How to be a Muslim, Mormon, or Christian for 30 days!!

When I interviewed Emily about Mormonism here for my blog, she also included an interesting side note. She saw that I had practiced Islam for 30 days, and added at the end of the interview what I would need to do to practice Mormonism for 30 days as well! This was such a great idea, that I am posting it here for all to see. As a refresher, I'm also posting what would need to be done as an Evangelical Christian as well as what would need to be done as a Muslim. It's interesting to see the differences! :)

How to be a MORMON for 30 days (by Emily):

PRAYER:

• Personal prayer: morning and night
• Couple prayer (if married): morning and night
• Family prayer (if applicable): morning and night
• Meal prayers: at each meal

SCRIPTURE:

• Personal scripture study daily
• Couple scripture study daily (if applicable)
• Family scripture study daily (if applicable)
• Family Home Evening every Monday night (family lesson/activity)

CHURCH/SUNDAY:

• Church on Sunday for 3 hours (3 different classes, so it's not like you're sitting straight for 3 hours -- for part of it kids go to their own classes and adults to their own)
• Tithing: 10% of income to tithing
• Fasting: Fast 2 meals the first Sunday of the month and donate at least the money saved to the poor (called fast offerings)
• Possibly prepare a message/lesson/talk to share with others on Sunday or mid-week with the youth (ages 12-18)
• Sunday: Make Sunday different -- don't shop, maybe wear a dress all day

 CLOTHING:

• At least knee length shorts, shirts to cover your shoulders, also not low cut neck or too short, clothing not too tight nor see through.
• **added by Joni** the holy undergarments should be worn at all times.

DIET:

• No coffee, tea, tobacco, alcohol, try and be moderate in your what you eat

OTHER:

• Media: avoid bad media
• Monthly: The women possibly attend a monthly Relief Society meeting to provide service or just to gather for fun. Women also visit each other monthly (by assignment) and men are assigned to visit families monthly.
• Temple: Try and attend the temple as often as you can. This may vary according to your distance from a temple and your time constraints. How much you go to the temple will probably vary throughout your life.
• Personal journal and family history: Don't forget to write in your journal as you see fit and learn about your ancestors, too!

How to be a MUSLIM for 30 Days (by Rachel & Amber):

PRAYER:

• Personal prayer: five times daily (before sunrise, forenoon, afternoon, sunset, night. Times specific to city)
• Couple prayer (if married): Whenever possible
• Family prayer (if applicable): Whenever possible
• Meal prayers: Recite 'Bismillah ar-rahman ar-rahim' before eating/drinking

SCRIPTURE:

• Study the Q'uran daily
• Memorize a surah/verse daily (you don't HAVE to, but it's nice. It's fine just to read the Qur'an 10 mins a day or however much you want to)

CHURCH/MOSQUE:

• Attend prayer at the mosque on Friday
• Attend a lesson by the Imam weekly
• Tithing: 2.5% of assets to tithing
• Mosque: Try and attend the Mosque for prayer every Friday. This is a requirement for men, but optional for women. This may vary according to your distance from a mosque and your time constraints. How much you go to the mosque will probably vary throughout your life. Remove shoes and do not pass in front of a praying person.

CLOTHING: 

• Clothing: Women must be modest, covering all of their body to their wrists, ankles, and including their hair (everything but the face and hands). Their hair should be covered by hijab in the presence of every grown or adolescent male who is not related to them by blood or marriage.

FOOD

• Food: Avoid tobacco, no alcohol, no pork products, preferable to eat zabiha/blessed meat, but meat killed by Jews or Christians is also ok.

OTHER:

Fasting: during the month of Ramadan, also optional every Monday and Thursday of every week

Say 'salam' (translated "peace," - it is the short version of As-Salaam-Alaikum "the peace of God be with you" or "peace be unto you") to everyone you meet!

How to be an EVANGELICAL Christian for 30 days (by Joni):
Some of this is tongue in cheek... don't be offended!

PRAYER:

• Personal prayer: "without ceasing" (I Thes. 5:17)... or whenever you feel like it.
• Couple prayer (if married): whenever you REALLY want God's presence ("Wherever two or more are gathered in my name, there also am I" Matthew 18:20)
• Family prayer (if applicable): Not mandated, but strongly encouraged.
• Meal prayers: at each meal, or whenever you think of it. Again, not mandated.

SCRIPTURE:

• Personal scripture study daily (not mandated, but encouraged. Also encouraged is a handy Bible study of some sort to go with the Scriptures. Popular authors of Bible Studies are Oswald Chambers and Beth Moore.)
• Couple scripture study daily (if applicable, see above)
• Family scripture study daily (if applicable, see above)

CHURCH:

• Attend church on Sunday morning with your family. ((Children attend a children's church, if the church is large enough to have such a program.))
• Sunday school before church is very common.
• Church is also attended regularly on Sunday evenings, Wednesday evenings, and at other times during the week for Bible study, prayer groups, and classes. Attendance as much as possible is encouraged, although not mandatory.
• Tithing: 10% of income to tithing
• Fasting: We don't really fast on a regular basis. Occassionally, we see in Scripture that we are called to fast, or others have been called to fast, but it is not a "hard and fast" (har har) practice on a regular basis.
• Sunday: Make sure that you get home in time to watch the football game. :)

CLOTHING:

• Pretty much anything you want to wear is acceptable at my church (I mean, barring "hooker clothes.")
• However, at some Christian denominations that are more conservative, women should wear modest clothing that covers their arms, cleveage, and legs. Long skirts are preferred. Hair should be grown long too, because it is the "glory of a woman." Makeup free faces are preferred at most of these more conservative groups, and nail polish should definitely be kept to a minimum and only in natural shades.

DIET:

• Food: pretty much anything is acceptable, per Acts 10, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."
• HOWEVER, alcohol is strongly discouraged (did you ever hear that joke? You should always take two Baptists when you go fishing because if you only take one, he'll drink all your beer!). Cigarettes, illicit drugs, etc are also strongly discouraged. Sometimes Christians will go on fasts where they give up something - one particular food - for a while. Generally this is chocolate, but can vary. :)

OTHER:

• Media: avoid bad media ((unless is it FOX News.))
• Bars: Avoid bars, ESPECIALLY if you think another Christian might see you there! :)
• Baptism: Make sure to be Baptised during your lifetime. Also, celebrate major holidays like Christmas and Easter at church.