Shows
Pop Culture on the Apricot TreeEp 53 - Y'all Need Jesus (and so does The Good Place)We are joined by Adam and Jacob as we dive into 'The Good Place,' discussing its take on moral philosophy, the point system, and progression after death. We explore how Mormon ideas of eternal progression and charity intersect with the show's portrayal of the afterlife. It's a fun mix of pop culture analysis and deep theological insights!Show Notes: https://www.popcultureapricottree.com/post/thegoodplaceAudio mastering by Carl CranneyAssociate Links: Links to products may be associate links, which means a small part of your purchase goes...
2025-09-041h 02
Pop Culture on the Apricot TreeEp 52 - Short: The Wild RobotWe discuss a great children's movie all about parenting.Show Notes: https://www.popcultureapricottree.com/post/wildrobotAudio mastering by Carl CranneyAssociate Links: Links to products may be associate links, which means a small part of your purchase goes to Pop Culture on the Apricot Tree. We appreciate your support.
2025-08-2321 min
Evidences Archives | FAIRHebrew Poetry and the Book of Mormon
Zachary Wright interviews Dr. Carl J. Cranney about his paper “The Deliberate Use of Hebrew Parallelisms in the Book of Mormon” available at https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jbms/vol23/iss1/8/
There has been much said about chiasmus in the Book of Mormon. However, there are 27 other types of Hebrew poetry, which make a much stronger argument for it’s ancient authenticity. These poetic forms appear in specific genres (sermons and narratives) and are absent in others (proclamations and letters). This is exactly the pattern we would expect and shows an intentionality to the poetry that hasn’t...
2025-05-2240 min
Latter-day Saint FAIR-CastHebrew Poetry and the Book of Mormon
Zachary Wright interviews Dr. Carl J. Cranney about his paper “The Deliberate Use of Hebrew Parallelisms in the Book of Mormon” available at https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jbms/vol23/iss1/8/
There has been much said about chiasmus in the Book of Mormon. However, there are 27 other types of Hebrew poetry, which make a much stronger argument for it’s ancient authenticity. These poetic forms appear in specific genres (sermons and narratives) and are absent in others (proclamations and letters). This is exactly the pattern we would expect and shows an intentionality to the poetry that hasn’t...
2025-05-2240 minBook of Mormon Archives | FAIRHebrew Poetry and the Book of Mormon
Zachary Wright interviews Dr. Carl J. Cranney about his paper “The Deliberate Use of Hebrew Parallelisms in the Book of Mormon” available at https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jbms/vol23/iss1/8/
There has been much said about chiasmus in the Book of Mormon. However, there are 27 other types of Hebrew poetry, which make a much stronger argument for it’s ancient authenticity. These poetic forms appear in specific genres (sermons and narratives) and are absent in others (proclamations and letters). This is exactly the pattern we would expect and shows an intentionality to the poetry that hasn’t...
2025-05-2240 minZachary Wright Archives | FAIRHebrew Poetry and the Book of Mormon
Zachary Wright interviews Dr. Carl J. Cranney about his paper “The Deliberate Use of Hebrew Parallelisms in the Book of Mormon” available at https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jbms/vol23/iss1/8/
There has been much said about chiasmus in the Book of Mormon. However, there are 27 other types of Hebrew poetry, which make a much stronger argument for it’s ancient authenticity. These poetic forms appear in specific genres (sermons and narratives) and are absent in others (proclamations and letters). This is exactly the pattern we would expect and shows an intentionality to the poetry that hasn’t...
2025-05-2240 min
Angels and Seerstones: A Latter Day Saint Folklore PodcastEpisode 25: LDS Star Wars Lore with Liz Busby and Carl CranneySend us a textToday's episode we have on Liz Busby and Carl Cranney from Pop Culture on the Apricot Tree to discuss legends of Spencer W. Kimball having inspired Yoda!
2024-11-1512 min
Pop Culture on the Apricot TreeEp 45 - Inside Out 2: Anxiety and AgencyJoin us as we dive into Pixar's Inside Out 2, discussing the new emotions, Riley's evolving sense of self, and how the movie aligns with and challenges LDS perspectives on agency and personal growth. Guests CD Cunningham and Lauren Cassidy help us analyze this summer's hit family movie.
