Deseret Voices

Deseret News
Deseret News
  • 4.9 (142)
  • Politics
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to Deseret Voices, a weekly podcast from the Deseret News (https://deseret.com) that brings depth, nuance and respect to conversations about today’s complex topics and current events. Join our hosts, award-winning journalists McKay Coppins and Jane Clayson Johnson, every Thursday as they go beyond news headlines by talking with newsmakers and thought leaders to find common ground and uncover unique perspectives on today’s critical issues in politics, faith, sports, and more. 

  1. 1d ago

    In the Age of AI, What Is a University Education For — and Is It Still Worth It?

    Higher education is facing a season of disruption — from artificial intelligence and affordability concerns to political pressure, public skepticism and shifting demographics. But Baylor University President Dr. Linda Livingstone believes moments of uncertainty can also become moments of transformation. In this episode of "Deseret Voices," host Jane Clayson Johnson talks with President Livingstone about the greatest challenges and opportunities facing universities today. They discuss how Baylor balances rigorous scholarship with its Christian identity, why academic freedom matters, how AI is reshaping the purpose of college, and what universities must do to rebuild public trust. President Livingstone also reflects on Baylor’s own transformation during her presidency, including its rise to R1 research status, its efforts to reckon with its history, and its mission to “bring light to the world.” At the heart of the conversation is a question facing students, parents, educators and policymakers alike: What is the true value of higher education in an age of rapid change? “Deseret Voices” is hosted by award-winning journalists McKay Coppins and Jane Clayson Johnson, who go beyond the headlines to explore the stories, people, and ideas shaping our world today. Through thoughtful, in-depth conversations, the “Deseret Voices” podcast brings clarity and common ground to the complex issues defining our time.    “Deseret Voices” is a Deseret News podcast, produced by Keira Farrimond, Creative Director - Video & Podcasts.    Episodes of Deseret Voices drop every Monday wherever you get your podcasts. Follow along and join the conversation on YouTube (@deseretnews), Instagram (@deseretnews), Facebook (@deseretnews) and X (@deseret).

    In the Age of AI, What Is a University Education For — and Is It Still Worth It?

  2. Aug 3

    Why Good People Cheat (And How to Stop Yourself)

    Why do good, well-intentioned people make catastrophic ethical missteps? In this episode of “Deseret Voices,” host Jane Clayson Johnson sits down with Princeton University ethics scholar Dr. David W. Miller, author of “The 5 Questions for Ethical Decisions: How to Succeed Without Selling Your Soul.” Together, they explore why standard moral intentions often fail under pressure, the subtle danger of the "movable middle," and why small compromises lead to slippery slopes in corporate and personal lives. As artificial intelligence and autonomous systems increasingly reshape decision-making, Dr. Miller reveals why human ethical judgment, moral courage and "ethical fitness" are more crucial now than ever. In this episode, you’ll discover: The "Movable Middle": Why most people aren't saints or villains — and how environmental pressure causes ethical drift. What is Ethical Fitness? Practical habits and visual reminders to train your moral muscle before crisis strikes. The "4 M’s" Decision Filter: A simple, four-step mental check to evaluate any ethical dilemma before you act. “Deseret Voices” is hosted by award-winning journalists McKay Coppins and Jane Clayson Johnson, who go beyond the headlines to explore the stories, people, and ideas shaping our world today. Through thoughtful, in-depth conversations, the “Deseret Voices” podcast brings clarity and common ground to the complex issues defining our time.    “Deseret Voices” is a Deseret News podcast, produced by Keira Farrimond, Creative Director - Video & Podcasts.    Episodes of “Deseret Voices” drop every Monday wherever you get your podcasts. Follow along and join the conversation on YouTube (@deseretnews), Instagram (@deseretnews), Facebook (@deseretnews) and X (@deseret).

    Why Good People Cheat (And How to Stop Yourself)

