Posted on 02/08/2012 3:57:00 PM PST by Colofornian
Brigham Youg University has the largest library of books on Muslims scholars. It has been in the forefront of taking old books and translating them into English and publishing them. The Morman are call themselves the Church of Christ and Latter Day Saints–believing that there are prophets after Jesus Christ. The Mormons are Unitarians and reject Trinity. The LDS position on Islam can be found in an August 2000 article by James Toronto, entitled “A Latter-day Saint Perspective on Muhammad,” from Ensign—the church’s flagship monthly magazine.
In the clearest and most complete elucidation of its position on Muslims, Toronto, the Book of Mormon says that “the Lord has provided spiritual light to guide and enrich [the peoples of the nations’] lives” and that “Prophet Joseph Smith often expounded on the theme of the universality of God’s love and the related need to remain open to all available sources of light and knowledge.” Based on these doctrines, “church leaders continually have encouraged members to foster amicable relations with people of other faiths by acknowledging the spiritual truth they possess….”
The LDS’s Toronto says that “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 and accurate and balanced understanding of Islamic history and speaking highly of Muhammad’s leadership.” In fact “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.’”
The current LDS First Presidency Statement of 1978 says specifically mentions Prophet Muhammad as one of ‘the great religious leaders of the world’ who received ‘a portion of God’s light….’”
Toronto further elucidates:
“Contrary to Western civilization’s stereotype of Muhammad as a false prophet or enemy of Christians, Muslim sources portray a man of unfailing humility, kindness, good humor, generosity, and simple tastes.” Toronto does find a few points on which Mormons and Muslims disagree—such as “Islamic teachings that deny the divinity of Jesus Christ” and “the need for modern prophets”—but then engages in massive cognitive dissonance by stating that he is grateful to “belong to a church that affirms the truths taught by Muhammad….”
From the article: Toronto further elucidates: “Contrary to Western civilization’s stereotype of Muhammad as a false prophet or enemy of Christians, Muslim sources portray a man of unfailing humility, kindness, good humor, generosity, and simple tastes.”
Ah. The religion of Mitt Romney and the type of foreign policy he will bring to dealing with Islam internationally
place marker
Frankly, until after 911 and the jihadi war becoming so completely undeniable, I was inclined to a much more benign view of Islam.
I lived a year in Saudi, made it a point to read the Koran while I was there, and despite the rather unloveable things I knew were true, I was prepared accept the “three great monotheistic religions” view of Islam.
No longer. I now subscribe to the “false prophet of Revelations” view of Islam. I subscribe to the “muslim world as graveyard of civilizations” view.
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, believe Mohammed’s son was to be their next leader. 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.
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[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.
(Decker, Ed, My Kingdom Come: The Mormon Quest for Godhood, Xulon Press, 2007)
JUST GREAT! We could go from a President who practices Islam to one who “deeply respects” Islam. NO THANK YOU! I ran out of barf bags from witnessing G.W. Bush’s “respect” for the “religion of peace”. The next President must be one who understands the true mortal threat of Islam, and acts accordingly. Either Newt or Rick would fit that bill nicely.
Bookmark.
Snip:
The LDS’s Toronto says that “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 and accurate and balanced understanding of Islamic history and speaking highly of Muhammad’s leadership.” In fact “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.’”
This is enlightening, although I wish there was more. Did elder Mormons study Islam before they formed Mormon theology? Because as I understand both religions, they really have a lot of beliefs in common.
In fact “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.’”
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Yes Parley P Pratt, Willard Mitt Romneys gg grandfather
Parley P Pratt a polygamist with several wives and who stole another mans wife and got himself killed by that man...
Mormonism’s idea of a “moral” man...
When Willard Mitt Romney boasts that he believes “the faith of my fathers” one of those “fathers” is Parley P Pratt...
First of all, this article that you refer to was written in 2000 before 911. After 911 the Church leadership denounced those attacks very forcefully and the radical islamics who conducted them...and urged American citizens to fight.
Second, Toronto is not a spokesman for, or General Authority of the Chuirch. Back then he wrote what he considered a scholarly article on Muslims...and one of the qutes you use, speaking of Mohammed in a praising fashion, he clearly cites as coming from Muslim sources.
The Church opposes Sharia Law which is the political heartstone of fundmental Islam and its desire to enslave the world.
At the same time, we recognize that there are good people amongst the Muslim population who follow virtuous teachings about marriage, the family, virtue, etc. I believe that is the principle point trying to be made by the author back then...and one the church urges its members to try and do...that is find the good in other people.
But radical Islam and its compulsion is an enemy to all rational and reasoned persons and institutions and the Church does not confederate with it, or preach that it is good.
The church does try and find common ground with Muslims who are seeking to avoid the violence and compulsion that that form of Islam inspires and promotes.
Fact is, more Iraqis, Afghans, and Pakistanis have died fighting against radical fundamental Islam than we have lost in all of our encounters with them ourselves...far more, and many many of them have died right at our personnel’s side. Problem is, they live amongst populations that are run through with the fundamental jihadists who believe that the moderate, more peace seeking muslims must either conform or die...and who will act the part to infiltrate the ranks of the “new” forces we set up so they can kill our people along with their own.
My own opinion, and shared by most LDS people I know is that we cannot afford to “nation-build” these places. That we MUST go in with absolute overwhelming force and destroy not only the jihadists camps and forces, but anyone who gives them support and sanctuary...meaning the populations that do so...just like we doid with in Germany with the Nazis.
If there are those who would fight with us, then they better seperate themselves and fight the enemy just as hard...and there are those that do.
But trying to imply that somehow Romney or Mormons in general are going to placate and be sympathetic to our enemies in the fashion that Obama is, is simply not true.
And GWB said that Christians and Izzies worship the SAME God! Really?? Where did he get THAT from?? Oh, maybe his one world government daddy.
Well said.
Former (now deceased) LDS scriptorian, writer and church leader/Apostle Elder Bruce R. McConkie was quoted as stating the following regarding the Muslims’ book of scripture: “Satan inspired”
Not exactly a PC PR statement.
It is interesting how buddy-buddy mormons want to be with muslims.
Mark Levin invited Mormons to call in to talk about the magic underwear...
Reason enough to dump Romney and his magic underwear.
Bookmark for later reading.
Well the skull and bones folks, and the head chopping folks, and the Moron I’s, all follow satan.
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