Utah Muslims work with LDS Church to help typhoon victims

Andrew Wiggins · Feb 18, 2014

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/...DS-Church-to-help-typhoon-victims.html?pg=all

Utah Muslims work with LDS Church to help typhoon victims

A friendship based on trust and mutual respect has grown in recent years between The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Utah’s Muslim community.

In the past, local Muslim leaders have participated in Latter-day Saint-sponsored interfaith gatherings and the LDS Church assisted with the construction of a mosque in West Valley City. Latter-day Saints also extended hands of fellowship to Utah Muslims in the volatile days following Sept. 11, 2001.

Congregants from both faiths have also worked together in times of need and disaster.

That partnership reached a new level Jan. 10 when the Islamic Society of Greater Salt Lake made a significant donation to the LDS Church Humanitarian Fund to assist victims of the recent typhoon in the Philippines.

Bishop Dean M. Davies, second counselor in the Presiding Bishopric, accepted a donation from the Islamic Society of almost $120,000 during a ceremony at the Khadeeja Islamic Center in West Valley City.

He assured Society leaders that the generous gift would be used entirely to assist those in need following Typhoon Haiyan. On Nov. 8, 2013, the Category 5 super typhoon ravaged several Filipino islands, claiming more than 6,000 lives and causing an estimated $1.5 billion in damage.

“I’m just overwhelmed by your generosity,” he said. “We are honored to work together with you.”

Not long after the storm hit, an anonymous donor gave the Islamic Society of Greater Salt Lake $100,000 for Typhoon Haiyan relief efforts. The donor challenged other members of the Islamic Society to augment his gift, resulting in an additional $19,000 being raised.

Society leaders decided to turn the funds over to the LDS Humanitarian Services.

“We knew that the money would go to help those people in need,” said Islamic Society President Aden Batar.

“With the [LDS Church’s] support, we can help many people,” added trustee Abdul Afridi.

Bishop Davies called the Islamic Center “a sacred place” where worshippers gather to pray together. He added that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches “to have a prayer in our hearts continually.”

Mr. Batar spoke of his own relationships with several Latter-day Saints, including many he considers “brothers and friends.”

At the end of the ceremony, Bishop Davies and several other representatives from LDS Humanitarian Services exchanged embraces with their friends from the Islamic Society of Greater Salt Lake.

“It feels so good to see people come together and work together to help those in need,” he said.
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Some positive news in the D&D is not a bad thing. Props to the Islamic Society of Greater Salt Lake for raising and donating $120,000 to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and working together to assist victims of the recent typhoon in the Philippines. It's always see people helping disaster stuck victims. I can only imagine what it feels like to go through what they've been through. Losing everything, including loved ones and starting over again is never easy.

AroundTheWorld · Feb 18, 2014

Thanks for some positive news.

Qball · Feb 18, 2014

Good post. Wish those extremist Muslims could see how working together can accomplish infinitely more than working against.

Dei · Feb 18, 2014

They still can't make Utah not suck.

rocketsjudoka · Feb 19, 2014

Nice story and Utah is one of my favorite states. It has incredible natural parks and world class skiing. Since 2002 you can drink in bars and buy alcohol.

It is a shame though that they idolize evil.

Mr. Clutch · Feb 19, 2014

Looks like Utah's Mormons have a good influence on Muslims.

DFWRocket · Feb 19, 2014

Mormons and the LDS Church in general tend to do a LOT of great charity work and make lots of charitable contributions. It is cool that the Muslims in the area joined with them in this effort. Would love to see a LOT more joint church efforts in this world. It could really make a difference. Small churches just don't have the funds to do a lot by themselves, but the big churches can really do a LOT of good stuff.

geeimsobored · Feb 19, 2014

The LDS church has a very interesting outlook on minority outreach that many other churches simply dont have.

LDS growth today is almost entirely minority driven (reflecting the general population growth of the US). As a result, the LDS church has made it a pretty big priority to push for issues that benefit immigrants and minorities. For example, the LDS church is a big time advocate for immigration reform and as a result Utah has some of the most liberal immigration laws in the US. (despite being an incredibly conservative state)

Utah is one of the only states in the US to give work permits to illegal immigrants. On top of that, Utah is one of three states to grant drivers licenses to illegal immigrants. All of that happened because the LDS church provided political cover for Republicans to vote yes on those bills.

So the LDS church working with Muslims doesn't shock me at all. LDS has been more progressive on minority issues than almost any other religious organization. They deserve tons of credit on that front.

Andrew Wiggins · Feb 20, 2014

geeimsobored said: ↑

The LDS church has a very interesting outlook on minority outreach that many other churches simply dont have.

LDS growth today is almost entirely minority driven (reflecting the general population growth of the US). As a result, the LDS church has made it a pretty big priority to push for issues that benefit immigrants and minorities. For example, the LDS church is a big time advocate for immigration reform and as a result Utah has some of the most liberal immigration laws in the US. (despite being an incredibly conservative state)

Utah is one of the only states in the US to give work permits to illegal immigrants. On top of that, Utah is one of three states to grant drivers licenses to illegal immigrants. All of that happened because the LDS church provided political cover for Republicans to vote yes on those bills.

So the LDS church working with Muslims doesn't shock me at all. LDS has been more progressive on minority issues than almost any other religious organization. They deserve tons of credit on that front.
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Hear, hear. I was skeptical when I read the Islamic Society of Greater Salt Lake trusted the LDS Church enough to give the $120,000 donation without making sure it got to the victims. That said a lot to me, and now I understand why they do.

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