In this episode we examine one of the most foundational claims in Mormonism: the translation of the Book of Mormon. Most Latter-day Saints grew up hearing a very specific story. Joseph Smith sat at a table, the gold plates were present, and he translated the ancient record through divine power. But when we turn to the actual historical eyewitness accounts, a more complicated picture appears. Multiple witnesses—including Martin Harris, Emma Smith, and David Whitmer—described a translation process where Joseph placed a seer stone into a hat, buried his face in the hat to block out light, and dictated the text while the plates were often covered, in another room, or not present at all. If the translation did not require Joseph to read the plates… why were the plates necessary?

In this episode we slow the story down and look carefully at the historical sources. We examine the original accounts, the apologetic explanations offered to reconcile them, and the logical implications of those explanations. This is not about attacking belief. It is about asking a simple question: What explanation best fits the evidence?

Book: A Logical Deconstruction of Mormonism Available at Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Logical-Deconstruction-Mormonism-Bill-Reel-ebook/dp/B0GQN4178G

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The post Book of Mormon Translation appeared first on Mormon Discussion by Bill Reel.

A confrontation of historic proportions happened forty-five years ago; a confrontation between an LDS apostle and a BYU professor; between Elder Bruce R. McConkie and Professor Eugene England. The subject was the nature of God. But the ramifications were more far-reaching than that. Join Bill Reel and RFM as they dig deep into this controversy and explore what it meant then, and the fallout it still has today!

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The post Bruce R. McConkie Lays Down The Law appeared first on Mormon Discussion by Bill Reel.

In this episode of Mormonism Live, we sit down with Ember, a Native American and former Latter-day Saint, to explore a side of Mormonism that often goes overlooked – the lived experience of Native Americans inside the Church. For many Indigenous members, Mormon doctrine didn’t just offer a spiritual framework. It reshaped identity, ancestry, and self-worth. Teachings about “Lamanites,” skin color, righteousness, and divine lineage weren’t abstract ideas—they were personal, and often deeply painful. We talk through: What it means to be labeled a “Lamanite” in a modern world with DNA evidence The psychological weight of doctrines tied to skin color and worthiness The legacy of programs like the Indian Student Placement Program Cultural loss, identity fragmentation, and the pressure to assimilate How Church narratives intersect with broader colonial and Christian history The experience of being the “token Native” in LDS spaces The tension between Indigenous spirituality and Mormon theology The long road of deconstruction, healing, and reclaiming identity This isn’t just a conversation about history—it’s about how belief systems shape identity, and what it takes to rebuild when that foundation cracks. Whether you’re familiar with these issues or hearing them for the first time, this episode invites a deeper look at the intersection of faith, culture, and personal truth.

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The post Lamanite to Self: A Native Reckoning with Mormonism appeared first on Mormon Discussion by Bill Reel.

In this episode, we examine one of the lesser-known but revealing moments in Mormon history: the Kinderhook Plates. In 1843, a set of small brass plates covered with strange engravings were discovered in Kinderhook, Illinois and brought to Joseph Smith. Contemporary accounts record that Joseph examined the plates and began offering an interpretation of the characters, identifying them as an ancient record connected to a descendant of Ham. But decades later, the truth emerged. The Kinderhook Plates were a 19th-century hoax, created by local men to test whether Joseph Smith could truly translate ancient records. Modern metallurgical testing confirmed what the creators later admitted: the plates were manufactured in the 1800s. So what does this episode show? If Joseph had the divine ability to translate ancient languages by revelation, a modern forgery should have been immediately exposed. Instead, Joseph appeared to treat the plates as authentic and even began interpreting them. In this episode

we walk carefully through:
The discovery of the Kinderhook Plates
What Joseph Smith reportedly said about them
The later confession of the men who created them
And what this incident tells us about Joseph’s claimed translation abilities

This is part of a larger series examining the core claims of Mormonism one issue at a time.

If you appreciate this kind of careful, logical examination, my book A Logical Deconstruction of Mormonism expands this approach across thirty major issues—looking at the original claim, the evidence, the apologetic explanations, and the logical implications.

Thanks for listening. And as always, keep thinking clearly.

Book: A Logical Deconstruction of Mormonism Available at Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Logical-Deconstruction-Mormonism-Bill-Reel-ebook/dp/B0GQN4178G

The post The Kinderhook Plates: A Joseph Smith Translation? appeared first on Mormon Discussion by Bill Reel.

