In this post-General Conference episode, Matt, Shawn, and Melanie tackle the intersection of faith and friction in modern America. The team starts with a listener's defense of FDR before diving into a high-stakes comparison of religious expression in professional sports. They also dissect the legal arguments surrounding President Trump’s executive order on birthright citizenship and the 14th Amendment. Finally, the hosts explore recent data showing a historic shift of Latter-day Saints toward the Democratic Party and share their personal takeaways from the April 2026 General Conference.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The FDR Debate: Is Japanese internment a "straw man" argument or a defining moral failure?
• Faith on the Court: Comparing the public reception of BYU’s Delaney Gibb and the NBA’s Jaden Ivey.
• Birthright Citizenship: Analyzing the 14th Amendment and the legal consistency of excluding certain immigrant groups.
• The "Trump Effect": Why LDS voters are moving toward the Democratic Party faster than any other group.
• Peace and Revelation: Personal reflections on the messages from President Nelson and President Oaks.

Chapter Markers

• 00:00 – Introduction and General Conference Recap
• 01:50 – Listener Feedback: Defending FDR and Historical Context
• 04:00 – Religion in Sports: Delaney Gibb vs. Jaden Ivey
• 10:30 – Style vs. Substance: Is Expression Conduct Detrimental?
• 14:15 – The 14th Amendment: Birthright Citizenship and Legal Consistency
• 21:20 – Native American Sovereignty and the Jurisdiction Clause
• 26:45 – The Shift: Why LDS Voters are Leaving the GOP
• 31:10 – Is MAGA Inconsistent with Church Morality?
• 35:45 – The Generation Gap: Diversity and Political Sophistication
• 45:40 – General Conference Takeaways: Charity, Peace, and Personal Revelation
• 52:10 – Closing Thoughts: Changing Society through Individual Change

Keywords

Latter-day Saints, LDS Politics, General Conference 2026, Birthright Citizenship, 14th Amendment, MAGA and Religion, BYU Basketball, Political Polarization, President Nelson, President Oaks, Civil Discourse.

If only 15 non-citizens were found on a voter roll of 6 million, why is the SAVE Act the biggest debate in Washington? This week, Matt and Shawn are joined by David Brown to dissect the "big numbers" of 2026—from the $56 billion LDS Church reserve fund to the microscopic reality of non-citizen voting.

We start with Matt’s 50th birthday milestone: a high-altitude, weightless flight that sparked a profound conversation on why "death is not the final enemy." Matt shares a personal temple experience that reframed his view on the resurrection and our attachment to the mortality of this life.

The Thought ProvokerThe Billion-Dollar Consonant: David contextualizes the Ensign Peak filings. Is it a "hoard" or a masterclass in modern stewardship? We look at what $56 billion actually looks like per member.

The Voting "Smoke Screen": We merge the data from audits in Idaho, Utah, and Michigan with the 214-year history of Gerrymandering. Are we solving a non-existent fraud problem while ignoring how politicians pick their own voters?

Labor and the Hireling: Is it ever moral to force essential workers, like TSA agents, to work without pay during a government shutdown? We debate the "hazard of the job" vs. the biblical condemnation of oppressing the hireling.

The Happiness Trap: Why did a French study rank San Francisco as the happiest US city while Salt Lake City vanished? We discuss why "government-led happiness" might be a fundamental misunderstanding of the Latter-day lens.

Addendum from David:I may have named dropped Albert Brooks as a happiness researcher, and while he may loosely qualify, I intended to direct the audience to Arthur Brooks. If this feels like a meaningful extension of the April Fools theme, then I’ll take full credit. 

 Side note — Albert Brooks (the actor, and voice of Nemo’s dad in Finding Nemo) was actually named Albert Einstein at birth. Nobody is going to believe that though, if the SAVE act passes, and he shows up with that paperwork 

[Keywords for Search] LDS Church Finances, Ensign Peak, Gerrymandering History, SAVE Act 2026, Voter Fraud Audit, TSA Shutdown, San Francisco Happiness Index, BYU History, Faith and Resurrection, Political Science.

Chapter Timestamps

• [00:00] Intro: Flying an Airplane & The Physics of Weightlessness.
• [02:15] Reframing Death: A Temple Experience and Eternal Perspective.
• [04:20] Mailbag: Addressing Accusations About Church Spending.
• [06:20] Ensign Peak Breakdown: What $56 Billion Looks Like Per Member.
• [08:15] BYU History: The Financial Tensions of Ernest Wilkinson & Dallin H. Oaks.
• [10:30] TOPIC 1: Gerrymandering & The "Salamander" Map of 1812.
• [28:01] TOPIC 2: The SAVE Act & The Audit Data (15 out of 6 Million).
• [46:15] TOPIC 3: Labor Ethics—Forcing TSA Agents to Work Without Pay.
• [50:15] TOPIC 4: 2026 Happiness Index—Why San Francisco Beat Salt Lake.
• [56:45] Closing: Why Government Can’t Remove Every Obstacle.

In this episode of The Latter-Day Lens, Matt and Shawn dive deep into the tension between calculated risk and eternal perspective. Starting with Matt's recent dive into the safety statistics of private aviation versus winter sports, the conversation quickly shifts from the physical risks of flying to the spiritual and social risks of how we live our lives.

They explore the "theology of the afterlife" through the lens of the film Eternity, debating whether heaven is defined by our location or our relationships. The hosts then pivot to a "Thought Provoker" segment on the morality of the modern marketplace—tackling everything from AI bot manipulation and "earned" reviews to the massive scale of the US national debt.

Finally, Matt offers a masterclass in political engagement, challenging listeners to stop being "acted upon" by political parties and instead use their agency to shape the parties to match their values.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The Risk Assessment: Why Matt would rather face a plane crash than a torn ACL.
• Defining Heaven: Is the Celestial Kingdom about where you are, or who you're with?
• Market Morality: Are bots and paid reviews a form of "bearing false witness"?
• The Debt Dilemma: Stewardship versus the "magic money" of government spending.
• Constitutional Crisis: Why the Bill of Rights applies to everyone on US soil, not just citizens.
• Political Agency: How to stop being a "lukewarm" partisan and start leading from within.

Chapter Timestamps

• [00:00] Intro: Matt’s Birthday and the "Dangerous" New Hobby.
• [01:21] Injuries vs. Death: Choosing Flying over Skiing.
• [02:40] The "Famous People Who Died in Small Planes" List.
• [04:35] Movie Review: Why Matt Hated Eternity (and the Premise of Heaven).
• [08:50] The "President Nelson/Oaks Dilemma": Eternal Marriage and Choice.
• [13:00] Weird Movie Recommendations: Doubt, Project Hail Mary, and Joe Versus the Volcano.
• [14:35] The Ethics of Bots: Cultural Manipulation and Market Deception.
• [16:30] Paid Reviews: Good Marketing or Immoral Lying?
• [27:15] Macroeconomics 101: The $38 Trillion National Debt.
• [35:35] Stewardship: Is the US Government a "Bad Steward"?
• [38:40] Immigration and the Constitution: Protecting Rights for All.
• [51:00] The Moral Agency of Politics: Why No Party Fully Represents the Church.
• [54:00] Closing: How to Take Over a Political Party.

Keywords

LDS Podcast, The Latter-Day Lens, Political Science, Private Pilot Safety, Eternal Marriage, US National Debt, Stewardship, Constitutional Rights, Immigration Enforcement, Political Agency, Marketing Ethics, AI Bots, Christian Morality.

In this episode of the Latter Day Lens, Matt, Shawn, and guest Levi Barnes dive into the complex intersections of modern headlines and eternal principles. The conversation starts light with Matt’s upcoming 50th birthday plans—including a discovery flight—and Levi’s bruised attempts at snowboarding.

The team then tackles the serious stuff: the shift of major media platforms toward the right and whether a "middle ground" actually exists in politics. They debate Senator Bernie Sanders’ proposed 5% wealth tax on billionaires and whether it aligns with the Christian duty to care for the poor. The discussion takes a somber turn as they examine the tragic consequences of international conflict in Iran and Venezuela, questioning the cycle of justice versus the higher law of mercy. Finally, they wrap up with a fascinating "Big Question" about the law of usury in Deuteronomy: Is it morally wrong to charge interest to your "brothers"?

Timestamps

• 00:00 – Welcome back Levi: Snowboarding vs. Skiing.
• 00:54 – Matt turns 50: Flying planes and private pilot dreams.
• 05:11 – Media Ownership: Are billionaires moving legacy platforms to the right for profit or politics?
• 06:40 – Defining the "Middle": Is centrism a virtue or just being "lukewarm"?
• 16:05 – The 5% Wealth Tax: Bernie Sanders, Robin Hood, and the ethics of funding healthcare.
• 28:40 – Conflict and Consequences: Retaliation in Iran and the "Latter Day Lens" on mercy over justice.
• 40:15 – The Big Question: Usury in Deuteronomy. Should members of the church charge each other interest?
• 54:20 – The Higher Law: From debt equity to ownership and the "Marxist" connection.

Keywords

Latter-day Saints, Politics, Wealth Tax, Bernie Sanders, Usury, Biblical Law, International Relations, Private Pilot, Middle Ground, Christian Ethics, Humanitarian Aid, Economic Justice, Personal Finance.

In this episode, Matt, Shawn, and Porter tackle a series of high-stakes headlines and "The Big Question" regarding the future of traditional norms. 

Chapter Headings

• 0:00 – Introduction and Audio Quality
  • Matt discusses the recent technical fixes to the podcast audio and the importance of listener feedback.
• 10:04 – The Epstein Files and Iran Bombing Timing
  • A discussion on the DOJ's missing files and Republican Representative Thomas Massie’s comments on military timing.
  • The DOJ's release of missing Epstein files and the geopolitical justifications for the strikes in Iran.
• 25:56 – Daryl Hannah and the Morality of Fictionalized History
  • Discussing Daryl Hannah’s guest essay criticizing her portrayal in Love Story and the ethics of "bearing false witness" in media.
• 36:10 – The Texas Senate Primary and Trump's Influence
  •  Analyzing the runoff between John Cornyn and Ken Paxton and the nature of political party power. 
  • The implications of Trump's demands for unendorsed candidates to drop out.
• 46:30 – The Big Question: Theology and Traditional Gender Norms
  • Unpacking the KCL global study on Gen Z attitudes and exploring the doctrinal shift toward equal partnership.

Keywords

mormon podcasts, faith-based podcast, religious podcast, christianity podcast, christian podcast, secret lives mormon wives podcast, Epstein files, Trump allegations, Iran bombing, Daryl Hannah, Texas Senate primary, Gen Z gender roles, theology and equality, Latter-day Lens.

Epstein Files and Trump Google Trends This video analyzes the surge in public interest regarding the connection between the Epstein files and Donald Trump, providing visual context for the search trends mentioned in the episode.

In this episode Matt, Shawn, and Marc dive into the intersection of identity, executive power, and the economic ripple effects of modern trade policy. From the evolving landscape of LGBTQ identification in America to the unprecedented legal maneuvers of the executive branch, the hosts unpack how these shifts align with—or challenge—Latter-day Saint perspectives.

Chapter Headings & Show Notes

• 00:00 | Mailbag: Wu-Tang, IP Protection, and C.R.E.A.M.
  • The hosts discuss a listener's take on how the lyrics to "C.R.E.A.M." serve as a metaphor for Intellectual Property protection.
• 08:43 | Same-Sex Marriage and the Social Construction of Identity
  • A discussion on the doubling of LGBTQ identification since the legalization of same-sex marriage and the role of government in promoting social identities.
• 12:08 | Executive Immunity: Can a President Sue His Own Government?
  • An analysis of Nixon v. Fitzgerald (1982) and the implications of a sitting president suing his own administration.
• 16:16 | The Tariff Debate: Trade Strategy or Working-Class Sales Tax?
  • Matt and Shawn clash over whether new 10% global tariffs are a negotiation tool or a regressive tax on the working class.
  • Evidence for Matt's Claim: According to a 2026 U.S. Joint Economic Committee (JEC) report, recent tariff policies have added an estimated $1,745 annual burden to the average American household.
• 21:44 | The Big Question: Is Christian Nationalism Consistent with the Gospel?
  • Defining Christian Nationalism and weighing its rise in LDS-heavy states against the 11th Article of Faith.

Keywords

• Identity & Religion: LDS LGBTQ perspectives, Child of God identity, religious liberty, Christian Nationalism vs. LDS doctrine, 11th Article of Faith.
• Politics & Law: Presidential absolute immunity, Nixon v. Fitzgerald case, sitting President suing the government, executive power and the IRS.
• Economics: Trump global tariff impact, regressive sales tax debate, middle-class tax burden 2026, trade policy negotiation, US Joint Economic Committee tariff report.
• General: The Latter-day Lens podcast, faith-promoting scripted discussion, current events from a Mormon lens.

This week, host Matt Miles is joined by co-host Shawn Record and Levi Barnes. The trio dives into the deep end of politics, property rights, and the complicated nature of modern prophecy. The episode kicks off with a celebration of Matt’s newest book, The Metrics of Faith, and a lighthearted (but debated) look at whether Donald Trump accidentally confirmed the existence of aliens on Air Force One.

Users are currently wagering over $29 million on whether the Second Coming of Jesus Christ will occur by the end of 2026. Shawn suggests that prediction markets might be more accurate than traditional polling, though he remains skeptical of the timeline. Matt and Shawn weigh in on whether they’d be willing to put money on such a prophecy.

The Thought Provoker

• Martin Shkreli and the Wu-Tang Album: Using the legal battle over the world's rarest album, the team explores the distinction between physical ownership and copyright. Are intellectual property rights the kind of property God expects governments to protect?
• AI and the Ownership of Knowledge: Following Matthew Call’s insights, we discuss the "knowledge harvest"—the process where enterprise AI systems record how employees think and solve problems. Does the restored gospel offer a perspective on who truly owns the knowledge we create?
• Inheritance in Numbers: Turning to Numbers 27:7–11, we examine the ancient laws of inheritance given to Moses. Do these verses suggest a divine favor for passing down wealth, and does that make certain taxes or government seizures immoral?

The Big Question: Gaza and Article of Faith 10

The conversation takes a deep and difficult turn into the book of Numbers (chapters 31 and 33) and the 10th Article of Faith. As we look at the destruction and displacement in ancient Canaan alongside the modern conflict in Gaza, we ask: Was God supportive of such destruction? The hosts grapple with the violence in Gaza through the lens of the Old Testament and Latter-day prophecy. They explore whether the current conflict is a literal fulfillment of the 10th Article of Faith and the gathering of Israel, or if the spiritual gathering into "Stakes of Zion" is the true focus

Episode Chapters

00:00 | Intro: The Metrics of Faith and Trump’s Alien "Confirmation"

02:15 | Mailbag: The $20 Million Bet on the Second Coming

07:40 | The Thought Provoker: Shkreli, Wu-Tang, and the Nature of Property

25:30 | The Thought Provoker: AI and the "Harvesting" of Human Knowledge

40:15 | The Thought Provoker: Numbers 27 and the "Gross" Ethics of Inheritance

48:00 | The Big Question: Is the Gaza Conflict a Fulfillment of Prophecy?

01:01:00 | Closing: Safety, Welcome, and the Last Word

The Latter-Day Lens team is back for a wide-ranging discussion that moves from joyful personal milestones to the complexities of modern justice and church leadership. Host Matt and co-host Shawn are joined by Melanie to celebrate her recent engagement before diving into the "Thought Provoker" on the controversial release of the Epstein files. They also tackle the "marijuana problem" and how to navigate the Word of Wisdom when science and personal revelation intersect. Finally, the group addresses the calling of Elder Clark G. Gilbert to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, offering a deeply personal look at the man behind the mantle and the spiritual process of sustaining leaders.

Chapters

00:01 - The "Brah" Engagement & Generation Labels

03:40 - Mailbag: Is Healthcare a Natural Right?

10:47 - The Epstein Files: Mistake or Justice?

The "Thought Provoker" begins with the fallout from the release of the Epstein files. Matt expresses deep concern over the accidental release of 43 victims' names and the lack of new criminal implications. Shawn and Melanie push back, debating the necessity of pursuing justice against "secret combinations" and the reality of corruption within government systems.

19:22 - The Marijuana Problem & Word of Wisdom Revelation

Following a New York Times pivot on marijuana legalization and new studies on the benefits of coffee and tea, the team discusses how to apply the Word of Wisdom in 2026, while the group explores the difference between enduring doctrine and temporary commandments.

36:02 - The New Apostle: Sustaining Elder Clark G. Gilbert

The conversation turns to the viral and "controversial" calling of Elder Clark G. Gilbert to the Quorum of the Twelve. Matt shares personal stories from their time working together at BYU-Idaho. The team discusses the spiritual necessity of seeking a personal witness for leaders, regardless of political leanings or demographics.

52:07 - The Big Question: Perfection vs. Civic Duty

The episode concludes with a deep dive into Elder Quentin L. Cook’s 2025 conference address. They balance the Savior’s focus on the "perfection of the Saints" with President Oaks' call to be "knowledgeable citizens." Melanie leaves the group with a final thought on the intersection of infrastructure, social justice, and missionary work.

In this episode of the Latter Day Lens, Matt, Shawn, and Porter dive into the complex intersection of faith, politics, and technology. The team debates whether healthcare should be considered a God-given right or a government service, explores the spiritual risks of judges using AI for judicial opinions, and analyzes the massive shifts in traditional journalism at CBS News. Finally, they tackle "The Big Question": If Christ is the Great Connector, how should that influence our behavior in a polarized political world?

Instead of listener comments, we’re featuring the latest projects from our hosts. Check them out and show your support!

• Graham Mitchell: Follow the life of a city manager on TikTok at citymanagerguy.
• Shawn: Listen to incredible accounts of faith on the Mission Stories Podcast.
• Matt: Catch Matt and his sister discussing church-related news on This Week in Latter Days.

The Thought Provoker

Healthcare as a Right: The US Constitution doesn't explicitly list healthcare, yet many Americans believe the government is obligated to provide it. Does the "right to life" imply an inherent right to medical care? The group debates "positive" vs. "negative" rights and what the scriptures say about caring for the sick and afflicted.

AI in the Courtroom: Judges are increasingly using AI to clear case backlogs and draft opinions. While efficient, does this skip the "study it out in your mind" phase of revelation? We discuss whether relying on algorithms hinders a judge's ability to seek wisdom from the Lord.

The Future of CBS News: With Bari Weiss leading a "digital-first" strategy, CBS is hiring influencers to reach younger audiences. Right now, CBS News is stuck in third place in viewership, and it skews older, so I can see why they want to make changes. Is this a savvy market move or the death of investigative journalism? We debate if the "marketplace of ideas" rewards truth or just clickbait.

The Big Question

"If the Savior is the great connector, then the adversary is the separator." Elder Jeremy R. Jaggi recently taught that Satan seeks to separate us from sacred places and each other. We explore: Does this principle apply to politics? Is "contending" for truth always divisive, or can it be done in a way that unifies? How to model Christ-like behavior when engaging with those who hold vastly different political views.

Chapters
00:00 Welcome Back and Political Landscape
01:50  Host Highlights
05:31 Rights and Healthcare Debate
16:52 AI in the Judicial System
23:25 AI in the Courtroom: Efficiency vs. Judicial Wisdom 
33:20 Media Shakeup: Can Bari Weiss Save CBS News? 
46:05 The Big Question: Is Christ the Great Connector? 

In this episode of The Latter Day Lens, hosts Matt, Shawn, and Graham engage in a thought-provoking discussion about societal challenges, the willingness to tackle hard issues, and the implications of modern beliefs on end times. They explore the significance of the Doomsday Clock, the complexities of gun rights versus property rights, and the Right to Repair movement as a response to market failures. The conversation emphasizes the importance of understanding motivations behind social media content and the role of good governance in addressing community needs.

Topic 1: 85 Seconds to Midnight

The Doomsday Clock now sits at its closest point to midnight in history. We examine the lack of progress in managing nuclear risk, climate change, and the rise of disruptive AI.

• The Question: Is humanity closer to self-destruction today than at any point in the last 80 years?

Topic 2: End-Times Anxiety & Responsibility

Following the arrest of Elleshia Anne Seymour in Croatia—who fled Utah with her children due to fringe "apocalypse" beliefs—we discuss the impact of radical rhetoric within the LDS community.

• The Question: Is it irresponsible for church members to amplify "end-times" concerns through books and social media?

Topic 3: Guns and Private Property (Wolford v. Lopez)

The Supreme Court is weighing Hawaii’s law requiring gun owners to get explicit permission before entering private property. We debate the intersection of the Second Amendment and property rights.

• The Question: Should "no shirt, no shoes" legally extend to "no firearms" by default?

The Big Question: The Right to Repair

Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez is pushing for laws that force manufacturers to make products easier to fix. We look at the move away from a "disposable" economy.

• The Question: Is the "unfixable" nature of modern tech a market failure, and does the government have the moral authority to force a design change?

Chapters
00:00 The Will to Do Hard Things
05:59 The Doomsday Clock and Global Catastrophe
15:28 End Times Beliefs and Social Media Responsibility
21:11 Gun Rights and Property Ownership
22:11 The Libertarian Perspective on Freedom
23:39 Discrimination and Property Rights
25:47 Legal Rights and Gun Ownership
28:26 Political Discrimination and Hiring Practices
31:32 The Right to Repair and Market Failures
38:27 Public Service and Community Engagement

The team opens with a "mailbag" segment addressing listener feedback regarding tax fairness and the need for a truly conservative/MAGA voice on the panel. The discussion then moves to a "report card" for President Trump’s first year of his second term, covering everything from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to mass deportations and tariffs. The debate gets particularly sharp over the legal classification of undocumented immigrants and the validity of political polling. Finally, the hosts pivot to a metaphysical discussion on near-death experiences (NDEs) and whether they offer proof of the afterlife or are simply biological functions of the brain.

Key Discussion Points

• Taxing Wealth vs. Income: A listener challenge on whether it is "fair" for inherited wealth to go untaxed.
• The "MAGA" Perspective: Marc steps in to represent the MAGA viewpoint in response to listener requests for more diverse political representation.
• Trump’s First Year Review: An analysis of nine key actions, including federal workforce cuts, executive orders, and shifting global trade.
• The Immigration Debate: A deep dive into whether overstaying a visa is a "crime" or a civil violation, and the motivations behind current deportation policies.
• Trump's historically low approval ratings: Should he care?
• Tariffs & The Economy: Analyzing the $100 billion reduction in the federal deficit versus the potential isolation of the U.S. market.
• Near-Death Experiences: A faith-based vs. biological look at the "Grayson Scale" and what happens to the spirit during a medical crisis.

Chapter Markers

00:00 – Welcome back, Marc! (The "War in Heaven" Veteran). 

01:15 – Mailbag: Fair share taxes and the inheritance debate. 

02:15 – Addressing the "Lacking MAGA Voice" critique. 

06:35 – Trump’s Second Term: The One-Year Report Card. 

10:15 – The Jan 6th Pardons and Judicial Integrity. 

13:30 – Heated Debate: Is overstaying a visa a crime?

22:10 – Presidential Approval Ratings: Are polls accurate in 2026? 

30:10 – Tariffs: National sales tax or economic masterstroke? 

43:00 – The Big Question: International Association for Near-Death Studies. 

46:00 – Miracles vs. Biology: What happens when we die? 

50:35 – Closing thoughts and "Too much MAGA?"

Keywords: Latter-day Saints, Mormon politics, Spirit World, Near-death experiences (NDE), Latter-day Lens, Faith and politics, Lorenzo Snow (referenced in the episode), Book of Mormon values, Trump Second Term 2026, Tariff economic impact, Mass deportations 2026, DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency), Presidential approval ratings, Federal deficit reduction, MAGA movement

In this episode, Matt and Shawn welcome Levi back to the podcast to tackle a range of heavy-hitting topics—from the stability of the American empire to the surprising resurgence of labor unions. The team dives deep into an op-ed by Leon Panetta, debates whether the two-party system is beyond repair, and explores a "Latter-day Lens" on political philosophies. They wrap up with a spirited discussion on whether Jesus would endorse classical liberalism, social liberalism, or liberal socialism. 

00:00 – Welcome back, Levi! (And Sean’s bizarre mission president dreams).

00:46 – The "Alien" Mailbag: Why does no one want to talk about UFOs?

03:29 – National Renewal vs. Steady Decline The team analyzes Leon Panetta’s Wall Street Journal op-ed. Is the U.S. truly at a "critical turning point," or is our current gridlock just a reflection of a divided electorate?

• The Optimist View: The states are still functioning, and history shows America solves problems when they become crises.
• The Realist View: Extreme polarization is making it nearly impossible to address long-term issues like the national debt and Social Security.

15:01- The Third Party Myth? The guys discuss the "Bull Moose" and Ross Perot legacies.

• Why third parties rarely win (and why the Republican Party’s origins as a third party led straight to the Civil War).
• The impact of Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) as seen in Alaska and its potential to empower moderate voices.

27:15 –Labor Unions: Principle vs. Practice A look at why unions are popular in polls but struggling in membership.

• The "indirect benefits" of unions: How they set the standard for wages and benefits even for non-union employees.
• The historical correlation between the decline of unions and the widening wealth gap.

43:53 –The Latter-day Lens on Political Philosophy Matt poses a challenging question: If Jesus were here today, which "Liberalism" would He endorse?

• Social Liberalism: Using government as a safety net to ensure true agency.
• Classical Liberalism: Protecting property rights and limiting state power.
• Liberal Socialism: The idea that material necessity is a barrier to true spiritual and civil freedom.

Keywords

 Latter Day Lens Podcast, LDS Political Discussion, Leon Panetta Op-Ed, Liberal Socialism vs. Classical Liberalism, Ranked Choice Voting, Labor Unions 2026, Christian Political Philosophy, Is America a failed state?, Two-party system gridlock, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Politics, President Oaks on Liberalism and Conservatism, Political agency and the Gospel. 

This week, Matt, Melanie, and Shawn bridge the gap between church callings and cosmic mysteries. From the newly announced 2026 mission presidents to the controversial "disclosure" of extraterrestrial life, the team explores where faith meets the modern world.

Chapters

• 00:00 – Introduction & The "Order 67" Removal The hosts catch up and discuss the recent news that In-N-Out is getting rid of "Order 67" due to disruptive behavior from younger customers.
• 01:03 – The "Celebrity" Mission President List The Church has released the 2026 mission leadership assignments. Matt uses Gemini to highlight "noteworthy" calls including BYU legend Robbie Bosco, former Relief Society and Young Women leaders, and high-level CEOs from companies like Priceline and Beachbody.
• 11:42 – Bypassing Boundaries: AI and the Grok Controversy A serious look at the dark side of AI: reports of users using Elon Musk’s "Grok" to generate non-consensual sexualized imagery. The group debates platform accountability and the legal protections (or lack thereof) for victims of digital defamation.
• 23:23 – Romney’s Revenue: Saving Social Security Mitt Romney has proposed closing tax loopholes for the ultra-wealthy to prevent a Social Security benefits shortfall by 2034. Shawn champions the principle of self-reliance, while Matt and Melanie look at the proposal through the lens of scriptural warnings about the concentration of wealth.
• 35:23 – The Big Question: Have Aliens Visited Earth? Inspired by the film The Age of Disclosure, Matt goes all-in on his "Roswell theory." The group dives into Moses 1:33 and the doctrine of "worlds without number," debating whether human ingenuity has discovered secrets God intended to keep hidden.