  3. Jul 27

    Is AI Erasing Religion? The Surprising New Data

    On this episode of "Deseret Voices," host Jane Clayson Johnson sits down with Dr. David Wingate — professor of computer science at Brigham Young University and academic lead for the Consortium for Evaluation of Faith and Ethics in AI (CEFE-AI). Together, they explore groundbreaking research conducted across an unprecedented interfaith collaboration, uniting scholars from Brigham Young University (Latter-day Saint), Baylor University (Baptist), the University of Notre Dame (Catholic), and Yeshiva University (Jewish). The consortium’s mission: to test how mainstream artificial intelligence systems navigate, represent, or potentially misrepresent human faith, morality, and spiritual traditions. Wingate shares key findings from the team's newly developed AllFaith Benchmark, which evaluated 14 major large language models — including ChatGPT, Claude, Grok, and Gemini. The conversation examines the phenomenon of "omissive bias" (or symbolic annihilation), where AI systems default to secular, therapeutic, or corporate reasoning while ignoring spiritual perspectives when users ask adjacent questions about grief, loss, suffering, or life's purpose. Wingate also explains what the study found on conversion bias across faith traditions, discusses the emerging trend of hyper-focused religious chatbots (like LDSBot, Magisterium, and RavChat), and highlights the risks of emotional attachment and sycophancy as people increasingly turn to algorithms for moral guidance.  “Deseret Voices” is hosted by award-winning journalists McKay Coppins and Jane Clayson Johnson, who go beyond the headlines to explore the stories, people, and ideas shaping our world today. Through thoughtful, in-depth conversations, the “Deseret Voices” podcast brings clarity and common ground to the complex issues defining our time.    “Deseret Voices” is a Deseret News podcast, produced by Keira Farrimond, Creative Director - Video & Podcasts.  Episodes of “Deseret Voices” drop every Monday wherever you get your podcasts. Follow along and join the conversation on YouTube (@deseretnews), Instagram (@deseretnews), Facebook (@deseretnews) and X (@deseret).

    Is AI Erasing Religion? The Surprising New Data

  4. Jul 20

    Olivia Moultrie: Rewriting the Rules of Women’s Soccer

    At just 7 years old, Olivia Moultrie wrote a note to her parents stating she wanted to be the best soccer player in the world. By 13, she had signed a historic Nike endorsement deal. At 15, she sued the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) to lift its age restriction — and won — forever changing the landscape of American professional sports. Now 20, and an established superstar for the Portland Thorns and the U.S. women's national team, Moultrie joins Deseret News reporter Krysyan Edler on a special edition of "Deseret Voices." She pulls back the curtain on her meteoric rise, her recent return from a calf injury, and what it felt like to have soccer legend Abby Wambach tell her she has the potential to score in every single international match. But behind the highlight reels, the history-making lawsuits, and the intense drive that fuels her, lies a deeply grounded individual. Moultrie opens up about her faith as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, how she navigates the pressures of professional sports by remembering her identity as a daughter of God, and why she believes she is still only scratching the surface of what is possible.

    Olivia Moultrie: Rewriting the Rules of Women’s Soccer

  5. Jul 13

    Protecting the Freedom to Choose — or Reject — Faith

    Does religious freedom only benefit the devout or is it the bedrock foundation that keeps all civil liberties intact? This week on "Deseret Voices," host Jane Clayson Johnson sits down with Josh McDaniel, assistant professor at Harvard Law School and director of the Harvard Religious Freedom Clinic, to unpack the rapidly shifting landscape of the First Amendment. McDaniel explores the fascinating political evolution of religious accommodations — explaining why a right once championed by political liberals has largely pivoted to the conservative mantle, fueled by modern culture wars. From defending the lifestyle of the Old Order Amish against criminal citations in Ohio, to building broad ideological coalitions to protecting Native American sacred sites in Arizona, McDaniel argues that religious minorities are the ultimate "canaries in the coal mine" for government overreach. They tackle the thorny realities of modern jurisprudence, the fine line between private religious expression and public coercion in schools, and why robust religious liberty ultimately requires a dose of humility from believers.

    Protecting the Freedom to Choose — or Reject — Faith

  6. Jul 6

    Mitt Romney: Finding Faith in America Again

    As the United States hits its historic 250th anniversary, the nation finds itself caught in the throes of a profound "faith crisis" — not just in its institutions, but in the very endurance of the American experiment. In this episode of "Deseret Voices," host McKay Coppins sits down with former senator and presidential candidate Mitt Romney for a deeply candid, reflective and surprisingly humorous conversation about legacy, leadership and life after the political spotlight. Romney shares his thoughts on the fragile history of democracies, the massive risks posed by artificial intelligence and hyper-concentrated billionaire wealth, and why he firmly believes leaders over 80 should step aside. He also opens up about his personal life in "quasi-retirement," from mastering the legendary U.S. Senate bean soup to cooking 100 meatballs for his grandkids, and the foundational role his wife, Ann — the "Mitt Stabilizer" — plays in keeping him grounded. It is a rare, unvarnished look at one of the most prominent statesmen of the modern era finding optimism in an increasingly tumultuous world.

