To stay on the boat, or to get off the boat. That is the question. Today’s listener essay comes from Paul. He titled it “Latter-day Seafaring on the Old Ship Zion.” This is #9 of 14 essays in the February 2018 Listener Essay Contest on Infants on Thrones.
Are groups really greater than the individual sum of its parts (even with a Mormon group?) Today’s listener essay comes from Lincoln. He titled it “Heraldry.” This is #8 of 14 essays in the February 2018 Listener Essay Contest on Infants on Thrones.
Are groups really greater than the individual sum of its parts (even with a Mormon group?) Today’s listener essay comes from Miriam. She is calling it “My Response to Jonathan Haidt.” This is #7 of 14 essays in the February 2018 Listener Essay Contest on Infants on Thrones.
What do you do when you prepare for something incredible, but life has other plans? Today’s listener essay comes from Nate. We titled it “Hasadiga Runaway.” This is #6 of 14 essays in the February 2018 Listener Essay Contest on Infants on Thrones.
When your friends all say they KNOW something is true and you’re not really sure, but they expect you to say you KNOW it too, what do you do? Today’s listener essay comes from Ricky. He titled it “Nevertheless, thou mayest choose for thyself” which we processed through our very own Urim and Thummim to get “Choose for Yourself.” This is #5 of 14 essays in the February 2018 Listener Essay Contest on Infants on Thrones
How can you channel your inner Randy Snyder atheist without being a complete a-hole to believing family and friends (Delaney’s words, not mine…)? Today’s listener essay comes from Delany. She titled it “The Atheist and the Humanist.” This is #4 of 14 essays in the February 2018 Listener Essay Contest on Infants on Thrones. Here is where you will find Delaney’s blog: https://delaneydarco.wordpress.com
Remember when you used to think you were all that and a bag of chips cuz of the whole “chosen people” thing? Today’s listener essay comes from Liz. We are calling it “Remarkable Unremarkable Me.” This is #3 of 14 essays in the February 2018 Listener Essay Contest on Infants on Thrones
How do you maintain a relationship with religious family members once you have left religion behind? Today’s listener essay comes from Peter. We are calling it “Religious Family Members.” This is 2 of 14 essays to come over the next 2 weeks on Infants on Thrones.
Today’s listener essay comes from Leah. We are calling it “My Super Excruciating Mormonism.” This is 1 of 14 essays to come over the next 2 weeks on Infants on Thrones.
Tom sits down with his oldest daughter who wrote an essay for a college class titled, “The Religious Influence on my Life.” She talks and writes about the shift her life took when her father came out to her as an unbeliever.
Glenn joins forces with John Dehlin, Gina Colvin, Lindsay Hansen Park, and Jamie Hanis-Handy to discuss Spiral Dynamics, a data-based, psychological theory of how human consciousness adapts and changes. Spiral Dynamics can help us better understand the way we view religion and the way we view the world. This is a slight different version of the conversation that is being cross-published on Mormon Stories and A Thoughtful Faith. Cuz this one was edited Infant Stylz....
Randy, Glenn, John, Lindsay, and Matt conclude their discussion of Rupert Sheldrake’s 2012 “Banned Ted Talk” about the 10 dogmas of a Scientific Materialist Worldview.
What does it mean to be open-minded vs. closed-minded? We experienced some kind of “open vs. closed” clash of ideologies when we challenged and deconstructed the dogmas of Mormonism, right? So what do we do with that now? And what about the accusations that some of us simply substituted the cultural dogmas of Mormonism for the cultural dogmas of Science? Listen in as Randy totally keeps his cool (eh hem…) while joining Glenn, John, Lindsay, and Matt in a discussion of Rupert Sheldrake’s 2012 “Ba...
Glenn has figured out who the actual anti-christ is and what “anti-christ” actually means. And it’s not what you think! Unless, of course, it is. It’s really hard to tell being as obnoxiously cryptic as I am being. Just listen. You’ll like this one. I promise.
