{"id":108283,"date":"2024-12-14T15:34:48","date_gmt":"2024-12-14T22:34:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/?p=108283"},"modified":"2024-12-14T15:44:07","modified_gmt":"2024-12-14T22:44:07","slug":"this-will-probably-do-little-or-no-good","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2024\/12\/this-will-probably-do-little-or-no-good.html","title":{"rendered":"This will probably do little or no good."},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"UAE's<\/a>
The Abu Dhabi Stake Center in the United Arab Emirates (Wikimedia Commons public domain image)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For the better part of the past week, several places in social media have been enflamed with controversy regarding a photograph showing a group of Muslims praying<\/a> in what is obviously a Latter-day Saint meetinghouse. \u00a0On the wall in the background, what appears to be a painting (perhaps a painting of Jesus, but perhaps not) has been covered over (perhaps by the Muslims or perhaps by their Latter-day Saint hosts).<\/p>\n

Frankly, I\u2019ve been discouraged and disheartened by some of the responses to the issue. \u00a0Many have been supportive of the idea of permitting others to pray in one of our buildings. \u00a0(This has actually happened many times, in many locations, over many years.) \u00a0But some have been concerned, and a few have been vehemently opposed. \u00a0What I\u2019ve found most depressing has been the militant ignorance of some of the opponents. \u00a0(I confess, though, that it\u2019s amusing to be told by a few of them that I need to read the Qur\u2019an and learn something about Islam; I\u2019ve read the Qur\u2019an and taught the Qur\u2019an \u2014 in both English translation and Arabic \u2014 more times than I can count, and I\u2019ve taught and written about Islam for decades. \u00a0This article in the Ensign<\/em><\/a> was specifically requested by the First Presidency, which ought to suggest at least something of how the leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints<\/a> regard Islam and choose to approach the topic.)<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve read some astonishing claims that have been advanced with absolute assurance. \u00a0Here are some of them, and I\u2019m only picking a few of the more obviously crazy declarations:<\/p>\n