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'Beauty and Belief' - Acclaimed Islamic art exhibit at BYU [Mormon]
LDS Church News ^ | February 25, 2012 | Jason Swensen

Posted on 02/26/2012 7:34:23 AM PST by greyfoxx39

'Beauty and Belief' - Acclaimed Islamic art exhibit at BYU

Curators hope collection helps bridge Islam and Western culture
By Jason Swensen
Church News staff writer
Published: Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012
PROVO, UTAH

Why would Brigham Young University — a Church-owned institution found in the heart of Mormon culture and heritage — play host to a massive exhibit of Islamic art grounded in the day-to-day culture of the Muslim world?

It's a fair question. One that exhibit and museum directors are eager to answer and engage. Dr. Sabiha Al Khemir, project director of the new Islamic-themed "Beauty and Belief," said she is often asked by associates from far outside Utah just why such an exhibit would open at BYU.

"Why BYU? Because here is a religious community who actually sincerely embraced the project, who is willing to cross bridges and in the making itself of this exhibition many bridges have been crossed," she said in a museum release. "That in itself is reinforcing to the message of this exhibition."

"Beauty and Belief" opens Feb. 24 at the BYU Museum of Art. Visitors will be introduced to a broad collection of objects that define the exhibit— the largest ever hosted by the museum. More than 250 objects were collected from 10 countries, 40 lending institutions and 10 private collections. Counted among the contributors are several international museums stretching from Great Britain to Morocco. The exhibit will be on display at the museum until Sept. 29. It will then be housed for short stints at museums in Indiana, New Jersey and Oregon.

Dr. Al Khemir likes to use the word "bridge" when discussing the "Beauty and Belief." It's prominently found in the exhibit's subtitle: Crossing Bridges with the Arts of Islamic Culture. Curators hope that museum visitors will study each object, step across a bridge of understanding and discover the common ground between Islamic and Western cultures.

The exhibit is not political — but it obviously arrives at BYU during a politically charged time in the world. Dr. Al Khemir and her associates hope that visitors will discover differing ways of seeing the Islamic world — and then leave with new understandings and insight about Islamic culture.

"Beauty and Belief" is, at once, a challenging and an accessible exhibit. On one hand, the collection of "art" is obviously different than many objects found in a traditional art exhibit. Instead of paintings or sculptures that share an easily recognizable narrative, most of the objects found here are household items such as bowls, dishes, textiles and decanters.

Yet each object tells a story of belief. The items were typically crafted by an anonymous artist who utilized their talent to both celebrate and communicate their love of God and His creations. Their artwork doubles as holy offerings.

Plenty of educational materials are found in the exhibit to help folks understand the history, purpose and nuances of each object.

It's hoped that a wide variety of visitors experience "Beauty and Belief," including school groups, Primary classes, Church youth groups and, of course, families and individuals.

Admission to the exhibit is free. Visit the exhibit's web site, www.beauty-and-belief.com or call (801) 422-8287 for more information.



TOPICS: General Discusssion; Ministry/Outreach; Moral Issues; Religion & Politics
KEYWORDS: inman; islam; lds; mormon; muslim; romney
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To: greyfoxx39

Islamic Art = Squiggley lines


21 posted on 02/26/2012 4:39:55 PM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: greyfoxx39
Margie is not Jewish they are a noahade.
22 posted on 02/26/2012 4:40:02 PM PST by svcw (Only difference between Romney & BH is one thinks he will be god & other one thinks he already is.)
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To: greyfoxx39
MORMON art

 
 


Welcome to MORMONism 101

 

While we are waiting to start; enjoy the artwork on our walls.

If some of it seems shifty to you, just look at it real closely

 and it will stop moving, but another location will then start to crawl on you.

Do NOT think our DOCTRINE is this way!

 


 

 

23 posted on 02/26/2012 4:41:15 PM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: Marguerite

Thanks for the “heads up” about circumcising a dead mormon.

I personally chose to perform a Dead Circumcision on Joseph Smith, the founding horndog prophet/treasure digger/criminal/con man of mormonism.

He is now Jewish!!!

