheism #Religion #CivilDiscourse #CriticalThinking #LatterDaySaints

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

In this episode of Mormon News Roundup, I take a step away from the usual discussions about LDS history and apologetics to examine one of the most polarizing figures in modern American politics: Donald Trump.

For decades, Latter-day Saints have generally leaned Republican. Yet Donald Trump has always occupied a unique place within Mormon culture. Why did so many faithful members feel conflicted about supporting him? Why was he such an outlier compared to previous Republican nominees like John McCain or Mitt Romney?

In this episode I discuss:

• Why Donald Trump has historically struggled to win overwhelming support among Latter-day Saints.
• My own political journey and why I've voted for candidates from both major parties.
• Trump's relationship with Church leadership and his 2017 visit to Welfare Square.
• Why character and personal conduct still matter in evaluating political leaders.
• The reactions of Mormon and ex-Mormon influencers to Donald Trump.
• Why I believe we should apply the same critical thinking to politicians that we apply to religious leaders.

This isn't an endorsement of any political party or candidate. My goal is simply to explain my perspective and encourage thoughtful, consistent skepticism, whether we're discussing church leaders, media personalities, or presidents.

If you enjoy thoughtful conversations about Mormonism, history, culture, and current events, follow the show and join the discussion.

What do you think? Has Donald Trump's relationship with Mormonism been misunderstood, or do you think it reflects larger changes taking place within American politics? Please keep the comments respectful. Reasonable people can disagree.

#Mormon #LDS #DonaldTrump #Politics #MittRomney #MormonNewsRoundup #ExMormon #ChurchofJesusChrist #CurrentEvents #PoliticalCommentary

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

Was I really fired by Ward Radio? Or is that simply not what happened?

In this episode, I'm setting the record straight about my time working with Ward Radio and addressing claims that I was "fired" and that I misrepresented my beliefs about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I explain how I came to work with Ward Radio, my conversations with Cardon Ellis and Jonah Barnes, the project I was hired to complete, how many shorts I produced, what I was paid, and why the working relationship eventually came to an end.

I also address the claim that I somehow deceived Ward Radio about my beliefs. The reality is that they knew I ran Mormon News Roundup, knew my perspective, and were aware of my position before I ever began working with them.

There was no dramatic firing. No secret controversy. No terminated employment contract. I was hired as a contractor for a specific project, completed that project, and Ward Radio eventually decided to produce its shorts internally.

So why is the story being told differently? Listen and decide for yourself.

If you enjoy Mormon commentary, ex-Mormon perspectives, LDS Church analysis, and behind-the-scenes stories from Mormon YouTube, follow the show and check out the YouTube channel.

#WardRadio #MormonNewsRoundup #ExMormon #MormonYouTube #LDS

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

Corbin Allred is the man who played Mormon Lucifer, and then left the LDS Church. In this episode, we count down his top 10 moments.

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Dan McClellan is one of the most knowledgeable and consistently informative voices discussing the Bible, religion, and the sociology of religion today. As a Latter-day Saint scholar with extensive academic training, he has built an enormous audience by responding to bad arguments, challenging biblical apologetics, and engaging directly with both believers and non-believers.

But what does Dan McClellan actually believe?

In this video, I give my honest thoughts on Dan, his scholarship, his approach to social media, his relationship with the Latter-day Saint faith, and the things I admire—and occasionally criticize—about his content.

I have tremendous respect for Dan's knowledge and intellectual honesty. He's willing to engage with people who disagree with him, acknowledge mistakes when he makes them, and correct the record. His willingness to tackle claims rather than simply deliver lectures is a big part of what makes his content so compelling.

I also discuss one thing I find particularly interesting: Dan deliberately avoids discussing his personal religious beliefs. While I understand his reasoning, I think there's something valuable about publicly stating and defending your own worldview. I take a very different approach to that question.

Is Dan a critic of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? Is he an advocate for Mormonism? Is he secretly an atheist? Or is he simply a believer who doesn't want his personal faith to become the focus of his platform?

And yes, we have to talk about "Debunking Dan McClellan"—the satirical video I once made that apparently fooled a few people into thinking I was actually trying to debunk him.

Ultimately, this is a very positive assessment of someone whose scholarship I genuinely admire. Whether you agree with Dan or not, he's one of the most interesting voices in the modern discussion about the Bible and religion.

Thanks for watching!

#DanMcClellan #Mormonism #LatterDaySaints #BibleScholar #BiblicalScholarship #ExMormon #MormonNewsRoundup

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In the early 1990s, a rather bizarre Mormon missionary-training video series was produced called Manners for Missionaries.

Dating from around 1994, the series was designed to teach LDS missionaries something that apparently went far beyond gospel teaching: how to present themselves, how to dress, how to sit, how to shake hands, how to eat, how to interact with other people, and essentially how to project the “right” image.

And here’s the interesting part: the series wasn’t officially produced by the LDS Church or Brigham Young University. However, its creators were faculty and instructors associated with BYU and the Provo Missionary Training Center, and the videos were reportedly shown in missions around the world.

The series consists of multiple installments, including The Power of Credibility, Building Credibility, and the particularly memorable Visual Poise for Sisters. That installment is devoted specifically to how female missionaries should carry themselves—including how they pick things up, enter and exit vehicles, and physically present themselves.

And this is where things get especially interesting from a modern perspective.

Some of the material is simply dated 1990s etiquette. But some of it gets into very gender-specific ideas about how women should move, look, behave, and present themselves—making portions of the series come across as remarkably sexist by today’s standards.

So, rather than watching these as isolated clips scattered around the internet, I’ve collected the surviving installments and assembled them into one complete compilation.

It’s a fascinating time capsule of missionary culture in the 1990s, and an extraordinary look at just how much emphasis was placed on beauty, appearance, social behavior, credibility, and gender roles.

Please enjoy watching Manners for Missionaries!

#Mormonism #ExMormon #LDS #MormonMissionaries #MannersForMissionaries #LDSHistory #MormonHistory #MissionaryTraining #ExMormonContent

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