Show Notes: https://www.popcultureapricottree.com/post/insideout2
Audio mastering by Carl Cranney
Associate Links: Links to products may be associate links, which means a small part of your purchase goes to Pop Culture on the Apricot Tree. We appreciate your support.
2024-09-2653 min
Pop Culture on the Apricot TreeEp 41 - Pride and Prejudice: Agency Under ConstraintsDo Latter-day Saints have a particular affinity for Pride and Prejudice? Maybe so, maybe not, but we're on the case to find out! Guest Katherine Cowley, author of The Secret Life of Miss Mary Bennet, joins us in discussing various imaginative adaptations of Pride and Prejudice. From Pakistan to spy dramas to crossovers with Mormon culture, explore the diverse and captivating spins on this Jane Austen classic. Discover why this story keeps pulling us in time after time.
Show Notes: https://www.popcultureapricottree.com/post/prideandprejudice
Audio mastering by Carl Cranney & Liz Busby
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2024-03-2858 min
Face in Hat6.6 Women and Priesthood, Part 2Credit, authority, the danger of hierarchies, and how Jewish whiskey relates to fiction, equity, and legislation. Join us in our second of a multipart series on women and the priesthood.
Link to our Face in Hat discord server!
https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh
YouTube channel! Thanks Eric!
https://www.youtube.com/@FaceinHat
https://www.youtube.com/@FaceinHat/playlists
Dialogue Podcast Network
https://www.dialoguejournal.com/podcasts/
A Society Meet For Male Priesthood, by Fiona Givens
https://web.archive.org/web/20140223100456/https://difficultrun.na...
2024-03-2357 min
Pop Culture on the Apricot TreeEp 39 - Indiana Jones, Lapsed Latter-day Saint?Grab your hats and archeology tools; it's time to go on an adventure! Guests Matt Bowman and Megan Harris help us unpack the intriguing LDS undertones in the Indiana Jones saga, discuss the clash of science and theology within the series, and evaluate the symbolism behind the famous relics. Don't miss out on these captivating insights – it may permanently alter your view of this iconic series!
Show Notes: https://www.popcultureapricottree.com/post/indianajones
Audio mastering by Carl Cranney
2024-02-081h 00
Pop Culture on the Apricot TreeEp 37 - Nightmare Before Christmas: Holiday EcumenismDive into the realm where spiritual introspection meets lighthearted animation. Join Liz Busby, Carl Cranney, and our guest Christian Swenson as we decode the deep religious symbolism in The Nightmare Before Christmas. This isn't just about Jack Skellington's shenanigans--we're unearthing the profound spiritual lessons wrapped in this Halloween-Christmas mashup. We're exploring how this seemingly chaotic takeover reflects our struggle and ultimate reconciliation with faith and divine grace. Buckle up for an unconventional look at faith through the lens of this stop motion holiday mashup!
Show Notes: https://www.popcultureapricottree.com/post/nightmarebeforechristmas
Video editing by Liz Busby; Audio mastering...
2023-12-141h 01
Pop Culture on the Apricot TreeEp 36 - AI in the MoviesEver wonder how AI is shaping the world around us? Join us on our latest episode as we delve into the societal and ethical implications of AI with guests Nathaniel Givens and Jeffrey Thayne. We discuss the representation of AI in popular culture, how it has evolved over time, the potential dangers of AI, and the importance of human discernment and connection in an increasingly digital world. P.S. Stick around until the end for our AI co-host!
Show Notes: https://www.popcultureapricottree.com/post/ai-in-the-movies
Video editing by Liz Busby; Audio mastering by Carl Cranney
2023-11-091h 13
Pop Culture on the Apricot TreeEp 35 - Mrs. Harris: A Love Your Neighbor FilmWho knew that high fashion could teach us how to treat each other? Kjerste Christensen joins us to chat about the charming movie Mrs Harris Goes to Paris. We discuss the lack of a traditional happy ending, the final judgement, French philosophy, and the quiet impact of those who daily do their duty.
