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LDS, Islamic leaders share relief efforts

Similarities | 7:48 p.m. July 27, 2009

I took a fairly devout muslim through the Draper Temple Open House and he too commented that Islam has a lot in common with the LDS church; moreso than other Christian faiths.

Muslim Friend at BYU | 9:38 p.m. July 27, 2009

I have a good friend who told me about going to a university in New York. He was appalled by the drug addicts that hung out in the doorways. When he heard about BYU he spoke to a counselor about transferring, the counselor told him "you don't want to go there, you can't drink at BYU." He didn't need any more encouragement and he loved his time at BYU. We do have a lot in common.

utesrule | 9:46 p.m. July 27, 2009

I am mormon and married to a muslim. I often say there are alot of similiarities between the faiths but there is also more fundamental differences in our relationship to diety. a muslim will never bow down to christ. I think a christian of any denomination will bow down to Christ.
For mormons, we are acting "christ like" by doing humanitarian service. For muslims, they are doing the work of God. Semantics..perhaps..but it would be sinful to suggest to a muslim that their acts of service are christlike. its not about doctrine or beliefs...it is about putting all that aside and just plain helping people in need. Something I wish we were better at in the Salt Lake Valley.

Comments continue below

Anonymous | 8:20 a.m. July 28, 2009

Funny thing. The most "Christian" person I know is a Jew. She lives the Golden Rule as Christ would. It is not just tenets of a religion, it is how one lives. Many of my fellow LDS members should do more on living it, not just giving it lip service.

Re: Anonymous @ 8:20 | 10:07 a.m. July 28, 2009

It shouldn't be too shocking that the most "Christian" person you know is a Jew. Jesus was a Jew too. Like Christ, I'm sure she knows that a good example is worth more than blanket condemnations of peoples' perceived shortcomings.

Cosmo | 11:36 a.m. July 28, 2009

Ah, the old "My fellow LDS members" ploy again! What would you people do in life without a whipping boy? I suppose you would have to self-abort, do to your excessive misery.

Clifton | 12:00 p.m. July 28, 2009

Cosmo---what would You do without a whipping boy like the LDS Church? Do you ever do any of the Myriad Humanitarian things the Church and it's members do to help their fellow man? Being a self-appointed critic is easier I suppose.

Anonymous | 12:19 p.m. July 28, 2009

Similarities,

"I took a fairly devout muslim through the Draper Temple Open House and he too commented that Islam has a lot in common with the LDS church; moreso than other Christian faiths."

Yes, there are similarities:

- Nephi would have made a perfect member of the Taliban in beheading Laban!

- Latter-day Saints deprive US citizens of their civil rights (to marry) based on religious bigotry, just like Islamic fanatics do!

- Mormons have the "Book of Mormon" that they claim is from god, and Muslims have the "Quran" that they claim is from god. [Don't anybody tell the Mormons that the Quran says their Book of Mormon is of the devil, and don't tell the Muslims that the Mormons think their Quran is a work of fiction!]

Yes, I can see how Mormons have a LOT in common with Muslims - they are BOTH religious FANATICS!

Anonymous | 7:07 a.m. Aug. 1, 2009

Re: Anonymous @ 8:20 and Cosmo both seem to have some underlying issues.

BobP | 7:13 a.m. Aug. 1, 2009

Anonymous 12:19 sure does sounf like some unhappy gay, who feels that their licentious behavior must be acceptable. It is not.

Being a Jew by ancestry (my mother was a Jew) and 5th generation Mormon I am very suspicious of Islam, but some dialogue with the more sensible of them is good.

Rick | 7:55 a.m. Aug. 1, 2009

There are a lot of reasons why people help people. I saw my mother help others (she was not Mormon) because she felt compassion and wanted to assist. Most LDS that I know help others because they are compassionate, not because they read about some doctrine that morning.

I can understand why some would criticize the LDS. Some people just can't stand to see others succeeding.

Dick | 8:19 a.m. Aug. 1, 2009

Why is it whenever someone does something good there is always someone out there, like COSMO,to tear it down?

matt | 9:03 a.m. Aug. 1, 2009

Great story and reminder about the humanitarian efforts of the LDS church and Islamic relief, the cooperation that can and does occur among various churches, and the much good that comes from it. Many of the recent disasters such as the Tsunami and Katrina have demonstrated how important religious organizations are at providing relief. The government organizations weren't capable of getting it all done, it was the religious groups that stepped up and made a huge difference at providing necessities, medical help, etc.

There are those who disagree with the positions of the LDS church, which is fine. But those who will not acknowledge the great good the LDS and other churches of the world accomplish have blinded themselves.

Then there's... | 10:16 a.m. Aug. 1, 2009

...succession of authority. Sunni and Shia dispute to this day whether or not the prophet should be followed by a blood relative or trusted advisor.
Say, when do we get a crusade?

Oh no | 10:42 a.m. Aug. 1, 2009

Who's going to convert who. Neither side will be satisfied untill they heave driven each other crazy trying to convert them.

Dorothy | 2:45 p.m. Aug. 1, 2009

I am pleased that the LDS Church is working side by side with Islamic Relief. We all need to work together in this world to help when tragedy or hardship occurs. The Golden Rule applies to everyone and it only creates good when we can work together with people of a different view. We all need to get our of our comfort zones and do the right thing.

Conner | 3:16 p.m. Aug. 1, 2009

To matt,

"those who will not acknowledge the great good the LDS and other churches of the world accomplish have blinded themselves."

That's a bit arrogant, don't you think?

I am Italian. I confess my grandfather was involved with "the Mob". They did a LOT of charitable and humanitarian work! Most of the charities were fronts for laundering money, but that doesn't change all the GOOD those charities did!

