The water in the baptismal font ripples as my eight-year-old son steps down the stairs, beaming with excitement. His white clothing seems to glow, and I can see my own childhood reflection in his eyes. As his father, I'm about to baptize him into what we believe is God's ONE TRUE church on Earth. It should be one of the proudest moments of my life.

But beneath my smile, questions churn like the disturbed water. In his eyes, I see pure faith - the kind that moves mountains and parts seas. In my heart, I feel the weight of generations of belief, and the crushing responsibility of either preserving or disrupting that legacy.

I'm Brother Buzz, and this is "Study Faith With AI".

Now before we jump in, I want to point out that this episode is a finale. It will make the most sense after watching the previous 11 Brother Buzz Stories featured as prologues to each Season of Study Faith With AI. If you haven’t checked these out, please pause and listen to those first.

Ok, let’s get started. 

five... four... three... two... one! Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!"

The cardboard box shook violently as I made whooshing sounds, watching my four-year-old son’s eyes grow wide with anticipation. We had spent the better part of an hour in our basement, transforming an ordinary moving box into what he believed was a genuine time machine.

Glow-in-the-dark puzzle pieces adorned the top like sophisticated control panels. A makeshift dial promised transport to the age of dinosaurs or the space future. Legos and wires created an intricate network of "temporal circuitry" that only a child's imagination could fully appreciate.

My son had become more and more excited as we built this marvel of cardboard engineering together. His joy was infectious, his belief absolute. When we finally climbed inside and I announced our destination - the time of the dinosaurs - he was practically vibrating with anticipation.

"Here we go!" I shouted as the box rocked back and forth, simulating our journey through time itself.

But then, we stepped out.

The basement looked exactly as it had before. Same concrete floor. Same storage boxes. Same fluorescent lights humming overhead. The magic my son expected - the prehistoric landscape he'd been promised - was nowhere to be found.

His face crumpled. Joy transformed into confusion, then disappointment, then anger. The four-year-old who had been transported by wonder moments before now felt the crushing weight of broken promises.

"It's powered by our imagination," I said desperately, my own heart sinking as I watched his excitement die. "This is powered by your imagination,It should be fun. We're just... we're doing it."

But he was already walking away, tears streaming down his face, heading upstairs to find comfort in his mother's arms. We never played with that time machine again.

As a father wanting to do the best I could for my kids, I can't think about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Mormonism, without thinking about that time machine.

Is it real? Or is it powered by our imagination?

This one true church needs fathers like me to be all in. From baby blessings, to baptisms, to weekly Youth Activities, and Summer Camps. From angels in America, to golden plates. From Heavenly Mother to a polygamous paradise in heaven. From serving missions to paying 10% tithing for life. So what’s a father like me to do when questions arise. Questions like: “Is this really God’s one true church? Or, are we just playing church?”

Years later, as my experiences in the Church led me to dig deep into its foundational truth claims, I imagined stepping into our cardboard time machine once more. This time, I am transported to a date not too far in my future. 

I’m at a family gathering. I see my son. He’s taller. Older -  maybe 15. Maybe 20. Maybe 30. He pulls me aside quietly. His blue eyes reflect the same hurt I saw outside that time machine so many years before. After stammering for the right words, he brings up the Church: 

"Dad, what did you know? When did you know it? And what did you do about it?"

I freeze up. Now, I’m the one stammering as my mind races. He’s just accepted his mission call, finished his first semester at BYU, or just invited us to his son’s baby blessing. What do I say? 

Can I say, “A long time ago, I sensed something may have been off, but chose to keep us on the covenant path?” Or do I say, “I was a million percent in for decades. But my experiences over time and seeing you kids grow up led me to question. And as soon as I mustered up the courage to dig deep, I searched for the full truth and followed my conscience.” 

This imagined future interaction started me down the path to what has become Study Faith With AI. With so much of my family’s future at stake: I had to get this right. But there was so much to unpack. So, I decided to use Google NoebookLM, a powerful AI study tool, to help me discover, deconstruct, and develop resources to manage my faith deconstruction.  

First, I stress-tested my AI notebooks - looking for hallucinations, made up facts, blatant errors. Sometimes the AI hosts say “Jason Smith” instead of Joseph Smith, but besides verbal ticks like these everything they said I traced back directly to the sources I uploaded.  

This was unlike anything else. A fast, smart, powerful research tool that could take in massive amounts of information and make it instantly accessible not only for me, but for others. 

At that moment, I saw the opportunity to put together a 360 degree range of perspectives: approved Church materials, scholarly articles, apologetic arguments, expert interviews, critical sources - everything - to systematically address each of my key questions. I could make audio guides, publish them as podcasts, and make my notebooks available for everyone to verify the facts and link directly to the exact sentence in the source material. 

Study Faith With AI was born. 

Thus began a nine-month project to fully deconstruct my religious upbringing and develop answers to my son’s three questions: What did you know? When did you know it? What did you do about it? 

