The Joe and Smith Podcast: Read the Book of Mormon with us

2 Nephi 25

Show notes are on the way. The guys are recording together in the same room. Smith came to visit Joe so they could go to a concert together. 

2 Nephi 11-24

Joe questions whether reading the BOM is good for him. Smith suggests for the listener to order a free one, but the missionaries will bring it. The guys accidentally stumble into the church’s new branding campaign to have a BOM in your crotch. They return to the well until the end of the episode. In this chapter, JS warns us that there are some Isaiah chapters coming. Like 13 of them. There are 2 more BOMs in crotches. Smith has a story about a TBM friend, who may be a deer. The guys remember D’ump from Tim and Eric. Joe passes along a book recommendation from someone he trusts- Jennette McCurdy’s I’m Glad My Mom Died
Smith opens some mail that he got from Joe. Joe included his testimony of the BOM in the package. Smith re-reads a previous verse. JS, he has a BOM in his crotch. Joe doesn’t like the use of the word proving in the BOM. 5 more BOMs in crotches. The BOM just isn’t going to burn in some house fires. Is Santa a lie for children? There is more BOM logic about why God exists. Also the LDS Godhead is confusing. Mysterious vmail- Phoenix Gem and Mineral Show (07/26/2012)Joe poses a hypothetical scenario about guys arguing over the bible. Joe gets the Kinderhook Plates mixed up with View of the Hebrews. Joe liked hearing that Australia has more restrictive standards for what is and is not considered a religion. Joe tries to quiz Smith about the names of some of the brethren’s wives. They find out that Joe is reading from an old list. Also, that LDS guys technically get more virgins than some of the other religions’ afterlife. Some more BOMs in crotches. Smith has a story about his earthly father. Joe asks how Smith’s dad is doing. Joe tells a story about catching up with an old friend. Joe tells an embarrassing story about the guys’ friend, Sam the Eagle. One more BOMcrotch. Joe reads a ‘yo child is so perished’ from their listener. Smith presents Joe with a challenge that he will not take on. Joe presents a scenario that would send Smith into a rage. OK, just one more. 
 
Music Provided by Eric VanAusdal with permission from the artist.
The Book of Mormon is publicly available at churchofjesuschrist.org 
Remember who you are and what you stand for

2 Nephi 10

A Smith and Joe exclusive! Joe takes it upon himself to read this week. It doesn’t take long before the guys devolve into adolescent pp jokes. They wonder who took the longest to take out their endowments out of the last few leaders of the church. Smith doesn’t like to use the word scripture. Joe makes a promise (that he later breaks) about a ‘yo kids are so perished’ joke. This chapter teaches us that there is no other nation that would crucify their god. God reminds Smith about John 3:16. Smith talks about how being raised in the Western US is different from the East. Wanton eyes will probably not come up again (sad face). Joe suggests skipping to an Isaiah chapter because it sounds more interesting, even Seuss-y. The guys take turns doing bad Cosbys too. This chapter denounces priestcraft, while the guys in SLC probably had their grandkids help them sign up for direct deposit. And updated: Joe, or JS, may be ant wizards. The LDS godhead is confusing in the BOM. This chapter is very jingoistic, like maybe the worst one yet, USA! USA! Joe criticizes the church’s reaction to news stories about child molestation in the church. Smith polls the audience, but they don’t respond. The spirit shows up to weigh in on who is the better reader. Joe didn’t know that JS had an actual sword. The spirit tries to spread a rumor about Lucifer having some of his ribs removed. The black-and-white thinking is pretty heavy in this chapter as well. The guys are reminded of some David Bazan lyrics where he’s arguing with a god who sounds like the god of this BOM chapter. Joe still says oh my gosh. The US is a choice land above all other lands…barf. Joe gets excited about photos from the James Webb telescope. It sounds like Joe may have a hard copy of the BOM which tickles Smith for some reason. In this chapter, JS tells us to cheer up and choose happiness. It’s very ‘of its time’ sort of thinking. Will and Defoe. SWK was short, and boil-ridden. Bummer. Smith reminds us that his childhood friends who didn’t take the church as seriously at the time are still in the church now. Smith has a teaser for a sort-of unboxing on the next ep. 
David Bazan When We Fell
 
Music Provided by Eric VanAusdal with permission from the artist.
The Book of Mormon is publicly available at churchofjesuschrist.org 
Remember who you are and what you stand for
 

