Radio Free Mormon

Professor David Bokovoy and RFM dig deep into  the third chapter of the Book of Abraham.  What does all this material about astronomy really mean?  And what can it tell us about the actual author?  These questions, along with a host of others, are delved into in this fascinating discussion!

Today RFM is joined by Jonathan Streeter of Thoughts on Things and Stuff to dissect the Saturday morning session of October 2020 General Conference!  General Conference has never been so much fun!!!

Dr. David Bokovoy brings his formidable knowledge of Bible studies and textual analysis to bear on the Book of Abraham!  How does the Book of Abraham hold up?  This is one you don’t want to miss!!!

In this wide-ranging interview, Dr. David Bokovoy talks about his experience trying to build a bridge between contemporary Bible scholarship and the Religious Education Department at BYU.  *SPOILER ALERT*  BYU wasn’t interested. Closing music by The Dead Cowboys!

This is Lecture 10 in my twelve-lecture Institute class on Defending the Faith taught at the University of Texas at Austin in the spring semester of 1989.  In this class I show how to use the Bible to confute Born Again Christians who believe salvation is by grace alone!

Tonight we sit down with Born Again Mormon superstar Shawn McCraney and find out what makes him tick!  This interview packs a lot into 90-minutes! (***Listener Warning for some mildly salty language–Shawn is a bad influence on me.)

RFM gives a rundown of the fallout apologists have been experiencing due to the Robert Ritner interviews!  On top of that, three examples are given of the games apologists play in defending the Book of Abraham!

Many Latter-day Saints are leaving the Church over issues relating to the Book of Abraham.  In this special fireside, I talk about the most commonly heard criticisms of the Book of Abraham, and how faithful LDS scholars respond to them.  This fireside is a must-listen for anyone with questions about the Book of Abraham.

Dr. Kerry Muhlestein, BYU Egyptologist apologist for the Book of Abraham, has finally responded to our invitation to have him and Dr. John Gee on the podcast to show Dr. Robert Ritner where he is wrong.  Unfortunately, Dr. Muhlestein and Dr. Gee have declined the invitation.  Not because they are scared, mind you, but because… Read More »Radio Free Mormon: 194: Brave Sir Kerry (Muhlestein)

In a stunning reversal of events, John Gee publicly announces he no longer believes a long-touted evidence for the Book of Abraham is valid!  This raises the question, how long has John Gee known this, and why has he been the major proponent of this evidence for decades?  After a thorough examination of the evidence,… Read More »Radio Free Mormon: 193: John Gee Comes Clean!

The amazing Rock Waterman drops by RFM’s underground bunker to talk about what he’s been up to recently, and share some laughs.  Fortunately, Rock is a good sport about RFM’s incessant ribbing!  Two hours never went by so fast!

John Dehlin and I conclude this historic three-part podcast interviewing Dr. Robert K. Ritner, world famous Egyptologist and former professor of Dr. John Gee of BYU.  We cover a lot of ground in this 5 1/2 (!) hour episode, and before we are done, Dr. Ritner gets to finally give his version of the famous… Read More »Radio Free Mormon: 191: Dr. Robert K. Ritner on the Book of Abraham part 3

Now that new research has established the dependency of Joseph Smith’s Bible translation on the Adam Clarke Bible Commentary, RFM launches into a spate of new and additional ideas and inferences that can be drawn from this conclusion.  RFM shows how the Adam Clarke Bible Commentary may not only have influenced the JST, but also… Read More »Radio Free Mormon: 190: The Adam Clarke Connection

In this episode, Dr. Ritner goes through Facsimiles Two and Three and shows how the actual Egyptian translations do not match those provided by Joseph Smith.  We also go into depth on two of the apologists’ favorite arguments; (1) The practice of human sacrifice in ancient Egypt; and, (2) The translation of the four sons… Read More »Radio Free Mormon: 189: Dr. Robert K. Ritner on the Book of Abraham part 2

Dr. Robert K. Ritner is a world renowned Egyptologist and professor of Egyptology at the prestigious Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago.  I am honored to have been invited by John Dehlin to engage in a multi-part interview with Dr. Ritner to explore his views on the Book of Abraham; a subject he is… Read More »Radio Free Mormon: 188: Dr. Robert K. Ritner on the Book of Abraham part 1

In their long anticipated and recently released research paper, Haley Wilson-Lemmon and BYU Professor Thomas Wayment demonstrate beyond a reasonable doubt that Joseph Smith used Adam Clarke’s Bible Commentary in his production of the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible.  RFM walks us through each and every one of the seventeen examples set forth in… Read More »Radio Free Mormon: 187: “Borrowed Robes”–The JST’s Reliance on the Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

RFM shares his first experience going through the LDS temple endowment!

RFM has a lot of experience teaching at church over the past four decades!  He presented some great stories and thoughts on the subject to a special gathering of Denver Snuffer followers in Europe!

Professor Brian Hauglid is recently retired from BYU where he spent 21-years as Professor of Ancient Scripture.  The extensive work he has done on the Book of Abraham manuscripts has led him to state publicly that the “scholarship” of Book of Abraham apologists such as John Gee and Kerry Muhlestein is “abhorrent.”  Professor Hauglid explains… Read More »Radio Free Mormon: 184: The Brian Hauglid Interview

Carol Lynn Pearson, the Poet Laureate of Mormonism, drops by RFM’s underground bunker to chat about her life, her loves, and her latest projects!  Prepare yourself for a very special experience!

