TOLERANCE

tol·er·ance [tol-er-uhns]
–noun
1. a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward those whose opinions, practices, race, religion, nationality, etc., differ from one's own; freedom from bigotry
2. a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward opinions and practices that differ from one's own.
3. interest in and concern for ideas, opinions, practices, etc., foreign to one's own; a liberal, undogmatic viewpoint.
4. the act or capacity of enduring; endurance: My tolerance of noise is limited.

I have been thinking a bit today about the notion of tolerance.

Why is it that those who are the loudest proponents of the concept of tolerance are often the most selective as to whom they practice the concept on? Conversely, those who are often accused of intolerance can be, by comparison, some of the most tolerant in our society.

Let me explain.

Where is it written that tolerance is only to be practiced with the tolerant? Isn't the idea to have an objective and permissive attitude towards those who's beliefs differ from your own? I don't read anywhere that tolerance must be reciprocal in order for it to be dispensed. In fact, isn't the idea of tolerance based on the very foundation that there is a disagreement in the first place? That the other party may or may not choose to be nice about what they believe, think, or how they act but, as long as they are not breaking the law they are free to be as they wish and I will not let it bother me and I will not bother them? In other words, tolerance is the buzzword for the old adage of 'live and let live'.

I have a friend who is gay. He expects that, in this day and age, there will be tolerance from society regarding his lifestyle. He expects that his sexual orientation should have no bearing on how he is received as a human being; that it is a non-issue. He would be angry, offended and (rightfully) affronted if he were to encounter bias against his person because he is gay. Yet this same man has no problem expressing his thoughts and feelings towards Christians with sarcastic, scathing vitriol. His expressions are not fair, objective or permissive in the slightest. He has disdain for Christians, he ridicules their beliefs and practices, and he has not the slightest compunction in expressing it. How is that fair? How is that just? How is that upholding a value, namely tolerance, that you believe is such a key part of a functioning society? How can you expect to receive that which you will not give?

I am a Christian. I go to church. I have hundreds of friends and acquaintances who are Born Again Christians. Not one of the Christians that I have relationship with hates or otherwise maligns homosexuals. They don't agree with the lifestyle (and - again - what would there be to tolerate if there was not a disagreement) but they would never speak of the person, the human being, with the blatant disdain - dare I say the hatred - which I have heard and read directed at them by virtue of their Christianity. In fact, they are true followers of Jesus and endeavour to live their lives with love and integrity. They believe in the wisdom of Jesus and follow his commandments. He had two. Love the Lord your God with all your might and love your neighbour as yourself.

Who is my neighbour? It's not just the person who I live beside. My neighbour is the person I work with, the grocery store clerk, the guy in the car next to me. Anyone. Regardless of what they believe, practice, or say. I am to love that person as much as I love myself. Jesus said to 'do to others as you would have them do to you'. The ultimate form of tolerance. Jesus preached tolerance. As a follower of his I am to be tolerant. I and my Christian friends purpose to live this out in our lives. And I do love people. I love the people I work with. I dearly love my friend who is gay. He knows I am a Christian and I think he loves me too, but he believes that I am a big exception to the norm. I'm not.

I know that there are people out there who proclaim to be Christians and use the name of God to further their political, personal, or social agenda. But here's the thing. The Bible says that you will know a true Christian by the fruit of their lives. If they don't love their neighbour as themselves; if they don't treat others the way they wish to be treated; if the fruit of the Spirit is not in evidence in their life (love, joy peace, patience, kindness, meekness, self control) then they have no right to claim that they are a follower of Jesus. Plain and simple.

But for those of us who love Jesus, who love our neighbours, who try to practice tolerance as Jesus commanded... please tolerate our beliefs. Or you are not allowing us to live our lives with freedom from bigotry.