Glass Box Podcast

Bryce Blankenagel
  • 4.6 (115)
  • Religion & Spirituality
  • Updated Semimonthly

The Book of Mormon is a fascinating work of literature, teeming with stories of prophets, kings, and warriors on the pre-Columbian American continent. Is it a holy writ of ancient history and Christian theology, or did it come from a more recent source. On this podcast, we aim to find out if there are books out there similar to the Book of Mormon that were produced prior to 1830 when the Book of Mormon was released.

  1. 1d ago

    Ep 209 — IP #2 - Scripture and Canonization | Learning the Great Fundamentals by Dallin Oaks

    Today is Imposition Paper #2 - Scripture and Canonization. What is scripture and what is its role in Mormonism? This Imposition Paper seeks to reform the cultural perspective on revelation and canonization in hopes of creating a more healthy relationship with scripture and allowing necessary revisions as society progresses. Then we jump into the second book of Dallin Oaks, his most recent Learning the Great Fundamentals: Jesus Christ, Priesthood, and the Plan of Salvation. This is a compilation of his talks edited by two church employees. This will help us compare his rookie card, Pure in Heart, to his book published as he ascended to the mantle of prophet. Then we have happy green energy news coming out of Utah! Sword of Laman: Learning the Great Fundamentals: Jesus Christ, Priesthood, and the Plan of Salvation, by Dallin H Oaks    Happy News: https://www.sltrib.com/news/environment/2026/08/03/utah-sets-solar-power-record/   Accidental Medical Discoveries: How Tenacity and Pure Dumb Luck Changed the World, by Robert W. Winters   Other Appearances: Here's our latest episode with Chris Shelton on his series. Wahoo!  Speaking of Cults: Leaving Mormonism: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFoTxm8xDnk    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  Show Links: Email: glassboxpodcast@gmail.com  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GlassBoxPod  Patreon page for documentary: https://www.patreon.com/SeerStonedProductions BlueSky: @glassboxpodcast.bsky.social  Other BlueSky: @bryceblankenagel.bsky.social and @shannongrover.bsky.social  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glassboxpodcast/  Merch store: https://www.redbubble.com/people/exmoapparel/shop Or find the merch store by clicking on "Store" here: https://glassboxpodcast.com/index.html One time Paypal donation: bryceblankenagel@gmail.com  Venmo: @Shannon-Grover-10

  2. Aug 5

    Ep 208 — "Bachelor Delight"; Sunstone Wrap | Vera Drake

    It's our annual Sunstone week and we recorded in the same space again! From The Dragon Lair 2.0, we give you Bryce's session from Sunstone titled "Bachelor Delight: Entheogens, Soporifics, Abortifacients, and STI Treatment in Nauvoo Polygamy". Content warning: some of these topics are kinda rough, but we feel the information should be out there in Mormon academia nonetheless. Following that, we talk about the 2004 movie Vera Drake. We close it out with some amazing news coming from 4 states, two of which are red states, who chose to give more access to contraception rather than allowing the Trump administration to take it away. Enjoy!   MOGP: Vera Drake: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0383694/  Where it's streaming: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/vera-drake  A Deadly Trade: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2005/jan/06/health.healthandwellbeing    Happy News: Red and Blue States Protect Access to Contraception Amid Trump Admin Rollbacks: https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/states-pass-laws-to-protect-access-to-contraception    Other Appearances: Chris Shelton had us back on! Speaking of Cults: The Violent and Horrible Origin Story of Mormonism: https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/the-women-who-wouldnt-let-climate-data-disappear    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  Show Links: Email: glassboxpodcast@gmail.com  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GlassBoxPod  Patreon page for documentary: https://www.patreon.com/SeerStonedProductions BlueSky: @glassboxpodcast.bsky.social  Other BlueSky: @bryceblankenagel.bsky.social and @shannongrover.bsky.social  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glassboxpodcast/  Merch store: https://www.redbubble.com/people/exmoapparel/shop Or find the merch store by clicking on "Store" here: https://glassboxpodcast.com/index.html One time Paypal donation: bryceblankenagel@gmail.com  Venmo: @Shannon-Grover-10