Over late nights and lots of Sundays while my family attended Church, I found sources on topics that were most relevant to my questions, uploaded them to Google NotebookLM, and prompted it again and again to find answers, make audio guides, and direct me to primary sources. The audio overviews were particularly powerful, drawing key insights from multi-hour podcast and YouTube interviews, 200+ page scholarly articles, and massive websites like it was nothing. 

Saying this has been super difficult is an understatement. The research, organization, development, and production of Study Faith With AI has been depressing, lonely, and awful in just about every way - made especially difficult because my faithful, true-believing wife wants nothing to do with this. But  don’t worry. We’re good. She’s the best! 

As soon as this project began, I was devastated to learn how much had been omitted or glossed over from my Church-curated understanding. The sources were undeniable. The Church had no satisfactory answers.

Do you know the saying, “The truth will set you free, but not until it’s finished with you.” I’ve got a new one for those going through a deep faith crisis: “The truth will set you free—but not until it annoys the heck out of you, beats the crap out of you, and makes you feel like poo poo.” 

I never said being a Mormon would wash off completely. 

In fact, a faith crisis is in large part an identity crisis too. Who am I, if I am not a child of God saved for the last days to come into this fallen world, preach repentance, baptize, marry in the temple for time and all eternity, and raise the next generation in truth and righteousness? What’s left when Mormonism is stripped away? Do I even have a soul?

It gets real deep, real fast. It can get ugly. For me: music, running, and playing with my kids - those things helped the most. That and this steady feeling deep in my heart that I’m enough. We’re enough. The guy at the corner covered in tattoos smoking pot with his friends is enough too.  

Whatever life is about. Here we are, and it’s pretty awesome. And we’re all floating on this blue marble doing the best we can. 

And perhaps most importantly, I don’t have to change anything about my personality or behavior if I don’t want to. I can still live like a Mormon. I decide. And I don’t like to swear!

Despite challenges like these, this project has been therapeutic. With my spouse hating it from the beginning and few close friends or family to confide in, I’ve used the first episode of each season to tell my story. A few months ago, when I told my parents I was leaving the Church, my mother said, “I wonder what went wrong. He was so in and we never worried about him.” My father said, “I’ve learned from my many years as a Bishop not to judge. I haven’t walked in your shoes.” Well, I’m sharing my story bit by bit if they ever want to listen. And Mom and Dad, it’s not your fault.

Brother Buzz’s prologues may be the best part for some of my listeners, or something others will skip. Either way, they’ve helped me process this experience, rebuild my life, and move on. 

Oh - and about the pseudonym Brother Buzz? Do you like it? I chose to stay anonymous primarily not for my own benefit, but for yours. The faith crisis is so widespread that it is 100% certain someone in your ward or family has been affected by similar doubts and challenges at one point. It could be your brother, sister, friend, even Bishop. Brother Buzz is one way to give voice to those silently suffering.

I’m also trying to protect Church members from conscious and unconscious bias. All too often we assign malicious motives to anyone who shares information that could damage our testimonies. For once, let’s look at just the information and engage in critical thinking without focusing on the messenger. You can go ahead and access my notebooks and quickly check every detail yourself. 

This project is about exploration. Not exposition.  

Being Brother Buzz also gives the Church the opportunity to demonstrate that there’s more than one way to sustain the Brethren. But in 2025, encouraging critical evaluation of foundational truth claims while publicly questioning the wisdom of Church leaders is a sure fire way to lose my membership in the Church I love. 

I’m sure if people want to bad enough, they can follow the breadcrumbs and unmask Brother Buzz. That will just reinforce my points. 

Once again: this project is about exploration. Not exposition. 

If my identity is revealed. I will stand by my words and actions. I will follow my conscience. I will do what is right and let the consequence follow. 

Now, during this final episode of Study Faith With AI, I’ve planned something really special. 

I know this is a serious topic (I’ve already tried to add a little bit of humor) and I’ll try to lighten it up a little bit more with a bit of fun powered by imagination. 

I’ve rebuilt my cardboard time machine complete with lego solar panels, a mess of wires and tape, and a dial that can take us anywhere.  

Ohp! It looks like our glow-in-the-dark controls are flickering bright green and the power flux capacitor is in place. 

It's time to spin that makeshift dial. Are you excited?! Our destination: Wittenberg, Germany 1517 - a moment when someone else dared to question what was true, what was wrong, and what needed to change. 

So, let's power up our imaginations and discover what happens when new technology meets old authority.

five... four... three... two... one! Woah, Woah, Woah!!!!”

October 31st, 1517. Castle Church, Wittenberg. A 34-year-old Augustinian monk approaches the wooden door that serves as the university's bulletin board. In his hand: 95 propositions for academic debate about the sale of indulgences.

Martin Luther has no idea he's about to trigger the Protestant Reformation fueled by the greatest information technology in human history.

Within two weeks, his Latin theses are translated into German. Within a month, they're being printed across the Holy Roman Empire. Within three months, they've reached England.

This isn't just the story of one monk's protest. This is the story of what happens when new technology collides with old systems of control. And it has everything to do with why I'm creating AI-enabled study aids about my own faith tradition today.

To understand Luther's revolution, you have to understand what he was up against.