Paul and Matt are former Mormons who have gone on to become Born Again Christians.  RFM talks with them about their journey, answers their questions, and poses some questions of his own.  A few of RFM’s questions get somewhat pointed, but Paul and Matt take it in stride and a good time is had by… Read More »Radio Free Mormon: 182: Born Again Mormons

RFM dissects the world-wide young adult devotional given on May 3, 2020 by Elder And Sister Gay.  This devotional is a classic study in how the LDS Church gives its members freedom to choose with the right hand while simultaneously taking it away with the left.

Today is the big day when the Utah State Records Committee issued its ruling on RFM’s public disclosure request for the emails directing BYUPD to withhold information relating to the Joseph Bishop rape investigation!

How do LDS Church leaders get the members to do what they are told, while at the same time telling them they are free to choose?  RFM digs into the heart of this fascinating subject!

RFM interviews the hosts of Marriage on a Tightrope, Kattie and Allan Mount.  Kattie and Allan are in a mixed-faith marriage.  Their podcast seeks to help others navigate the sometimes stormy waters of mixed-faith marriages.

RFM compares a personal experience he had in 1985 with the way Joseph Smith practiced plural marriage.  It’s hard to escape the fact Joseph abused his power.  Badly.

RFM reveals for the first time the contents of an unpublished manuscript.  In it, RFM seeks to answer six questions raised by the fact the Book of Mormon teaches salvation by grace!  Several surprising discoveries are made along the way!

Does the Book of Mormon teach something about salvation entirely different from what the modern LDS Church teaches?  This is one you don’t want to miss!

RFM makes a number of important announcements and goes over a fistful of messages from listeners spanning the past two years!

RFM takes a deep dive into Ezra Taft Benson’s classic talk.  And comes up with a pearl or two for listeners!

Today concludes RFM’s discussion with Jonathan Streeter on the subject of Joseph Smith’s polygamy–and the lengths some apologists will go to in order to try and justify it!

RFM continues his historic discussion with Jonathan Streeter about Joseph Smith’s polygamy; and the defenses apologists use to try to justify it!

Today was the appeal hearing before the Utah State Records Committee.  RFM has doggedly been pursuing release of emails between Brigham Young University and the BYU Police Department.  These emails likely contain directives to the police to not release certain information contained in their reports  damaging to BYU and the LDS Church.  The Committee made… Read More »Radio Free Mormon: 170: SPECIAL REPORT–Utah State Records Committee Hearing

RFM joins the fabulous Jonathan Streeter (and Yugio!) to investigate the best documented plural marriage of Joseph Smith.  In the process, they manage to pick apart the most common defenses for Joseph’s polygamy put forward by Mormon apologists!

I gave this talk in sacrament meeting back in 2008.  No wonder it was the last time I was asked to speak!

The good news is the First Presidency issued a letter announcing a tithing refund!  The bad news is the letter’s a fake.  What can we learn from this?  RFM takes us on a deep dive!

RFM tells the story of a long-time friend named Sue.  Sue was a happy Mormon wife and mother . . .until her husband starting collecting wives.  This is one you don’t want to miss!

I want to dedicate today’s episode to my first dance teacher, Mr. Robert Smith, who passed away two years ago today. Thank you for being such an important influence in my life, Mr. Smith.  I miss you.  We all miss you.

Why did the Chinese government shanghai President Nelson’s announcement of a new temple on the mainland?  RFM does some sleuthing to find out!

RFM digs deeper into how magic theory can illuminate our understanding of  how it is Joseph Smith was able to perform the magical feat of translating The Book of Mormon out of a hat!

RFM was interviewed by John Larsen ten years ago on his epic podcast, “Mormon Expression.”  In commemoration of that historic event, I am pleased to post that memorable interview (with permission) here at Radio Free Mormon!

RFM brings to bear his training as a magician on the translation process of the Book of Mormon.  Suddenly, lots of pieces start falling into place!  Was this just a magic trick?  And has Joseph Smith been fooling people all along even down to the present day?  This one is a must-listen!

BREAKING NEWS! Radio Free Mormon presents newly discovered evidence that the LDS Church was involved in a cover-up of critical information relating to the Joseph Bishop–MTC Rape investigation.  This is one you won’t want to miss!

Why does President Russell M. Nelson feel compelled to label everything that comes out of his mouth as revelation? RFM digs into the current “revelation revolution” of President Nelson’s administration, and unearths a piece of evidence from 1986 that may shed important light on the subject!

RFM concludes his discussion of the Adam-God Theory.  Though officially denounced by the church, the AGT has tentacles that still impact the doctrine and practice of modern Mormonism!

RFM gives a workshop in identifying and dismantling bad apologetics, using the Adam-God Theory as a classic example!

RFM tells how he “crossed paths” with two old friends; friends whose journeys in and out of the church are decidedly different from the road RFM is on.  Get ready for a lot of fun and maybe even a few tears.  Oh!  And the church has another logo!

RFM performs the essay that got him into the podcasting biz!  In it, RFM reveals the lengths the LDS Church will go to in order to keep its members from learning about the Adam-God Theory; and that Brigham Young taught it as doctrine for half a century!

RFM does a deep dive into the new proclamation unveiled at the most recent general conference.  A comparison with the similar proclamation in 1980 yields surprising results!

RFM warms up in the bull pen for General Conference Review by sharing some great stories and audio from conferences past!