On a recent episode of “Relatable,” Allie Beth Stuckey spoke with Latter-day Saint podcaster Jacob Hansen to explore topics surrounding Mormonism and Christianity. The conversation aimed to uncover the similarities and distinctions between Allie’s evangelical Christian views and those of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
A particularly engaging moment in this 90-minute dialogue centered around a theological question: Are God, humans, angels, and even Satan all of the same “kind” of beings?
Allie contended that this inquiry transcends mere wordplay. The conclusions drawn could influence our understanding of God, Jesus, our adversary, and what it means to be created in God’s image—all of which carry significant, lasting implications.
“However, there seems to be a somewhat different backstory suggesting that both Jesus and Satan were created long ago… Are Satan and Jesus, essentially, siblings? And does this mean we all, as humanity, are brothers and sisters to both?” Allie questioned.
Hansen responded with humor, “I think of Jesus and Satan as siblings, much like you and Nancy Pelosi are sisters.”
He pointed to the Book of Job, where it’s noted that the sons of God presented themselves before God, with Satan among them, asserting a familial connection between Jesus and Satan by referring to both as sons of God.
Yet, Allie disagreed with this interpretation.
“How does this align with the biblical narrative that describes Satan as a fallen angel? … Jesus implied that he led a revolt of angels—demons from hell who fell like lightning from the sky. I don’t recall Jesus referring to this being as his brother,” she retorted.
Hansen noted that Christians tend to view angels as entirely distinct from humans, while those in his faith believe angels are a kind of species alongside humans. “We don’t subscribe to the idea that there are vastly different creatures inhabiting the world,” he explained. “We are all, ultimately, children of God.”
This includes the Mormon interpretation of Jesus, according to Hansen, who referenced John 20 to argue that Jesus is a created being akin to humans: “I am ascending to my Father, your God, and your God.”
He maintained that the Bible offers no evidence to suggest that angels exist in a different category than humans and claimed that Satan, the fallen angel, is akin to humanity and Jesus.
Allie then posed, “Do you equate humans with God or believe humans can be elevated to a god-like status? Is that a principle of the LDS Church?”
Viewers interested in Hansen’s full response can watch the episode above.