For over a thousand years, the Catholic Church had maintained near-total control over religious information. The Bible existed only in Latin—a dead language that maybe 5% of the population could read. Church doctrine was interpreted exclusively by priests and bishops. Even the act of translation was considered dangerous, potentially heretical.

But it wasn't just language barriers that kept people in the dark. It was an entire system designed around institutional gatekeeping.

Want salvation? You need the Church's sacraments. Have questions about scripture? Ask your priest. Concerned about your sins? Purchase an indulgence.

Sound familiar to anyone else?

Luther posts his theses, expecting maybe a scholarly debate among theologians. Instead, something unprecedented happens.

Printers across Germany recognize a bestseller when they see one. Luther's theses are translated into German and reprinted faster than Church authorities can respond. For the first time in history, a critique of Church practice spreads beyond academic circles to ordinary believers. 

Luther quickly realizes the power of this new medium. He follows up with his "Sermon on Indulgences and Grace"—a short, accessible pamphlet written in German, designed specifically for common people.

The result? The world's first bestseller. Fourteen editions printed in 1518 alone. 

But here’s what made Luther revolutionary: he didn't just challenge Catholic practices—he challenged the entire medieval system of how religious truth was determined and communicated.

Luther did three things that fundamentally disrupted centuries of information control:

First, he wrote in the vernacular. Instead of academic Latin, he used German that ordinary people could understand. Protestant reformers followed suit. Suddenly, complex theological ideas became accessible to merchants, farmers, housewives—anyone who could read.

Second, he encouraged people to read scripture for themselves and pray directly to God, cutting out the curated messages of the Church. "A simple layman armed with scripture," Luther declared, "is greater than the mightiest pope without it." This was radical. For over a millennium, the Church had insisted that scripture required professional interpretation.

Third, and perhaps most importantly, Luther provided the tools for critical thinking. He didn't just say "don't buy indulgences"—he explained why, using biblical evidence and logical reasoning that people could verify for themselves.

The numbers tell the story of just how explosive this information revolution was.

In 1475, about 9% of people in Germanic lands could read. By 1550—just 75 years later—literacy had nearly doubled to 16%. That might not sound dramatic, but imagine: in less than a human lifetime, the number of people with access to written information almost doubled.

And Luther himself was driving much of this growth. Between 1516 and 1546, over 3 million copies of his works were sold in Germany alone. Luther personally authored 20% of all pamphlets printed between 1520 and 1526.

Think about that. One man, writing in his native language about religious reform, generated a fifth of all printed material in the Germanic states during the early Reformation.

A quick side note, many years ago at BYU my professor distributed original copies of Luther’s pamphlets held in the Special Collections Library. I feel lucky to have held the world’s first message to go viral. 

And viral’s a good word for it. It created a faith crisis epidemic of epic proportions. The stakes couldn't have been higher. 

Picture a German peasant in 1520, listening to conflicting messages from the pulpit. Your eternal soul hangs in the balance. Your children's salvation depends on getting this right. And wars are already breaking out between Catholic and Protestant regions. The Peasants' War of 1524-1525 will kill over 100,000 people. Choose the wrong side, and you could lose everything—your property, your life, your family's future.

One priest declares that buying an indulgence will guarantee your dead mother's release from purgatory. Another priest, influenced by Luther's writings, insists that only faith in Christ can save—that indulgences are worthless paper.

But how could you make an informed decision about your eternal destiny if you couldn't read the very book that supposedly contained God's will? How could you protect your children from false teachers if you couldn't examine scripture yourself?

The Protestant Reformation spread rapidly. Families were torn apart as some converted while others remained Catholic. Communities that had lived in harmony for generations were splitting violently along religious lines. Nations went to war as the inquisition heated up. The comfortable certainty of simply trusting church authorities had been shattered forever.

Does any of this sound familiar?

This wide-scale faith crisis fueled an unprecedented hunger for literacy. Protestant regions began establishing schools at breakneck speed. Parents who had never opened a book themselves were desperately trying to learn so they could teach their children. The ability to read became a survival skill—not just for this life, but for eternity.

And this terrified Church authorities and they responded forcefully.

First, they went after Luther himself. Pope Leo X summoned him to Rome for trial, demanding he appear within 60 days to explain his “presumptuous conclusions” about papal authority. 

Johann Tetzel, the Dominican priest selling indulgences, was so enraged by Luther's critique that he threatened to "throw the heretic into the fire." When Tetzel wrote his counter-thesis, he was reduced to personal attacks, calling Luther everything from presumptuous to diabolical.

The Vatican's chief theologian, Sylvester Prierias, dismissed Luther's concerns after just three days of review. His conclusion? Anyone who challenged papal authority was automatically a heretic. No need for actual theological debate.

But here's what's fascinating: when Luther responded to these attacks, he did something completely different. He cited scripture. He provided evidence. He used reason.

As Luther put it: "You cite no scripture. You give no reasons. Like an insidious devil, you pervert the scriptures."

But the Church's response went beyond just attacking Luther personally—they systematically tried to stop his ideas from spreading to ordinary people.

