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Vote for the Mormon FAIR-Cast!

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What are the Podcast Awards?

For the second year in a row, the Mormon FAIR-Cast has been nominated to receive a Podcast Award in the “Religion Inspiration” category. The People’s Choice Podcast Awards are an annual set of awards given to the best podcasts as voted on by listeners. This year, over 9 million votes were cast and over 5,000 shows were nominated over the 15 day nomination period. Ten shows were chosen as nominees in each of 22 different categories. The Podcast Awards Ceremony will be held at the New Media Expo in Las Vegas on Jan 7th, 2013!

How was the Mormon FAIR-Cast Nominated?

Nominations were open for 15 days in October. Podcasts that received votes were reviewed by a 44 member committee that took a variety of factors into account. The total number of votes a podcast received accounted for only 40% of the grading, with the quality of the website’s design (15%), quality of sound (15%), quality of deliverance and show format (10%), and relevance of content (20%) also being considered.

Vote Now!

Voting for the awards will begin today, November 1st and will end on November 15 at 11:59pm HST. While a single person could only cast one nominating vote, during final voting, each person (verified by IP address) may vote once each day during the 15 days that voting is open. In other words, a single person can cast 15 votes.

Tell Your Friends

Please support the Mormon FAIR-Cast by casting your vote at podcastawards.com each day that voting is open. Spread the word by telling your friends. Post a link with instructions on Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus. Remind your friends to vote each day. And thank you for your continued support of the Mormon FAIR-Cast!

Keeping the Faith 1: Letter to a Doubter

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Often, doubt and uncertainty arise not from facts and evidence that actually undermine what we thought was true, but rather from assumptions we might be making about those facts. Our confidence in the gospel can be strengthened as we adopt more sound assumptions. However, we do not necessarily need to be alarmed in the face of uncertainty and doubt.

In this fireside presentation written by Terryl Givens, we find that in order for us to experience growth in this life, and to engage in an authentic test of our true desires, there must be grounds for doubt as well as belief.

This is the first episode in the Keeping the Faith series of podcasts. This series explores ways in which our faith can be challenged, and ways in which we can overcome those challenges.

This episode, is taken from a fireside presentation by Professor Terryl Givens given to the Single Adult Stake in Palo Alto, California in October of 2012. Brother Givens is a professor of religion and literature at the University of Richmond and author of many books and articles, including The God Who Weeps: How Mormonism Makes Sense of Life, which he co-authored with his wife, Fiona. This presentation is entitled, “Letter to a Doubter,” and is read by Steve Densley, Jr. This address is presented here by permission of Terryl Givens. The full text of the address can be found here.

If there is an issue that you have been wondering about, you can often find the latest answers at the FAIR wiki, found at fairmormon.org. If you can’t find your answer there, feel free to pose your question to the FAIR apologists by visiting the FAIR contact page.

Tell your friends about us and help increase the popularity of this podcast by subscribing in iTunes and by writing a review.

Music for this episode was provided courtesy of Paul Cardall.

The opinions expressed in this podcast are not necessarily the views of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or of FAIR.

Mormon FAIR-Cast 112: Dead Sea Scrolls

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How were the Dead Sea Scrolls discovered? How many scrolls have been found? Has there been an attempt to prevent scholars from translating them? Have some of the scolls been withheld from the public? Who were the authors of the Dead Sea Scrolls? Were they Christians? Did the Dead Sea Scrolls authors believe in a pre-earth life? What value should Latter-day Saints place in the Dead Sea Scrolls? Kevin Barney discusses these questions in this live interview with Mills Crenshaw that appeared on K-Talk radio on July 12, 2012, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Kevin Barney, a public finance attorney in Chicago, has published dozens of articles about Mormon studies in academic journals. He also serves on the Board of Directors of FAIR and of Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought and writes for By Common Consent.

