Best Sunstone Podcasts (2024)

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Ep 156 — Sunstone Wrap-up & Patreon Changes 1:19:46

6d ago1:19:46

1:19:46

Just that! We talk Sunstone because it’s the best Mormon Con around and we want to spread the good word! We discuss a few of our favorite sessions, some fascinating things we learned, and how Sunstone recharges our batteries in the Mormon studies space. Then we talk about Lego helping PTSD sufferers. We wrap with a brief chat about some changes we’…

1
Ep 157 — Project 2025; Idiocracy 2:52:08

26m ago2:52:08

2:52:08

Yes, it’s time to dissect this horrific document telegraphing the downfall of American democracy. We examine bits and pieces to see what the cabal of Christian nationalists want to turn the nation into over the next conservative presidency. Then we chat about the Mike Judge movie Idiocracy and it’s prophetic warnings. We wrap with happy news about …

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Ep 155 — Free/Moral Agency; Ernest L. Wilkinson | Last Temptation of Christ 2:14:49

21d ago2:14:49

2:14:49

We do a quick dive into moral agency and free agency in Mormon culture. Leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have recently changed the definition of agency to suit their totalitarian needs. We explore the evolution of the phrase ‘free agency’ into ‘moral agency’ and springboard into a discussion about Ernest L. Wilkinson, the …

1
Ep 154 — Diogenes and Nibley | Approaching Zion pt. 5 2:50:37

2M ago2:50:37

2:50:37

Since this is another Huge Niblet episode, we decided to talk a little bit about philosophy. More importantly, we discuss Diogenes the Cynic and what the philosophical meaning of the word “cynic” is. Then we cover 3 chapters in Approaching Zion, all while keeping the question, “Was Hugh Nibley a modern day cynic?” in mind. Show notes: https://en.wi…

1
Ep 153 — Interview with Shelly Johnson of LDL | Closeted by Jonathan Alder 1:57:47

2M ago1:57:47

1:57:47

Happy Pride Month! To celebrate, we interviewed the amazing Shelly Johnson from Latter Day Lesbian podcast. She talked about the balance between navigating tough situations between the church’s control over family and resisting its influence in these family situations. In Media of Great Price, we discuss the book Closeted: My Life As a Gay BYU Stud…

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Ep 152 — Frederick Williams & Law of Consecration | Approaching Zion pt. 4 2:19:23

2M ago2:19:23

2:19:23

Let's talk about the Law of Consecration. First we will start with the background leading into it, as well as what it means and how it’s applied in early magic and occult before Mormonism. Next, we cover two chapters in Approaching Zion by Hugh Nibley that are on, you guessed it, the Law of Consecration. We end with some happy environmental news th…

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How Sunstone Therapies is Opening Doors to Psychedelic Treatment 46:49

3M ago46:49

46:49

In this episode I speak to Norma Stevens, LCPC, the Director of Therapy Operations at Sunstone Therapies in Rockville, Maryland. Sunstone partners with companies like Beckley PsyTech, COMPASS Pathways, MindMed, MAPS (Lykos Theraputics), Reunion Neuroscience, and Usona to run studies that aim to establish the gold standard for psychedelic treatments…

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Ep 151 — The Women’s Room | Everything Everywhere All At Once 2:06:43

3M ago2:06:43

2:06:43

In 1977, a book was published that shocked much of the world. It was an almost instant bestseller and ended up being translated in 20 languages and has sold more than 21 million copies today. The book has been described as one of the most influential novels of the modern feminist movement. The book? The Women’s Room by Marilyn French. We will talk …

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Ep 150.2 — Psychedelics in Early Mormonism; Debunking a Mormon Apologist on Mormon Book Reviews pt. 2 2:10:12

3M ago2:10:12

2:10:12

Part 2 of Episode 150! Yay!! And now for something completely different. This episode is a bit of a departure from our regular show. We invite Alex Criddle and Cody Noconi, researchers into the psychedelic origins of Mormonism, to respond to the recent debate on the Mormon Book Reviews channel between ourselves and Mormon apologist, Brian Hales. Br…

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Ep 150.1 — Psychedelics in Early Mormonism; Debunking a Mormon Apologist on Mormon Book Reviews pt. 1 2:21:01

