Islam and Mormonism

In light of the candidates running for President, I give you this outline sent to me by someone who attended a talk about Islam and Mormonism. Are both candidates on a path to the same destination? Something to consider and to ask the Lord about.

Islam and Mormonism:  Two Branches of the Same Tree

 

 

1.       Why Study A Cult Alongside Islam?

 

a.         Origins of Islam:  Judaism, paganism, Christianity, and especially Christian heresies

 

            Muhammad took these, along with his own “revelations” to create his own brand of religion.  What he produced is…

 

b.         Islam = an overblown cult

 

c.         Islam and LDS

 

            1)         Many have noted similarities[1]

 

a)         Contemporary newspapers of Smith’s day counted Joseph Smith as a false prophet, usually mentioning Muhammad as one previous example to be compared with.  This was true of the Palmyra Freeman and the Palmyra Reflection[2] writing c. 1829-30.

 

b)         In 1842 Smith was again enflaming the populace, this time in Illinois.  The editor of the Sangano Journal likened Smith’s aggressive stance to his “taking Mahomet’s part.”[3]

 

b)         In August of 1843 a convention was convened in Carthage, IL to deal with what the local residents saw as the growing threat of Mormonism.  They felt their rights were being threatened, and that the Mormons wanted to take over.  They were afraid of what they called this “latter-day would be Mahomet.”[4]

 

This is such a common comparison that there is even a Wikipedia article entitled “Mormonism and Islam.”

 

            2)         Joseph Smith himself referenced Islam

 

a)         Joseph Smith was aware of Islam, and must have been at least somewhat familiar with it. 

 

b)         Joseph Smith compared himself to Muhammad on at least one occasion.  This occurred in 1838, during a time of unrest with the people of Missouri.  Smith, speaking at a Mormon gathering at Adam-ondi-ahman, declared:

 

            “If the people will let us alone, we will preach the gospel in peace.  But if they come on us to molest us, we will establish our religion by the sword.  We will trample down our enemies and make it one gore of blood from the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean.  I will be to this generation a second Mohammed, whose motto in treating for peace was ‘the Alcoran or the Sword.’  So shall it eventually be with us—‘Joseph Smith or the Sword!’”[5]

 

c)         We do know that in Nauvoo the religion of Islam was listed as a

protected belief system, whose followers were allowed “freedom of religion” in the Mormon city.[6]

 

d)         One writer notes that Smith’s views of both polygamy and sensual joys of heaven as being very similar to the views of Islam and Muhammad.[7]

 

 

            3)         Other LDS leaders have referenced Islam

 

We also know that some Mormon leaders looked on Islam with favor.  For instance, in 1855 LDS Apostles George A. Smith and Parley Pratt delivered speeches in which they asserted that Islam had been raised up by God to “scourge” apostate Christianity and to aid in stopping the spread of idolatry.[8]

 

Note these further words from Apostles Smith and Pratt:

 

“As early as 1855, at a time when Christian literature generally ridiculed Muhammad as the Antichrist and the archenemy of Western civilization, Elders George A. Smith (1817–75) and Parley P. Pratt (1807–57) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles delivered lengthy sermons demonstrating an accurate and balanced understanding of Islamic history and speaking highly of Muhammad’s leadership. Elder Smith observed that Muhammad was ‘descended from Abraham and was no doubt raised up by God on purpose’ to preach against idolatry. He sympathized with the plight of Muslims, who, like Latter-day Saints, found it difficult ‘to get an honest history’ written about them. Speaking next, Elder Pratt went on to express his admiration for Muhammad’s teachings, asserting that ‘upon the whole, … [Muslims] have better morals and better institutions than many Christian nations.’”[9]

 

The official LDS website has an article dealing with the issue of Mormonism and Mormonism.  Essentially, the LDS position is that Islam has some light and truth to offer to the Christian/LDS believer. 

 

Listen to a few excerpts from the article:

 

How, then, might Latter-day Saints regard the Muslim community? The most helpful approach is to recognize the truths and values we share with our Muslim brothers and sisters, even while politely acknowledging that theological differences exist. Certainly Latter-day Saints do not agree with Islamic teachings that deny the divinity of Jesus Christ, the need for modern prophets, or the principle of eternal progression. But by being humble and open to spiritual light wherever it may be found, we benefit from the religious insights of Muslims and affirm similarities in belief such as faith, prayer, fasting, repentance, compassion, modesty, and strong families as cornerstones of individual spirituality and community life.

