I enjoy listening to this podcast regularly. Peggy and Dave bring together great interviews with diverse and interesting guests and panelists who share many important and thought provoking insights and perspectives.

Really appreciate the topics being covered and the discussions and try to tune in whenever I can, but the sound quality and production is terrible. So much so that it often interferes with listening.

Episode 343: Does LDS Church need a legal defense organization? Well, don’t we have enough church lawyers already- sueing to achieve building temples that exceed city building codes and violate important environmental protections against light pollution? I don’t see this as a way to love our neighbors. I thought we were supposed to be peacemakers!

I live in what is considered the Saudi Arabia of the Mormon Church in Rexburg Idaho. And the rate of people who actually go to church is way down. And even down more for those who stay past sacrament meeting. You can claim 17 million but only about 4 million are at all active. And even less then that are only going to not break up their families. Just saying

This show is both hilarious and horrifying. The hosts and guests clearly operate in a Utah mormon bubble. In a recent episode about why non-mormons view mormons poorly, the reasons given and discussed centered on Mitt Romney and the organization’s liberal approach to religious freedom. No mention of sexual abuse cover-ups, hoarding of billions in charitable donations in shell companies, subordination of women to men, promotion of gay conversion therapy, racism … etc. Either a complete lack of self-awareness or corporate church PR.

The content of this podcast makes it one of my favorites. The topics are interesting and the Peggy and Dave are great hosts. I really enjoy everything about this podcast except that the production value is absolutely awful. Like truly, how is this recorded? At times it’s incredibly difficult to listen to with delays, audio issues, etc. Can we pitch in and get you better equipment? You deserve more!

Mormon land is my new church! I will sit at the altar and drink deeply of its precepts. Aaah!

Well said, Gabrielle Blair!! Such an important subject that needs much more exposure and attention. Thank you so much for your work.

Keep up the good work. More time could be devoted to this nuanced topic. Thanks again!

I enjoy the content, but skip most episodes because it’s not worth it to listen to the poor audio quality. Please let us know when you fix it!

The reporting is stellar. The topics are engaging. Peggy and Dave ask pertinent questions and have guests with interesting viewpoints or expertise on topics covered. Love that it is a secular take on the church.

Dump Peggy and this show will improve vastly

Just adding to the list of poor reviews simply for the horrible audio quality. How can all these other much smaller independent podcasts have significantly better audio quality than this and you can’t figure out how to fix this problem?

I really like the different perspectives that are represented by Mormonland. It helps provide multiple points of view by a spectrum of members and nonmembers to a black and white religion and state where the culture is the so rigid. Yes- the breathing is annoying but that is because for the most part the people interviewed are not polished PR people.

Love the insights but the audio is on par with my high school PA system. Please fix thx.

Great podcast, but please get better audio.

Dave and Peggy find interesting and informative guests covering both controversial and inspirational topics. I listen to this as soon as it hits the app. So good!

The subjects and the specialists seem high quality so why is the audio so terrible?

Enjoyed everything shared by Jennifer Finlayson-Fife. Very disappointed in the hosts of this episode - as I felt they were trying to influence the discrediting of Natasha. It felt they were trying to drive only one talk track. As a former member of the LDS faith I can say I find the juvenile perspective and policies on adult sexuality to be extremely unhealthy. How many women need to fall victim to marrying men with debilitating pornography addictions and control issues before we can acknowledge that better sexual exploration in dating could spare some of these problems? I honor those that feel otherwise and honor the many healthy policies, but the outcome for Natasha was exceptionally heartbreaking. It was grounded in old school patriarchy and validated my decision to walk away. It was not truth. They didn’t even give her fair representation.

Good content, but the big gasps of air are very distracting. Distracts from the quality of the content. Can you fix the audio so those big inhales aren’t noticeable? It’s very annoying.

Love the podcast and would like to keep listening, but i don’t know why the audio is so poor (bad microphones?) and why the big gasps for air. Send me the audio and I would be happy to cut out the gasps for you and suggest some good microphones!

I would like to listen to this occasionally if I’m interested in the topic, but I can’t stand the giant gasps for breath. Since more than one person does this I assume it has something to do with the sound equipment, not the health of the person.

The content is generally thought provoking and interesting, but the audio quality is so poor it almost makes it unbearable to listen to.

Good episode. Just want to push back a bit from your guest about members leaving because they are uncomfortable at church. I didn’t fit in my wards: I’m hispanic, historically/critically minded, nuanced, and an introvert. But I stayed despite being the outsider because I believed in the Church’s truth claims. The isolation and pain was worth it if it was true. And I left the Church because research showed that the Church’s foundational claims are false. I left because of truth, not for any social reasons. Keep up the good work.

Outstanding historians who give fascinating context to an unusual woman who certainly made a mark on Utah life and national suffrage. This program built some genuine understanding of a very different time. Thank you to all four of you.

Really illuminating podcast! I’m so grateful to have such a great newspaper covering these kinds of topics.

The recent podcast on the “Middle Way” could have been great, but was sub-par. Guest was inarticulate and lacked clear information, very self-focused. Interviewer was also sub par on this one. Please try again with this compelling topic, with a different guest, clear and crisp dialogue, and a podcast more up to your usual standards.

I love this podcast. My only complaint is I wish there was one everyday! Hate waiting a whole week for the next one! The topics are so fascinating, and very relevant, especially if you have the great privilege of living in Utah. A must podcast.

