Lurid tales, exaggerations, ruffled feathers.

[Hala401]

I don't understand why some people would rather have outrageous beliefs than to stick with the truth? I don't understand why some people are so sure of our Polygamy, when in the best research I can do, I find no present evidence of it, except in groups that are not part of the "Salt Lake" LDS. So, in my mind, it does not happen any more.

As most of you know, I was Muslim before my conversion, and pentacostle before I was Muslim, so one could say that my experiences are varied.

I was asked to talk to a small group of people about my past faith experience in Islam. At first, I regarded talking about it at Singles Family Home Evening to be inappropriate, and was reluctant at first, but finally did. And, to be clear, much of my experience as a Muslim woman was just what I needed at the time.

I was surprised to find that some of those in the group wanted to voice the depth of their ignorant prejudices and not hear about my experiences. First on the list was Animal Sacrifices. Wallah ! (shakes head). I tried to express that Animal Sacrifices were outside my experience, and I had never even heard of the practice, except in the New Testament of the Bible. They did not want to hear about the practice of Modesty (Hijab), the reverence toward God, and what the normal Muslim family does. It was not lurid enough I suppose.

When I got home, I Googled Muslim Animal Sacrifices, and sure enough it was there, but the whole Wiki spoke about things that I had never heard of or experienced. AND, I also saw that every major religion has it in their background, except perhaps the LDS, though I do not know.

I've learned a lesson about this. It seems that some confuse thanking Heavenly Father for our food, with "a Sacrifice". In Islam, all meat is humanely killed, meaning the death of the animal is fast, so there is not suffering. So what happens is that on a farm the animal is brought to the slaughter area, and the participants thank God for the food that he has provided. Then the animal's throat is slit so the jugular can be brought out and cut with out other damage to nerves and such. The purpose is to bring the animal to unconsciousness rapidly and to bleed it out, as is prescribed. This same sort of admonishment is in the book of Leviticus, I think. Remember, we are instructed not to eat the blood of animals.

I have never experienced a commercial killing house where they process supermarket meats, further, I do not wish to. Some have told me that they use a pneumatic stun gun and then just carve up the animal. I do not wish to know. I do not believe that they think of Heavenly Father in those places.

On the farm when I grew up, mostly the men killed things, but once in a while, I would have to take a chicken or rabbit. Yallah! I am not made of the stuff to find that pleasurable, that is what the husband is for!

Some would call that humane butchering, and others would call that a lurid sacrifice.

It is discouraging that some of us get pleasure from picking at cultural differences, for what purpose I do not know.

One of the members of the discussion showed a past issue of the "Ensign", where we are admonished to give up practices that are not seemly. Well, I can understand my need to give up Belly Dancing, though my practice of it was not done in public places. But giving up the wholesome lessons of my past belief system just feels "Icky", and I would do that why? I would give those things up to massage the ignorance of someone else?

I'm going to ask the Holy Spirit to educate me and to sooth my ruffled feathers. And, I will not be returning to that group.

Hala

Edited March 20, 2012 by Hala401

[annewandering]

I have never heard of Muslims doing animal sacrifice. Sounds like someone was doing their research in anti sites. We all know how accurate those are!

I can understand your dislike for talking to those people but on the other hand they are the ones that need to most educating. ^^ It might be more comfortable to do that on a one on one discussions. :)

[NeuroTypical]

Sorry to hear about your experience Hala. It can be quite unnerving to think you're standing amongst folks who want to hear what you have to say, only to find out something very different is happening.

Singles Family Home Evening you say? If it was something organized by the church, you may want to consider letting the Bishop know about the tone and spirit present in that meeting. Also, if the organizers weren't present, you may want to consider letting them know what happened. The next poor person they sucker into their midst may not have the strength you have.

I once went to an "are Mormons Christian" class held at a local MegaChurch. I immediately discovered that the title of the class should have been "Here's how to convince Mormons they aren't Christian" class. But I walked through the door expecting to make that discovery, so I wasn't taken off guard. They were taken off guard by me, and after a few sessions I was politely disinvited.

[Hala401]

Sorry to hear about your experience Hala. It can be quite unnerving to think you're standing amongst folks who want to hear what you have to say, only to find out something very different is happening.

Singles Family Home Evening you say? If it was something organized by the church, you may want to consider letting the Bishop know about the tone and spirit present in that meeting. Also, if the organizers weren't present, you may want to consider letting them know what happened. The next poor person they sucker into their midst may not have the strength you have.

I once went to an "are Mormons Christian" class held at a local MegaChurch. I immediately discovered that the title of the class should have been "Here's how to convince Mormons they aren't Christian" class. But I walked through the door expecting to make that discovery, so I wasn't taken off guard. They were taken off guard by me, and after a few sessions I was politely disinvited.

And that experience proves that "the shaitun" (in Muslim parlance) is alive and still causing problems.

[Guest]

I got banned from a Catholic forum because I tried to correct their beliefs about LDS... the reason they gave me was "proselyting".

I think it's human nature to shun ideas from a source other than those we believe in. It is ingrained from birth even, when we tell our kids things like, "You, son, are not allowed to read Harry Potter, it talks about witchcraft!" or things like that. An open mind is like a trout going to the breeding grounds... facing an uphill current with bears up top swiping away.

And, as you've noticed, LDS folks are not immune to the disease.

