This Week in Mormons

Former Mitt Romney and Rick Scott communications guru Susan Hepworth joins us to talk about Brother Romney's 2008 and 2012 runs for president, as well as Mitt Romney's decision not to compete in 2016, and how Mormonism factored into the whole thing. She also tries to convince us to move to Florida, which, no. Aside from plenty of Mitt Romney talk, we have other news, including a fast for the Rome Temple, which has been met with all sorts of road blocks and is years behind schedule with construction. Keep it in your prayers. Nary a week after leaders from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints encouraged lawmakers to find a balance between religious freedom and fundamental civil rights for the LGBT population, Idaho lawmakers - many of them Mormon - thumbed their collective noses at the idea, voting down a bill that would have afforded gays and lesbians with new protections. So... way to be, Idaho. Also, check out the Trib Talk below where Elders Oaks and Christofferson are a bit more off-the-cuff, and Elder Oaks responds to his comment on the Church "never apologizing." This year's biggest Oscar snub is not anything related to Selma missing out on acting and directing nominations, or The LEGO Movie getting snubbed for Best Animated Feature. No, this year's snub is the failure to nominate Meet the Mormons for Best Documentary. Sure, we could blame this on not sending out screeners early enough. *cough* However, now you can watch Meet the Mormons on digital demand, currently on iTunes and Amazon Instant, but soon on Netflix, Google Play, and a host of other nondescript streaming services. Also, for physical medium adherents, you can get it on Blu-ray or DVD. Did you see the survey that the Church put out on temple garments? It's closed now, but it was rad. An atheist is making money selling bibles, and journalists want to know if he feels morally compromised. Nightline ran a great segment on sister missionaries, which included questions about their bras. Keep it classy, ABC.   Links: * Meet the Mormons digital download * Idaho doesn't listen to SLC * Garments survey * Rome Temple fast * Atheists make money on Bibles * Sister missionaries on Nightline * Follow Susan Hepworth on Twitter

Big news of the week: the Church's press conference about religious liberty and anti-discrimination. It's been met with mixed reactions from various corners of the commentary kingdom, some citing the Church's embrace of LGBT rights as landmark, while others arguing that the "religious protections" proposed equate to little more than an excuse to legally discriminate. Admittedly, there are pros and cons to the entire thing, and we have our analysis in this episode. There's really no perfect answer, and we'd love it if you shared your thoughts on it with us. And because we think the proposed hashtag #Fairness4All is super lame, we are using #Freedom4Eva and hope you will all join us in our quest to utilize numbers for a purpose reminiscent of tween texting. In Alaska, did you know you can attend church by phone? It's awesome how the Church extends itself into whatever medium available to allow the saints to worship. This Alaska Bush Branch story is great. It begs to be covered by NPR. Should BYU be abolished? Al thinks so. Have any of you had missionary open houses at your buildings? Are they worthwhile? What would you do the same and what would you change? In shocking news, LDS.org will evolve over time. No more will a site be static from now into time immemorial. It will evolve! Times and Seasons announced their Mormon of the Year, and the result is... fine. We are also up for some Wheaties awards over at Wheat and Tares! You should vote for us for Best Podcast!!!!! Other stuff: 10 Amazing Mormon civil rights leaders; BYU-Idaho gets a new president; a missionary dies in Mexico; a mission mom dies in Salt Lake City Also, Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites. Winning.   Links: * Religious freedom and gay rights * Religious freedom from the Newsroom * New BYU-I president * Missionary dies in Mexico * Mission wife dies * Attending church by phone * 10 amazing Mormon civil rights leaders * Mormon of the year *