If there’s one podcast that epitomizes the phrase “the philosophies of men mingled with scripture” it would be this one. I’ve listened to at least 30 episodes and this podcast is nothing but a platform for progressive/leftist Mormons to criticize the Church’s policies and it’s leaders. The arrogance that these people show is astounding. In my own opinion this podcast, and the views its perpetuates, is a subtle form of priest craft. 2 Nephi 26:29 “He commandeth that there shall be no priestcrafts; for, behold, priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion.” If someone is constantly claiming they’re loving, tolerant, or compassionate there’s a definite chance that they’re not but only interested in promoting their misguided self-righteousness. That is what this podcast is doing.

I usually like this podcast, but I think you owe a lot of people an apology with this episode. Not using respectful terms of our church leaders and assuming 80% of his information. We believe in continuing revelation and it does come from God. We’ve always loved the LGBTQ community and the assumptions of “going after them” is completely wrong. We do change and that is in Gods time he gives us line upon line, wisdom upon wisdom. We are not “banging on these people” Why does the “Church” have to apologize for revelation? If you believe in revelations then you’re saying God needs to apologize

I enjoy podcasts and listen to 5-6 a day. And I can’t understand why they tape this with such terrible sounds. Peggy always sounds like she’s no where near the microphone. Some guest who are on via phone are super loud. I would think they could afford better sound system. Maybe they should take a listen to their own podcast via iTunes etc. I have a Bose system I listen on so i know it’s not my system.

You definitely don’t have to be LDS or even religious to enjoy this podcast. This podcast is for anyone who is curious to observe how religious institutions evolve in the modern world and in relation to their own theology, culture, traditions and history. This podcast should be required listening for any active LDS member, as it could go a long way toward helping them develop a healthier and more level-headed relationship with their church, as well as anyone who wants to be more informed about the LDS church. The hosts are journalists who regularly hold respectful, professional and thoughtful discussions with various guests [church leaders, historians, writers, activists, etc.] about various aspects of the church’s history, culture, theology and ongoing evolution. They never seem like they have an agenda. Some episodes are naturally more engaging than others, depending on the interview guest and discussion topic, and some episodes can go into more controversial or delicate topics while still handling them with care and neutrality from the hosts. I think it is as good of a podcast centered on LDS topics as I could have hoped for, so I think in that sense it is an important and relevant piece of journalism that I think warrants a 9/10.

Keep up the great interviews and discussions. The more diversity away from our culture’s “sameness” is a step forward towards humanity’s ultimate “becoming...”

I’m LDS, late-30s, and in a bishopric. This is a great place to get perspectives from active LDS, inactive LDS, and non-LDS alike. Keep up the good work.

This is a weekly podcast that focuses on topics of interest to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The topics are sometimes controversial. Not all topics will be of interest to everyone. The podcast sometimes sounds like it is recorded in Mom’s basement. Better recording equipment would improve the podcast. While everyone coughs, on a podcast it is annoying and distracting. A cough button would be a great asset. The hosts are print journalists not on air professionals. Perhaps using the assistance of media professionals would be a good investment.

Difficult to hear with some voices too quiet and others too loud.

I love the tone and format of this show. In depth conversation that helps an outsider understand LDS history and culture.

Love these podcasts! Fletcher Stack is a long time veteran observer of Mormon culture and sociology. These podcasts meet an important need for thoughtful —even generous — cultural commentary, while avoiding hagiography and staying true to journalistic standards.

This podcast is invaluable to understanding Mormonism, especially in Utah. It’s hosted by veteran reporters who conduct thorough and compelling interviews. If you want to get a grasp of what Mormonism is from an objective point of view, this podcast is highly recommended.

I really wanted to like this podcast series. The topics and guests are good, and the interviewers are competent. But the audio quality for the guests they interview is so awful that I often cannot make it out when driving. Come on SL Trib, this is just not that hard!

This podcast is trying to thread a needle of bigotry misogyny and homophobia for a cult that accepts its latest policy excluding children of gays and results in Mormon kids taking their own lives. It clearly should have been designated a hate group in the 70’s as the last religious group to accept equality for blacks. Listeners should understand clearly Mormons in general are good people but have no idea what their cult is until they have paid enough money, attended enough meetings, and been exposed to a prying in depth interview process and get inside their temples where the real Mormon gospel (modified free-masonry) is revealed. No one can change Mormonism’s bigotry because it’s the basic premise of their holy scripture the Book of Mormon. Listeners beware. I’m a 42 year Mormon who got out.

Great venue to discuss adjustments to the church policies. There is no need to look at 2000 plus year old scripture if we are not going to stone women or own slaves neither look to (with the most respect) an unconscious, sick bureaucrat 90 year old man that lived out of the policies of the church for over 60 years. If you are looking for something where everyone agrees without introspective vision just listen to conference.

I think this pod cast has done a good job asking interesting and different questions, that they discuss in each episode. Some points of discussion like in the first episode, some members avoid. I find these conversations interesting and I enjoy listening to them, this doesn’t not mean I agree with everything that is said. I will keep listening to future episodes.

I am not LDS but spend a lot of time in SLC and really have been enjoying these podcasts. I've learned alot so far! One technical comment is that the volume seems really low, even when turned up on my listening devices. Maybe record with higher volume or get the microphones closer to the host and guests. Thanks and I'll definitely keep listening.

Two podcasts in and their only interests seem to be pushing an agenda that defies God. Spend more time in Scripture and listening to the Prophet. Are the hosts really LDS?