Tolerance Is An Attitude Of Love

It's hard to find many people who will actually admit their utter lack of tolerance, but on Huffington Post, Unitarian Universalist minister Marilyn Sewell has declared her unequivocal intolerance towards one group—evangelical Christians.

According to Ms. Sewell, "Conservative Christians are sure that they are right about so much, but from my vantage point, much of what they believe is unloving and in fact destructive."

She's convinced that a theology based on salvation in Christ turns everyone else into an "infidel", an "unbeliever," "a moral pervert," and a "sinner doomed by God to everlasting punishment" (her words, not mine).

And according to Ms. Sewell, apparently the average evangelical wouldn't mind dishing out some violence and oppression on these "perverts"—because, what the heck,they're on their way to hell anyway. So in spite of "her tradition's long history of tolerance," she confesses, "I am finding myself increasingly intolerant [towards] the theology and practice of many evangelical Christians."  -The Huffington Post, October 19, 2012, Marilyn Sewell

The word “tolerance” is a very popular word in our current society. It suggests patience, kindness, and understanding toward views other than one’s own. It is understood to mean freedom from bigotry and freedom from a judgmental attitude. It is basically a Christian concept. Essentially it is an attitude of love for all men. Certainly, all of us would like to be tolerant. 

Our primary concern in today's message, however, is the use of the word in a religious sense. Here tolerance means compassion toward another person’s faith. This subject is very broad, so we can only scratch the surface here. But, perhaps even a brief examination of tolerance in religion will inspire you to look into this more extensively.

Traditionally, down through the centuries, men have taken one or the other of two basic attitudes toward religious differences.

(a) Some have taken the attitude of tolerance toward others and their views. This has meant acceptance, even if not agreement. This point of view is oriented toward people. It sets so high an estimate on pleasant and happy human relations that it is willing to modify or compromise certain convictions in order to achieve these happy human relationships.

(b) The alternative view is a strong loyalty to one’s conception of the truth on any matter. This second view is oriented, not primarily toward people, but rather toward truth itself.

First, the loyalty-to-truth stance feels that tolerance toward another view would be compromise. It is believed that there is a solid body of absolute truth and that the highest goal is to be loyal to that body of truth. This position has resulted from time to time in extremes. For example, a loyalty to truth and a hatred of heretics has sometimes led to religious wars.

Another unfortunate result of this loyalty to truth has been sectarian separations that have divided believers in Christ into the many different religious bodies. Though most of these extremes have been left behind in history, even today there are still sometimes ugly moods and a bad temper among those who profess to follow Christ.

Next, the second stance is that of tolerance toward those of different religious views. Like the loyalty-to-truth position this one also lends itself to extremes. Often it degenerates into the idea that almost anything goes. It is sometimes phrased, “We are just traveling different roads to heaven, but the destination is the same.” There are many who think of this position as tolerance, but it may not be one of tolerance at all. It may result almost entirely from a low concern for truth.

Some people think themselves tolerant when they are really only indifferent. They have no real convictions that matter and therefore are willing to accept any and all doctrines at about equal value. Real tolerance, however, is possible only when one has some real convictions which are challenged.

What attitude should the Christian have, or what action should the Christian take, toward a friend or neighbor who denies the inspiration of the Bible, the virgin birth of Christ, the divinity of Christ, the miracles of Jesus, the necessity of baptism, or the reality of the judgment to be followed by an eternal existence in hell? 

In the midst of our religiously divided world, a question such as this is especially timely. Almost every day we associate closely with those with whom we differ religiously. What should be our attitude and what should we do about the situation?

First of all, in answering this very significant question, go to the Bible to see if it can guide in our thinking. We do not wish to worship the Bible, but we do wish to respect it as the only means by which God conveys his will to us. The scriptures plainly teach that the Bible is the inspired word of God and that the writers were guided by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21; 1 Corinthians 2:12-13; Matthew 1:21-23; John 1:1-3, 14; John 3:5; Acts 2:38; Matthew 25:34, 41, 46).

In view of these plain teachings of the scriptures, then, we conclude that we must be loyal to Christ and his teachings at any cost. We face a choice. On the one hand is loyalty to Christ and his teachings, and on the other hand is loyalty to our friends and a trimming of the gospel to meet their beliefs. Our choice is easy, when put in this clear light. Our loyalty belongs to Christ and not to the opinions of friends and associates.

Finally, our goal must be a genuine commitment to Christ and his teachings, yet a genuine love for people. Tolerance has to do primarily with treatment of people. We must treat people with love; we must disagree with their error. We must be tolerant toward people in error, but not tolerant of their error.

We human beings have no right to water down the Lord’s teachings. No matter how much we may love our fellowmen we do not have the authority or the credentials for changing the teachings of the scriptures. We must be loyal to Christ and to his truth. At the same time we must not let bitterness or hate or retaliation or any such motive come between us and the people for whom Christ died.

Prayer: God of Justice, in a world where men and women suffer from the cruelty and neglect of their fellows, where all too often profit is more important than people, and the end is justified by any means, we pray that there will be a growing spirit of love for one another in all our doings. In the complexity of this world, help those who exercise power and authority to strive for the good of all rather than the riches of a few. And may we remember the needs of others in all our daily lives in all that we do. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

May God bless you,

Eileen