Papal authorities immediately banned Luther's writings, ordering them seized and burned wherever they were found. 

But here's what reveals the Church's real fear: they didn't just ban Luther's theological treatises written for scholars. They specifically targeted his German-language pamphlets—the ones written for common people.

The Church understood exactly what was happening. When ordinary believers could read Luther's "Sermon on Indulgences and Grace" for themselves, they didn't need priests to interpret whether indulgences were biblically justified. They could see Luther's scripture citations and judge for themselves.

So Church authorities did what institutions often do when they can't control the message—they tried to control access to information itself. Local bishops were ordered to confiscate Lutheran pamphlets. Printers were threatened with excommunication for publishing reformist materials. Even possessing Luther's German New Testament became grounds for persecution.

The message was clear: religious complexity was too dangerous for ordinary people to handle. It required professional management by those with proper authority.

But they were fighting a technology they didn't understand. For every pamphlet they burned, ten more were already circulating. For every printer they threatened, five others in different cities were setting type. The printing press had made information control obsolete, even if Church leaders didn't realize it yet.

The printing press had fundamentally changed the rules of the game. You couldn't just declare someone a heretic and expect that to end the conversation. You had to actually engage with their arguments, provide better evidence, make a more compelling case.

Information control, which had worked for over a millennium, was suddenly in trouble.

Wait a sec! I can feel our time machine calling us back. The glow-in-the-dark controls are pulsing - it's time to return home. Let me spin that dial one more time...

Our destination: Today. 2025.

Can you feel that same electric tension Luther must have felt? Hold on tight - some revolutions never really end, they just find new tools.

Five... four... three... two... one! Woah! Woah! Woah! Woah!

Welcome back to today.

By taking us back to explore Martin Luther’s time, I’m not trying to elevate myself or this project. Although I do admire his courage and am inspired by what he did. I am trying to encourage us to take a closer look at the similarities between his times and ours. What lessons can we learn? Especially about a faith crisis epidemic, information control, and taking a conscience stand for truth?  

By publishing the Study Faith AI podcast and sharing their AI notebooks that synthesize hundreds of sources—both faith-promoting and critical—I'm walking in Luther's footsteps. I'm democratizing access to information that religious institutions have carefully controlled for generations. Other Latter-day Saints have faced church discipline for posting a few Facebook comments or making YouTube videos. I'm taking it to the next level with Study Faith With AI.

Google NotebookLM is a game-changer. It processes academic papers, historical documents, apologetic defenses, and critical analyses all at once—giving people the same comprehensive view that Luther's pamphlets gave medieval believers. My tools are free, interactive, multilingual, and can generate podcasts that jump instantly to exact moments in source material. 

Both Luther’s day and ours rely on breakthrough information technology to challenge religious authority and push people beyond church-controlled messaging. Luther gave people access to original texts and encouraged critical thinking. AI does something similar today—it opens up vast sources, helps people dig into original documents, and empowers them to form their own conclusions. And just like 500 years ago, I expect we'll see the church follow a familiar historical pattern in response.

Powerful organizations want to control the narrative. The moment people gain access to diverse viewpoints and start thinking critically, those in power panic. Instead of engaging with legitimate criticism, they attack the messengers, ban the information, and pull every lever they can to stop people from questioning their authority.

But here's the pattern: new information technology always breaks through. The printing press. The internet. Social media. Now AI tools like Google NotebookLM. Each time, the power structure gets disrupted. And each time, after the dust settles, these organizations eventually adapt, co-opt the new platforms, and rebuild their influence—often stronger than before.

It's a cycle that repeats throughout history, and we're watching it happen again right now.

But the similarities to Luther’s time gets even more disturbing. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is waging its own quiet inquisition—and they're hoping you won't notice.

As I documented in Season 11: Apostasy, the pattern is unmistakable: intellectuals, activists, influencers, and everyday members are being excommunicated for publicly asking uncomfortable questions about Church leadership, history, and policies. Progressive BYU professors are being quietly purged. A climate of fear is spreading among nuanced believers, especially those experiencing doubts.

Here's the reality: you can have private doubts, even discuss them quietly with close friends. But the moment you publicly share concerns that might create doubt in others, repeatedly challenge church leadership, embarrass the institution, oppose its policies, discourage tithing or worship, or advocate for reform—you've crossed into dangerous territory.

Want to test this? Try bringing up the multiple First Vision accounts with your bishop. Ask about Joseph Smith's polyandry in Relief Society. Question the Book of Abraham translation in Sunday School. Keep it private, and you're fine. But post about it online, make videos, or try to organize others around these issues?

You'll quickly learn that public inquiry equals apostasy. The institutional church has made it clear: doubt quietly, or face the consequences.

That's not a faith built on truth —that's control built on fear.

And what is the Church afraid of? Ideas? Opposition? Losing money and influence?

Meanwhile, the LDS faith crisis spreads like wildfire, leaving countless members trapped between intellectual honesty and social survival.

In our hyperconnected world, challenging information about Mormonism finds you. Then when you discover that the institution you've sacrificed everything for might not be what you believed it was, your entire foundation shatters. The devastation is complete and profound.

