Black Pioneer Slaves? LDS Grammy Winner Reconciles Painful Past in an Unexpected Way | E0018

04/26/24 • 78 min

For episode 18, I get real with Grammy Award-winning vocal director Mauli Bonner. After uncovering controversial and lesser-known stories about Black pioneers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Mauli, feeling embarrassed about his ignorance, is inspired to become a film writer and director. His mission: To craft an enlightening film that breaks the silence. Despite facing societal hesitation to confront painful, controversial histories, Mauli aims to use the film's proceeds to fund a monument at This is the Place, transforming his newfound knowledge into a beacon of awareness and reconciliation.

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Why Curses ARE NOT About Race In Scripture | Egyptologist Dr. John Thompson E0017

In E17 of Let's Get Real with Stephen Jones, Dr. John Thompson tackles a topic that's often misunderstood: the concept of "curses" within sacred texts, especially regarding Latter-day Saint teachings. He explains that what some might interpret as racial curses in scripture, like those mentioned in the Book of Abraham, is about something entirely different.

John S. Thompson is an acclaimed Egyptologist with a rich background in ancient scriptures and modern religious studies, including a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Thompson has dedicated his life to exploring the depths of ancient Egyptian culture and the Hebrew Bible. He has served in diverse religious communities and even participated on Harvard's executive board of university chaplains.

The Book of Abraham, sometimes misused to support racial worldviews within Latter-day Saint history, actually discusses "curses" in terms of legal disinheritance, not racial inferiority. These "curses" imply a temporary loss of spiritual blessings or inheritance due to non-compliance with divine laws, applicable to anyone regardless of race.

This interpretation clarifies Joseph Smith's revelations, highlighting that divine blessings are inherited through adherence to covenantal lineage, as seen in ancient scriptures and modern practices like temple sealings.

Understanding these concepts helps avoid misinterpretations of sacred texts, emphasizing that spiritual disinheritance is reversible through gospel obedience. This concise understanding encourages and focuses on universal themes of redemption and the potential for all to inherit divine promises.

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BYU President: "This Is the Most IMPORTANT Decision I'll Make" | Pres. Shane Reese E0019

BYU President Shane Reese has been in his role for a year now. We had a lot of questions for him.

Is there anything he’d do differently? What is BYU's "divinely established" mission? What's at stake if BYU doesn't fulfill its mission? What is the current student experience, and how can we improve it?

We discuss President Reese’s hard time acclimating as a new student at BYU, what it’s like to report to General Authorities, and his hopes for the future of BYU.

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