  3. Jul 22

    Ep 207 — White Supremacy and Religion, Conflict is of the Devil | The Order

    Today we're talking about white supremacy and how attractive the movement is to members of high control religions. We also discuss what we can do to combat the white supremacist movement. Then we discuss the 2024 movie The Order, a true story about the violent white supremacist movement started by Robert Mathews in the mid 1980's. Following that, we cover some excellent news about NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani funding the NYC public school system with $67.5M for special education classes after the federal government cut funding. Enjoy!    Show Notes:  Domestic Threat: White Supremacy Extremism: https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/domestic-threat  White Supremacist Ideas Have Historical Roots in U.S. Christianity: https://www.npr.org/2020/07/01/883115867/white-supremacist-ideas-have-historical-roots-in-u-s-christianity  Children's Defense Fund Condemnation of White Supremacy: https://www.childrensdefense.org/blog/condemnation-of-white-supremacy/  White Supremacy Culture Characteristics: https://www.whitesupremacyculture.info/characteristics.html  Building Resilient Organizations: https://forgeorganizing.org/article/building-resilient-organizations/  A Christian Nation? Understanding the Threat of Christian Nationalism to American Democracy and Culture: https://prri.org/research/a-christian-nation-understanding-the-threat-of-christian-nationalism-to-american-democracy-and-culture/  Mapping Christian Nationalism Across the 50 States: Insights from PRRI's 2025 American Values Atlas: https://prri.org/research/mapping-christian-nationalism-across-the-50-states-insights-from-prris-2025-american-values-atlas/  Thornwell's Inaugural Address of the COnfederate Presbyterian Church: https://allkirk.net/2019/04/01/thornwells-inaugural-address-of-the-confederate-presbyterian-church/  White nationalism remains major concern for voters of color: https://www.brookings.edu/articles/white-nationalism-remains-major-concern-for-voters-of-color-and-appears-to-be-connected-ideologically-to-the-growing-christian-nationalism-movement/  Great Replacement Theory: Here's what Jews need to know about white supremacy: https://www.ajc.org/news/great-replacement-theory-heres-what-jews-need-to-know-about-white-supremacy  Holy Hate: The Far Right's Radicalization of Religion: https://www.splcenter.org/resources/reports/holy-hate-far-rights-radicalization-religion/  New Hate and Old: The Changing Face of American White Supremacy: https://www.adl.org/new-hate-and-old-the-changing-face-of-american-white-supremacy-executive-summary  Syd Lieberman: The Day the Nazis Came:  https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/syd-liebermans-storytelling-po-166599/episodes/the-day-the-nazis-came-7270789  MOGP: The Order (2024):  https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26625693/?ref_=nm_knf_t_1  Where it's streaming: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-order-2024  WIRED The Real Story of The Order: https://www.wired.com/story/real-story-the-order-fbi-movie-bob-mathews/ The Order: Inside America's Racist Underground, by Kevin Flynn and Gary Gerhardt    Happy News: Mamdani, NYC public schools invest $67.5M in special education amid federal budget cuts: https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/new-york-city-special-education-expansion    Other Appearances: Chris Shelton had us back on! Speaking of Cults: The Violent and Horrible Origin Story of Mormonism: https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/the-women-who-wouldnt-let-climate-data-disappear    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  Show Links: Email: glassboxpodcast@gmail.com  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GlassBoxPod  Patreon page for documentary: https://www.patreon.com/SeerStonedProductions BlueSky: @glassboxpodcast.bsky.social  Other BlueSky: @bryceblankenagel.bsky.social and @shannongrover.bsky.social  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glassboxpodcast/  Merch store: https://www.redbubble.com/people/exmoapparel/shop Or find the merch store by clicking on "Store" here: https://glassboxpodcast.com/index.html One time Paypal donation: bryceblankenagel@gmail.com  Venmo: @Shannon-Grover-10

