Glass Box Podcast

General Conference for Apr 2026 is here. We watched the whole thing so you don't have to. This is our breakdown and hyperfocus on what slipped through what slipped through the cracks!   Sunday Afternoon: Christofferson Q12 - The end is coming, be outward bigots Chi Hong (Sam) Wong Q70 - Remember, Remember BoM lesson Aaron T. Hall Q70 - Names of Jesus from BoM Susan H. Porter Primary GP - Baby-talk talk Neil L Anderson Q12 - Eternal Marriage Quentin L. Cook Q12 - First vision 1823, doesn't mention 1820 Taniela B. Wakolo Q70 - Bigotry is still bigoted even when it comes from an African-American General Authority Gerrit Gong Q12 - Oaks red tie story HOAKS ROUNDING IT OUT AND FUUUUCKKK THIS CONFERENCE!!!   A Night At the Garden documentary https://anightatthegarden.com/   Other appearances: Chris Shelton interviewed us in the beginning of a series on Mormonism on his Speaking of Cults series. Our most recent discussion was on The Unpaid Army of God: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de

General Conference for Apr 2026 is here. We watched the whole thing so you don't have to. This is our breakdown and hyperfocus on what slipped through what slipped through the cracks!   Sunday Morning: Ucthdorf Acting Pres of Q12 - Happy Easter, I guess? Emily Bell Freeman YW GP - Best of days, worst of days Pedro X. Larreal Q70 - Happy easter Edward B Rowe Q70 - I didn't get blown up by a landmine, that's what matters Ronald Rasband Q12 - People with disabilities will be resurrected perfected Dale Renlund Q12 - So many balls out there, keep your eye on the Jesus ball Thierry K. Mutombo Q70 - Has had lots of kids but abandoned cultural tradition when one died Alan R Walker Q70 - hunting for hidden treasures Hoaks   Other appearances: Chris Shelton interviewed us in the beginning of a series on Mormonism on his Speaking of Cults series. Our most recent discussion was on The Unpaid Army of God: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de543-d9tME  He has had MANY different fascinating people

General Conference for Apr 2026 is here. We watched the whole thing so you don't have to. This is our breakdown and hyperfocus on what slipped through what slipped through the cracks!   Saturday Afternoon: Gary Stevenson Q12 - Lost luggage Edwardo Ortega Q70 - To new members Wan-Liang Wu Q70 - More diversity through assimilation David J. Wunderli FC YM GP - Youth carry too many rocks Gerald Causse new Q12 - The Truman Flater Earther Bryan J Holmes Q70 - Marathons and necessity of prophetic witness and blind obedience Clement M. Matswagothata Q70 - Great story, maybe he'll get picked for Q15? Ulisses Soares Q12 - Digital spaces and Mormon content creators Other appearances: Chris Shelton interviewed us in the beginning of a series on Mormonism on his Speaking of Cults series. Our most recent discussion was on The Unpaid Army of God: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de543-d9tME  He has had MANY different fascinating people on so go take a look!  Here is the whole playlist: https://

General Conference for Apr 2026 is here. We watched the whole thing so you don't have to. This is our breakdown and hyperfocus on what slipped through what slipped through the cracks!   Saturday Morning: Oaks POTLDS Patrick Kearon Q12 - Callings Kristen M. Yee SC RS GP - assignments and ministering David A. Bednar Q12 - endure, you whiny little shits Michael John U. Teh Q70 - diversity through assimilation Jorge T Becerra Q70 - poverty, tithing, immigrants CryRing - praying is powerful   Other appearances: Chris Shelton interviewed us in the beginning of a series on Mormonism on his Speaking of Cults series. Our most recent discussion was on The Unpaid Army of God: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de543-d9tME  He has had MANY different fascinating people on so go take a look!  Here is the whole playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpGuS7GcsgA&list=PLGrPM1Pg2h72ADIuv8eYmzrJ-ppLOlw_g   Email: glassboxpodcast@gmail.com  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GlassBoxPod  Patr

Bryce attended the Journal of Mormon Polygamy Conference and snagged a few interviews from attendees, organizers, and presenters. It was a fantastic experience! The first issues are printed and ready for purchase at the link below and it's a great conference as well. Come next year! After that we discuss Sense & Sensibilities by Jane Austen to round out the third episode of Women's History Month. We end with some happy news from boxing trainers helping parkinson's patients.   Show Notes:  Journal of Mormon Polygamy website with currently-available issues https://journalofmormonpolygamy.org/jmp   MOGP: Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen Sense and Sensibility : https://janeaustensociety.org.uk/jane-austen/the-novels/sense-and-sensibility/  Jane Austen House: https://janeaustens.house/jane-austen/novels/sense-and-sensibility/   Happy News:  https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd0rjnn24y5o   Other appearances: Chris Shelton interviewed us in the beginning of a series on Mormonism o

