Procedure

The Reform and Conservative movements are lenient in their acceptance of converts. Many of their members are married to gentiles and these movements make an effort to welcome spouses who seek conversion. This issue is contentious in modern Israel as many immigrants from the former Soviet Union are not considered Jewish.

Conversion to Judaism in history

King David was descended from the convert Ruth, who, according to the Talmud and Midrash, was a Moabite princess. No formal conversion procedure is given in the text; modern critical historians generally hold giur, in its modern sense, to be an innovation of a later period. Joseph, the father of the most famous sage of the Talmud, Rabbi Akiva, was a convert.

Christians were forbidden to convert to Judaism on pain of death during most of the Middle Ages. In the 1700s a famous convert by the name of Count Valentin Potoski in Poland was burned at the stake. He was a contemporary and a disciple of Rabbi Elijah, known as the Vilna Gaon.

In Hellenistic and Roman times, some Pharisees were eager proselytizers, and had at least some success throughout the empire. Some Jews are also descended from converts to Judaism outside the Mediterranean world. It is known that some Khazars, Edomites, and Ethiopians, as well as many Arabs, particularly in Yemen before, converted to Judaism in the past; today in the United States, Israel and Europe some people still convert to Judaism. In fact, there is a greater tradition of conversion to Judaism than many people realize. The word "proselyte" originally meant a Greek who had converted to Judaism. As late as the 6th century the Eastern Roman empire (i.e., the Byzantine empire) was issuing decrees against conversion to Judaism, implying that conversion to Judaism was still occurring.

In recent times, members of the Reform Judaism movement began a program to convert to Judaism the non-Jewish spouses of its intermarried members and non-Jews who have an interest in Judaism. Their rationale is that so many Jews were lost during the Holocaust that newcomers must be sought out and welcomed. This approach has been repudiated by Orthodox and Conservative Jews as unrealistic and posing a danger. They say that these efforts make Judaism seem an easy religion to join and observe when in reality being Jewish entails many difficulties and sacrifices.

Relationship with converts

Judaism, unlike say Christianity and Islam, is not a proselytising religion. Because it teaches that the righteous of all nations shall enter the gates of heaven, it does not have any compelling urge to rescue non-Jews from hell and damnation.

There is a requirement in Jewish law to ensure the sincerity of a potential convert. This is taken very seriously, and when played out against the background of the foregoing considerations, most authorities are very careful about it. Essentially, they want to be sure that the convert knows what he is getting into, and that he is doing it for sincerely religious reasons. A Rabbinic tradition holds that a prospective convert should be refused three times.

Differences between Jewish and Christian views

To Jews, Jewish peoplehood is closely tied to their relationship with God, and thus has a strong theological component. This relationship is encapsulated in the notion that Jews are a chosen people. Although some have taken this as a sign of arrogance or exclusivity, there are Jewish scholars and theologians who have emphasized that a special relationship between Jews and God does not in any way preclude other nations having their own relationship with God. For Jews, being "chosen" fundamentally means that Jews have chosen to obey a certain set of laws (see Torah and halakha) as an expression of their covenant with God. Jews hold that other nations and peoples are not required or expected to obey these laws, and face no penalty for not obeying them. Thus, as a national religion, Judaism has no problem with the notion that others have their own paths to God (or "salvation"), though it still makes claim as to the truth or falsehood of other beliefs, and as to whether Gentiles are allowed to hold them. Thus, for example, Maimonides believed that the truth claims of Islam were largely false, but he also believed that Gentiles were not sinning by following Islam; on the other hand, he regarded idolatry not just as false, but also as a serious sin, for Jew or non-Jew. In this respect, Rabbinical sources have usually classed Christianity with Islam, rather than with idolatry, though the use of icons in many denominations has raised questions as to whether they are, in fact, idolatrous.

Christianity is characterized by its claim to universality, which marks a break with Jewish identity. As a religion claiming universality, Christianity has had to define itself in relation with religions that make radically different claims about Gods. Christians believe that Christianity represents the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham and the nation of Israel, that Israel would be a blessing to all nations.

