For the past few months, the subject of "TOLERANCE" has been a major debating issue here on the ULC boards. I have read many blogs, polls, and other posts dealing with this subject, and everyone has their take on this subject. So for about a good month I have buried my face into everything I can get my hands on, and read up on this subject that seems to not want to take a backseat to other issues brought up among the ranks of every path represented.
Now reading was the easy part, but I had to take my time and study, pray, ponder and go over the aspects of the subject, within myself, based on what I have seen going on here, on the ULC boards, and how I personally view this issue. In other words, this blog is not one I just threw together at the last minute. I have given this subject a great deal of time and consideration before writing and posting this blogged subject.
I can remember well and it has not been that long ago, the word 'tolerance' meant 'bearing or putting up with someone or something not especially liked'. However, now the word has been redefined to 'all values, all beliefs, all lifestyles, all truth claims are equal'. Denying this makes a person 'intolerant', and thus worthy of contempt as I have seen time and time again here on the ULC boards.
So my question here is where does this leave Christians?
Jesus said,
"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).
And the apostle Peter (yes the rock himself), said,
"It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:10-12).
This new definition of 'tolerance' makes the Christian claims to exclusivity 'intolerant', which supposedly justifies much of the anti-Christianity in the mass media and the educational system.
But I feel this argument is glaringly illogical and self-refuting. That is, if these 'tolerance' advocates reject Christianity, then they are not treating this belief as "EQUAL." So, in practice, to paraphrase George Orwell in his book 'Animal Farm,' all beliefs are equal, but some beliefs are more equal than others. The result is extreme intolerance towards Christianity from people who talk so much about tolerating all views. In short, they are intolerant of intolerance, so logically they should be intolerant of themselves! One finger pointing foward and four pointing back at self.
Not long ago I was reading an article about how the hypocrisy of the new tolerance was shown recently at two universities. At Texas Tech University (Lubbock), Michael Dini, professor of biology, said he would not recommend any students for medical school if they did not believe in evolution. Dini's university rushed to defend him on the grounds of 'academic freedom.'
Contrast that with what happened at Sydney University in Australia. A number of top academics signed the following statement in a full-page student newspaper advertisement:
"On any criteria, Jesus Christ is one of the great figures of history. More than that, his claims to be the Son of God, who has made God known and taken away the sins of the world, bear up under the closest scrutiny. This is our conviction, and we urge every student to thoroughly investigate this unique figure, Jesus."
Apparently, this evoked hysteria about religious intolerance and misuse of academic freedom. Some anti-Christian students even raised paranoid fears about discrimination. Yet the above statement said nothing of the kind, unlike Dini's overt intolerance and discrimination against biblical Christians which was happily tolerated.
In my studies, I have found that there is a great danger lurking in the overall general philosophy of tolerance. I was reading where over in Australia, a group formed and called itself 'Toleration,' about 12 years ago, in which many Christians viewed as a harmless organization with a worthy cause. Toleration's goal was to promote a tolerance of all religious ways, beliefs and doctrines. Their major theme was "We've got to stop being intolerant of other people's beliefs. Everyone should have a right to his or her own opinion on any matter."
Eventually the organization issued a promotional leaflet espousing this "tolerance" of all beliefs. What did the very first page contain but a detailed list of all the things they were against! They said they were for tolerance of all beliefs, yet they were intolerant of the teaching of Creation and the absolutes of Christianity.
People who teach a tolerance of all beliefs, almost invariably oppose Christianity; this statement will most assuradly start the debate going in the comment section below, however, we HAVE seen this over and over here on the ULC boards. They cannot tolerate Christians saying, "Here's what's right and here's what wrong. God says it. And so that is final." They reply, Oh, no. We can't tolerate that. We've got to tolerate all beliefs." It was not even a week ago, someone came at me on a post I had made relating to another individual's blog, and my friend radar pangaean (who is Atheist in belief), posted back to the guy explaing to him that what I had written, was a basic Christian belief. That what I had written was one of the basic facts of Christianity, and that I could not be faulted in believing what my faith teaches. That is just one prime example.
What are people like the individaul that came at me really doing? They are being intolerant of the absolutes of Christianity, because the absolutes of Christianity oppose a philosophy that says, "Everything can be done in accord with one's own opinion." It is not difficult to see that this popular philosophy is an anti-biblical way of thinking--so dangerous, in fact, that it could one day lead to the outlawing of Christianity. Which IMO is what many want anyway. Harsh statement but hey, I have the right to how and what I feel and believe.
There is yet another sad aspect to the philosophy that all people have a right to their own opinions. Not only is this being emphasized in our public education system, but it is reaching out from there and permeating all parts of our society, even some of the mainline Churches.
Now for my Christian brothers and sisters; what happens today when Churches address issues like abortion, homosexuality, women's role in the Church, and so on? I know for a fact these issues come up as they are some of the very issues that led the original members that started our Church to leave our old denomination. All too often, Christians are simply offering lots of different opinions, eagerly expressing their own ideas and beliefs. Often their leaders participate by merely summarizing these differing viewpoints and stopping short of supplying a definite conclusion about what is right or wrong according to God's Word.
The wonderful truth is that, as Christians, we can base our lives on something much more substantial than mere personal opinions! We have foundational knowledge from an Infinite Being, our Creator, to guide us. The record of this basic knowledge begins in the most foundational of all books, Genesis. Our Creator has not left us to find our own way; He has provided directions and specific principles by which to live. Christian leaders should be reminding people that God owns us and therefore sets the rules. What He says must be the basis for all our thinking and behavior, and I address this to my brothers and sisters in Christ as an ABSOLUTE.
Our conclusions must be based on the foundation of God's Word, not on fallible human opinion! I personally believe that we must humbly pursue truth. It may be difficult to speak the truth in today's climate, but Jesus said,
"The truth will set you free."
Pursuing truth in this context means countering the new doctrine of tolerance. It means teaching our children to embrace all people, but not all beliefs. It means showing them how to listen to and learn from all people without necessarily agreeing with them. It means helping them courageously but humbly speak the truth, even if it makes them the object of scorn or hatred.
We must always remember, however, that when the apostle Peter told us,
"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have," he added, "But do this with gentleness and respect." (1 Peter 3:15)
We must aggressively practice love. Everyone loves love, it seems, but few recognize how incompatible love is with the new tolerance. Tolerance simply avoids offending someone; we must help our children live in love, which actively seeks to promote the good of another person.
I read the following in my reseach on the subject and it holds true.
Tolerance says, "You must approve of what I do."
Love responds, "I must do something harder; I will love you, even when your behavior offends me."
Tolerance says, "You must agree with me."
Love responds, "I must do something harder; I will tell you the truth, because I am convinced 'the truth will set you free.' "
Tolerance says, "You must allow me to have my way."
Love responds, "I must do something harder; I will plead with you to follow the right way, because I believe you are worth the risk."
Tolerance seeks to be inoffensive.
Love takes risks.
Tolerance glorifies division.
Love seeks unity.
Tolerance costs nothing.
Love costs everything.
I believe the dreadful potential of the new tolerance can be averted, but only with a renewed commitment to truth, justice and love. And, as it happens, that powerful trio of virtues can do more than prevent disaster; it can bring about true community and culture in the midst of diversity and disagreement.