    Mitt Romney: Finding Faith in America Again

  7. Jul 2

    Jon Meacham: The Fragility of the American Experiment

    As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, a creeping sense of political pessimism has captured the national conversation. Are we truly living through an unprecedented era of democratic decay, or is this just another chapter in the long, turbulent history of the American experiment? In this episode of “Deseret Voices,” host McKay Coppins sits down with Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and presidential biographer Jon Meacham to unpack his latest book, “American Struggle.” Together, they trace how the political and media landscape has shifted over the last 15 years. Meacham shares why he believes the post-2020 election subversion efforts genuinely earn the title of "unprecedented," why democracy goes against humanity's natural default settings and how he keeps his grounding using a 500-year-old prayer ritual amid the non-stop chaos of modern news cycles. “Deseret Voices” is hosted by award-winning journalists McKay Coppins and Jane Clayson Johnson, who go beyond the headlines to explore the stories, people, and ideas shaping our world today. Through thoughtful, in-depth conversations, the “Deseret Voices” podcast brings clarity and common ground to the complex issues defining our time.  “Deseret Voices” is a Deseret News podcast, produced by Keira Farrimond, Creative Director - Video & Podcasts.  Episodes of “Deseret Voices” drop every Thursday wherever you get your podcasts. Follow along and join the conversation on YouTube (@deseretnews), Instagram (@deseretnews), Facebook (@deseretnews) and X (@deseret).

    Jon Meacham: The Fragility of the American Experiment

  8. Jun 25

    Toxic Dust and Economic Collapse: The Real Cost of losing the Great Salt Lake

    The Great Salt Lake is disappearing. With two-thirds of its water gone and more than half of its area desiccated, experts warn that Utah is sitting on an environmental time bomb. In this episode of "Deseret Voices," host Jane Clayson Johnson sits down with two leading figures at the forefront of the restoration movement to discuss the stark reality of the lake's decline, the catastrophic health and economic risks of inaction, and why there is still profound hope for a solution. Our Guests: Dr. Ben Abbott: Professor of ecology at Brigham Young University and executive director of Grow the Flow Utah. Dr. Abbott brings global expertise in water security and a deep ecological understanding of the lake’s current crisis. Josh Romney: Co-founder and chairman of Great Salt Lake Rising and a dedicated Utahn fighting to ensure the state remains a safe, thriving home for future generations. Romney bridges the gap between environmental necessity, economic reality, and political action. What We Discuss in This Episode: The Shocking Reality: Why the shrinking lake is a "local problem with a global warning," and how its disappearance impacts local weather patterns and winter snowpack. The Hidden Health Hazards: The dangerous composition of the exposed lakebed dust — including toxic levels of arsenic, mercury, and selenium — and what happens when it blows into major metropolitan areas. Agriculture vs. Residential Water Use: Breaking down the math of water consumption. Why changing how we water our lawns and partnering financially with the agricultural community are both critical keys to the lake's survival. Politics and Funding: A look at the growing political will to save the lake, including the direct involvement of President Donald Trump, whose 2027 fiscal budget proposal includes a historic $1 billion funding request for restoration efforts. The 2034 Olympic Goal: Can the lake be set on a path to full recovery before the world arrives in Utah for the Winter Games? "If we can't fix it here, it can't be fixed anywhere. What we are about to do is create a model for the world on how to rescue saline lakes." — Josh Romney Why This Matters: This isn't just a Utah issue; it's an American issue. From vital mineral supplies to global seafood chains, the collapse of the Great Salt Lake would trigger an economic and ecological disaster felt nationwide. Tune in to find out how a unique public-private partnership is turning a monumental threat into a historic opportunity for innovation and environmental stewardship.   “Deseret Voices” is hosted by award-winning journalists McKay Coppins and Jane Clayson Johnson, who go beyond the headlines to explore the stories, people, and ideas shaping our world today. Through thoughtful, in-depth conversations, the “Deseret Voices” podcast brings clarity and common ground to the complex issues defining our time.    “Deseret Voices” is a Deseret News podcast, produced by Keira Farrimond, Creative Director - Video & Podcasts.    Episodes of “Deseret Voices” drop every Thursday wherever you get your podcasts. Follow along and join the conversation on YouTube (@deseretnews), Instagram (@deseretnews), Facebook (@deseretnews) and X (@deseret).

    Toxic Dust and Economic Collapse: The Real Cost of losing the Great Salt Lake
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About

Welcome to Deseret Voices, a weekly podcast from the Deseret News (https://deseret.com) that brings depth, nuance and respect to conversations about today’s complex topics and current events. Join our hosts, award-winning journalists McKay Coppins and Jane Clayson Johnson, every Thursday as they go beyond news headlines by talking with newsmakers and thought leaders to find common ground and uncover unique perspectives on today’s critical issues in politics, faith, sports, and more. 

Information

  • Channel
    Deseret News
  • Creator
    Deseret News
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    45
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    Copyright © 2025 Deseret News Publishing Company. All Rights Reserved
  • Show Website
    Deseret Voices

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