Hello, hello, hello ladies and gents, my name is Kirby Kelly and welcome to this week's

episode of the Bot and Beloved podcast. In case you don't know who I am, hi, hello, as I said, I'm Kirby Kelly, also known as Kirby is a boss on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, as well as Kirby is a streamer on Twitch, if you love video games and Jesus and all that good stuff and just good community, go check me out Mondays and Thursdays 5 p.m. CST to about 7 p.m. CST. But I'm so glad that you are tuning in today. I really hope that this episode specifically

just encourages you in the faith as I answer your questions. That's exactly what the title of this episode is all about. If you ever see AYQ, that just means answering your questions. And that's basically a little segment that I started here on my podcast because I have an email bot and beloved at gmail.com all spelled out where people are invited to send in their questions. Maybe there's a scripture you want me to talk about or maybe you're going to

going through an issue in life and you just need Biblical wisdom and counsel and you want to know what the Bible has to say about certain things or maybe you just need encouragement from a fellow believer. That's what that email is for. It really helps me to know kind of what it is that y'all are going through the questions you have in life and where you need to be equipped and encouraged. And so I have these specific episodes, the AYQ episodes where I can just hit a few questions all in one episode because I do get so many submissions.

And I love it and I encourage you to keep reaching out to me with your submissions and your questions. And in this week's episode, as you can probably tell by the title, we're going to be talking about, you know, other religions, evangelism tactics and losing friends because of your faith.

So we were just going to start with our first question, which was sent in by Chloe from California or Chloe. And this is what she wrote me. She said, hi, Kirby. My name is Chloe. I'm 17 years old. I grew up in Southern California and was raised Christian. My parents and I attend every Sunday or attend church every Sunday. And I had a wonderful support system of believers. I had this strong faith from a young age in God. I loved reading his word and I found Bible stories to be fascinating.

When I was 11 years old, my family and I had to move to Northern Utah for my dad's job. Ever since this move, my faith has never been the same. Utah is known for its predominant Mormon culture. I'm surrounded by a church that is very different from what I've always known. I feel alone and isolated.

All my friends and people I know are of the LDS faith. For the first time, I've questioned my own faith. Mormon seems so friendly and perfect and I just want to fit in. Many times, I've contemplated converting. But there's something that still tells me to hold on and try to come back to the faith that I always thought to be true.

I've listened to your podcast for a while now and I truly love what you have to share. I try to listen to podcasts and do different Bible studies. But I still can't shake this doubt that I experience. I guess what I'm asking for is advice. Maybe there's someone out there who feels the same way as I do.

I've always wondered why God has let other religions exist on earth. If Christianity is what is true, then why would he allow for people to say something different?

Sorry for the long story, but I hope this made some sense. If there's any advice you have, I would love to hear it. Or if you do a podcast on living in a world where there's different religious beliefs, that would be amazing.

Thank you so much, Chloe. Okay, amazing. Thank you so much for reaching out to me about this Chloe because this is a really valid question. I mean, you know, scripture talks about how God is a jealous God. He's a righteous God. He is a God who is worthy of all of humanity's worship.

So if he is God alone, creator of all things, worthy to be praised, why then would he allow for other people to worship other things?

Things that they deem God in quotations, but actually isn't God. I first want to address my listeners out there who might identify with the LDS sect or hold on to the Mormonism belief system.

I just want you to know before I even begin to debunk this question that I love you so much. I love you so much. I love everybody, but God has really put a special place in my heart for Mormons, but I do not believe that Mormonism and Christianity are the same.

I do not believe it and I know it's not the same. We do not believe the same theology. We do not believe in the same God or gods for that matter because they believe in multiple gods that you can become your own God. Therefore, gods.

I've done countless research on the LDS faith. I've written research papers over over the LDS faith, like what they believe to be true and how it vastly contrasts biblical truth.

I know that this might be surprising or shocking or feel weird to hear, but as you compare what Scripture says to what the Book of Mormon teaches alongside the other writings of Joseph Smith and their prophets, it is counter to biblical truth.

Therefore, it's not true when we analyze it from a biblical worldview. I'm coming at this not from a place of trying to bash the Mormon religion, but if we are talking about one salvation,

there is only one means to salvation and that is through Jesus Christ, but their views of Jesus Christ are different than the actual theological biblical Christian Christ.

But to get to the root of your question, Chloe, God has allowed for people to surmise their own religions and idols and counterfeit gods and religions because God has given humanity free will.

And therefore, a free will to choose what they will worship. We see this rebellion very early on in the Bible with other nations, rebelling against God, worshiping other spirits, worshiping the earth and nature, worshiping graven images and so on.

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