 

In a recent meeting with Muslim dignitaries, Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles focused on the common spiritual heritage of Mormons and Muslims. After quoting a verse from the Qur’an, he observed:

 

“God is the source of light in heaven and on earth. We share the belief with you. We resist the secular world. We believe with you that life has meaning and purpose. … We revere the institution of the family. … We salute you for your concern for the institution of the family. … Mutual respect, friendship, and love are precious things in today’s world. We feel those emotions for our Islamic brothers and sisters. Love never needs a visa. It crosses over all borders and links generations and cultures.”[10]

 

 

 

2.       Some Background Material

 

A little Islamic history

 

           

 

A little Mormon history

 

Terms:  Mormon, Latter-Day Saints, Saints, LDS

 

 

 

 

 

3.       The Parallels

 

            a.         As noted above,  many have noted parallels.

 

                        The first, and probably most obvious, is polygamy.

 

                        The second most obvious is the person and character of Joseph Smith himself.

 

            b.         An overview of many parallels

 

 

4.       Why Is Such A Comparison Important to Consider?

 

a.         The Common Source of both Religions

 

            1)         Idols = demons

 

                        False religions originate in the spiritual realm

 

            2)         Satan’s kingdom is organized

 

                        a)         Biblical allusions

 

b)         Satan’s realm is a “kingdom,” suggesting rulership, hierarchy,

authoritarian structure

 

c)         What happens to demons who were once assigned to certain regions, religions or peoples?

 

1>        What about Thor?  Rock and roll?

 

2>        Islam… could it be the same spiritual influence?

 

** Is it not likely that two group with so much in common, though seemingly with nothing in common as to their human beginnings, must indeed have common spiritual origin?

 

3)         Lesson for us:  The battle is spiritual!

 

a)         We are engaged in a well-planned, strategically detailed SPIRITUAL WAR. 

 

b)         The forces arrayed against us are not primarily political, military, social, or even religious… they are spirits of great power and cunning.

 

c)         We must remember Ephesians 6:12

 

 

b.         We learn the lesson of the dangers of spiritual experience and mystical revelations apart from the grounding source of God’s Word.

 

1)         Note the power of the Prophet.

 

            a)         Examples

 

We see the power of the prophetic role in…

 

Muhammad

Joseph Smith

David Koresh

Jim Jones

Etc.

 

b)         The commitment of the “true believer”

 

c)         The influence of hearing the current, living “voice of God”

 

1>        Muhammad as an exemplar of the perfect life.  Do what Muhammad said and did.

 

2>        The concept of the living prophet in LDS theology.  Doctrine can be fluid and transitory—what matters is what the living prophet declares.

 

 

2)         The Word must always be our standard and our guide

 

§  Judge prophecy:  1  Cor. 14:29

§  Prove all things:  1 Thess. 5:21

§  To the word:  Isaiah 8:20

§  Only one Gospel:  Gal. 1:8

 

 

c.         Developing Workable Methodologies for Evangelism

 

Understanding the essentially cultic nature of Islam gives us a clue to evangelism. 

 

There are obviously certain cultural, social and religious distinctives to be considered in Muslim evangelism.

 

However, alongside of these, we can take what the church has learned about witnessing to cultists, and apply this to Muslim evangelism.

 

For example, consider some of the practical advice Walter Martin offers about witnessing to someone in a cult… and notice how applicable these are to Muslim evangelism:

 

1.         Understand that you are dealing with someone who has been psychologically and socially conditioned.

 

            a.         Their entire worldview is codified in their faith.

 

            b.         They will believe even if presented with contradictions and

                        anomalies.

 

2.         It is important to define terms.

 

            a.         They will use our terms with their meanings.

 

            b.         Develop a grasp of their basic terms.

 

3.         Maintain the initiative in a conversation.

 

4.         Use Scripture.

 

            a.         Use it in context.

 

            b.         Show them the written word.

 

            c.         Depend on the intrinsic power of the Word of God.

 

5.         Be persistent.

 

            Most cultists are not won in a single encounter.

 

6.         Be sure you are prayed up.

 

            Never forget, we are in a spiritual WAR.  We are not really battling flesh

            and blood, but spiritual forces.

 

7.         Always show love.

 

 

 

 

 

5.       Conclusion

 

Islam is attempting to present itself in the West, and in America in particular, as a basically peaceful, benevolent religion.  Even as radical Islamists have terrorized our world, the propaganda machines of so-called moderate Islam has been promoting this view of the Islamic faith.