  4. Jul 8

    Ep 206 — Imposition Paper #1: Priesthood Requirements | Pure in Heart pt. 5

    What were the Position Papers and what were they for? We go over a brief overview of the Reorganized Latter Day Saints (RLDS) organizing a committee to deal with some major flaws in policy and doctrine. The committee circulated some ideas to RLDS leadership in the form of Position Papers. They were leaked before the ideas could be fully fleshed out, but that set off a chain of events that led to the RLDS abandoning its conservative past for a progressive Christian future, eventually becoming the Community of Christ. Today is our first Imposition Paper, seeking to reform the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the face of its telegraphed retrenchment phase. Then we tackle the final chapter of Pure in Heart by Dallin Oaks to hear him pad his word count, prophiteer, and summarize everything he's said in the book before the conclusion. Soon we'll see how 90s Oaks compares to 2026 Prophet Oaks! We wrap with happy news about data showing, conclusively, that vaccines, indeed, work, just like we've all known all along before idiots made it a wedge. Show Notes:  Evan Sharley's post about the Presidential and Position Papers https://gileriodekel.com/2022/07/the-position-and-presidential-papers/   Sword of Laman:  Pure In Heart, by Dallin H. Oaks  Is it Possible to Control Your Thoughts? What Experts Say: https://www.treatmyocd.com/what-is-ocd/info/ocd-stats-and-science/is-it-possible-to-control-your-thoughts-what-experts-say  Involuntary Entry Into Consciousness from the Activation into Sets: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01017/full  Cognitive Control of Obsessional Thoughts: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0005796709000308#sec4    Happy News:  https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c621z28z138o   Kang, Lydia; Pedersen, Nate. Quackery: A Brief History of the Worst Ways to Cure Everything (pp. 390-394).    Email: glassboxpodcast@gmail.com  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GlassBoxPod  Patreon page for documentary: https://www.patreon.com/SeerStonedProductions BlueSky: @glassboxpodcast.bsky.social  Other BlueSky: @bryceblankenagel.bsky.social and @shannongrover.bsky.social  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glassboxpodcast/  Merch store: https://www.redbubble.com/people/exmoapparel/shop Or find the merch store by clicking on "Store" here: https://glassboxpodcast.com/index.html One time Paypal donation: bryceblankenagel@gmail.com  Venmo: @Shannon-Grover-10

  5. Jun 24

    Ep 205 — Pride Media!

