Why not proselitize Muslims?

[Hala401]

Something I have not understood is why the LDS don't seem to seek to teach Jesus Christ and the LDS story to Muslims?

I know that the LDS must know about Muslims, because there are three Mosques in Salt Lake City, and you have professors at BYU who specialise in Middle Eastern Studies. I don't know if they know what every day Muslims believe or what their source of information is.

As I go through the various interviews to become baptised, some of the interviewers have expressed concern that I could be in danger from other Muslims for um deconverting from Islam. I'm not that worried about someone trying to hurt me. The failure rate for converts to Islam is around 66% and that in the first year, I think. So, if de-convertees were in danger, we'd be hearing about it on the news wouldn't we?

I remained Muslim for just over 5 years, and I must admit that it took me a period of time to finally decide. I thought I stopped being Muslim when I quit wearing my Hijab, but it took me until last week to finally tell Muslim friends that it was over.

Maybe I haven't stopped being Muslim at all, because I have to admit that my willingness to believe in the prophet Muhammad PBUH and his revelation called the Qur'an, is what made my step to become LDS much easier. To me, Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon were not much of a leap at all.

To be sure, I only know about Islam in the USA. What Muslims do to others and each other in other countries is beyond the pale for me. I don't understand things very well right now.

[Vort]

As far as I know, we happily proselytize American Muslims, Canadian Muslims, English Muslims, French Muslims, etc. We do NOT proselytize Arab Muslims, either in their home countries or abroad. We don't proselytize them at home because it's illegal, and I assume we don't proselytize them abroad because they would be subject to execution when they returned home, and the Church is not about bringing death to people.

On the other hand, if an Arab Muslim wished to convert while abroad, I assume he would be welcomed into baptism, but probably strongly encouraged not to return to his native country.

[Guest gopecon]

We preach where we are legally allowed to preach. Muslim countries are some of the places that our missionaries are not allowed to go. It's the whole death-to-the-infidels thing. As far as preaching to Muslims that are found in other countries, I don't think that there is any prohibition against it. I knew a woman who converted to LDS from Islam. When I was a missionary I would have knocked on a Muslim door, a Jewish door, or a Christian door. I served stateside in areas that did not have a lot of Muslims (to my knowledge). I don't know if the missionaries are given different advice in places like Dearborn, MI or the areas of England and France with large concentrations of Muslims.

You may be having an easier time leaving Islam because you are an adult convert to it, and you live in America. Leaving Islam is much harder when you have a Muslim family that you will "dishonor" by forsaking the faith, and when you live in a country that kills people for blasphemy who convert to other religions.

[zenbones]

Being a new convert myself, I don't understand either why you'd want one group to know and not the other.

[zenbones]

Makes sense Vort.

[Blackmarch]

Something I have not understood is why the LDS don't seem to seek to teach Jesus Christ and the LDS story to Muslims?

I know that the LDS must know about Muslims, because there are three Mosques in Salt Lake City, and you have professors at BYU who specialise in Middle Eastern Studies. I don't know if they know what every day Muslims believe or what their source of information is.

As I go through the various interviews to become baptised, some of the interviewers have expressed concern that I could be in danger from other Muslims for um deconverting from Islam. I'm not that worried about someone trying to hurt me. The failure rate for converts to Islam is around 66% and that in the first year, I think. So, if de-convertees were in danger, we'd be hearing about it on the news wouldn't we?

I remained Muslim for just over 5 years, and I must admit that it took me a period of time to finally decide. I thought I stopped being Muslim when I quit wearing my Hijab, but it took me until last week to finally tell Muslim friends that it was over.

Maybe I haven't stopped being Muslim at all, because I have to admit that my willingness to believe in the prophet Muhammad PBUH and his revelation called the Qur'an, is what made my step to become LDS much easier. To me, Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon were not much of a leap at all.

To be sure, I only know about Islam in the USA. What Muslims do to others and each other in other countries is beyond the pale for me. I don't understand things very well right now.

We do where we can.... namely thats in the US and UK. outside of that muslim nations generally have a tendency to have laws that punish such. Also don't get terrorism confused with islam, It really sickens me how certain groups really pervert muslim teachings to have whats goiong on today done.

[Hala401]

We do where we can.... namely thats in the US and UK. outside of that muslim nations generally have a tendency to have laws that punish such. Also don't get terrorism confused with islam, It really sickens me how certain groups really pervert muslim teachings to have whats goiong on today done.

I was Muslim very recently, and the last part of your statement echoes my own words to others. It has been a very uphill battle. I do not know if I can entirely give up what I learned in Islam. It made me a better person, and calm enough to listen to the words of Sister Missionaries.

Thank you

Hala

[RipplecutBuddha]

When the LDS Church wants to send missionaries to a given nation, the first thing done is to meet with the appropriate leadership of that nation. We always go through the front door, as it were. Most, if not all, of the Arab nations are yet closed to LDS missionary efforts because those nations won't allow it.

According to my understanding, missionaries are allowed in Israel, however they are not allowed to actively proselyte. If someone comes to them and initiates the discussion, that's fine, but they (the missionaries) cannot openly seek converts in any way.

It's a policy of showing respect and deference to the authority of the various nations, as well as the individual's right to believe as they choose. We would love to be able to send missionaries all over the world, to every nation, but it's not something we wish to force upon anybody.

[Hala401]

When the LDS Church wants to send missionaries to a given nation, the first thing done is to meet with the appropriate leadership of that nation. We always go through the front door, as it were. Most, if not all, of the Arab nations are yet closed to LDS missionary efforts because those nations won't allow it.

According to my understanding, missionaries are allowed in Israel, however they are not allowed to actively proselyte. If someone comes to them and initiates the discussion, that's fine, but they (the missionaries) cannot openly seek converts in any way.

It's a policy of showing respect and deference to the authority of the various nations, as well as the individual's right to believe as they choose. We would love to be able to send missionaries all over the world, to every nation, but it's not something we wish to force upon anybody.

WOW ! The LDS astonish me again! When I was evangelical, we were conditioned to "button hole" anyone who would listen, and there were times when the recipient was not open to being um proselytised.

When I was Muslim, I was talking on SKYPE to a friend in Saudi Arabia, and he asked me what I thought of a Christian talking to him about Jesus. I told him that I felt that the man should respect Muslims, and if he did not like it, then my friend should tell him if he did not stop he would go to the Religious Police.

So, I very much like the LDS approach, though I must again say that I do know Muslims who believe in Jesus Christ, (Isa PBUH) as The Christ, the saviour of the world. I wonder where this will all end.

This morning I was reading a news story that by 2040, the world will see very serious oil shortages, and it was the writer's opinion that the Middle East would collapse economically. It was also the writer's opinion that by 2019 the fusion generator in France would be on line and the technology would spread rapidly.

So, one can easily extend this logic to hope that areas that were once closed to the LDS will be open. Inshallah. (God willing)

Much peace

Hala