Mormons and Muslims

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Angel
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Mormons and Muslims

Post by Angel » Sun Jan 16, 2022 7:25 am

Wrote a book.
Muslims believe that the Quran was orally revealed by God to the prophet, Muhammad, through the archangel Gabriel...

The first vision...
Muhammad's "first revelation" was an event described in Islamic tradition as taking place in AD 610, during which the Islamic prophet, Muhammad was visited by the angel Jibrīl, known as Gabriel in English, who revealed to him the beginnings of what would later become the Qur’an.

restore -
Muhammad was sent to "restore" Islam, which they believe did not originate with Muhammad but is the true unaltered original monotheistic faith of Adam, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and other prophets.

Uneducated farm boy...worked with scribes...
The Quran is thought by Muslims to be not simply divinely inspired, but the literal word of God. Muhammad did not write it as he did not know how to write. According to tradition, several of Muhammad's companions served as scribes, recording the revelations..


What other similarities are there?
“You have learned something...That always feels at first as if you have lost something.” George Bernard Shaw
When it is dark enough, you can see the stars. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

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blazerb
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Re: Mormons and Muslims

Post by blazerb » Sun Jan 16, 2022 10:26 am

I took a class at BYU called History of the Medieval and Modern Near East. It covered the area of the world we now associate with Islam starting with Mohammed and going into the present day. One of the assignments was a research paper. We all chose our topics and wrote up a rough draft. A woman in our study group chose to write a comparison of Joseph Smith and Mohammed. All that was written on her rough draft was something like, "I don't see any similarity between Joseph Smith and Mohammed." No other feedback was given. At the time I thought it was absurd. After a while, I though that maybe this professor had seen this paper written a bunch of times and wanted never to read it again. Sometimes, though, I wonder if it was necessary for his testimony, on which rested his job, that he not investigate this comparison.

The professor was not Dan Peterson, just in case that question was in anyone's mind.

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Angel
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Re: Mormons and Muslims

Post by Angel » Sun Jan 16, 2022 12:04 pm

blazerb wrote:
Sun Jan 16, 2022 10:26 am
I took a class at BYU called History of the Medieval and Modern Near East. It covered the area of the world we now associate with Islam starting with Mohammed and going into the present day. One of the assignments was a research paper. We all chose our topics and wrote up a rough draft. A woman in our study group chose to write a comparison of Joseph Smith and Mohammed. All that was written on her rough draft was something like, "I don't see any similarity between Joseph Smith and Mohammed." No other feedback was given. At the time I thought it was absurd. After a while, I though that maybe this professor had seen this paper written a bunch of times and wanted never to read it again. Sometimes, though, I wonder if it was necessary for his testimony, on which rested his job, that he not investigate this comparison.

The professor was not Dan Peterson, just in case that question was in anyone's mind.
I have quite a few Muslim students, as well as work colleagues - they are generally very friendly people.

Word of wisdom - no alcohol, no pork
Role of women can also be compared :) - that is the one place I have had a few experiences, female teaching engineers is something new to a few :) but those have all come around by the end of the semester.

Muslims win when it comes to missionary work - a larger, and growing faster than anyone it seems.

Would love to see a Muslim / Mormon debate - whose scripture was inspired, who the real prophet is, whose spiritual experiences are more valid. - Similar fanatics in both groups too.

In any event - telling Mormons your non-belief of JS and the BOM is similar to their non-belief in Muhammad and the Quran might be something to put things in perspective for people?
“You have learned something...That always feels at first as if you have lost something.” George Bernard Shaw
When it is dark enough, you can see the stars. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Hagoth
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Re: Mormons and Muslims

Post by Hagoth » Sun Jan 16, 2022 12:08 pm

Maybe that professor wasn't aware that the BYU Religious Studies Center had published a book on the topic:
https://rsc.byu.edu/book/mormons-muslims

Here's an except from one of the essays. The Muhammed comparison dates back to Joseph Smith's own day.
In 1838 Thomas B. Marsh testified that he had overheard Joseph Smith boast that “he would yet tread down his enemies, and walk over their dead bodies; and if he was not let alone, he would be a second Mohammed to this generation, and that it would be one gore of blood from the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean; that like Mohammed, whose motto in treating for peace was ‘the Alcoran or the sword,’ so should it be eventually with us, Joseph Smith or the sword.” [5] Similarly, in 1873 T. B. H. Stenhouse promised that “the student of Mormonism will be struck with the similarity of experience and claims of Joseph Smith and Mohammed.” [6] Also in the Protestant cryptomuhammadan tradition there appeared, after the turn of the century, Jennie Fowler Willing’s Mormonism: The Mohammedanism of the West (Louisville, Ky: Pickett Publishing Co., 1906) and Bruce Kinney’s Mormonism: The Islam of America (New York: Revell, 1912).
“The easy confidence with which I know another man's religion is folly teaches me to suspect that my own is also.” -Mark Twain

Jesus: "The Kingdom of God is within you." The Buddha: "Be your own light."

