DiscussMormonism.com

A few friends have reached out to let me know that some folks are criticizing me and the Open Stories Foundation/Mormon Stories Podcast for hosting a Mormon Stories Podcast cruise next year in the Bahamas.

I feel sincerely fortunate that I am not privy to such conversations. Too many people to help. Too many marriages and families to help strengthen. Etc. Etc.

What we know for a fact is that Mormon Stories Podcast and the Open Stories Foundation (including Gina Colvin's A Thoughtful Faith Podcast, Dan Wotherspoon's Mormon Matters Podcast, Natasha Helfer Parker's Mormon Mental Health Podcast, and Margi Dehlin's Mormon Transitions podcast) are changing lives in positive ways - on a very large scale. And no one can convince or shame us otherwise. The daily emails are all the reinforcement and motivation we need. The downloads and views do not hurt - we are on track for over 6,000,000 MP3 downloads and Youtube/Facebook views for 2017. Our workshops and retreats (thus far) have been full, and the feedback has been astoundingly positive.

On a more personal note...please know that if I wanted to take a cruise for personal reasons...I'd much, much rather go with Margi and the kids...or my close friends...to somewhere quiet.

We are alleviating depression and anxiety. We are restoring hope for many who have lost it. We are strengthening marriages and families. We are preventing suicides. And we are helping to build communities of support across the world for questioning, liberal, and post-Mormons.

psychedelicately wrote:Its apparent that Dehlin and Kate Kelly have had some sort of falling out. Anybody know what happened?

6EQUJ5 wrote:

We are alleviating depression and anxiety. We are restoring hope for many who have lost it. We are strengthening marriages and families. We are preventing suicides. And we are helping to build communities of support across the world for questioning, liberal, and post-Mormons.

Or... maybe the haters have a point.

psychedelicately wrote:Its apparent that Dehlin and Kate Kelly have had some sort of falling out. Anybody know what happened?

psychedelicately wrote:Its apparent that Dehlin and Kate Kelly have had some sort of falling out. Anybody know what happened?

Lemmie wrote:Could you be more specific as to why you bolded that part?

psychedelicately wrote:Its apparent that Dehlin and Kate Kelly have had some sort of falling out. Anybody know what happened?

6EQUJ5 wrote:

We are alleviating depression and anxiety. We are restoring hope for many who have lost it. We are strengthening marriages and families. We are preventing suicides. And we are helping to build communities of support across the world for questioning, liberal, and post-Mormons.

Or... maybe the haters have a point.

Lemmie wrote:Could you be more specific as to why you bolded that part? (It wasn't clear whether the original was bolded, please correct me if I am wrong in assuming it wasn't.) What point are you suggesting the haters may have?

6EQUJ5 wrote:No.

Simon Southerton wrote:About a year ago Kate got her nose out of joint because female podcasters connected to John were not being paid, or paid very little. She ranted on Facebook before checking her facts. John had had several open discussions about remuneration with all of the female podcasters and they all publicly distanced themselves from Kate's comments. John was blind-sided by the whole thing and felt he had been publicly shamed. To the best of my knowledge Kate has not publicly apologised.

"Open Stories Foundation completely revamped their pay structure for podcasters so that, while Dr. Dehlin continues to draw a regular base salary as CEO--with further unknown financial benefit from co-hosting podcasts with members of his household, collecting speaking fees for retreats, and performance bonuses--podcasters are not salaried employees (rather, they are outside contractors provided no benefits and paid relative pennies per download, on the justification that Open Stories Foundation is based in Utah, a right-to-work state). This change also coincides with the first year that Open Stories Foundation has not been transparent about its finances and the substantially large retreats began."

"I was present when individuals who work for Dr. Dehlin have been brought to tears from how he treated them for privately (in a very small group) expressing concerns about his behavior."

We have a book keeper, an accounting firm, and a partner in an accounting firm is on our board. I have worked SUPER hard to be very, very responsible with Open Stories Foundation money, and accusations of financial impropriety are specious and intended to malign.
The Open Stories Foundation board is preparing a statement. At that point feel free to reach out to our board or me or Amy Grubbs or whomever. There is literally ZERO substance to any accusation of financial impropriety. Kristy's statements are specious and meant to malign with literally zero substance.