Laura Harris Hales, editor of A Reason for Faith: Navigation LDS Doctrine & Church History was my guest. Some of our topics include:

Translation

Really Inside Mormonism: Confessions of a Mere Latter-day Christian

• Book of Mormon
  • Tight translations
  • Loose translation
  • Who supplied the words?
  • KJV
  • Brass plates
  • Isaiah passages
• Council of 50
• Relief Society
• More Effective Apologetics

• A change in the recent Symposiums
• Ordain Women
• Denver Snuffer paper, "Was There An Original?"
• Sandra Tanner paper, Plagiarism - Book of Mormon
• Some thought languages and translation

• Decision to move to Great Salt Lake?
• Diary accounts written at the time
• Pondering questions on Mormon Westward movement - 1847
• Council 28 July 1847
• Problem 29 May 1847

• My statement of being a mainstream LDS believer 
• Is God the Father found in both the OT and Jesus in the NT?
• LDS Godhead 1828-2016
• Mormon Creed?
• Lectures on Faith 5
• Ideas on the Holy Ghost
• Contrast between the OT & the BM
• Jehovah-Elohim-Jesus questions: Son of God, Father Son
• Joseph Smith Translation contrast with KJV OT

Fredy Martinez, is member of my High Priest Group. He, and his wife, have sent the past 4 1/2 years as missionaries in the SLC Inner-City Mission. He explained this developing Church project. 

A number of sources reveal Joseph's development of the Godhead contrasting his views before and after the Nauvoo period. This provides some important insight to sort out that some views have been discarded and replaced by others. 

Historic Christian Deity Terms are compared and contrasted with historic Mormon ideas: 1. Monotheism  2. Polytheism  3. Henotheism  4. Unitarian  5. Binitarian  6. Trinitarian.

1. Comments on the MHA Convention this Weekend

Critics claim regarding Joseph's First Vision accounts, 1832 & 1838, are unimpressive examining the sources from June 1830 to the end of 1832.

There have been some who claim that Joseph Smith borrowed Ethan Smith's 1825 book, View of the Hebrews, as the basic foundation of the Book of Mormon.

My guests, Matt Nelson and Chad Powell, are Masons and Mormons living in Provo:

I spent some time talking with a caller on the Mountain Meadows Massacre. He made many claims which I believe solid sources rebut.

Ezra Booth, one of the earliest converts soon left and wrote 9 letters which were published in the Ohio Star newspaper from Oct 13-Dec 8, 1831. He addressed many topics claiming accurate accounts, events and beliefs of Mormonism. Much is contrary from Mormon sources. I addressed several of his claims which probably all historians would obviously conclude false. 

Christopher Smith, interested in Mormon history, has published an article in the Journal of Mormon History, "Playing Lamanite: Ecstatic Performance of American Indian Roles in Early Mormon Ohio."

Lee Baker, an ex-Mormon, was my guest. We were having some difficulty discussing divergent views. These were included:

With my guest, Paul Brandt, we discussed many thoughts and ideas on Sex:

The initial topic addressed the impressive research of a Lutheran historian, Joachim Jeremias. He discovered a long forgotten teaching of Jesus about God, his Father, referred to by him and Paul: Abba. The meaning of this, according to Jeremias, was a powerful concept at the time of Jesus a very similar LDS belief today. 

Mormon History Association Convention 4-7 June 2015.

The Ensign, Gospel Doctrine and other Weekly Sunday School Topics, Priesthood & Relief Society manuals are not by any means the only sources provided by the Church for the Saints, past and present:

David Bokovoy is the author of Authoring the Old Testament. He is a faithful Latter-day Saint with an extensive Hebrew and Biblical scholarly background. This book has been written specifically for an LDS audience introduced into many fields of biblical scholarship typically foreign to LDS. Some topics discussed:

Some comments and discussion:

Further conversation with Charley Harrell on more LDS aspects on revelation, inspiration, visions, canonization, in the wards and stakes.

Some LDS statements on Revelation:

BYU Professor Charles Harrell authored This Is My Doctrine: The Development of Mormon Theology. Tonight we discussed a number of thoughts, questions and considerations on revelation related to many of Joseph Smith's diverse situations. 

125: Universalism: thoughts of William Barclay

124. Joseph Smith's Plan: Sources from 1828-6 April 1830-1

123. LDS Press Conference • Freedom • Diversity • LGBT

Church leaders shared their concerns about the “increasing tensions and polarization” between advocates of religious freedom and advocates of gay rights during a press conference on January 27.  

Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland and Elder Dallin H. Oaks, both of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and Sister Neill Marriott of the Young Women general presidency spoke about religious freedom during the press conference.

Topics Addressed:

Talk Show host: Van Hale, LDS

Mormon Miscellaneous Worldwide Talk Show is now in its 32th year.
Podcast address: http://mormonmisc.podbean.com

To Participate

• Live, Sunday evenings 5:00 - 7:00 pm MST
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• Live, our call-in number is 801-254-5855
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• Live, your questions or comments are invited, regardless of your point of view. 

Your voice will be heard around the world.

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New Testament: Dr. Bruce Metzger is widely considered one of the most influential New Testament scholar of the 20th century.

Talk Show host: Van Hale, LDS

Mormon Miscellaneous Worldwide Talk Show is now in its 32th year.
Podcast address: http://mormonmisc.podbean.com

To Participate

• Live, Sunday evenings 5:00 - 7:00 pm MST
• Live, in Salt Lake Valley on AM Radio • K-TALK  630 AM
• Live, internationally on http://www.k-talk.com
• Live, our call-in number is 801-254-5855
• Live, participate sending short email mormontalkingpoints@gmail.com
• Live, your questions or comments are invited, regardless of your point of view. 

Your voice will be heard around the world.