2 Nephi 09 part 2 of 2

Don’t adjust your podcasting devices, you’re hearing correctly. Smith picks up reading before talking or anything else?!!? Joe tells Smith about why they’re not funny, or maybe they’re only funny to each other. Is it learned or learn-ed? JS is not a fan of smart people. The learn-ed person is kind of the natural enemy of the con artist. Joe makes an ableist joke that seminary teachers would like. Can a person get reverse-circumcised? Smith looked into it before. Joe’s summary of how the contents of the BOM can be categorized into 3 or 4 categories comes from Jahndalyn’s interview with Grant Palmer. Is JS LARP-ing as a 19th Century Protestant preacher in this chapter? Was Captain Kidd the same as Indiana Jones? Was the dog’s name Captain? Joe reminds us of the idea where he reads a chapter. Smith prefers the Ron Howard series of The Office. Joe tries to give a pass to Arrested Development for being of its time. Smith teaches Joe about SMILE and Joe is not a fan. The guys go over new changes they would like to see in the endowment ceremony. Joe thinks the movie should be history of the entire world, i guess, and Smith wants it to get sexier. 
Smith refers the listener back to an episode of Nathan for You. JS gets a little bold about truth claims in this chapter, as per use. Joe starts to make a point about his faithful friend, Dwayne, but then he forgets. Joe refuses to cut ambient noise in this ep (he didn’t follow through). He gets upset about the idea that the BOM is going to teach us about the ‘consequences of sin’. Then he issues a challenge to make a tbm-friendly ep that is sincere. The guys try another take on the condescension of god. Maybe they’ll get it next time. 
Joe recaps some of his convo with a tbm friend which ended in the question- would the world have more sexual abuse if the church didn’t exist? The guys talk about some of the methods the church uses to address the elephant in the room. Does the org structure of the church facilitate SA? Smith has heard some pretty inflammatory SA second-hand accounts. The guys are too afraid to tell their actual families about the podcast, so….spread the word? Don’t forget to keep your relationships professional. Your family relationships, keep it professional. One of Joe’s naughty mission companions taught him a song about smoking joints. The guys don’t really have a patreon. 
 
Mormon Stories Podcast 030-033: AN INSIDER’S VIEW OF MORMON ORIGINS — AN INTERVIEW WITH GRANT PALMER
history of the entire world, i guess
Nathan For You - Claw of Shame - The Event
The Toyes - Smoke Two Joints
Music Provided by Eric VanAusdal with permission from the artist.
The Book of Mormon is publicly available at churchofjesuschrist.org 
Remember who you are and what you stand for

2 Nephi 09 part 1 of 2

Show notes are on their way, hold your tapirs 

2 Nephi 08

Smith starts us with a wonderful invocation. It gets a little morbid, but Smith tells us about a classic country song: Bury Me Under That Durian Tree. Joe invokes Marty Robbins. Smith wants to know the difference between light and heavy petting. Good thing Joe learned about it in seminary. The guys detour into more Pavement talk. Joe’s #1 fave Pave-cast is Meeting Malkmus: A Pavement Podcast. A close second: Stuff You Should Know. Smith contends that Malkmus is in the top 5 of the top 10 of something. The same goes for his favorite R.E.M. podcasts. Joe reads a reddit meme from Smith. The guys love to talk about not liking themselves. Joe has an ant update, and Smith has an update from Who-ville. Smith is not yet ready to return and report about the JS apology from last week. Joe discovers that he can see things in JS that he doesn’t like about himself. Joe wants to do a proxy B for PSH. Joe pitches the idea that proxy O’s should include the cause of death. Smith gets a little conspiratorial about what the LDS app is tracking and who is looking. 
The guys are not good at jazz scatting. Joe shares his version of a Simpsons quote. Smith reads a headline about the church covering up sexual abuse. Smith still hasn’t seen Zodiac (2007). Smith asserts that the systems in place in the church are a breeding ground for grooming. The guys quickly veer off into the Potterverse. Joe bears his testimony of the everlasting message from the Fab 4 about love, and he’s not stoned. 
Joe points out why it’s not fun to read the Isaiah chapters on J&SP:RtBOMWU which is that JS did not write them. Is grad school regalia Satan’s counterfeit of the temple ceremony? Are drugs Satan’s counterfeit of the priesthood power? Joe points out that the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected to white male privilege. Smith feels dumb sometimes, but he isn’t. Joe found a scholarly article where the author asserts that JS did not, in fact,plagiarize Isaiah. Smith asserts that the author’s argument is sometimes referred to in the church as ‘justifying your own sin’. Smith reminds us that morals don’t come from religion. Joe tells the story “he would tell you that he is happy” about a friend’s apostate family member. The talk about how some of their religious trauma involves feeling like they don’t deserve happiness now because they’re not following the church. Smith casually refers to himself as a trainwreck and Joe reminds him that it’s the mormons who taught him that he was a trainwreck, not the gentiles. Smith still has a family member who treats him as if he was a trainwreck. Joe concedes that he had a genuine laugh a the John BTFW video on this chapter. Who’s talents are being wasted on the BOM?
Meeting Malkmus - a Pavement podcastStuff You Should Know Podcast Glenn Ostland’s JS Apology (start around 19 min in)Seven Years of Sex Abuse: How Mormon Officials Let it HappenBrother Jake Explains: Book of Mormon Translation (feat. seer stone)Was Joseph Smith Guilty of Plagiarism? John A. TvedtnesCES Letter My Search for Answers to my Mormon DoubtsJohn Bytheway and Darryl Discover 2 Nephi 8 and Isaiah 51
Music Provided by Eric VanAusdal with permission from the artist.
The Book of Mormon is publicly available at churchofjesuschrist.org 
Remember who you are and what you stand for
 

