Posted on 02/22/2011 7:01:46 AM PST by T Minus Four
SALT LAKE CITY — Strong bridges of friendship and commonality are being built between Mormons and Jews.
That is the message Mark Paredes plans to share at the I.J. and Jeanne Wagner Jewish Community Center on Wednesday, Jan. 12.
“There are things that Mormons and Jews have in common. A lot of people think there is a big diversion theologically, and there are some things obviously, but I think we have a lot more to talk about,” Paredes said. “I think Mormons who are interested in reaching out to Jews at any level will find something in the talk they can relate to, perhaps advice, counsel, maybe ideas, for their stake or ward, or even families, to reach out and build bridges of friendship.”
Paredes plans to share insights on Israel and Jewish-Christian relations gleaned from his experience as a United States diplomat in Israel; press attaché for the Consulate General of Israel in Los Angeles; regional executive director for the Zionist Organization of America; national outreach director for the American Jewish Congress; and speaker on Jewish-Latter-day Saint relations in the United States and in 14 European countries. There is no cost to attend, and everyone is welcome.
Paredes blogs on Jewish-LDS issues for the Jewish Journal of Los Angeles, the most popular Jewish website outside of Israel.
Paredes was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at age 11 and served an LDS mission in Italy. Since then he has graduated from law school, lived in five countries and learned to speak Italian, Spanish, French, Portuguese and Hebrew. At some point he plans to learn Mandarin and Arabic.
Paredes likes to tell people that Mormons have more to say to Jews than any other Christian group.
“My stake president has been conducting a theological dialogue — not Kumbaya sessions — with a conservative Rabbi for three years now,” he said. “Rabbis don’t do that with other Christian faiths; they just don’t, not a series of theological sessions.”
In 2009, five rabbis toured the Draper Utah LDS Temple during the public open house, Paredes said. One of the rabbis, a 75-year-old who has been doing interfaith work for 50 years, removed his yamaka while in the celestial room and said “it was the holiest place he had ever been in,” Paredes said.
“Things like that are happening all over the world, and people should be aware of them,” Paredes reiterated. “There is a genuine Mormon-Jewish connection.”
Paredes continued, “I think it will also make Latter-day Saints appreciative of their own faith. Mormons who deal with Jews really have a profound appreciation for their own doctrines, temples, etc.”
http://www.jewishgen.org/infofiles/ldsagree.html
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,449727,00.html
We just need to get our work done.
Do Jews do this?
One of the rabbis, a 75-year-old who has been doing interfaith work for 50 years, removed his yamaka (sic) while in the celestial room and said “it was the holiest place he had ever been in,” Paredes said.
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I doubt if he said exactly that...
and whatever he said he would have been referring to the many Jewish victims who had been dead dunked there...
It was out of respect fore them not the false religion...
another thing, the man was 75 years old...
He may have been suffering from Alzheimers and thought he wasd in a Jewish temple...
the oxen may have confused him...
If he had his yarmulke off it may have been that he thought he was in the Holy of Holies in a Jewish temple where God’s presence dwelled and there was no need for a substitute head covering..
That got me too. I have a hard time believing it. There’s more to that story.
Trying to make the lurkers think this is posted by a real Mormon to lure them in for the attacks again eh?
Interesting tactic.
I also wouldnt be surprised to learn that one of the anti-Semitic mormons yanked the poor man’s yarmulke off...
or demanded that he take it off..
WOW! Do the Muslims who want to kill all the Jews know about this?
Hat tip to caww for the following:
President Packer said, “Church members and Muslims share similar high standards of decency, temperance and morality. … As societal morality and behavior decline in an increasingly permissive world, the church and many within Islam increasingly share natural affinities.”
“https://secure.deseretnews.com/article/705355139/Indonesias-
Southern California Muslim leaders traveled to Salt Lake City as part of a delegation to visit Mormon leaders. The Mormon Church opened its doors to Muslims for the purpose of educating one another about their histories and traditions........ Muslim leaders from Salt Lake City also met with the Southern California delegation. A trip to BYU, about 40 minutes south of Salt Lake City, included a discussion with ....”college students studying Islam.”
http://www.mpac.org/programs/interfaith/al-marayati-visits-mormon-church-headquarters.php
This idea of prophecy and a line of prophets would be familiar to both Muslims and Mormons. The fact that Joseph Smith and Muhammad both were religious as well as political leaders is another similarity. Muslims and Mormons also share a strict moral certitude about right and wrong and ban substances like alcohol. This morality led one Salt Lake imam we interviewed to declare Utah the “best place in the United States for Muslims. It’s the best kept secret.
”http://journeyintoamerica.wordpress.com/2008/11/14/mormons-and-muslims/
When the sun went down around 7:30, the... ‘Mormon men followed the Muslim men’.. into the front of the mosque’s carpeted prayer room to observe evening prayers.......
Mormon women, all of whom donned head scarves before entering the prayer room, sat behind the Muslim women... in the same room. The women were separated from the men by a sheer cloth which divided the room, a common practice meant to keep away distractions while prayers are being recited, a mosque member said.........”As a Latter-day Saint we’re very devoted, and it’s very obvious the Muslims have the same type of lifestyle and devotion,” said David Lewis of Ladera Ranch.
“In their way, with their rituals and their prayers, they have the devotion that we also have,” Lewis said. “That faith, or that belief, that takes you to action, that creates a desire to live a certain lifestyle...I think that’s what’s neat about being here and witnessing this.
It’s a real Mormon article, written by a Mormon, posted in an online magazine called Mormon Times. Doesn’t get more real than that.
one Salt Lake imam we interviewed to declare Utah the “best place in the United States for Muslims. It’s the best kept secret.
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I hope all Utahns are appalled and ashamed of such a distinction
Old people are stupid. Let's wait for Lady Ga-Ga or Justin Beeber.
Wouldn’t that be lds and Native Americans?
The Mormon Times is part of the mormon newspaper, Desaeret News...
a couple of years ago DN fired all their non-mormon reporters and staff
so this article would have been written and edited entirely by mormons with no outside influence...
Oh noez...
SNAPAROO
Yes that's what they want. To get some sort of Jewish blessing so they can proudly announce, once again, that they are the true church. The Chosen People meet the True Church.
Hum? A real lds newspaper, owned, run and edited by real lds and some how the poster is misleading the readers. Weird just weird.
Oh that's right, the Jews came to America by submarine and populated the Americas. But left not one trace.
“There are things that Mormons and Jews have in common. A lot of people think there is a big diversion theologically, and there are some things obviously, but I think we have a lot more to talk about,” Paredes said. “I think Mormons who are interested in reaching out to Jews at any level will find something in the talk they can relate to, perhaps advice, counsel, maybe ideas, for their stake or ward, or even families, to reach out and build bridges of friendship.”
Diet Coke and Diet share commonalities, such as shade of color, but they are not the similar.
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