A real religion with ONE GOD.


24 posted on 02/26/2012 4:58:09 PM PST by aMorePerfectUnion (I wouldnÂ’t vote for Romney for dog catcher if he was in a three way race against Lenin and Marx!)
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To: greyfoxx39

I thought this said Beauty and the Beast this morning when I first saw it. LOL!


25 posted on 02/26/2012 5:12:05 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: aMorePerfectUnion

http://www.i4m.com/think/history/holy-ghost.htm

I don’t know why the Jews would welcome a drug addled con man other than the fact that he was a child made in the image of God. What he did with that image, though, is rather interesting.


26 posted on 02/26/2012 5:52:15 PM PST by MarkBsnr (I would not believe in the Gospel, if the authority of the Catholic Church did not move me to do so.)
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To: MarkBsnr

MB, hey FRiend!

You are probably right... But at least he’s no longer a mormon!

Ampu


27 posted on 02/26/2012 5:59:21 PM PST by aMorePerfectUnion (I wouldnÂ’t vote for Romney for dog catcher if he was in a three way race against Lenin and Marx!)
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To: magritte
This is an anti-Mormon thread,

And you have shown up.

28 posted on 02/26/2012 6:10:40 PM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: magritte
This is an anti-Mormon thread,

Persisting in making it about the PEOPLE and NOT the theology?

29 posted on 02/26/2012 6:11:38 PM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: the invisib1e hand
Who told you Islams and Mormons were butt-buddies?

“I Will Be a Second Mohammed”

In the heat of the Missouri “Mormon War” of 1838, Joseph Smith made the following claim, “I will be to this generation a second Mohammed, whose motto in treating for peace was ‘the Alcoran [Koran] or the Sword.’ So shall it eventually be with us—‘Joseph Smith or the Sword!’ ”[1]

It is most interesting that a self-proclaimed Christian prophet would liken himself to Mohammed, the founder of Islam. His own comparison invites us to take a closer look as well. And when we do, we find some striking—and troubling—parallels. Consider the following.

  • Mohammed and Joseph Smith both had humble beginnings. Neither had formal religious connections or upbringing, and both were relatively uneducated. Both founded new religions by creating their own scriptures. In fact, followers of both prophets claim these scriptures are miracles since their authors were the most simple and uneducated of men.[2]

  • Both prophets claim of having angel visitations, and of receiving divine revelation to restore pure religion to the earth again. Mohammed was told that both Jews and Christians had long since corrupted their scriptures and religion. In like manner, Joseph Smith was told that all of Christianity had become corrupt, and that consequently the Bible itself was no longer reliable. In both cases, this corruption required a complete restoration of both scripture and religion. Nothing which preceded either prophet could be relied upon any longer. Both prophets claim they were used of God to restore eternal truths which once existed on earth, but had been lost due to human corruption.

  • Both prophets created new scripture which borrowed heavily from the Bible, but with a substantially new “spin.” In his Koran, Mohammed appropriates a number of Biblical themes and characters—but he changes the complete sense of many passages, claiming to “correct” the Bible. In so doing he changes many doctrines, introducing his own in their place. In like manner, Joseph Smith created the Book of Mormon, much of which is plagiarized directly from the King James Bible. Interestingly, the Book of Mormon claims that this same Bible has been substantially corrupted and is therefore unreliable. In addition, Joseph Smith went so far as to actually create his own version of the Bible itself, the “Inspired Version,” in which he both adds and deletes significant portions of text, claiming he is “correcting” it. In so doing he also changes many doctrines, introducing his own in their place.

  • As a part of their new scriptural “spin,” both prophets saw themselves as prophesied in scripture, and both saw themselves as a continuation of a long line of Biblical prophets. Mohammed saw himself as a continuation of the ministry of Moses and Jesus. Joseph Smith saw himself as a successor to Enoch, Melchizedek, Joseph and Moses. Joseph Smith actually wrote himself into his own version of the Bible—by name.