Apologies about the video and audio difficulties on this episode. We had a bit of internet trouble, but the final product is still very listenable!
Show Notes: https://www.popcultureapricottree.com/post/mrsharris
Video editing by Liz Busby; Audio mastering...
2023-10-1953 min
Pop Culture on the Apricot TreeEp 34 - Strange New Worlds s2: Moral Storytelling and Strange New GimmicksJeffrey Thayne and Mike Barnhill join our intrepid crew for this episode. Our continuing mission? To dissect the moral universe of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and ask again why Mormons love Star Trek so much. Klingon boy bands, war criminals, time travel, and more!
Show Notes: https://www.popcultureapricottree.com/post/strangenewworldss2
Video editing by Liz Busby; Audio mastering by Carl Cranney
Associate Links: Links to products may be associate links, which means a small part of your purchase goes to Pop Culture on the Apricot Tree. We appreciate your support.
2023-09-281h 05
Pop Culture on the Apricot TreeEp 33 - Barbie: Neither Matriarchy or Patriarchy is SufficientHi Barbie! It's time for our discussion of all things pink and all things ... Ken? Meagan Kohler and Suzanne Tanner join us to talk about feminism and the feminine, matriarchy and patriarchy, and individualism versus relationships.
Show Notes: https://www.popcultureapricottree.com/post/barbie
Video editing by Liz Busby; Audio mastering by Carl Cranney
Associate Links: Links to products may be associate links, which means a small part of your purchase goes to Pop Culture on the Apricot Tree. We appreciate your support.
2023-09-141h 13
Pop Culture on the Apricot TreeEp 31 - Les Misérables: The Triumph of Mercy Over Vocal Trauma
Can the message of a work triumph over poor artistic execution and a lack of understanding of genre? Jim Bennett and Joseph Addington join us to discuss this less-than-successful film version of the classic musical, which is itself an adaptation of Victor Hugo's classic work. Jim tells us about the pull this musical has on the Utah theater community and Joseph shares his love of the novel's classic spiritual journey. In the end, we find a few things to love about the film version in spite of its much criticized live singing style.
Show Notes: https://www.popcultureapricottree.com...
2023-06-291h 08
Pop Culture on the Apricot TreeEp 28 - Mothers in the MediaIn this episode, we delve into the many ways mothers are portrayed in the pop culture. Our guests Carol Rice and Tiffany Hales help us explore the complexity and variety of moms in television, from Tami Taylor in Friday Night Lights, juggling motherhood with her career as a principal, to Marge Simpson's tireless commitment to her family's well-being. Of course, non-biological mother figures like Kala from Tarzan and Leanne Tuohy from The Blindside show that the strengths of motherhood transcend genetic relationship.From Regina's infamous 'cool mom' to the powerhouse Mrs. Incredible, negative maternal figures like Mother Gothel to...
2023-05-111h 03
Pop Culture on the Apricot TreeEp 27 - Keep Your (Covenant) Oath: Latter-day Saints on D&D Honor Among ThievesDungeons and Dragons is a popular hobby among Latter-day Saints, so we rounded up some dungeon masters for this episode. Shannon Oler and Parker Sappington join us to discuss D&D: Honor Among Thieves, the new movie starring Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez. This fantasy adventure comedy has us asking how similar are paladin oaths to temple covenants. We also talk about how D&D can be used to build empathy and community among people. And of course, the chubby dragon makes an appearance!
Show Notes: https://www.popcultureapricottree.com/post/honoramongthieves
Video editing by Liz Busby; Audio mastering...
2023-04-271h 14
Pop Culture on the Apricot TreeEp 26 - Where the Crawdads Sing: Wading Through the Marshes of #metooJoin us as we get our feet wet in the North Carolina marshes to discuss this adaptation of the popular novel. Guests Jamie Lewis Holt and Shelby Thayne help us discuss how we might use Kya's experiences with Tate and Chase to talk about warning signs of dating violence with our teenagers and young adults. Is Kya justified in seeking justice outside the system when there's little hope it will protect her? Plus Jamie turns our rating system into a hilarious extended analogy that you won't want to miss.