To make a comment here, click on “Comment” below

PLURAL MARRIAGE: Brian Hales, (researcher, editor & author) joined with me tomorrow night (Sun • Jan 11 • 5-7 pm MST) to discuss his new book. His wife, Laura, also participated adding her thoughts to the discussing.

118. Mormon Marriage

117. LDS Handcart Project & Others

116. Looking Into Scripture #4

115. Looking Into Scripture #3

114. Looking Into Scripture #2

112.Conversation with the author Karen Phippen Browne: 

Most people I have known and served with over the years never knew about these misgivings, because my whole background and persona reflected religious strength and testimony. I was born into an active LDS family, was faithful to my baptismal and temple covenants, served a full-time mission, married in the temple, and raised three wonderful children in the ways of the Lord. I served in many capacities within the wards and stakes where I resided and tried very hard to reach out to others to help them wherever I was needed. In other words, I was a typical Latter-day Saint woman.

But underneath it all, I was a Doubting Thomas. Despite my activity in the Church, there was always within me a steaming cauldron of doubt and insecurity about the very belief system to which I had dedicated my life. Most of the time, I could keep the pot on simmer because after all, I would tell myself, any religious belief a person professes is simply a matter of choice anyway. I chose to believe, just like everybody else. But still that persistent little voice of doubt would bubble up until, from time to time, the cauldron would boil over requiring yet another Herculean effort to get the lid back on.

We only touched some of the numerous topics she has pursued. Her book begins "Evidence of Divine Creation" and concludes with "Help for the Doubting Thomas." I highly recommend her approach providing many of her thoughts and pondering a wide range of LDS and non-LDS sources identified in the Index.

_{108. Book of Mormon: Mesoamerica}

Daniel Johnson was my guest. As LDS, he has had much interest in the Book of Mormon, especially research into the archaeology and history of Book of Mormon lands, referring to Mesoamerica.

He is the principal author of An LDS Guide to Mesoamerica and the upcoming An LDS Guide to the Yucatan.

Of course, we, including a number of callers, discussed this topic from several angles.

His blog is very interesting including many photos of Mesoamerica.

Talk Show host: Van Hale, LDS

Mormon Miscellaneous Worldwide Talk Show is now in its 32th year.

Podcast address: http://mormonmisc.podbean.com

TO PARTICIPATE:

• Live, Sunday evenings 5:00 - 7:00 pm MST
• Live, in Salt Lake Valley on AM Radio • K-TALK  630 AM
• Live, internationally on http://www.k-talk.com
• Live, our call-in number is 801-254-5855
• Live, participate sending short email mormontalkingpoints@gmail.com
• Live, your questions or comments are invited, regardless of your point of view. 

Your voice will be heard around the world.

To make a comment here, click on “Comment” below

_{111. Upcomming FAIRMORMON Convention 2014}

Michael Ash and I discussed:

• History of FAIR now FAIR MORMON, an apologetic advocate on numerous aspects of Mormonism
• To be held in Provo
• 14 sessions - Revelations, LDS Women, Book of Abraham, anti-Mormon attack ...
• A critical discussion on the Book of Mormon with a caller

Talk Show host: Van Hale, LDS

Mormon Miscellaneous Worldwide Talk Show is now in its 32th year.

Podcast address: http://mormonmisc.podbean.com

TO PARTICIPATE:

• Live, Sunday evenings 5:00 - 7:00 pm MST
• Live, in Salt Lake Valley on AM Radio • K-TALK  630 AM
• Live, internationally on http://www.k-talk.com
• Live, our call-in number is 801-254-5855
• Live, participate sending short email mormontalkingpoints@gmail.com
• Live, your questions or comments are invited, regardless of your point of view. 

Your voice will be heard around the world.

To make a comment here, click on “Comment” below

110. Sunstone Symposium • 40th Year • Two Guests

Mary Ellen Robertson and Michael joined me and several callers discussing aspects of the past 40 years of the Sunstone Symposium and the upcoming 2014 Symposium. 

Some 100 sessions will address such some topics: 

• Mormons & Catholics
• Ordaining women
• Church discipline
• Sexual topics
• Trafficking
• Joseph Smith's theology
• LDS history
• Faith
• Doubt ...

109.Brigham Young's Remark?

"Brethren, this Church will be led onto the very brink of hell by the leaders of this people, then God will raise up the one `Mighty and Strong' spoken of in the 85th Section of the Doctrine & Covenants to save and redeem this Church."     
                                               by Brigham Young [??]

DURING the past 90 years, many have cited this startling remark. I have found it in a numerous books, pamphlets, unpublished sources, un-counted times on the internet, hundreds in private and public conservation, twelve times in Truth magazine published from 1936 to 1952, and now I find it in the five volume set The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, published in 2009.

Although, those who cite this remark, seldom give a source. But, some have given one or more of the following: a date, an event, a location, who were there, who heard it, written in a diary, found in the Church History Library and now in The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young.

To me there are some things to think about. 

Certainly, Brigham Young said many things which have been written, some which have been passed on orally, most never recorded and a number or statements have been attributed to Brigham Young, but not until 50 years after his death.

Talk Show host: Van Hale, LDS

Mormon Miscellaneous Worldwide Talk Show, 11 August 2013.
Podcast address: http://mormonmisc.podbean.com

To Participate:

• Live, Sunday evenings 5:00 - 7:00 pm MST
• Live, in Salt Lake Valley on AM Radio • K-TALK  630 AM
• Live, internationally on http://www.k-talk.com
• Live, our call-in number is 801-254-5855
• Live, participate sending short email mormontalkingpoints@gmail.com
• Live, your questions or comments are invited, regardless of your point of view. 

Your voice will be heard around the world.

To make a comment here, click on “Comment” below