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Welcome back to the Latter Day Lens! This week, hosts Matt and Shawn are joined by Marc to tackle pressing questions at the intersection of faith, economics, and emerging technology.

We dive into the listener mailbag to explore the concept of Consecrationism—the idea that a perfect system requires people to willingly share their property and excess—and whether it represents a "third way" that addresses the moral failings of Socialism and Capitalism. The discussion heats up with personal anecdotes on political shifts and a look at Matt's recent Deseret News op-ed.

Then, we transition to the rapidly approaching reality of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). We analyze Matt's survey data on Latter-day Saint attitudes toward AI, defining the three major groups: the Silicon Saints, the Compartmentalizers, and the Spiritual Skeptics. We debate the spiritual litmus test: Is using AI for a talk or guidance a form of "lukewarm" seeking, or is it a valid tool for a divinely creative people?

Finally, we navigate two challenging ethical dilemmas:

1. Parental Loyalty vs. Justice: Should a father help his son evade police after a crime, or insist on accountability, particularly within a potentially flawed justice system?
2. Royal Justice: Did King Charles III stripping Prince Andrew of his titles represent a superior form of justice or merely an act of damage control and PR in the wake of the Epstein scandal?

This episode's key topics: Consecrationism, Capitalism vs. Socialism, Generous Capitalism, AI and Faith, AGI, Spiritual Skeptics, LDS Economics, Prince Andrew, Epstein Files, and the Ethics of Accountability.

Chapter Highlights (Jump to the Discussion!):

00:00 Introduction and Welcome
1:19 Mailbag: Consecrationism as the "Third Way"
2:27 The Ethics of Wealth and Charity (Billie Eilish)
3:00 Mark's Political Journey: From Marx to Capitalism
3:50 The Deseret News Op-Ed & Voting: To Vote or Not to Vote?
6:21 The Organized Intelligence Conference & LDS AI Survey
7:22 The Three Tribes: Silicon Saints, Compartmentalizers, & Spiritual Skeptics
8:16 The Litmus Test: Repenting to AI vs. Diligent Seeking
14:03 Elder Bednar, Creation, and the Danger of Passive Ingenuity
16:42 Justice Dilemma: The Ogden High School Shooting & Parental Loyalty
25:27 Royal PR vs. Real Justice: Prince Andrew & the Epstein Files
32:41 The AGI Utopia: Will AI Eliminate All Human Work?
37:25 The Downfall of Technology: From Telephones to AI Erotica

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In this conversation, Matt and Shawn explore various themes including sibling dynamics, communication styles, the ethics of gambling, cultural perspectives on Islamophobia, and the moral implications of socialism versus capitalism. They also discuss the role of justice and mercy in the legal system, particularly in relation to presidential pardons and political loyalty.

The Thought Provoker:

First this week, Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani delivered an emotional speech at a Bronx mosque, directly challenging what he called Islamophobic attacks, primarily from independent rival and former Governor Andrew Cuomo. Mamdani reacted strongly after Cuomo questioned his fitness to lead during a potential future "9/11," a comment that Mamdani claimed used veiled references to 9/11 and Islamic extremism. While Cuomo defended his remark by pointing to a past controversial comment by a Mamdani ally, Mamdani stressed that this language has made New York's Muslim population feel like outsiders. Cuomo later responded by accusing Mamdani of using a "dirty political trick" to divide the city. Should we be concerned about Islamophobia in the United States?

Next up. A new poll shows that more than half of all Democrats have a positive view of socialism. Two-thirds of Republicans have a positive view of capitalism. Is one system morally superior to the other?

Finally. Record-setting mountain runner Michelino Sunseri was found guilty of a misdemeanor after spending just two minutes on a prohibited trail during his 2024 Grand Teton climb, where he set a new fastest known time (FKT). Sunseri, who had trained extensively, stated he left the switchback onto the restricted path, known as the Old Climber's Trail, to avoid casual hikers and possible injury, as he didn't want to yell for people to get out of his way while attempting the record. Is this an example of excessive government enforcement of the law?

The Big Question: Since taking office again, President Trump has granted clemency to over 1,600 people, including a blanket pardon for nearly all charged in the January 6th Capitol attack and various high-profile figures. These pardons often waived over $1.3 billion in victim restitution and fines and favored political loyalists, a pattern legal experts call unprecedented. Is President Trump's use of the pardon power morally wrong?

Chapters
00:00 Sibling Dynamics and Communication Styles
02:55 The Ethics of Gambling in Sports
05:47 Islamophobia and Religious Freedom
19:11 Debating Religious Doctrines and Their Implications
19:55 Religious Tolerance and Freedom
21:13 Socialism vs. Capitalism: Definitions and Perspectives
24:17 Moral Superiority: Capitalism vs. Socialism
29:09 The Impact of Economic Systems on Family Dynamics
33:19 Property Rights and Violence: A Philosophical Debate
39:42 The Principles of Socialism vs. Capitalism
43:36 Discretion in Law Enforcement
49:21 Pardons and Political Loyalty
55:24 Justice and Mercy in Politics

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In this episode, the Shawn, Levi & Matt discuss a range of topics including peaceful protests, the role of church leaders in political matters, the influence of the church on political views, and the concept of mobilization in revolutions. They also delve into the ethics of prediction markets, the nature of bribery in politics, and the intersection of science and spirituality, particularly focusing on the idea that all spirit is matter and the implications of dark matter in understanding connections between individuals.
The Thought Provoker:

First this week. Dallin H. Oaks was sustained as the new President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. At the time of his call to the Quorum of the Twelve in 1984 he was on the short list of people who might have been nominated to be on the US Supreme Court. Justice Griffith argues that the work he can do to bridge the political divide in the US right now is more important than anything he might have done on the US Supreme Court. Many church members think that President Oaks was called at this time to help heal political divides in the United States. Is that a myopic viewpoint?

Next up, In a recent episode, On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti explored serious problems with prediction markets. The biggest concern is that people can profit by making bad events happen. Since platforms avoid gambling laws, users have no protection when things go wrong. Given the harms these platforms cause, should governments create more laws to regulate their behavior?

Finally, Accusations have surfaced that Tom Homan, set to be a border czar, was given $50,000 cash by undercover F.B.I. agents in exchange for promises of government contracts if Donald Trump won the election. Though Mr. Homan denies illegal actions, the Trump administration reportedly shut down the F.B.I. investigation. Should the US Congress or the Justice Department open an investigation into the allegations?

The Big Question: Doctrine and Covenants 131:7–8. 7 There is no such thing as immaterial matter. All spirit is matter, but it is more fine or pure, and can only be discerned by purer eyes; 8 We cannot see it; but when our bodies are purified we shall see that it is all matter. Physicists generally agree that dark matter is an invisible and hypothetical form of matter that makes up about 27% of the universe's total mass-energy content, significantly outweighing the ordinary, visible matter (which is only about 5%).

Chapters
00:00 Protests and Pep Rallies: A Lighthearted Start
02:52 The Role of Church Leadership in Political Divides
05:51 Mobilization and Influence: The 3.5% Rule
08:37 Political Stances and Church Doctrine
11:39 The Power of Defining Political Issues
17:20 Name-Dropping and Intellectual Influence
18:44 The Importance of Acknowledging Sources
20:15 The Ethics of Prediction Markets
21:14 Federalism and Gambling Regulations
24:58 The Role of Business in Local Governance
27:51 Personal Experiences with Prediction Markets
30:44 The Influence of Information on Market