Key Takeaways

• Service vs. Status: Whether you are an iconic quarterback or a Primary teacher for the "Valiant 10s," the value of a calling is found in the service, not the title.
• Accountability in the Digital Age: While free speech is a core value, protecting individuals from AI-driven harm and the violation of bodily privacy is a modern moral imperative.
• The Infinite Creation: LDS theology explicitly teaches the existence of other inhabited worlds; the debate is whether those inhabitants have ever dropped by for a visit.

Next Step for Listeners: Do you believe high-profile callings are a sign of "merit" or just a logistical reality? 

Episode Overview

In this milestone 150th episode, Matt and Shawn reunite after a holiday break in San Diego to ring in the New Year. The discussion traverses personal mission memories of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, the controversial geopolitical shift in Venezuela, the value of national monuments versus social programs, and a deep dive into what truly motivates civic leadership in rural America.

1. Memories of a Modern Apostle

Matt and Shawn reflect on the life and impact of President Jeffrey R. Holland.

2. The Thought Provoker

• Venezuela & Executive Power: The hosts debate President Trump’s recent actions in Venezuela. Matt argues that bypassing Congress violates Article I of the Constitution, while Shawn explores the "spin" of the administration regarding criminal warrants and oil interests.

3. Monuments vs. Mandates: Is $54 million better spent fixing D.C. fountains or funding local clinics?

Link to information about Stone Mountain

4. The Big Question: What Drives Civic Leadership?

Inspired by a recent Gallup study on rural communities, the hosts discuss why people step into public service.

• The Role of Religion: Matt argues that religion provides both the motivation (to be our brother’s keeper) and the skills (organizing, public speaking, leadership) necessary for service.
• Self-Interest vs. Altruism: Shawn challenges the idea of "pure" public service, citing Ayn Rand’s theory of self-interest.
• The Solution: A paradigm shift back to the "Founders' Model"—building a successful career first, then dedicating later years to serving the community without a need for financial gain.

Chapters

00:00 | Welcome Back & New Year in San Diego Matt and Shawn celebrate the 150th episode and the start of January 2026. They share stories from their holiday hiatus, including an "arm wrestling" match, a visit to the USS Midway, and a debate over Russian beet salad.

04:41 | The Mailbag: Revelation & The Constitution A listener asks if the U.S. Constitution can be both divinely inspired and in need of updates. Matt discusses the Constitution as an "aspirational" document, drawing parallels to the ongoing Restoration of the Gospel.

09:04 | Remembering President Jeffrey R. Holland Shawn and Matt reflect on their personal encounters with Elder Holland during their missions in Ukraine. Shawn recounts a story of a miraculous healing and the powerful "stretcher" talk given in the MTC.

14:26 | Venezuela & Foreign Policy Lies The hosts dive into the recent regime change in Venezuela. They debate the constitutionality of the move and discuss the tension between "America First" rhetoric and international intervention.

21:30 | The Midterm Prediction Matt offers a bold political forecast: why he believes Congress will target Trump’s inner circle with impeachments rather than the President himself.

27:14 | Monuments vs. Social Programs A discussion on the $54 million National Park Service project to repair D.C. fountains. Shawn argues against government spending on aesthetics, while Matt defends monuments as a "Title of Liberty" for the nation.

39:53 | The Big Question: What Drives Civic Leadership? Drawing from a Gallup study, the hosts explore what motivates people in rural communities to run for office.

51:11 | Professional Politicians vs. Public Servants Matt makes a case for the "Founders' Model" of public service—individuals who serve after established careers—while Shawn remains skepti

Announcements

No new episodes through December 2025—Episode 150 drops January 2026. Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music feeds are experiencing technical issues. Follow Matt on Instagram during the break.

Topics

Young Men's Advisory Board: The newly announced Young Men's Advisory Board is notable because five of its fourteen volunteer advisors are public influencers, signaling a potential shift toward valuing digital communication expertise in Church leadership.

Federalism in Church Governance: A Catholic parish in Dedham, Massachusetts, is defying the Archdiocese of Boston by maintaining an anti-ICE nativity scene. If a ward defied an Area Presidency this way, would Shawn's love of local government control apply to church governance?

Kratom Deaths in Idaho: Bonneville County has investigated six kratom-related deaths in 18 months. The FDA prohibits kratom, but Idaho law allows its sale. Is this federalism gone bad?

The Big Question: The Economist ranked the top economies in 2025—and the results defy simple "socialist vs. capitalist" explanations. Since ideology doesn't explain outcomes, is it morally appropriate to use labels like capitalist, socialist, or Marxist at all?

Chapters

00:00 Podcast Updates and Technical Glitches
02:51 The Role of Social Media in Content Creation
05:38 The Influence of Digital Content Creators in the Church
09:36 Local Control vs. Central Authority in the Church
17:57 Political Messages and Church Doctrine
24:57 Building the Kingdom of God
26:58 Federalism and Public Health
30:54 The Role of Federalism in Drug Regulation
37:33 Economic Ideologies and Their Impact
44:26 The Manipulation of Labels in Politics

Matt’s got a Christmas tree, a Lenin bust, and a bunch of books and maps in his office. Shawn has buckwheat, stockings, and very strong opinions. In this episode, the Latter Day Lens mailbag explodes and drags us into some uncomfortable but important questions about what Latter-day Saints really worship and trust.

We wrestle with:

• Why so many women say they’d rather raise kids in Europe than in the U.S. (paid maternity leave, food, breastfeeding norms) — and whether “if you don’t like it, move” is a fair response.
• How laws that aren’t explicitly racist (like gerrymandering) can still leave people of color disadvantaged — and why Matt’s stopped calling policies “racist” even when they obviously hurt minorities.
• The heartbreaking rise in global child deaths as foreign aid shrinks: are American Saints more fired up about defending the unborn than feeding already-born, already-suffering children abroad?
• Whether the U.S. healthcare system needs more government… or way less. Matt and Shawn both shock themselves by landing on a radical free-market answer.
• The christening of the USS Utah nuclear sub and Spencer W. Kimball’s warning against worshipping the “false gods” of military might — is it spiritually sketchy for Saints to cheer for ever-bigger weapons?
• And finally, “limitarianism”: should government cap personal wealth at €10M in the name of justice… or is that just sanctified envy dressed up as philosophy?

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Holiday Cheer
02:39 Listener Mailbag and Community Engagement
05:48 Cultural Perspectives on Maternity Leave
08:38 Food Quality and Health in America
11:24 Racial Disparities and Voter Suppression
14:11 Foreign Aid and Global Health Concerns
17:18 The Role of Government vs. Individual Responsibility in Charity
20:03 Healthcare System Breakdown
22:55 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
26:22 Healthcare Economics: A Clash of Ideologies
28:36 The Role of Insurance in Healthcare
31:05 Free Market vs. Regulation in Healthcare
33:25 The Case for Unregulated Healthcare
37:23 The Impact of Regulations on Healthcare Costs
41:04 Military Spending and Moral Implications
47:56 Limitarianism: A Controversial Proposal
53:48 Final Thoughts on Wealth and Value

Faith and Exceptionalism (03:21)

The US is becoming less religious, but Matt and Shawn debate if this signals secular decline or a unique American shift. Shifting Faith: Matt argues the decline of mainline Protestantism is due to its alignment with politics. He notes the growth of the Latter-day Saint Church and other faiths as people seek "pure religion," suggesting an "American exceptionalism" where religious freedom fosters a marketplace of faith. Awakening: Shawn challenges this, longing for the widespread "Great Awakening" revivals of the past, though Matt highlights current growth within the Church as a type of revival.

The Morality of Political Power Plays (15:07)

The hosts discuss Congressman Jesús "Chuy" García's maneuver to secure his staffer, Patty García, a seat by announcing his retirement after the filing deadline, effectively eliminating a primary election. Noblesse Oblige: Shawn calls the tactic immoral, motivated by arrogance or self-interest, invoking the concept of "Noblesse Oblige"—the privileged acting for the "less blessed." Kingmaker: Matt agrees the move is unethical but admits he'd be tempted by the "kingmaker" role, reflecting a common distrust in voters' judgment among the political elite.

Distrust and Discontent (25:39)

A Gallup poll shows extreme dissatisfaction with US democracy, especially among women aged 18 to 44, 40% of whom would move abroad—a fourfold increase since 2014.

The Problem: Matt argues this level of distrust risks undermining the divinely inspired US Constitution and suggests it is linked to policies from the last decade, such as those impacting women's healthcare access, which disproportionately affect their liberty. The Cause: Shawn believes the discontent is rooted in social media's self-esteem pressures and political "bamboozling," rather than actual legal disparity. Matt counters that a platform addressing this widespread unhappiness is crucial for future politicians.

Good, Evil, and Fictional Franchises (38:22)

Matt and Shawn analyze shared themes in Stranger Things and Wicked.

Becoming Good: Matt links this to the gospel principle of being "born again," arguing that true goodness is a transformation of the heart, not just the sum of one's actions. He uses a convert's powerful baptism story to illustrate the contrast between life's "bitter" cup and the "sweet" love of God. Representation: Matt praises the character Susie from Stranger Things as the best fictional portrayal of a Latter-day Saint in media.

Chapters
00:00 Friendship and Loyalty in Adversity
02:57 The Decline of Religion in America
05:45 Awakening and Spiritual Growth
08:38 American Exceptionalism and Religious Freedom
11:46 Political Morality and Ethics
14:34 Dissatisfaction with Democracy
17:34 The Nature of Good and Evil in Fiction
20:22 Cultural Reflections in Media

The Thought Provoker:

First this week. Idaho's government voted to sell 160 acres of state land near the town of Driggs. The land is currently leased to the Beard family, who use it for ranching. A billionaire owns land next to this property and may want to buy it. The Land Board voted 4-1 to move forward with the sale. Is it morally wrong for states to sell public land to the highest bidder?

Next up, Marjorie Taylor Greene has announced that she is leaving Congress, what does this mean?

Finally, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) changed its website to say that vaccines might cause autism. Before, the CDC said there is no link between vaccines and autism. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is now the U.S. Health Secretary, and he personally ordered this change. Kennedy has made millions of dollars from his work against vaccines over many years. Many studies with over 5 million people have shown vaccines do not cause autism, but Kennedy says more research is needed. Doctors say this change is dangerous because it may cause parents to stop vaccinating their children. When fewer children get vaccinated, diseases like measles spread more easily. CDC scientists were not asked about this change before it happened. What could RFK Jr. do to persuade people that he is doing the right thing and not just looking out for himself?

The Big Question: MK-ULTRA was a secret CIA program that ran from 1953 to 1964. The CIA wanted to learn how to control people's minds and behavior. They tested drugs like LSD on thousands of Americans without telling them. The CIA used 86 universities, hospitals, and prisons to do this work. Many top researchers did not know the CIA was paying for their work. Here is the big question. Democracies require public disclosure of this kind of information so voters can hold elected officials accountable. But, when people find out about this stuff, they lose trust in government. This is one reason why private settlements have non-disclosure agreements. Should governments be allowed to settle cases like this and include non-disclosure agreements? Should they be allowed to keep this kind of information private?

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
02:57 Concert Experiences and Personal Growth
05:47 AI in the Workplace: Challenges and Perspectives
10:37 Public Land Ownership and Government Ethics
19:22 Marjorie Taylor Greene: Political Shifts and Implications
27:25 The Future of MAGA Without Trump
28:22 Balkanization of Political Factions
29:43 The Challenge of Political Institutions
30:45 Racism and the Republican Party
33:11 RFK Jr. and Vaccine Controversies
43:44 The Dark History of MKUltra
45:26 Government Secrecy and Accountability
50:57 The Role of Non-Disclosure Agreements

In this packed episode, Matt and Shawn dive into the latest political and moral challenges facing the nation:

• The Republican Crisis: The conversation starts by analyzing the troubling election results for the Republican party and the unexpected demographic shifts moving away from Donald Trump. We discuss why Utah and Idaho remain the biggest exceptions to this trend, debating whether it's tied to regional economics or a deeper, post-assassination-attempt loyalty.
• The Immorality of Debt: Is it wrong for a government to spend money it does not have? We examine the shocking growth of the U.S. federal debt (now approaching $40 trillion) and explore why the prevailing economic theory dismisses this as a problem. This leads to a debate on political cronyism, asking if massive government contracts—like those awarded to Elon Musk and Rick Perry—are wasteful corruption or justified merit.
• Health, Prejudice, and Policy: The hosts tackle a major ethical question after the U.S. government directed visa officers to use common chronic illnesses (including obesity and diabetes) as a reason for denial. Is this an act of financial prudence or an unacceptable prejudice? We connect this policy directly to the foundational principles of American opportunity and the teachings of President Oaks on rising above bias.

Timestamp | Chapter Title

00:00 | Introduction and Personal Catch-Up (Weather, Mark, and Shawn's Grievance)
02:49 | The Hosts' Dialogue: Matt's Media Appearances and Mission Stories Talk
07:38 | Topic 1: The Republican Crisis, Voter Swings, and Trump's Last Holdouts
14:38 | Debating Trump Loyalty in Utah and Idaho
20:28 | Topic 2: National Debt, Morality, and Economic Theory
28:26 | The Crypto Debate: Financial Stability vs. Criminality
32:33 | Topic 3: Cronyism vs. Merit (Musk, Perry, and Wasteful Spending)
37:39 | The Milton Friedman Debate: Spending Other People's Money
42:55 | Topic 4: Health-Based Visa Denials and President Oaks on Prejudice (Includes Conclusion)

Join hosts Matt, Shawn, and Melanie as they dive into complex, interconnected themes of freedom, power dynamics, and the difficult relationship between morality and economics.

The conversation starts by challenging the idea that freedom is simply the "power to make choices," drawing on the philosophy of Victor Frankl to discuss the unchangeable freedom of response that exists even in the most oppressive circumstances.

• The Economics of Immorality: The hosts examine the historical argument that slavery was a foundational economic engine for the US, using this as a moral challenge: How can we avoid turning a blind eye to modern immoral practices when they are economically beneficial?
• Morality vs. Policy: Does the looming expiration of Obamacare subsidies reveal a moral obligation to care for the sick and poor, or is it purely a political question driven by economics? The discussion sparks debate on whether government-created problems (like rising healthcare costs due to regulation) necessitate government-led solutions.
• Policing Intentions & Entrapment: A deep dive into the ethics of police sting operations (such as enticing a child over the internet), questioning the morality of punishing intent when no actual harm has occurred, and the effectiveness of focusing on "low-hanging fruit" versus systemic issues like sex trafficking.
• Debt and Latter-day Saints Culture: The hosts tackle recent data showing that high-Latter-day Saint-population states like Idaho and Utah have the highest debt-to-income ratios in the US.
  • Is President Gordon B. Hinckley's 1998 counsel to avoid debt and "live modestly" outdated in today's housing and economic climate?
  • Shawn and Melanie debate the role of the housing market, a culture of "keeping up with the Joneses," and generational spending habits (Millennials/Gen Z spending on luxury cars, travel, and phones) in driving up personal consumer debt.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Audio Quality Discussion
02:20 Power Dynamics and Freedom
07:09 Slavery's Economic Impact on America
10:13 Moral Questions of Agency and Economics
17:44 Healthcare: A Moral or Political Question?
32:52 Government's Role in Problem Solving
37:27 Morality of Law Enforcement Tactics
45:25 Debt and Financial Responsibility in Society
54:51 Generational Perspectives on Debt and Spending

Welcome back to the Latter Day Lens! This week, hosts Matt and Shawn are joined by Marc to tackle pressing questions at the intersection of faith, economics, and emerging technology.

We dive into the listener mailbag to explore the concept of Consecrationism—the idea that a perfect system requires people to willingly share their property and excess—and whether it represents a "third way" that addresses the moral failings of Socialism and Capitalism. The discussion heats up with personal anecdotes on political shifts and a look at Matt's recent Deseret News op-ed.

Then, we transition to the rapidly approaching reality of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). We analyze Matt's survey data on Latter-day Saint attitudes toward AI, defining the three major groups: the Silicon Saints, the Compartmentalizers, and the Spiritual Skeptics. We debate the spiritual litmus test: Is using AI for a talk or guidance a form of "lukewarm" seeking, or is it a valid tool for a divinely creative people?

Finally, we navigate two challenging ethical dilemmas:

1. Parental Loyalty vs. Justice: Should a father help his son evade police after a crime, or insist on accountability, particularly within a potentially flawed justice system?
2. Royal Justice: Did King Charles III stripping Prince Andrew of his titles represent a superior form of justice or merely an act of damage control and PR in the wake of the Epstein scandal?

This episode's key topics: Consecrationism, Capitalism vs. Socialism, Generous Capitalism, AI and Faith, AGI, Spiritual Skeptics, LDS Economics, Prince Andrew, Epstein Files, and the Ethics of Accountability.

Chapter Highlights (Jump to the Discussion!):

 00:00 Introduction and Welcome
 1:19  Mailbag: Consecrationism as the "Third Way"
 2:27 The Ethics of Wealth and Charity (Billie Eilish)
 3:00 Mark's Political Journey: From Marx to Capitalism
 3:50 The Deseret News Op-Ed & Voting: To Vote or Not to Vote?
 6:21 The Organized Intelligence Conference & LDS AI Survey
 7:22  The Three Tribes: Silicon Saints, Compartmentalizers, & Spiritual Skeptics
 8:16 The Litmus Test: Repenting to AI vs. Diligent Seeking
 14:03 Elder Bednar, Creation, and the Danger of Passive Ingenuity
 16:42 Justice Dilemma: The Ogden High School Shooting & Parental Loyalty
 25:27 Royal PR vs. Real Justice: Prince Andrew & the Epstein Files
 32:41 The AGI Utopia: Will AI Eliminate All Human Work?
 37:25 The Downfall of Technology: From Telephones to AI Erotica

In this conversation, Matt and Shawn explore various themes including sibling dynamics, communication styles, the ethics of gambling, cultural perspectives on Islamophobia, and the moral implications of socialism versus capitalism. They also discuss the role of justice and mercy in the legal system, particularly in relation to presidential pardons and political loyalty.

The Thought Provoker:

First this week, Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani delivered an emotional speech at a Bronx mosque, directly challenging what he called Islamophobic attacks, primarily from independent rival and former Governor Andrew Cuomo. Mamdani reacted strongly after Cuomo questioned his fitness to lead during a potential future "9/11," a comment that Mamdani claimed used veiled references to 9/11 and Islamic extremism. While Cuomo defended his remark by pointing to a past controversial comment by a Mamdani ally, Mamdani stressed that this language has made New York's Muslim population feel like outsiders. Cuomo later responded by accusing Mamdani of using a "dirty political trick" to divide the city. Should we be concerned about Islamophobia in the United States?

Next up.  A new poll shows that more than half of all Democrats have a positive view of socialism. Two-thirds of Republicans have a positive view of capitalism. Is one system morally superior to the other?

Finally. Record-setting mountain runner Michelino Sunseri was found guilty of a misdemeanor after spending just two minutes on a prohibited trail during his 2024 Grand Teton climb, where he set a new fastest known time (FKT). Sunseri, who had trained extensively, stated he left the switchback onto the restricted path, known as the Old Climber's Trail, to avoid casual hikers and possible injury, as he didn't want to yell for people to get out of his way while attempting the record. Is this an example of excessive government enforcement of the law?

The Big Question: Since taking office again, President Trump has granted clemency to over 1,600 people, including a blanket pardon for nearly all charged in the January 6th Capitol attack and various high-profile figures. These pardons often waived over $1.3 billion in victim restitution and fines and favored political loyalists, a pattern legal experts call unprecedented. Is President Trump's use of the pardon power morally wrong?

Chapters
00:00 Sibling Dynamics and Communication Styles
02:55 The Ethics of Gambling in Sports
05:47 Islamophobia and Religious Freedom
19:11 Debating Religious Doctrines and Their Implications
19:55 Religious Tolerance and Freedom
21:13 Socialism vs. Capitalism: Definitions and Perspectives
24:17 Moral Superiority: Capitalism vs. Socialism
29:09 The Impact of Economic Systems on Family Dynamics
33:19 Property Rights and Violence: A Philosophical Debate
39:42 The Principles of Socialism vs. Capitalism
43:36 Discretion in Law Enforcement
49:21 Pardons and Political Loyalty
55:24 Justice and Mercy in Politics

In this episode, the Shawn, Levi & Matt discuss a range of topics including peaceful protests, the role of church leaders in political matters, the influence of the church on political views, and the concept of mobilization in revolutions. They also delve into the ethics of prediction markets, the nature of bribery in politics, and the intersection of science and spirituality, particularly focusing on the idea that all spirit is matter and the implications of dark matter in understanding connections between individuals.
The Thought Provoker:

First this week. Dallin H. Oaks was sustained as the new President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. At the time of his call to the Quorum of the Twelve in 1984 he was on the short list of people who might have been nominated to be on the US Supreme Court. Justice Griffith argues that the work he can do to bridge the political divide in the US right now is more important than anything he might have done on the US Supreme Court. Many church members think that President Oaks was called at this time to help heal political divides in the United States. Is that a myopic viewpoint?  

Next up, In a recent episode, On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti explored serious problems with prediction markets. The biggest concern is that people can profit by making bad events happen. Since platforms avoid gambling laws, users have no protection when things go wrong.  Given the harms these platforms cause, should governments create more laws to regulate their behavior?

Finally, Accusations have surfaced that Tom Homan, set to be a border czar, was given $50,000 cash by undercover F.B.I. agents in exchange for promises of government contracts if Donald Trump won the election. Though Mr. Homan denies illegal actions, the Trump administration reportedly shut down the F.B.I. investigation. Should the US Congress or the Justice Department open an investigation into the allegations?

The Big Question: Doctrine and Covenants 131:7–8. 7 There is no such thing as immaterial matter. All spirit is matter, but it is more fine or pure, and can only be discerned by purer eyes; 8 We cannot see it; but when our bodies are purified we shall see that it is all matter. Physicists generally agree that dark matter is an invisible and hypothetical form of matter that makes up about 27% of the universe's total mass-energy content, significantly outweighing the ordinary, visible matter (which is only about 5%).

Chapters
00:00 Protests and Pep Rallies: A Lighthearted Start
02:52 The Role of Church Leadership in Political Divides
05:51 Mobilization and Influence: The 3.5% Rule
08:37 Political Stances and Church Doctrine
11:39 The Power of Defining Political Issues
17:20 Name-Dropping and Intellectual Influence
18:44 The Importance of Acknowledging Sources
20:15 The Ethics of Prediction Markets
21:14 Federalism and Gambling Regulations
24:58 The Role of Business in Local Governance
27:51 Personal Experiences with Prediction Markets
30:44 The Influence of Information on Market Behavior
3

Hosts Matt and Shawn go one-on-one this week for a deep dive into global hot topics, a passionate debate on economic policy, and a philosophical search for truth. They start by reading a listener letter that perfectly sums up their conversational dynamic—sometimes frustrating, always engaging, and never boring!

🎙️ In This Episode:

• (00:34) Listener Feedback & The Matt Phenomenon: The hosts discuss a letter from a listener who admits they "frequently found [themselves] yelling" at Matt while listening. They explore why Matt's approach—sometimes saying things he doesn't believe just to spark conversation—is both polarizing and effective. Plus, a discussion of the Tom Hanks classic, Joe vs. the Volcano.
• (06:19) Peter Thiel's Antichrist Theory: The first serious topic is venture capitalist Peter Thiel's claim that the modern Antichrist will be a "technological Luddite tyrant" who uses fear of AI and global crisis to establish a one world government and an "unjust peace." Matt and Sean debate whether this aligns with the LDS concept of the spirit of Antichrist and the fear of a loss of individual liberties for a perceived greater good.
• (22:30) Argentina's $20 Billion Lifeline: The conversation pivots to US economic and foreign policy. The hosts discuss the US Treasury's purchase of $20 billion in Argentinian pesos. They debate the true motive behind the transaction—is it a legitimate bailout for a strategic ally to prevent a refugee crisis, or is it an unjustified transfer of wealth to protect the investments of US-based global financial firms like BlackRock?
• (32:35) Is World War III Inevitable? Drawing on analysis from the Council on Foreign Relations, Matt argues that changes in the global landscape (Russia's weakness, the BRICS alliance, and US inaction) mean World War III is already functionally underway and inevitable. Matt makes a bold case for the US to take a more aggressive stance, possibly even eliminating foreign nuclear capabilities. Sean challenges this "strike now" philosophy, questioning the risk and the true intent of rival nations.
• (47:16) The Big Question: What is Truth? Inspired by a scripture defining truth as "knowledge of things as they are, as they were, and as they are to come," the hosts explore the nature of truth in a mortal life. 

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Listener Engagement
06:01 The Antichrist and Modern Revelations
11:53 The Concept of Unjust Peace
19:01 International Relations and Economic Bailouts
27:23 Economic Challenges and Inflation in Argentina
29:41 Political Decision-Making and Leadership
31:15 The Russia-Ukraine Conflict: A New Phase
33:04 Inevitability of Global Conflict
36:14 Historical Context of War and Diplomacy
38:15 Military Strategy and Global Power Dynamics
40:25 Nuclear Threats and Military Action
44:58 The Nature of Truth and Knowledge
49:49 Faith, Repentance, and Eternal Truths

This week on Latter-day Lens, join Matt, Shawn, and Marc as they dive into a thought-provoking listener mailbag question: Is polygamy an eternal principle 💍 within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? The hosts wrestle with interpretations of Doctrine and Covenants 132, the sealing power, and the historical pattern of one man and one woman in scripture, challenging common assumptions about life in the celestial kingdom.

General Conference & Agency 🙏

The conversation shifts to highlights from the most recent General Conference. Find out which talks resonated most with the hosts, including powerful messages from Elder Brown on moral agency and a moving talk from President Oaks. The group shares their takeaways and discusses the Church's focus on doctrine-rich sermons and the staggering statistics on convert baptisms in recent years.

Politics, Prediction, and the Price of Progress 💰

Polymarket is a site where people can place bets on political events. For example, right now you can wager on the length of the government shutdown. Shawn does not like public opinion surveys, is this a better source of information about what the public thinks? Are the bets placed on who will win the NYC Mayoral race, for example, a better way to figure out public attitudes than a survey? 

AI vs. Actors: Dutch artist Eline Van der Velden created an AI “actor” named Tilly Norwood, and Hollywood is not amused. Tilly—who appears in AI-generated sketches and social clips—has reportedly been in talks with real talent agencies, sparking backlash from SAG-AFTRA and major stars. They see her as a threat to working actors and to the integrity of human storytelling. It’s the latest flashpoint in the debate over how far AI should go in replacing real creative work. Here is the question, at what point does it become morally wrong to use AI for human work? Will it ever go too far? 

Government as a Shareholder: The hosts dissect the controversial move by the US Energy Department to take an equity stake in a private company during a bailout. Is this new strategy an ingenious business move that benefits the American public, or is it a slippery slope toward socialism 🚩 and anti-capitalist meddling?

Tune in for a lively debate that takes you from the sacred to the secular, and everything in between!

#LDS #GeneralConference #Polygamy #Agency #Polymarket #AI #SAG-AFTRA #Socialism #Capitalism #LatterDayLens

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Lighthearted Banter
00:55 Exploring Polygamy in the Church
09:21 General Conference Highlights
15:56 Public Opinion and Betting Markets
23:22 Betting on Politics: The Uncertainty of Predictions
26:14 AI in Hollywood: The Rise of Digital Actors
27:25 The Morality of AI: When is it Wrong?
32:48 AI and Spiritual Guidance: A Controversial Intersection
36:36 Government Ownership: A Step Towards Socialism?

