The Forensic Autopsy of Mormon Apologetics
From Mormon Discussions Podcasts - Full Lineup by Bill Reel
June 11, 2026 · 2h 18m
About this episode
The episode explores the behavioral patterns behind Mormon apologetics through forensic criminology.
What if the most revealing thing about Mormon apologetics isn’t the evidence being presented… but the behavioral patterns behind the arguments? Tonight on Mormonism Live, Bill Reel and Radio Free Mormon sit down with Dawn McCarty who works in Forensic Criminology behavioral analysis. Can forensic criminology profile Mormon apologetics? Drawing from several of her recent forensic intelligence briefs, Dawn examines Mormon apologetics, institutional responses to criticism, and high-demand religious systems through the lens of behavioral analysis, threat assessment, cognitive containment, and coercive influence. Together we discuss: • How criminologists identify behavioral patterns in institutions • Narrative patching, semantic inversion, and epistemological fog • The psychology behind apologetic argumentation • Jacob Hansen’s conversations with Alex O’Connor and Bill Reel • The LDS Church’s lawsuit against Mormon Stories and John Dehlin • How institutions maintain authority during periods of public scrutiny • Whether these frameworks can be applied fairly to critics as well as believers Most importantly, we’ll ask whether apologetics can be…
People in this episode
Host: Bill Reel
Guests: Radio Free Mormon, Dawn McCarty
Topics covered
- Mormon apologetics
- behavioral analysis
- forensic criminology
- institutional responses
- psychology of belief
- coercive influence
Keywords
- Mormon apologetics
- forensic criminology
- behavioral patterns
- psychology
- institutional authority
- coercive influence
- threat assessment
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: LDS Church, Mormon Stories
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