[Leah]

I don't understand why some people would rather have outrageous beliefs than to stick with the truth? I don't understand why some people are so sure of our Polygamy, when in the best research I can do, I find no present evidence of it, except in groups that are not part of the "Salt Lake" LDS. So, in my mind, it does not happen any more.

As most of you know, I was Muslim before my conversion, and pentacostle before I was Muslim, so one could say that my experiences are varied.

I was asked to talk to a small group of people about my past faith experience in Islam. At first, I regarded talking about it at Singles Family Home Evening to be inappropriate, and was reluctant at first, but finally did. And, to be clear, much of my experience as a Muslim woman was just what I needed at the time.

I was surprised to find that some of those in the group wanted to voice the depth of their ignorant prejudices and not hear about my experiences. First on the list was Animal Sacrifices. Wallah ! (shakes head). I tried to express that Animal Sacrifices were outside my experience, and I had never even heard of the practice, except in the New Testament of the Bible. They did not want to hear about the practice of Modesty (Hijab), the reverence toward God, and what the normal Muslim family does. It was not lurid enough I suppose.

When I got home, I Googled Muslim Animal Sacrifices, and sure enough it was there, but the whole Wiki spoke about things that I had never heard of or experienced. AND, I also saw that every major religion has it in their background, except perhaps the LDS, though I do not know.

I've learned a lesson about this. It seems that some confuse thanking Heavenly Father for our food, with "a Sacrifice". In Islam, all meat is humanely killed, meaning the death of the animal is fast, so there is not suffering. So what happens is that on a farm the animal is brought to the slaughter area, and the participants thank God for the food that he has provided. Then the animal's throat is slit so the jugular can be brought out and cut with out other damage to nerves and such. The purpose is to bring the animal to unconsciousness rapidly and to bleed it out, as is prescribed. This same sort of admonishment is in the book of Leviticus, I think. Remember, we are instructed not to eat the blood of animals.

I have never experienced a commercial killing house where they process supermarket meats, further, I do not wish to. Some have told me that they use a pneumatic stun gun and then just carve up the animal. I do not wish to know. I do not believe that they think of Heavenly Father in those places.

On the farm when I grew up, mostly the men killed things, but once in a while, I would have to take a chicken or rabbit. Yallah! I am not made of the stuff to find that pleasurable, that is what the husband is for!

Some would call that humane butchering, and others would call that a lurid sacrifice.

It is discouraging that some of us get pleasure from picking at cultural differences, for what purpose I do not know.

One of the members of the discussion showed a past issue of the "Ensign", where we are admonished to give up practices that are not seemly. Well, I can understand my need to give up Belly Dancing, though my practice of it was not done in public places. But giving up the wholesome lessons of my past belief system just feels "Icky", and I would do that why? I would give those things up to massage the ignorance of someone else?

I'm going to ask the Holy Spirit to educate me and to sooth my ruffled feathers. And, I will not be returning to that group.

Hala

I think condemning an entire group because a few people were uninformed about Islam is a bit of an over-reaction. If one did that every time someone had misinformation about one's religion (past or present), I think the number of people we'd be avoiding/condemning would be rather large. Perhaps they were simply trying to clarify things they had been told, and you had a unique opportunity to do that. I converted from Judaism. As a Jew, I found a lot of people were terribly mis-informed about Judaism and I find the same now with being a Mormon. I'd rather educate than get angry.

[mnn727]

Since both Judaism and Islam can trace their beginnings back to Abraham, its not suprisng that they have similar ideas on the killing of animals for food. Halal and Kosher are very similar in that both involve the quick and painless as possible method of killing animals along with giving thanks to God.

Native Americans had similar beliefs also; quick/painless as possible, and giving thanks (although this was usually to the animal), which shouldn't be surprising to those of us in the LDS faith.

[Hala401]

I got banned from a Catholic forum because I tried to correct their beliefs about LDS... the reason they gave me was "proselyting".

I think it's human nature to shun ideas from a source other than those we believe in. It is ingrained from birth even, when we tell our kids things like, "You, son, are not allowed to read Harry Potter, it talks about witchcraft!" or things like that. An open mind is like a trout going to the breeding grounds... facing an uphill current with bears up top swiping away.

And, as you've noticed, LDS folks are not immune to the disease.

Oh yes, but the ailment seems to be much less severe in the LDS. :) I am banned from Christianity.about.com because I was trying to tell the truth about Islam. Yes well, I can't fix them.

To date, my major issue with Islam is that they do not properly address Jesus Christ.

[Hala401]

I think condemning an entire group because a few people were uninformed about Islam is a bit of an over-reaction. If one did that every time someone had misinformation about one's religion (past or present), I think the number of people we'd be avoiding/condemning would be rather large. Perhaps they were simply trying to clarify things they had been told, and you had a unique opportunity to do that. I converted from Judaism. As a Jew, I found a lot of people were terribly mis-informed about Judaism and I find the same now with being a Mormon. I'd rather educate than get angry.

Please do not interpret my complaint as anger. I was just put off, and surprised. The one woman that surprised me most did not seem to be interested in hearing from a woman who'd been Muslim for over 6 years.

I think one of the most admirable traits of the church is that missionaries go out to many different countries, and rather than have missinformation from the news media, the young men and women come to know the truth.

It is my dream that one day the Arab world will be stable enough to exchange ideas with the LDS and others.

Hala