The Church's response? "Don't look." "Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith." “Close your eyes and trust us.”

Here's what makes this tragic: when members seek help from Church leaders, there’s hardly any. No bishop training. No church-sanctioned support system. No safe space for legitimate concerns. Saying the wrong thing can get you in trouble fast. So, many don’t seek help at all.

Online resources aren’t much better. With nowhere else to turn, most members navigate their Dark Night of the Soul by themselves.

This reveals a damning reality: either the church can't help because it knows the problematic information is valid, or it won't help because members in crisis aren't a priority.

Instead of genuine support, we get conference talks about "staying in the boat" and “fallen willow trees”. Insinuations that the individual is at fault, not the institution.

Never an apology. Never any accountability. 

The message is clear: experiencing doubts? Figure it out privately, stay silent publicly, or face the consequences. Your crisis of faith is everyone else's inconvenience.

The parallels to Luther's time run deeper than just information control, hunting for heretics, and a faith crisis epidemic. There's one commandment so sacred that every Bishop conducts annual worthiness interviews about it: tithing.

For fun, let’s role play a satirical scene of tithing declaration. 

The Bishop begins: "Brother Smith, thanks for bringing your family. I invited your wife and children so they can see what a fine example you are of a righteous priesthood holder. Now, for giving a full and honest tithe - which means 10% of your income, you’ll partially qualify for a temple recommend to allow you to perform the saving ordinances for your deceased ancestors and free them from spirit prison."

Does this sounds like the Catholic indulgence sellers to me: "As soon as a coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs."

Bishop: "Oh - You'll also stay in good standing with the Church. That means you can attend your daughter's temple wedding, baptize your son, and keep your calling. 

So, should I put you down for a full or partial tithe payer?"

Member: "Bishop, times have been really tough financially..."

Bishop: "I understand, Brother. Paying is your choice. But remember that you covenanted to follow Jesus when you were baptized at eight. Also you know that when we put the Lord first, we’re promised that God will open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing so great that there will not be room enough to receive it. 

And remember, if you're ever in financial need, come talk to me. I'll do what I can - if I feel it's what the Lord wants for you."

Member: "But Bishop, isn't the Church worth hundreds of billions of dollars? Do they need the money more than I do? How is my tithing money even spent? Our ward budgets are so small."

Bishop: "Brother, you know Jesus Christ is the head of this Church. He guides the Brethren on how best to build the Kingdom. Tithing is more about faith than about money."

Translation: pay up, ask no questions, and trust the system.

So here's where we stand thus far: Information control cracking under technological pressure. A new wave of excommunications spreading fear. A massive faith crisis epidemic going unchecked. And financial coercion disguised as spiritual obligation.

What happens when people start connecting these dots?

But it's only natural for history to repeat itself. That's exactly why we're seeing so many similarities between the Catholic Church's response to Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation and what's happening in the LDS Church today. Both churches are behaving exactly as we'd expect them to.

But wait a second. We have a time machine powered by our imagination. What if we suspend disbelief just for a moment? What if we hop back in and use it to visit a world where radical transparency and total honesty actually wins?

Our destination: Brother Buzz’s local meetinghouse in the not-too-distant future. 

Five... four... three... two... one! Woah, Woah Woah!

So there we are. It's Sunday morning and I'm in Sacrament Meeting with my wife and kids. As the speaker begins discussing Joseph Smith's First Vision, I pull out my phone and open the Gospel Library app—and this isn't the sanitized version we once knew.

Since the prophet's groundbreaking announcement last General Conference—the total overhaul of the Doctrine and Covenants, de-canonization of the Pearl of Great Price, and acknowledgment of Joseph Smith's authorship of the Book of Mormon—the Church has committed to radical transparency. And this time, I actually believe them.

The Enhanced Correlation program has revolutionized everything. The Church vaults aren't just open—they're integrated with AI-powered study guides containing every article, commentary, and original document going back 200 years. Critics, apologists, and scholars all appear side-by-side. I can upload content from FAIR, MormonThink, LDS Discussions, even RFM podcasts. The AI answers any question I ask, instantly, in any language.

Because of Enhanced Correlation and the Church's new AI-enabled study guides that my kids have used since Primary, I no longer worry about them thinking they're in a cult after going through the temple or questioning whether Book of Mormon events actually happened. What a relief!

I'd expect nothing less from an organization with this much wealth, resources, and talent.

Before this transformation, discovering information that contradicted Church narratives was devastating. But now I know the Church actually trusts us enough to think critically, discover truth, and make our decisions.

Yes, it's been painful. The Church has had to scale back our doctrines and practices dramatically. The Church's reputation took a massive hit. Millions of members have left. But Ensign’s Peaks investments are going great.

This is probably the roughest patch for the Church since the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyram. Or maybe the end of polygamy? Or maybe Mitt Romney’s loss to Obama? It’s hard to decide.

I love how at the last Conference, the prophet reminded us of Christ’s visit to the Americas. Before Christ came, there was destruction. Many perished—even the faithful. Just like how we've lost millions of members today.