This recording is posted here by permission of K-Talk Radio. The opinions expressed in this interview do not necessarily represent the views of FAIR or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Mormon FAIR-Cast 111: More on DNA Evidence and the Book of Mormon

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How much Native American DNA has actually been tested? Has any of the testing revealed a connection to the Middle East? If so, what conclusions can we draw from this? In this episode of Religion Today, which originally aired on KSL Radio on August 12, 2012, Martin Tanner follows up on his interview with Dr. Ugo A. Perego regarding DNA research.

This recording was used by permission of KSL Radio and does not necessarily represent the views of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or of FAIR.

Mormon FAIR-Cast 110: John Sorenson Takes Questions

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Dr. John Sorenson takes questions in this live radio interview that took place on July 30, 2012 on Drive Time Live with Mills Crenshaw on KTKK Radio. Dr. Sorenson first explains how he became in involved in MesoAmerican studies. He then responds to a variety of questions, including: Is there archeological evidence for the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon? What of the Native American settlements and Hebrew DNA among Native Americans in North America? What are we to make of the mention of elephants, horses, cows, oxen, etc. in the Book of Mormon? And, is there any evidence of a form of “Reformed Egyptian” writing in MesoAmerica?

John L. Sorenson is professor emeritus of anthropology at Brigham Young University. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in archaeology from BYU, a master’s degree in meteorology from the California Institute of Technology, and a Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of California at Los Angeles.

He originated the program in anthropology at BYU, heading it for fourteen of his twenty-four years of faculty service. His primary academic and professional emphasis was in sociocultural anthropology, including many years as an applied anthropologist. Among other positions, he served as director of social sciences at General Research Corporation in Santa Barbara, California, in the 1960s and later founded Bonneville Research Corporation in Provo, Utah. He is the author of more than 200 publications.

Despite following a variety of other professional interests throughout his career, Dr. Sorenson never lost his strong interest in Mesoamerican archaeology, the subject that first drew him to anthropology. Since his retirement from BYU in 1986, he has concentrated his research and writing in that area.

One of the key figures in the early development of the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (now part of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship), Dr. Sorenson served for several years as the editor of its Journal of Book of Mormon Studies. His 1985 book An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon, published by FARMS and Deseret Book, has become the most influential treatment of Book of Mormon peoples and history in their Mesoamerican context.

This recording is posted here by permission of K-Talk Radio. The opinions expressed in this interview do not necessarily represent the views of FAIR or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Mormon FAIR-Cast 109: Response to criticisms of the Book of Mormon

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In a movie entitled “The Bible vs. The Book of Mormon,” the Living Hope Ministries levels a set of common attacks against the Book of Mormon. In this episode of Religion Today that originally aired on May 29, 2011, Martin Tanner discusses various arguments against the Book of Mormon and provides responses to these criticisms.

This recording was used by permission of KSL Radio and does not necessarily represent the views of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or of FAIR.

Nominate the Mormon FAIR-Cast for the People’s Choice Podcast Awards!

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FAIR’s podcast, known as “The Mormon FAIR-Cast” won the People’s Choice Podcast Award for Best Podcast in the Religious Inspiration category in 2011. Please help us win again in 2012.

The Nomination Process: Starting on 1 October 2012, you can go to podcastawards.com to submit your nomination. There are a variety of categories. (Please note that you only get to fill this nomination ballet out one time, if you leave categories blank you cannot go back later and submit those additional categories a second time!) You may not nominate the same show in multiple categories, so only nominate the Mormon FAIR-Cast in the Religious Inspiration category.

To fill out the form, go to the Religion Inspiration category and do the following:

    • For the name of the podcast, type: “Mormon FAIR-Cast”
    • For the podcast URL, type: http://www.fairblog.org/
    • Also include your name and a verifiable E-mail Address
    • Finally, comments are critical so the reviewing team understand why a show is deserving of being nominated to the category.

Nominations will close on October 15, 2012. Ten nominees are chosen for each category. If the Mormon FAIR-Cast is nominated, we will announce further instructions on how to vote. The 8th Annual Podcast Awards Ceremony will be Held at New Media Expo in Las Vegas Jan 2013!