2 Nephi 07

The guys are excited about the shoutout they got at the end of a recent episode of Once Upon a Mormon Podcast. They wish Bro Hyrum well on his gay marriage. Joe reiterates that he wants to be the first gay temple marriage, but doesn’t want to poke fun at actual gays, just the church. Smith has seen a couple of church illustrations of JS translating the BOM into a hat. Joe takes this opportunity to compare the sheet illustrations to a translation glory hole. Joe can be so juvenile sometimes. Smith dances around some details, but gets to the point that a family member had admonished him against watching Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! (2007) with his kids. Should he read the BOM with them instead? Neither are actually suitable for children. Smith reminds us that the brethren love our women of the RS. Joe invokes Fiddler on the Roof (1971) and Smith goes down a bit of a Chaim Topol rabbit hole. Joe gets very excited to share with Smith an excerpt from Glenn Ostland’s “The Fictional Apology of Joseph Smith” which he recorded under the influence of Ayahuasca. Check the link below, start at about 19 minutes in.   
Joe has a story about how much of a fan his mother is of Ellen. The guys talk about the conditional love model in the BOM, as well as Rusty’s general conference talk (see link below). Smith remembers being taught in seminary that a lot of NASA employees are LDS. The guys decide that Zuckerberg has done a lot for the church…maybe even for the salvation of mankind? Smith reminds us how badass God was in the last chapter. Smith got Garfiel’d on Dr Who the other day. The BOM has more disturbing content than T&E. Isaiah has a mama dis. Joe can’t stop talking about laser hair removal. 
Smith floats the idea of a patreon and Joe makes a dad joke. Smith reads more from the chapter and Joe finds it necessary to apologize for wasting the listener’s time. The guys don’t love to make definitive statements, but they both agree that nobody should ever read 2 Nephi 7 ever again. 
 
Mormons on Mushrooms Podcast 28: Infants on Mormons on Mushrooms on Thrones
https://www.mormonsonmushrooms.com/podcast/episode/4dacf262/28-infants-on-mormons-on-mushrooms-on-thrones 
Russel M Nelson Divine Love  “divine love…cannot correctly be characterized as unconditional” https://abn.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2003/02/divine-love?lang=eng&adobe_mc_ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.churchofjesuschrist.org%2Fstudy%2Fensign%2F2003%2F02%2Fdivine-love%3Flang%3Deng&adobe_mc_sdid=SDID%3D5398AB9BA629B12E-5790299054E90DEA%7CMCORGID%3D66C5485451E56AAE0A490D45%2540AdobeOrg%7CTS%3D1652217199
 
Zuckerberg’s sunscreen  https://nypost.com/2020/07/19/mark-zuckerberg-surfboards-in-hawaii-with-way-too-much-sunscreen/ 
Ooh Mamma | Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!  https://youtu.be/oOgpnidwPiQ 
 