3M ago2:21:01

2:21:01

Part 1 of Episode 150! Yay!! And now for something completely different. This episode is a bit of a departure from our regular show. We invite Alex Criddle and Cody Noconi, researchers into the psychedelic origins of Mormonism, to respond to the recent debate on the Mormon Book Reviews channel between ourselves and Mormon apologist, Brian Hales. Br…

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Money! Love! Power! Ketamine & the Universe's Secrets 57:30

4M ago57:30

57:30

You're in for a treat! Kathryn DeYoung and Zach Berman are two friends and colleagues who are also therapists that got roped into joining one of Calliope's ketamine-therapy retreats. Actually they both volunteered, each for interesting personal reasons. Each of the several ketamine experiences I facilitated for them were always equally profound, hi…

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Ep 149 — Mormon Temples a National Security Risk | Approaching Zion pt. 3 2:17:35

4M ago2:17:35

2:17:35

Every General Conference the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announces new temples. We walk through the history surrounding a few of the worldwide temples, along with some of the subtle international political maneuvers necessary to open the door to a new temple project. Wherever the church wants a temple, leaders must curry the favor o…

1
Ep 148 — Apr 2024 General Conference 3:48:11

4M ago3:48:11

3:48:11

It’s that time of year again. We go through all the talks from #GeneralConference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from top to bottom. Show Notes: EntheoMagus Documentary Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0uHmmToTec Documentary screenings: April 27-28, 2024 in Salt Lake City, UT At the Natural Law Apothecary. April 29, 202…

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Ep 147 — EntheoMagus Documentary (feat. the creators) 1:51:51

4M ago1:51:51

1:51:51

We’re very excited to invite a panel onto the show to discuss the forthcoming documentary about psychedelics in early Mormonism, EntheoMagus! We’re joined by the creators, Brandon Crockett, Cody Noconi, and Alex Criddle, to discuss the documentary, its genesis, and the overall future of the Smith-entheogen theory. Two sets of screenings are coming …

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The Integral Guide to Well-Being 55:47

5M ago55:47

55:47

In this episode I interview the brainchild behind an increasingly influential online wiki for psychological healing, The Integral Guide to Well-Being. Levi, who prefers to stay behind-the-scenes and doesn't publicize his identity, created an interactive, graphic notebook that has around 1,300 pages, and has tens of thousands of unique readers each …

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Ep 146 — D&C Codenames and Secret Combinations | Hot Fuzz 1:51:04

5M ago1:51:04

1:51:04

Scripture study!!! Well, sort of. We’re talking about the codenames contained in the Doctrine & Covenants sections 78, 82, 92, 96, 103, 104, and 105. Names like Gazelam, Ahashdah, Pelagoram, Mahalaleel, Mahemson, Shederlaomach, and (most importantly) Talents, all appear concerning the Secret Combination of the United Firm, or United Order. We discu…

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Ep 145 — BoM Authorship Data | Approaching Zion pt. 2 1:55:53

6M ago1:55:53

1:55:53

It’s time for our next installment of Huge Niblet’s Approaching Zion! He spends basically the entire section lamenting higher education and any information from sources other than the “p”rophet’s counsel. Does he want us to be zealous, or learned? Nobody knows! But before that we have a quick debrief and error correction from the last episode of Mo…

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Psychoacoustics and the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) 49:26

6M ago49:26

49:26

This episode features Paula Marie Scatoloni, a psychotherapist that uses sound vibrations to reset hyper- or hypo-active nervous systems after trauma. This method is called psychoacoustics, and Paula uses a tool called the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) to stimulate the tiny muscles of the inner ear, "massaging" the polyvagal nerve, and activating t…

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Ep 144 — A Study In Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle; 17 Miracles 2:45:21

6M ago2:45:21

2:45:21

We did it! We FINALLY did it! After years and years and years of requests from many listeners we have finally taken a look at Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s very first Sherlock Holmes book — A Study In Scarlet. We look at the time period Doyle was writing it and why he would take on Mormonism in his first book. We also take a look at the impact the story…

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Ep 143 — Mormon Gold Rush | Approaching Zion pt. 1 2:20:38

7M ago2:20:38

2:20:38

It’s time to take a look at the early Utah economy as created by Brigham Young, a ruthless capitalist in his own right. We take a brief look at the beginnings of the California Gold Rush and how much the Mormons were involved, as well as the battle for control between Bloody Brigham and Samuel Brannan. Which also leads us into Part 1 of our deep di…