This week, join the exceptionally fun trio of Shawn, Melanie, and Matt as they tackle some of the most compelling, and at times controversial, issues of our time! You won't want to miss their lively discussion on why some women choose a right-wing feminist strategy for survival, whether UDOT's use of eminent domain to build the FrontRunner 2X is morally justified, and if the critique that disliking Taylor Swift's music is sexist holds any water. Finally, they dive into the big question sparked by recent polling data: as polygamy becomes more morally accepted in America, will this trend eventually lead to pressure on the church to reconsider its position? Tune in for their engaging takes, witty banter, and thought-provoking analysis. 

➡️ Segment 1: The Right-Wing Feminist's Rational Tragedy

We explore Valerie Cassler's analysis of the Right-Wing Feminist choosing traditional marriage as a rational, if tragic, survival strategy against male domination. This accommodation strategy is preferred over Left-Wing Feminism, which is criticized for failing women and leaving them politically homeless.The Question: Is this accommodation strategy more compatible with gospel principles?

➡️ Segment 2: Eminent Domain for FrontRunner 2X

UDOT is using eminent domain to seize residential property in Provo for the high-priority FrontRunner 2X rail project, displacing dozens of residents. The Question: Is it morally right for the government to force people to sell their property for public transportation expansion?

➡️ Segment 3: Is Disliking Taylor Swift Sexist?

Literary critic Stephanie Burt argues that Taylor Swift's lyrical genius is overlooked due to sexist expectations that favor the "solitary male genius." The Question: Are people who dislike Taylor Swift or her music really being sexist?

➡️ The Big Question: Polygamy's Rise in Moral Acceptance

Gallup data shows a substantial increase in the moral acceptance of polygamy, tripling from 7% in 2001 to 21% in 2025. Following the precedent of pressure on the church regarding same-sex marriage, a trend of increasing public acceptance for polygamy is noted. The Big Question: As Americans become more accepting of polygamy, will pressure on the church to bring back polygamy also increase?

In this episode, Matt, Shawn, and David, begin with some casual banter before diving into the main topics. Matt shares listener feedback, including a critique of his political views and a listener's interest in Shawn's career. This leads to a debate about whether a public school teacher should be fired for their personal opinions on social media, especially if they are government employees.

Next, the conversation shifts to Artificial Intelligence (AI). They discuss a prediction from the Zoom CEO that AI will lead to a three or four-day workweek, creating an era of abundance. Matt argues that if AI is left unregulated, it could instead lead to a "white-collar Armageddon." Sean counters that individuals have the power to adapt and use AI for personal growth, citing his own experience with using AI to write code.

The hosts then discuss the assassination of Charlie Kirk. They examine how foreign entities like Russia and China use such events to spread disinformation and sow political division in the United States. The hosts consider how to combat this, bringing up the First Presidency's call for peace and the need for more respectful dialogue, even among those with opposing views.

The episode concludes with a "big question" about a verse in the Doctrine and Covenants that uses the phrase "wild and savage condition" to describe a group of people. The hosts debate whether the verse is racist and what it means for modern members of the church to confront seemingly problematic language in scripture. They conclude that individuals must read scripture in a broader context and that God works through imperfect people.

Chapters
00:00 Welcome Back and Listener Engagement
02:00 Political Opinions and Listener Feedback
05:44 RFK Jr. and Vaccine Controversies
09:29 Social Media and Employment Consequences
18:50 AI's Impact on Work and Society
25:53 AI and Work-Life Balance
28:33 Education in the Age of AI
31:57 The Role of Expertise in an AI World
32:44 Finding Solutions to Prevent White Collar Armageddon
34:02 Disinformation and Political Divisions
37:42 The Need for Peaceful Dialogue
42:16 Racism in Canonized Scripture
01:02:53 Concluding Thoughts on Race and Understanding

Summary
In this episode, the Shawn, Porter, and Matt discuss various political and social issues, including Project 2025, the Alcohol Intake and Health Study, RFK Jr.'s political integrity, Kamala Harris's critique of Biden, public outrage over judicial decisions, and the rising rates of depression among young Americans. They emphasize the importance of understanding the underlying causes of these issues and the role of faith and personal responsibility in addressing them.

The Thought Provoker:

First this week. A government report on alcohol and health, which found a link between even low alcohol intake and increased cancer risk, was reportedly suppressed. Instead of publishing the Alcohol Intake and Health Study, the Trump administration used a separate report that was more favorable to the alcohol industry. I know Shawn likes some of the stuff RFK Jr. has been promoting. Does this show that RFK Jr. is a sellout, just like the rest of the people in Washington DC?

Next up. In her book, 107 Days, Kamala Harris criticizes former President Joe Biden's 2024 presidential run as "reckless," an assessment that has angered Biden's former aides. While she avoids directly questioning his mental sharpness, Harris claims his campaign decisions negatively impacted both the election and her time as Vice President. Is Kamala right to blame Biden for what happened in 2024? Was his decision to run for reelection reckless?

Last one.  Online anger over a binding plea deal in an Idaho court case led to death threats against District Judge Steven Boyce, who had limited sentencing options. When disturbing things happen in public that make us feel angry, what is the appropriate thing to do? I know we all oppose death threats, but what can people do instead of taking the rage online?

The Big Question: Depression diagnoses among U.S. adults are at a near-record high of 28.5%, according to a 2025 Gallup survey. The sharpest increases are seen in adults under 30, where the rate has doubled since 2017 (13% to 26.7%), and among low-income Americans, with a significant rise to 35.1% since 2017. What do you think? Why is depression on the rise among poorer Americans, why is it at record levels in the last two years? Are advances in medicine simply making it easier to diagnose? Does the gospel of Jesus Christ offer any solutions for people struggling with depression?

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:43 Exploring Project 2025
07:22 Alcohol Intake and Health Study
18:45 RFK Jr. and Public Health Concerns
21:43 Kamala Harris's Critique of Biden
23:02 Political Accountability and Leadership Dynamics
30:30 The Role of Emotions in Public Reactions
43:14 Understanding Depression in Modern Society
51:00 Faith and Mental Health Solutions

In this episode, the Shawn, Matt & Levi discuss various themes including the importance of friendships, the concept of the American dream and exceptionalism, the response to loss of life in legislation, the influence of Trump's presidency on personal wealth, and the nature of government and leadership. They explore how societal values shape responses to tragedy and the moral implications of political actions.

First this week. A recent poll shows that Americans are losing faith in American Exceptionalism. Nearly 70% of people said they believe the American dream—that if you work hard, you will get ahead—no longer holds true or never did, the highest level in nearly 15 years of surveys. Sam is a huge proponent of the American Dream. Is the American Dream supported by scripture?

Next up. After a 27 girls died at Camp Mystic in the July 4 Guadalupe River flood near Kerrville, Texas, the state legislature quickly passed near-unanimous legislation to prevent something like that from ever happening again. Yet, children are being wounded or murdered on a regular basis in cities throughout the US in mass shootings that result in no meaningful legislation. In some ways, it feels like society treats some loss of life differently than other loss of life. Is it immoral for Texas to pass laws preventing loss of life from floods at camps, but to do nothing after mass shootings?

Finally. This week, Trump’s family launched a cryptocurrency which led to a $5 billion gain in wealth for the family. As president, Trump nominates the people who control the money supply. Through his office he has a lot of control over the value of the dollar, which influences demand for cryptocurrencies. He also owns a social media platform on which he released de-classified video of an attack on drug cartels from Venezuela. As the only source of this video, every news station that reported on the story had to credit his social media platform as the source. Is Trump’s use of presidential power to influence his own personal wealth immoral?

The Big Question: In Heleman 13:25-29 Nephi chastises his people. We love those who praise us and despise those who call us out. If it is human nature to reject people who tell us hard truths, is a representative form of government the absolute worst of all forms of government? If people are always going to vote for leaders who tell them what they want to hear, aren't elections the worst way of selecting leaders?

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Praise for Levi
03:03 The Importance of Friendships
05:50 The American Dream: Myth or Reality?
09:39 Legislation and Loss of Life
21:09 Socioeconomic Factors in Tragedies
28:40 The Right to Bear Arms and Federal Tyranny
29:05 Responses to Tragedy: A Discussion on Race and Economics
31:09 Trump's Wealth and Presidential Power: A Moral Dilemma
38:25 The Nature of Leadership: Elections vs. Dictatorship
47:10 The Role of the Press in Democracy
52:44  We Love Those Who Praise Us 

This week on The Latter-day Lens, join your host Matt, with co-host Shawn and special guest Linda, as they tackle a series of thought-provoking questions. The discussion kicks off with President Trump's stance on flag burning and its legal and moral implications in the context of the First Amendment. The hosts then pivot to an analysis of Spain's recent economic boom under a socialist government, examining whether this challenges traditional views on capitalism and socialism. The conversation continues with a look at the use of the National Guard for domestic policing in Washington, D.C., and whether the observed drop in violent crime justifies such actions.

The show concludes with a "Big Question" segment, exploring the closure of a church by scholar Ryan Burge. The hosts and Linda debate whether the decline of mainline Protestantism is a reflection of a functioning economic model—where unsustainable entities fail—or a more unsettling sign of moral and spiritual decay in American society. They also explore whether, for some congregations, closure can be a "burden lifted" rather than a tragedy.

• Flag Burning & the First Amendment: We discuss President Trump's executive order targeting flag burning and a veteran's subsequent arrest. The segment examines the moral justification of this action and the legal precedent set by the Supreme Court, which has consistently ruled that flag burning is a form of protected speech.
• Spain's Economic Growth: We analyze a Goldman Sachs report highlighting Spain as "Europe's fastest-growing major economy." We explore whether its success under a socialist government, driven by factors like tourism, high-value services, and legal immigration, suggests that socialist systems can be economically effective.
• Domestic Policing & Crime Reduction: The show examines a CBS News analysis on the deployment of the National Guard in Washington, D.C., and its correlation with a significant drop in violent crime. We question the moral and political implications of using military forces for domestic law enforcement.
• The Decline of Protestantism: We explore the closure of a church led by scholar Ryan Burge. This segment delves into whether the decline of mainline Protestantism is a simple case of an unsustainable economic model, or a deeper indication of moral and spiritual decay in America. We also consider if, for some congregations, closure might be a positive and necessary conclusion.

Chapters
00:00 The Controversy of Flag Burning
07:14 Spain's Economic Growth and Socialism
17:01 Healthcare and Economic Responsibility
17:51 Political Identity and Independent Thinking
18:42 Crime Trends and National Guard Deployment
19:46 Morality of Military Policing
23:09 Short-Term Solutions vs. Long-Term Problems
24:51 Local Crime and Community Responses
30:00 Decline of Mainline Protestantism
39:10 Politics and Religion: A Dangerous Mix

In this thought-provoking episode of The Latter Day Lens, hosts Matt, Shawn, and newly-called Elders Quorum President Marc tackle some of today's most pressing questions about masculinity, friendship, and faith.

The Friendship Imperative

The conversation begins with a listener's observation about the importance of truly knowing individuals in church leadership rather than focusing solely on programs and numbers. This leads to a deeper discussion about whether men have a moral and religious obligation to cultivate friendships. Marc quotes Joseph Smith's teaching that "friendship is the grand principle of Mormonism," while Shawn references the biblical principle that "it is not good for man to be alone." The hosts explore why many married men rely too heavily on their wives for emotional support and the potential consequences this has for both marriages and society at large.

The Trust Crisis in America

The discussion shifts to examining why public confidence in institutions has plummeted to historic lows, with only small business, military, and science maintaining majority support. Shawn argues that capitalism and increased competition have led to partisan news sources that prioritize profit over objective reporting. Matt expresses concern about the dangers of losing faith in the institutions that keep society functioning, while the hosts debate whether this skepticism represents healthy accountability or dangerous cynicism toward necessary social structures.

Toxic Masculinity and the Gospel

Drawing from a disturbing Italian Facebook group case involving non-consensual sharing of intimate images, the hosts tackle the complex topic of toxic masculinity. They examine whether problematic masculine behaviors like the desire to dominate and control are biological or learned, and whether cultural interpretations of gospel principles might inadvertently contribute to unhealthy relationship dynamics. Matt shares personal struggles with his own parenting approaches, questioning whether different expectations for sons versus daughters reflect gospel teachings or cultural biases.

Consecration and Coercion

The episode concludes with a debate over Doctrine and Covenants 105 and whether the Lord intends for believers to implement the law of consecration through government policy or to work within existing legal frameworks. Shawn argues that true consecration requires voluntary covenant-making and cannot be achieved through compulsion, while Matt provocatively suggests that those with political power have an obligation to enforce God's will upon society. Marc takes a middle position, advocating for creating space where consecration can flourish while focusing individual discipleship on drawing closer to Christ rather than partisan politics.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Personal News
01:44 Engaging Young Men in Leadership
04:37 The Importance of Knowing Individuals
06:29 Friendship and Social Connections
11:33 The Role of Men in Building Friendships
14:30 Trust in News and Media
22:19 The Challenge of Bias in Journalism
22:45 The Complexity of Journalism and Bias
24:05 Trust in Institutions: A Growing Concern
27:11 Conservatism and the Preservation of Institutions
28:34 Toxic Masculinity: Definitions and Implications
37:44 The Role of the Gospel in Gender Dynamics
40:32 The Law of Consecration: A Societal Challenge
48:08 Politics, Partisanship, and the Pursuit of Christ

Welcome to The Latter-day Lens! In this week's episode, hosts Shawn, Matt, and Graham tackle some of the most pressing questions from the mailbag and beyond. 

Info on the Zipper Merge

The Thought Provoker:

First this week: A recent survey shows that only 40% of Americans would like their child to attend a four-year college right out of high school. More Americans would like their child to “take some time off” (13%) than would like them to join the military (5%) or join the workforce (6%) combined. President Nelson has said that education is a religious obligation. Do we need to rethink what we are telling our kids to do post-high school?

Next up: President Putin came to the US last week to discuss Ukraine with Trump. Thing is, the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Putin for war crimes he committed in Ukraine. As a member of the Rome Treaty, we agreed to arrest anyone indicted by the ICC. Should Trump have arrested Putin the moment he set foot on US soil? Is it morally correct to ignore treaties we have signed on to?  

Finally: The US is discussing taking a stake in Intel. This sounds to me like socialism. Many of our listeners believe that socialism is morally evil. Is Trump’s interference in the management of Intel socialism, and if it is, is he doing something that is morally wrong? 

The Big Question: Putnam and Reeves argue that one of the causes of delinquency in the US right now is the breakdown of civil society institutions (Like the Boy Scouts, and the YMCA) that specifically target young men. Too many men are afraid to mentor young people for fear that they might be accused of sexual assault, and these organizations are no longer allowed to be gender specific. They argue that young men need male role models and that these organizations provide something beneficial to society. President Monson was a big fan of Scouting. Does society need groups like Boy Scouts that specifically focus on helping young men become men?

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Listener Engagement
02:52 Defending Misinformation and Community Learning
05:37 Traffic Merging: Morality and Rightness
08:37 Post-High School Paths: Rethinking Education
11:31 The Value of Gap Years and Alternative Education
14:05 The Three E's: Employment, Enlistment, and Enrollment
17:03 Lifelong Learning as a Religious Obligation
19:55 International Treaties and Moral Leadership
21:24 The Precedent of Arrests in International Politics
22:49 The Role of Treaties in Global Stability
28:21 Government Intervention in Private Enterprises
32:46 The Importance of Civil Society in Youth Development
44:56 Identity Crisis Among Young Men

In this episode, hosts Shawn, Matt, & Melanie are back together and jump right into a thought-provoking mailbag question about the podcast's "most listened to" status. Matt backs up the claim with some surprising metrics, and the hosts share their differing views on promoting the show.

They then dive into three major topics:

• Russia: The hosts discuss a Russian journalist's argument that Putin may be overconfident, and pose a question: Is a Third World War or an internal Russian uprising more likely? Melanie and Shawn believe neither is probable, while Matt leans toward an uprising, referencing historical Russian revolutions. Shawn shares a poignant story about a Pet Shop Boys song dedicated to Alexei Navalny.
• LDS Political Beliefs: A new study on political concerns among Latter-day Saints and Evangelicals reveals some interesting differences. The hosts discuss whether these differences are due to LDS doctrine (like self-reliance and identity as a child of God) or LDS culture (pioneer heritage and refugee stories).
• The Labor Market: With a sluggish job market and rising long-term unemployment, the hosts grapple with the classic debate: can a political party fix the economy? Melanie and Shawn urge patience and emphasize that political parties aren't the answer, while Matt points out the rapid economic shift following a recent change in administration.
• The Big Question: The conversation concludes with a discussion about Israel and the "signs of the times." With global tensions rising, Matt asks if the current state of affairs in Israel looks like the beginning of the end. He references prophecies from Revelation and Zechariah. Shawn and Melanie respond with a unified message: while the signs are there, our focus should be on personal conversion and sharing the gospel, not on predicting timelines.

Chapters

00:00 Welcome Back and Podcast Metrics
02:50 The Power of Propaganda and Political Change
05:42 Cultural Perspectives on Political Issues
08:28 The Role of Doctrine in Political Identity
11:15 Historical Context of Russian Uprisings
14:04 LDS vs. Evangelical Political Concerns
17:10 Cultural Identity and Political Extremism
19:51 Job Market Challenges for Graduates
20:38 The Current Job Market Landscape
23:26 Political Implications on Economic Expectations
26:59 The Role of Political Parties in Economic Recovery
30:22 The Second Coming: Signs and Interpretations
37:25 Faith and Preparedness in the Latter Days

In this episode, the Shawn, Matt, & Porter discuss various topics including the role of AI in communication, medical debt, and the loneliness crisis in Utah. First up: AI is changing the way that people speak. Researchers analyzed 280,000 YouTube videos from academic channels and found that in the 18 months since ChatGPT was released speakers are using words favored by the chatbot (like delve, realm, and adept) 51% more frequently and they are using other words less frequently. Elder Bednar recently warned that the use of AI can threaten moral agency by causing us to be “acted upon” rather than acting for ourselves. Is this evidence of people giving their agency over to AI? Do we need to be more cautious in our use of AI?

Next up:  A federal judge in Texas reversed a Biden-era rule on Friday that permitted medical debt to be wiped from credit reports. Setting aside the legal question, what is the morally correct way to handle credit reports? Some things (a mortgage, student loans, auto loans, credit cards, bankruptcies) get reported, but others do not (civil judgments, tax liens, etc). Is medical debt something that should be on a credit report?

Finally:  We are now at the six month mark of the Trump presidency. New state-by-state polling shows his popularity across the United States. If you took the electoral college votes of the states where his disapproval is higher than his approval rating and counted that as votes to remove from office, Trump would be out in a landslide. Should there be a mechanism that allows public opinion to remove someone from office? Congress can impeach for bad behavior, the cabinet can remove for incompetence. Should Americans be able to do so? 

The Big Question: Utah ranks among the top five loneliest states in the nation, according to U.S. Census data. More than one in three Utah adults say they feel lonely “always” or “often.” Health officials say it’s more than just a side effect of the pandemic—it’s become a public health priority. Matt Draper, a therapist based in Springville, says that based on his work, the two groups most affected by loneliness in Utah are young adults and seniors. Meanwhile, Utah ranks #1 in the nation for the best economic outlook and #3 for economic performance. They say that money can’t buy happiness, is Utah proving that point? What is Utah doing wrong?

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction
03:00 Debate on Socialism and Capitalism
06:02 Market Trust and Economic Principles
09:00 The Role of Government in the Economy
12:12 The Impact of AI on Language and Agency
17:56 AI's Influence on Decision Making
22:04 Medical Debt and Credit Reporting
31:39 Charity, Compassion, and Medical Debt
34:00 Trump's Approval Ratings and Political Mechanisms
39:00 Public Opinion and Political Accountability
44:02 Loneliness in Utah: A Public Health Concern
01:00:01 Community and C

Episode Description: This week, we dive into a listener's take on Trump's Brazil tariffs and the "BRICS threat." Then, we explore Iceland's successful 4-day work week and ponder the future of labor in a tech-driven world. We also tackle the contentious issue of mid-decade redistricting in Texas, examining its legality versus its morality. Finally, we discuss the New York Times' coverage of the Tabernacle Choir and President Nelson's guidance on the Church's name, before grappling with the "Big Question": Does scripture point to communal economic equality as the ideal system?

• The Thought Provoker:
  • Topic 1: Iceland's 4-Day Work Week: A Global Model?
    • By 2019, 90% of Iceland's workforce adopted 35-36 hour weeks without pay cuts, largely due to union agreements.
    • Key Statistics: Productivity remained stable or increased, worker well-being significantly improved (lower stress, better work-life balance), and greater gender equality was observed.
    • Robust digital infrastructure played a key role in this successful transition.
    • Discussion points: Is Iceland's model transferable globally? Do companies have a moral obligation to maintain salaries while reducing hours as technology advances? Is the "wage per hour" paradigm outdated for the 21st century?
  • Topic 2: Texas Redistricting Controversy: Legal vs. Moral
    • Former Republican Rep. Burt Solomons criticizes President Trump's pressure on Texas officials to redraw congressional districts mid-decade.
    • Solomons argues Trump's aim is to gain Republican seats and "rig" the 2026 midterms, calling it an "alarming power grab" that erodes public trust and disenfranchises minority voters.
    • Historically, redistricting, while partisan, has generally respected established rules. Mid-decade redistricting is rare and should not be driven by a president's "whim."
    • Discussion points: Is it wrong for Texas to redraw congressional districts now, even if it's technically legal in Texas (which has a history of doing so)? What is the distinction between what is legal and what is morally acceptable in political actions?
  • Topic 3: The Tabernacle Choir & The New York Times: Naming Conventions
    • The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square recently celebrated its 5,000th continuous episode of Music & the Spoken Word, prompting a New York Times article.
    • The NYT article used the official name of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, acknowledged the common "Mormon" association, and used "Latter-day Saint" as an adjective for members and related concepts.
    • Discussion points: Does this usage align with what President Russell M. Nelson requested regarding the correct name of the Church? What has been the practical application among members since President Nelson's talk?
• The Big Question: Communal Economic Equality – The Ideal System?
  • D&C 82:17-19 outlines principles of communal economic equality:
    • Individuals have equal claims to resources based on "just wants and needs" to manage their "stewardships."
    • The system benefits the entire community, allowing individuals to develop and multiply "talents" (abilities/resources).
    • Gains are contributed to a common "Lord's storehouse" for collective benefit.
    • Encourages prioritizing neighbor's interests and acting with pure motives to glorify God.
  • While the context is the United Order, the question arises: Are these verses describing principles that extend beyond the United Order? Is the ideal economic system one of communal economi

This week on the Latter Day Lens, Matt, Shawn, and Marc dive into a whirlwind of topics, from economic theory and political landscapes to the legal system. Get ready for lively debate and unexpected agreements!

00:01 - 01:00: Kicking Off with Reenactments and Ribbing

The episode opens with Matt introducing Marc as "a guy that voted for Trump," leading into a light-hearted discussion about Marc's Revolutionary War reenactment experience. Matt and Shawn playfully contrast Marc's discipline with Matt's own rebellious nature.

01:00 - 08:48: The Mailbag - Adam Smith's Invisible Hand & Bidets

The hosts address a listener's email challenging Shawn's interpretation of Adam Smith's "invisible hand." While Shawn humbly accepts the historical nuance, he maintains the concept's modern relevance, arguing it motivates producers to provide value. This segues into a humorous tangent about Matt's impulse purchases, including a bidet, prompting a quick topic change.

08:48 - 21:50: The Thought Provoker - Defining "Make America Great Again"

Matt introduces a New York Times opinion piece by Peter Baker, suggesting Donald Trump's "Make America Great Again" points to the 1870-1913 era.

• Shawn argues "MAGA" is an intentionally undefined "gimmick."
• Matt posits the era's minimal regulation and high tariffs would appeal to Trump as a capitalist.
• Marc believes "MAGA" signifies a return to a "moral past."
• The discussion expands to whether Trump is a true conservative, with Shawn distinguishing between "reactionism" and "conservatism." Marc agrees with this distinction.
• Matt challenges the idea of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a conservative organization, citing its history of radical change.

21:50 - 32:58: China Shock 2.0 and Tariffs

The hosts discuss economists David Autor and Gordon Hanson's warning about "China Shock 2.0," where China could surpass the US in innovative sectors.

• Matt questions if US tariffs, often politically motivated, inadvertently help China gain a future advantage.
• Shawn suggests tariffs aim for better trade deals.
• Marc expresses little concern for "China Shock 2.0," relying on the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, leading to a humorous debate on the scriptural definition of "soon."

32:58 - 44:54: The Jeffrey Epstein Files

The conversation turns to the controversial Jeffrey Epstein files.

• Matt surprisingly argues against releasing all files (e.g., child pornography) to protect victims, believing law enforcement would have already prosecuted any implicated individuals. He trusts the FBI.
• Shawn and Marc strongly disagree, advocating for full transparency to expose "secret combinations" and ensure justice, expressing skepticism about Epstein's death and alleged cover-ups.
• The debate highlights contrasting views on transparency and the legal system.

44:54 - 54:10: The Big Question - Lawyers, Conflict, and Latter-day Lens Principles

The episode concludes with a "big question" inspired by Alma 10 and 11 on lawyers profiting from societal conflict.

• Matt asks if the current legal system, which incentivizes conflict, is flawed. He proposes alternatives:
  • Lawyers not charging fees.
  • Community councils resolving disputes.
  • A system like the Church's disciplinary councils, where randomly assigned individuals defend both sides.
• Marc agrees the current system encourages litigation.
• Shawn, initially skeptical, is eventually convinced by Matt's arguments, particularly the alternative dispute reso

This week on The Latter Day Lens, Matt, Shawn, and Graham tackle a thought-provoking lineup of topics that cut to the heart of justice, liberty, and the proper role of government. We dive deep into the surprising reality of America's low crime clearance rates and ask if it's time for a new approach to deterring crime. Then, we pivot to a local controversy in Provo, Utah, where a popular dance fitness program was suddenly shut down, sparking a debate about local control and individual liberty – and whether one always serves the other. Finally, we examine the Trump administration's approach to undocumented workers and employer accountability. Plus, in "The Big Question," we confront the alarming truth about a new, more toxic ingredient in weedkillers and ponder the government's moral obligation to protect its citizens from harmful substances. Tune in for a lively and insightful discussion!

Thought Provoker & Topic 1: The State of Justice - Why Are So Many Crimes Unsolved?

• The Data: We discuss the shocking reality of low crime clearance rates in the U.S., particularly for murders and car thefts, and how America compares to other developed nations.
• The Question: Given that the U.S. incarcerates more people than almost any other country, is our current system effective in deterring crime? What "better way" might we find?

Topic 2: Local Control vs. Individual Liberty - The Provo Dance Class Controversy

• The Story: We break down the unexpected closure of the "Dirtylicious Dance Fitness" program at the Provo Recreation Center after six years, and the city's reasoning.
• Shawn's Take: Shawn, a proponent of local government control, weighs in.
• The Debate: Does this example demonstrate how local control can inadvertently reduce liberty? Is local control a scriptural principle or more of a political preference?

Topic 3: Immigration Enforcement - Who Should Be Held Accountable?