It's Women's History Month!  We first talk about a few women in history who dared to stand out because representation matters. These are women in science, medicine, and even espionage who did amazing things to further scientific advances, to help heal people, etc and they deserve to be recognized. For the media segment, we talk about the 1993 movie Orlando, starring the amazing Tilda Swinton. Following that, we close out with happy news about Dolly Parton and children's books.    Show Notes:    Books to read:  Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers in World War II, by Liza Mundy  Wonder Women: 25 Innovators, inventors, and trailblazers who changed history, by Sam Maggs  Nurse and Spy in the Union Army: S. Emma E. Edmonds' Riveting Account of Her Service as a Nurse and Spy during the Civil War, by S. Emma Edmonds  Fanny Campbell, the Female Pirate Captain: A Tale of the Revolution, by Maturin Murray Ballou Spy Princess: The Life of Noor Inayat Khan, by Shrabani Basu  

The time has come for a new apostle in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Clark G. Gilbert; time for your podcast hosts to rise to the occasion with another Apostolic Profile episode. He escaped the religious persecution Mormons often suffer growing up in Scottsdale, AZ, to go to BYU. Then off to Harvard for business, to acquire more useful skills for his forthcoming career in the Church Education System (CES). Before CES, however, Gilbert was responsible for trimming all the fat at Deseret News, which amounted to firing 40% of the workforce and shifting it to an unabashedly apologetic mission statement defending the church. Once appointed to CES, Gilbert instituted a series of Orwellian surveillance systems at BYU to punish thought crime; Ernest Wilkinson would be proud and Jeffrey Holland finally has a man to fire some muskets. Now Gilbert joins as the youngest apostle, securing his future position as prophet circa 2050s-70s. This "disruptive innovator" has a lot of new ideas to keep the chu

It's February and that means it is Black History Month. And since we are in the middle of the 2026 Winter Olympics, we are going to talk about one of THE most famous African-American Olympic athletes of all time, Jesse Owens. We then discuss the movie 42, the story of Jackie Robinson's first year in the white baseball league in 1947. After that, we'll round out the episode with happy news about a peace march from Texas to DC. Happy Black History month!    Next Live Show: Monday February 23, 6:00 PM (MT) We will talk about the newest apostle. We look forward to seeing you!    Show Notes:  Triumph: The Untold Story of Jesse Owens and Hitler's Olympics, By Jeremy Schaap American Legends: The Life of Jesse Owens, by Charles Rivers Editors Jesse Owens: A Life in American History (Black History Lives), by F. Erik Brooks and Kevin M. Jones Sr. Jesse Owens official website: https://jesseowens.com/  Biography on Olympics website; https://www.olympics.com/en/athletes/jesse-owens  Black U.S. Olympian

Ready for more Dallin Oaks stuff? First we talk about a letter Joseph Smith wrote to W.W. Phelps. Then we discuss the law review article  "Ethics, Mortality, and Professional Responsibility", by Dallin Oaks published October 1975 in the BYU Law Review. For the Sword of Laman, we take a look at the first two chapters of Oaks' book Pure In Heart.  We finish it off with some happy news about a judge overturning Trump's block of an off-shore wind project that could power 600,000 homes. Enjoy!    Show Notes:  Letter to W. W. Phelps Jan 11, 1833 https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/letter-to-william-w-phelps-11-january-1833/2#historical-intro Modern D&C 52 https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/revelation-6-june-1831-dc-52/2 Ethics, Morality, and Professional Responsibility by Dallin Oaks http://digitalcommons.law.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1039&context=lawreview Wickersham Commission https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/law/wickersham-commission Crimina

Well, it's time. Let's talk about President Dallin Harris Oaks, the Hoaks man, the Mormon Gollum. First, we cover the biography In the Hands of the Lord: The Life of Dallin H. Oaks by Richard Turley. Then we take a look at Hoaks' book The Carthage Conspiracy, as well as a presentation from 2021 where he actually uttered a prophecy! And after all that, we share some amazing science news. Researchers at Johns Hopkins have uncovered a surprising new way to influence brain activity by targeting a long-mysterious class of proteins linked to anxiety, schizophrenia, and movement disorders. Enjoy!   Show Notes:  Cyrus Dallin Sculptor: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrus_Edwin_Dallin  Cyrus Dallin: https://dallin.org/about-cyrus-dallin/  Stella Oaks Foundation: https://www.stellahoaks.org/    Law Review: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_review  Supreme Court case 1957-1958: https://www.oyez.org/cases/1957  Chief Justice Earl Warren: https://www.oyez.org/justices/earl_warren  The Sit-In: 40

