In recent years, officials of the Mormon Church have reached out to other faiths, including Catholics and Jews. Perhaps the most surprising response from that outreach effort has come from the American Muslim community.
Theology Is Not the Common Ground
Despite some arguable similarities in doctrine and practice, there is no apparent theological basis for the deepening ties between American Muslims and Mormons. Muslims (adherents to Islam) venerate Muhammad as God’s prophet and the founder of their religion, while Mormons revere Joseph Smith in that role. Islam originated in the 7th century A.D. in what is today the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the proper name of the “Mormon” church) originated in upstate New York in the early 19th century A.D. Islam proclaims that Jesus Christ was a prophet of God, but not the Son of God, and that Mohammed is the greatest of all of God’s prophets. Mormons proclaim that Jesus Christ is the literal Son of God and the Savior of all people.
Shared Values and Histories of Persecution and Prejudice
Both religions emphasize the primal importance of the family as the foundation of society. Historically, both religions have strong patriarchal traditions that are moderating somewhat under the influence of modern societal standards. Both religions call for modesty, chastity, and virtue from their members. Both religions have health codes based on religious principles, including abstinence from alcohol. Interestingly, both religions are growing at healthy rates during a time when formal religiosity among the U.S. population is actually declining.
These similarities aside, perhaps the strongest part of the foundation for this growing friendship is that both religions have a history as objects of persecution and prejudice in the United States. For Muslims, 9/11 changed everything instantly, making them objects of antagonism and suspicion and effectively branding their religion as aggressively anti-American. Mormons have a long history of facing persecution and prejudice—many Americans still associate the words “Mormon” and “polygamy” instantly despite the church's official renunciation of polygamy over one hundred years ago.
“We are very aware of the history of the Mormons as a group that was chastised in America,” said Maher Hathout, a senior advisor to the Muslim Public Affairs Council in Los Angeles, California, USA. “They can be a good model for any group that feels alienated.”
Cooperation in Word and Deed
Muslims and Mormons who attend each other’s religious services or events often report feeling very much at ease. The two faiths often co-host social and educational programs. The Mormon-owned Brigham Young University operates a world-class research operation in translating ancient Arab religious texts, which many Muslims interpret as more than a token sign of interest. The Mormon Church has also donated land for the construction of Islamic mosques, and opened the doors of its meetinghouses to Muslims who feared retribution at their own places of worship after 9/11. Perhaps more importantly, Muslims and Mormons have co-operated in massive disaster relief and other charitable efforts in the wake of the Southeast Asian tsunami and earthquakes. Such efforts are just a part of the Mormon global charitable outreach.
Note: The author of this article is not an official representative of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but is a life-long, practicing member of the church.
Other articles on Mormonism by this author:
Mormon Church Calls New Apostle
SOURCES:
Relationalconcepts.org
Pewresearch.org
Latimes.com
Gallup.com
Ispi-usa.com
Muslimbridges.org
