Mormon Miscellaneous Worldwide Talk Show

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

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

TO PARTICIPATE:

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Your voice will be heard around the world.

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Book of Mormon Discussion

This discussion includes several topic: deification, Mormons and Moonmen, Joseph Smith's great sermon, the King Follett Discourse, but much of the time is about the Book of Mormon. This includes the historicty and the historical questions of the Book and the role of Joseph Smith and God in its foundation.

This program aired 2006-12-17

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Hard Evidence and Religious Conviction

A brand of Islam and racism

Who is saved

Belief in the Bible and Book of Mormon is not to be based on proof

Blacks and Mormonism

Financing the Book of Mormon

How do you prove something in scripture is true

Is there hard evidence of the resurrection of Jesus

Polygamy

Faith is not to be based on archaeology

To listen to future Talk Shows live, go to http://www.k-talk.com/ Sunday evenings 5:00 - 7:00 pm MST.

If you have a question or comment, your participation is invited, regardless of your point of view.

Your voice will be heard around the world.

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Polygamy: Joseph Smith's Letter of Explanation

A letter of Joseph Smith on polygamy is well-known to many LDS as an article on Happiness. It was written such that its meaning would be hidden to those who do not know its historical context.

Its history includes a stir among LDS in Nauvoo in 1842, significant confrontations, exchanges in the newspapers, denials, defections and information on the early, private promulgation of polygamy.

Its content gives important insight into Joseph Smith's views and even includes a revelation. Further, it is an excellent example of a literary form which clearly teaches an impressive message on the surface, but then buried beneath the surface is a deeper message comparable to occasions when Jesus taught something seemingly simple but then invited his disciples to think deeper with the phrase "he that hath ears to hear, let him hear."

Those interested in a copy of the Joseph Smith letter discussed which I have placed in a parallel column with D&C 132 send your request to van.hale@k-talk.com and I will send it to you by email.

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More Thinking About Scriptures & Tradition

I discuss some points raised by passages and situations in the scriptures.

• Israelite views of proselyting• Deuteronmy 32:8 and an ancient concept of God called henotheism

• New Testament writers drawing from the Old Testament without concern for historicity

• Issue of retaining or setting aside the Law

• Power of tradition - even the Saints are slow to accept anything contrary to their tradition

• Joseph Smith's progressive outlook

• Questions on Book of Mormon Historicity

Talk Show host: Van Hale, LDS

Official website: http://mormonmiscellaneous.com/

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

• This is the 15 June 2008 episode of the Mormon Miscellaneous Worldwide Talk Show, now in its 29th year.

• To listen to future Talk Shows live, go to http://www.k-talk.com/ Sunday evenings 5:00 - 7:00 pm MST.

• If you have a question or comment, your participation is invited, regardless of your point of view.

Your voice will be heard around the world.

Click to visit my eStore Catalog of Digital Articles related to some of my Podcast Episodes

To make a comment, click on "Comment" below

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LDS / non-LDS Exchange

Don Ormsby, a guest host on the Mormon Miscellaneous Worldwide Talk Show, talks with Randy Loeppky a non-LDS Christian an active advocate that Mormon claims are false and Mormons are not Christian. 

Discussion of whether or not the Church officers named in the New Testament should be continued in the Christian Church today.

 Participants asked about Sunday restrictions, who will be saved?, the Nicene Creed and early views of the possibility of man's deification; revelation, why accept the Bible as the exclusive standard.

Talk Show host: Van Hale, LDS

Official website: http://mormonmiscellaneous.com

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

This is the 31 August 2008 episode of the Mormon Miscellaneous Worldwide Talk Show, now in its 29th year.

To listen to future Talk Shows live, go to http://www.k-talk.com/ Sunday evenings 5:00 - 7:00 pm MST.

If you have a question or comment, your participation is invited, regardless of your point of view.

Your voice will be heard around the world.

To make a comment, click on "Comment" below

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LDS Church Political Policy

I discuss the Christmas card allegedly sent by Mitt Romney to Republicans in North Carolina which purports to have been financed by the LDS Temple in Boston.A frequent caller attacked Mitt Romney; claimed Brigham Young did not believe in the Constitution; that he came to Utah to escape the U. S.; and that he declared that he did not believe in the Constitution. I responded to each of these points.I read a current statement of the Church's neutrality on political elections and partisan politics and freedom of LDS, including those holding political office, to vote their conscience.Discussion with a caller on the interpretation of portions of scripture and how the interpretation one may be relevant to the interpretations of others.

Talk Show host: Van Hale, LDS

Official website: http://www.mormonmiscellaneous.com/

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

Talk Show Blog: mormonmiscellaneous.com/radioprogramblog

This is the 30 December 2007 episode of the Mormon Miscellaneous Worldwide Talk Show, now in its 28th year.

To listen to future Talk Shows live, go to http://www.k-talk.com/ Sunday evenings 5:00 - 7:00 pm MST.

If you have a question or comment, your participation is invited, regardless of your point of view.

Your voice will be heard around the world.

Click to visit my eStore Catalog of Digital Articles related to some of my Podcast Episodes

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

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An Encounter with Exmormon.org

I discussed my rather extensive exchanges last month with participants on this popular anti-Mormon website. I made every effort to follow their rules which allow anonymity, do not allow defense of Mormonism and require posts to be respectful. I confined all of my comments to historical sources pertaining to the wording and intent of a sentence included in the endowment ceremony from 1845 to 1927.   I was denied anonymity and falsely accused of defending the LDS Church. The sources I provided on this point of history, which has nothing to do with basic Mormon claims, were completely ignored, and after being attacked with a steady barrage of insults and disrespect, my hands were tied (namely, I was refused access), and this mob proceeded with their assassination.My point, which I stated and re-stated many times, is that there is a substantial body of 19th century sources, Mormon and ex-Mormon, which say that the endowment included instruction for the participants to pray for God to avenge the blood of the prophets, and also a prayer to that effect.