• The Policy: We examine the Trump administration's stated vow to hold companies accountable for employing undocumented workers.
• The Reality: Why have DHS enforcement operations overwhelmingly focused on arresting workers rather than punishing employers?
• The Discussion: Is this the right approach? Should employers who knowingly hire undocumented individuals face more significant repercussions?

The Big Question: Government's Role in Public Safety - The Diquat Dilemma

• The Concern: We uncover the troubling facts about diquat, the highly toxic herbicide ingredient now replacing glyphosate in Roundup, which is banned in many other developed nations.
• The EPA's Stance: Why has the EPA resisted calls for a ban, even as products containing diquat hit U.S. shelves?
• The Core Question: What is the proper role of government in regulating potentially harmful products? If a government knows a substance can harm its citizens, does it have a moral obligation to ban it, or at least warn its citizens?

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Guest Host Introduction
02:49 Understanding Propaganda and Its Implications
05:45 Crime Rates and the Effectiveness of Punishment
08:48 Rethinking the Criminal Justice System
11:32 Community Standards and Local Government Decisions
14:27 The Role of Local Government in Providing Services
25:59 Local Control and Scriptural Principles
28:32 Government's Role in Community Standards
30:09 Immigration and Employer Accountability
34:27 The Role of Government in Public Health
47:11 Trust in Government vs. Free Market Solutions
 

Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review "The Latter Day Lens" wherever you listen to podcasts! 

This episode of Latter Day Lens dives into some heavy-hitting topics, from the nature of propaganda in foundational American documents to the complexities of the BYU Honor Code and the nuanced role of conflict in societal change.

Here's a breakdown of the key discussions:

• Propaganda: Good or Bad? The hosts grapple with the definition of propaganda, debating whether historical documents like the Declaration of Independence and the Federalist Papers, or even public health campaigns like "Smoking Kills," qualify. Matt argues that if a message is intended to manipulate or is based on carefully selected (or omitted) truths, it's propaganda, regardless of its perceived positive outcome. He points out that even well-intentioned "propaganda" can lead to a skewed understanding of history, creating ongoing societal challenges. Levi, on the other hand, suggests that if something is honestly believed and not intended to deceive, it may not be harmful, even if it could be labeled as propaganda. 
• The Pareto Principle and Human Nature: Shawn introduces the Pareto Principle (the 80/20 rule), suggesting it applies to various aspects of life, including human behavior and organizational effectiveness. He even attempts to connect it to scriptural concepts like "almost all men" exercising unrighteous dominion, implying that a minority often drives the majority of outcomes, both positive and negative. While the hosts playfully debate its "doctrinal" status, the principle is explored as a potential framework for understanding distribution of effort, waste, and even spiritual progress.
• Trustees vs. Delegates in Government: The conversation shifts to the role of elected officials, specifically in the context of the Big Beautiful Bill. The hosts discuss whether representatives should act as "delegates" (reflecting the direct will of their constituents) or "trustees" (making decisions based on their own informed judgment for the perceived best interest of their constituents). Matt strongly advocates for the trustee model, especially for complex issues like the federal budget, arguing that public opinion often lacks the necessary understanding. Levi agrees, emphasizing the importance of voting for character in leaders who can navigate unforeseen crises.
• BYU Honor Code's Application: The discussion tackles the ongoing debate about the BYU Honor Code, particularly the perception that it's not applied uniformly. Matt, drawing from his experience as a YSA bishop, provides a concrete example of disparate treatment between ecclesiastical and Honor Code Office processes, even for similar infractions. 
• Addressing Historical Injustice and Societal Conflict: The episode concludes with a deep dive into how to address historical injustices, using the example of a Confederate statue's relocation in North Carolina. The hosts introduce sociological theories: "functionalism" (slow, cautious change to preserve societal stability) versus "conflict theory" (highlighting existing societal conflicts to drive change, even if it causes disruption). The conversation explores the nature of "peace" in politics and whether it means the absence of conflict or actively addressing underlying issues, even if it leads to discomfort. The distinction between peaceful protest and destructive rioting is also a key point of contention.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Homework Discussion
00:58 The Nature of Propaganda
05:54 Debating Historical Documents as Propaganda
11:49 The Pareto Principle and Its Implications
23:55 Trustees vs. Delegates in Representation
31:28 BYU Honor Code Controversy
38:31 Conflict Theory vs. Functionalism in Society

In this episode, Matt, Shawn, and Marc dive into some of the most pressing and thought-provoking issues of our time:

• Robert Kiyosaki's Hyperinflation Warning: We kick off by discussing "Rich Dad Poor Dad" author Robert Kiyosaki's dire predictions for the US economy, including impending hyperinflation and a financial wipeout for millions. He points to weak demand for US bonds and a Moody's downgrade as contributing factors. The hosts explore Kiyosaki's recommended solutions – investing in gold, silver, and Bitcoin – and ask the crucial questions: Are you worried about hyperinflation in the US? And what practical steps should we take to protect ourselves against economic downturns?
• The Disparate Job Market of May 2025: Next, we analyze the latest jobs numbers, revealing a mixed bag across industries. While sectors like Financial Activities and Education and Health Services boast low unemployment rates, Leisure and Hospitality, Wholesale and Retail Trade, and Information are facing significant challenges. This disparity sparks a conversation about political promises from both Biden and Trump to help everyone economically, leading to the big question: Is it truly possible for government policies to benefit all citizens, or will there always be winners and losers in the economic landscape?
• Truth and Transparency in Geopolitics: Trump, Khamenei, and Iran's Nuclear Program: The discussion then shifts to the conflicting narratives surrounding recent US strikes on Iran's nuclear sites. Donald Trump claims the program was "obliterated," while Ayatollah Ali Khamenei downplays the damage. This stark contrast prompts an examination of honesty in public discourse, particularly for political leaders. We ask: Does this situation underscore the critical importance of being completely honest in everything we do? And should we prioritize honesty more heavily when choosing which political leaders to support?
• Synthetic Human DNA: Playing God or Divine Inspiration? Finally, we tackle "The Big Question": a controversial project funded by the Wellcome Trust to create artificial human DNA. This groundbreaking research aims to develop treatments for incurable diseases and promote healthier aging, but it also raises profound ethical concerns about "designer babies," biological weapons, and enhanced humans. With many church members opposing stem cell research due to its embryonic origins, this new avenue presents an opportunity for genetic cures without reproductive interference. We grapple with the profound theological and ethical dilemma: Is the creation of synthetic DNA inspired by God for the benefit of humanity, or is it mankind attempting to play God?

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Upcoming Events
03:08 School Vouchers and Public Education
07:35 Concerns About Hyperinflation
13:59 Government Policies and Employment
20:30 The Role of Honesty in Politics
25:35 The Role of Honesty in Leadership
28:43 Propaganda: A Double-Edged Sword
35:11 Synthetic DNA: Playing God or Divine Inspiration?
46:44 The Future of Medicine and Ethics

 In this episode, Matt, Shawn, and Linda dive headfirst into the swirling currents of contemporary American challenges. We'll start by grappling with Professor Marci Shore's stark warnings of civil war and her decision to leave the U.S., prompting us to question our moral obligations in a "democratic emergency." Then, we pivot to the realm of political rhetoric, dissecting Senator Mike Lee's controversial social media post and exploring the line between free speech and harmful incitement. Finally, we'll scrutinize Utah's eyebrow-raising school voucher program, examining how taxpayer money is being spent and if it truly represents the right approach to education funding. Join us as we confront these pressing issues and seek to understand their broader implications for our society. 

The Big Question: In the April 2025 general conference, Elder Anderson spoke about abortion. He specifically said that what he said, "is not a political position" but "a moral law confirmed by the Lord through His prophets." Despite this, this talk is going to influence people's political positions. The question is this: how should people approach this general conference talk? If a person reads the talk and thinks about politics, are they missing out on something of greater importance than the political issue of abortion?

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction
02:57 Discussion on Civil War Fears in America
10:12 Understanding Democracy and Civil War Dynamics
15:53 Political Responses and Social Media Conduct
21:40 Navigating Social Media and Personal Connections
24:14 Righteous Indignation vs. Christ-like Charity
28:21 The Utah Voucher Program: A Controversial Approach
32:52 Balancing Oversight and Parental Choice in Education
41:20 Education as a Right and Public Funding
53:01 Navigating Politics and Morality in Religious Teachings

Join Matt, Shawn, and Melanie this week as they dive into some of the biggest ideas shaping our world, from the presence of the US military on home soil to the cutting edge of AI in dating, the public display of celebrity faith, and fundamental questions about religious freedom.

Military Visibility: A New Era?

Last Saturday, Washington D.C. hosted a military parade marking the Army's 250th anniversary. Concurrently, the Trump administration deployed the National Guard and US Marines to address civil unrest and rioting in Los Angeles. Many Americans reacted with concern to these more visible displays of military might domestically. We'll explore:

• The implications of increased military presence in US cities.
• Public perception of domestic military operations.
• The balance between security and civil liberties when US military forces are deployed internally.

AI Dating & Digital Compatibility

A brand-new dating app is revolutionizing matchmaking by analyzing your 5,000 most recent internet searches to create a "Browse personality profile." This AI-powered dating platform suggests compatible partners without even using photos. We're asking:

• Can AI algorithms predict true compatibility better than traditional profiles?
• The pros and cons of data-driven dating and privacy.
• Is sharing your internet search history the future of finding love?

Celebrity Faith & Public Reaction

Bear Grylls and Justin Bieber have both recently become more public about their Christian faith. This openness has sparked varied responses, with some accusing Justin Bieber of cult involvement. We'll discuss:

• The influence of celebrities sharing their faith.
• How public religious expression by famous figures affects individual openness.
• Navigating negative reactions to Christian faith in the public eye.

The Big Question: Oak Flat and Religious Liberty Concerns

The US Supreme Court recently allowed a lower court ruling to stand, permitting the transfer of Oak Flat, a sacred site to the Western Apache Indians, to a copper mining company. Justice Gorsuch's dissent highlighted the destruction of an ancient tribal worship site and the lack of a hearing for the Apache. This decision is widely seen as a direct assault on the religious liberties of Native Americans. We'll delve into:

• The impact of the Oak Flat decision on tribal religious rights.
• Whether a threat to the religious freedom of one group jeopardizes overall religious freedom in the United States.
• Understanding the broader implications for First Amendment rights and religious land use.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Podcast Overview
01:57 Listener Feedback and Mission Stories Podcast
06:06 Discussion on Military Presence and Public Safety
13:25 Debate on Military Intervention in Protests
17:55 Exploring New Dating App Concepts
26:07 Celebrity Influence on Faith and Public Perception
35:17 Religious Liberty and Public Lands

We open this episode with a moment of reflection, discussing the somber news regarding Ukrainian refugees in Utah and the ongoing challenges many face with immigration and refugee status.

We then dive into a listener's compelling question: "Is America an aristocracy in disguise?" This sparks a lively debate among Matt, Shawn, and Levi about the role of inherited wealth and political connections in American leadership, and whether the nation truly lives up to its ideals of opportunity for all.

Next, we tackle some timely "Thought Provokers" starting with JD Vance's recent assertion: "America is not just an idea. It is a group of people with shared values and a common history." We dissect this statement, exploring various interpretations of American identity, the importance of compromise, and the potential implications of such a definition.

The conversation then shifts to a pressing global issue: the devastating conflict in Gaza. We grapple with the reported 50,000 casualties, including 13,000 children, and question why media coverage often seems limited. The discussion extends to what can realistically be done and our collective responsibility as Latter-day Saints in the face of such profound humanitarian suffering.

Following this, we analyze the impact of the abandonment of the Fairness Doctrine in the 1980s, a decision many argue directly led to our current polarized media landscape. We debate whether this polarization was inevitable, how we might possibly return to a shared understanding of reality, and what it truly means for "the market" to control the flow of information.

Finally, we delve into the Big Question of the episode: the nature of immutable laws—whether of physics, man, or God. Drawing on an intriguing concept from physics where individual particles defy prediction but exhibit predictable collective behavior through probability, we ask: If such "laws" are often observed tendencies of collective actions, are there truly immutable laws? We explore how this philosophical inquiry might apply to human laws, natural laws, and even the "laws of kingdoms of glory" mentioned in D&C 88:24-25, questioning if laws are perhaps a divine tool to help mortals comprehend the eternal, rather than rigid, unchangeable strictures.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Current Events
02:52 Political Aristocracy: Myth or Reality?
05:59 Defining America: Ideas vs. People
08:55 The Role of Compromise in American Society
11:57 Understanding the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
15:02 Media Coverage and Public Perception
18:08 The Complexity of Solutions
21:06 The Fairness Doctrine and Media Polarization
33:05 The Impact of Media Regulation on Polarization
36:08 The Role of Capitalism in Media Bias
39:03 The Evolution of Partisan Media
42:04 Government vs. Market Control of Media
44:46 The Nature of Truth and Laws
57:49 Exploring Universal Laws and Probabilities

Join Matt, Shawn, and Marc on the Latter-day Lens podcast for a lively and thought-provoking discussion that spans centuries and tackles complex moral questions.

In this episode, we kick off with a fascinating dive into Colonial Heritage Festivals and Revolutionary War reenactment, as Marc shares his experiences representing the 33rd Regiment of Foot. Learn what makes these historical events so unique and how they differ from a Renaissance Faire.

Then, the conversation shifts to modern-day ethical dilemmas. We tackle the intriguing "thought provoker": What would you do if a loved one escaped from jail? The hosts explore the complexities of family loyalty versus upholding the law, debating the concepts of malum in se and malum prohibitum.

Next, we delve into the controversial topic of presidential pardons. We discuss recent pardons granted by President Trump, including the case of NBA Youngboy, and examine the arguments for and against the executive power of clemency. Do victims have a valid point when pardons are issued? We explore historical examples and the potential for abuse of this significant presidential authority.

Finally, we address a timely issue for BYU football fans: the dilemma surrounding a civil lawsuit filed against BYU's quarterback regarding a sexual assault claim and its implications for the BYU Honor Code. Should the university jeopardize its football season by expelling a key player based on an accusation?

Tune in for an engaging debate on justice, mercy, personal responsibility, and institutional integrity, all through a Latter-day Lens.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Colonial Festivals
02:57 Family Loyalty and Legal Dilemmas
06:01 Pardons and Justice in Politics
22:06 The Complexity of Presidential Pardons
24:40 Evaluating the Effectiveness of Pardons
25:08 BYU's Honor Code Dilemma
32:00 Authority and Accountability in Politics
42:59 The Role of Faith in Political Decisions

This week on the Latter-day Lens, hosts Matt and Sean dive into hot-button topics that spark lively debate.

First, they tackle recent research suggesting that college can actually make students more conservative depending on their major. Is it the professors, the self-selection of students, or something else entirely? Matt and Sean explore the implications of this finding and debate whether parents should guide their kids toward specific majors to influence their political views. They also discuss the broader purpose of higher education and whether academic research like this is helpful or harmful.

Then, the conversation shifts to a contentious question: Is it wrong to call nostalgia for certain periods of the past "racism"? Matt and Sean unpack the complexities of historical memory, the celebration of figures like Civil War generals, and the ongoing debate about the meaning and impact of racism in modern society. They challenge each other to define what constitutes racism and discuss the potential dangers of diluting the term.

Finally, in The Big Question segment, Matt shares insights from his interview with Justice Tom Griffith, an appellate court justice on the D.C. Court of Appeals. They discuss the impartiality of judges and the character of Supreme Court justices, including anecdotes about Justices Sotomayor and Kagan. This leads to a reflection on whether to err on the side of mercy when judging politicians and how to be better missionaries, inspired by Justice Griffith's example of inviting Supreme Court justices to a temple open house.

Keywords
college majors, political ideology, parental influence, racism, nostalgia, California demographics, education, social sciences, conservatism, liberalism, Russia, Ukraine, Trump, democracy, Supreme Court, judicial impartiality, missionary work, bias, skepticism, global politics

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Nostalgia for the Past
02:52 The Impact of College Majors on Political Ideology
10:04 Parental Influence on Political Beliefs
14:44 Racism and Nostalgia in Politics
21:50 California's Demographic Changes and Racism
27:20 The Dangers of Diluting Racism
30:27 Cherry Picking Evidence and Bias in Perspectives
31:15 The Ongoing Conflict: Russia and Ukraine
33:08 Ukraine's Path to Democracy and Freedom
35:12 Trump's Stance on Russia and Global Politics
37:11 Europe's Role in Supporting Ukraine
38:55 Insights from Justice Tom Griffith
40:12 Judicial Impartiality and Influence
43:08 The Humanity of Supreme Court Justices
44:55 Erring on the Side of Mercy in Judgment
46:44 Skepticism Towards Power and Authority
52:05 The Importance of Missionary Work
55:14 Inviting Others to Experience Faith
58:49 Teasing Future Projects and Content

In this intellectually stimulating episode, Matt, Shawn, and Melanie explore complex intersections of politics, education, immigration policy, and artificial intelligence ethics. Our discussion examines vocational education's resurgence, controversial refugee policies, presidential decision-making, and the emergence 

Education Policy Debate High schools across America are forming strategic partnerships with employers to prepare students for lucrative skilled trades, with companies actively recruiting before graduation due to workforce shortages created by retiring baby boomers. These revitalized vocational programs enable graduates to earn $50,000-$75,000 annually without college debt. We consider whether American secondary education has overemphasized college preparation at the expense of alternative career pathways.

Immigration Ethics and Policy The Trump administration has implemented an executive order allowing entry to 59 White South African Afrikaners as refugees while maintaining broader refugee program suspensions. This selective policy has provoked significant institutional opposition, including the Episcopal Church's withdrawal from government partnership. We analyze whether prioritizing this specific demographic while deporting Venezuelan migrants constitutes systemic racism in immigration policy.

Presidential Leadership and Ethics A recently published report details how President Biden's cognitive decline significantly impacted his presidency, revealing struggles with limited productive hours, memory issues, and communication difficulties that progressively worsened. The report suggests Biden resisted acknowledging these limitations, ultimately delaying his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race until after a poorly received debate performance against Trump. We examine the ethical implications of presidential inner circles concealing health concerns from the public and the moral obligations of advisors in such situations.

The Philosophical Question: AI Ethics Development Anthropic's comprehensive analysis of 700,000 Claude AI conversations has revealed the emergence of what appears to be an internal moral framework, with the AI system expressing over 3,000 distinct values that adapt contextually similar to human ethical reasoning. Researchers identified "immovable values" centered on intellectual honesty and harm prevention that Claude actively defends against challenges, suggesting AI systems inevitably make value judgments beyond their explicit programming. We consider the profound question of how these emergent AI ethical frameworks should interact with established human moral codes and societal norms.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Special Guests
01:48 Nostalgia and Personal Stories
02:41 Current Events and Political Commentary
08:41 Education and Vocational Training
14:10 Racism in Immigration Policy
23:48 Examining Racism and Bigotry in Politics
30:09 Cognitive Decline and Leadership Responsibilities
39:10 AI and Moral Codes: A New Frontier
50:38 Diversity of Experience in Shaping Morality

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In this episode, Matt, Shawn, and Levi engage in a thought-provoking discussion about three distinct topics that challenge conventional thinking within their community. The conversation begins with Levi's bold assertion that "self-reliance is a Satanic doctrine," arguing that interdependence rather than self-sufficiency is the true gospel principle. This leads to a nuanced debate about what self-reliance actually means in both spiritual and economic contexts, with Matt defending the church's official position while acknowledging potential misinterpretations.

The trio then examines a Gallup/JP Morgan study on entrepreneurship in America, exploring how access to capital and credit scores impact business success, particularly for minority business owners. This evolves into a broader discussion about financial literacy education and whether schools should prioritize teaching practical money management skills.

Finally, they challenge the common perception among church members that academia is hostile to religious expression. Drawing from their personal experiences in higher education, Matt and Levi suggest that secular academic institutions are often more welcoming of diverse religious perspectives than commonly believed, potentially more so than religious institutions themselves.

Throughout the episode, the hosts maintain their characteristic blend of serious theological discussion, political commentary, and good-natured ribbing, demonstrating their different ideological perspectives while maintaining mutual respect.

Episode Topics:

• The concept of self-reliance in LDS doctrine and its potential misapplications
• Financial literacy, credit scores, and their impact on entrepreneurial success
• Religious expression in secular academic settings
• The Ukraine-US Mineral Agreement and its implications

Chapters

00:01 - Introduction and catching up 

09:11 - Levi's controversial take on self-reliance as a doctrine 

26:19 - Discussion of entrepreneurship, capital access, and credit scores 

41:15 - The US-Ukraine Mineral Agreement and Trump's foreign policy 

48:01 - Religious expression in secular academia

This week, hosts Shawn, Matt, and Marc delve into some thought-provoking questions ripped straight from the headlines!
Topic 1: The Weaponization of Misinformation
In a recent talk at Harvard, Pete Buttigieg painted a stark picture of misinformation, characterizing it as a weapon more devastating than nuclear arms in its ability to fracture American society. He highlighted Russia's strategy of simultaneously promoting contradictory messages to sow division rather than advocate for specific viewpoints. Buttigieg argued that technological advancements have paradoxically led to a state where we have "never had more information and we've never been less informed," as traditional evidence verification methods are undermined. If misinformation is indeed being weaponized by our adversaries, what are the most effective strategies to combat its spread and rebuild trust in reliable information?
Topic 2: DOGE: Efficiency or Favoritism?
Our resident DOGE enthusiast, Shawn, often champions the idea that the "Deep Office of Governmental Efficiency" (DOGE) is streamlining government and reducing fraud and waste. However, Pete Buttigieg offers a contrasting view arguing it's more about power consolidation than actual efficiency. He explains that rather than methodically evaluating program effectiveness or employee performance, DOGE simply fires people categorized as "probationary" without proper assessment. DOGE lacks the time or process for proper evaluation, making decisions based on White House favor rather than merit. In addition, a Senate report suggests that DOGE cuts could help Elon Musk companies avoid $2 billion in liabilities. DOGE doesn't really provide links to verify claims they make about how much money they have saved, but BBC news tried to figure out the savings from DOGE. Is DOGE truly focused on reducing fraud and waste, or is it primarily serving as a tool to consolidate power and potentially benefit influential figures like Elon Musk by helping his companies circumvent regulatory costs?
Topic 3: Trump's Presidential Profits
Trump may not be taking a salary, but he is getting richer from his service as president. Since taking office in January 2025, his $Trump meme coin cryptocurrency surged 70% after he promised exclusive presidential access for its largest investors at his golf club, with the tokens now valued at $2.5 billion. Meanwhile, his record-breaking $239 million inaugural fundraising drew unprecedented corporate donations seeking influence. Furthermore, he's issued executive orders establishing cryptocurrency regulations and reserves. These post-inauguration ventures represent concerning entanglements where presidential power is being directly converted into personal financial gain through the explicit pricing of access to the president himself. What would the founding fathers think about this kind of behavior?

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
02:05 Listener Engagement and Feedback
05:01 Discussion on Pete Buttigieg's Policies
09:03 Misinformation as a Weapon
18:22 Connecting to Combat Misinformation
19:14 Debate on Doge and Government Efficiency
24:36 Government Accountability and Transparency
29:58 The Role of Appointees in Government
34:02 Presidential Influence and Financial Gain
40:57 Divine Guidance and Moral Dilemmas

Join hosts Matt, Shawn, and Melanie for a deep dive into the week's most pressing and thought-provoking issues! In this episode, they tackle the controversial shifts in white-collar crime enforcement, including foreign bribery, public corruption, money laundering, and the impact of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Matt, Shawn, and Melanie debate the morality of prioritizing crimes with clear victims and whether all offenses deserve equal punishment. Plus, they analyze the latest Gallup poll on American taxpayers' sentiment regarding their federal income tax burden and question if historical tax rates should be revisited. Finally, the team dissects a Fox News survey assessing President Trump's first 100 days of his second term, covering his approval ratings on border security, inflation, and overall job performance. Their "Big Question" explores the ethical implications of wealth distribution upon death, inspired by Tony Hsieh's estate and his "wow" factor gifting plan. Tune in for insightful analysis and engaging debate with Matt, Shawn, and Melanie on these critical topics shaping our world. 

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction
01:59 Competitive Authoritarianism in the U.S.
08:00 Shifts in White Collar Crime Enforcement
15:53 Taxation and Morality in America
28:09 Government vs. Church in Helping the Poor
29:55 Trump's First 100 Days: Approval Ratings and Public Perception
41:10 Inheritance and Wealth Distribution: A Moral Dilemma

In this episode of Latter Day Lens, hosts Matt and Shawn delve into various topics including the contrasting deportation rates under Presidents Biden and Trump, the significance of the Pope's death, and the political dynamics involved in church leadership. They also discuss Utah's recent App Store Accountability Act aimed at protecting children online. The conversation highlights the complexities of immigration statistics, the role of the Pope in Christianity, and the balance between government regulation and free market principles. In this conversation, Matt and Shawn delve into the complexities of data privacy, the role of social media in shaping perceptions of wealth, and the ethical implications of gambling strategies. They discuss the challenges parents face in monitoring their children's online activities and the psychological effects of social media on self-worth, particularly the phenomenon of money dysphoria. The dialogue emphasizes the need for awareness and proactive measures in navigating the digital landscape.

Topic 2: Utah recently passed a law called The App Store Accountability Act. It would make app stores give apps real age ratings. It would also stop kids from making deals to buying or downloading apps without their parents' okay—like how things work in the real world. And it would let parents sue if apps lie and hurt their kids. IS this a good idea or government overreach?

Topic 3: Bernard Marantelli and his partners planned to buy almost every lottery ticket to win a huge jackpot in Texas. They usually use math and data, like Wall Street investors, to find good betting chances and win a lot of money each year. Their Texas lottery plan worked, and they won millions, but it made many people angry, with one politician calling it a huge "theft" from the state. They did not break any laws. Is this clever behavior that should be rewarded, or underhanded theft?

The Big Question:  Seeing endless posts of fancy lifestyles on social media can create money dysphoria when the news talks about economic worries. It makes young people question how others afford such things, leading to feelings of inadequacy. One person in marketing notices many tempting online purchases while everyone else discusses financial hardship, highlighting this disconnect. This constant exposure to seemingly lavish lifestyles contributes to money dysphoria and can sometimes lead to impulsive spending followed by guilt as young people struggle to reconcile their own financial reality with curated online portrayals. The big Question, is money dysphoria some kind of mental disorder, or is it just a fancy word for the love of money, which is the root of all evil?

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Listener Feedback
01:51 Deportation Rates: Biden vs. Trump
05:05 The Impact of the Pope's Death
09:49 Politics in Church Leadership
16:03 Utah's App Store Accountability Act
20:28 The Dilemma of Data Privacy
23:50 Parental Control in the Digital Age
26:36 Clever Gambling Strategies and Ethics
34:10 Money Dysphoria: The Impact of Social Media on Self-Worth

In this episode, Shawn, Matt, & Marc engage in a lively discussion covering various topics. They dive headfirst into the murky waters of corruption, questioning if all forms are equally damaging, sparked by AOC's critique of fellow Democrats and the broader issue of politicians profiting in office. The conversation then shifts to a chilling look at a Trump advisor's pre-election promise to make civil servants "miserable," examining ProPublica's prophetic reporting and its implications. The hosts also grapple with a disturbing case where the US government seemingly lost track of an individual the Supreme Court ordered to be returned to the country. Finally, they tackle a deeply profound and ethically complex situation arising from an IVF clinic's devastating embryo mix-up, forcing a re-evaluation of the very definition of parenthood.