This crucial difference between the two religions has other implications. For example, conversion to Judaism is more like a form of adoption (i.e. becoming a member of the nation, in part by metaphorically becoming a child of Abraham), whereas conversion to Christianity is explicitly a declaration of faith. Of course, conversion to Judaism also entails a declaration of faith, and, in Christian churches, conversion also has a social component, as the individual is in many ways adopted into the Church, with a strong family model.

Conversion to Christianity

Some branches of Christianity, such as Roman Catholicism, encourage infant baptism, welcoming children into the Christian faith before they are aware of their status. In other branches of Christianity, one becomes a Christian by choosing to accept the death and resurrection of Jesus as the payment for and freedom from their sins. This and the belief that Jesus is the Son of God and the Lord of all leads the person to then dedicate his or her life to the Lord God and accept Jesus Christ (and therefore, his teachings which can be found in the Biblical Gospels) as one's personal savior and Lord as well as accepting the Holy Spirit as their guide. This choice is substantiated by the ritual of baptism- generally as an adult.

According to many branches of Christianity, telling non-Christians about Christianity has been a duty of Christians since the time of Jesus. According to the New Testament, Jesus commanded his disciples to "go into the world and make disciples of all nations". Evangelism, or 'spreading the Good News' has been a central part of the life of Christians since that time. In the Calvanistic view of Christianity, conversion is properly seen as the work of God; humans may preach and teach, but in this view it is God who prompts the convert to choose to believe, accept the gift of salvation and dedicate their life to Him.

According to many interpretations of the New Testament, all his disciples of Jesus were Jewish. The New Testament reports he performed miracles for Gentiles without requiring their conversion; in one conversation with a Samaritan woman, he downplayed the differences between Jews and Samaritans (John 4).

The origin of Christian Baptism in water is derived from the Jewish law requiring a convert to submerge themselves in pure water (of a mikvah) in order to receive a new pure soul from God. In the first centuries there was a lively debate with Jewish-Christians being labeled as Judaizers at one extreme and Marcionism at the other extreme with Orthodoxy somewhere in between.

Christianity and Islam are two religions that encourage preaching their faith in order to convert non-believers. In both cases, this missionary property has been used as a justification for religious wars (cf. Crusades, jihad) on other countries. This property encourages evangelists to convert people of other faiths, and history has shown that the motives were not always pure.

In the year 1000, the Viking age parliament of Iceland decided that the entire country should convert to Christianity, and that sacrifice to the old gods, while still allowed, should no longer be made in the open. Similar mass conversions in other Scandinavian countries and in the rest of Europe were not as democratic, see Religious persecution by Christians.

Reception of baptized persons into full communion with the Roman Catholic Church

The Code of Canon Law (canon 206) provides for the reception of baptized persons into full communion with the Roman Catholic Church. It should, however, be noted that, technically, baptized non-Catholics (for example Anglicans, Baptists, Lutherans, Methodists) who seek full communion with the Catholic Church are not "converts", though they are usually referred to by this term in common parlance. This is because, as taught in the Bible, those who are baptised in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are considered by the Catholic Church to be baptised and therefore, their 'conversion' is merely a coming home.

See also Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults.

Conversion of Catholics to Protestantism

Conversion to Islam

Also see List of converts to Islam, Islamization

According to some Muslims, one of the important doctrines of Islam is "la ikraha fiddeen" (Qur'an, 2:256), meaning "no compulsion (or coercion) in religion". They believe that this verse implies that no nation can coerce another nation or individuals to change their religion. Similarly, they believe that no spouse can coerce his or her spouse into religion. The doctrine is stated in such general terms it can also influence the policies of an Islamic nation towards two challenging parties and not having the other one being coerced into the other's religion. Some Muslims don't agree with that interpretation and believe that the verse has been abrogated by later verses such as Ayat al-Sayf (the verse of the sword). ^*

In Islamic culture there is no such label or word found that means convert, probably since new converts to Islam soon found their way to mainstream or even leadership ranks among Muslims. In other words, there was no need for the label in dealing with newcomers. One example to this is the family of the late Iqbal of Pakistan.

