Explore every episode of the podcast Reasonable Deconstruction with Unoriginal Jim

Recognizing special pleading and identity protection in our religious and political ideas.

How a 30 minutes chat with a member of bad religion helped me understand that questions and doubt were not problematic. But signs of growth. 

In a meme that popped up on my social media page a right wing activist questioned the creation of West Virginia during the Civil War and used a historically illiterate argument to feed false narratives that the Civil War really wasn’t about slavery at all.

 It’s all the hype that your money can buy

All the hype and press releases from Noah’s arc scans uses language of certainty to beg for donations. They are conning people.

despite the conference speech against gambling. The church fully endorses another more lucrative asymmetric financial dynamic. One in which the church always gets its money and the member always gets speculative vague promises in return. 

I came across a video from Tanner Yost directed at people who have left the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It's a very emotional appeal, filmed in front of an LDS temple with somber music and a message that those who have left have rejected the "most true church" and need to return and be "healed." I want to respond to that message, but also to the way the message is constructed, because there's an important difference between making an argument for why someone should believe something and emotionally framing disagreement as evidence that something is wrong with the person who disagrees.

The churches system will only facilitate abuse. Fighting to remove mandatory reporting shows a desire to protect the institution and not victims. You cannot trust the LDS Church to do What's best for your kids if they know abuse is happening.

A LDS commentator calling himself Gogo says that members should not read the journal of discourses because they could become confused with previous church teachings and doctrine.

I think everyone should read them no matter where they are. Better to know the history of your religion than to be ignorant and told what you can or cannot read. 

Recognizing special pleading and identity protection in our religious and political ideas.

Responding to Jacob Hansen's comment the intellectual diversity in the LDS church is a cancer. His own example undermines his argument, exposing a profound historical illiteracy

If you are a believing Mormon and you have family that has left the church you need to read "Torn" by Jeff Strong

Does a political science study from the 1980s really prove that the Bible was the single greatest influence on the Founding Fathers and the founding documents of the United States? That claim has become a staple of Christian nationalist arguments for decades. 

Responding to the claim that people leave Mormonism, not because of its truth problems or it's historical claims, but because they are simply too weak to follow Jesus

Jordan Peterson’s commentary often boils down to nothing more than platitudes and bromides. Responding to his tweets on truth and order

Christian appeals to The Puritans as proof of a Christian founding or "covenant" fail because they neglect the history of religious persecution

There is no “American covenant”. That is a cultural and political claim, not a theological one and it serves as a reinforcement of religious and social power, not historical fact.

The storytelling of visions and religious experiences is not a gauge of truth in any way, because all religions always produce self reinforcing religious experiences and narratives. 

The Trump administration wanted to re-dedicate the country to God. Interestingly, the country was never dedicated to God to begin with. Looking back on The “Rededicate 250” fiasco, the enlightenment ideas which served as the philosophical foundation of our nation are not found in the Bible.

My opinion on the book of Mormon flows downstream from my opinion of the Bible. While they are not true histories, they are culturally significant.

When  asked about my feelings on the Bible, Whether I believe in it whether I think it's important. The answer is no and yes.

LDS apologists go all out with the blatant gatekeeping, seeking to delegitimize any lived experience of anyone who disagrees with the institution

Some on the political right are advocating a repeal of the 19th amendment to strip women of the right to vote. This pernicious backwards ideology has far reaching implications for all of society.

Looking at the best teaching from Russell M Nelson's entire career, and it wasn't to a church audience

Is service to God the only way to happiness, or is this idea teaching that happiness can only be accessed through religious participation

Spiritual confirmations and emotional reactions to religious experiences are not indicators of truth

Strident politics merged with religion is a toxic combination

After watching Oaks's BYU speech, there are two key messages. First, the church has no intention on ever helping people with faith crisis. And two they believe that greater institutional participation is the remedy for the loss of trust and unresolved doubts.

the prejudice on the right against higher education is unfounded. religion indoctrinates, higher education promotes questions

Dallin H Oaks, preemptively delegitimizes criticism and trains members to be suspicious of social media 

No eight-yeartold ever chooses to be baptized, they are conditioned to. The idea of baptizing a child before they have informed consent is contrary to the very idea of free agency and the ability to choose.

Questioning the Mormon idea of the preexistence and free will in light of what we know about biological human development

How Russel's Teapot analogy caused me to question my strict Mormonism

Why I do not believe in a interventionist, personal god.

Mormon temples as performed religion and social branding tools.

Despite claims from apologists, the case of DAVID, Nathan and Saul's wives and concubines does not support LDS plural marriage revelation claims 

Joseph Smiths account of Abraham being "commanded" to practice polygamy is fundamentally false. It is based on a misunderstanding of Genesis 16, Hagar was a surrogate and an enslaved woman not a wife. 

quoting John 21:21 as a theological argument from ignorance is not the apologetic response you think it is. 

Russell M Nelson is an example of how the LDS church is playing gatekeeper to basic human experiences and emotions like joy 

What changes could the LDS church make to reduce abuse and bad leadership of youth organizations?

What would I suggest?

The church needs to end this idea of calling people based upon divine authority. It is just facilitating victimization of children.

Teaching our children to proclaim that they "know the church is true" from their earliest age is a form of social conditioning and religious control. 

The reality of D&C 132 and the deceptions and manipulations associated with plural marriage is what convinced me that Joseph was ultimately willing to lie and be dishonest

A comment on TikTok told me that there was “no such thing as ex Mormons just apostates”. To which I asked the question if apostasy is a willful rejection of truth, can it be apostasy if the truth claims are shown to be suspect or demonstrably false? 

Nelson's teaching to "never take council from those who don't believe" was a tool to drive a wedge between young generations of members and their friends and family by turning faith into a firewall

An ex Mormon is not necessarily an anti-Mormon. The church conveniently convinces people to complete the two. But while I am an ex Mormon and I’m critical of narratives and concepts, I am not an anti-Mormon anymore than I am anti-Catholic or anti-Hindu. Everyone has a right to their faith, but they do not have the right to say who can or cannot be critical

My feelings on how the Mormon church uses emotional confirmation bias in the name of "the spirit" to control members

How obsession with the "last days" and "end times" in Mormonism contribute to conspiracy theories. 

How condescending attitudes are expressed by family and friends when somebody leaves a high demand religion

Women do not truly have authority in the church, they have delegated and appointed responsibilities that are approved by men in positions of power. 

Is it dishonest for Mormon missionaries to promise people that they will have spiritual experiences or feel certain feelings? Yes, it is manipulative and it needs to be recognized