Welcome to this glorious week of awesomeness and truth! The Supreme Court of the United States is finally going to weigh in on gay marriage. This is a big deal. There are three likely possible outcomes and a few key areas under consideration. We'll help you make sense of it here. John Dehlin has a hearing date regarding potential excommunication. The bloggernacle is up in arms. What does this mean to you? Is there a witch hunt on for Mormon liberals? Let us know your take, but make sure to listen in for our thoughts on it all. Admittedly, when comparing John Dehlin and Kate Kelly, it's shocking that action came swiftly and decisively toward the latter and not the former. Hey! Marriages to so-perceived gay men end in divorce. Funny how that works. The Church wins its lawsuit against The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a Canadian polygamist offshoot that can now no longer be known by its name because the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints doesn't want there to be confusion between the two. LDS Salt Lake beats LDS British Columbia. What defines true modesty? It's not what you'd think. Some great principles here. The BYU student who was arrested for having a meth lab in his bedroom, but claimed he was just making soap, has now pled guilty, asserting that he was making both soap and meth. Meth soap! Other stuff: a cool missionary workout video, dedication dates for the Indianapolis Indiana and Trujillo Peru Temples; a Southern California church building gets vandalized; the Gateway shopping center in Salt Lake City is falling apart. Also, more talk on R-rated movies! * SCOTUS to rule on gay marriage * Marriages to gay men end in divorce * We have defeated the Canadian LDS Church * Indianapolis and Trujillo Temples * Goodbye, Mormon liberals? (terribly researched article) * BYU meth kid pleads guilty * Gateway slumping * True modesty * Lake Elsinore church vandalized * Check out DC Temple cutaway pictures!   //

BYU amends its beard ban, allowing one to express religious freedom so long as one is not LDS. A great story out of the Deseret News on mental illness and missionaries. This is an evolving area of focus for the Church, but we're glad to see more attention given where it's needed. Did you or anyone you know cope with mental illness while serving? Joseph Smith and Brigham Young are named among Smithsonian's 100 most significant Americans of all time. Bryce Harper's wedding was canceled. WHY? Listen in and we'll tell you nothing. Ordain Women publishes photos, but No Ordinances Were Carried Out in the Making of These Photos. The Church has a new unit - the cluster! It's a subdivision of a ward or branch, basically, and we think it's pretty rad. Woman falls off zipline at bishop's house. Woman sues bishop. Bishop's insurance sues Church. Church tries to help all. Woman asks for SIX MILLION DOLLARS in damages. The lesson: do not have a zipline in your hard. And lesson #2: Always have waivers. The First Presidency and Mitt Romney attend the BCS Championship in Texas. Sort of. There's a new cutaway model of the Washington, DC Temple, and you should all take your friends to it. We'll have an East Coast TWiM party. Hit us up.   Links: * BYU beard ban amended * Joseph and Brigham are influential * Bryce Harper - unwedded but not yet a menace * Leaders at BCS * Mitt will run as the "first divorced Mormon" in 2016, per Ann * Don't fall off ziplines. That's rule #3. * Ordain Women in photos! * Mental illness and missionaries * Clusterfünke * Cutaway model of DC Temple

Hey! We're pro-Church, folks! Get it? Let's set the record straight. We are severely LDS. With that out of the way, the new US Congress is in session, and we have some stats on the Mormon makeup within it. Also, Senator Orrin Hatch is now third in line for the presidency. That's the closest a Mormon has been to the big chair! We love Celestial Shine Magazine. Seriously. It is a beacon of journalistic winning. It is the place for talk on fashion and modesty while still showing shoulders. Shoulders! It is also worthy of a Peabody. The Church is busy helping out with refugees in Iraq. We love seeing more of this and wish we'd see even more. TLC's "reality" series My Husband's Not Gay has WAAAAAY jumped the shark in the popular psyche, and it hasn't even aired. GLAAD and other groups are speaking out against the perceived social damages of the show. Also, it's a show, not a documentary. Some allegedly existing place called Roosevelt, Utah received vandalism to its church building. We're looking for proof that Roosevelt exists. What were some of the victories and failures for the Church in 2014 in terms of growth? The fine folks at Cumorah.com have a rundown of the 10 best and 10 worst things. Great stuff for you stats lovers. Are missionary homecomings out of control? Probably. This is what happens when you build a TRAX line to the airport. We can't let these people have mobility, Utah! Come on! Do you love LDS Employment Services? Why not? And Al has some big news!   Link party party party: * Mormons in Congress * Modest fashion magazine  * Iraq * Teens jailed for vandalizing church * Outrage on My Husband Is Not Gay * Church comment on gay husbands * Missionary homecomings! * Ups and downs of 2014 * Eradicating polio * LDS Employment wants you to use Facebook

