Tolerance

by Stephen Bastin

“Religious tolerance means to extend religious freedom to people of all religions, even though you sincerely disagree with their beliefs and/or practices.”

The above is a quote taken off the internet and seems to express a widely held view in America today.  By including the idea of “practices” it also seems to endorse the view that we ought to extend religious freedom to practice any evil that someone else deems “good.”

Again, returning to the quote above, if tolerance means to “extend religious freedom” just how am I to accomplish that?  I am not sure how I could extend freedom to anyone.  Governments are in the business of extending and reducing freedom, but I am not sure how I would do that.  I suppose I could suppress someone’s freedom by locking them up in my basement, but I am not sure how I could extend them freedom to do anything.

Perhaps what was meant by extending freedom was that I should refrain from speaking against someone

else’s religious beliefs and practices.  If that is what tolerance means then it looks like a “one way street.”  They are free to say and do whatever they want, but my freedom is restrained by “tolerance.”

If I am not to be allowed to write against what I consider evil then why should someone else be allowed to freely promote that same evil.  But that is what has happened in our society.

Let me put the matter plainly.  Gays and lesbians are free to push their sexual agenda, in the media, by television shows, by legislation and by other means.  But if I speak against their agenda I am labeled “homophobic.”  (Whatever that is supposed to mean.)  Why does “tolerance” not apply to them as well as me?

My definition of tolerance is that it involves an attitude of indifference.  I may feel a particular way about something, but I have no firm conviction.  If you choose to believe differently that is a matter of indifference to me.  I will believe what I want and you may believe what you want.  That seems to be what people demanding tolerance are expecting.  Their expectation is that no one will get excited because their morals and beliefs are different.  “Why can’t we all just get along?” seems a good representative statement that comes out of this kind of thinking.

The reason we “can’t all  just get along” is because there is evil in this world and as Christians we have an obligation to stand against evil.  The Bible plainly takes this position.

In Revelation, Jesus had words of admonition for Christians at Thyatira.  “But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.”

Here it is plainly evident that the Lord does not approve of tolerance.  Extending religious freedom to people whose teachings will lead others to ultimate destruction is not a kind thing to do.  The government may do that kind of thing.  But I will not follow suit.

The Roman government in the first century extended religious freedom to all sorts of perversions.  The Christians opposed those same perversions.  Rome lost.  The Christians won.  They did not win by being tolerant!

Christians are to hate sin and love righteousness.  Christians are also to be kind, compassionate and loving toward sinners.  Refusing to tolerate sin does not mean to be nasty to those who are engaging in sin.  In means that in love a Christian reaches out to rescue those who have fallen for the devil’s lies.

Our world is attempting to take religious freedom from those who oppose sin and give it to those who are in favor of sin.  Like Rome in the first century they cannot win if Christians “take up their crosses” and follow Jesus.  They can only win if Christians buy the devil’s lie that we need to be “tolerant.”

Call me what you will, I will not give up my right from God to speak the truth in love.  I will stand upon the Bible till the day I die.  There is no power on earth that is greater than my God.  He is able.  “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Tolerance.  That is not God’s way.  Evil must be opposed in every form in every way and every day.  Truth will win in the end.