Email us at joeandsmithpod@gmail.com
Music Provided by Eric VanAusdal with permission from the artist.
The Book of Mormon is publicly available at churchofjesuschrist.org 
Remember who you are and what you stand for

2 Nephi 06

Just a head’s up that in this episode, the guys talk about FLDS (and LDS) prophets taking on child brides. The guys start out expressing some frustrations about their preoccupation with sex. Joe questions whether it was brought up as much as it feels like it was, but he still thinks the effect is that it feels like it was brought up all the time. The guys are still bummed that they can’t get gay married in the LDS temple yet (ps- they’re not gay, which makes them think they have a greater chance of it happening). Joe talks about watching Keep Sweet Pray and Obey (2022) on Netflix. Joe realizes that he’s not breaking any new ground, but he wants to point out that there are some pretty big similarities between Jeff Warren and JS. Smith tries his impression from FG, it’s not a pleasant character. Joe teases a youtube video about an upcoming chapter. The video features John BTW, and someone else that Joe mistakes for Elohim. Easy mistake? Smith is excited about The Rehearsal (2022) which is a Nathan Fielder series streaming on HBO. The guys talk about some of their favorite moments from Nathan For You (2013) which was on comedy central. It can be pretty painful to watch, but there is a heart in there somewhere. It’s quite a mini love-fest for NF. 
What do the guys do during the break? Stare. Joe visits the corrections department about Meshach Taylor. The guys take a minute to mock the idea that the BOM is an historical record for the Jewish people. Smith remembers a news story about Rusty donating a pretty large chunk of money to the NAACP. Smith gets a little confused (or maybe Joe’s confused) about letters. Jacob comes in hot in this chapter, even though he sounds a lot like Nephi, and/or JS. Joe tries to gross out the listener with nursing and licking sounds. 
Joe was distracted by a cicada outside of his window but he didn’t lose a chance to tell this praying mantis dad joke. Smith helps elevate everyone to the idea of the true order of praying mantis. Smith points out how Nephi (JS) is being shitty about how easy it is to understand Isaiah from the OT. Are you not being all-the-way obedient to JS’s God? What do you expect, love??? God (JS) makes some pretty terrifying threats in this chapter. Joe has a suggestion, like a BOJ-level suggestion, for how the lord can make us drunk on our own blood. 
 
Stephen Paul Taylor Everybody knows shit's fucked https://youtu.be/xJ7JseIxgX4 
John Bytheway Discovers 2 Nephi 7 and Isaiah 50 with Darryl https://youtu.be/GlfQ8DjshqQ 
Nathan for you lie detector https://youtube.com/shorts/qqQK670BJnE?feature=share 
Thin Watermelon https://youtu.be/r3-Y31ONZuI 
Radio Hosts During the Commercial - Key & Peele https://youtu.be/vvvMb1cY0EU 
‘Transformational partnership’ — LDS Church donating nearly $10M to help Black Americans https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2021/06/14/lds-church-donating/ 
True Order of Praying Mantis- https://ibb.co/Qd3cf1g 
 
Email us at joeandsmithpod@gmail.com
Music Provided by Eric VanAusdal with permission from the artist.
The Book of Mormon is publicly available at churchofjesuschrist.org 
 
Remember who you are and what you stand for
 

2 Nephi 05

The guys are excited about their new theme song. Maybe the listener has heard it before, but this is when it debuted for them. Joe makes Smith listen to a wacky recording from Willy Wood. The guys wonder what it would be like to leave the early church and if it would upset JS. Joe returns and reports about Matt Easton, who mentioned being a proud gay son of God in his BYU valedictorian commencement speech. Joe has a lot of indignation about J-Ho’s response. Joe watched Won't You Be My Neighbor? (2018) and wishes that the general authorities taught love and acceptance. The guys figure out how tall D’Oakes is. Smith bears his testimony of Fred Rogers. Neither of the guys have seen A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019). 
Smith doesn’t want to deal with Zoram today, and who could blame him? Nephi doesn’t want to sound like it was his idea to name the place after him. The guys have a new take on the BOM’s use of the word multiply. 
Smith calls for (and Joe agrees) the church to remove this section of the BOM. It’s made up. It’s not helping society. JS wants to make damn certain that the reader knows that those 116 pages were stolen, he takes an opportunity in this verse to do so. Joe reads from an apologist website that explains the blatant racism in this chapter and Smith does not like it. Joe goes into a quick summary of the problems surrounding the books of Abraham and Moses that JS claims to have translated from papyri. Smith points out how impressive it is to pull an entire religion out of a hat. 
 
