"A Mormon living in an Islamic society would be very comfortable," said Steve Young, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints attending the event.

They tend toward patriarchy, believing in feminine modesty, chastity and virtue. And although Islam discourages dancing involving both sexes, Mormons report that church-sponsored "modesty proms" commonly draw Islamic youths.

Both acknowledge the humanity of Jesus, but not the divinity of Jesus.

But those familiar with the cult say the women's attire is not just a matter of tradition or preference. Rather, they say, fashions are dictated by very strict rules imposed and revised by sect elders to promote modesty and enforce religious devotion.

Controlling dress is a way of controlling behavior, experts say, and isolation from the outside world is precisely the point.

"They see the world as filled with the presence of Satan," Stephen Kent, a professor of sociology at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, who has studied polygamy, told ABC News. "The conservative dress of the women sets them apart from the outside world. It fosters among them the attitude that the outside world is sensual and bad."

Mormons [...] have a spiritual depth to their character (called taqwa in Islam), a closeness to God if one wlls, near to that of Muslims, and unlike any other Americans period. This is a sort of elite spirituality that in my experience I've only otherwise seen exhibited by Orthodox Jews. It has to do with truly setting one's aspirations on the next life as the true life in every moment of this earthly life. It's a certain detachment from material things and happenings as not being worthy of the full attention our mind, body and soul 24/7.

Lastly what endears me to them is the fact that they stand up for their morality both as individuals and as a group in the face of the rest of the country, even if it alienates them as outcasts. As a Muslim who has shared experiences with fellow Muslims of being ostracized by supposedly Catholic, Protestant and Jewish peers for, among other things, not drinking and remaining chaste until marriage, this last point does not leave a light mark.

Christians beat up on them as heretics, but as long as the Mormons keep producing the kind of communities they do, they have an ally in this Muslim unto death.

There are some American orthodox Christians who are like this.

Well, part of the issue here is that Mormonism is the ultimate form of Americanism: if you work hard, keep your nose to the grindstone and live a good life, you too can be God!

Well, part of the issue here is that Mormonism is the ultimate form of Americanism: if you work hard, keep your nose to the grindstone and live a good life, you too can be God!

Secondly, I consider Mormons to have a spiritual depth to their character (called taqwa in Islam), a closeness to God if one wlls, near to that of Muslims, and unlike any other Americans period. This is a sort of elite spirituality that in my experience I've only otherwise seen exhibited by Orthodox Jews. It has to do with truly setting one's aspirations on the next life as the true life in every moment of this earthly life. It's a certain detachment from material things and happenings as not being worthy of the full attention our mind, body and soul 24/7. It's about not letting who wins or loses on Super Bowl Sunday affect one's happiness or sadness in the least. Mormons, of any large religious group other than Muslims, strike me as having the best balanced concern for this earthly, material life versus the next life (the heareafter).

according to your tradition, what will be the fate in the next life of such as these who successfully avoid alcohol, sex and professional sports in this life but don't follow Islam? will their deep spiritually avail them in the next life if they failed to recognize the One True God and His Prophet in this one?