  • Both prophets held up their own scripture as superior to the Bible. Mohammed claimed that the Koran was a perfect copy of the original which was in heaven. The Koran is therefore held to be absolutely perfect, far superior to the Bible and superceding it. In like manner, Joseph Smith also made the following claim. “I told the Brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding its precepts, than by any other book.”[3]

  • Despite their claim that the Bible was corrupt, both prophets admonished their followers to adhere to its teachings. An obvious contradiction, this led to selective acceptance of some portions and wholesale rejection of others. As a result, the Bible is accepted by both groups of followers only to the extent that it agrees with their prophet’s own superior revelation.

  • Both Mohammed and Joseph Smith taught that true salvation was to be found only in their respective religions. Those who would not accept their message were considered “infidels,” pagans or Gentiles. In so doing, both prophets became the enemy of genuine Christianity, and have led many people away from the Christ of the Bible.

  • Both prophets encountered fierce opposition to their new religions and had to flee from town to town because of threats on their lives. Both retaliated to this opposition by forming their own militias. Both ultimately set up their own towns as model societies.

  • Both Mohammed and Joseph Smith left unclear instructions about their successors. The majority of Mohammed’s followers, Sunni Muslims, believe they were to elect their new leader, whereas the minority, Shiite Muslims, look to Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib, whom they consider Divinely appointed, as the rightful successor to Muhammad, and the first imam. (Ali was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad). Similarly, the majority of Joseph Smith's followers, Mormons, believed their next prophet should have been the existing leader of their quorum of twelve apostles, whereas the minority, RLDS, believed Joseph Smith's own son should have been their next prophet. Differences on this issue, and many others, have created substantial tension between these rival groups of each prophet.

  • Mohammed taught that Jesus was just another of a long line of human prophets, of which he was the last. He taught that he was superior to Christ and superceded Him. In comparison, Joseph Smith also made the following claim.

“I have more to boast of than ever any man had. I am the only man that has ever been able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam. A large majority of the whole have stood by me. Neither Paul, John, Peter, nor Jesus ever did it. I boast that no man ever did such a work as I. The followers of Jesus ran away from Him, but the Latter-day Saints never ran away from me yet.”[4] In light of these parallels, perhaps Joseph Smith's claim to be a second Mohammed unwittingly became his most genuine prophecy of all.


[1] Joseph Smith made this statement at the conclusion of a speech in the public square at Far West, Missouri on October 14, 1838. This particular quote is documented in Fawn M. Brodie, No Man Knows My History, second edition, (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1971), p. 230–231. Fawn Brodie’s footnote regarding this speech contains valuable information, and follows. “Except where noted, all the details of this chapter [16] are taken from the History of the [Mormon] Church. This speech, however, was not recorded there, and the report given here is based upon the accounts of seven men. See the affidavits of T.B. Marsh, Orson Hyde, George M. Hinkle, John Corrill, W.W. Phelps, Samson Avard, and Reed Peck in Correspondence, Orders, etc., pp. 57–9, 97–129. The Marsh and Hyde account, which was made on October 24, is particularly important. Part of it was reproduced in History of the [Mormon] Church, Vol. III, p. 167. See also the Peck manuscript, p. 80. Joseph himself barely mentioned the speech in his history; see Vol. III, p. 162.”

[2] John Ankerberg & John Weldon, The Facts on Islam, (Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 1998), pp.8–9. Eric Johnson, Joseph Smith & Muhammed, (El Cajon, CA: Mormonism Research Ministry, 1998), pp. 6–7.

[3] Documentary History of the [Mormon] Church, vol.4, pp.461.

[4] Documentary History of the [Mormon] Church, vol.6, pp.408–409.




30 posted on 02/26/2012 6:13:10 PM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: ansel12
No Christians are attacked as much as Evangelicals are, they are truly seen as almost aliens and sub human by the media, they are portrayed that way in films and TV also.

Christians ATTACKED???

Whoda thunk!!