The 1897 Audio Record of Wilford Woodruff's Testimony https://youtu.be/5NjANSFISFY 
BYU 2019 FHSS Valedictorian Speech https://youtu.be/rLeMVykzvKY 
Matt Easton responds to Elder Holland: Diversity is not divisiveness https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/commentary/2021/08/27/matt-easton-elder-holland/ 
May 1, 1969: Fred Rogers testifies before the Senate Subcommittee on Communications https://youtu.be/fKy7ljRr0AA 
The Charge of “Racism” in the Book of Mormon  https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/conference/august-2003/the-charge-of-racism-in-the-book-of-mormon 
 
Email us at joeandsmithpod@gmail.com
Music Provided by Eric VanAusdal with permission from the artist.
The Book of Mormon is publicly available at churchofjesuschrist.org 
 
Remember who you are and what you stand for

2 Nephi 04 For a more history part

It’s getting hot in Smith’s studio and he claims that sitting on cold rice can help. Joe does a little fact-checking on a supposed JS quote. The guys also mistake where the “save Jesus only” quote is, but they figure it out eventually. The guys aren’t sure whether the JS quote really came from him or not. Smith reminds the listener that if they disagree with him, they’re probably disagreeing with God too. Smith recaps how he feels about re-reading Rough Stone Rolling. Joe watched the Netflix Kanye West documentary (Jeen-Yuhs, 2022). He liked the documentary, but he’s still a little triggered by people who take their religion too seriously. The guys mention that one big difference between polyamory and LDS polygamy is consent. Smith reminisces about the JFS story where he’s “true blue through and through”. The guys are still not happy about Rusty’s flex to move away from Mormon as a nickname. The church continues to double-down on anti LGBTQIA policies while stating otherwise. Joe tells a story about his MTC companion who disapproved of missionaries building a snowman. 
Smith reads a facetious tweet from a facetious twitter account about black people keeping their first estate. The guys try out what it’s like to sing praises to God for eternity in the CK. It’s been a long time since Joe has seen Mannequin (1987) and Smith has never seen it. Joe had to do some explaining after watching some Dave Chappelle standup with his son who identifies as gay. Smith reads a quote from Rusty about God’s love not being unconditional which makes Joe angry. Smith eases the tension with a sacred hymn. The guys recap some HP characters including, Henry Porter, Horgrid, Dumbledorf, and Professor McGillicuddy. The God of the BOM is a God of conditional love. The guys decide they need more sh*t to talk about HBE. Both Joe and Smith were taught that poligamy will exist in the afterlife. It takes almost an hour before the guys start reading in this one. Sam has a conversation with Lehi about not wanting to have to hang out with Nephi after Lehi dies. Joe gets excited thinking about Nephi repenting of being such an a**hole to his brothers. 
Smith teases everyone with some droop talk. He casts Zoram out of their presence. Joe thinks the BOM could use 80% more of some of the messages here. Is Nephi talking about building a Frankenstein? Why does the cadence change so much?
Joseph Smith ROUGH STONE ROLLING By Richard Lyman Bushman https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/22031/joseph-smith-by-richard-lyman-bushman/
True Blue, Depending on Who’s Telling the Tale: The Redacted Story of Joseph F. Smith and the Ruffians? https://juvenileinstructor.org/true-blue-depending-on-whos-telling-the-tale-the-redacted-story-of-joseph-f-smith-and-the-ruffians/ 
Russel M Nelson Divine Love  “divine love…cannot correctly be characterized as unconditional” https://abn.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2003/02/divine-love?lang=eng&adobe_mc_ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.churchofjesuschrist.org%2Fstudy%2Fensign%2F2003%2F02%2Fdivine-love%3Flang%3Deng&adobe_mc_sdid=SDID%3D5398AB9BA629B12E-5790299054E90DEA%7CMCORGID%3D66C5485451E56AAE0A490D45%2540AdobeOrg%7CTS%3D1652217199
Email us at joeandsmithpod@gmail.com
Music Provided by Eric VanAusdal with permission from the artist.
The Book of Mormon is publicly available at churchofjesuschrist.org 
 
Remember who you are and what you stand for