Welcome to 2026! We start out the year talking to an interesting person — Chris Mitsch — a Professor of Computer Science, whose focus has been on AI ethics. We discuss a variety of technologies known as AI, the limitations, costs, potential uses, who stands to benefit, and a litany of related issues. This leads to our MOGP segment, where we watched A.I.: Artificial Intelligence, of course! And we close the episode with a round-up of good energy news from 2025.   Show Notes:  Papers mentioned during the interview: Does Liking Yellow Imply Driving a School Bus? By Gonen et. al. https://aclanthology.org/2025.naacl-long.35/ The Reversal Curse: LLMs trained on "A is B" fail to learn "B is A" by Berglund et. al. https://arxiv.org/abs/2309.12288 Seeing like a State by James C. Scott https://files.libcom.org/files/Seeing%20Like%20a%20State%20-%20James%20C.%20Scott.pdf The Mechanic and the Luddite by Jathan Sadowski https://www.ucpress.edu/books/the-mechanic-and-the-luddite/paper Empire of AI by H

As per tradition, we're talking all media to round out the year! Our theme is past, present, future; we're discussing what influenced both of us the most in each category. Thanks for hanging out with us this past year!   Shan: Past: The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare  Present:  The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women by Kate Moore. A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II, by Sonia Purnell  Sylvia Pankhurst: Natural Born Rebel, by Rachel Holmes The Sisterhood: The Secret History of the Women at the CIA, by Liza Mundy  The Woman They Could Not Silence: One Woman, Her Incredible Fight for Freedom, and the Men Who Tried to Make Her Disappear, Kate Moore Ten Days in a Mad-House: The Original 1887 Edition (Nellie Bly's Experience On Blackwell's Island) by Nellie Bly  Nellie Bly: Daredevil. Reporter. Feminist by Brooke Kroeger The Secret Life of Dr James Barry: Victorian England's Most Eminent Sur

Yes, the CIA tortured inmates suspected of terrorism in the immediate aftermath of 9/11. Two of the primary men involved with creating this program are Mormon, one was called to be a Bishop after taking $81mn from the government to torture people. We discuss the report, how it came to light, some of the key figures along the way, and the fight over the FOIA release of the report in the courts. After that we talk about The Report, wherein Adam Driver plays Dan Jones who led the investigation at the direction of Senator Dianne Feinstein. Then we have some happy news about libraries getting funding that was promised to them.   CW: torture, suicide   Show Notes:  Torture: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torture#Punishment  Torture in the United States: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torture_in_the_United_States#History_of_U.S._Accession  US Senate report on CIA torture "The Torture Report": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Senate_report_on_CIA_torture  The Torture Memos: https://en.wikipedia.org

The new apostle for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has taken his seat at the table. Gerald Caussé spent his life in corporate business before his call to the Presiding Bishopric in 2012. In 2015 he ascended to Presiding Bishop and has been the money manager of the church since then. During his tenure, numerous scandals have hit the church related to finances, including a fine from the SEC for falsifying business records to conceal wealth. In the wake of these numerous scandals, Gerald takes his position on the board of the wealthiest religion on the planet. Let's discuss! After that we chat about Catch Me If You Can, a movie about a con man starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks that does a great job of concealing the truth. Then we have happy news about pain management medications and promising research in that field.   Show Notes:  https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2012-07-18/how-the-mormons-make-money?embedded-checkout=true https://religionnews.com/2025/11/07/im-cautiously-

Spring of 1842 was a world-shaping event, the introduction of the endowment ceremony by Joseph Smith to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We've talked about it and a few of the more recent changes to the endowment a few times, but this is the overview. What it was when it was introduced, how it changed under Brigham Young, and many of the changes that have happened since his death, all under one (long) segment. Then we talk about Heretic, a movie about two missionaries in a cat-and-mouse game with a well-educated anti-Mormon playing by his own rules. Then we wrap with happy news from ABC and Jimmy Kimmel responding to the government shutdown and SNAP running dry.   Show Notes:  https://addfaith.org/blog/faith/belief/keystonelds/top-10-abandoned-temple-practices-in-latter-day-saint-history/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExVTljWWlzYnQ3cVF2bk1mcHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR4ldMRGSktTbiKihaWAr75MQpqYcXLwOH1L_n2_hMARqtaV3AFEhm_CQGyvAQ_aem_A-UXdJKWRl0r9HF-XTHanQ https://mormonr.o