The Nephites had disputes about messy doctrine and outdated practices too. But when Christ appeared, he immediately set them straight: faith, repentance, baptism, and the Gift of the Holy Ghost. "This is my doctrine," he said. "Whoso declareth more or less than this... the same cometh of evil."

The prophet said if Jesus were here today, he'd say the same thing. And now that we're back to fundamentals, we can focus on what Christ would do—helping the poor, the needy, and the oppressed.

The scale of change to doctrines, policies, and practices is overwhelming. Deep down, I wonder if it’s because the Church was losing control of its foundational truth claims and history? 

Well in any case, we're fortunate to have a living Church. One that can correct its mistakes and do what’s right and let the consequence follow. The Brethren are finally apologizing and making things right. They are setting such a good example.

The Church has transformed incredibly fast. But what else would you expect from a 100-year-old prophet who told us to "eat your vitamin pills"?

Hold on. I can feel our time machine beginning to shake. Those glow-in-the-dark controls are flickering like it’s time to go recharge.  Even imagination has its limits, and this future - as beautiful as it sounds - feels impossibly distant from where we sit here any longer.

The dial is spinning back on its own now, pulling us home to a world where vaults remain closed, where correlation still controls, and where AI study guides are built by distressed members in their spare time instead of institutions with billions in resources.

Welcome back to the present.

You and I both know this scenario is improbable for so many reasons... But if I have a time machine powered by our imagination, I might as well use it.

In all seriousness, I would love to see the Church create something like Enhanced Correlation: open the vaults and develop easy-to-use AI-enabled study aids featuring the full spectrum of faithful and critical voices. Make them for all ages. If CES Commissioner Elder Clark G. Gilbert is listening—let's talk.

Since that’s unlikely to happen anytime soon, I invite anyone interested to experiment with AI study aids using Google NotebookLM or similar tools. My own AI-enabled notebooks will probably have a short shelf life. 

But like Luther's pamphlets and the printing press, my modest Study Faith With AI project shows how new technology can encourage critical thinking. The AI revolution is on our doorstep, and the Faith Crisis could get much worse. I can’t imagine my children growing up without encountering troubling information about the Church. It’s no wonder that so many BYU students leave the Church after graduation indicating that after they have taken advantage of all the Church has to offer, they want nothing to do with it because they don’t believe it’s true. 

The membership deserves the full story from the Church itself. Radical transparency can help end the faith crisis epidemic.

Yes, the Church has made some progress. New Gospel Topics Essays. Updated lesson plans. Pictures of seer stones in official materials. Last week I even saw a Primary coloring page of Joseph Smith looking into a hat. But it's time to go fully open with comprehensive, accessible AI study aids.

Done right, this would give members instant access to 200 years of LDS primary sources, academic scholarship, faithful criticism, and constructive critique. Imagine analyzing and comparing everything from Joseph Smith and Brigham Young to B.H. Roberts, Brian Hales, and every scholar and critic in between. Let people add their own sources to independently verify and cross-reference.

This is technically possible today. But it would require cooperation from Church History, Church Education, and the First Presidency. More importantly, it would demonstrate trust—trust that the Church has a strong foundation, that members value learning and critical thinking, and trust that members will stand by the Church despite its flaws.

I envision "Enhanced Correlation" keeping the core Church-approved message for basic instruction while making additional context and perspectives easily accessible for deeper study. Let's be honest—on any given Sunday, a subset of the ward is already on their phones fact-checking talks and lessons against external resources anyway.

By integrating Church-approved materials with what some call "anti-Mormon literature" and others call "factual history," the Church would show it has nothing to hide while better preparing members for our information age. 

I know it’s not that simple. The Brethren's hands are tied. Caught in a tangled mess of truth claims, historical records, and scholarly analysis in which pulling one thread can ruin the entire tapestry.

Open up about the scholarly textual analysis of the Book of Mormon comparing verses to the Deutero-Isaiah and Adam Clarke’s Bible Commentary - watch the historicity of the Book of Mormon fall apart along with the testimonies of millions of members. 

Share complete evidence from Joseph Smith’s First Counselors and plural wives about his polygamy - watch members demand D&C 132 be removed from the canon and the doctrine of temple sealings, eternal families, and exaltation take a nose dive. 

Ok, enough of this fantasy. I don’t expect much will change. 

And, the reality for Brother Buzz, and those like me, is that we must find our way out of our faith crisis ourselves.

So, where does Brother Buzz stand today? Is he going to keep going to Church? Walk away? Resign? Will the Church excommunicate him? 

Good questions. But first, let me ask you something. Why does my situation matter so much to you? 

I chose the name Brother Buzz to represent thousands suffering through their faith crisis in silence. I could be your brother, your cousin, or even your bishop. If you're an active Latter-day Saint, someone close to you is probably having doubts, and their path forward is just as uncertain as mine.

Perhaps you thought of someone specifically - just now. If you did, will you please check in with them? Not to probe or reconvert them. Just be there. Listen. Love them. Show kindness whether they stay, leave, resign, or face excommunication.

