In this episode, Lindsay and Bryan dive into the 1860s, the decade when Mormon polygamy reached its statistical and cultural peak. Drawing on census data, diaries, oral histories, and the sharp observations of British explorer Richard Francis Burton, they examine how plural marriage became woven into Utah’s theology, politics, economics, and daily life. From Brigham …
Tag: Mormon Culture
Episode 163: The Old Salt Lake Theatre
While Eastern theaters staged plays depicting Mormons as bloodthirsty polygamists, Brigham Young was building a Drury Lane replica in the Utah desert. It would go on to host Oscar Wilde, the Barrymore family across four generations, and Brigham Young’s own son performing in drag to packed houses. It was the most ambitious act of cultural …
Episode 160: The Heber J. Grant Journals—Fruits of a New Policy
Lindsay and Bryan are back in video form — and they’ve got a lot to talk about. The Church History Library just dropped a remarkable new digital resource: the Heber J. Grant journals, spanning more than sixty years of Mormon history and now available to casual readers and serious researchers alike. But the journals themselves …
SL09355 “It’s Either True or False…” Dichotomous Thinking in Mormon Culture and Its Impact on the Individual
The presenters have structured their presentation around six songs and hymns that have accompanied them on their journey out of the LDS church. They will share elements of their own stories, which include experiences on both sides of the dilemma in a format that includes musical performance, storytelling, and discussion. Peter Danzig, Mary Danzig
Lost in the Translation: Mormon Culture and the Myth of the Perfect Language
Lost in the Translation: Mormon Culture and the Myth of the Perfect Language In 1974 the LDS Church created the Translation Sciences Institute. The ultimate goal was to design a computer capable of translating the gospel to perfection. Partially inspired by the myth of the Perfect Language, some church leaders said that the day was …
A Gigantic Moral Blind Spot: Mormon Culture As A Gun Culture
A Gigantic Moral Blind Spot: Mormon Culture As A Gun Culture Ronald Molen, Tom McAffee
Women Talking to a Sacred Cow: An Exploration of Satire in Mormon Culture
Women Talking to a Sacred Cow: An Exploration of Satire in Mormon Culture