Happy New Year to you all! We are back and ready to rock. And what Mormon news is there, you ask? There is much. And we have a grand time discussing it. Will missionaries go to Cuba? Don't hold your breath. Listen in for a fine breakdown of United States diplomacy and foreign policy. Oh, and Mormonism. Feminist Mormon Housewives will publish stories and quotes from Chieko Okazaki to accompany the Ezra Taft Benson manual. Are you into this? BYU can now buy the Y on Y Mountain because they need it. Ya gotta have it. Cause you need it. Do we sometimes attempt to make God in our own image? A blogger takes down a piece over at Rational Faiths, but it's all too black and white for our tastes. Can we disagree with counsel from the Prophet while still sustaining him? There will be new missions in 2015, including one in Orem, Utah and Wisconsin! A source says we'll be getting new Church-produced films about the restoration of the priesthood, and the films will include footage of Joseph Smith translating via stones in a hat. Should be interesting. Will you be watching TLC's My Husband Is Not Gay series that chronicles happily married Mormon men who admit to same-sex attraction? It should be a winner. And based on TLC's impeccable record, we can expect mature, even-handed treatment of sensitive subject matter. Will Mitt Romney run in 2016? Elder W. Craig Zwick's son says yes. Maybe. Remember those robbers in Las Vegas who posed as missionaries to get into peoples' homes? Well they got sentenced: seven-t0-life. The Idaho Falls and Freiberg, Germany temples are going down for major rehabs. Details to follow. Meet the Mormons is coming to visitors centers! Now you really have no excuse. We're upgrading this from Recommended to Commandment. Other stuff: A new Gallup poll shows that Mormons attend church weekly at a higher rate than the church's actual activity rate; Top Ten missionary welcome home videos; and more!   Links: * BYU to buy Y Mountain's Y * New missions in 2015 * Chieko Okazaki materials * Meet the Mormons at visitors centers * New Gallup poll * Making God in our own image * My Husband Is Not Gay *

Let's turn back the clock to 2010 when there was no "Mormon Moment." We visited Provo then in what we thought would be a snarky attempt to ask people about those mysterious Mormons, but what transpired was far more interesting than we could have planned. So join us as we revisit a very important segment that the majority of you probably have never heard, since we had about six listeners back then. This is a throwback show, folks. But also, because news. BYU brawls with Memphis. Come on! BYU wants to buy Y Mountain. Will missionaries go to Cuba? Al is on death's door, so keep him in your prayers.

Russell Stevenson, The Mormon History Guy, is back! And he's got a great new book entitled For the Cause of Righteousness: A Global History of Blacks and Mormons, 1830-2013. Russell is kind enough to spend over an hour with us on this jumbo-sized show, discussing the history of blacks in the church, priesthood ordination, polygamy, and tons of other stuff in Church history, like how Fijians were descendants of Cain. Yeah. Great, great times with Mr. Stevenson, and we encourage you to pick up his book! Listen in for a promo code that we can't necessarily honor! There's still some other news, such as Mormon involvement in the so-called "torture report." It's ugly. Should Latter-day Saints care about this? Some are even upset that we discuss more issues like gay marriage, chastity, modesty, etc., but stay silent on something as serious as torture. Also, guys, bridal showers are out of control. Way out of control. Why do Mormons love Brian Regan so much? Are you one of them? Dedication dates for the Payson Utah and Córdoba Argentina Temples! Links: * For the Cause of Righteousness at Greg Kofford Books * For the Cause of Righteousness at Amazon * Mormons and the torture report * Don't talk to me about sex when there's torture * Bridal showers are insane! * Payson and Córdoba Temples * Brian Regan forever?

