"Who is Jesus" is a VERY important question, and we dive right into that during this conversation. Is Jesus God? Did he die and resurrect? Plus, is the Bible reliable? A Christian and a Muslim weigh in on their viewpoints. (NOTE: We mention the "Mineret Foundation, which since the time this podcast was recorded, has changed its name to "Bridges".)

Why is it offensive to show a picture of Muhammad? Do Muslims know with certainty if they will make it to heaven? What was it like to be a Muslim in America after 9/11? Shariq was an open book to discuss all of this and more, in part one of this conversation. This kicks off the Islam series, as we explore this viewpoint all while using the Bible as our guide to truth. 

I got to talk to Brandi Bronson, who is the author of "The Journey to Jesus: Finding Christ After Leaving Mormonism". She shares her story about growing up in the LDS church, and explains the moment she realized that the church wasn't true. She eventually found the Jesus of the Bible. Brandi also answers my "outsider" questions about coffee/caffeine and whether the LDS church really taught that you could be a god of your own planet. (NOTE: We used some terms you might not be familiar with if you didn't grow up in the church. I've got a list of some terms and definitions below in case you need it). 

Seminary: A religious education program for high school students in the LDS church.

General Conference: Worldwide gathering of LDS members twice a year to hear from leaders.

Restoration: The LDS belief of the modern-day return to the original gospel. They believe the gospel became corrupted and Joseph Smith restored it.

Standard Work: The 4 LDS scriptures, which include the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Pearl of Great Price, and Doctrine and Covenants.

The Prophet: The LDS church leader. He is the one that speaks on behalf of God to the LDS church.

Bishop: local/congregation level leader in LDS church. The position is unpaid.

Priesthood: The LDS belief of a received “power and authority” of God. African American members weren’t allowed to receive it until 1978.

Celestial Kingdom: The top level of heaven. The only place where God the Father dwells in LDS theology.

Brigham Young: the 2nd president/prophet of the LDS church, after Joseph Smith. Young led the church on the trek from Illinois to Utah in 1847.

Kinderhook Plates: In 1843, men engraved symbols on plates and buried them. They then tricked Jospeh Smith to have him translate, as they said they had found ancient records.

Priesthood Keys: The rights of presidency, or the power God gives to the prophet to govern and direct the LDS church.

CES Letter: A document that lists problematic challenges to foundational truth claims of the church.

Sons of Perdition: Those not worthy enough to dwell in any of the 3 kingdoms of LDS theology.

Telestial Kingdom: The lowest level of heaven, or “kingdom of glory”. This is where the Spirit will visit, but none in this kingdom will see Jesus or Heavenly Father.

Pre-Existence/First Estate: The LDS belief that all people lived in God’s presence before this life as His literal spirit children.

In the final Mormonism study guide episode, we cover one of the biggest mysteries of the LDS faith: why Latter-Day Saints can't have coffee or tea. While this isn't the most divisive issue between members of the LDS faith and Christians, it does lead to man made commandments rather than the freedom that scripture gives. 

In my conversation to Mormon missionaries, I pointed out the biggest thing we disagree on: grace. Is grace fully a gift, or is there some measure of my own effort/self worthiness that is a factor in spending eternity in the presence of God? We dig in this week.

Many find The Book of Mormon lacks historical evidence, specifically archeological evidence. While we discuss that a little bit, we mainly cover the principle of "blind faith". Is faith something that comes in spite of evidence, or should it be in line with it?

One of the main things people hear about the LDS church is that they believe they'll become gods and have their own planets. So is this a total lie, totally true, or somewhere in between? This language has softened quite a bit in the church over the last few decades, but as Bradley Campbell from God Loves Mormons breaks it down, he still finds this to be "the most substantial disagreement between Latter-Day Saints and Christians".

If someone says "I am saved by grace", both evangelicals and Latter-Day Saints would agree. So what gives? It comes down to the definitions on phrases like "eternal life". Do Latter-Day Saints believe Christ's atonement was enough to be "saved"? Yes. But was it enough for "eternal life", or "eternity in the presence of God"? No. We explain.

Sacred, or secret? That's the question that Latter-Day Saints answer a lot when it comes to the mystery of their temples. They are ornate and beautiful, but how does a member get allowed inside? And what do they do in a temple after they receive permission to go? And most importantly: is this something that the Bible teaches? Bradley Campbell from God Loves Mormons breaks it down!

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints values grace, wholeheartedly teaching the atonement of Jesus. But is that in and of itself what "qualifies" someone to spend eternity in the presence of God according to their theology? This week Bradley Campbell from God Loves Mormons discusses the other works/laws/ordinances that one must follow in the LDS church to be able to spend eternity at the highest level, and what the Bible has to say on this topic.