Posted on 02/02/2002 7:11:33 PM PST by OrthodoxPresbyterian
Tolerate this!
Tristan Emmanuel
I dont know if I can tolerate one more letter or article on tolerance. This word has lost all meaning. Its been relegated to the status of a swear word. You know, the four-letter type used by bar-hopping, dope-smoking, baby-making adolescents whose acumen for the English language is equivalent to that of a Neanderthal; the only problem is there are too many letters. But really, this word is used to justify every licentious practice under the sun, so it may as well be a swear word.
Tolerance, as a judicial concept, interestingly enough finds its origins in Christian jurisprudence. Tolerance refers to the discretionary acceptance of an opposing religious view. For example, the English parliament of 1689 passed a law that granted partial freedom of worship to dissenters from the established Church of England. They called it the Toleration Act.
Now, Im not here to argue the merits, or non-merits of that act, but I want to point out a very important point, tolerance means: limited and discretionary acceptance. To be tolerant of something or someone doesnt mean acquiescence, and it doesnt mean that you cant speak out in opposition.
But based on the flurry of articles all decrying the rhetoric of the religious-right and calling for toleration, its clear that this word has been co-opted by some of the least discretionary people. To add insult to injury, many of them are indiscreetly propagating their immorality and insisting that traditional Christians turn a blind eye, shut off their minds, empty their hearts, flush their moral and religious views down the toilet, and shut up! Tolerance to them means total capitulation to their view.
The irony is that while theyre clamouring for us to zip it up, theyve got every Christophobic pundit out there preaching about their god-given rights. If a man wants to sodomize another mantolerate it! If a woman wants to terminate an inconvenient childtolerate it! If the public schools are going to be used for the purposes of homosexual propagandatolerate it! If tax dollars are used to promote queer causestolerate it! With one accord the hue and cry is: Tolerate it, or else!
Tolerance they say? Well, tolerate this. I dont have to agree with your lascivious and self-destructive lifestyle. And I, and every other Christian, has the right to openly express our opinions, judgments and God-given wisdomtolerate that. And, just like homosexual-activists, we have every right to promote our religious views and influence an uninformed populacetolerate that! And if a homosexual embraces Christ and rejects his lifestyle all because we, by the grace of God, intervened, well, I guess youll just have to tolerate it.
Yes, tolerance. I believe in tolerance. I believe in it so much, I wont harass people just because they disagree with me. In fact, I wont use the Human Rights Commission to impose my moral disposition on those who propagate views and lifestyles which are inherently sinful and self-destructive. I dont sue those who promote perversion. I dont threaten. I dont harm in anyway. No, I tolerate.
And Im not alone, many others do the same. We tolerate. Our tolerance is a fait accompli, because we believe in the rule of law and respect for human life. We believe in civility, and we believe in due process. But we keep hearing the same tired song: If only we would learn to tolerate each other. Folks, our tolerance is tolerance!
But, our tolerance stops far short of complete capitulation. Toleration, doesnt mean well empty our minds and suddenly be overwhelmed with warm fuzzies for the opposition. It does not mean that well shut up, zip up and go away. And tolerance does not mean well stop being political and use the democratic process to gain the upper hand, influence society, and see the dawn of civility return to America, or Canada, where I live.
Lets get something straight: Toleration doesnt mean that traditional Christians will hide in the closet, which I suspect is what all Christophobes want. Tolerate that!
While this may be off the subject of the post a little, I also like the term "Homophile," to be used in response to the accusation of "Homophobe." As in, "Homophilia on your part does not constitute Homophobia on my part."
Never mind logic, reminds me of 'double-secret probation'.
There is just so much in this article to 'bump'......the author really nails it down.
~& one hell of a writer, too.
A good read.
This literal interpretaion of the word, "Tolerance?
Now that's one *trend* the Left isn't about to allow & get traction.
Nope.
And insodoing the Left'll be quite intolerant concerning anyone caught deviating.
Deviating from the line they'd layed-down, for everyone to toe?
"Tolerance is just another word, for nothing else to gain..."
...a little modified Janis Joplin was called for, here.
Well I kind of like OOOOPPPIEEE :>)
Excellent piece OP.
Tolerance has been added to the list of "Biblical virtues". But it is virtue that is only to apply to us.
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