Thanks for your support of the Mormon FAIR-Cast!

Mormon FAIR-Cast 108: Jeffrey Bradshaw on Temple Themes in the Scriptures

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Dr. Jeffrey Bradshaw discusses his book, Temple Themes in the Book of Moses as well as some examples of temple worship among early Christians, and the Jews. He also touches on the Book of Enoch, the Council in Heaven and ancient temple architecture.

Jeffrey M. Bradshaw (Ph.D., Cognitive Science, University of Washington) is a Senior Research Scientist at the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC) in Pensacola, Florida. Formerly, he led research groups at The Boeing Company and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. He has authored hundreds of research articles and edited several volumes on topics relating to human and machine intelligence and interaction. Jeff was a missionary in the Belgium-Brussels mission, and has since served in a variety of teaching and leadership capacities including early-morning seminary teacher, bishop, high councilor, counselor in a stake presidency, stake executive secretary and temple ordinance worker. He and his wife Kathleen are the parents of four children.

Dr. Bradshaw has published a number of books addressing temples themes in the scriptures including “In God’s Image and Likeness,” “Temple Themes in the Book of Moses,” and “Temple Themes in the Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood.” Each is available for purchase at the FAIR Bookstore, here.

Dr. Bradshaw also gave a presentation at the Temple on Mount Zion conference in Provo, Utah on September 23, 2012 regarding temple symbolism in the story of Noah’s ark, and is available for viewing on YouTube.

This recording is posted here by permission of K-Talk Radio. The opinions expressed in this interview do not necessarily represent the views of FAIR or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Mormon FAIR-Cast 107: Mesoamerican Connections to the Book of Mormon

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Professor Mark Alan Wright reflects on a number of Mesoamerican practices and their possible connection with the Book of Mormon, including “day-keepers,” Shamanism and divine investiture, taking the countenance of a god by wearing deity masks, and the Maya calendar system and prophecy. For Dr. Wright’s presentation on Nephite Daykeepers, see this YouTube video.

Mark Alan Wright earned his BA in Anthropology at UCLA and his MA and PhD in Anthropology (with a subfield of specialization in Mesoamerican Archaeology) from UC Riverside. His dissertation is entitled “A Study of Classic Maya Rulership.” He regularly conducts research in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and Belize. Dr. Wright is Assistant Professor of Ancient Scripture at Brigham Young University.

This interview appears here by courtesy of the Interpreter. This views expressed in this interview do not necessarily represent the views of FAIR or of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Mormon FAIR-Cast 106: Temple Study Fireside 3–Importance of the Temple

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This is the third in a series of on-line fireside discussions of the book Temple Worship: 20 Truths That Will Bless Your Life, by Andrew C. Skinner. This discussion discusses the temple as being the “ultimate” of our worship, what it means to “serve” in the temple, where temples or temple worship can take place on the earth, the first endowments given in the Nauvoo Temple attic, temple “work” vs. temple “worship,” the fact that the Nauvoo temple was only in use for 2 months (8 weeks) before it was destroyed which makes us reflect on the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in ancient times, what it means to have a “fullness of the Holy Ghost” which we can attain to in the temple, and the profound importance of the temple in the lives of Latter-day Saints and in our worship in the Church. Panelists include Bryce Haymond, Gary Anderson, Gerald Smith, and William Hamblin.

This discussion was conducted live on August 22, 2012 through Google’s Hangouts on Air. It was streamed live on TempleStudy.com, where the video can also be found. A rough transcript of the discussion can be found here.

Andrew C. Skinner is a professor of ancient scripture at Brigham Young University, was dean of Religious Education and the first executive director of BYU’s Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship. He holds master’s degrees in Biblical Hebrew and Jewish Studies and a Ph.D. in Near Eastern and European History, specializing in Judaism.  He is the author or co-author of over 100 publications.