How do you heal after an excommunication? Matt talks with Carson and Marisa Calderwood about finding healing and community through EDM music and culture.
Could a scientific mythology could bring balance to the force and peace & harmony to the galaxy? Listen in to Part 2 of this panel discussion of the book Sapiens with some responses to listener comments about “fiction” and “myth.” A source about the common characteristics of mythology: https://faculty.gcsu.edu/custom-website/mary-magoulick/defmyth.htm
Matt shares a recording that he made with his family on Christmas eve, where he discusses his recent rediscovery the value of Jesus.
Glenn and Matt discuss Jonathan Haidt’s 2014 TED talk titled “Religion, evolution, and the ecstasy of self-transcendence.” I know, I know. We had you at ecstasy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MYsx6WArKY&t=3s
Do you have something you want to say on Infants on Thrones? Now is your chance to say it, and possibly win a cash prize for doing it. This episode contains 4 example essays: “Testimony” by Glenn Ostlund (from 2008) “Obedience” by Tom Perry (from 2008) “Tangled” by Scott Rowley (from 2009) “Testimony Update” by Glenn Ostlund (Dec 2017) Click here for more details about the essay contest.
Why do otherwise smart and intelligent people defend really bad ideas? How does our brain respond to perceived threats? What are mirror neurons? Glenn shares a kookie but fascinating video about the brain and tells a lot of stories along the way. Could this video possibly contain the seeds of answers to some of the biggest existential questions we still ask ourselves, even after a faith crisis? This episode was produced as a video podcast first. You will get more out of it watching than you will...
Tom and Matt are joined by Eric Herman, also known as Weird Alma. Eric talks about his journey from addiction, joining the church, and then eventually leaving. We also talk about some of the songs on his parody album, “Straight Outta Cumorah.” Eric is a musician who focuses on creating music for kids. http://www.EricHermanMusic.com http://www.WeirdAlma.com http://www.EricEndres.com...
Bob is joined by Glenn, Tom, Matt, Randy, and friend-of-the-show Lindsay Hansen Park to discuss comedian Louis C.K.’s sexual misconduct in the context of “the reckoning,” the post Harvey Weinstein moment. See below for a couple of resources mentioned in the episode. When Does a Watershed Become a Sex Panic? https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/when-does-a-watershed-become-a-sex-panic How We Can End Sexual Harassment at Work https://www.ted.com/talks/gretchen_carlson_how_we_can_end_sexua...
In this Froback Friday hybrid, Glenn and Matt are joined by Nancy and Melissa to reflect on Nancy’s Listener Essay about Sexual Assault from Jan 2015.
Mass shootings. Sexual assault. Why do men keep doing horrible things? Glenn, Matt, Jake, Lindsay, and Paige conclude their smack around of the article “Thoughts on Vegas, and Why Men Keep Doing This” by author Charlie Hoehn. https://byrslf.co/thoughts-on-the-vegas-shooting-14af397cee2c
Mass shootings. Sexual assault. Why do men keep doing horrible things? Glenn, Matt, Jake, Lindsay, and Paige smack around the article “Thoughts on Vegas, and Why Men Keep Doing This” by author Charlie Hoehn. https://byrslf.co/thoughts-on-the-vegas-shooting-14af397cee2c
Who you gonna call? Listen in as Glenn talks with Ryan Straub, an honest to goodness PI (Paranormal Investigator) with honest to goodness experience with honest to goodness hauntings. Enjoy. http://ryanstraub.wixsite.com/-iiirdeyechronicles/ryan-straub
Mormon Ghost Stories are LAME.
Haunted houses and Mormon missionaries. This is the final “chunk” of the Oxenholm story. This is Chunk #11
Haunted houses and Mormon missionaries. One small piece of the story told for every day for the entire month of October. Here is Chunk #10
Haunted houses and Mormon missionaries. One small piece of the story told for every day for the entire month of October. Here is Chunk #9