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This is Your Therapist, on Ketamine 43:44

7M ago43:44

43:44

I believe that therapists, doctors, nurses and psychiatrists who recommend ketamine--and more and more are doing just that--should have a firsthand experience of ketamine themselves. Today I speak with Maria Hernandez, a psychotherapist in Philadelphia, who did just that. Maria was a participant at our Bethesda, Maryland ketamine assisted psychothe…

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Ep 142 — RLDS/CoC President Stassi Cramm 3:13:30

7M ago3:13:30

3:13:30

The Community of Christ, formerly the RLDS church, has named its new president! We bring on guest Evan Sharley to help us navigate the history of the RLDS/CoC, the climate into which Stassi Cramm is ascending to the office of prophet/president, and the current issues within the Community of Christ which converge to give a bleak impression of its fu…

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Ep 141 — Introduction to Hugh Nibley 3:12:53

7M ago3:12:53

3:12:53

Today we take a look at the man who is inarguably THE best apologist of the mormon church. Yes, we are talking about Hugh Nibley. Show Notes: Hugh Nibley: A Consecrated Life by Boyd Peterson Leaving the Saints: How I Lost the Mormons and Found My Faith by Martha Beck Hugh Nibley: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Nibley Hugh Nibley Biography: http…

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Ep 140 — Newest Apostle Patrick Kearon; Thank You for Smoking 2:59:43

7M ago2:59:43

2:59:43

Newest Apostle for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Elder Patrick Kearon, joins replaces M. Russel Ballard in the highest leadership body of the Mormon hierarchy. Who is he, from where does he come (professionally and otherwise), and what does his calling mean for the future of the wealthiest religion in the world? We do an apostoli…

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Ep 139 — All media 2023! 2:52:44

8M ago2:52:44

2:52:44

WAHOO! It’s that time of year again. Time for our last episode of the year because we’ve finished off everything for the year and we want to have some fun. And that fun is BOOKS, of course! Well, this time books, movies, TV shows, and video games. We each brought three for you. Shannon brought three books to movie adaptations and Bryce brought thre…

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Ep 138 — Saints: The Standard of Truth-iness pt. 10 FINALE! 4:09:26

9M ago4:09:26

4:09:26

That’s right! We’re done!! But we have to get through the final 3 chapters before rounding it out and providing our conclusions. The new authoritative history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is mostly what we expected; New Mormon History is dead and Saints: The Standard of Truth telegraphs an era of academic retrenchment. These c…

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Ep 137 — Saints: The Standard of Truth-iness pt. 9 4:27:21

9M ago4:27:21

4:27:21

We’re in tunnel-vision mode until we finish this propagandistic pile of rubbish. Today is the penultimate episode of our long-form review of Saints. It begins in the spring of 1842 with John C. Bennett’s violent departure from Nauvoo and ends with the destruction of the Nauvoo Expositor. Lots of things happen in this 2-year period and the book igno…

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Ep 136 — ExMo Candle Co.; Death to Smoochy 2:07:09

10M ago2:07:09

2:07:09

AT LONG LAST! We’re joined by Jen from ExMo Candle Co. to talk all about her experience and what led her to processing and healing from the Mormon cult through blasphemous candles! She tells of her story with the church, attending a Mormon university, depression and self-destruction caused by shame through bishop’s interviews and “repentance”, and …

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Ep 135 — Skinwalker Ranch; Frankenstein by Mary Shelley 2:21:40

10M ago2:21:40

2:21:40

It’s that time of year! SpooOOOoooOOOookey stories! First we talk about a hotbed of paranormal interdimensional activity in the heart of Mormon country; Skinwalker Ranch! After that we deep dive into the sci-fi classic Frankenstein. We wrap with a quick reminder to get out and vote along with catching up on listener mail! Show Notes: https://en.wik…

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Ep 134b — General Conference Oct 2023 Sunday Sessions feat. Lots of Guests 7:26:02

11M ago7:26:02

7:26:02

Our review of General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for October 2023 Sunday sessions. Yes, our review of GenCon was longer than the actual GenCon. Thank you to all the wonderful folks who made this project happen! The last nearly 2 hours is patreon extras for you all you fantastic financial supporters of the show. Sh…