At long last Shannon gets to talk about the book she's been planning on since the last Halloween episode — The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. We first discuss the Aesthetic Movement of the 19th century and a tiny bit of the life of Oscar Wilde before we jump into the book itself. Then Bryce gifts you with an abbreviated history of metal music. Get a notepad ready to take notes because he gives you a LOT of information! Happy Halloween!  Show Notes:     The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde:  Oscar Wilde Official Website: http://www.cmgww.com/historic/wilde/  Oscar Wilde: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Wilde  Aestheticism: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aestheticism  Decadent Movement: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decadent_movement  The Aesthetic Movement by Fiona McCarthy: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2011/mar/26/aestheticism-exhibition-victoria-albert-museum  Aesthetic Movement in England by Walter Hamilton: https://archive.org/details/aestheticmovem

It’s that time of year! 195th Semi-annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We see what slipped through the cracks!   David Bednar Q12 – Moral Agency means doing what you were coerced to agree to do   B. Corey Cuvleier Q70 – The correct name   Matthew S. Holland Q70 – Jonah, Adam and Eve, and Biblical literalism   Carlos A Godoy Q70 – He’s helping impoverished Africans who pay their tithing   Dale G Renlund Q12 – Surgeon-scholarship-recipient really like Rusty Nailz   John D Amos Q70 – Put more Tonys in it   Ozani Farias Q70 – Read your sticks   Dallin Oaks rounding it out – A prophet-elect ascends; no more new temples; make more big Mormon families Saturday Evening for Patrons!   Patrick Kearon Q12 – Stop sinning already and embrace your hundredth start   J Anette Dennis FC RS GP – Depression and atheism   Steven C Barlow Q70 – His brother mowed some lawns   William K Jackson Q70 – Counting and Accounting; white supremacists making lists  

It’s that time of year! 195th Semi-annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We see what slipped through the cracks!   Jeffrey R. Holland – Book of Mormon is miraculous and stop being so mean to me about it   James E Evanson Q70 – Go on your mission, even if you have to settle for a service mission   Ulisses Soares Q12 – Temperance and quoting MLK Jr.   Peter M. Johnson Q70 – Priesthood ban blindsided him   D. Todd Christofferson – FSY and Family Proc; masturbation is evil   Andrea M. Spannaus SC YM GP – We’re a doomsday cult; the end is coming   Henry B Cryring – Proving steel in pre-Columbian Americas   Other appearances: Chris Shelton interviewed us in the beginning of a series on Mormonism on his Speaking of Cults series. He has had MANY different fascinating people on so go take a look! Here is the whole playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpGuS7GcsgA&list=PLGrPM1Pg2h72ADIuv8eYmzrJ-ppLOlw_g   Email: glassboxpodcast@gmail.com  Patreo

It’s that time of year! 195th Semi-annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We see what slipped through the cracks!   Ronald Rasband Q12 – Family: A Proclamation to the World is ‘doctrine’   Chad Webb FC SS GP – Gospel not a ‘list of demands’   Jeremy Jaggi Q70 – Chaplain’s altar is Mormon symbol   Kevin Brown Q70 – Moral agency; we are agents   Gerrit Gong Q12 – Fortune cookies are American?   Michael Cziesla Q70 – Funeral potatos and green jello are weird   Quentin Cook Q12 – Tale of Two Cities; we live in turbulent times   Other appearances: Chris Shelton interviewed us in the beginning of a series on Mormonism on his Speaking of Cults series. He has had MANY different fascinating people on so go take a look! Here is the whole playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpGuS7GcsgA&list=PLGrPM1Pg2h72ADIuv8eYmzrJ-ppLOlw_g   Email: glassboxpodcast@gmail.com  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GlassBoxPod  Patreon page for documentary: https:

It’s that time of year! 195th Semi-annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We see what slipped through the cracks!   Saturday Morning talks:   Gary A. Stevenson Q12 – Be peacemakers no matter what   Tracy Y. Browning SC PGP – Primary songs are the key to cult mind-control   Ronald Barcellos Q70 – Morals of David v. Eliab   Brik V. Eyre Q70 – Comfort then Convert   Kelly R. Johnson Q70 – Forensic accounting   Dieter Uchtdorf Q12 – Up a down escalator   Other appearances: Chris Shelton interviewed us in the beginning of a series on Mormonism on his Speaking of Cults series. He has had MANY different fascinating people on so go take a look! Here is the whole playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpGuS7GcsgA&list=PLGrPM1Pg2h72ADIuv8eYmzrJ-ppLOlw_g   Email: glassboxpodcast@gmail.com  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GlassBoxPod  Patreon page for documentary: https://www.patreon.com/SeerStonedProductions BlueSky: @glassboxpodcast.bsky.so