According to many Muslim sources and several non-Muslim ones , Islam is gaining converts fast. According to the World Network of Religious Futurists, the U.S. Center for World Mission Islam is growing faster numerically than any of the other major world religions. About 5% of this growth is caused by conversions to Islam, the remainder by relatively high birth rates of Muslims.

Conversion to religions of Indic origin

Religions of Indic origin such as Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, and Jainism do not hold teachings that advocate conversion as a form of expansion, although they accept anybody to join their faiths. The reason for this is the belief that "all religions are true and are only different paths to the same truth". Followers also believe the religion you follow is to be chosen based on an individual's temperament, birth etc. Also, what would be very strange and foreign to non-Indic origin faiths is that people can claim to be follower of multiple religions. For example in Japan which was influenced by the Indic faith of Buddhism, it is easy to find people who follow both Buddhism and Shinto. In China, too, many people follow multiple faiths including Buddhism and Daoism. It is also common to find people in Nepal claming to be both Hindu and Buddhist or in India claiming to be both Hindu and Sikh, etc. This inclusivism is in direct contrast to the belief that the ordained path in the book is the only true paths, found in exclusivistic belief systems like Christianity. It should be noted that the above does not apply for some sects of Indic faiths, like Soka Gakkai and the Hare Krishnas (officially known as ISKCON).

Conversion to Hinduism

Because of growing Christian missionary activities in India ^*," target="_blank" >some Hindu organizations are aggressively trying to counter them. Because of this, reconversion drive of ex-Hindus (mostly Christians) by Hindu organisations in India has become well organised and seen many successes in recent years.[http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050219/asp/nation/story_4396023.asp

Hindu spirituality has greatly influenced the intellectual-religious contour of western nations. Many intellectuals have had very positive beliefs about Hinduism ^*, and because of its all-inclusive nature, traditional Hinduism has shown acceptance to this new category of western Hindus.

According to many, new emerging religion of these countries is now really the 'New Age'. The Pope sees 'Eastern influences' in this new development. Pat Robertson, a controversial American evangelist, finds links between the New Age and Hinduism, of which he actively preaches against.^*

In former Hindu places such as Indonesia there have been Hindu restoration movement in which certain tribes, be they Muslims or anything else still practicing many of the ancient Hindu traditions have converted.

Conversion to Buddhism

Conversion to the Bahá'í Faith

Conversion to new religious movements and cults

Research both in the USA and the Netherlands has shown there is a positive correlation between lack of involvement in mainstream churches in certain areas and provinces and the percentage of people who are a member of a new religious movement. This applies also for the presence of New Age centers. ^*,^* The Dutch research included Jehovah's Witnesses and the Latter Day Saint movement/Mormonism to the NRM's.

Research in the USA has shown disproportionally large numbers people of Jewish descent join NRM's which worries the Jewish community. ^*

Professor Eileen Barker believes the psychological changes as described in converts of the Divine Light Mission can be generalized for other NRMs, however she has supplied no proof of such claims.

Conversion to Scientology

Prohibition of conversion

Proselytism

History

Many Christians consider it their obligation to follow what is often termed the "Great Commission" of Jesus, recorded in the final verses of the Gospel of Matthew: "Go to all the nations and make disciples. Baptize them and teach them my commands." The early Christians were noted for their evangelizing work.

The difference between the two terms is not easily defined. What one person considers legitimate evangelizing, or witness bearing, another may consider intrusive and improper.

Illustrating the problems that can arise from such subjective viewpoints is this extract from an article by Dr. C. Davis, published in Cleveland State University's 'Journal of Law and Health': "According to the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, Jews for Jesus and Hebrew Christians constitute two of the most dangerous cults, and its members are appropriate candidates for deprogramming. Anti-cult evangelicals ... protest that 'aggressiveness and proselytizing . . . are basic to authentic Christianity,' and that Jews for Jesus and Campus Crusade for Christ are not to be labeled as cults. Furthermore, certain Hassidic groups who physically attacked a meeting of the Hebrew Christian 'cult' have themselves been labeled a 'cult' and equated with the followers of Reverend Moon, by none other than the President of the Central Conference of American Rabbis". ^*

Views on the propriety of proselytism, or even evangelism, differ radically. Some feel that freedom of speech should have no limits and that virtually anyone, anywhere should have the right to talk about anything they see fit. Others see all sorts of evangelism as a nuisance and an intrusion and would like to see them proscribed. Thus, Natan Lerner observes that the issue is one of a clash of rights - the right of a person to express his views versus the right of a person not to be exposed to views that he does not wish to hear.