Show Notes: https://www.popcultureapricottree...
2023-04-131h 00
Radical CivilityLatter-day Saints and White Christian NationalismI sit down with Carl Cranney and Christopher Cunningham to talk about white christian nationalism, which is making the rounds in the news. We discuss what the Latter-day Saint response should be to the phenomenon, and how we're really doing on things. We also talk about two recent articles, one by Christopher in Public Square Magazine, and another by Dr. Taylor Petrey in The Salt Lake Tribune.
2023-03-301h 19
Pop Culture on the Apricot TreeEp 25 - The Whale: To Live A Celestial Life, Sometimes You Have to Stare Into the Abyss
Can you atone for years of hurt after a major breach of trust by asking forgiveness? And are people inherently awful to each other or are they unable to help caring for each other? We welcome Glen Nelson of the Center for Latter-day Saint Arts and David Sandhu onto the podcast to discuss The Whale, Darren Aronofsky's latest film. Watch Carl's perspective change over the course of the episode as we discuss compassion and what obligations we have to care for those with self-destructive behaviors.
Show Notes: https://www.popcultureapricottree.com/post/thewhale
Video editing...
2023-03-301h 06
Pop Culture on the Apricot TreeEp 24 - Arrival: In Heaven We Will All Speak HeptapodDo we understand God as clearly as we think, or do we have to fight through as many difficulties as Louise does when conversing with the heptapods in the film Arrival? Our guests Paul Williams and Michael Davenport have a lot to say about this and other questions. We delve into Louise as a type of Eve and nature of her choice to bring a child into the world in spite of certain death, including meditating on our own fallen mortality. Join us for this special one-year anniversary episode of the podcast!
Show Notes: https://www.popcultureapricottree...
2023-03-1656 min
Pop Culture on the Apricot TreeEp 23 - Dueling PinocchiosTwo Pinocchio films, one clear winner? Come compare these two 2022 adaptations of the classic story as we discover that you can buy anything in this world with money except good CGI effects. Our guests Adam Stokes and Rachel Helps get us into some deep discussions about the Mormon doctrine of the resurrection and the materiality of the spirit. And we look at how the two films portray the obligations of parenting in very different lights and what they have to say about the relational nature of the atonement. In the end, both films give us a very moral worldview...
2023-03-0259 minRadical CivilityBlack Mirror: Hated in the Nation #deathtosocialmedia"I sit down with Carl Cranney and Liz Busby from Pop Culture on the Apricot Tree in this (ambitious!) crossover episode to discuss an episode of Netflix's dystopian technology show Black Mirror. We had a blast talking through the Black Mirror episode "Hated in the Nation." The discussion focuses on social media, and how it encourages bad behavior. We also talk about how we can resist the pull of cruelty and the "epistemology of hell" that drives the attention economy."
2023-02-261h 07
Pop Culture on the Apricot TreeEp 22 - (Re)Tell Me the Stories of Jesus: Mormon Perspectives on the ChosenIn this episode, we dive into everyone's favorite show starring Jesus, The Chosen. With guests Dallin Crump and poet Merrijane Rice, we give a Latter-day Saint perspective on the multi-season New Testament adaptation phenomenon. What does Drew Barrymore's Cinderella adaptation Ever After have to do with The Chosen? What scenes were the most moving to us as Latter-day Saints? What's it like to produce creative work based on scripture? And how do Mormons feel about the evangelical controversy about LDS doctrine supposedly sneaking into the show?
Show Notes: https://www.popcultureapricottree.com/post/thechosen
Video e...
2023-02-161h 13
Pop Culture on the Apricot TreeEp 15 - Top Gun Maverick: Fast Planes, Amazing Cameras, and Heroic MasculinitySure, Top Gun Maverick is a near perfect summer blockbuster, but what moral lessons can we draw from it? We talk about the difficulty of forgiveness, the nature of teamwork, and Ben Pacini returns to sell us on heroic masculinity. We also get a glimpse behind the scenes from Brad Wilson of Keslow Camera, who provided the specialized gear to shoot the fighter jet footage in the film.
