Mormon Stories 1427: Rod Decker’s Life as a Utah Political Reporter

Join me today as I sit down with a living legend, Rod Decker, who has gained great prominence in Utah over the past 50 years as a journalist, columnist, and reporter for KUTV Channel 2 news. An observer of Utah politics from an early age, Decker has a truly unique perspective on Utah culture, faith, and politics, and I could not be more honored to have him as a guest on Mormon Stories Podcast.

Rod Decker's most recent publication, "Utah Politics: The Elephant in the Room" can be purchased here: https://smile.amazon.com/Utah-Politics-Elephant-Rod-Decker/dp/1560852720/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=rod+decker&qid=1620402184&sr=8-1

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Timestamps:
00:06:08 - Rod Decker’s Mormon Story Begins
00:12:30 - The Allred's
00:15:20 - East High School
00:18:42 - Salt Lake City & Mormonism in the 1950s
00:35:03 - Teenage years & questioning the truth of the Gospel
00:43:27 - University of Utah
00:56:04 - “The truth of the church”
01:04:48 - “Is God a Person” Philosophy
01:11:44 - BYU
01:14:32 - Working in Europe
01:17:01 - Decided to not be a Mormon anymore
01:21:55 - How leaving Mormonism strained relations with his mother
01:24:59 - Returning to Utah & the 1960s
01:30:37 - Vietnam War
01:57:17 - Why return to Utah?
02:02:02 - “Take Two” & TV Reporting
02:08:09 - “The Elephant in the Room” & LDS influence on Utah politics
02:19:13 - Polygomy
02:24:54 - 1973 - Roe v. Wade
02:46:53 - Utah liquor laws
02:51:28 - Rod’s relationship to the LDS church
03:05:02 - LDS Church vs. Utah State Legislator
03:09:06 - The Salt Lake Tribune
03:19:10 - 2017 - Rod’s retirement & wife’s passing
03:29:01 - Rod Decker’s publications
03:34:47 - Reasons to be tolerant of the LDS presence in Utah
03:57:23 - Joseph Smith compared to other cult leaders
04:10:07 - What Rod Decker believes in today
04:22:21 - Concluding remarks

#LDS #RodDecker #Politics #KUTV #Channel2 #Mormon #Religion #Faith Crisis #PostMormon #Utah #SaltLakeCity

Видео Mormon Stories 1427: Rod Decker’s Life as a Utah Political Reporter канала Mormon Stories Podcast