The Thought Provoker:

Topic 1: Lots of people who are worried about corruption, insider trading, and oligarchy support politicians who get rich while they are in office. Shawn sometimes talks like they are all the same thing. Are they all equally bad?

Topic 2: In late October, ProPublica published one of its most prophetic stories in their history. They explained how a key Trump adviser said a Trump administration will seek to make civil servants miserable in their jobs. Before the election, many Trump voters dismissed this as hyperbole from the left. Do you agree that ProPublica was prophetic? Should we all pay more attention to their reporting?

Topic 3: The Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration had to help a man, wrongly deported to a dangerous El Salvador prison, return to the U.S. Despite the Supreme Court ordering his return, a U.S. government lawyercouldn't tell a judge where Kilmar Abrego Garcia was. The judge found it deeply concerning that the government didn't know the location of someone they were supposed to bring back. What should the Trump Administration do?

The Big Question: A shocking case in Australia raises a profound question about parenthood: after an IVF clinic mistakenly implanted the wrong embryo, a woman gave birth to a child genetically belonging to another couple. The discovery, made when the clinic found an extra embryo, leaves everyone involved in a deeply challenging situation. This unprecedented event forces us to consider: in such circumstances, who are the true parents of the child? Is parenthood defined by genetics, or by the experience of carrying and giving birth?

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Listener Mailbag
03:03 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Employment
06:08 Government Obligations and College Funding
09:00 Corruption and Insider Trading in Politics
12:01 Oligarchy vs. Democracy: A Political Debate
15:00 The Role of Wealth in Politics
18:01 Prophetic Reporting and Government Transparency
24:19 Navigating Employment Challenges in Government
30:10 The Role of Media in Government Accountability
38:24 Defining Parenthood: Genetics vs. Experience
48:30 Agency and Decision-Making in Complex Situations

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Welcome to Latter-day Lens with Shawn, Levi, and Matt! This week, we're tackling some heavy hitters that touch our communities and our faith. From tragic gaps in law enforcement training and the debate around talk therapy's place, to Trump's controversial trade tactics and a provocative look at different 'types' of thinking within Church leadership – buckle up!

(00:00) Introduction with Shawn, Levi, & Matt

Thoughts on General Conference

(08:00) Topic 1: Unprepared? Police, Autism, and Tragic Consequences

• We discuss the heartbreaking case of Eric Parsa and the systemic issues it reveals.
• Despite disabilities factoring into potentially half of police killings, specialized training is lacking in most states.
• Discussion (Shawn leads): Are police being asked to do too much without the right tools? How does our community understanding (or misunderstanding) of disability intersect with public safety and accountability?

(20:30) Topic 2: Therapy vs. The Gospel? Levi Tackles Talk Therapy & Crime

• Levi explores the evidence: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) does seem to reduce crime.
• But where does talk therapy fit with faith? Some LDS members (like Levi's upbringing) express apprehension.
• Discussion (Levi leads): Does talk therapy work? Is it compatible with the restored gospel? Should the government step in to make it more accessible, and what are the implications?

(29:50) Topic 3: Trump's Tariff Math: Genius Strategy or Economic Myth?

• Breaking down President Trump's aggressive tariff formula targeting trade deficits.
• Is a trade deficit really a sign of weakness? We explore how deficits can actually benefit the US economy (affordable goods, high-value sector focus, attracting investment).
• A quick look at the history: How did Presidents gain so much tariff power from Congress?
• Discussion (Matt leads): Is Trump fixing a non-existent problem? What are the real-world impacts of these tariffs versus the stated goals?

(44:04) The Big Question: Effort, Law, Grace, Community – Four LDS 'Churches'?

• We dive into historian Matthew Bowman's intriguing op-ed categorizing LDS leadership thought into four strains: Effort (Nelson), Natural Law (Oaks), Grace (Freeman), and Community (Gong).
• A brief look at the core ideas and representatives of each "ideal type."
• Discussion (All Hosts): Is this framework useful or just academic hair-splitting? Does it accurately reflect different emphases you see? Which resonates most, and can they coexist healthily?

(53:30) Final Thoughts & Get In Touch!

• What stood out to you? Let Shawn, Levi, and Matt know your perspective!
• Subscribe to Latter-day Lens wherever you listen!
• Rate & Review us – it helps others find the conversation.

This episode of "The Latter-Day Lens" features a spirited discussion between Matt, his daughter Melanie, and friends Shawn and Jacob. The conversation moves through several engaging topics with the perfect blend of humor, disagreement, and thoughtful commentary that showcases the group's chemistry and willingness to challenge each other's viewpoints.
The episode kicks off with a debate about the value of college education. While Jacob and Melanie defend their BYU experience as providing a unique community and valuable networking opportunities, Shawn argues that college isn't the only path to success and challenges the prevailing mentality that it's "absolutely necessary." Matt contends that college provides two irreplaceable benefits: social networks with future leaders and expert feedback on your work. The discussion reveals generational differences in viewing higher education, with amusing asides about attending lectures sandwiched between "cute LDS girls" and the reality of online vs. in-person learning.

The conversation then shifts to government efficiency and the role of "Doge" (Department of Government Efficiency) in the Trump administration. This leads to a particularly animated exchange about FAFSA funding delays and whether government should prioritize protecting people's wellbeing over cutting costs. Melanie offers a compelling perspective, arguing that she'd "rather pay a couple dollars more for a little bit longer if it means that my friends who are graduating are guaranteed jobs."

Things heat up further when Matt questions whether Trump's cryptocurrency ventures represent a conflict of interest, while Shawn calls for consistency in criticizing corruption across party lines. This segment showcases the podcast's willingness to tackle controversial topics with both passion and humor, including Melanie's amusing admission that her "eyes glaze over" at the mention of Bitcoin.
As General Conference approaches, the group shares predictions and personal viewing habits, with Shawn admitting he sometimes watches recordings rather than live broadcasts due to the early schedule. They speculate about potential temple announcements in Africa and Utah, discuss Elder Holland's improved health, and jokingly debate whether the Russia temple is secretly operating. A humorous side conversation emerges about the conflicts between watching basketball's Final Four and priesthood session.

The episode concludes with a discussion of recent security breaches in the Trump administration, where classified information was accidentally shared on Signal when someone added a journalist to a chat. This prompts debate about competence in government appointments, with Melanie delivering the episode's final zinger about whether someone who can't properly manage a group chat should be entrusted with military operations.

Chapters

00:00 The Value of College Education
02:48 Social Networks and Community Building
05:58 The Role of Government in Education
08:57 The Impact of Online Learning
11:59 Government Accountability and Transparency
15:01 Corruption and Conflict of Interest in Politics
23:52 Insider Trading and Political Corruption
32:41 Ethics of Genetic Data and Consent
41:29 General Conference Predictions and Political Discussions
47:46 Temple Announcements and Community Needs
51:41 Elder Holland's Health and Conference Expectations
55:05 Incompetence in Government: A Discussion on Accountability

In this conversation, Shawn, David, and Matt discuss various themes around social division and unity, including the perceived value of college education, the success metrics of their religious community, global happiness trends linked to trust, and the surprising political common ground on immigration among members of their church.
Topic 1: College Education Value

A recent Gallup study shows a clear divide in opinions about college education in America. While most adults without degrees think college is too expensive, 70% still believe a bachelor's degree is valuable. The contrast is stronger among current students - 90% feel their education is worthwhile despite concerns about cost. This suggests people experiencing college firsthand see more value in it than those who aren't enrolled, even though both groups worry about expenses.

Topic 2: Religious Group Performance

One religious group (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) shows stronger performance metrics compared to other religious groups. Their membership numbers remain steady while others decline, and they show higher participation in religious activities like regular attendance, volunteering, and scripture reading. The hosts question what this means: Is it evidence of divine guidance, a result of centralized coordination, or could it lead to pride within the church community?

Topic 3: Global Happiness

The World Happiness Report shows Nordic countries leading happiness rankings while the US has fallen to 24th place. Trust in others is the strongest predictor of well-being - believing your wallet would be returned if lost increases life satisfaction more than doubling your income. Though kindness correlates with happiness, benevolent behaviors have declined since the pandemic, and most Western nations have experienced falling happiness levels since 2005-2010. The hosts ask if politics should focus more on building societal trust than on traditional issues like economy and taxes.

The Big Question: Immigration

The hosts note that members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints across political lines largely agree on immigration. Though conservatives tend to emphasize legal processes and liberals focus on humanitarian concerns, both groups recognize immigrants' religious identities, America's immigrant history, and immigrants' economic contributions. This agreement challenges narratives that frame immigration as threatening America's religious character. The hosts ask what church members could do to help bridge the political divide on this issue.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Context of College Graduation Rates
02:57 The Value of a College Degree
05:59 Perceptions of College Education
09:07 The Role of Feedback in Education
11:59 Self-Directed Learning vs. Traditional Education
15:00 The Impact of Student Debt
18:01 Religious Landscape and Church Growth
21:04 Survey Insights on Religious Participation
23:52 The Importance of Metrics in Evaluating Growth
27:01 Happiness and Trust in Society
32:21 The Complexity of Happiness and Community Trust
35:24 Reimagining Government's Role in Society

In this episode of the Latter Day Lens Podcast, hosts Matt, Shawn, and Marc engage in a lively discussion that begins with light-hearted banter about cooking and personal anecdotes. The conversation then shifts to a critical analysis of Trump's recent speech, where Marc expresses his view that it was a notably pro-American address. The discussion evolves into a deeper exploration of how partisan views shape American perspectives on foreign countries, particularly Israel, Ukraine, and Mexico, and how gospel principles can guide these views. They discuss how Jesus views nations, the significance of sharing the gospel, and the biblical perspective on handling conflicts within the church community. The conversation emphasizes the need for unity, forgiveness, and humility in interactions among believers, highlighting the church's ability to bring together diverse individuals. In this conversation, the hosts explore the themes of resolving disputes through faith, the identity of America as a Christian nation, and the complex relationship between morality, religion, and society. They discuss how personal grievances can be addressed through spiritual means rather than legal avenues, the differing perspectives on America's Christian heritage, and the implications of religious diversity in fostering a moral society.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Cooking Adventures
08:52 Trump's Pro-American Speech

17:06 US Obligation to Ukraine
19:10 Understanding Jesus's Perspective on Nations
20:02 The Role of the Gospel in Global Outreach
32:00 Disputes Among Believers: A Biblical Perspective
33:10 Unity in Diversity: The Church's Strength
35:06 Forgiveness and Humility in Conflict Resolution
36:00 Resolving Disputes Through Faith
39:43 America's Christian Identity: Perspectives and Implications
45:30 Morality and Religion: A Complex Relationship

This episode opens with a listener challenging hosts Shawn and Sam for previously dismissing Matt's concerns about Trump's Ukraine policy. The listener cites seven recent Trump administration actions that appear to validate Matt's predictions, including calling Zelensky a dictator, excluding Ukraine from peace negotiations, advocating for Russia's G8 readmission, ruling out Ukraine's NATO membership, refusing security guarantees, pausing military support, and exploring reduced sanctions on Russia. The listener specifically references Shawn's promise to call for impeachment if Matt proved correct. The episode then transitions to three "Thought Provoker" segments: Levi addresses DOGE; Matt discusses a Washington Post finding that federal employees work longer hours for less pay than private sector counterparts; and Shawn examines the case of Breeze Liu, whose life was devastated by non-consensual explicit videos, raising questions about content hosting ethics when Microsoft delayed removal of these materials from their cloud services. The episode concludes with "The Big Question" on racism, presenting research findings that conservatives tend to emphasize intentionality and individual growth when discussing racism, while liberals focus more on impact regardless of intent, systemic elements, and formal consequences—prompting consideration of how church members should approach this complex issue.

Chapters

00:00 The Evolution of American Mobility
03:07 Political Accountability and the Trump Administration
05:58 The Role of Doge in Government Efficiency
11:54 Self-Interest in Politics and Governance
22:47 Politicians and Public Perception
24:22 Government Employees: Myths vs. Reality
25:45 Data and Surveys: The Truth Behind Statistics
29:14 Bureaucracy vs. Private Sector Efficiency
35:10 The Role of the Invisible Hand in Economics
41:48 Transitioning to Serious Topics
42:06 The Impact of Non-Consensual Content
45:03 Moral Responsibility of Hosting Platforms
48:50 The Role of Cloud Services in Content Management
51:26 Racism and Perspectives on Intent vs. Impact
01:05:49 A Latter-Day Lens on Racism

Summary
In this episode of Latter Day Lens, hosts Matt and Shawn engage in a candid conversation about their recent disagreements, the importance of reconciliation, and listener feedback. They explore LGBTQ+ issues within the church, discuss immigration policies, and delve into the topic of traditional gender roles in relation to gospel teachings. The conversation also touches on the complexities of political trust and personal responsibility, emphasizing the need for open dialogue and understanding. In this conversation, the speakers engage in a deep discussion about trust in politics, the role of media, and the importance of political engagement. They explore the dynamics of global leadership, particularly in relation to the United States and Europe, and the implications of nuclear proliferation. The conversation also delves into the balance between regulation and individual rights, and the complexities of majority rule versus minority rights in a representative democracy.

Chapters
00:00 Reconciliation and Apologies
02:42 Exploring LGBTQ+ Conversations in the Church
05:32 Listener Feedback and Immigration Discussion
08:30 Traditional Gender Roles and the Gospel
20:46 Political Trust and Personal Responsibility
24:25 Debating Trust and Accountability in Politics
27:43 Media's Role in Political Trust
30:11 The Importance of Political Engagement
32:44 Global Political Dynamics and Leadership
35:42 The Shift in European Political Trust
39:26 Nuclear Proliferation and Global Security
42:59 Regulation vs. Individual Rights
49:52 The Balance of Majority Rule and Minority Rights

Keywords
Latter Day Lens, reconciliation, LGBTQ+, immigration, gender roles, gospel, political trust, personal responsibility, family dynamics, listener feedback, politics, trust, media, accountability, global leadership, nuclear security, regulation, individual rights, majority rule, political engagement

One listener pointed us to this article which explains the legal status of various undocumented immigrants.

Summary

In this engaging conversation, hosts Matt, Shawn, and Melanie delve into the complexities of immigration policy in the United States, exploring the roles of faith-based organizations, the impact of political decisions, and the moral implications of immigration laws. They discuss the importance of love and compassion in addressing immigration issues while also considering the need for order and clarity in policy implementation. The dialogue highlights differing perspectives on the motivations behind immigration laws and the historical context of these policies, ultimately questioning what principles should guide our approach to immigration today. In this conversation, the speakers explore themes of order in spiritual governance, the impact of COVID-19 on public trust in science, and the responsibilities of leaders to provide truthful information. They discuss the implications of Jesus's teachings on order and governance, the partisan divides exacerbated by the pandemic, and the ethical obligations of leaders in the context of misinformation. In this conversation, the participants delve into the ethics of truth-telling, the complexities of national security, and the integrity required in leadership. They explore the moral implications of lying, especially in high-stakes situations, and discuss the historical context of deception. The dialogue transitions into the negotiation tactics used by leaders and the consequences of changing the international order established post-World War II. The conversation emphasizes the importance of maintaining commitments in international relations and the potential repercussions of failing to do so.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Personal Updates
02:17 Clarifying Immigration Misconceptions
03:36 Faith-Based Organizations and Immigration Policy
06:01 Principles Guiding Immigration Perspectives
10:38 The Role of Love in Immigration
11:58 Order vs. Chaos in Immigration Laws
19:44 The Need for Order in Immigration Policy
20:55 The Order of Creation and Spiritual Governance
30:35 The Impact of COVID-19 on Trust in Science
40:36 Truth and Leadership: The Case of Zelensky and Trump
42:28 The Ethics of Truth and Lies
45:04 The Complexity of National Security and Truth
47:39 Integrity in Leadership and Personal Choices
49:14 The Role of Deception in Historical Contexts
52:57 Negotiation Tactics and Moral Implications
53:26 The International Order Post-World War II
01:00:34 The Consequences of Changing Global Dynamics

Keywords

immigration, faith-based organizations, refugee resettlement, human dignity, U.S. laws, Pope Francis, love thy neighbor, order and chaos, immigration policy, political landscape, spiritual governance, order, COVID-19, trust in science, leadership, truth, immigration, Jesus, family separation, ethics, truth, lies, national security, integrity, leadership, negotiation, international order, global dynamics, deception

In this episode of Latter Day Lens, hosts Matt, Shawn, and Levi engage in a deep discussion about immigration laws, the complexities of undocumented immigration, and the economic implications of these policies. They explore the nuances of fiscal conservatism, the impact of government spending and taxation on the economy, and the historical context of immigration debates in the U.S. The conversation highlights differing perspectives on how to approach immigration and economic policy, emphasizing the need for a fair and effective system. In this conversation, the hosts delve into the intersection of economic growth and political ideologies, exploring the claims made by conservatives regarding the impact of liberal policies on economic performance. They also discuss scriptural perspectives on economic systems, emphasizing themes of self-reliance and community support. The dialogue shifts to the topic of robocalls, questioning whether they represent a market failure or an innovative business model, and culminates in a debate about the ethical implications of profit-making in society. This conversation explores the themes of consent in market transactions, the complexities of externalities in public land use, the debate surrounding wolf reintroduction, and the balance of competing interests in land management. It delves into the importance of self-reliance versus government dependency, the role of science in ecological decisions, and the scriptural perspectives on land ownership. The discussion transitions to the family as a fundamental unit of society, addressing the need to support diverse family structures and the cognitive dissonance that arises from differing definitions of family within religious contexts.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Special Guests
01:24 Immigration Discussion Begins
08:17 Understanding Immigration Laws
11:39 Economic Perspectives on Immigration
15:03 Fiscal Conservatism Defined
19:24 Economic Growth and Political Ideologies
21:05 Scriptural Guidance on Economic Systems
25:02 Robocalls: Market Failure or Innovation?
36:45 The Ethics of Profit in Society
38:25 The Importance of Consent in Market Transactions
39:08 Externalities and Public Land Conflicts
39:57 The Wolf Reintroduction Debate
41:09 Balancing Competing Interests on Public Lands
43:52 Self-Reliance and Government Dependency
45:03 The Role of Science in Land Management
46:01 The Scriptural Perspective on Land Ownership
49:58 The Family as the Fundamental Unit of Society
54:49 Supporting Diverse Family Structures
01:00:02 Cognitive Dissonance in Family Definitions

Keywords

immigration, economic policy, fiscal conservatism, undocumented immigrants, immigration laws, inflation, economic growth, political debate, border control, asylum seekers, economic growth, political ideologies, scripture, robocalls, market failure, innovation, ethics, charity, coercion, capitalism, consent, externalities, public land, wolves, ranchers, conservation, self-reliance, science, family, diverse family structures

In this episode, hosts Matt and Shawn, along with guest David, engage in a deep discussion about racism, implicit bias, and the complexities of social justice. They explore the nuances of microaggressions, the role of education in combating racism, and the implications of implicit bias testing. The conversation also touches on economic shifts in manufacturing jobs and the political landscape surrounding these issues, particularly in relation to Trump's policies and China's labor practices. In this conversation, the speakers discuss various political and social issues, including the impact of troop deployments on U.S.-Mexico relations, the future of manufacturing in the U.S. in light of technological advancements, and the comparison of Biden's and Trump's policies. They also delve into the concept of second chances in politics, referencing Andy Reid's philosophy, and explore the public's role in holding political leaders accountable for their actions. The conversation delves into the themes of political corruption, accountability, civic engagement, and the role of faith in politics. The hosts discuss the changing landscape of public opinion and political responsibility, particularly in light of recent movements like Me Too. They explore the judicial system's role as a check on power and the importance of civic engagement in fostering a more responsible political culture. The discussion culminates in a reflection on how faith can guide political discourse and encourage unity rather than division.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction
01:01 Racism and Subconscious Bias
03:51 Microaggressions and Personal Experiences
06:58 Implicit Bias and Agency
11:02 The Role of Education in Reducing Racism
13:50 Political Implications of Implicit Bias Testing
18:02 Economic Shifts and Manufacturing Jobs
22:01 Trump's Economic Policies and China
22:59 The Impact of Troop Deployments on U.S.-Mexico Relations
24:32 Manufacturing's Future: Technology vs. Labor
27:53 Biden's Manufacturing Policies: A Comparison with Trump
34:04 Second Chances: Political Perspectives and Forgiveness
42:22 The Role of the Public in Political Accountability
47:27 Corruption and Accountability in Politics
52:39 Civic Engagement and Political Responsibility

Keywords

racism, implicit bias, microaggressions, education, political science, manufacturing jobs, economic policies, agency, discrimination, social justice, U.S.-Mexico relations, troop deployments, manufacturing, technology, Biden, Trump, second chances, political accountability, public opinion, political science, politics, corruption, accountability, civic engagement, faith, political responsibility, Me Too movement, judicial system, public opinion, church doctrine

In this episode of Latter Day Lens, hosts Matt, Shawn, and Marc engage in a lively discussion that begins with personal anecdotes about oil changes and transitions into listener feedback regarding the podcast's branding. The conversation then delves into the complex topics of racism and implicit bias, exploring scientific perspectives and societal implications. The latter part of the episode focuses on transgender policies in the military, examining the intersection of diversity, meritocracy, and military readiness. The conversation explores various themes surrounding military readiness, healthcare rights, and the implications of transgender surgeries within the military context. It delves into the political strategies of the Trump administration, particularly regarding public approval and the effectiveness of executive orders versus legislative action. The discussion also touches on the intersection of AI technology and censorship, raising concerns about national security. Additionally, the role of religion in politics is examined, emphasizing the importance of civic engagement and the balance between humility and self-praise in faith communities.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Oil Change Anecdotes
02:57 Listener Feedback and Podcast Branding
05:59 Racism and Implicit Bias
09:01 Scientific Perspectives on Racism
11:59 Transgender Policies in the Military
14:53 Debate on Military Readiness and Diversity
27:48 The Impact of Medical Procedures on Military Readiness
30:09 Healthcare Rights and Military Insurance
31:11 Gender Dynamics in Military Spaces
34:29 Trump's Political Strategy and Public Approval
38:40 Executive Orders vs. Legislative Action
42:10 AI and Censorship: A National Security Concern
50:10 Religion and Politics: A Civic Approach
56:08 The Balance of Praise and Humility in Faith

Keywords
Latter Day Lens, racism, implicit bias, transgender policies, military readiness, listener feedback, podcast branding, societal issues, personal anecdotes, diversity, military readiness, healthcare rights, transgender issues, Trump administration, executive orders, AI censorship, religion in politics, civic engagement, national security, public approval

The Thought Provoker:

Melanie is up first this week. I got a Breaking News notification from BBC about how Thailand has legalized same-sex marriage, which brokered the question: why do we care? As global powers, how much is it our responsibility to enforce "good" causes around the globe, and how much should we remain hands off? Where's the line between the sins of the people being answered on the heads of their kings, and teaching men correct principles and allowing them to govern themselves?
Next up, Shawn.  The US State Department has issued a halt to nearly all existing foreign assistance and paused new aid, with exceptions only for emergency food aid and for military funding for Israel and Egypt. If the US government is going to cede its role in helping support democracies and people in need around the world, what should good people do?
Finally, Matt.  A woman in Utah took issue with a transgender woman living in her daughter’s dorm and serving as an R.A., said she felt blindsided by the school for not alerting her about her daughter’s new suite mate. She went public and now the Utah legislature is considering writing a law that prohibits transgender people from living in dorms that match their gender identity if it does not match their sex at birth. What is the morally appropriate thing to do?
The Big Question: Elon Musk made a surprise appearance during Germany's AfD (Alternative fuer Deutschland) election campaign event in Halle in eastern Germany on Saturday, speaking publicly in support of the far right party for the second time in as many weeks. For listeners who may not know, the AfD is the new Nazi party in Germany. How should Americans feel about having a foreigner who supports elements of the Nazi agenda working in an unelected, non-appointed position in the US White House?
Chapters
00:00 Global Reach of the Podcast
01:11 Due Process and Legal Rights
07:11 Human Rights and Global Responsibility
17:30 Foreign Aid and Political Strategy
21:57 The Reality of Immigration and Foreign Aid
29:54 Negotiating Tactics in Foreign Aid
31:13 Transgender Rights in College Dorms
38:21 Disclosure and Transparency in Housing Assignments
39:58 Understanding Roommate Assignments and Disclosure
42:12 Cultural References and Living Situations
43:48 Elon Musk's Political Involvement
44:17 The AFD and Its Controversial Agenda
47:37 Debating Elon Musk's Influence and Citizenship
50:15 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Government

Topic 1: The special counsel released their findings from their investigation into Trump's behavior on Jan. 6, 2020. We now know that Trump broke the law in his attempt to overturn the 2020 election. By the time this episode drops, Trump will have been sworn in as President of the United States. How will future members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints look back on this time? At present, we look back on decisions members of the church made and judge them. Will future generations find fault with us for electing  someone who tried to overthrow a US election?
Topic 2: Shari Franke has just released a memoir. Her mother (Ruby Franke) had a YouTube channel in which their families life was documented for more than 1 million of her followers. IN one video Ruby waxed her daughter's eyebrow (for content). Shari has become an opponent of these kinds of YouTube channels. She says children cannot consent and she regrets that so much of her private childhood moments have been documented for the world to see. Should it be illegal for parent's to make videos of their children for public consumption before the kids are old enough to consent?
The Big Question: Americans are living longer than ever, but along with that comes a heightened risk of dementia. According to a story in the Washington Post, after age 55 4 in 10 adults develop dementia. Most people who live past 85 in the US will develop dementia. But it can be prevented through the same diet and exercise habits that lead to better heart and brain health overall. The current structure of US society incentivizes companies to provide food options that are unhealthy. Bad food tastes great and has a long shelf life.  Shouldn't we find a way as a society to incentivize healthy food choices? American taxpayers end up shouldering the burden for unhealthy lifestyle choices through government sponsored end of life care. Wouldn't it be better to spend that money more wisely earlier on in the life cycle to help people have a better quality of life?
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Podcast Dynamics
03:02 Winter Blues and Mental Health
06:01 Feminism and Faith: A Complex Relationship
09:59 Political Reflections on Trump's Presidency
20:00 Guardrails of Democracy: A Discussion on Governance
25:52 The Controversy of Child Exploitation on Social Media
38:11 Dementia and the Impact of Diet on Health
51:40 Finding Common Ground on Food Subsidies

The Salt Lake Tribune has a story about why a sizable number of faculty members at BYU are afraid. In the article and on the podcast the Tribune discusses this topic with former faculty members and only cites anonymous current faculty member sources. Should faithful latter-day saints be concerned about BYU faculty members' possible fear about policies that require them to agree with church policies? 

 Gallup conducted a survey of US adults asking them to make predictions about their expectations for 2025. Republicans are overwhelmingly positive in their expectations for 2025. They think that everything will be better except for political cooperation. Conversely, Democrats are overwhelmingly pessimistic in their expectations about everything for 2025. How should members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints feel about 2025. On issues about which we know so little (economy, crime rates, international affairs), how should we determine our level of optimism about the future?