Show Notes: https://www.popcultureapricottree.com/post/top-gun-maverick
Video editing by Liz Busby; Audio mastering by Carl Cranney
Associate Links: Links to products may be ass...
2022-10-131h 08
Pop Culture on the Apricot TreeEp 11 - Stranger Things 4: Elevated Horror and Perfect Mormon RepresentationYou might have guessed from the title, but we loved Stranger Things season 4. Not only did we get a nearly perfect representation of the reality of a large LDS family, but the show gave us some things to think about. Not that it was perfect: we talk about how many Latter-day Saints were hesitant to watch with the increased horror level, and the morality of horror as a genre in general. It's one of our longest episodes, but we promise the conversation will be worth your time.
Our Ratings:
Content: Telestial (but progressing)
A...
2022-08-181h 12
Pop Culture on the Apricot TreeEp 6 - Star Trek: Therapy (Discovery, Season 4)We discuss the most recent season of Paramount+'s new Star Trek flagship show, Discovery. Though several of us have fond memories of watching Star Trek with our families growing up, this new show doesn't quite reach those same heights. Even if an improvement over the first seasons, the show still struggles with balancing all of its characters and seems to lack diversity of thought among its crew. Especially aggravating to all of us was the frequent need for every major character (including the ship's new A.I.!) to have a therapy session in the middle of a tense...
2022-04-281h 25
Pop Culture on the Apricot TreeEp 4 - Turning Red: Crouching Tiger Mom, Twerking PandaPixar's 2022 coming-of-age film Turning Red has proved controversial, to say the least. It's a step away from the studio's usual all-ages content, but is it appropriate for your LDS family? We examine what the film says about parenting teenagers and how to have a good relationship with kids, along with the movie's questionable attempts to be sex-positive.
Our Ratings:
Content: Telestial
Artistic Merit: 3.5 popcorn balls
Gospel Connections: 2 apricots
Best Books:
Liz - Beyond the Mapped Stars by Rosalyn Eves - https://amzn.to/3wpexw9
Carl - Star Trek: Prodigy - htt...
2022-03-2455 min
Pop Culture on the Apricot TreeEp 3 - Noah: Interesting Interpretation or Stretching Scripture?Did rock monsters really help Noah build the ark? How about Methuselah wielding the flaming sword? We discuss the 2014 film Noah, the many extra Biblical sources it draws upon, and whether the movie is a failure of scriptural storytelling or an interesting interpretation that makes us think. (Spoilers: a little bit of both.) Apologies to Ivan, whose video was somehow corrupted and gummed up the editing works, but we hope you enjoy his animated replacement.
Our Ratings:
Content: Celestial- or Terrestrial+
Artistic Merit: 5 popcorn balls
Gospel Connections: 4 apricots
2022-03-1044 min
Pop Culture on the Apricot TreeEp. 2 - The Wheel of Time: Taking Fantasy Religion SeriouslyIn this episode, we discuss the first season of Amazon's Wheel of Time series, including some narrative missteps in the show, the thread of pacifism versus fighting evil, and how the series treats the religious beliefs of its characters. We also talk about how some LDS viewers may be turned off by the nudity, casual relationships, and homosexuality in the series and how we grapple with this content as viewers.
Our Ratings:
Content: Terrestrial
Artistic Merit: 3 popcorn balls
Gospel Connections: 3 apricots
Best Books:
Liz - Rejigge...
2022-03-0200 min
Pop Culture on the Apricot TreeEp 1 - Encanto: We Don't Talk About Expressive IndividualismWe open our podcast with an episode on Disney's 2021 family musical, Encanto. And we actually mostly don't talk about Bruno. Listen for our thoughts about the portrayal of families in film, psychology and trauma, and whether this film has too much expressive individualism.
Our Ratings:
Content: Celestial
Artistic Merit: 4 Popcorn Balls
Gospel Connections: 4 Apricots
Best Books:
Liz - Irreversible Things by Lisa Van Orman Hadley (novelized memoir) - https://amzn.to/3FKLnZt
Daniel - It Takes Two (video game) - https://amzn.to/3FFVgaB
Nathan - The Brehon Laws co...
2022-03-0249 min