    Happy PRIDE Month! That's the whole bit today, PRIDE media! We brought a few pieces to discuss in order to celebrate all forms of experience and love. Along the way we have a few artists to showcase as well as lists for further exploration into this beautiful world of diverse media.   Show Notes:    LGBTQ+ Reads: https://lgbtqreads.com/    History:  11 LGBTQ+ Women Who Shaped the Course of History:   https://www.them.us/story/lgbtq-women-who-shaped-history-womens-history-month  Recognizing LGBTQIA+ Women of Color Over the Years: https://emtrain.com/blog/diversity/lgbt-women-of-color/  12 Important Queer Women in History to Know: https://queersapphic.com/queer-culture/queer-women-history-lesbian/  LGBTQ+ Women Who Made History: https://womenshistory.si.edu/blog/lgbtq-women-who-made-history  Four LGBTQIA+ Women Who Made history: https://seattlepride.org/news/four-lgbtqia-women-who-made-history  Marsha P Johnson: Marsha: The Joy and Defiance of Marsha P. Johnson, by Tourmaline Marsha P Johnson: The Life and Legacy of a Transgender Trailblazer, by Lyra Snow  Stonewall: The Definitive Story of the LGBT Rights Uprising that Changed America, by Martin B. Duberman  One Day in June: A Story Inspired by the Life and Activism of Marsha P Johnson, by Tourmaline  https://wams.nyhistory.org/life-story/marsha-p-johnson/  https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/marsha-p-johnson    Sally Ride: Sally Ride: America's First Woman in Space, by Lynn Sherr    https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/sally-ride  Josephine Baker: Josephine Baker: The Hungry Heart by Jean-Claude Baker and Chris Chase  https://nmaahc.si.edu/josephine-baker  90 Years Later, the Radical Power of Josephine Baker's Banana Skirt: https://www.vogue.com/article/josephine-baker-90th-anniversary-banana-skirt  Poetry: Audre Lorde: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/audre-lorde  Zami: A New Spelling of My Name, by Audra Lourde Fiction:  Historical Fiction by Era: https://lgbtqreads.com/general-fiction/realistic-historical-by-era/  Historical Romance by Era: https://lgbtqreads.com/romance/historical-romance-by-era/  Christopher Rice Recommends 9 LGBTQ Historical Fiction Titles: https://booktrib.com/2023/06/08/christopher-rice-recommends-9-lgbtq-historical-fiction-titles/  The Best Queer Historical Fiction of the Century (So Far): https://bookriot.com/best-queer-historical-fiction-of-the-century-so-far/  Love and Struggle Through the Ages: A Reading List of Queer Historical Fiction: https://lithub.com/love-and-struggle-throughout-the-ages-a-reading-list-of-queer-historical-fiction/  KJ Charles: https://www.kjcharleswriter.com/  Her Redbubble shop: https://www.redbubble.com/people/kjcharles/shop    Cat Sebastian: https://catsebastian.com/  Photography:  Hulleah J. Tsinhnahjinnie: https://nas.ucdavis.edu/people/hulleah-tsinhnahjinnie-seminolemuscogeedine  When Is a Photograph Worth a Thousand Words?: https://www.hulleah.com/9to5/1000words.htm    https://www.cartermuseum.org/artists/hulleah-tsinhnahjinnie  https://americanindian.si.edu/collections-search/search?edan_q=hulleah&edan_fq%5B0%5D=name%3A%22Tsinhnahjinnie%2C%20Hulleah%22    Thirsty Sword Lesbians Website: https://evilhat.com/product/thirsty-sword-lesbians/ Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvFQCfvf-bM 5-hour playthrough with mechanic tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAJxx9khRjs   Email: glassboxpodcast@gmail.com  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GlassBoxPod  Patreon page for documentary: https://www.patreon.com/SeerStonedProductions BlueSky: @glassboxpodcast.bsky.social  Other BlueSky: @bryceblankenagel.bsky.social and @shannongrover.bsky.social  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glassboxpodcast/  Merch store: https://www.redbubble.com/people/exmoapparel/shop Or find the merch store by clicking on "Store" here: https://glassboxpodcast.com/index.html One time Paypal donation: bryceblankenagel@gmail.com  Venmo: @Shannon-Grover-10

  6. Jun 10

    Ep 204 — Oaks v. Constitution | Pure in Heart pt. 4

    Exclusion of evidence and habeas corpus? Who needs us? It's a Dallin Oaks episode and we go over two law review articles (pub. 1966 & 70) he wrote focusing on the rights of criminals. How we handle evidence consistent with the constitution is a complicated issue and Hoaks has a hot take. Plus, he thinks habeas corpus has gotten a bit out of hand with how many death row convicts it was helping. Then we dive through 2 more chapters from Pure in Heart about Spirituality and Worship. The hot takes here are akin to moldy soup in the back of the fridge. We round out with happy civil engineering news from California!   Show Notes:  Studying the Exclusionary Rule in Search and Seizure https://chicagounbound.uchicago.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3650&context=uclrev Search and Seizure laws and SCOTUS rulings https://www.uscourts.gov/about-federal-courts/educational-resources/about-educational-outreach/activity-resources/what-does-fourth-amendment-mean https://www.justia.com/criminal/procedure/search-and-seizure-rules/ https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/amdt4-7-1/ALDE_00000805/ Legal History in the High Court–Habeas Corpus (1966) https://repository.law.umich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5483&context=mlr Bushel's Case https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bushel%27s_Case   Sword of Laman: Pure In Heart, by Dallin H. Oaks    Happy News: https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/california-wildlife-crossing-biggest-annenberg    Email: glassboxpodcast@gmail.com  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GlassBoxPod  Patreon page for documentary: https://www.patreon.com/SeerStonedProductions BlueSky: @glassboxpodcast.bsky.social  Other BlueSky: @bryceblankenagel.bsky.social and @shannongrover.bsky.social  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glassboxpodcast/  Merch store: https://www.redbubble.com/people/exmoapparel/shop Or find the merch store by clicking on "Store" here: https://glassboxpodcast.com/index.html One time Paypal donation: bryceblankenagel@gmail.com  Venmo: @Shannon-Grover-10

