Jan
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BYU (the Mormon University) in Israel
January 17, 2007 by Giuseppe Martinengo Leave a Comment | Filed in Mormon Church
The Brigham Young University Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies is located on Mount Scopus, near the Hebrew University. Brigham Young University (the Mormon University) has been operating in Jerusalem since 1968 but the university moved to the building on Mount Scopus in 1987.
However, in last 6 years the campus was closed because of concerns over terrorism. Now finally, 44 Mormon students from Salt Lake City, Utah, arrived last Wednesday to study for a semester in Israel.
One thing that strucked me was the comment in the articles from the Jerusalem Post where it is clearly expressed how many conservative Jews have opposed the school’s presence in Israel and expressed fear of Mormons proselytizing. Because of this fear the university’s administration agreed in writing that such activities would not occur.
In spite of this, MK Meir Porush (United Torah Judaism) said that the activities of the heads of the institute should be closely followed, since it is in the nature of Mormons to carry out missionary activities and to try and influence others.
Now, Mr. Porush is not the only one who is concerned about Mormons or other religious groups trying to do missionary work. We had in the past and we still have currently countries that don’t allow such activities but impose a state religion. This was the rule in Europe for many centuries and it is the rule in many Muslim countries right now. Still in other countries no religion is welcomed.
Now I ask, why are these people so concerned about other groups peacefully preaching to their people? If they really believe that their religion is the right one and superior to the others, why are they afraid of a few Mormon missionaries? If they have done a good job of teaching their people and their religion is the best, they shouldn’t fear.
In the Book of Mormon we read about what I think should be the rule (Alma, chapter 30):
Now there was no law against a man’s belief; for it was strictly contrary to the commands of God that there should be a law which should bring men on to unequal grounds. For thus saith the scripture: Choose ye this day, whom ye will serve.
Now if a man desired to serve God, it was his privilege; or rather, if he believed in God it was his privilege to serve him; but if he did not believe in him there was no law to punish him. But if he murdered he was punished unto death; and if he robbed he was also punished…
For there was a law that men should be judged according to their crimes. Nevertheless, there was no law against a man’s belief.
I think that this should be the rule. We should let people choose by themselves what they want to believe, but not allow them to commit crimes.
If governments are concerned about missionaries or others preaching different beliefs to their people we need to respect it, and the Mormon Church does it. However, I believe, soon or later if a belief system is not good enough, and it is imposed and sustained by fear, it will crumble and fall.
In 1989, I remember seeing the Berlin Wall crumble and fall without anybody being able to stop it. Men can build walls of bricks or of ignorance, but they will crumble soon or later and the Lord will do His work..
