Tolerance and other Religions
The Meaning of Tolerance
What does tolerance really mean? If I tolerate someone I don't like, what am I doing? I am putting up with them, despite my differences, aren't I? I'm enduring whatever it is about them that bothers me. What if I tolerate someone with whom I disagree? Doesn't that mean that I permit them to think freely and hold opinions different to mine, and respect their right to do that? The fundamental concept of tolerance is that I allow someone the freedom to believe something different to me. I should not force you or coerce you into believing something against your will, and I should not treat you differently from other people because of what you believe.
Notice I didn't mention anything about agreeing with the person. There is a fine but important line between tolerating someone's beliefs, and agreeing with them. I can genuinely respect your right to hold your own beliefs, while openly disagreeing with them. In fact, if this was not the case, then everyone in the world would be obliged to agree with everyone else in the world, which is obviously impossible. It makes no sense to expect people to agree with one another. As long as humans are free-thinkers, they will have new and different ideas, and therefore disagree with one another.
Notice also, that it is possible to have a meaningful, intellectual debate about an issue, and to try and persuade someone that your position is right, without breaking the definition of tolerance that I started with. I am trying to persuade you now, but you are still perfectly free to disagree with me. If you were someone I knew, I would think no less of you as a person. One more observation: even though I may believe that I am right and you are wrong, the very fact that I am willing to enter discussion with you and listen to your opinion means that I accept the possibility that I could be wrong and you could be right. Believing I am right and you are wrong does not necessarily make me arrogant, as many people assert.
The Intolerance of Tolerance
Why, then, does modern Tolerance (distinguished with a capital 'T') expect religions to act as if they agree with one another? We aren't free to voice our disagreements with other religions, for fear of being vilified for religious discrimination. Outside of religion, we generally don't care if others believe differently to us. But in the realm of religion, we are seeking after absolute, objective truth. And we believe that that truth will affect people's eternal destiny. Therefore, we are perfectly justified in trying to persuade other people that we are right. To not do so would be like standing by as we watched a shark approach a swimmer at the beach. It is our duty to warn people.
However, the new concept of Tolerance has no space for people who believe they are right and other people are wrong, and say so. At least, it depends what the subject matter is. Politics, sport, the environment, lifestyle - nobody cares if you disagree on issues like that. But start talking about homosexuality, abortion, same-sex-marriages, or religion, and suddenly people are all up-tight about what you can and can't say. Notice that these are all issues involving morality and meaning, right and wrong, absolute truth. You are entitled to voice your opinion about anything except precisely those issues which really mean something.
In essence, what our society is saying is that there is no longer such a thing as absolute truth, which can be debated and argued. There is only subjective, personal truth - opinion. Absolute truth has been sacrificed to pave the way for Tolerance. To speak as though you are dealing with absolutes is called discrimination (the new 'heresy'!). Therefore, Tolerance cannot tolerate people who have a
Equality and Ecumenism
Of course, it is true that religious disagreements more than anything else are often the cause for violence, persecution, intolerance, arrogance, and restriction of freedom. And I wholeheartedly oppose any such tendancies. Genuine tolerance - respecting people's right to believe differently without being treated differently - should be upheld especially in the area of religion. But it makes no sense to expect religious people to accept that all religions are equally true. Have you actually investigated what each religion believes? They are contradictory in hundreds of ways!! Sure, there are a few common themes running through most of them - love, God, heaven, hell, peace. But even on these issues the major religions disagree, once you go beneath the surface and start looking at the details.
So I would advocate increased understanding and dialogue between the world religions, but not so that we can assimilate each other's beliefs. Rather, so that misconceptions about other religions can be replaced by a clear understanding of how our beliefs differ, for two reasons. Firstly so that I can better understand and respect my fellow human. Secondly, because if they also believe in an absolute reality which will affect my eternal destiny, then thay have just as much right to tell me as I have to tell them my beliefs. Even if I disagree with their beliefs, I appreciate the fact that they take reality seriously enough and show enough concern for my eternal destiny that they are willing to try and persuade me. If they can do it in a respectful and sincere way, and are willing to genuinely consider my position as well, then they are demonstrating real tolerance. But furthermore, they are showing a genuine regard and concern for my plight as a human.
Tolerance by itself is passive - it is an accepance of differences. Christians should go beyond tolerance to show real love to each person they meet, especially members of other faiths. Truth does not have to be abandoned for the sake of Tolerance. Perhaps instead, we have the wrong concept of tolerance.