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

Welcome to the Mormon News Roundup.

Tonight, we examine five fascinating episodes from early Mormon history that raise difficult questions about revelation, prophecy, historical editing, and the way the Church has preserved—or sometimes omitted—its past.

In this episode:

• The Canadian Revelation — Joseph Smith reportedly sent Oliver Cowdery and Hiram Page to Canada with a revelation promising they would sell the copyright to the Book of Mormon. They returned empty-handed. What happened when they asked why the revelation had failed?

• Predicting the Lord’s Coming — Early Latter-day Saints expressed surprisingly specific expectations about when Christ would return, including statements associated with Joseph Smith, Moses Thatcher, and Parley P. Pratt.

• The Missouri Temple Promise — A 1832 revelation declared that the generation then living would not all pass away before a temple was built at the appointed site in Missouri. More than a century later, Joseph Fielding Smith acknowledged that those people were no longer living.

• The Civil War Prophecy — Joseph Smith's 1832 prophecy about the American Civil War contains striking references to South Carolina and the conflict between North and South, but also predicts events that did not unfold as described. We examine the historical context surrounding the prophecy and Brigham Young's predictions during the war.

• The Missing Dream Interpretation — An interpretation recorded in Joseph Smith's 1843 diary described a future scenario in which the United States government would call upon “General Smith” to defend the country from a foreign enemy. That interpretation was later omitted from the published history. We compare the prediction with what actually happened.

The larger question isn't simply whether individual prophecies were fulfilled or failed.

What happens when later history conflicts with earlier revelation—and how should that history be presented to future generations?

Join us as we dig into the historical record.

Mormon News Roundup — Mormon history, news, controversies, and the stories the Church doesn't always put front and center.

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

Something BIG is happening…

For a long time, people have asked whether I would ever appear on Mormon Stories.

Well… I have an announcement.

But I’m not going to spoil it just yet. 😏

In this video, I reveal what’s coming next and why this could be one of the most interesting things to happen to the channel in a long time.

Is it happening? You’ll have to listen to find out.

Follow the show so you don't miss this one.

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

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

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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Remember remember, no unhallowed hand can stop this podcast from progressing!

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

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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New long-form episodes every night at 9:30 PM Eastern.

Please like and subscribe and hit the notifications bell. Remember, remember, no unhallowed hand can stop this podcast from progressing!

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