From a legal standpoint, there do appear to be certain criteria in distinguishing legitimate evangelization from illicit proselytism:

• All humans have the right to have religious beliefs, and to change these beliefs, even repeatedly, if they so wish. (Freedom of Religion)
• They have the right to form religious organizations for the purpose of worship, as well as for promoting their cause (Freedom of Association)
• They have the right to speak to others about their convictions, with the purpose of influencing the others. (Freedom of Speech).

By the same token, these very rights exercise a limiting influence on the freedoms of others. For instance, the right to have one's religious beliefs presumably includes the right not to be coerced into changing these beliefs by threats, discrimination, or similar inducements.

Hence a category of improper proselytizing can be discerned.

• It would not be proper to use coercion, threats, the weight of authority of the educational system, access to health care or similar facilities in order to induce people to change their religion.
• It would be improper to try to impose one's beliefs on a 'captive audience', where the listeners have no choice but to be present. This would presumably require restraint in the exercise of their right to free speech, by teachers in the classroom, army officers to their inferiors, prison officers in prison, medical staff in hospitals, so as to avoid impinging on the rights of others.
• It would not be proper to offer money, work, housing or other material inducements as a means of persuading people to adopt another religion.

Issues involving proselytism

Greece has a long history of conflict, mostly with Jehovah's Witnesses but also with some Pentecostals over its laws on proselytism. This situation stems from a law passed in the 1930s by the dictator Ioannis Metaxas. A Jehovah's Witness, Minos Kokkinakis, won the equivalent of US $14,400 in damages from the Greek state after being arrested for trying to preach his faith from door to door. In another case, Larissis vs. Greece, a member of the Pentecostal church also won a case in the European Court of Human Rights.

Some Islamic countries with Islamic law outlaw and carry strict sentences for proselytising. Several Islamic countries under Islamic law, e.g. Saudi ArabiaYemen [http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/ENGMDE310052000" target="_blank" >^*, Afghanistan, PakistanEgyptIran^*" target="_blank" >Maldives[http://www.leaderu.com/common/maldives.html" target="_blank" >^* outlaw apostacy and carry imprisonment or the death penalty for those leaving Islam and those enticing Muslims to leave Islam.

Notes

See also

• Apostasy
• List of converts to Christianity
• List of converts to Islam
• List of converts to Judaism
• Missionary
• Secondary conversion

References

• 1. Schepens, T. (Dutch) Religieuze bewegingen in Nederland volume 29, Sekten Ontkerkelijking en religieuze vitaliteit: nieuwe religieuze bewegingen en New Age-centra in Nederland (1994) VU uitgeverij ISBN 90-5383-341-2
• 2. Stark, R & W.S. Bainbridge The future of religion: secularization, revival and cult formation (1985) Berkely/Los Angeles/London: University of California press
• 3. Barrett, D. V. The New Believers - A survey of sects, cults and alternative religions (2001) UK, Cassell & Co ^*
• 4. Cooper, Richard S. "The Assessment and Collection of Kharaj Tax in Medieval Egypt" (Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 96, No. 3. (Jul. – Sep., 1976), pp. 365–382.

Bibliography

• Barker, Eileen Choice or Brainwashing? (1984)

External links

• Jewish Encyclopedia: Proselyte
• "Proselytism, Change of Religion, and International Human Rights", by Natan Lerner, PhD (legal aspects of defining illicit proselytism)
• Choosing Judaism: Resource Center for Prospectice Converts
• Online Book on conversion to Hinduism

Religious behaviour and experience | Religious assimilation | Religious conversion

Konversion (Religion) | Proselitismo | Prosélytisme | המרת דת | Bekering | Prozelityzm | Прозелитизм