My path is mine alone. I'll always be Mormon—that identity runs too deep to fully abandon. But my faith going forward is centered on love, forgiveness, and service. Jesus Christ, Buddha, Mohammed, Yahweh... they all point to the same fundamental truth: the two great commandments that transcend any single institution. Love God and love your fellow men. Do unto others what you would have others do unto you.

I still go to Church now and then, but my relationship with it could never be what it once was. The Church was like an abusive parent—it made me who I am, shaped my path from birth, wired my brain, my heart, my hopes, my dreams. Everything I did was with an eye single to the glory of God. And despite its betrayal of trust, despite its faults, it will always be part of me.

I love the Church. I forgive it. And I want what's best for it. But I refuse to let its limitations define the boundaries of my faith. My spirituality has grown beyond any single building, any single prophet, any single interpretation of divine truth. The love remains. The service continues. The forgiveness flows both ways. But the path—the path is mine.

While creating this final episode, I found an unexpected role model in Martin Luther. What strikes me about Luther is his courage—he didn't want to destroy the Church, but reform it. He saw an institution controlling information while ignoring widespread suffering. So he studied ancient texts in their original languages instead of relying solely on official papal interpretations. He thought critically, challenged dogma, and harnessed new technology: the printing press.

Five hundred years later, I find myself in a remarkably similar position. Where Luther had pamphlets, I have podcasts. Where he used the printing press, I used Google NotebookLM. Both of us spreading ideas and encouraging critical thinking within our faith communities. But I doubt this will go viral. 

Like Luther, I expect consequences for this work. I'm moved by his words before the archbishop at the Diet of Worms in 1521: "I cannot and will not recant anything, since it's neither safe nor right to go against conscience. Here I stand. I can do no other."

That's where I am—standing with my conscience.

Because someday my son might discover troubling information about the Church and ask: "Dad, what did you know? When did you know it? And what did you do about it?"

I want to look him in the eye and say I stood for truth.

You know what? It's finally time to see how that conversation plays out. 

After many sleepless nights and nine months of planning, researching, studying, making podcasts, and reflecting, I'm finally ready.

Let's hop back into our time machine one more time and face that future moment I've been dreading. The moment when my son's blue eyes reflect the same hurt I saw outside that cardboard box so many years before.

Our destination: That critical conversation I can't avoid forever. Sometime in the future. 

5, 4, 3, 2 1 . . . Woah! Whoah! Whoa!

There we are. My son—taller now—pulls me aside at a family gathering. His eyes carry that same questioning hurt I remember from long ago. He stammers for the right words, then asks:

Dad, what did you know?

I take a deep breath and look him straight in the eye.

Son, I was all in as much as anyone could be. I believed everything for so long, from Palmyra to Kolob. My siblings and I were the only Mormons in my school. We had to be strong. I worked for years as a teenager and paid for my mission myself. I worked my tail off as a missionary and was called a Pharisee for being so zealous and obedient. I married your mother in the temple and set out to raise my family just how I was raised. 

I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Church was true. 

But in the back of my mind, I knew there were troubling issues on the outskirts: seer stones, polygamy, the Priesthood, the temple, Joseph’s death. But I didn’t dwell on them long enough to feel their weight on my shelf. 

I knew these were dangerous thoughts in our community. I knew that questioning meant risking everything.

But as I got older and saw you grow, I also knew that living in the Church did not bring the fullness of joy that I thought it would. And so eventually, I got to the point where I could ask: “Do I want to know if the Church is NOT true?” And that’s when my research began.

Dad, when did you know it?

The concerns came in waves, each one harder to ignore than the last. From my worries about the penalties of the Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood, to my desire for more Christ-focused meetings, to my realization of how peaceful Sundays could be at home during COVID without institutional pressure. 

But the tipping point came when I couldn't ignore the outcomes anymore. Watching young men I'd mentored struggle with some take their own lives, observing the pain in families when children chose different paths—I realized the system I was perpetuating wasn't producing the happiness it promised. Then I asked, was it adding to my joy? 

The shelf finally collapsed when I was the piano in primary - my dream calling. How could I lead you, guide you, walk beside you, help you find the way - on a path that I no longer trusted myself. 

My love for you and your siblings motivated me to dig deeper than I ever dared. Knowing that in this information age, you’d probably stumble upon things and dig deep yourself soon enough. 

Dad, what did you do about it?

"I did what I hope you'll always do. I followed my conscience, even when it was difficult.

"I developed a 360-degree view of Church history and doctrine. No source was off-limits—I'd be the judge of accuracy and credibility. It took a while, and it wasn't fun. But my whole perspective shifted.

"I also knew I wasn't alone in my questions and struggles. Others could use help, but help was hard to find back then. So when I began using AI tools to deconstruct my faith and rebuild my life, I decided to act like a bridge builder—make it available for others who might come this way. Study Faith With AI became my way of helping. I hope it's helped someone."

As I began digging deep, I told your mother about my doubts and that I now wanted to get a full picture about the Church. She said she trusted me. Which helped. But as I began to share specific troubling facts about our faith, she made it clear at that time she wanted nothing to do with it. I respected that. From there, I was on my own. 

