John Taylor and the Truth About the Dark Ages: Rethinking the Great Apostasy

Radio Free Mormon

Mormon Discussion Inc

Religion & Spirituality

4.8 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 15 May 2025

⏱️ 136 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this eye-opening episode of Mormonism Live, hosts Bill Reel and Radio Free Mormon are joined by author and theologian Charley Harrell to explore his powerful Dialogue Journal article, “John Taylor on the ‘Dark Ages’.” Together, they take a deep dive into how third LDS Church President John Taylor challenged the traditional narrative of the… Read More »John Taylor and the Truth About the Dark Ages: Rethinking the Great Apostasy

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is Radio Free Mormon. Good evening. Bill Real and I have previously observed an apparent
0:09.1	redefining of the great apostasy in the LDS Church, where it appears the church is making it
0:17.3	into a kinder, gentler kind of great apostasy. You know, the kind that doesn't alienate
0:23.8	the rest of the Christian world. And one specific quote from John Taylor, third president of the church,
0:31.5	is used by these Mormon scholars to try to show that the dark ages weren't so dark after all.
0:40.3	But is this really what the quote means?
0:43.3	And perhaps more troubling, why would Mormon scholars knowingly misuse a quote
0:50.3	to advance a redefinition of basic Mormon doctrine.
0:57.0	Charles Harrell, former BYU professor and author of This Is My Doctrine,
1:02.5	joins us to share his recent and startling findings tonight on Mormonism live.
1:09.0	Oh, on Mormonism live. Well, hello, everybody.
1:37.3	I think I'm bipolar there for a second.
1:40.3	Well, I just told him from Utah, boy, are my arms tired. That was your split personality I
1:46.2	thought up on the screen. Absolutely. You said you're back from Utah and your arms are tired.
1:51.7	Yes. I just, I flew back. It's a joke. Okay. That is a really bad joke, but when I tell it,
1:58.7	I make it fresh again. Well, good to see you, Mr. Radio Free Mormon.
2:02.7	How has your time been since you got back?
2:06.2	It has been, oh, well, since I got back, it's been busy, as usual.
2:10.3	But yes, while I was gone to Las Vegas, courtesy of and with my very dear friend, Randall Bell,
2:19.3	you all of sign it blank on his name, right? very dear friend, Randall Bell, you all sign a blank on his name, right?
2:24.3	My dear friend Randy Bell. I don't know if I should say doctor, Dr. Randy Bell,
2:30.8	put me up and took me out and treated me and fetid me.
	...

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