Curious about how the film Interstellar taught Al spiritual truths? Listen in. John Dehlin and Kate Kelly write some pieces explaining why they think Kate was excommunicated but John hasn't been (yet). Interesting pieces, and we wrote a post to break it down for you. Two more top LDS leaders leave the Republican Party and switch to "unaffiliated." Between the First Presidency at the Quorum of the Twelve, nine are registered Republicans and six are now unaffiliated. Is "unaffiliated" code speak for "Libertarian"? Are the unaffiliated ones more moderate or too conservative for the GOP? WE WANT ANSWERS! Some girls in Mesa, Arizona get kicked off of their softball team (allegedly) for (allegedly) refusing to take part in a team prayer. These girls also (allegedly) played lots of evil rap music that (allegedly) bothered the other girls. An interesting piece on Christ not leading a "petty church." What the author describes is the popular understanding that sometimes the Church intends to implement something new and/or progressive for the benefit of the saints, but because of actions by X or Y, the Brethren then hold off on implementing said blessings. Examples in question relate to Ordain Women's actions and how they might have backfired internally. So does this happen? If it happens in the way described, does it bother you? People give us flack for posting a picture of a racist missionary. We are cyber bullies, apparently. And now we will be suing you all for libel! Hey! It's time for Mormon of the Year again! Go nominate whomever you like, but nominate us, because we are awesome and have spread rumors about potential temple changes. Other stuff: BYU has fans everywhere; Ordain Women wants to teach us about things we don't know; kids dance; fake and real Mormon Tinder; Joseph F. Smith kidnapping plot; a car crashes almost into the Lubbock Texas Temple.   Clicks: * New Deseret Industries in Arizona * BYU has fans that aren't in Provo * 10 things Ordain Women wants Mormons to know about Mormons * John Dehlin and Kate Kelly write about excommunication * NOMINATE US FOR MORMON OF THE YEAR * Dancing! * Mormons stick it to capitalists * Naughty miss...

Let's all get in on the new #ShareTheGift Christmas campaign. Good times. The Church will now employ monthly email messaging. You can navigate your email list options from your LDS Account. Will the Brethren ever get better at social media? Al wants pictures of Elder Oaks negotiating to buy a car. Would you watch that? We would. Saints in Provo set a world record for... largest nativity ever. Yeah. It's nice, don't get us wrong. It just looks weird. Like a KKK rally. In the ongoing debate on journalistic integrity in Utah, Deseret News refuses to run an ad for some polygamy books because it's "too hot a topic," even though the Tribune shared the ad buy with DesNews and ran it. It's a mess. What are the best gifts to send missionaries this holiday? Hint: one of them you should already be sending! Do mission presidents live too swanky of a lifestyle? Some interesting thoughts from a very biased source. Also: Utah's Mormon population continues to rise; what the "Mormon Moment" really accomplished; a bankrupt woman is allowed to keep her "family bible," or a first edition Book of Mormon in this case; a Mormon-based Cards Against Humanity crowd-funded game; and the St. George Temple gets lit!   Click links: * LDS mailing lists! * Big Times Square Christmas sign * ShareTheGift! * Bankrupt woman keeps Book of Mormon * What the Mormon moment really accomplished * Mormon sexual healing * Mission presidents living the dream? * Mormanity card game * St. George Temple lighting * Church sells Australian farms * Provo sets nativity record * Deseret News wont' run ads...

