Exodus Tours asks every pilgrim to refrain from proselyting in the Holy Land. That commitment goes further than Israeli law requires, and for good reasons. Here is what the commitment means for you.
The answer has two parts: what the law requires, and what we ask of you, which is more.
What Israeli law actually says
Pilgrims sometimes assume that talking about their faith in Israel is against the law. It is not. Israel protects freedom of expression, including religious expression, and ordinary conversation about faith is no crime.
Two specific prohibitions do exist in the Penal Law of 1977. The first forbids offering material benefit to induce someone to change religion. The second forbids persuading a minor to change religion, and forbids performing a conversion ordinance for a minor without parental consent.
Various bills to broaden those provisions have been proposed over the years, and none has become law. What stands is narrow.
So a pilgrim who mentions the LDS Church in conversation breaks no law. I say that plainly because our commitment is sometimes explained as a legal requirement, and the truth is better than that.
What we ask, and why
Exodus Tours follows the non-proselyting standard adopted by the BYU Jerusalem Center, which is stricter than Israeli law.
The standard asks that no one do anything that could be understood as encouraging people in Israel to investigate a religion for possible conversion. No materials about the Church or its doctrines are distributed, in person, by mail, or online. The Church and its doctrines are not discussed with people who live in the country or who are visiting there. And guests who are not members may not attend Church services held in the Holy Land.
That standard has a history. When the Jerusalem Center was built in the 1980s, sustained public opposition arose from the fear that the building would become a base for missionary work. The Israelis permitted the Center to be built on the strength of the promise from the Church that this location would not be used as a missionary training center. The Church has kept that promise ever since, building tremendous trust over decades of relationships with neighbors, with government authorities, and with other religious communities.
We have been entrusted with something large, and honoring that trust costs us very little.
What this does not restrict
Pilgrims sometimes hear the policy and conclude they must spend ten days silent about their faith. Not at all.
Within our group you may worship freely. We read scripture aloud at the sites. We sing at St. Anne’s. We pray together. We partake of the sacrament at the Jerusalem Center. We talk about what we believe with each other, at length, all week, and those conversations are among the best parts of the trip.
You may also ask local people about their own faith and listen to their answers, which is one of the great privileges of traveling here. Guides, shopkeepers, and hosts are often glad to explain their traditions to a curious visitor. Curiosity is welcome. Only persuasion is set aside.
And you may say what you are. Being a Christian in the Holy Land is no secret to keep. The line falls at inviting someone to change.
What to say if someone asks
Occasionally a local person will ask you directly about your church. A short, true answer works best.
Something like this: I am here as a visitor, and I have promised not to discuss my church while I am in this country. Then change the subject warmly. In my experience people accept that answer immediately and with respect.
If someone asks a general question about Christianity or about a site, answer factually and enjoy the conversation. The main idea is to separate discussing what a place means to Christians versus inviting someone to learn more about the LDS church.
Why this policy makes the trip better
I would keep this commitment even if nothing depended on it, because of what the commitment does to my ability to love my neighbor.
We are visiting a land that is home to Jews, Muslims, and Christians of many kinds, all of whom were here before us and will be here after we fly home. Setting aside the impulse to persuade others to pay attention to your religion changes what you notice. You ask more questions. You listen to answers instead of preparing a response. You meet people rather than prospects.
A pilgrimage is a journey undertaken to be changed rather than to change anyone else. Leaving the persuading at home for a week and a half makes room for that.
Come and See
How can you honor a place that is holy to others while holding your own faith fully?
Let us talk it through before we go.
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Sources and Further Reading
- BYU Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies, published non-proselytizing agreement, jerusalemcenter.ce.byu.edu.
- Penal Law of Israel, 5737-1977, sections 174 and 368, the provisions governing inducement to conversion and the conversion of minors.