Why Do People Leave the LDS Church? In this episode of Mormonism Live, Bill Reel and Radio Free Mormon examine a topic that has been discussed inside Mormonism for nearly two centuries: why do people leave the Church? From early sermons by Brigham Young to modern General Conference addresses, Latter-day Saint leaders have offered explanations for why members lose their faith. These explanations often frame departure as the result of deception, pride, sin, offense, or the influence of Satan. Tonight we take a careful look at those teachings. We explore what Church leaders have said historically, how those ideas continue to appear in modern instruction, and how these narratives shape the way believers understand those who leave. We’ll also look at the human side of the conversation: how these labels affect real people, real families, and the possibility of honest dialogue between those who stay and those who step away. This episode is not about attacking belief. It’s about understanding the stories we tell about each other — and asking whether those stories leave room for compassion, curiosity, and honest conversation.

RESOURCES:
https://faenrandir.github.io/a_careful_examination/how-those-who-leave-are-viewed/
Glen Pace memo – https://www.scribd.com/document/105967728/Memo-Bishop-Glenn-L-Pace-to-LDS-Church-Members-Committee-Ritualistic-Child-Abuse-7-19-90

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The post The LDS Label Machine appeared first on Mormon Discussion by Bill Reel.

Sam Young is the legend who did amazing things almost a decade ago to protect children in the Mormon Church. Of course, the Mormon Church didn’t appreciate Sam’s efforts to protect the children, so they excommunicated him. This is Sam’s story! And for the first time, Sam will speak publicly about what happened during his excommunication proceeding! This is a show you won’t want to miss!

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The post Sam Young: Protector of Mormon Children! appeared first on Mormon Discussion by Bill Reel.

In this episode, we examine one of the clearest translation claims in Mormon history: the Book of Abraham. Joseph Smith said he translated ancient writings of Abraham from Egyptian papyri. Those papyri were displayed, studied, and described as the source of the text. Today, we still have fragments of those papyri. And Egyptologists can read them. They do not say what Joseph said they say. So what happened? We carefully walk through the original claim, what the surviving papyri actually contain (including the Breathing Permit of Hôr), and the major apologetic responses: the Missing Scroll theory, the Catalyst theory, and other reinterpretations. Then we ask the logical question: do these explanations preserve the original claim — or redefine it? This isn’t about mockery. It’s about clarity. If Joseph could translate Egyptian by divine power, this episode matters. And if he could not, that matters even more. If you appreciate this structured, respectful approach to examining Mormon truth claims, my book A Logical Deconstruction of Mormonism expands this method across thirty core issues — one claim at a time. Thanks for listening. And as always, keep thinking clearly.

Book: A Logical Deconstruction of Mormonism Available at Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Logical-Deconstruction-Mormonism-Bill-Reel-ebook/dp/B0GQN4178G

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Our mission at Mormon Discussion is to be a beacon of support for those who are questioning the truth claims or renegotiating their relationship with faith. Our podcasts like “Mormonism Live,” “Radio Free Mormon,” and “Mormon Discussion” offer a safe space for Discovery and healing. But we need your help. Your donations power our work – expanding outreach, improving content, and creating new initiatives. Visit https://donorbox.org/umbrella-entity or https://mormondiscussionpodcast.org/please-consider-donating-today/ and make a difference today.

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The post The Book of Abraham: Can Joseph Translate Egyptian? appeared first on Mormon Discussion by Bill Reel.

The Lost 116 Pages — What Really Happened? In this episode, we take a careful look at one of the earliest and most important moments in the coming forth of the Book of Mormon: the loss of the 116 manuscript pages. Believers have long heard the story. Martin Harris takes the manuscript. It disappears. Joseph is devastated. A revelation explains why the pages cannot be retranslated. But when we slow down and examine the logic of the situation, deeper questions begin to emerge. If Joseph had the plates… If he could translate by the gift and power of God… If the original manuscript still existed somewhere unaltered… Why couldn’t the text simply be reproduced? In this episode, we walk through the historical claim, the explanation given in Doctrine & Covenants 10, and the logical implications of that explanation. No mockery. No caricatures. Just the claim, the evidence, and the reasoning. If you are a believer who values truth, integrity, and consistency, this conversation is not an attack. It is an invitation to think carefully about one of the foundational events in early Church history.

And if you appreciate this structured, respectful approach to examining Mormon truth claims, my book “A Logical Deconstruction of Mormonism” delves into this issue as well as many others and can be found on Amazon by visiting https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GQN4178G Thanks for listening — and as always, keep thinking clearly.

The post The Lost 116 Pages from the Book of Lehi: A Logical Deconstruction appeared first on Mormon Discussion by Bill Reel.