"I find your intolerance of my intolerance intolerable." ~ Me
Progressives (read Liberals) are continually accusing me (and others who share my political and social ideology) of being intolerant of their opinions, beliefs, and lifestyle choices.
The word, "Intolerant" is the opposite of the word, "tolerate".
I think those words are both overused and misapplied.
One of many definitions of the word, "tolerate" according to one of many different dictionaries (although all dictionaries define it pretty much the same)is this:
"1. to endure or resist the action of (as a drug or food) without serious side effects or discomfort: exhibit physiological tolerance for
2. to allow to be or to be done without prohibition, hindrance, or contradiction."
I don't agree with part of that definition. The part about contradiction. I insist one can contradict others opinions and beliefs without being intolerant of them. I often disagree with people, and/or contradict them, yet I continue to tolerate them.
Oftentimes, when a couple who have little in common stay married for 40-50 years, I say, "They don't love each other. They only tolerate each other." Of course, that's just my opinion. Sometimes, I'm sure I'm wrong.
There are really only two ways one can be truly intolerant of another person. You can remove yourself from their presence permanently, or, if that is not possible, you can kill them.
Otherwise, you tolerate them.
Example: I disagree with the popular notion that homosexuality is genetic. Because of that, many people would say I am intolerant of homosexuals.
That is simply not true.
I tolerate homosexuals because the only choices I have are those stated above, or tolerance. I can't avoid being in the presence of all homosexuals, and I can't kill them, Therefore, I choose to tolerate them.
Besides, I personally like those homosexuals I know. A guy (and I use the term loosely) I work with is flaming. There are many things about him I respect. I don't respect his lifestyle choice (and it is a choice), but I tolerate it. I have no choice.
I love my family. Yet, there are members of my family with whom I disagree on many issues. Sometimes vehemently. Liberals would say I am intolerant of those members of my family.
I cannot remove myself from their presence permanently, nor would I want to. Neither would I ever even consider killing them.
My only other choice is to tolerate them.
And so, I do.
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15 comments:
I agree with most of your comments and tolerate the rest :)
In all seriousness, I have one comment on the choice vs. born that way argument. I agree that I'm not qualified to make the distinction. However, just because they are born that way (if that's the answer) that doesn't mean it's ok to practice the lifestyle. My father was an alcoholic. By all studies, I am more likely to be an alcoholic. That doesn't make it ok for me to drink and lose my job and steal from my kids, just because I was born that way.
Perfect, just perfect!
Sometimes tolerance IS the only choice.
Good post.
Randy,
Even if homosexuals are born that way, it is still a sin. Remember that one of the tenants of true Christianity is that we are born into sin. So in one sense, we do believe homosexuals are born that way. They are born into sin, and need to be redeemed from that sin.
Good post Mark.
Homosexuality is neither genetic nor chosen, it is learned...and it is sin.
I, to have worked hand-in-hand (so-to-speak) with homosexuals, of whom I was tolerant and close to friends. It is of no consequence to me what they think, what they believe or what they do in private.
It IS of concern to me what they do in public and whether they try to pass off homosexuality as some sort of "normal" behavior.
Homosexuals population on a standard sociological Bell Curve proves their behavior to be abnormal...relegated to a small portion of the population.
Being abnormal is not a moral judgement, it is a sociological observation.
A genius is abnormal. Most folks aren't. A slightly larger part of the population are geniuses (geniusi?) than are homosexual.
I'm tolerant of both.
Part of the problem is the homosexuals desire to redefine tolerance to mean acceptance or even celebration.
"Part of the problem is the homosexuals desire to redefine tolerance to mean acceptance or even celebration."
I believe homosexuals' desire is to live and let live.
Jim,
While that may be true for some, the vast majority demand sanction. That's why the want same-sex "marriage." Look at how many people are being sued just because they don't want to sanction their behavior! A photographer doesn't want to do a wedding - bam, big lawsuit, indoctrination training, loss of big money, etc. Doctors don't want to artificially inseminate lesbians - bam big lawsuit, loss os big money, reindoctrination. Schools force-feed the homosexual agenda to kids as young as Kindergarden. Gay parades to be "in your face" etc. Charges of "hate speech" lands people in jail. Don't give me that rubbish of wanting to "live and let live." they want to reorder society.
Jim,
If that is the case, why do they feel the need to hold parades about their proclivities.
If we held a straight parade, we'd all be arrested, unlike the gay parades in most of our cities.
The gay men I've known (my career was commercial interior design) were mostly private and dignified; who can complain about what they do in private?
But, yes, it's
"CELEBRATE ME" now, and that's just plain silly.
"If that is the case, why do they feel the need to hold parades about their proclivities."
Why do the Irish have a parade on St. Patrick's Day? Why do the Italians have a parade on Columbus day?
Jim, the other people are celebrating a culture, a heritage, not proclaiming a sexual deviancy. There is as big difference
Why do I have to watch their stupid parades? I hate the color green. And as a teetotaler I believe it is immoral to drink, much less be drunk. And Italians, like the Irish, are Catholics, who don't believe that Revelation is true and literal.
Why should I tolerate them or their damn parades or their agenda to make everyone pray to the Virgin Mary?
Jim, no one is forcing you to watch them. And you made a lot of generalizations which are pure bigotry. Not all Irish are Catholic, nor are all Italians.
If you can't see the difference between celebrating a heritage and celebrating a sexual behavior, then you are being intentionally stupid.
And you know it.
'"I find your intolerance of my intolerance intolerable." ~ Me'
Nicely said!
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