 When he is sworn in next week, Trump will officially be the first president in the United States to enter office as a convicted felon. This means that in many states he will not have the right to vote, the right to own a gun, the right to travel abroad, or to serve on a jury. In many states, felons are not eligible to work for law enforcement, as a childcare professional, a teacher, or in the armed forces. Felons are not eligible for public housing, food stamps, SSI, or other federal and state grants. According to federal law, the person who is now commander in chief of the armed forces would not be eligible to serve in the armed forces. A majority of Americans decided in this last election that felony convictions should not stop a person from being president of the United States. In this case, many voters decided to not hold Trump's felony convictions against him. Shouldn't every felon have the same right in other areas of their lives? Is it morally wrong to deny felons their constitutionally protected rights? Shouldn't everybody have the chance to have their case looked at on an individual basis and not just have rights denied based on a felony conviction?

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Farewell to Sam
02:57 The Purpose of the Podcast
06:00 Marc's Journey to Faith
08:57 Concerns About BYU Faculty
12:02 Faith and Doubt in Academia
14:53 The Role of Social Media in Faith
18:10 Hiring Practices at BYU
20:57 Balancing Faith and Academic Freedom
23:47 The Impact of Social Issues on Faculty and Students
25:50 Impact of Education on Faith
28:47 Optimism and Political Perspectives
36:11 Felons and Their Rights
46:02 Finding Common Ground

In this episode of the RM podcast, hosts Matt, Sam, and Shawn engage in a lively discussion sparked by listener questions. They explore the impact of foreign relations on the growth of the church, the role of workplace safety regulations like OSHA, and the implications of government regulation on AI-generated content. The conversation highlights the complexities of these issues and the varying perspectives of the hosts, providing listeners with a thought-provoking experience. In this conversation, the hosts explore the themes of truth in media, the implications of cybersecurity laws, and the health risks associated with alcohol consumption. They discuss the importance of discerning truth in a digital age, the role of government in addressing youth cybercrime, and the evolving understanding of alcohol's health impacts. The conversation culminates in reflections on the Word of Wisdom and the need for public disclosures regarding health risks.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Listener Engagement
01:24 Foreign Relations and Church Growth
06:21 Workplace Safety and OSHA
11:09 Government Regulation and AI Disclosure
18:28 The Quest for Truth in Media
21:52 Cybersecurity and the Role of Government
27:35 Alcohol Consumption and Health Risks
38:05 Conclusions and Reflections

In this special episode of the RM podcast, the hosts celebrate their 99th episode recorded together in person. They discuss various topics including family dynamics, the implications of government subsidies on the automotive industry, the role of pharmaceutical companies in healthcare, and the principles of law and governance. The conversation highlights the complexities of market dynamics, the ethical responsibilities of businesses and government, and the gradual implementation of societal principles. In this conversation, the speakers explore the divine inspiration of the U.S. Constitution, discussing its principles and historical context. They delve into the complexities of governance and the compromises made during its formation. The discussion then shifts to contemporary societal values, particularly focusing on mental health as a significant New Year's resolution for many individuals. The speakers reflect on the importance of spirituality and personal growth in achieving mental well-being, emphasizing the need for balance in various aspects of life.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Special Episode Context
05:58 Debate on Government Subsidies and Tesla
12:05 The Role of Government in Healthcare
17:46 Gradual Implementation of Principles in Society
26:01 Divine Inspiration of the Constitution
33:08 Mental Health and New Year's Resolutions

In this episode of the RM podcast, hosts Matt, Shawn, and Levi engage in a lively discussion about various topics, including the role of government in gambling, parenting, and the implications of monopolies in the market. The conversation begins with a light-hearted welcome back to Levi, followed by a serious examination of gambling regulations and the responsibilities of parents versus the government. The hosts debate the effectiveness of government intervention in protecting children and the implications of monopolies, particularly in the tech industry.  They delve into various topics including the unique role of the USPS, the implications of monopolies, the dynamics of innovation in tech, and the moral dilemmas surrounding gun rights for felons. They also discuss the case of NBA Youngboy and the intersection of law and morality, concluding with a light-hearted discussion about celebrity indulgences and paychecks from SNL. The hosts discuss the morality of pay in the entertainment industry, particularly focusing on Saturday Night Live and the compensation of cast members like Pete Davidson. They explore the implications of free market decisions and the ethical responsibilities of those in power. The discussion then shifts to the role of the U.S. in global politics, particularly in Syria, where the potential for a democratic regime is examined. The hosts debate the importance of self-governance versus imposed democracy, considering historical contexts and the complexities of international relations.

Links:

The Assad regime was in power for 50 years and brutally maintained that grip by terrorizing their political opponents. For the last 10 years, the country has been in a stalemate in which Assad’s supporters ruled the country, but pockets of resistance were building across the country. Less than a month ago, a rebel group took back a large city. Now, Assad has fled to Russia and the provisional government is going to try to establish a new political regime within the next three months. At present, six groups (including the US) control territory in Syria. The United States has an opportunity to help our allies in the region to share in the future governance of Syria. This would weaken Russian and Iranian influence in the region. Trump has said that the US should not get involved in Syria, that we should “let it play out”. We have seen what happens when we do not get involved globally. Does the US have a moral obligation to get involved in reshaping Syria.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Welcome Back
01:44 Gambling and Government Involvement
05:01 Parenting and Monitoring Children
09:43 Government's Role in Protecting Children
11:02 Lena Kahn and Antitrust Issues
12:23 Monopolies: Good or Bad?
19:12 The Role of Government in Monopolies
21:31 The Value of the USPS and Its Unique Role
23:34 Monopolies: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
24:38 Innovation and Competition in Tech
27:44 The Role of Economic Power
29:43 Gun Rights and Felons: A Moral Dilemma
30:04 The Case of NBA Youngboy: Justice and Punishment
40:13 The Intersection of Law and Morality
44:35 Celebrity Indulgences: A Look at SNL Paychecks
45:04 The Morality of Pay in Entertainment
55:10 The Role of the U.S. in Global Politics
01:05:30 Self-Governance vs. Democracy

Summary

In this episode of the RM Podcast, hosts Matt and Shawn welcome guest Levi to discuss various topics including political trust, civil disobedience, the healthcare system, and consumer rights. The conversation begins with light-hearted introductions and quickly transitions into a deeper discussion about the mistrust in government, particularly in relation to recent political events. The hosts explore the moral implications of civil disobedience in unjust systems, drawing parallels to historical figures like Gandhi. They also share personal experiences with the healthcare system, highlighting the disparities in access and costs. The episode concludes with a debate on consumer rights, particularly regarding airline fees, and the role of government in regulating private companies. In this conversation, the speakers delve into the complexities of healthcare systems, comparing the NHS and American healthcare. They discuss the moral implications of forced charity versus voluntary charity, the efficiency of government versus private sector solutions, and the principles that govern these systems. The dialogue highlights the challenges and trade-offs involved in providing healthcare, emphasizing the need for a deeper understanding of efficiency and effectiveness in both public and private sectors. In this conversation, the participants engage in a deep discussion about the efficiency of government versus the private sector, the sacredness of property, and the morality of gambling. They explore the implications of government spending, the wastefulness in both sectors, and the moral considerations surrounding gambling, including its addictive nature and the role of government in regulating it. The conversation culminates in a debate about whether the government should impose restrictions on gambling to protect individuals from addiction, highlighting the complexities of personal freedom versus societal responsibility.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction
03:14 Political Trust and Government Mistrust
05:46 Civil Disobedience and Moral Choices
09:03 Healthcare System Insights and Experiences
11:59 Consumer Rights and Airline Fees
15:04 Healthcare System Debate and Personal Experiences
23:22 Exploring Healthcare Systems: A Comparative Analysis
25:48 The Value of Life: Cost vs. Care
27:16 Charity vs. Forced Charity: A Moral Dilemma
30:23 The Inefficiency of Government vs. Private Sector
34:54 The Principles of Government Efficiency
43:34 The Efficiency Debate: Government vs. Private Sector
45:48 The Sacredness of Property and Its Implications
53:16 Gambling: Morality and Government's Role
54:41 The Rise of Gambling and Its Societal Impact
01:01:32 Guardrails for Gambling: A Controversial Discussion

The Thought Provoker:
Matt: I recently learned that reusing a single use plastic water bottle or microwaving food in a plastic container is exposing me to micro- and nanoplastics. Some of these materials are toxic and can have lasting health effects. I am angry that corporations are allowed to put hazardous materials into products that could harm me or my family without some kind of warning label. Should these manufacturers be forced to put warning labels on their products?

Shawn: President Biden has announced that he is going to pardon Hunter Biden because Hunter was treated differently by the justice system for political reasons. Trump says that the January 6 participants should be pardoned for the same reason. Is Trump right? 

The Big Question: Savannah Eccles Johnston has an article in Square Two comparing Abraham Lincoln’s Lyceum Address with teachings from the Book of Mormon.  She argues that both teach that the only way to prevent tyranny and political collapse is devotion to the rule of law. Lincoln argued that unjust laws must be obeyed to protect and preserve freedom. This is in contrast to Gandhi or Martin Luther King Jr.’s call for civil disobedience. They taught that by refusing to submit to the wrong or cooperate with it in any way, individuals can non-violently confront evil and lead society to a greater good. How should members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints confront unjust laws and policies?

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Absence of Sam
02:10 Work-Life Balance: Perspectives on Employment
03:45 Healthcare in America: Capitalism or Regulation?
05:51 The Dangers of Plastics and Consumer Awareness
17:05 The Role of Disclosure in Consumer Products
19:44 Political Discussions: Hunter Biden and Justice System Bias
20:05 The Controversial Pardon of Hunter Biden
30:05 The Rule of Law: Perspectives from Lincoln to Gandhi

Keywords
voting philosophy, electoral college, popular vote, cultural narratives, faith and obedience, Caribbean travel, Dominica, Hurricane Maria, America First, soft power, education divide, global relations, foreign aid, political science, tourism, international relations

Summary
In this episode, Matt and Shawn discuss various themes including the significance of voting, the dynamics of the electoral college, and the cultural narratives portrayed in films. They reflect on the philosophical implications of voting, the power of popular votes versus electoral college votes, and the impact of storytelling in cinema, particularly in relation to historical figures like Dietrich Bonhoeffer. The conversation also touches on the relationship between faith and obedience, concluding with a personal travel experience to the island of Dominica. In this conversation, Shawn and Matt explore various themes including the beauty and challenges of Dominica post-Hurricane Maria, the implications of America's 'America First' strategy in global relations, and the divide in American politics based on educational attainment. They discuss the role of the U.S. in providing aid to foreign nations, the concept of America as a 'City on a Hill', and the importance of education in shaping political views. The conversation culminates in a debate about the value of college degrees versus broader education, highlighting differing perspectives on how best to support individuals in their pursuit of knowledge and success.

Chapters
00:00 Celebrating Milestones and Listener Engagement
03:09 Voting Philosophy: The Value of Your Vote
06:12 The Electoral College: Power Dynamics in Elections
08:57 The Role of Popular Votes vs. Electoral Votes
11:58 Cultural Narratives in Film: The Case of Dietrich Bonhoeffer
14:53 Faith, Obedience, and the Nature of Belief
17:47 Exploring the Caribbean: A Journey to Dominica
27:38 Exploring the Beauty of Dominica
28:44 The Impact of Hurricane Maria on Dominica
30:39 America's Role in Global Relations
32:30 The Concept of America as a 'City on a Hill'
34:27 Investing in Foreign Nations for Stability
41:44 The Education Divide in American Politics

In this episode of the RM podcast, the hosts discuss the recent election results, focusing on the Republican sweep led by Trump. They analyze the factors contributing to this outcome, including the performance of Kamala Harris and the implications of gender in politics. The conversation also delves into the divisiveness within the church regarding political affiliations and the responsibilities of citizens in a politically charged environment. The hosts emphasize the importance of active engagement in shaping policies and the need for respectful discourse among differing viewpoints. In this conversation, the hosts delve into the significance of voting, the implications of Mormonism in modern society, and reflections on the recent 2024 election. They discuss the responsibilities of voters, the relevance of historical figures in the context of contemporary issues, and the evolving political landscape. The dialogue emphasizes the importance of civic engagement, humility in politics, and the need for accountability in leadership.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Election Context
01:12 Analyzing Trump's Republican Sweep
05:29 The Role of Gender in Politics
12:55 Divisiveness Within the Church
15:38 Responsibilities of Citizens Post-Election
23:39 The Value of Voting
26:09 Mormonism in canonized scripture
31:19 Where we were right/wrong about the 2024 election

Keywords
2024 election, Trump, Republicans, Kamala Harris, gender politics, church, citizen responsibility, voting, political analysis, election results, voting, Mormonism, 2024 election, political responsibility, civic duty, church leadership, humility in politics, election reflections, democratic process, community engagement

Recorded before the election and intentionally not about the elections. Take a break from the election coverage. There is still plenty to talk about besides the election. We all support the winner, time to move on from the election.

The Thought Provoker:

We all make one last appeal for our preferred candidate in the election. This is our last episode before the election.  Here is my pitch for Kamala Harris:

1. She is not Donald Trump
    Trump is going senile
2.  Trump will not support Ukraine
3.  Trump will escalate violence in the Middle East
4.  Trump is a convicted felon who is only trying to avoid future felony convictions
5.  Trump will raise taxes
6.  Trump will make inflation worse
7.  Trump will appoint incompetent people to run the government
8.  Trump likes Hitler a little too much for my liking.
9. Kamala will fight for women’s rights.
10. Kamala will fight for young parents
11. Kamala will fight for better healthcare and she will protect social security.
12. Kamala will fight for workers.
13. Kamala will fight for small business owners.
14. Kamala is a good person who cares about doing the right thing. She is the closest we can come to someone who is honest, good, and wise (D&C 98:9-10)

The Big Question: The church encourages its members to play a role as responsible citizens in their communities, including becoming informed about issues, voting in elections, participating in governance processes and (as they desire) seeking for elected, appointed or voluntary office. Matt has made it clear that he is not voting in the presidential election. Would he be a better disciple if he were to choose to vote?

In this episode, the hosts discuss their podcast's growing audience and make predictions about future listeners. They touch on recent events and tease upcoming topics.

SpaceX vs Boeing Discussion: The conversation centers around SpaceX's recent rocket launch success compared to Boeing's struggles. They debate government funding efficiency and the merits of private enterprise in space exploration.

Government Loan Program for Green Energy: The hosts discuss a government loan program for green energy projects, debating its effectiveness and the irony of oil companies receiving funding for clean energy initiatives.

Gen Z Parenting and Emotions: The podcast examines a study on Gen Z parenting challenges, focusing on the balance between emotional support and preparing children for adulthood. They discuss the role of feelings in child-rearing and education.
Chapters
00:00 Global Reach of the RM Podcast
01:36 Tariffs and International Trade
03:35 Political Landscape and Elections
05:38 Promoting Peace in Political Discourse
07:37 The Role of Personal Responsibility in Politics
09:27 Cult of Personality in Politics
11:06 The Impact of Social Media on Political Beliefs
12:57 The Importance of Education in Political Engagement
14:41 The Role of Private Enterprise in Space Exploration
26:00 The Value of SpaceX and Government Spending
30:00 Government Investment in Green Energy
37:53 Challenges of Raising Gen Z Children

Summary
In this episode, the hosts discuss various topics including their predictions for the recent conference, updates on Trump's criminal trials, insights from a recent political debate, tensions in the Middle East, the political shift among young women, the morality of abortion, and the implications of the Freedom of Information Act. The conversation is lively and covers a range of perspectives on these pressing issues.
Takeaways

• Predictions about general conference miss the mark.
• Trump's trials could change significantly if he wins the presidency.
• Political debates can reveal a longing for civility in politics.
• The U.S. has a complex role in Middle Eastern conflicts.
• Young women are increasingly identifying as liberal, impacting future elections.
• The morality of abortion remains a contentious issue.
• FOIA requests can be used for accountability but also for harassment.
• Public service careers may be affected by the scrutiny of government employees.
• The balance between privacy and transparency is a critical discussion.
• Understanding the implications of technology on personal privacy is essential.

Chapters
00:00 Conference Predictions and Reflections
05:12 Trump's Criminal Trials Overview
07:28 Debate Insights and Political Climate
09:06 Middle East Tensions and U.S. Involvement
22:10 Young Women's Political Shift
37:44 Morality of Abortion and Choice
50:35 Freedom of Information Act and Public Accountability

Links: Israel v Iran

The Freedom of Information Act

41% U.S. women aged 18 to 29 currently identify as liberal 

General Conference predictions:

New Temples

Speakers

Other big announcements

Election Predictions:

Who will win the VP debate?

Will there be another Presidential Debate?

Future unforeseen events? (Assassination attempts, Skeletons in the closet, Indictments/convictions?)

Who will win N.C., PA, GA? I chose those states because they have the highest probability of mattering the most. A state’s tipping-point chance is the probability it will give the Electoral College winner their 270th electoral vote.

Summary
In this episode of the RM Podcast, hosts Matt, Shawn, and Sam engage in a lively discussion covering a range of topics from political dynamics within the Democratic Party to the importance of sports in American culture. They delve into the implications of recent events, including the case of Kirk Gibson and the moral obligations of sports teams like BYU. The conversation also touches on the fragility of democracy, the role of prophecy in the church, and the ongoing debate between the letter of the law and the spirit of the law. The episode concludes with predictions for the future and reflections on civic engagement.
Takeaways
Democratic Party can replace candidates without a primary election.
Voting for president is actually voting for electors, not individuals.
Kamala Harris's educational background is often misunderstood.
BYU's success raises questions about moral obligations in sports.
Kirk Gibson's story highlights resilience in the face of illness.
Sports serve as a powerful connection point in American culture.
The need for accountability in online communities is pressing.
Civic engagement is crucial to maintaining democracy.
Prophecy assures the church's stability, but agency is essential.
The balance between the letter and spirit of the law is complex.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Identity Crisis
01:57 Democratic Party Dynamics and Electoral College Explained
06:03 Kamala Harris and Ivy League Misconceptions
07:57 BYU's Winning Streak and Moral Obligations
10:01 Kirk Gibson's Charity Gala and Personal Reflections
12:59 The Power of Sports in American Culture
16:59 Discussion on a Disturbing Case of Abuse
20:02 Secret Combinations and Societal Responsibility
24:59 The Fragility of Democracy and Civic Engagement
30:03 The Role of Prophecy in Church and Government
34:00 Letter of the Law vs. Spirit of the Law in Sports
40:02 Final Thoughts and Predictions for the Future

Keywords: politics, democracy, sports, Kirk Gibson, BYU, Kamala Harris, electoral college, charity, civic engagement, law

Mailbag:  One listener writes, “hey so interesting discussion about raffles in the church. I suspect the church’s policy has nothing to do with the morality of raffles and more to do with their legal non Profit status." Here is what the church says in the handbook. Here is what the church says about games of chance. President Hinckley had strong language about games of chance.  Here is a fun story from The Friend

Matt is up first this week. For some reason, Laura Loomer spends more time with Donald Trump than his wife does. She is a white supremacist and an Islamophobe, and she has been traveling with Trump not only to rallies but to the presidential debate. Would it be morally wrong to support a candidate for president who surrounds himself with such despicable people?

Next up, Sam.  How much do presidential debates matter?

Finally, Shawn. The National Minimum Drinking Age Act, signed by President Ronald Reagan in 1984, required all states to set their alcoholic drinking age at 21 years old or risk losing some amount of federal funding for highway construction. The threat worked. All states moved quite quickly to comply with the law. Because transportation funding is often "must-pass" legislation in Congress, lawmakers may be able to tag on a provision intended to force states and cities to make building homes easier. "States with high-price, low-construction counties would have to figure out how to overrule local zoning codes themselves or lose federal transportation funding." Skyrocketing home prices and rents are largely a result of a severe shortage of housing. Should young lds couples be concerned about not being able to own a home until much later in life? Would local deregulation of building restrictions be a good solution? 

The Big Question:  It was clear in the debate this week is that after nine years of talking about health care, Donald Trump still does not have a health care plan. He has some concepts he is thinking about. I think we should take this opportunity to help Donald Trump develop a good health care plan. This link explains the US healthcare system. I think that there are two big flaws with the US healthcare system. One, health insurance is tied to employment, and two, the federal government pays for the most expensive costs in the health system. That is Medicare, Medicaid and the military are covered under U.S. government health insurance. Those are the people who are most likely to use health care, and they those are the people with healthcare costs that are probably the most expensive. One solution to both of these problems wou

Shawn is up first this week. The Ancient Tradition is a podcast hosted by Dr. Jack Logan who is a professor who has researched religious traditions throughout the world. In her study she found reputable scholars that kept pointing out similarities in all these traditions all over the world that indicate there was one original ritual system.  She references reputable academic scholars in religion, cosmology, archeology and Several argue that the evidence is so profound that they concluded it is incontrovertible that religions of today were descendants of some common source.
Why are lds members so interested in this? If the findings are true are they big deal, little deal or no deal?

Next up, Matt.   A car dealership raffled off a brand new Toyota Camry as a fundraiser for schools in their community. This fundraiser raised over $300,000. It's a good way to make a small donation go a long way, if you think about it. The church has long taught that games of chance and gambling are spiritually harmful. The church handbook specifically states that we cannot use raffles to raise funds for things like young men's and young women's camp. Is it morally right to use raffles as a way to raise money for charitable causes in our communities?

Finally, Sam. 

The Big Question:  I was touring the National Park where the US Constitution and the Declaration of Independence were assigned, the tour guide told the story of a man named James Forten. Shortly after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, he was in the streets of Philadelphia and noticed a regiment of soldiers from Rhode Island marching through town, and it caught his attention because this was a regiment of all black soldiers. Seeing somebody who looked like him as a member of the militia that was going to take on Great Britain inspired him to join the cause. He was captured, and one of the Officers of the British Army was impressed with him and offered to free him and employ him in his home in Great Britain. James was being offered a chance at freedom from bondage in exchange for a very extravagant lifestyle in Great Britain. James turned the offer down and returned to prison. Because he was so inspired by the cause of the revolution. Eventually, James was freed and became a prominent, wealthy, industrialist in the city of Philadelphia after the Revolutionary War. In political science, we have this concept called descriptive representation. James's story is reflective of the idea of descriptive representation. It is that even when you do not know much about policies or issues that are going on in politics, when you see somebody involved in politics who is similar to you, it makes you feel like you are being represented in the cause. It inspires patriotism and it inspires people to be more supportive of elected officials. Simply seeing a black militia fighting in the Revolutionary War was sufficient to persuade James Forten that he should give up opportunities provided to him by the Kingdom of Great Britain and fight for the liberation of the colonies. So far, women and Asian Americans have never seen somebody like them sitting in the White House as president of the United States. Simply seeing an Asian American woman in the White House Would persuade millions of Americans that the American Dream is a reality for them, not just something on paper, but something that could actually be realized in their own lifetime. The big question: Is that a good enough reason to vote for Kamala Harris for president of the United States? 

Mailbag:  BYU Football AD, Tom Holmoe must be listening to our podcast.  He answered that BYU has both a responsibility to uphold the honor code AND to win!

The Thought Provoker:
Sam is up first this week. Much has been made about my comments last week re Imagine Dragons, including several commenting that Imagine Dragons is one of the worst bands overall.  What makes for a great band?  How should Imagine Dragons rank?  Is there prejudice among Church members because of Dan Reynolds’ political views and former member status?

Next up, Matt.  Shawn likes to mock Kamala Harris’ focus on voting rights. He says they are not under attack. Well, this week Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton raided Latino Democrats' homes looking for evidence that they registered non-citizens to vote. The only evidence of a crime is that these individuals helped people register to vote, something most would consider a patriotic practice. In addition, Republican states are reducing the number of places where a person can vote and they are placing restrictions on what happens in voting locations. These laws specifically target communities of color. Do we have a moral obligation to make it easier for people to exercise their constitutionally guaranteed right to vote?

Finally, Shawn. Deion Sanders talks about fatherhood. Is this a passé or a popular statement to make in society today? 

The Big Question: This week, Provo cancelled its football game against rival Timpview because of threats made on social media. When I lived in Logan, I noticed an Instagram account dedicated to getting public officials fired, mostly because of how the school’s sports teams were performing. I reported some of that content to Instagram and they said that it did not violate its terms of service.  President Nelson has been very clear about our obligation to promote peace, especially on social media. High school sports seems to bring out the worst in people. If social media has no interest in policing their own platforms, what can we do to help promote peace on social media? How can we help these people to remember who they are even when their team is losing to a cross-town rival?

Mailbag: One listener writes, “ I have heard a professor talking about his 13 points he uses to accurately predict presidential elections, is this dime Store political science, the real thing or something in between?”
The Thought Provoker:
Matt is up first this week. Many people are complaining that Twitter has become more divisive and less fact-based than before Musk purchased it. In addition, many unsavory characters are using Twitter to spread false information. From fake celebrity endorsements, to bots developed by Israeli and Russian intelligence services designed to amplify false information and manipulate ordinary Americans, Twitter has become an angry and dangerous place. How can people enjoy a platform like Twitter without succumbing to political manipulation?
Next up, Sam.  Last year, BYU experienced a rare losing season, 5-7.  What is your preseason win/loss prediction?  As the Church’s University, does BYU (and Sitake) have a moral obligation to win?
Finally, Shawn. a Judge has found RFK Jr. Can Bring his Censorship Lawsuit Against Biden Administration citing: “there is “ample evidence” to show he has been censored in the past at the direction of government actors and “substantial risk” that the censorship will continue.”.
Lastly,  a year ago a judge prohibited the Biden administration from working with social media companies about "protected speech," a decision called "a blow to censorship" by one of the Republican officials whose lawsuit prompted the ruling. My question is, should government censorship be used for the good of the country?
The Big Question: We all know that Trump lies, but simple fact-checking of his RNC acceptance speech suggests that most of his platform is based on misinformation or exaggerations of the truth. It turns out that crime is down in the Biden Administration, immigrants are not taking jobs from anyone—in fact there is a surplus of about 2 million jobs, Europe is contributing more to the defense of Ukraine than is the United States, and Trump’s tariffs actually raised the cost of goods considerably. Trump helped cause the inflation he complains about. When it comes to taxes and spending, Democrat Presidents had larger tax cuts and lower budget deficits than did President Trump. Meanwhile, conservative radio personality Dan Rea said that Kamala Harris’s acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention sounded like the kind of speech

The Thought Provoker:

Sam is up first this week. Trump recently stated that tariffs are a tax on a foreign country. What do you think about tariffs?

 Next up, Shawn.  Before Joe Biden endorsed Kamala Harris, Aaron Sorkin wrote an op-ed in the New York Times saying Democrats should nominate Mitt Romney: "Nominating Mr. Romney would be putting our money where our mouth is: a clear and powerful demonstration that this election isn’t about what our elections are usually about it, but about stopping a deranged man from taking power." Is it impossible to think that a political party would ever do something altruistic like this? 

Finally, Matt. NASA has given Boeing hundreds of millions of dollars to fund the development of a class of partially reusable spacecraft designed to transport crew to and from the International Space Station (ISS) and other low-Earth-orbit destinations. Now the crew of one of these vessels is stuck in outer space. What was supposed to be an 8 day mission may take 8 months because the spacecraft is flawed. Boeing is a private corporation that is poorly managed, yet receives billions of dollars in contracts from the federal government. Who should taxpayers hold accountable when private companies waste their hard-earned money? 

The Big Question: A recent study was published that looks at what happens when a state adopts ranked choice voting. They find that in the elections after Alaska adopted rank choice voting, 1) the moderate candidate won the Senate race, who otherwise would have lost, 2) some Democrats and independents who favored the moderate Republican more than the Democrat were able to support her at all stages of the election, along with others who voted for her to stop the more conservative Republican candidate, and 3) Alaskan voters are largely favorable toward the new rules, but that certain kinds of populist voters are likely to both support Trump and oppose the rules.  The big question is, based on this should more states adopt rank choice voting?