Questions put to Joseph Smith: "'Do you believe the Bible?' [Smith:]'If we do, we are the only people under heaven that does, for there are none of the religious sects of the day that do'. When asked 'Will everybody be damned, but Mormons'? [Smith replied] 'Yes, and a great portion of them, unless they repent, and work righteousness." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 119).
Joseph Smith: "for the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible" (from Pearl of Great Price 1:12). "What is it that inspires professors of Christianity generally with a hope of salvation? It is that smooth, sophisticated influence of the devil, by which he deceives the whole world" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.270).
 
 
 
Brigham Young stated this repeatedly: "When the light came to me I saw that all the so-called Christian world was grovelling in darkness" (Journal of Discourses 5:73); "The Christian world, so-called, are heathens as to the knowledge of the salvation of God" (Journal of Discourses 8:171); "With a regard to true theology, a more ignorant people never lived than the present so-called Christian world" (Journal of Discourses 8:199); "And who is there that acknowledges [God's] hand? ...You may wander east, west, north, and south, and you cannot find it in any church or government on the earth, except the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" (Journal of Discourses , vol. 6, p.24); "Should you ask why we differ from other Christians, as they are called, it is simply because they are not Christians as the New Testament defines Christianity" (Journal of Discourses 10:230).
 
 
 
Orson Pratt proclaimed: "Both Catholics and Protestants are nothing less than the 'whore of Babylon' whom the Lord denounces by the mouth of John the Revelator as having corrupted all the earth by their fornications and wickedness. Any person who shall be so corrupt as to receive a holy ordinance of the Gospel from the ministers of any of these apostate churches will be sent down to hell with them, unless they repent" (The Seer, p. 255).
 
 
 
Orson Pratt also said: "This great apostasy commenced about the close of the first century of the Christian era, and it has been waxing worse and worse from then until now" (Journal of Discourses
, vol.18, p.44) and: "But as there has been no Christian Church on the earth for a great many centuries past, until the present century, the people have lost sight of the pattern that God has given according to which the Christian Church should be established, and they have denominated a great variety of people Christian Churches, because they profess to be ...But there has been a long apostasy, during which the nations have been cursed with apostate churches in great abundance" (Journal of Discourses , 18:172).
 
 
President John Taylor stated: "Christianity...is a perfect pack of nonsense...the devil could not invent a better engine to spread his work than the Christianity of the nineteenth century." (Journal of Discourses , vol. 6, p.167); "Where shall we look for the true order or authority of God? It cannot be found in any nation of Christendom." (Journal of Discourses , 10:127).
 
 
 
James Talmage said: "A self-suggesting interpretation of history indicates that there has been a great departure from the way of salvation as laid down by the Savior, a universal apostasy from the Church of Christ". (A Study of the Articles of Faith, p.182).
 
 
 
President Joseph Fielding Smith said: "Doctrines were corrupted, authority lost, and a false order of religion took the place of the gospel of Jesus Christ, just as it had been the case in former dispensations, and the people were left in spiritual darkness." (Doctrines of Salvation, p.266). "For hundreds of years the world was wrapped in a veil of spiritual darkness, until there was not one fundamental truth belonging to the place of salvation ...Joseph Smith declared that in the year 1820 the Lord revealed to him that all the 'Christian' churches were in error, teaching for commandments the doctrines of men" (Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 3, p.282).
 
 
 
More recent statements by apostle Bruce McConkie are also very clear: "Apostasy was universal...And this darkness still prevails except among those who have come to a knowledge of the restored gospel" (Doctrines of Salvation, vol 3, p.265); "Thus the signs of the times include the prevailing apostate darkness in the sects of Christendom and in the religious world in general" (The Millennial Messiah, p.403); "a perverted Christianity holds sway among the so-called Christians of apostate Christendom" (Mormon Doctrine, p.132); "virtually all the millions of apostate Christendom have abased themselves before the mythical throne of a mythical Christ whom they vainly suppose to be a spirit essence who is incorporeal uncreated, immaterial and three-in-one with the Father and Holy Spirit" (Mormon Doctrine, p.269); "Gnosticism is one of the great pagan philosophies which antedated Christ and the Christian Era and which was later commingled with pure Christianity to form the apostate religion that has prevailed in the world since the early days of that era." (Mormon Doctrine, p.316).
 