BYU welcomes students from all faith persuasions, provided those students abide by the Honor Code. However, if one happens to convert from Mormonism to another faith, one loses one's ecclesiastical endorsement. This seems like a strange, strange bit of university legislation, and we actually have some disagreements about it. Likewise, it appears some Church schools (namely LDS Business College) are clamping down even harder on beards and the Honor Code. The schools say it is business as usual, but some anecdotal evidence suggests increased oppression for the beards. Is Institute not servings its purpose? Or what is Institute's purpose, then? A vlogger argues that Institute should serve a greater role in ebbing the tide of attrition among attendees. It's interesting. It's not perfect. But it makes us think. Hey! An author visits every "American" temple, and by "American," we mean United Statesian. A BYU-Idaho student gets all Ferris Bueller and hacks the school's mainframe to change his grades, thus qualifying him for entry to BYU-Utah AND (ideally) locking down free scholarship money. The Church has a new survey on Mormonsandgays.org. Hit it up. There's a new Christmas initiative by the Church! We don't know what it is at the time of recording, but here it is! Our pal Russell Stevenson, the Mormon History Guy, has a new book coming out, For the Cause of Righteousness, that deals with the forgotten history of black Mormons. Other stuff: MoTab is going to offer its music for streaming, but not on any service you actually use; the entire Bible in one cheeky Facebook post; Mormon approaches to immigration reform; and Bronco Mendenhall wants guys to postpone their missions until winter semester. #selfish   Clicks: * Allow ex-Mormons at BYU * The failings of Institute * Beard crackdowns * Visiting every temple * New Mormonsandgays.org survey * The Ferris Bueller of Rexburg * Russell Stevenson book! and pre-order here. * Tabernacle choir to stream Christmas music on a website *

President Henry B. Eyring attends a gathering of religious and civic leaders at Vatican City to discuss families. He meets Pope Francis. He delivers remarks! It's all going wonderfully. Some changes in CES rules: women with kids at home can now teach seminary and institute, and divorcees may now do the same. Seriously, we've been punishing divorced people for this long?? Ordain Women wants to crowdfund a billboard along I-15 in Salt Lake. Merry Christmas to all! The Phoenix Arizona Temple is dedicated in a flurry of Valley of the Sun wildness. It makes us remember our very first episode. Did you take the "Mormon Gender Survey"? It received quite the coverage on social media. Al and Geoff both have rants about it, but for totally different reasons. Listen in to hear everything you always wanted, but didn't know you needed. Mitt Romney speaks at a BYU FORUM and brings down the house with, let's face it, some pretty good zingers. We didn't expect him, of all people, to make polygamy jokes. So kudos to you, sir. We shall see you in 2016 when any Republican loses to Hillary. The New York Times covers BYU's prohibition of beards. It's a fair peace, but it also turns concepts of religious freedom up on their head. Glen A. Larson, LDS creator of many classic television shows, including Magnum, P.I., Battlestar Galactica, and Knight Rider, passes away at 77. MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell, not one with a history of kind words about the Church, hosts a pretty even-handed segment on his show about recent revelations on Joseph Smith's polygamy. Joining him are Richard Bushman, author of Rough Stone Rolling, and Laurie Goodstein of the New York Times. Is prescription drug abuse grounds for losing a temple recommend? Interesting thoughts from a scary-looking man. Other news: we get final renderings of the MTC's expansion in Provo (we still don't like curbside dropoffs); there are secret recordings in BYU's religion classes; a Mormon doctor channels Patch Adams and becomes a "jollyologist;" Noelle Pikus-Pace and Alex Fox get to spend Valentine's Day at a convention; LDS Living makes us all look bad; and a former porn star wears a colander in her Utah license photo. Oh, and Bill Maher hates everyone. Links: * Vatican conference * Moms with kids can teach seminary * Ordain Women seeks a billboard * Glen A. Larson passes away * Phoenix Temple dedicated * Survey!

We need to be careful with how we mix politics and faith. Political posturing from the pulpit, whether that pulpit is tangible or in the form of a blog, is dangerous. Enter Mark Paredes, noted blogger for Jews and Mormons, who caused quite the stir last week in his blog about Harry Reid not being temple worthy, and how Democrats, in general, cannot possibly be temple worthy. And all of this was couched in his calling as a bishop, so there's that. Time for us to discuss! The media has been slow to pick up on the polygamy essays published a few weeks ago on LDS.org, but boy are they into it now. It's everywhere. Why? Steve Young turned down a cameo in There's Something About Mary. There's that. A BYU student is arrested after allegedly having a meth lab in his apartment. His roommates are the most discerning young men in all of Mormondom. Other stuff: Jeremy Guthrie is on the speaking circuit; a Cardston, Alberta man uses a church building as his own personal club; the barbarianism of rodeos; new Church history sites in Pennsylvania; a third stake in Pittsburgh; and lots more. Make sure to listen in!   Links: * Mark Paredes loves everyone ... * ... even if he (sort of) apologizes later * Church response to increased reporting on polygamy essays *  Steve Young doesn't love the Farrelly Brothers * Jeremy Guthrie preaches * A Cardston bar * Mormon rodeo guys * Missionaries in Italy deface Italy * BYU student had a meth lab * Or did he? * Sheri Dew speaks on Ezra Taft Benson