Here’s the rundown for tonight. A listener from Texas texted” I usually dread election cycles but I’m really looking forward to it this time around with Sean, Sam, and Matt. I love your open minded example of listening to different ideas and perspectives. As a mom to 5 young adults all over the political spectrum, I feel like you are modeling a good pattern for how to navigate diverse ideas and respect.”

Along those lines, another asked, “Given that Donald Trump is a demented narcissist and Kamala is not a white man a lot of listeners may be looking for a write-in candidate this November. Would you each please lay out your Presidential platform for us? What would be your priorities as President?”  Would any of us be a good write-in candidate?

Mailbag:  

The Thought Provoker:

Shawn is up first this week. President Obama signed the stock act 12 years ago banning members of congress from using non public info to gain unfair advantages in the market. Now republican senator hawley is pushing for votes on the pelosi act which would go even further and would prohibit members of Congress and their spouses from holding or trading individual stocks and force them to divest from private business. 

https://youtu.be/fyeLVWGqNW4?si=XwDoHvJOvfnKnYe7

ABC News did an in depth report about corruption in congress and the rising trend of internet groups like the autopilot app, tracking and exposing the stock trades of Nancy Pelosi and other lawmakers then becoming very wealthy themselves by mimicking their investments. 1. Was Obama's stock act good? 2. Is the Pelosi act good? 

Next up, Matt.  Venezuela’s leader is refusing to give up power and life is so bad for many Venezuelans that they’re leaving the country. President Maduro’s crack down on the opposition will likely make even more people leave the country leading to another wave of migration. Should the US intervene militarily to force Maduro our of power in Venezuela?

Finally, Sam. The White Horse Prophecy

The Thought Provoker:

Matt is up first this week. Some first-generation Gen Z Americans are giving up on the American Dream. Rather than a land of promise, they said, they see skyrocketing costs of living and health care, as well as loads of student debt and a chaotic political system. And just one generation in, some first-generation Americans said they’re moving out of the U.S. or seriously considering it. Are healthcare and housing costs in the US killing the American Dream? 

Next up, Sam.  Vice Presidential candidate JD Vance was criticized this week for old clips surfaced of him calling some Democrats “childless cat ladies” and “suggesting parents should have more political power than non parents.”  Also, on several Sunday shows, Democrats took shots at Trump’s VP candidate suggesting Trump may be considering replacing Vance (He isn’t, but those comments could be seen as a response to Republican criticism of Biden after the first debate.)  Did Trump adequately vet Vance?  Does Vance weaken the ticket?  

Finally, Shawn. 1 in 5 gen z’ers (ages 15 to 24) are not studying or working. Gen z is 2x as stressed as millennials with more anxiety and more bipolar disorders. They reject hustle culture and don’t believe they can own property or earn.  With less hope, they don’t want to focus on the future but rather on the present. Scriptures talk about anxiety in two ways. 1. Be anxiously engaged in a good cause and 2. Be anxious about the welfare of others (souls). Matt likes using government to influence the behavior of its citizens. Should there be a national campaign for gen z to forget themselves and their passive technologies and become engaged in selfless, good things? 

The Big Question: President Biden unveiled a plan to reform the Supreme Court and ensure no president is above the law. He would like a constitutional amendment stating that there is no immunity for crimes a former president commits while in office, term limits for Supreme Court Justices (18 years), and a binding code of conduct for Supreme Court Justices (just like we have for every other court). These proposals have broad bi-partisan support. Should we oppose any of these on moral grounds?

Mailbag:  There is a new way to reach out to the show. Have you heard of fan mail? Each episode at the top of the show notes there is a link to send us a text message. Reach out and let us know what you think.

The Thought Provoker:

Sam is up first this week. The party decides.  

Next up, Shawn.  Watching all of our political leaders over the past few weeks has caused me to reflect on what are the right reasons for choosing a leader.  We’ve talked in past episodes about choosing leaders based on their righteousness or based on who will uphold and defend righteous principles like the free exercise of conscience, the right and control of property, and the protection of life. I’ve developed a formula for myself on how to choose a leader and I want you both to apply the formula to your chosen leaders (Matt: Biden and Kamala, Sam: Trump). Rate from 1-10 these categories:

1. Altruism  (is their motive selfish and Corrupt or pure for the general welfare) 
2. Morality 
3. Policy
4. Strength/leadership

Finally, Matt. The Republican National Convention was an opportunity for the GOP to showoff for the American public. It is a four day infomercial carried on every major television network. Based on the speakers I saw, here is my perception of the current Republican Party. Sarah Huckabee Sanders playing the victim accusing the left of attacking her because she is a mother, Peter Navarro attacking the justice system right as he was released from prison, A warning for viewers about explicit content as Kid Rock took the stage,  and other B-list celebrities who promote criminal activity and the Slut Walk. It seems clear to me that Republicans are no longer the party of Reagan. What happened to family values, pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps, and holding criminals accountable for their crimes? Sam, the values you promote on the podcast were nowhere to be found at the RNC, are you ready to switch parties?

The Big Question: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is creating beachfront rentals for local working individuals and families with smaller households on the beach near BYU-Hawaii. Normally, a landowner would turn such rare open shoreline into luxury homes or high-end vacation rentals for the wealthy rather than rental dwellings priced for firefighters and teachers. Rental housing is the best way to increase a sustainable housing supply in Lā‘ie that most working people can afford over the long term. Given the current market prices for beachfront land, selling these homes would likely price out many local working individuals and families. Is it app

Trump Assignation Attempt. Members of the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints should not condone violence

The Thought Provoker:

Matt is up first this week. Sam likes to tell me that I should support Donald Trump for president despite all of his shortcomings because he is the only person that can save our economy. Well, the Wall Street Journal has an article out this week that suggests that the Republicans are no longer united on what should be done to save the economy. As the Republicans were working on their platform for the National Convention in Milwaukee this week, it was evident that national conservatism Is the brand of conservatism supported by the Heritage Foundation and the people closest to Trump. This brand of economic conservatism is opposed to free trade, corporate governance, and supports the use of state authority to regulate corporations that embrace progressive causes (like DEI). They do not trust free markets. So the question I have, is can the Republican Party actually be trusted to implement the free market principles that Shawn and Sam advocate on this podcast?

 Next up, Shawn.  I’ve been fascinated going back through our episodes listening to our discussions on money and how God views wealth. I’ve heard many people try to teach that the savior taught that it is wrong to seek prosperity.  In the Book of Mormon Jacob (Jacob 2: 18 ) said:

“But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God. 19 And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted. Two questions: 1. If we seek the kingdom of god first, is this saying god wants us to seek wealth? 2. Is it saying we Can serve the kingdom better if we have more wealth/resources? 

Finally, Sam. 

The Big Question: Mike Bloomberg, the media mogul and former New York City mayor, has given Johns Hopkins University US $1 billion to eliminate tuition for most its current and future medical students. The gift will also expand financial aid for students studying several other fields at Bloomberg’s alma mater. This is in addition to the $1.8 billion he gave them in 2018 to help fund scholarships for undergraduate students. Bloomberg is trying to help solve the medical crisis in the United States by making it more affordable for people to pursue medical school. Is a billion dollar donation to an elite medical school the best way to solve the crisis of lack of primary care physicians across the United States?

The Thought Provoker:

Matt is up first this week. One of the founders of WordPerfect, Bruce Bastian, died this week. The New York Times obituary described many facets of his life that are worthy of discussion. His company played a large role in making Utah what it is today. When he started WordPerfect, no tech company was headquartered in Utah, they showed the world the potential of the Utah workforce. Bastian was also a gay member of the church. For Mr. Bastian, coming out was both terrifying and hopeful. “I don’t think straight people can begin to imagine the inner turmoil and fear at this moment in a gay person’s life,” he told The Salt Lake Tribune. “All your dreams, plans, everything falls apart. The whole foundation of your life crumbles. You can stay the course or follow your heart and go to where every human being dreams of going — to happiness ever after.” Here is my question. Because of the time and place in which he lived, Bruce Bastian felt like it was impossible to be an active member of the church and openly gay, is that true today?

 Next up, Sam.  Since the recent Presidential debate, there have been calls for President Joe Biden to step aside and make room for a stronger competitor to Donald Trump.  In an interview with George Stephanopoulos, Biden said the only way he would withdraw from the election is, “if the Lord Almighty comes out and tells me that I might do that.”  So, will God tell Joe Biden to drop out?  Does God care about this election?  What is the role of personal revelation versus personal responsibility in this and similar situations?

Finally, Shawn. June 28 was the 195th Anniversary of the 3 witnesses of BOM.  Why do you think God chose to keep the Golden plates hidden And only show 12 people. What role does a witness play in the conversion of a soul?

The Big Question: The Big Question: I’ve seen a couple of big stories about how an undocumented immigrant murdered a woman in Maryland. And other stories about a mass shooting in Michigan at a splash pad. Republicans seem to enjoy blaming Biden’s border policies for crimes committed by undocumented immigrants. Democrats blame lax gun control laws for mass shootings. Are they correct? Can government policies about the border and/or guns prevent this kind of stuff in the future? 

The Thought Provoker:
Shawn is up first this week. Annuit coeptus is a motto written on the great seal of the United States. It means God, or Providence prospered our undertaking. The idea is that God put leaders in place to establish a new order and form a specific constitution and create a country of certain laws and not men. Does God still prosper our undertaking? If not, when did it end? What is the difference between then and now?

Next up, Sam.  15.  He’s described as a “teenage computer whiz” and is not only the first millennial, but also widely seen as one whose Sainthood will bring back a younger generation into the Catholic Church  He is being called, “the patron saint of the internet.”   Will this work for the Catholic Church?  Who could the LDS Church “Saint,” to a similar impact?

Finally, Matt. Paris Hilton testified to federal lawmakers Wednesday about the horrifying abuse she says she endured at youth facilities in what's commonly known as the "troubled teen" industry.  At The Provo Canyon School, one of the institutions Hilton attended, "I was force fed medications and sexually abused by the staff. I was violently restrained and dragged down hallways, stripped naked and thrown into solitary confinement," Hilton said. She highlighted the need to "invest in kinship care," saying that "youth should be with family or adults who know and love them."  Which is the morally superior approach? 

The Big Question: Pet owners are treating their animal charges ever more like humans. But that isn’t good for pets, or for us, many experts argue. Some animal welfare ethicists and veterinary scientists are wondering if, in our efforts to humanize our pets, we’ve gone too far. The more we treat pets like people, they argue, the more constrained and dependent on us our pets’ lives have become, and the more health and behavioral issues our pets develop. We know that we have a moral obligation to take care of needy humans. Is it morally wrong for humans to treat pets like humans?

Mailbag:  One listener writes, “I question your definition of liberal and conservative although I loved the discussion. You said conservatives mistrust government and liberals mistrust individuals. I would say that conservatives mistrust government and liberals mistrust businesses. What is it called if you think business and government are equally capable of oppression? Economic power is still power and deserves to be checked.”

The Thought Provoker:

Matt is up first this week. Utah is proposing new legislation to regulate life coaches.  Shawn likes the free market, but this industry is a sweet spot for what Sam calls affinity fraud. Is it morally right to regulate life coaches?

Next up, Sam.  Should a wealthy multi national corporation pay the ransom to resume business operations and prevent its demise? CDK is planning to make the payment, a source with knowledge of the situation told Bloomberg. The hacking group behind the attack is believed to be based in eastern Europe, the source said 

Finally, Shawn. One of America's most senior health officials has called on the country to impose smoking-style warning labels on social media platforms. Writing in the New York Times, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said social media increased the risk that children would experience symptoms of anxiety and depression. He wants people who visit these platforms to be shown a message warning that they are "associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents". He said such a label would "regularly remind parents and adolescents that social media has not been proved safe.  Is this wisdom or a passive aggressive way to control people? 

The Big Question: I’ve seen a couple of big stories about how an undocumented immigrant murdered a woman in Maryland. And other stories about a mass shooting in Michigan at a splash pad. Republicans seem to enjoy blaming Biden’s border policies for crimes committed by undocumented immigrants. Democrats blame lax gun control laws for mass shootings. Are they correct? Can government policies about the border and/or guns prevent this kind of stuff in the future? 

Mailbag:  One listener writes, “You'll probably get several of these, but here are a few facts to clear up about two of the country's newest felons.1.The lies Hunter Biden told on his two gun license applications were that he does not use drugs. He was also convicted of possessing a gun while addicted to or using illegal drugs. 2. Where Trump is concerned, in New York, falsifying business records is only a felony if they were falsified in order to commit another crime or to cover up another crime. Trump's lawyer, Michael Cohen, paid Stormy Daniels to be quiet. Then Donald Trump reimbursed Cohen from his own account and called it a retainer for legal counsel. The jury unanimously found that the payments (34 of them) were not for legal counsel, that Trump intentionally falsified the records and that it was to cover up another crime (or commit another crime?)”

Another listener says, “according to this piece from CNBC: Over the past five years, the population of millionaires in the U.S. has grown 35%, nearly twice as fast as China’s. The U.S. is now home to 37% of the world’s millionaires, up from 35% in 2018.” Therefore, it appears that the US still creates more millionaires than China does. Love the podcast, even though you’re clearly being paid by the CCP to spread their Commie propaganda (HA!)

The Thought Provoker:

Sam is up first this week. Is it morally wrong to be rich?

 Next up, Shawn.  Is Sam conservative? Is Matt liberal?

Finally, Matt. This week, Donald Trump floated the idea of replacing income taxes with an “all tariff policy”. Simple math would suggest that the government may need to impose a 65% tax on all imported goods and services to raise the needed $2.5 trillion the federal government currently collects in income taxes. The last time we raised tariffs by 20% (in 1930) it led to the Great Depression. Is Trump an economic genius, or is this a bad idea?

The Big Question: The film, Movie Pass, Movie Crash documents the rise and fall of the company Movie Pass. In short, two entrepreneurs started a company with 30,000 subscribers who could see unlimited movies for $40/month. When a deal with AMC fell through, investors got nervous and urged these founders to bring on new leadership and new investors. The new team pushed the original founders out of the company, wasted millions of dollars, and ran the company into the ground. We often discuss the best-case scenario of free markets leading to wealth and innovation. We talk less about how corporate greed can destroy great products and ruin lives. Is the Movie Pass scenario an outlier, or is it the most likely scenario in a free market?

The Thought Provoker:

Matt is up first this week. There is nothing members of our church value more than free will. Yet, Twitter founder Jack Dorsey warned this week that social media algorithms are robbing individuals of their free will. Specifically he said, “This is going to sound a little bit crazy, but I think the free speech debate is a complete distraction right now. I think the real debate should be about free will” “We are being programmed. We are being programmed based on what we say we’re interested in, and we’re told through these discovery mechanisms what is interesting—and as we engage and interact with this content, the algorithm continues to build more and more of this bias.” First of all, is he right? Second question, if he is right, what can be done to protect our free will?

 Next up, Shawn.  This week in Utah a bunch of religious YouTubers are putting on a virtual summit. “10 DAYS of talks, interviews and presentations by Latter-day Saints and Evangelicals on topics ranging from Jesus, marriage, politics, and heaven. The objective of this summit is to bring more voices to this conversation as we remain curious and committed to understanding respective beliefs, traditions and practices. “ Many of these social media content creators create sincere content and at the same time earn money via ads, pattern, contributions etc.  Is this a conflict of interest? Is it wrong to create spiritual content for money?

Finally, Sam. Who deserves a longer prison sentence Hunter Biden or Donald Trump?

The Big Question: The Wall Street Journal this week has a story about the two different economies in the United States. Aaron Beck argues that the economic data show that rich people are doing especially well in the current economy while poor people are not. He shows that most of the economic growth in the US is in sectors dominated by areas where wealthy people spend money. The leisure and hospitality sector are booming. Food services, drinking places, amusement, gambling, cruise lines, air travel, and recreation are doing really well, but places like Campbell Soup and Pepperidge Farms are lowering their sales forecast because people are economizing on their snack purchases. While the overall unemployment rate is historically low at 4%, unemployment among 20-24 year olds is twice as high. Do governments have an obligation to try to make sure that all sectors of an economy or every demographic in an economy benefit equally from economic booms?

Mailbag:  Carly’s recording

The Thought Provoker:

Shawn is up first this week. An anonymous expert recently participated in a debate discussing Meta-Marxism and capitalism. They discussed how the theory of meta Marxism primarily looks at all relationships through the lens of power and power imbalance while capitalism looks at relationships through the lens of self-interested and trade. Is one theory moral and the other immoral or are they both just ways to govern and either is fine? 

Next up, Matt.  Right wing media figures are attacking the US system of justice following Trump’s conviction on 34 felonies this week. Charlie Kirk tweeted “indict the left or lose America”, Matt Walsh tweeted that the “The only thing I want to hear from [Republicans] is which Democrats they will have arrested.” Representative Mike Collins tweeted, “Time for Red State AGs and DAs to get busy.”  I know Sam plans to vote for Trump, but are he and Shawn willing to defend this kind of rhetoric? 

Finally, Sam. Nada, nada, nothing

The Big Question: Major League Baseball has officially incorporated Negro Leagues statistics into the Major League record. As result of Wednesday's integration, Negro Leagues legend Josh Gibson is now baseball's all-time leader in career batting average (.372, beating out Ty Cobb's .366), slugging percentage (.718, beating out Babe Ruth's .690), and OPS (1.177, beating out Ruth's 1.164). Gibson is also the new single-season leader in those categories. MLB has a historian who works for them who developed a team to do the research that allowed for these updates. Is this a model for how other groups in the US can deal with historical racial injustice?

Mailbag: One listener writes, “Like a lot of Republicans, Sam is pretty tone deaf when he talks about risk. On average, rich people have taken much less risk in their lives than the rest of us. Trump is a great example. Trump was a millionaire by age 8. Through all of Trump’s adventures and misadventures he was never in danger even of living the life of an average dentist or investment banker. And certainly not a school teacher or truck driver. Link.

When upper-middle class people tell poor people they should stop complaining and take more risks, they deserve scorn. If they do it wearing a monocle and/or top hat, they deserve the guillotine. Now that would be risk-taking! So, I propose that every time Sam wants to talk about all the risks rich people take and how that entitles them to more wealth than working people, he must wear a Monopoly-man style monocle and top hat.”

The Thought Provoker: Matt is up first this week. Bird flu is back in the US. Meanwhile, right wing media personalities are attacking pasteurized milk. A Media Matters analysis found over 13,000 posts on TikTok that included the hashtag #rawmilk. The first 581 videos from the “top” tab shown under a search “#rawmilk” had accumulated over 231 million views as of May 3. Instagram Reels promoting raw milk have also been plentiful, with one of the top reels encouraging pregnant women to drink raw milk even though consuming unpasteurized milk is particularly risky for pregnant women. Why are messaged like this so appealing to people who consume right wing media?

 Next up, Sam.  Why is Trump leading Biden in the polls?

Finally, Shawn. The NCAA has agreed to a $2.8B class-action settlement, paving the way for universities to directly pay college athletes for the first time. The settlement is a revenue-sharing model in which schools would pay athletes a cut of the money received from sponsorships, broadcasting rights, and ticket sales. Division I schools would have the ability to distribute up to $20M per year to their athletes.  All Division I athletes dating back to 2016 are eligible to receive a share as part of the settlement class. Is it moral to pay students for the entertainment and income they provide schools? 

The Big Question: David Brooks argues that the world seems to be experiencing a populist moment. In a recent global survey, sixty-six percent of Americans said that the country “needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful,” compared with 63 percent of respondents among the 28 nations overall. Forty percent of Americans said they believed we need a strong leader who will “break the rules,” which was only a bit below the 49 percent globally who believed that. There are certain big moments in the history of mankind in which there was a global movement toward greater freedom in the world. 1848 is called the spring of nations because of the number of revolutions throughout Europe that overthrew monarchies and created independent nation-states. 1989 saw the collapse of communism around

Mailbag:  One listener writes, “Ok. You cannot allow Sam to continue to reference “that one company in Seattle whose CEO decided to pay everyone $70,000 and his company imploded.” The company is called Gravity Payments. The late Rush Limbaugh predicted its downfall in 2014. It’s 20 years old now, still going strong and paying an $80,000 minimum salary. This might be a good opportunity to examine where these fake stories come from and what makes us so susceptible to believing them without fact checking.”

Another listener writes, “Thanks to Shawn for bringing up the open borders policies of ancient America and the resulting prosperity. Should we be following the example of the Nephites and allowing free intercourse with our southern neighbor?”

The Thought Provoker:

Sam is up first this week.  Women working outside the home.

 Next up, Shawn.  A prominent internet voice recently debated a colleague and the topics of the January 6th insurrection and sex change medical procedures for kids came up. One of their ideas surprised me a bit. They said: “we should never start with an assumption that the other sides motives are evil (whether it’s a country, corporation, political movement, etc.) because you will have no ability to even start to understand the other side or have compassion for them. Is this a correct principle? Or do you think it is useful to pass moral judgements on ideas and people’s motives? 

Finally, Matt. President Biden endorsed the Justice Department's move to reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I drug to a Schedule III drug Thursday. In his X, formerly known as Twitter, video, the president said the move is in line with his mission of "reversing long-standing inequities" regarding the criminalization of marijuana, calling the move "monumental." "Look folks, no one should be in jail merely for using or possessing Marijuana," the president said in his video statement. Is it morally wrong to reclassify marijuana? Should it stay schedule I (like cocaine) or move to a schedule III drug (like Tylenol or testosterone)?

The Big Question: People in Gaza are starving because Israel has closed the borders. The only way to get food to the people of Gaza is airdrops and there is no way to provide enough food for all of the residents of Gaza with airdrops. The US military has built a floating pier to be used to deliver aid and food to Palestinians more efficiently. US soldiers have been deployed to manage this humanitarian mission in Israel. Is this an appropriate use of US military resources?

New listeners, this episode replays some of the discussions that get brought up later on. Also, NBA YoungBoy was arrested in Cache Valley Utah recently and is back in jail. Shawn doesn't like to talk about it, listen to this episode to find out why.

The Thought Provoker:

Shawn is up first this week. Eight regional daily newspapers sued OpenAI and Microsoft for copyright infringement yesterday, the latest in an industrywide reckoning with the rise of content-dependent artificial intelligence. News publishers like The New York Times have sued OpenAI for using their journalism to train its models, arguing repackaging original journalism is not a fair use. Other media companies are opting to sign deals with AI companies to pay to license their content, including The Associated Press and Reuters. Reports indicate OpenAI is paying individual publishers $1M to $5M annually for such access. Is this not a demonstration of how free market solutions combined with a fair justice system produce productive and profitable outcomes much more efficiently than government regulations can? 

Next up, Sam.  LDS culture intruding on church doctrine.

Finally, Matt.  Gallup recently released a survey that shows that only 30% of Americans are engaged at work. This is an 11 year low of employee engagement in the United States. From 2012 until 2020, employee engagement was on a steady increase. At the same time, employee engagement in the year 2000 was only 26%. So my question is, should we be concerned about the decline in employee engagement at work, or should employers get used to the idea that only about ¼  to 1/3 of their employees are actually going to be engaged while they're at work?

The Big Question: Each year, Gallup releases the Rating World Leaders report, which details the rise — or fall — in leading world powers' job approval ratings across the globe. Last month, for fun, I did a little survey of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in which I asked them to rank prophets from best to worst. I haven't analyzed the results yet, and I don't think that I will share the results, but my question is… Is it appropriate to rank prophets in the same way that we rank world leaders?

Apologies to Shawn's fans. He had technical issues that caused him to drop from the podcast. Sorry you all missed his great comments on the big question.

The Thought Provoker:

Sam is up first this week. Why don't people recognize the booming economy right now? 

Next up, Matt.  Two exciting trials are going on right now. One trial features Chad Daybell trying to avoid the death penalty for things he and Lori Vallow are alleged to have done. In the other, The first criminal prosecution of a former US president. Which of the two is more important? Should we pay attention to either of these?

Finally, Shawn. Libertarians and laws: Malum in se is a Latin phrase  (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Latin_phrases) meaning 'wrong' or 'evil in itself'. The phrase is used to refer to conduct assessed as sinful or inherently wrong by nature, independent of regulations governing the conduct. It is distinguished from malum prohibitum (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malum_prohibitum), which refers to acts that are wrong only because they are prohibited by law. An example of malum in se would be murder, rape, or theft. Tax law or Driving without a seatbelt would be Malum prohibitum.
 
We have lots of scriptures informing us on this topic. How about the "Malum in se" standard for deciding laws and how harsh their punishments should be? Good idea? Bad idea? 

The Big Question:
As I've been reading the Book of Mormon recently, I have been reading. I have been looking hard for any mention of abortion, gender dysphoria, or homosexuality. I cannot find anything in the scriptures that suggests that an individual who undergoes a transgender operation is going to be kept out of the Celestial Kingdom. I don't see any evidence that a person who is gay can't go to the Celestial Kingdom. I see a lot of evidence that people who cheat, lie, steal, or who do not use their wealth to take care of the poor will go to hell. Rather than worrying about the social issues the parties use to divide us, can’t we all unite behind stronger punishment of lying, cheating, and stealing (Alma 1:17-18)? Shouldn’t we worry more about promoting peace and helping the poor than we do about these other social issues?

The Thought Provoker:

Matt is up first this week. Two big stories this week related to free speech. In the first, the University of Southern California canceled a graduation speech by a valedictorian who is Muslim and has social media posts that support Palestinians. They say that it is a question of safety. In the second, Google has terminated 28 employees after a series of protests against labor conditions and the company’s contract to provide the Israeli government and military with cloud computing and artificial intelligence services. Both of these are private organizations, so there is not technically a violation of the First Amendment. Are either of these organizations wrong to punish free speech in this manner? 

Next up, Sam.  Michael Jordan wins at NASCAR

Finally, Shawn. In recent episodes we engaged in topics that lead us to seek for answers from our church’s website: churchofjesuschrist.org. We were able to find answers that supported both sides of a few discussions and on the surface seemed to contradict each other. One example was the proper use of the word “Mormonism” and another was whether or not the family proclamation is doctrine. I believe I know the answer to why these contradictions occur on the website and am 100% ok with them but my question to you both is…why do you think these contradictions occur on the website and is it a problem?

The Big Question: New research by Gallup shows that 67% of people who are employer-owners (an employee who owns shares in their company or the right to the value of shares in their company) are thriving in well-being. Only 51% of employees are thriving, and only 48% of self-employed workers are thriving. This is interesting because each of us fits into one of those categories. Is one form of employment better than the others? Why are so many employer-owners thriving?

