“I would be lying if I didn’t say I have a bias. I want my faith to be true. I want my faith to be right.”
What happens when someone who deeply believes in their religion is willing to examine its uncomfortable history? Can questioning your faith make it stronger? And how do we distinguish God’s voice from intuition, personal desires, or the influence of our upbringing?
In this conversation, Dani sits with Gospel Guardian, a creator and member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, commonly known as the Mormon Church.
Gospel Guardian shares how his parents’ divorce, time away from church, and a childhood prayer influenced his decision to continue practicing his faith. His story opens a larger conversation about religious conditioning, spiritual experiences, and what it means to make a belief your own.
Together, they explore Mormon beliefs, the historical ban on Black men holding the priesthood, Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and whether someone considered a prophet can make mistakes.
The conversation also moves beyond Mormonism into questions about suffering, love, forgiveness, the teachings of Jesus, and the difference between understanding someone’s beliefs and agreeing with them.
QUESTIONS TO SIT WITH
• How much of what you believe comes from personal experience, and how much was inherited from your upbringing?
• How can you distinguish hearing God’s voice from intuition or your own thoughts?
• Can someone acknowledge uncomfortable truths about their religion and still believe it is true?
• If a religious leader makes a harmful decision, how should that influence our understanding of the religion itself?
• Is suffering necessary for growth, or can we learn without experiencing certain hardships?
• Can you love someone without agreeing with their choices?
• What changes when we examine the historical and cultural context of biblical teachings rather than relying only on familiar interpretations?
• Are we approaching people with genuine questions, or are we looking for opportunities to defend what we already believe?
ABOUT THE GUEST
Gospel Guardian is a Christian content creator and member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. His content focuses on LDS theology, Mormon history, biblical teachings, and responding to common questions and criticisms about his faith.
Through educational videos and religious discussions, he explores scriptural interpretations, historical context, and questions surrounding Christianity and Mormonism.
He also created How the Spirit Speaks, a scripture based resource designed to help people document and identify patterns in what they understand to be spiritual experiences.
Find Gospel Guardian:
Instagram and TikTok: @GospelGuardianLDS
Website: gospelguardianlds.com
ABOUT EARTH XPERIENCES
Earth Xperiences explores the beliefs, experiences, and perspectives that shape how people move through the world.
The goal is not simply to decide who is right, but to slow down long enough to understand how we arrived at what we believe.
A space to study ourselves, consider different perspectives, and practice thoughtful conversations without requiring agreement.
