By Irvin H. Jacobs

SAN DIEGO—  In the doorway of my car, as I laced up for a power walk on the Pacific Beach boardwalk, I was abruptly greeted by two clean cut young men in white shirts, and dark ties and trousers.  By my estimate, they were not over 20 years of age.

“Excuse me, Sir, can we talk with you a few minutes,” the more gregarious one opened.  He explained that they are Mormon missionaries.  They were canvassing the neighborhood door to door.

I agreed but made it clear that I am satisfied with my own religion.  When I told them I am Jewish, the spokesperson promptly lit up.  He was delighted to talk to a Jew, and pursued, “Can I ask you a question?”

Again I agreed.  He took time to think through his question, then finally asked, “How do Jews distinguish between a Messiah of the Line of David from one of the Line of Joseph? I answered that I am not familiar with the Line of Joseph.  I added that I believe Christians have found a way to interpret Scriptures to satisfy a notion that Jesus was from the line of King David, ergo fulfilling a key traditional criterion of the Messiah.  “But I don’t buy their reasoning!” I added. 

 “Besides, I don’t anticipate an individual Messiah.  The best we can hope for is a Messianic Age, when the world is ready to cooperate to usher in an age of peace.”  I added, “There are no signs of that development, as far as I can see.  It won’t happen in my lifetime, if ever, I fear.”  They nodded in agreement.

 “We Jews believe in the concept of Tikkun Olam,” I added.  They were immediately curious.  I explained that the created world is imperfect, and it is our duty to help repair it.  It is enough if I leave this world at least a little improved from its condition at my birth.

It is well known that young Mormons, soon after high school, are required to devote two years to missionary work, generally at their own expense.  They fan out heavily to developing countries, but there are also duty stations here in the USA.  (San Diego must be a plum assignment.)  A few years ago, I met American Mormon young people in Santiago, Chile, actually in a very large downtown Catholic Church.  They are easy to identify and to engage in conversation.  The foursome I met in Chile reported that they were wrapping up their Chilean stay, to return to the USA the next day.  They seemed happy to report that they had recruited but two new members in their two years in Chile.

I have learned that Mormonism worldwide is one of the fastest growing religions.  The same is reported of Islam.  We often see threats of and manifestations of violence from Islamic groups, and the apparent acquiescence in such behavior by a large fraction of Islamic leaders and lay people.  I should say I prefer the success of the Mormons, who practice non-violent persuasion.

Jews were involved in proselytizing in ancient times.  Historians report that, of the citizens of the Roman Empire at the time of Jesus, fully 10% were Jews.  Israelites traveled then throughout the Mediterranean and Europe, but it is known that such an extraordinary number did not arise directly from born Jews and their offspring.  Jews competed for members successfully with the pagan religions and even with early Christians.  Christians after all considered themselves to be Jews, albeit ones who accepted the crucified Jesus as the Messiah who would return. 

After Constantine, in the early 3^rd Century CE, declared Christianity to become the official religion of the Roman Empire, Jews were prohibited from further proselytism.  According to Constantine’s Sword: The Church and the Jews — A History by James Carroll (Houghton Mifflin, 2001), Constantine’s decision was a political one, to unify a fragmenting Empire beset by corruptions and infighting.  The early Church by then had an organizational (marketing) system that he found useful for his purposes. 

Since then Jews have not proselytized, though we happily accept willing converts who sincerely initiate an approach to join Judaism.

The two young Mormons proceeded to the doorway of the home opposite my parked car.  I wished them success in their pursuits, and headed down the block to the beach.