 
 
President George Q. Cannon said: "After the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized, there were only two churches upon the earth. They were known respectively as the Church of the Lamb of God and Babylon. The various organizations which are called churches throughout Christendom, though differing in their creeds and organizations, have one common origin. They all belong to Babylon" (Gospel Truth, p.324).
 
 
President Wilford Woodruff stated: "the Gospel of modern Christendom shuts up the Lord, and stops all communication with Him. I want nothing to do with such a Gospel, I would rather prefer the Gospel of the dark ages, so called" (Journal of Discourses , vol. 2, p.196).

31 posted on 02/26/2012 6:16:30 PM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: aMorePerfectUnion

I’m really snowed under at work (and coincident with Lent) am more or less retreating from FR for some time. I cannot devote the time required to reasonably debate.

I did however see your post and this website offers up a lot of information and collection of evidence that JS was a forerunner of Timothy Leary, only more successful.


32 posted on 02/26/2012 6:22:15 PM PST by MarkBsnr (I would not believe in the Gospel, if the authority of the Catholic Church did not move me to do so.)
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To: Elsie

Hey, I get a piece of the tinfoil hat concession so I’m mopping up ‘

White Horse!


33 posted on 02/26/2012 7:29:08 PM PST by magritte (Nevermind)
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To: ansel12
No Christians are attacked as much as Evangelicals are, they are truly seen as almost aliens and sub human by the media, they are portrayed that way in films and TV also.

You are right: Catholics, and evangelicals.

"Evangleicals" is a general term that doesn't hit at a particular faith...just those of whichever Christian denomination who spread the word, as Jesus told us to do.

"Catholics" is a VERY specific term that aims RIGHT aa the oldest and first Christian denomination. Perhaps it's because it IS so old and because there are 2 billion Catholics as opposed to 1 billion Christians...all non-Catholics lumped together. Perhaps there are those who don't like to be lumped. I dunno. I never could figure out the beef against Catholics. We don't really evangelize much...not like Mormons or Jehovah's Witnesses. Those two aren't even considered Christians by us Catholics.

34 posted on 02/26/2012 7:38:45 PM PST by cloudmountain
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To: cloudmountain

The Catholic church is frequently attacked, but it is also frequently glorified in Hollywood and on TV, the media also frequently treats it with great respect and as an authority.

Evangelical Christians are almost always treated as sub human, backwards, primitive, and you won’t see the troubled movie hero going to his Southern Baptist minister for advice, because he is always Catholic. The left know how Evangelicals vote, and how steadfastly conservative they are, that is why even in horror flicks the bible quoting Protestants are likely to be the slope headed, inbred, cannibals, never the good people, or the religious counter to evil or the powers of Satan.


35 posted on 02/26/2012 8:08:40 PM PST by ansel12 (Romney is unquestionably the weakest party front-runner in contemporary political history.)
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To: greyfoxx39

I’m sure donations from illustrious, deep-pocketed ALUMNI helped fund this barf-fest.


36 posted on 02/26/2012 8:46:16 PM PST by T Minus Four
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To: greyfoxx39

Muslim art and architecture is usually produced by slaves or folks who converted to Islam to avoid torture and death.

Why would anyone show this?


37 posted on 02/26/2012 8:58:44 PM PST by <1/1,000,000th%
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To: magritte
You know you are ALLOWED, as an Equal Opportunity poster (Hurry; for the SCOTUS is looking into this issue) to post your own White Horse info.

No need for us knowledgable Christians to do ALL the hard work; is there?

38 posted on 02/27/2012 4:39:53 AM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: cloudmountain
"Evangleicals" is a general term that doesn't hit at a particular faith...just those of whichever Christian denomination who spread the word, as Jesus told us to do.

AMEN!

"Go ye into ALL the world..."

39 posted on 02/27/2012 4:40:53 AM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: ansel12
The Catholic church is frequently attacked, but it is also frequently glorified in Hollywood and on TV, the media also frequently treats it with great respect and as an authority.

Fifty years ago maybe!

I've seen very little of it in the last decades of my life.

40 posted on 02/27/2012 4:42:47 AM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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