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Ep 134a — General Conference Oct 2023 Saturday Sessions feat. Lots of Guests 4:20:15

11M ago4:20:15

4:20:15

Our review of General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for October 2023 Saturday sessions. Yes, our review of GenCon was longer than the actual GenCon. Show Notes: Links: Brad: https://twitter.com/ComfytheGhost V (Friend from Serbia): @NoChillAuntie Aurora: aurorarosea.com Alexis: https://www.youtube.com/@UtahSustainGar…

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Kristin Neff: Fierce Self-Compassion - Replay 47:43

11M ago47:43

47:43

I speak with Dr. Kristin Neff, the person perhaps most responsible for researching the effects of self-compassion. She is the author of the 2011 bestselling book Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself and her newest book, Fierce Self-Compassion: How Women Can Harness Kindness to Speak Up, Claim Their Power, and Thrive. Kristin …

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Ep 133 — Kinderhook Plates, LARPs, Barbie, and Jodi Hildebrant and Ruby Franke 4:46:06

11M ago4:46:06

4:46:06

It’s the listener show! Today we bring on a group of cohosts to attempt the impossible task of filling Shannon’s shoes while she continues to recover. Tanner presents a segment on the Kinderhook plates, drawing larger implications for how it disproves other Mormon scripture “translation” claims. Then Will takes us on a journey through reconciling h…

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Ep 132 — Freemasonry, Book of Abraham, and Polygamy – Saints: The Standard of Truth-iness pt. 8 1:58:01

12M ago1:58:01

1:58:01

Runnin solo today! While Shannon continues to recover we’re going to take the opportunity to do a segment that sent Shan to hospital in the first place! That’s right, we’re back in Saints: The Standard of Truth, the new, authorized history of Joseph Smith and his early religious movement. That’s it. That’s all we’re doing this episode! We talk miss…

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Ep 131 — Debate Debrief w/ Aron Ra 2:04:55

12M ago2:04:55

2:04:55

We have a bit of an unconventional episode this time around. We invite Aron Ra onto the show to discuss a recent debate between Bryce and Kyle Adams, an apologist for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We play a few clips, have a few laughs, and chat about the sport of debate in general. This episode is a rare exception because we kno…

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Ep 130 — Missionary Flicks 2:31:19

1y ago2:31:19

2:31:19

Continuing our media episodes, this time we’re taking aim at Mormon movies! Specific Mormon movies though! Movies made by Mormons for the purpose of gaining converts. These are just a small handful of the movies that missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints show in the homes of investigators in order to teach certain aspects…

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Ep 129 — History of Feminist Literature 1:51:10

1y ago1:51:10

1:51:10

Just as the title states! After two motherlode history episodes, we’re doing an all media episode! Shannon walks us through the history of feminist literature from the earliest surviving scraps of parchment to a recent 2022 best-seller about women turning into dragons! Join us to learn about everything in between! After that we discuss a dam remova…

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John Mather: Science Director of the James Webb Space Telescope 49:52

1y ago49:52

49:52

Dr. John Mather is a Senior Astrophysicist in the Observational Cosmology Laboratory located at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD.* He is also the Senior Project Scientist on the James Webb Space Telescope, which will be the largest, most powerful and complex space telescope ever built and launched into space. It will fundamentally …

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Ep 128 — Haun’s Mill Massacre | Liberty Jail; Saints: The Standard of Truth-iness pt. 7 3:34:37

1y ago3:34:37

3:34:37

The conclusion of the Missouri-Mormon war of 1838! Two events which are incredibly infamous in Mormon history, the Haun’s Mill Massacre, and the Liberty Jail stint, feature throughout this episode. But we discuss the context that led to the circumstances and the criminal proceedings that resulted from the war once Joseph Smith and the Mormons had s…

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Ep 127 – Missouri-Mormon War of 1838; Saints: The Standard of Truth-iness pt. 6 3:24:06

1y ago3:24:06

3:24:06

This episode is basically a standalone Saints episode! Why? You may ask. Because the book covers a massive and controversial time of early Mormonism, when Joseph Smith incited a civil war and lost. We compare the Saints book to the documents of the time and see how it shakes out with the following issues: excommunications of Oliver Cowdery, David a…

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Ep 126 – Louie Ma & May Anderson, Hunsaker Brothers & Rudger Clawson; To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar 2:22:17