"Then I told you what I learned, age-appropriately, when you started asking your own questions. I hope you know I trust you. You are smart enough to handle complexity, strong enough to navigate uncertainty, and capable of making your own informed decisions about faith. 

Son, if you want to be a Latter-Day Saint, I’ve got your back. It’s your heritage. It’s there if you choose it. It’s a good path, and I’ve walked it many miles. 

But remember three things: even prophets walk by faith, not by sight. Thinking Celestial is just that. And always pray with your eyes open. 

I pause, watching his face carefully.

I know I’ve made mistakes. Sometimes I wish I had a time machine so I could go back and fix them. Please forgive me for the pain I’ve caused you, mom, and the family. 

I love you. 

He nods slowly, and I see something I didn't expect—relief. Not the hurt I feared, but gratitude that he doesn't have to figure this out alone.

"Thanks, Dad. That's what I needed to hear."

That's the conversation I needed to prepare for - even though it may never happen. These are answers I can live with. 

What a journey!

Our cardboard time machine has taken us through centuries - from Luther's Wittenberg to a fanciful future at Church, and finally to this moment between me and my son.

The glow-in-the-dark controls are fading, but there’s enough charge in the flux capacity to zap us back to the present. That’s where the real work begins.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1 . . . Woah, Woah, Woah!

Welcome back to today.

Here. Now. The present. 

With the present being so important, why do I spend so much effort focusing on the past and my children’s future?

Well, as the author William Faulkner said. “The past is never dead. It's not even past.”

Joseph Smith’s decision to publish the Book of Mormon, my 7th great-grandmother Lovisa Roundy’s decision to follow Brigham Young to Utah, and Wilford Woodruff’s decision to end polygamy - even though I wasn’t there, each has profoundly shaped my beliefs, actions, and who I have become.  

When your religion is wrapped up in history and evolving doctrine, the past, present, and future intertwine even more tightly. As you follow the threads, you discover a tangled web that connects to every aspect of your life. 

Today, I see the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints doing all it can to protect members from their own past by fighting battles that it cannot win against people of conscience and information technologies it cannot control.

To religious leaders everywhere. Your people are intelligent. They can handle complexity, wrestle with nuance, and make informed spiritual choices. Trust them. The age of information control is ending whether you like it or not. You can either trust your community with truth, or watch them find it elsewhere.

To everyone seeking truth—in any tradition, facing any questions: Don't be afraid to dig deep. Don't let anyone tell you that certain sources are off-limits or that your doubts diminish your worthiness. Use every tool available, including AI, to understand your beliefs more fully.

And remember. Questions aren't the enemy of faith—they're often where deeper faith begins.

The questions continue. The search goes on. And that's exactly as it should be.

This Study Faith With AI project grew from my own faith struggles. Creating these podcasts helped me navigate one of the most challenging periods of my life, and I hope they can do the same for you.

I've been amazed by Google NotebookLM. It's a game-changer that I recommend to every listener. You can access all my notebooks for free, share them with others, or create your own using the sources I provide in my Google Sheet. This is what I wish I'd had when my faith crisis began.

The meat of this project are the audio overviews. If you haven’t yet, please listen to my podcasts. Each 20 min episode systematically covers all the key details of my key questions from Joseph Smith’s First Vision to President Nelson’s recent actions. I recommend starting with Season 1: Truth, then working through each season in order. Each episode builds on the previous one, giving you sources, perspectives, and—most importantly—the freedom to reach your own conclusions.

Before I go, a huge thank you to all the organizations and individuals that shared materials that became sources for my research. Thank you LDS.org, The Joseph Smith Papers, FAIR LDS, BYU Religious Studies Center, Dialogue, Sunstone, RFM, Mormon Discussions, MormonThink, MormonStories, Mormon Research Ministry, Year of Polygamy, By Common Consent, Gospel Tangents, Scripture Central, and many more. 

A special thank you to the pioneering apostates who sought truth, followed their conscience, and enabled critical thinking while holding powerful organizations to a higher standard. This includes Martin Luther, William Tyndale, John Wycliff, and other Protestant Reformers. Among Latter-day Saints, this includes: Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, William Law, Sarah Pratt, The September Six, David Wright, Sonia Johnson, John Dehlin, Kate Kelly, Jerald and Sandra Tanner, Jeremy Runnels, Nemo the Mormon, Bill Reel, Brent Metcalfe, and Sam Young. And one more controversial apostate whose example I've promised to follow—Jesus Christ himself.

Each of you has inspired me, in my own little way, to ask tough questions, consider all arguments and data, and put resources in others' hands—even when it puts a target on my back.

And a very special thank you my friend and Editor - you know who you are. I truly appreciate you for listening to drafts, offering suggestions, and being part of this journey when no one else would.

It means a lot. 

Well that’s it. 

Our time machine stops here. I’m excited to wrap this up and live fully in the present. 

I’m Brother Buzz and this concludes Study Faith With AI. 

But your journey toward truth?

That's just beginning.