Mormon Stories is a production of the Open Stories Foundation and relies solely upon the support of people like you, its listeners.

To help keep the podcast alive or to become a member of the community, please become a monthly subscriber by visiting MormonStories.org

and clicking on the Donate button on the right side of the page under Support.

All contributions to Mormon Stories are completely tax deductible and go towards producing the podcast and building communities and programs of support for Mormons like you.

Thanks for your support.

The Conchley Light, a myth in circling glue, lead thou me on the night is dark and I am far from home.

Hello and welcome to another edition, a special edition of Mormon Stories podcast.

It is November 13th, 2015. This is John DeLin and I have assembled an All-Star panel to review some breaking news.

Today, again, November 13th, we know that last week, the shirts came out with a very controversial set of policies around naming same gender marriage or cohabitation as mandatory offense requiring a disciplinary council.

And they added sort of insult to injury by stating that children who have parents who either in a same gender as they called it marriage or cohabitating in a same gender relationship couldn't have baby blessings, couldn't get baptized, couldn't advance in the priesthood of their men and could only serve missions or join the church once they were 18 if they had first presidency approval.

That was sort of the policy as of last week. This policy was leaked. I'm not sure who leaked it, but it was leaked and it caused a huge international crisis and the internet has exploded and it's a week later and the church has come out with basically two things.

They've come out with a clarification by the first presidency signed by the first presidency and they've come out with a statement by Michael Auderson, the managing director of church public affairs.

And so I've assembled an all-star cast to review and analyze these changes. So I have with us basically three panelists and I'll have each of you introduce yourselves.

First returning to Mormon stories is John Hamer. John, do you want to introduce yourself a little bit?

Hey John, I'm happy to be back although not given the circumstances of all of this news to comment on it. It's really some heartbreaking news this last week and ongoing.

I've been on your show a bunch of different times. I left coming on. I'm a past president of the John Whitmer Historical Association so I do a bunch of research in Mormon history and also blogging and podcasting.

And I'm also a member of Community of Christ where I am the pastor of the downtown Toronto congregation, which is super exciting. And if my editors ever finish will be releasing my interview with Profit President Steven Visi very soon.

We're looking forward to it. Yeah, that's super exciting. And I would got to mention Infants on Thrones, right?

I am also one of the Infants on Thrones. And we've been doing a lot of episodes on this same topic because it's obviously just, well, I guess I heard heartbreaking.

Yeah, but including singing, they got you singing on this list. They got well, you don't have to twist my arm too much. I'm not great singer, but I'm enthusiastic.

All right, also joining welcome John Hammer. Welcome back. Also joining us is my cousin. Certainly one of my favorite cousins. Definitely in the top five favorite cousins, Daniel Parkinson.

Daniel, why don't you introduce yourself a bit.

...