 

Does Mormonism have a role to play in this.  Could Mormonism be a bridge between Islam and “Christianity”?

 

It is interesting to note that in recent years the LDS church has sometimes a number of conferences with Muslim leaders and clerics.  As noted earlier, in these times of dialogue, the LDS church as gone to great lengths to emphasize the similarities between the two faiths.

 

As one Mormon writer has observed:

 

In recent years, respect for the spiritual legacy of Muhammad and for the religious values of the Islamic community has led to increasing contact and cooperation between Latter-day Saints and Muslims around the world… The Church has sought to respect Islamic laws and traditions that prohibit conversion of Muslims to other faiths by adopting a policy of nonproselyting in Islamic countries of the Middle East. Yet examples of dialogue and cooperation abound, including visits of Muslim dignitaries at Church headquarters in Salt Lake City; Muslim use of Church canning facilities to produce halal (ritually clean) food products; Church humanitarian aid and disaster relief sent to predominantly Muslim areas…  academic agreements between Brigham Young University and various educational and governmental institutions in the Islamic world; the existence of the Muslim Student Association at BYU; and expanding collaboration between the Church and Islamic organizations to safeguard traditional family values worldwide….  The examples of Latter-day Saint–Muslim interaction mentioned above, together with the Church’s establishment in 1989 of two major centers for educational and cultural exchange in the Middle East (Jerusalem and Amman), reflect the traditional attitude of respect for Islam that Church leaders have exhibited from earliest times. These activities represent tangible evidence of Latter-day Saint commitment to promote greater understanding of the Muslim world and witness an emerging role for the Church in helping to bridge the gap that has existed historically between Muslims and Christians.

 

…[He continues by saying, I am] grateful to state that we belong to a church that affirms the truths taught by Muhammad and other great teachers, reformers, and religious founders. We recognize the goodness reflected in the lives of those in other religious communities. While we do not compromise revealed eternal truths of the restored gospel, we never espouse an adversarial relationship with other faiths. Rather, in accordance with modern prophetic counsel, we seek to treasure up that which is virtuous and praiseworthy in other faiths and to cultivate an attitude of “affirmative gratitude” toward them. As Latter-day Saints, we believe that it is vital to respect and benefit from the spiritual light found in other religions, while seeking humbly to share the additional measure of eternal truth provided by latter-day revelation.[11]

 

 

In conclusion, note the following quote from the LDS website:

 

“A cabinet minister in Egypt, aware of the common ground shared by Muslims and Latter-day Saints, once remarked to Elder Howard W. Hunter of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles that ‘if a bridge is ever built between Christianity and Islam it must be built by the Mormon Church.’”[12]

 

 

 

 

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[1] Cf. Richard Lyman Bush in Joseph Smith:  Rough Stone Rolling.  New York:  Alfred A. Knopf, 2006, pp. xxi-xxii.

Also, opinions of sociologist Rodney Stark in Richard N. Ostling and Joan K. Ostling.  Mormon America.  San Francisco:  Harper Collins Publishers, Inc., 1999, p. 162

James Bennet compared Smith to both Muhammad and Odin.  See Brodie, p. 284.

[2] Richard Lyman Bush in Joseph Smith:  Rough Stone Rolling.  New York:  Alfred A. Knopf, 2006, p. 88.

[3] Fawn M. Brodie.  No Man Knows My History.  New York:  Vintage House, 1995, p. 286.

[4] Richard Lyman Bush in Joseph Smith:  Rough Stone Rolling.  New York:  Alfred A. Knopf, 2006, p. 510.

[5] Fawn M. Brodie.  No Man Knows My History.  New York:  Vintage House, 1995, p. 230-231.

[6] Richard N. Ostling and Joan K. Ostling.  Mormon America.  San Francisco:  Harper Collins Publishers, Inc.,

1999, p. 67.

[7] Ray B. West.  Kingdom of the Saints.  New York:  Viking Press, 1957, p. 113.

[8] Article:  “World Religions (Non-Christian) and Mormonism:  Islam.”  Encyclopedia of Mormonism.  Daniel H.

Ludlow, ed.  NY:  Macmillan Publishing Co., 1992, p. 1592.

[9] This is from the official LDS website lds.org:

http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=bbaba1615ac0c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1

[10] This is from the official LDS website lds.org:

http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=bbaba1615ac0c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1

[11] Ibid.

[12] Howard W. Hunter, “All Are Alike Unto God,” Speeches of the Year (1979), p. 36; quoted on the above

mentioned lds.org page.