  7. May 27

    Ep 203 — Movies and Books Post-Religion | The Wave (Die Welle)

    Books and movies after religion! We've taken a listener-suggested-topic and run with it. Instead of pointing out individual pieces of media that are useful after religion, we talk about how various religions deal with information control. From banned-books lists to devil's music, various Abrahamic religions have varying levels of prohibition against non-religious material. We go through a bunch of them and discuss how information control in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints takes place. After that we review the movie The Wave (Die Welle), an independent German film about how easy it is for fascism to take root, set as a high-school project-week experiment. Then we end with happy news from the Salt Lake Tribune about them going non-paywalled to preserve journalistic integrity.   Show Notes:    Chris Shelton Speaking of Cults, Episode on "Scientology and the Arts": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZVixzVMwks    MOGP: The Wave (Die Welle): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1063669/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-GHXeYlgdY  The Third Wave Experiment: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Third_Wave_(experiment)  Ron Jones: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Jones_(teacher)    Happy News: https://www.sltrib.com/news/2026/05/15/why-salt-lake-tribune-dropped-its/   Show Links: Email: glassboxpodcast@gmail.com  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GlassBoxPod  Patreon page for documentary: https://www.patreon.com/SeerStonedProductions BlueSky: @glassboxpodcast.bsky.social  Other BlueSky: @bryceblankenagel.bsky.social and @shannongrover.bsky.social  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glassboxpodcast  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glassboxpodcast/  Merch store: https://www.redbubble.com/people/exmoapparel/shop Or find the merch store by clicking on "Store" here: https://glassboxpodcast.com/index.html One time Paypal donation: bryceblankenagel@gmail.com  Venmo: @Shannon-Grover-10

  8. May 13

    Ep 202 — MAGA and Mormonism v. God | Pure in Heart pt. 3

    Our next Hoaks episode! But, before that! We go through a few select scriptures to see what the passages have to say about the modern Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But that's not all! What do the scriptures have to say about the MAGA movement and our modern politics? We conclude that a person cannot be a believing Christian while supporting the Mormon Church or MAGA. The Bible contradicts both movements so deeply that they're irreconcilable. Then we dive into Pure in Heart. Oaks has a lot to say about materialism and pride, never saying any of it into a mirror. Then we have some happy news where Native American communities have successfully halted a drilling project on native lands.   Show Notes:  https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2020&version=NIV https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2022&version=NIV https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus%2019&version=NIV https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2019&version=NIV https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2020&version=NIV https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%205&version=NIV https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2018&version=NIV https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%206&version=NIV   Sword of Laman: Pure In Heart, by Dallin H. Oaks    Happy News:  https://abcnews.com/US/wireStory/black-hills-drilling-project-canceled-after-backlash-tribes-132798661   Email: glassboxpodcast@gmail.com  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GlassBoxPod  Patreon page for documentary: https://www.patreon.com/SeerStonedProductions BlueSky: @glassboxpodcast.bsky.social  Other BlueSky: @bryceblankenagel.bsky.social and @shannongrover.bsky.social  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glassboxpodcast/  Merch store: https://www.redbubble.com/people/exmoapparel/shop Or find the merch store by clicking on "Store" here: https://glassboxpodcast.com/index.html One time Paypal donation: bryceblankenagel@gmail.com  Venmo: @Shannon-Grover-10

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4.6
out of 5
115 Ratings

About

The Book of Mormon is a fascinating work of literature, teeming with stories of prophets, kings, and warriors on the pre-Columbian American continent. Is it a holy writ of ancient history and Christian theology, or did it come from a more recent source. On this podcast, we aim to find out if there are books out there similar to the Book of Mormon that were produced prior to 1830 when the Book of Mormon was released.

Information

  • Creator
    Bryce Blankenagel
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2026
  • Episodes
    225
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Ground Gnomes LLC
  • Show Website
    Glass Box Podcast

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