For this research, Gallup measured subjective wellbeing along five dimensions:

1 Engagement at work

2 Evaluation of employment situation

3 General life evaluation

4 Financial wellbeing

5 Whether basic needs are being met

Cory writes, “Your discussion from last week about the Family Proclamation was very interesting and shows that it can be used as both a spiritual and political document. I often hear church members say that the proclamation came out of nowhere seemed very uncontroversial at the time. However, the church leaders knew what they were doing and were very much concerned at the time it was released. I would like to provide some information about how the Family Proclamation has been used as a political document from the beginning. There is ample evidence that the 1995 Family Proclamation was in response to the emerging legal environment when the 1993 Hawaii supreme court ruled that prohibiting same-sex marriages was discrimination. The Hawaii constitution contained ambiguous language about the gender of people soliciting marriage, and a case in 1993 brought this issue into national attention.  Shortly after being called as an apostle in 1984, Dallin H. Oaks circulated memo with the senior church leaders that discussed

Links for the discussion about the changes in temple recommend interview questions.
Handbook 38.5.5 was updated in August 2023 to include this statement about the garment.
Wearing and Caring for the Garment Members who receive the endowment make a covenant to wear the temple garment throughout their lives. The temple garment is a reminder of covenants made in the temple and, when worn properly throughout life, will serve as a protection against temptation and evil. The garment should be worn beneath the outer clothing. It should not be removed for activities that can reasonably be done while wearing the garment, and it should not be modified to accommodate different styles of clothing. Endowed members should seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit to answer personal questions about wearing the garment. It is a sacred privilege to wear the garment and doing so is an outward expression of an inner commitment to follow the Savior Jesus Christ. It is a matter of personal preference whether other undergarments are worn over or under the temple garment.
Here is the letter from April 2024 with the new changes to the statement about the garment.

What could unlock LDS church growth in Japan? It says two words, says scholar. And I'll tell you the story by reading the very first part of this, and then we have the conversation. So here's the story. The high -ranking business exec didn't know what to do. A faithful Japanese Latter -day Saint, he had committed to never allowing a drop of green tea, considered along with black tea and coffee, to be against the faith's dietary code to pass his lips.

Some links for the discussion on the Family Proclamation.
"A proclamation is different from an official declaration, a doctrinal exposition, or statements on policies. Some of these come from only the First Presidency, some just from the Quorum of the Twelve, and some from both the presidency and the quorum."
"Doctrines outlined in the proclamation apply as much or more today as they did in 1995 when the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles issued the document, which proclaims to the world the importance of the family."

General Conference Recap
Matt's Second Coming Prediction
What is Mormonism?

Mailbag:  General Conference Predictions

The Thought Provoker:

Matt is up first this week. You guys are always telling me how Elon Musk is a proponent of free speech. Well, two things came up this week that suggest he is not. First, A federal judge on Monday threw out a lawsuit by Elon Musk’s X that had targeted a watchdog group for its critical reports about hate speech on the social media platform. Second, The number of people using X daily is falling. A platform that was once the best place for free speech is on the decline because of how he is managing it. So Musk sues people who track hate speech on X, while driving people away from the platform. Isn’t the most moral thing for Musk to take X public again, cut his losses, and move on? 

Next up, Sam, "What is up with this?"  

Finally, Shawn. "Oregon measure 110. In 2021, the year that Measure 110 went into effect, Oregon saw a 41% increase in fentanyl-related overdose deaths. Many Oregonians consider Measure 110 a failed experiment.  Of 7000 tickets only 200 calls and even less who went into rehab. Recently the Oregon house voted 51-7 kicking bipartisan House Bill 4002 to the Senate. The new bill would unwind voter passed bill 110. 
Even though the outcome of the decriminalization bill was negative and deaths went up, is it desirable to have states experiment with various ways to solve societies problems? When states experiment with new tactics, do they provide us with good case studies of what we should and shouldn’t do in order to thrive? Does the Oregon decriminalization experiment and reversal show that people on both sides of politics are really trying to do good? "

The Big Question:  The UofU women’s basketball team travelled to Spokane Washington to compete in the NCAA women's basketball tournament. They stayed in a hotel in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, which is about 30 miles from Spokane. While walking to a restaurant, the women were targeted by racists. They said, “You think in our world, in athletics and the university settings, it's shocking. There's so much diversity on a college campus and so you're just not exposed to that very often.” Do you think that it is true that people are more racist outside of college campuses and athletics? If so, does a college education provide the best cure for racism in the United States?

Mailbag: One listener writes, “Another UBI experiment. This time in San Antonio. https://sanantonioreport.org/cash-without-conditions-san-antonio-experiment-guaranteed-income/  What do you think people did with extra money? You'll have to read to find out.”
The Thought Provoker:
Sam is up first this week. Did BYU’s ‘No Sunday Play’ policy cause the NCAA selection committee to schedule them away from Salt Lake City, Utah?  Would they have been seeded higher, and chosen to play Mcneese in Salt Lake during the first round?  Ultimately, Gonzaga played Mcneese, soundly defeating them and then beating Kanas.  BYU could have easily achieved both results with home court advantage. BYU was beaten by Duchesne in Omaha, Nebraska in the first round of the tournament.
Next up, Shawn. One of our leaders, J Annette Dennis spoke at the big relief society devotional and gave a phenomenal and bold talk about woman and covenants and priesthood. She quoted president  Nelson saying: “Every woman and every man … who participates … in priesthood ordinances [and makes and keeps covenants with God] has direct access to the power of God. Those who are endowed in the house of the Lord receive a gift of God’s priesthood power by virtue of their covenant, The heavens are just as open to women who are endowed with God’s power flowing from their priesthood covenants as they are to men who bear the priesthood.”  What does God mean by power and authority versus what the world means by power and authority. Here is a talk from President Packer that discusses this idea.
Finally, Matt. After a horrific attack in Moscow, Putin’s response has been to blame Ukraine. In a televised address, Putin said 11 people had been detained, including the four gunmen. "They tried to hide and moved towards Ukraine, where, according to preliminary data, a window was prepared for them on the Ukrainian side to cross the state border." The United States shared intelligence we had gathered about an imminent plan by extremists to target large gatherings in Moscow with the Russians. Does the fact that Russia did not share this information with the Russian public and Putin’s eagerness to blame Ukraine say something about Putin’s determination to conquer in Ukraine? If so, has the situation in Ukraine changed enough for us to finally do something to end Russian aggression in Ukraine?
The Big Question: Two-thirds of the people who served in with Trump in the White House in 2020 have refused to endorse him for president in 2024. His former VP Mike Pence has publicly stated that he will not vote for Trump, His former defense secretaries, Chiefs of staff, Attorney General, and National Security Advisor have all said that he is not fit for office. His former Secretary of State called him a moron. When deciding who to support in an election, how much should people pay attention to the opinions of people who have worked closely with the candidate? 

The Thought Provoker
First up, Shawn. This week Political Scientist Matthew, “Matty Bird” Miles interviewed LDS history Scholar Patrick Mason on the twim podcast. Matt asked a great question of Mason about how history informs his interpretation of religious doctrine? He answered it helps him be comfortable with change and to be comfortable with the human element in scripture. How does history inform your interpretation of religious doctrine or should the pursuit of historical facts be completely separate from revealed doctrine? Next up, Matt. Utah lawmakers passed a pair of high-profile bills this year — HB562 and SB272 — that set up the framework to build a new ballpark and a new arena that could help the Beehive State land Major League Baseball and/or National Hockey League franchises within the next few years, should the leagues decide on Utah. Gov. Spencer Cox is expected to sign both by his March 21 deadline. In related news, two Utah marathon runners are blowing away the competition and will be competing in the Olympics this summer in large part because of taxpayer money that supports their professional running group. Is it morally wrong for governments to spend taxpayer money on building professional sports stadiums?
Finally, Sam. Tesla has implemented a ‘no resale’ clause for their new cyber truck.  The penalty?  A lifetime ban from purchasing Tesla vehicles?  Is this the right thing to do to limit excessive markups?  Should government enact similar restrictions on markups, or is the free market better served allowing supply/demand to govern product pricing?  Popular Youtuber ‘Mr. Beast’ recently expressed disgust for any industry that gets excessive markup.
The Thought Provoker.  Idaho just passed a new sales tax designed to increase funding for public schools. This is one of many examples of taxes that people are required to pay even if they are not citizens or if they are denied the right to vote. Anyone who purchases anything in Idaho will pay that tax for schools in Idaho. One of the slogans that American colonists chanted to condemn the British was “No taxation without representation.” The cause of this “tyranny” was the Stamp Act, basically a sales tax levied by the British government that colonists did not have a voice to oppose. If sales tax was one of the major causes of the American revolution, perhaps it is morally wrong. Is it wrong for governments to tax people and refuse to give them a voice? If someone pays a tax, do they have the right to representation in government?

One listener writes, “I know how much everyone loves UBI, but with so many trials and studies to learn about it happening and wrapping up, I feel like it would be good to talk about their findings. I'm also discouraged by rich people who are lobbying to prevent even the research and studies.
The Thought Provoker: This week, a letter was read to Republican-majority LDS Congregations across Utah.  Notably, Matt now lives in Idaho. https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2024/02/28/lds-leaders-stress-candidates/ Is this admonition “anti-Trump?”  Is this in line with political non-affiliation statements of years past (not including June 2023.)?  Will this heal or widen a divide among Trump-loving voters? 
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law that exempts Panera Bread from a new $20-an-hour minimum wage hike for fast food chains after the billionaire owner of several of the chain’s locations donated to his campaign, according to a report. the Fast Food Accountability and Standards Recovery Act (FAST Act) includes an unusual carve-out that exempts “chains that bake bread and sell it as a standalone item,” according to Bloomberg News. A second recall will determine Newsom's fate and potential political future. In the Book of Mormon, 32 times the phrase “by the voice of the people” is referenced in contrast to corrupt judges and leaders. Should the opportunity to recall any politician at any time be a more available choice for the people?
Many states are currently facing a crisis in public education. Across the nation, teachers are leaving the profession. Attrition rates have fallen, but in nine states studied in a recent Wall Street Journal article, turnover is higher now than it was in 2019, the last year before the pandemic. Researchers have linked loss of teachers to lower student test scores. Experts and educators say teachers are continuing to leave for a variety of reasons. The average teacher salary hasn't risen significantly in decades, adjusted for inflation, as officials have used increased education funding for other purposes. Occupations outside of teaching might be more available and enticing, with unemployment rates low and work from home policies more common. And some teachers say that student behavior has worsened since the pandemic, making their job more challenging. Do we have a moral obligation as society to make education a more attractive employment option for the best and brightest in our society?
The Big Question: A lack of federal regulation and a mishmash of state laws

The Thought Provoker:
Shawn is up first this week. Elon Musk has sued OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman, claiming that the company failed to keep its promise of developing AI tools for "the benefit of humanity" over maximizing profits.Musk helped launch and fund OpenAI in its early years. His lawyers argue that Musk poured time, money and recruiting resources to the AI lab, on the condition that it would remain a nonprofit "dedicated to creating safe, open-source AGI for public benefit," We believe that there are some doctrines that fall in the category of “looking beyond the mark”. Jesus taught “of tenets thou shall not talk” and “whoso shall declare more or less than this, the same cometh of evil” . Joseph smith taught: “stay close to the trunk because the branches will break” oes this not also apply to knowledge and innovation?  Is Elon musk right about ai that maybe it’s one of those “beyond the mark” innovations and that we should tread lightly and remove profit motive? 

Next up Matt. Rumor has it that The US, Germany, and Russia had agreed on a prisoner exchange that was going to free Alexei Navalny. As of February 9th, all of the details of the release were being worked out. So the big question then is why did Russia have him killed just days before his release? Were these discussions about Navalny's release just a ploy for Putin to try to figure out what the United States was willing to give for him Or did Putin feel threatened by Navalny in some way? If so, is Putin perhaps in a weaker spot politically than we might have otherwise supposed? 

Finally, Sam. Psalms 66:1-2”Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands: Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious.”  We LDS typically associate this scripture with the Mo Tab…whose style has evolved…Boyd K comments about Mac Wilberg. My son Braden and his friend Holly, both BYU students, recently attended an interfaith musical worship….at BYU…as part of a World Religion class.  Braden’s response to the experience.  “The music and motion was uncomfortable….” as a worship experience.  He also recognized that the people putting it on felt disconnected from the BYU audience who responded in a non traditional way.  Braden’s thought, does that disconnect create a wall between types of Christian believers?  I’ve attended many different types of worship services.  I’ve heard the loud band, and I’ve also had a Catholic friend tell me he was disturbed going to an LDS Sacrament service because of the irreverence displayed by kids running up and down the aisles.    Do Christians and members of the Church have a responsibility to speak a more similar worship language?  Why not get louder in LDS services 
Big Question: We just concluded celebrating Black History Month in February. Although many Americans Feel that black Americans contributions to the American culture are celebrated, most black people do not feel that way. Half of all adults say that the things they have learned about black Americans contributions to American culture came from sources other than the K-12 curriculum. I remember when I was in high school that every February Black History Month was celebrated and we learned a lot about Black Americans contributions to American culture, but I wonder if there is a better way to learn about black Americans. Should institutions other than high school (k-12) education celebrate

The Thought Provoker:

Matt is first this week. Exciting new research in the field of male contraceptives has identified a number of medications that a man can take that will make it impossible for him to impregnate a woman. The work is very preliminary at the moment, but the findings suggest that taking the medication has no long term side effects on the man or his ability to produce viable offspring in the future. I always looking for new ways to discourage unwanted pregnancies. I also don't like that abortion policy focuses so much on women and what they should and should not be able to do. It is pretty easy to conduct a paternity test and identify the father of any child. So, is it morally appropriate to mandate that fathers of children who are the offspring of an unwanted pregnancy take one of these safe medications to prevent them from fathering any more unwanted children? 

Next up, Sam. Something about texting kids and communication in the modern age. 

Finally, Shawn.

 Elder Christofferson spoke recently of the rise of clinical depression among teenagers globally, noting that Latter-day Saint youth are not immune. “Church studies of member youth showed that globally in 2018, 29% struggled with clinical levels of anxiety,” he reported. A 2022 systematic review highlighted the alarming global prevalence of depressive symptoms among adolescents aged 10-19, reaching as high as 34 % (Shorey et al., 2022)

In 1995 Matt preached something to me that he learned from elder boyd k packer. “True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior. “The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior. ... That is why we stress so forcefully the study of the doctrines of the gospel”

Elder Christofferson offered this surprising statement:

"If we can lead our youth and young adults to spiritual rebirth, depression will evaporate, and any anxiety in their lives, will be quite manageable." "Even death itself cannot threaten their peace once they have been born of the Spirit and have learned to trust in God."

True? Or simplification of a complex, modern challenge? 

The Big Question: Many conservatives do not like property or income taxes and look for ways to eliminate or reduce their property or income tax bill. But, governments need money to pay for basic services. What typically happens is that states with low property and income taxes have higher sales tax. Sales tax is one example of a regressive tax because it requires a much greater share of income from low- and middle-income families than from wealthy families to be paid as taxes. The lower one’s income, the higher one’s overall effective state and local tax rate. On average, the lowest-income 20 percent of taxpayers face a state and local tax rate nearly 60 percent higher than the top 1 percent of households. Is it morally wrong for the government to require poor people to pay a higher percentage of their income in taxes than wealthy individuals?

The Thought Provoker

Sam is up first this week. And I make the argument that the high prices we pay here in the US for pharmaceuticals subsidize the entire world, but they guarantee the best end result anywhere else in the world. We have medicines and therapies that are available globally because of the higher prices we pay here in the US. 
 

Next up Shawn, Power to the Patients is a nonprofit organization that advocates for healthcare price transparency. Their mission is to make healthcare more affordable and equitable by making price transparency a standard. In 2021, a rule was mandated that hospitals must provide patients with clear and upfront pricing information about their services and items. However, for many years, hospitals and insurers have been ignoring these rules. Power to the Patients' goal is to help Americans know their right to know healthcare prices up front to shop for value. They also want to ensure that hospitals follow the law to show all their prices.  In Alma 37, the word “secret” is used 13 times to condemn the practice of “secret works”.  Is it unprincipled for a business, like a hospital  to not disclose price and cost of risk (ford pinto for example) to consumers to make free choices?  Examples: healthcare, ford pinto, gas stoves, red dye, msg, supplements, etc.

 Finally, Matt. I don’t want to get into a debate about Biden vs Trump. Super Tuesday is coming up in March and if Nikki Haley were to win many of those races, she could be the Republican nominee. This question is only about Trump. This week Trump was found guilty of committing massive fraud in his New York City businesses. Along with the $350 million fine, he is barred from serving on any board in any business in the State of New York for the next three years. His accountant is barred from ever doing that kind of work again in the State of New York. The President of the United States is responsible for running the Executive Branch. He also appoints individuals to positions of immense power to run the executive branch. Should a person deemed unfit to run a business in New York be allowed to run the Executive Branch as President? Should someone who has such a hard time selecting a qualified accountant be in charge of filling important roles in the Executive Branch? 

The Big Question: Last fall, a Missouri court found the National Association of Realtors and two real-estate brokerages guilty of conspiring to inflate real-estate commissions. Typically, when a home is sold, the listing agent and the buying agent each get a 3% commission, both of which are paid for by the seller. The stage is set for the buyer’s agent to no longer automatically receive a 3% commission. The jury ordered the NAR to pay $1.8 billion in damages. Now it looks like realty groups are going to begin changing their fee structure. This is classic case of government interfering in the markets. Is this government intrusion into the marketplace justified?

The Thought Provoker:

Shawn is up first this week.  This week Tucker Carlson interviewed Vlad Putin and I got very mad because he didn’t challenge a single thing Putin said. Didn’t challenge his claim that Poland started ww2, didn’t challenge Putin’s claim that he has no interest in invading other countries unless they attack Russia even though he just invaded Ukraine. Didn’t challenge the lie that the west promised to not expand NATO. Didn’t challenge the revisionist history about Ukraine never existing… But in his post interview statement, Carlson said his intent was not to challenge him but to show Americans who Putin is and how he thinks and what his reasons were for invading Ukraine. When propaganda is published and now promoted by people who have grown followers (200 million so far), is this the modern model for successfully communicating a message? Does this show that big media is losing ground to freelance/citizen media? Should Saints engage in the modern movement of citizen media to promote our religion (missionary work) or influence the morals of society?
 
Next up Matt. A group called Come Near is leading an ad campaign that included some spots in the Superbowl. They use the tagline “He Gets Us” to promote the Christian faith in a way that it believes is relatable, non-offensive and nonpartisan. Some people feel like there is a better way to spend the $100 million that has been donated to this organization so far. Our church gets questions like this all the time. Is it consistent with the ethic of Christ to spend millions of dollars for brand management? Does Jesus need brand management?

 Finally, Sam. All right, so we're going to go a little light here where you guys have had very heavy topics. So think the last time you walked into a restaurant or into a, I don't know, like a fast food restaurant somewhere, you go up, you order, you tap your credit card and you get the opportunity before you touch the food, before anybody brings you anything, before they slide the tray across the counter. What do they ask you for a tip and not a suggestion. but a monetary tip to give them help for providing service. The question today is, A, is that tip before you ever receive anything warranted? And has tipping gotten out of control or is it warranted?

The Big Question: For just the third time in more than two decades, less than half of Americans say they are “very satisfied” with the way things are going in their personal lives. The 47% of U.S. adults expressing high satisfaction with their lives has edged down three percentage points over the past year and is only one point higher than the 2011 record low for the trend. The previous low points in Americans’ personal satisfaction have occurred at times of economic uncertainty. The 46% reading in 2011 came when the country was still recovering from the 2007-2009 recession, and the other sub-50% reading (47%) was in December 2008 during the global economic crisis. Oddly, satisfaction hit its peak in 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic. To me this suggests that people are looking for political solutions to problems that are non-political. No matter who wins the 2024 elections, people are probably still going to be dissatisfied with what is happening in their lives. What is the root cause of this dissatisfaction that people seem to be experiencing right now?

The Thought Provoker:

One listener writes, “ I  heard Shawn say that we shouldn't pay attention to the fact that people in blue states live longer. You talked about life expectancy, but you could make the same case that people in blue States are, on average, richer, safer, healthier, better educated and more likely to live in a happy, stable family than people in red states.  But Shawn says none of this matters because it's all about individual decisions. But then we're left to ask why are people in Vermont so much better at making decisions than people in West Virginia?”

Matt is up first this week. The Super Bowl is coming up and I have two questions related to that. First, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are a pretty polarizing couple. My friends who love football say that Swift is ruining the sport and that the NFL conspired to get the Chiefs into the Superbowl. My friends who love Taylor Swift say that the NFL is using her to boost their ratings without giving her the love she deserves. Who is right about that? The second question is about the location of the big game. Many of our listeners will be travelling to Las Vegas to watch the Superbowl, what moral principles should guide personal behavior in Las Vegas? Many young people have no problem with gambling. The church manual says gambling is wrong, but I don’t see any canonized scripture about that.
Next up Sam: President Biden shut down the Las Vegas Airport on a crazy busy day of flying in and out. This closure led to delays, cancellations and millions, in costs to travelers, airlines and impacted businesses. Who should pay for these junkets work Should presidents be allowed to so severely impact citizens with their travel?
Finally, Shawn: Many Latter Day Saints face difficult decisions in upcoming elections. The Latter Day Lens has discussed what guidance scripture gives us when trying to choose who and what to support. D&C 134 teaches: “We believe that no government can exist in peace, except such laws are framed and held as will secure to each individual the free exercise of conscience, the right and control of property, and the protection of life…..and that such as will administer the law in equity and justice should be sought for and upheld by the voice of the people”. Have Trump or Biden shown that they will uphold and administer the laws that protect free exercise of conscience, the right and control of property, and the protection of life?
The Big Question: The Associated Press recently did a deep dive into conspiracy theories. They report that nearly half of Americans believe a conspiracy theory, but that those beliefs are mostly harmless (for example, I believe that silk boxers cause male infertility). The problem comes when people put their conspiracy beliefs into action. The two main culprits are politicians and the business community. P

Mailbag:
I thought your discussion about longevity and quality of life was interesting. Healthy living is something I think is very important, but I don't know that a health care solution is the key. this map can help identify possible patterns for what might be contributing to longevity.
The Thought Provoker:
This week Sam is up first. Should Utah schools ban smart phones, or teach a class on smart phone management? Governor Cox says he supports banning smartphones in Utah schools
Next up, Shawn. Fewer people are getting married and there are fewer two parent families. In 1970, nearly 70% of American adults ages 25 to 49 were living with a spouse and at least one child. As of 2021 — the most recent year for which they have data — that's fallen to 37%. In 1970, essentially no one was reported to be cohabitating unmarried with kids; by 2021, that rose to 5%. And, significantly, 18% of American adults were married with no kids in 1970. As of 2021, that's risen to 21%. Additionally, a survey recently found that “one in eight adults fall into the DINK (dual income no kids) category, and that a further two in five (39 percent) don’t plan on having children in the future.” The DINK hashtag has 247.1 million views. Is this new model of family regression or progression?
Finally, Matt. In what seems like an unlikely turn of events, Democrats are actually fighting to do something about the southern border and Republicans are not. A couple of months ago, President Biden suggested that Congress pass a bill providing economic support for Ukraine, Israel, and the Southern Border in one package. This started bipartisan negotiations to fund each of these. Now that a bi-partisan bill is set to pass the Senate Donald Trump has urged Republicans to oppose the bill because he would like to use it as a campaign issue. He doesn’t want Biden to “win” on the border. Republican Speaker Johnson said that now is not the time for comprehensive immigration reform. Is “now” a bad time to pass comprehensive immigration reform
The Big Question: Thousands of teenagers and young adults in the United States have developed delusions and paranoia after using cannabis. Legalization efforts have made cannabis more readily available in much of the country. More frequent use of marijuana that is many times as potent as strains common three decades ago is leading to more psychotic episodes, according to doctors and recent research. I think it is interesting that just as states made it much more difficult to smoke tobacco in public, they started legalizing ma

The Thought Provoker:

Matt is up first. Sam has been saying for a long time that Trump would be the Republican nominee. I have been saying that we should wait and see what the voters do, and not just trust polls. Well, now the voters in Iowa have spoken and it is nearly certain that Trump will be the Republican nominee. I have no reason to believe that Nikki Hailey can win the nomination, especially since Ron DeSantis has not dropped out. Whether people like it or not, the choice is Biden or Trump. So, my question is simple. Do members of our church have a moral obligation to do everything they can to make sure that Biden wins in 2024.

Next up Sam. What do you make of the backlash against Aaron Sherinian? 

 Finally, Shawn. Technology has enabled anyone to become an “expert” and publisher of content. Millions of political, religious and lifestyle posts get consumed daily by church members. It’s like a nonstop digital testimony meeting. Examples include: A discussion exploring if Lehi and Jeremiah were best friends? Are we sinning if we don’t vote Biden? What physical evidence exists that proves the Book of Mormon? Counter attacks at popular evangelical podcasters.  Is religious content published by average church members a net good or bad for the members of the church? Do average members who now have a voice publish content that is effective and positive for members? can it hurt more than help? 

The Big Question: According to an article published in the Wall Street Journal, Americans are living longer, but spending less time in good health. The estimated average proportion of life spent in good health declined to 83.6% in 2021, down from 85.8% in 1990. The decrease of time spent in good health is partly because medical advances are catching and treating diseases that once would have killed us. But it is also because of the rising prevalence, often among younger people, of conditions such as obesity, diabetes and substance-use disorders. Most of these risk factors are preventable and treatable, and tackling them would bring huge social and economic benefits. We are failing to change unhealthy behaviors, particularly those related to diet quality, caloric intake, and physical activity, in part due to inadequate policy attention and funding for public health and behavioral research. As a result, life expectancy from birth increased from 75.6 years in 1990 to 77.1 years in 2021, but healthy life expectancy, a measure of how many years we can expect to enjoy good health, fell from 64.8 to 64.4 in the same period. Japan, Singapore, Switzerland, Israel, & France all have healthy life expectancy 10 years higher than in the United States. Free market solutions do not seem to be helping Americans live healthier lives. What role should the government play in helping Americans live healthier lives?

Mailbag:

One listener writes “Military conscription has been shown to build a shared national identity, boost loyalty to the polity, and instill patriotism… But here’s the tradeoff: Men from conscripted generations show less trust in democratic institutions than those exempted from the draft…[and] weakens the relationship between the citizen and the state. Hard to say really - I think with the poor state of patriotism and shared national identity we experience in the US today it could be beneficial.”

 Another listener says “I think Shawn's feelings of mistrust for professors are becoming more common in America. The Chinese Cultural Revolution also involved persecution of formally educated people. In what ways are our modern anti-academic attitudes the same as and different from the anti-academic ideas of early Chinese communist revolutionaries? Why do you think anti-academic feelings are on the rise?”

 The Thought Provoker:

Shawn is first this week. 

 | Archaeologists using LIDAR have discovered a constellation of ancient Amazonian structures in what is now modern-day Ecuador, according to new research published yesterday. Flourishing for roughly 1,000 years about two millennia ago, the settlements are believed to have been populated by 30,000 residents at their peak—roughly equal to London under the Roman Empire at the same time. The find follows a number of similar discoveries in recent years, including a sprawling urban network in the Bolivian Amazon two years ago.

Also, growing in popularity are social media accounts like scripture plus for example that focus on promoting scripture through evidential and defensible means such as proof of cities in South America to build faith in the Book of Mormon.  Do these discoveries and approaches grow peoples faith in God or distract from what is supposed to be a personal and spiritual process?

Next up Matt, “A recent study looks at how rapid demographic change is expected to transform the supply of kin worldwide. They project that project that great-grandparents will be more common in the future, but they may be too old and frail to provide support. Individuals in the future will face increasing demands for informal care from kin worldwide. Our findings support the calls for more investment in childcare and old-age care to alleviate the burden of individuals aging with fewer kinship resources to rely on. In the church we talk about how people who need help should first turn to their family, then to the church, then to government. As the makeup of families changes in the future, should we re-think societal obligations to support people in need? As people have fewer family members who are able to help take care of them, should the community play a larger role?”