Intolerance and the Harm It Causes
While I feel many people in many countries have been deluded into believing things by their teachers and I do not agree with what they believe I do understand that most are taught to believe that way. Therefore their differences are a product of their society and culture not a lack of intelligence.
Tolerance is something that is taught extensively in Christianity and yet most Christians are the least tolerant people I know. Yet radical or fanatical fundamentalists in many religions can be severely intolerant and oppressive in how they rule a country or run a group, church or other aspects of their life.
However my beliefs are most likely as foreign to them as theirs are to me. So I can not fault someone for standing up for their beliefs. I can only fault those as intolerant as to refuse to even listen to another opinion or another person’s thoughts on a matter.
Tolerance is hard for many people especially in America where the average person these days seems to think they know best how others should live and act. As evidenced by the proliferation of laws in the last couple decades that force more and more conformity and segment our society into ever widening gaps between those who agree and those who do not.
This is creating deep divisions in America and yet the vast majority refuses to even consider that their own intolerance is at least allowing this to go on if not helping or enabling it.
Yet anytime someone disparages another it only adds to the issues and forces the solutions to become harder. We must all work to understand each other whether we ever agree or not at least we must strive to understand that others can and do believe differently from us. We must remember it is okay for them to do so.
Every person has a right to their own opinions and beliefs. It is our responsibility to be tolerant and understanding, not to be condescending or demanding of others because we disagree with them.
One of the keys is to understand why another believes the way they do even if we never will believe that way. It is possible to understand other cultures and beliefs even when we do not believe the same things. It is possible to be tolerant of another’s beliefs. It is possible to stand up for our beliefs without having to belittle others!
Douglas Wolfe November 15, 2007