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Personal Statement:

Response to an ExMormon Critic

A long time listener sent me a scathing email which he has published on the internet on exmormon.org, a rabidly anti-Mormon board, where I am refused participation. He claimed that I am a "puppet" and apologist for the LDS Church. I responded to his false charge by reviewing the 27 year policy of my talk show with comments on the involvement of LDS leaders in its content. Also, I listed and commented on some of my personal views, including those where I diverge from the Mormon mainstream. This is my candid effort to explain where I believe I fit in Mormonism, specifically expressing my attitude toward the Church.

I read this email and also my written response. The author of the email called in and we discussed and disagreed on a number of his points. We discussed:

My insistence that I defend my views, not the Church Oath of vengeance Blood oaths Mountain Meadows massacre John D. Lee's denial that Brigham Young ordered the MMM Hoffman's forged letter of Jonathan Dunham

Other callers:

This caller read some of the posts then being added to the exmormon.org about this discussion with the author of the email.

Steve Benson and Ezra Taft Benson.

Resolving religious issues through physical confrontation.

Comment on the claim of religious leader, Warren Jeffs.

Talk Show host: Van Hale, LDS Official website: http://www.mormonmiscellaneous.com/ Podcast address: http://www.mormonmisc.podbean.com/ Talk Show Blog: mormonmiscellaneous.com/radioprogramblog This is the 30 September 2007 episode of the Mormon Miscellaneous Worldwide Talk Show, now in its 28th year.

To listen to future Talk Shows live, go to http://www.k-talk.com/ Sunday evenings 5:00 - 7:00 pm MST.

If you have a question or comment, your participation is invited, regardless of your point of view.

Your voice will be heard around the world.

Click to visit my eStore Catalog of Digital Articles related to some of my Podcast Episodes

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

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My Sunstone Experience

At a session at the Sunstone Symposium three panelists discussed the need for a more aggressive approach to some of the more difficult Mormon topics. The idea they posed was that it would be better for Mormons to be introduced to controversial topics from within the Church rather than by Mormonism's critics.

I tell my experience of discussing the Trinity with a young Christian Evangelical, following my participation in a session on the doctrine of God in the Book of Mormon.

I comment on the paper I presented at Sunstone on the Mountain Meadows Massacre and the Oath of Vengeance and read an outrageous charge from the new book September Dawn, which is also a movie scheduled to be released the end of August.

Topics Raised by Callers and Email

John Krakauer's best selling book Evolution - several different views Can a divorced man become a bishop? Speculation on replacement of Pres. Hinckley's counsellor, Pres. Faust Succession claims following the death of Joseph Smith Will Bagley's response to my Sunstone paper on the Oath of Vengeance Are Church manuals going to be more scholarly? Adam God theory Joseph Smith's testimony

Talk Show host: Van Hale, LDS Official website: http://www.mormonmiscellaneous.com/ Podcast address: http://www.mormonmisc.podbean.com/ Talk Show Blog: mormonmiscellaneous.com/radioprogramblog This is the 12 August 2007 episode of the Mormon Miscellaneous Worldwide Talk Show, now in its 28th year.

To listen to future Talk Shows live, go to http://www.k-talk.com/ Sunday evenings 5:00 - 7:00 pm MST.

If you have a question or comment, your participation is invited, regardless of your point of view.

Your voice will be heard around the world.

Click to visit my eStore Catalog of Digital Articles related to some of my Podcast Episodes

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

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Open Forum

This episode was an open forum. I began by responding to an email from the last program on the Oath of Vengeance. The author of the email contended that Wilford Woodruff could not be trusted in his statement about the endowment ceremony because he had not been forthright regarding some plural marriages following the Manifesto. I responded by applying common sense and common experience to the question of credibility, reading two comments by Joseph Smith.

The first caller lead me into a discussion of the historicity of the Book of Mormon.

The second caller is the disciple of Art Bulla. He defended Bulla's previous challenge for me to meet him for a fist fight, claiming Bulla was acting, in this challenge, under God's direction. Bulla claims to be God's legitimate sole priesthood leader. He was followed by Art Bulla who responded.

A caller discussed with me the propensity of humans to keep many things secret.

Several other callers pursued various topics, some salient others ridiculous.

It was a fun program for me, but I would understand those who found portions of the discussion too outrageous to be worthwhile. This is the nature of open talk radio, it is unpredictable and can only be controlled by imposing strong censorship.  

Talk Show host: Van Hale, LDS Official website: http://www.mormonmiscellaneous.com/ Podcast address: http://www.mormonmisc.podbean.com/ Talk Show Blog: mormonmiscellaneous.com/radioprogramblog This is the 1 July 2007 episode of the Mormon Miscellaneous Worldwide Talk Show, now in its 28th year. To listen to future Talk Shows live, go to http://www.k-talk.com/ Sunday evenings 5:00 - 7:00 pm MST.

If you have a question or comment, your participation is invited, regardless of your point of view.

Your voice will be heard around the world.

Click to visit my eStore Catalog of Digital Articles related to some of my Podcast Episodes

To make a comment, click on "comment" below.

Listen Now:

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