I had a blast talking with John Dehlin on Mormon Stories!
There are seven parts to this interview covering a wide array of issues.
In this last part, I make some concluding observations and comments.
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Hi RFM! I wanted to tell you that you have become somewhat of a personal hero to me, for many reasons. But I just wanted to share a few because I know that as a human it feels good to be appreciated.
1. Your approach. I really, really enjoy how you apply your experience in the law profession to how you present the data. I of course noticed that you do not in fact call people liars but that you present the data and then let the facts speak for themselves. I am not implying that you don’t often add to your own personal insights or opinions, because of course you do. But you the let the facts explain why you have reached a specific conclusion or opinion and I really enjoy following your thought process.
Bill, if you’re reading this, don’t get me wrong. I also enjoy listening to you very much and did not mind at all when you called out Elder Holland in the way you did.
2. Your sense of humor. I can’t tell you enough how much you have lifted my spirits many times when I’ve been mentally at some of my lowest points. I think it was in my favorite episode (or trilogy, I should say) “Lies, damn lies and statistics” where you cracked a joke very non-chalantly about something in the scriptures. I think it was king Nebuchadnezzar threatening his wise men, if they did not tell him what his dream was about, that he would turn their houses into dunghills. “Which is about the worst thing that you could turn a house into”, you added. I just died laughing. So many times I have laughed out loud along side with you and it was balm of Gilead to my aching soul.
Also, everbody plays the fool by The Mainstream had become one of my favorite songs since I heard it on your podcast. Thanks for all your efforts. Don’t stop.
Cheers,
Guy Next Door
Hi, I’ve live in Spokane going on 10 yrs. In 2010 I went from Utah to Glacier Park to work for a summer, believing I would be back in Utah that winter working at Snowbird ski. However, fate had me as a scapegoat for a mistake the Glacier Park Inc. CEO made and they needed a cover. So I was let go and came to Spokane. Had I gone back to Utah, I believe I would probably still be stuck in a mormon mold. I tell people I had to loose myself (everything I had in Utah) to find myself.
Anyway, for years I’ve been a proponent of religious graduation. I also believe religion deserves to be viewed as a schooling from which we graduate and go out in the world perhaps cherishing our alma-matre’ religion. Perhaps each religion could have a mascot. Yea, mormon would have to be the Oxen, because I not only earned the Eagle Scout, I earned the mormon duty to god award. So, the Eagle scout is an eagle suspended from a red. white and blue ribbon. Well, the duty to god is an oxen head suspended from a green and gold ribbon.
Would you be interested in helping me start some kind of formal graduation put a positive light on some kind of formal graduation for those who have graduated.
Also, I want to share some thoughts about the so called 2nd coming. I may have gotten this from Neil Donald Walsh. The idea that we all have a cristedness within us; just as jesus was christed. Perhaps the jesus stories show examples of the epitomy of being christed. Anyway, the phrase a friend of mine often used says: the 2nd coming of christ is alreay here and has nothing to do with jesus.
If any of these ideas connect with your thinking, I would love to hear from you. Thanks, sincerely, Jay
It occurred to me RFM listening to this Mormon Stories series that given your background and experience you are the perfect person to attempt to unravel a mystery: How Joseph Smith did the Peep Stone in the Hat illusion so convincingly that it persuaded, minimally, Martin Harris and David Whitmer so convincingly.
I agree with those who speculate and suggest that it was some kind of illusion – possibly taught to Joseph Smith by Lumen Walters or another proponent of magic trick back in the day.
Given your background in Criminal Law (which I would assume trials involving Confidence Games) and Magic Tricks as a hobby, I can think of no better person to tackle this subject.
Please consider it.
I love the podcast, please keep up the great work!
I’m surprised neither of you mentioned, or maybe haven’t heard of, president Oaks admitting he’d never seen an angel or anything like it, and he didn’t know of any in the first presidency or quorum if the 12 who had either.
He said this at a youth fireside in Bellevue WA a couple years ago. You can hear him say it if you start this recording at about the 30 minute mark: https://youtu.be/bOse9xDPwso
Rfm, I watched all 7 parts and agree with just about all you say, especially the caution about using the term liars, about the big need being honesty and apologies, and about the biggest problem being Isaiah in the Book of Mormon and how it destroys the witnesses. I get a real buzz when, before you answer, I think to myself “He will say this” and you do, every time (well, a lot of times). You are a good lawyer.
I would love to hear your view on the Kay Burningham Gaddy litigation. That case seems to be based on points of dishonesty that you also raise. And you could give a view without waiving any privilege, as it’s not your litigation. I don’t see that a podcast would hurt its prospects, but there may be other issues at play, issues with which I am unfamiliar.