1y ago2:22:17

2:22:17

Happy PRIDE month, y’all! The main segment for today breaks down the history of the Children’s Primary Program and its first president, Louie “Ma” Felt and her lifelong partner, May Anderson. Then we discuss a sex scandal in the form of a gay witch hunt in the 1890s spearheaded by Rudger Clawson. The case is far more complicated than first blush wo…

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Ep 125 – Thought Control; Saints: The Standard of Truth-iness pt. 5 3:34:30

1y ago3:34:30

3:34:30

Another installment of cult mind control and Saints: The Standard of Truth! We start with discussing Thought control in Hassan’s BITE model of undue influence. That springs us into the period of 1836-1838 of early Mormon history from the church’s new “history” book. The Kirtland Safety Society, the uprising of Warren Parrish, a heist in Salem, Fann…

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Ep 124 — P.O.S. Text vs Gospel; Noah 2:58:01

1y ago2:58:01

2:58:01

The Plan of Salvation, Plan of Happiness, MORMON HEAVEN! We take a look at the doctrine and teachings compared to the text of Doctrine & Covenants 76. This revelation was given in the early years of Joseph Smith’s religious movement and the theology evolved significantly over time. Rusty’s heaven looks a bit different. After that we chat about Noah…

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Ep 123 – Behavior Control; Saints: The Standard of Truth-iness pt. 4 3:53:51

1+ y ago3:53:51

3:53:51

Behavior control from Steven Hassan’s BITE model of cult mind control. We discuss how Mormonism controls our behavior today and historically. That leads us into our next installment of Saints: The Standard of Truth review. The book covers 1832-1836 from the tarring and feathering of Joseph Smith to the Kirtland Temple Dedication ceremony. Then we w…

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Ep 122 — Exmo Lex 1:59:16

1+ y ago1:59:16

1:59:16

EXMO LEX WahOOOOO!!! We finally find a proper excuse to invite Exmo Lex onto the show to discuss ExMormon tiktok and social media. She shares a bit of her story and experiences online while discussing the future of Mormon-related social media. After that we chat about a whole bunch of media in aggregate for Media of Great Price segment. We wrap the…

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Ep 121: General CONference April 2023 3:40:26

1+ y ago3:40:26

3:40:26

Yes, it’s that time of year again. We discuss General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in granular detail. Every single talk, every slur, every logical fallacy, all contained herewith. Enjoy! If you can, that is. Other Appearances: Mormons on Mushrooms: https://www.mormonsonmushrooms.com/podcast/episode/7dc1c6bf/roughly…

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The New Monogamy: Tammy Nelson, Author of Getting the Sex You Want 52:24

1+ y ago52:24

52:24

* Replay from S2 * Dr. Tammy Nelson is a sex and relationship expert, and author of many books on sex including Getting the Sex You Want: Shed Your Inhibitions and Reach New Heights of Passion Together. She's a psychotherapist, Director of the Integrative Sex Therapy Institute, university teacher, TEDx speaker and is the host of the podcast The Tro…

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Ep 120 – 2023 Mormon Temple Endowment Changes; Angels and Demons 3:33:37

1+ y ago3:33:37

3:33:37

With a new year under the control of Revision Rusty M. Nailz we have a new Temple Endowment for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! What’s new? What’s not new?! Why did they make the changes?!?! We dive deep into the new endowment with comparisons from older versions to see what’s slipped through the cracks about the new Mormon ritual.…

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Ep 119 – Emotion Control; Saints: The Standard of Truth-iness pt. 3 2:52:35

1+ y ago2:52:35

2:52:35

Next on the block is the “Emotion” component of Steven Hassan’s BITE model of cult mind control. This launches us into the next installment of Saints: The Standard of Truth, covering the visionary era of the early Mormon movement and the move from New York to Ohio. Sidney Rigdon and Parley P. Pratt are introduced, as are the Partridge family, inclu…

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Ep 118 – Early Black Mormons and Slavery in Utah; Remember the Titans 1:26:13

1+ y ago1:26:13

1:26:13

This is kind of an unusual episode. Shannon’s still in recovery so Bryce is making a solo run for better or worse (definitely the latter). We run through the stories of some early African-American members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Their stories are remarkable, their struggles real, their histories vague but inspiring. We t…

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