Just because YOU think books and Churches can be judged by their covers, doesn't mean WE are blind!

David | 4:45 p.m. Aug. 1, 2009

Conner,

Maybe you should read "From Mafia to Mormon" and learn about pure charity.

David

Aaron | 5:57 p.m. Aug. 1, 2009

"And they did, with no strings attached, no price tag and no attempts at conversion."

Yes, but they sure got a great article at Mormon Times boasting in the works of the Church.

The Rock | 8:14 p.m. Aug. 1, 2009

I realize that there are good and decent people in all faiths.

I am suspicious of any religion that call for the execution for many "sins" (apostacy, sexual sin, insulting Islam, etc.)

Non Islamic people living in Islamic countries are must pay a special tax, can never be in authority over an Islamic person and can be executed for frivlious reasons.

Non Islamic churches in Islamic countries are not allowed to build new chaples, repair old ones or print religious materials. Many are threatened with death if they do not convert to Islam.

Other than those minor issues, there is a great deal in common between the two faiths.

1. We both believe that God called a prophet.
2. Those prophets wrote (or translated) a book regarded as scripture.
3. They have been known to have more than one wife.
4. Both have high moral standards.
5. Neither group looks kindly upon drinking.
6. Neither group looks favorably upon homosexuality.

We could make some real headway with these people once they decide not to kill us.

Ignorance is bliss | 8:59 p.m. Aug. 1, 2009

I'm amazed at the ignorance of many of you on this site. I guess I shouldn't be.

When the media or a political commentator describes (almost always incorrectly) LDS beliefs, we're up in arms about the errors and fallacies. Yet, so many of you are willing to believe what these same sources say about Islam, without question.

A thought:

Google and find out what the Church's position is on Islam and Muhammad. Perhaps take a class at BYU in comparative religion, or find a class taught by one of the trained faculty on Islam. Get a copy of the Koran and read through it yourself. Drop by a mosque and talk to the people there.

BobP | 9:28 p.m. Aug. 1, 2009

When the Islamic countries allow LDS missionaries to come in and prosleyte. Then maybe we can trust them.

don | 9:39 p.m. Aug. 1, 2009

Aaron, Come on there was no boasting in this article. It just spoke matter of factly with facts and figures what is going on between two charties to help people! Mentioning this in Mormon Times allows people to realize that events are going on that they can contribute too! Which helps more people! You have to advertize some to raise funds! All charities do it! All! See the Good!

Anonymous | 9:43 p.m. Aug. 1, 2009

"When the Islamic countries allow LDS missionaries to come in and proselyte. Then maybe we can trust them. "

We need peace in the world. We don't need more divided Main Streets, but thoroughfares that bring people together walking as equals.

Karl Aritz, Westwood First, LA | 10:13 p.m. Aug. 1, 2009

My very young, 8, son and I helped to prepare school kits two years ago at the Islamic Center on Vermont Ave here in Los Angeles thru our church's "Bridge Building" program.

When I met a Muslin taxi-cab driver that was picking up our recent Jewish convert after her Westwood 2nd Ward Sacrament Meeting - I pointed to the steeple of the Catholic church next door, St. Paul the apostle. He looked up as I pointed to the cross at the top. "Yes?" he remarked. "Is not the cross the sign of the Crusader to most Muslims?

(Godfried of Belgium sieged Jerusalem in the 2nd Crusade for 7 months and then killed all 65,000 men, women and children that were 1/3 Jewish and 2/3 Muslim. So a "Crusader" is like saying Nazi in our time.)

"Now look at our steeple over the L.A. Temple." He does. "What do you see there?"

A smile came over his face "Ah, that is the Angel Moroni and NO sign of the Crusader!" HE has a Book of Mormon in Arabic that he received at Temple Square and I gave him a copy of "The Greatest Gift"

Karl Aritz | 4:14 p.m. Aug. 2, 2009

Crusaders were NOTHING like nazis.

THere is nothing I hate worse than people who push nonsense, ignorance and outright lies.

Crusaders did NOT go and kill innocent people,

The ONLY battles they fought were against muslim armies in battles over the "Holy Lands".

I finded it prespostrous that you do NOT mention the untold numbers that the muslims have killed of NON-muslims to take jerusalem for themselves,

but apparently that is okay with you,

not to mention the untold numbers of NON-muslims murdered or forced to convert to Islam.

What is really laughable, and ODD, is your attempt to manipulate this muslim man in thinking a certain way about the cross.

Crusaders were NOT about converting or killing people at the point of the sword, it was about holding the Holy lands on behalf of christianity.

UNfortunately due to politics and the wayward interests of some, it lead to all out war and many other terrible things,

the intentions of some was good, the intentions of others was quite bad.

because the jews fought with the muslims it lead to anti-semitism in europe that is still prevalent today.

Naziism was startedbya group of power hungry cultists.

Lorraine | 9:35 p.m. Aug. 2, 2009

Karl, I think you need to do more research about the Crusades. While the idea of freeing the Holy Land from the infidels may have had some merit in the beginning, mass cruelties were perpetrated by those who professed to be soldiers of Christ.

I'm not discounting the courage and sacrifices of many crusaders who truly thought they were doing the Lord's will, but more became contaminated by the cause than purified by the cause, I fear.

If Christ were here today he would preach the same gospel of love and tolerance that he taught 2000 years ago. When we can join with anyone to do good, to bless lives and to help the destitute, that's a marvelous thing. Remember what we learn in Ether 4:12. Whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do good is of me.

Uzun | 1:08 p.m. Dec. 16, 2009

Feed my sheep.

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