We join you partially from Ireland. Don't say we don't love you and sacrifice to serve you. We would rather be kissing the Blarney Stone. Should religious films get a so-called "free pass" from critics because they are propaganist by nature? Or do they have an obligation to still be great art? In following up on last week's polygamy essays on LDS.org, some writers want more. Do we have a place to push the Church to say even more about controversial topics? Do we pressure the Church to disavow certain things? Have you ever received a "good Mormon" discount in Utah? Many have. Is. This. Just?? Kate Kelly loses her appeal on excommunication. She shall not be dexcommunicated. Big news on the BYU/CES/Seminary curricula front. More topics-based classes are being formulated over the traditional chronological slog through a book. Good? Bad? What's your take? The us-proclaimed future Oscar winner, "Missionary," releases its trailer. Do you like thrillers about psychopathic missionaries? You DO?! Then we've got the film for you. Also, President Eyring and others will be off to the Vatican for a religious conference. This is just cool. We're excited to see what happens. Heck, we're excited to see President Eyring with the Pope. Other news: Why aren't kids going to youth dances? General Women's Meeting is now officially part of General Conference. Meet the Mormons continues its box office drop. Horror Mormons! Subscribe! Click these: * She does not love the polygamy essays * Religious movies don't get a free pass from critics * Kate Kelly loses appeal. Fight on! * Horror and Mormons * General Women's Meeting part of General Conference * "Good Mormon" discounts in UT * BYU religious curricula changes * President Eyring off to the Vatican *

Our reaction to the Church's new "transparency" essays on polygamy. We really love this one and think is is among the most useful set of essays available for those who struggle with this aspect of church history. The Church updates its much-lauded temple garment video to excise eight seconds of footage of someone who was once charge with criminal behavior. Eight seconds. Why does this matter? Interesting. In following up from our essay last week on changing temple sealing practices, the Provo Herald Tribune cited us, as well as venerated site LDS.net. We are amazing. We are This Week in Mormons. Pope Francis is on board with evolution. Mormons have been on board with a mix of creation and evolution for some time, but that's not to say we haven't faced our own rocky road to get to where we are. And Al says all sorts of inappropriate things about the creation. Yay! BYU-Idaho received a shooting threat, but it was only a threat, and they went to quick and effective lengths to remedy the situation. The Church produces a powerful video about suicide and depression. We love this. It's great to see the Church moving beyond, "Gaining a testimony of the Restoration will fix your woes" to, "Testimony or not, we all need help sometimes." Very positive. Prince Ata of Tonga wants to be baptized into the Mormon Church, but his family won't allow him to do so, going as far as to send soldiers to stop the baptism from happening. Lindsey Stirling to take part in another Church live Q&A. We don't like Reddit. Are trunk or treats awful? Must we rid ourselves of them? Other news: Noelle Pikus-Pace arm wrestles Sheri Dew, MLB pitcher Jeremy Guthrie talks about his mission, teens are charged with vandalizing an LDS chapel, and Utahans want two newspapers, but if it has to be one, then just Deseret News. Clicks: * New polygamy essays on LDS.org * Updates to garment video * BYU-I shooting threat * Utahans say they need two newspapers * Teens charged with vandalizing building * Pope Francis likes the Big Bang Theory * Tongan prince can't get baptized * Lindsey Stirling to take your questions * Trunk or treats are the worst