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blazerb
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Re: Mormons and Muslims

Post by blazerb » Sun Jan 16, 2022 12:21 pm

Hagoth wrote:
Sun Jan 16, 2022 12:08 pm
Maybe that professor wasn't aware that the BYU Religious Studies Center had published a book on the topic:
https://rsc.byu.edu/book/mormons-muslims
I wonder if maybe my professor just didn't like the people who wrote this book. This book was published well before I took the class. Curious.

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wtfluff
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Re: Mormons and Muslims

Post by wtfluff » Sun Jan 16, 2022 12:57 pm

Angel wrote:
Sun Jan 16, 2022 7:25 am
What other similarities are there?
What about polygamy/child brides?

I'm no expert on the Muslim part of this comparison, but I do recall excerpts here and there of folks accusing Muhammad of pedophilia? Is/(are) there young girl(s) associated with the Mohamed story? (Insert :puking-smiley: here.)
Faith does not give you the answers, it just stops you asking the questions. -Frater Ravus

IDKSAF -RubinHighlander

You can surrender without a prayer...

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Hagoth
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Re: Mormons and Muslims

Post by Hagoth » Sun Jan 16, 2022 2:37 pm

wtfluff wrote:
Sun Jan 16, 2022 12:57 pm
What about polygamy/child brides?
Muslim martyrs get 72 virgins in the next life.

Early Mormon leaders may not have had quite as many, but they were practical enough to take them in this life rather than wait for the promise of an after-death reward.
“The easy confidence with which I know another man's religion is folly teaches me to suspect that my own is also.” -Mark Twain

Jesus: "The Kingdom of God is within you." The Buddha: "Be your own light."

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moksha
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Re: Mormons and Muslims

Post by moksha » Mon Jan 17, 2022 2:03 am

Muslims have The Quran and the Sword, BYUvians have homophobia and "musket fire".



Okay, don't hold back, what was that about Muhammad, Joseph Smith, and child brides?
Good faith does not require evidence, but it also does not turn a blind eye to that evidence. Otherwise, it becomes misplaced faith.
-- Moksha

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2bizE
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Re: Mormons and Muslims

Post by 2bizE » Mon Jan 17, 2022 9:44 am

Isn’t there a polygamy comparison in there too?
~2bizE

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stealthbishop
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Re: Mormons and Muslims

Post by stealthbishop » Mon Jan 17, 2022 10:54 am

I think there are fascinating comparisons between the two.

Both religions had a leadership crisis after their founders died:

For Mormons the two major camps were Brigham Young and the Apostles which led to the UTA LDS church, and Emma, Lucy Mack and JS's children that created the Reorganized/Community of Christ church.

For Muslims its very similar. Sunni Islam was created with Abu Bakr and a council of elders who were close companions of Muhammad. Shia Islam was formed by those who thought Muhammad's blood relative Ali should be the rightful successor.
"Take second best
Put me to the test
Things on your chest
You need to confess"

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wtfluff
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Re: Mormons and Muslims

Post by wtfluff » Mon Jan 17, 2022 11:12 am

2bizE wrote:
Mon Jan 17, 2022 9:44 am
Isn’t there a polygamy comparison in there too?
Hold on a second, I think I hear an echo:
wtfluff wrote:
Sun Jan 16, 2022 12:57 pm
Angel wrote:
Sun Jan 16, 2022 7:25 am
What other similarities are there?
What about polygamy/child brides?
Polygamy??? ... Polygamy??? ... Polygamy??? ... Polygamy??? ... Polygamy??? ...
Faith does not give you the answers, it just stops you asking the questions. -Frater Ravus

IDKSAF -RubinHighlander

You can surrender without a prayer...

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2bizE
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Re: Mormons and Muslims

Post by 2bizE » Tue Jan 18, 2022 2:08 pm

wtfluff wrote:
Mon Jan 17, 2022 11:12 am
2bizE wrote:
Mon Jan 17, 2022 9:44 am
Isn’t there a polygamy comparison in there too?
Hold on a second, I think I hear an echo:
wtfluff wrote:
Sun Jan 16, 2022 12:57 pm
Angel wrote:
Sun Jan 16, 2022 7:25 am
What other similarities are there?
What about polygamy/child brides?
Polygamy??? ... Polygamy??? ... Polygamy??? ... Polygamy??? ... Polygamy??? ...
Did someone mention Polygamy yet?
~2bizE

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1smartdodog
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Re: Mormons and Muslims

Post by 1smartdodog » Fri Jan 28, 2022 6:47 am

I give modern day Mormons credit for evolving to some degree with respect to misogyny. Not anywhere near where it should be but we are saints compared to Muslims. The place of women in their culture is very troubling. I would compare the modern day muslim more to fundamentalist Mormons than the mainstream church.


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