By State Representative Eric Bell (D-Jonesboro)
(619 words)
There are moments in a Christian’s life when the pages of the Bible stop feeling like ancient stories and begin to feel like living memory. The first time I set foot in the Holy Land, that is exactly what happened to me. Walking through Bethlehem, I thought about the humble manger where Jesus entered the world. In Nazareth, I reflected on the quiet town where the son of God grew up. And in Jerusalem, every stone seemed to echo the stories I learned as a child sitting in church pews. As a boy, those places were sacred names spoken during Sunday sermons. As a man standing there, they became something deeper—a living testimony to the faith that shaped my life.
I remember descending into ancient crypts, touching worn stone and imagining the footsteps of generations of believers who had come before me. I felt overwhelming reverence, awe and gratitude. I never imagined that simply bearing witness to what I saw there and speaking honestly about the people, the suffering and the sacred humanity present in that land would result in me being banned from returning. Yet here I am, banned from the Holy Land for telling the truth about my experience.
While I would be lying if I said it did not hurt, my pain must be placed in its proper perspective. My story, as difficult as it feels personally, pales in comparison to the suffering endured by many Palestinian Christians who have lived for decades under violence, displacement and fear. Families who worship the same Christ as I do have faced death, the destruction of their homes and the loss of land passed down for generations. Their suffering makes my ban feel almost laughably small. I can still worship freely. I can still speak. I can still live without the daily threat of retaliation simply for existing.
In that sense, being banned is not a curse. It is, strangely enough, a blessing. It means I can continue telling the truth without fear. If being banned is the cost of bearing witness, then I accept it with humility. After all, I would not be the first Christian to be forced from the land. The Bible reminds us that even Jesus was once a refugee: “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt… for Herod will seek the child to destroy him.” — Matthew 2:13. Even Christ was forced to leave the land where His story began.
So, if history places me among those who have been barred for speaking uncomfortable truths, I will not hang my head. In fact, I stand with a sense of solemn pride alongside courageous leaders like congresswomen Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, who were also banned after advocating for Palestinian human rights. None of us sought to be excluded. We simply refused to stay silent.
Faith demands that kind of courage. Christianity is not just about reverence for sacred places. It is about standing with the oppressed, comforting the afflicted and speaking truth in the face of power. Jesus taught us, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” — Matthew 5:10.
So yes, I am banned. But my faith is not. My testimony is not. And the truth about what I saw, the sacred beauty of the land and the suffering of the people who call it home, will not be banned either. Because the Holy Land is not just soil and stone. It is a moral calling. That calling demands that we tell the truth, even when the truth closes doors, even when it closes borders and even when it gets us banned. Free Palestine. Free Sudan. Free Congo. Free the USA.
Representative Eric Bell represents the citizens of District 75, which includes a portion of Clayton County. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2023 and currently serves on the Defense & Veterans Affairs, Human Relations & Aging and Small Business Development committees.
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The views expressed above and information shared are those of the author.