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In fact, the whole idea of ecumenism is a bit baffling. It's a relief, God knows, that Americans aren't slaughtering one another (very much) over religious differences. But ecumenism goes beyond a simple agreement to disagree in peace or even a commitment to look for areas of shared belief. Ecumenism celebrates religious belief in the abstract. And that is the puzzle. Why is erroneous belief preferred over nonbelief? Spiritual brotherhood can start to look more like a conspiracy in restraint of trade. The religion cartel. We band together and solemnly agree not to poach one another's customers.
There is, of course, an unattractive history of Christian campaigns to convert the Jews. The sales techniques of the Spanish Inquisition would not pass muster with the Federal Trade Commission. The recent memory of the Holocaust and demographic trends (too much intermarriage, too few children) that are shrinking the American Jewish community make conversion a sensitive subject.
But an insult? In a way, it is insulting to Jews that Fundamentalist Christians don't try harder to convert us. Oh, sure, they're friendly enough now. But wait until Judgment Day. Then it will be, "Sorry, we seem to have lost your reservation." And from this perspective, the Jewish policy of actively discouraging converts to Judaism starts to seem like "theological arrogance" indeed. At the same time, when you object to noncoercive conversion, it starts to look like the opposite of arrogance: theological insecurity. What are you afraid of? The decision will be made by you or by God, and in either case, there is no ground for complaint.
Michael Kinsley is the editor of Slate.com