HOME | DD
maplekokob — Intolerant of Tolerance
Published: 2007-03-13 22:30:30 +0000 UTC; Views: 345; Favourites: 3; Downloads: 1
Redirect to original
Description
Warning: This may be offensive, so if you are of any sort of Unitarian belief, this is your chance to walk away…The majority of this world has this fixed idea of what tolerance is and is not, and to be brutally honest, the world is horribly wrong.
Tolerance is not patting every person and their beliefs on the back and saying “Oh, what ever you want to think, that’s cool. We’re all right in the end. Who’s to say what’s wrong anyhow. Not me!”
No! That my friends, is called lacking what is known as a SPINE!
Tolerance, in it’s true, pure, unaltered, beautiful form, is being able to objectively endure and openly listen to the ideas and opinions of others, while standing your own personal ground. It is being able to say, “If that’s what you think, fair enough…but I think this, and thus I believe that you are wrong. However, I will never force you to change or to agree.”
Tolerance has never meant giving in and letting this world run wild with its immorality, stupidity, and immaturity, with a shrug of the shoulders. That’s called weak complacency.
It’s not intolerant to say, “I think I’m right and you’re wrong.” It is not intolerant to say “Jesus is my one and only Savior…he is THE way, THE truth, THE life…and there is NO other way to God but through him”. That’s called, faith. That’s called conviction. That’s called, independence. That’s called, loyalty. That’s called, believing in your mind enough to NEVER let this world dare sway you.
That my friends, is called TRUTH.
Tolerance is the ability to “agree to disagree”, and love one another nonetheless…despite of, or sometimes because there is an inevitable impossibility to wholly agree with any one person on every detail of life.
There is one truth. Tolerance, is standing up for that one truth, and being compassionate to those who are blind to it.
Related content
Comments: 48
Well, I didn't like the idea at first but as I was reading the comments and I saw how things have changed with you personally I understand.
I honestly hate the word TRUTH. People use it as a crutch and to shove it in people's faces as if it's a proven fact. No religion is a proven, and hence I don't really have one.
But I do get what you mean. I'm a gay rights activist and I put up with people who think it is wrong but I will defend gays to the death.
In my opinion, tolerance should mean that you try to see things from everyone's view, actually learn about other opinions, and figure out your own beliefs instead of having someone make them for you. I'm still trying to figure out what I believe because things change.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Well thank you for your long thoughtful comment. It has been three years, and a lot of my ideas of changed as I have graduated, gone to college, moved to Mexico, gotten married, and am now pregnant with my first child...
While I still do think it isn't fair for people to ask for tolerance of one view, but than slam people who dare think differently...I also don't think it's Christian's right to rule how other people live their lives.
Obama is trying to lift the "don't ask don't tell" laws...and I am actually glad. Why should the whole country have to be governed by something that only a percent of the people believe?
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I do not believe it is okay for people to think that everyone should be tolerant of their views but they can bash everyone else. That doesn't really work and just makes them look stupid and childish.
A lot has changed for you. Congrats on the little one on the way!
Well, Obama is claiming to be trying to lift them. It's going a lot slower than I'd like, but he's getting enough flack for just allowed gay partners to have hospital visitation rights. Some people just don't understand and would rather be hateful than actually learn. But that's just my two cents on the matter.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Of curiosity, not in order to instigate a fight:
I'm agnostic. I believe in a good higher power out there, but I don't put a name to it. Does that mean that because I won't call Jesus the Savior, I will never be happy, and that I'll never be enlightened, considering I am not going to convert?
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Your comment is fine, don't worry.
In my defense, I wrote this two years ago as a Junior in high school, and I was very pressured by my family and friends...and this was the result.
At this point in my life, I don't know what I believe. I'd like to be able to say I still feel this way...but I don't want to lie to you either.
I do believe in God, and I believe in Jesus, but I have stopped calling myself a Christian. I've seen too many people in my life treat people horribly, and they are Christian's...and I just don't feel safe attaching myself to a group like that. Of course, understand that not ALL Christians are like that, there are many amazing ones out there. I just...can't bring myself at this time to be one of them.
I wish I could be more helpful. Sorry if what I'm saying now is contradictory or hypocritical. I just want to be honest.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Oh, no, it's totally understandable. I come from a family and circle of friends who aren't quite sure of what religion they are, so I'm used to it. And I understand what you mean about the cruelty some Christians can inflict; I've seen it first hand, when my best friend's heart was broken. My best friend chose Wicca, and her best friend at the time (I had to share . . .) turned her back on her.
It's hard to trust Christians after experiences like that, but I'm trying. It helps that I go to a Universalist/Unitarian writing group.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Well, for me it's kinda complicated. My parents met at Bible College...my dad was there to become a youth minister, and my mom to do worship music. My dad doesn't preach any more, but him and my mom are HEAVILY involved in church stuff. They are apart of church bands, drama groups, sunday school classes, volunteer organizations, the whole 9 yards.
So, I basically have been drowned in church my whole life, and in my house there was no other option. If you lived in my parents house you had to go to church. They told us it was okay to question our faith and explore, but the second we did, they would freak and reign us back in.
My paranoia of Christians...well lets just say a lot of people in my family are "Christian" and they have ruined other people's lives, including my own. So it's just hard to trust.
That writing group sounds cool. I'm a Creative Writing major right now...
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I suppose I can't relate to growing up with that! I mean, my grandmother constantly despairs of us, and tries to convert us, but I don't see her much.
Creative Writing major? Really? 
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Creative Writing major is absolutely amazing, I definitely recommend it. You have SO many options and so much freedom. I almost steered clear of it because everyone was telling me how uncertain writing is as a profession and how my income would be up and down. In the end I stuck with my heart and decided I would rather write from a box on the street and LOVE it, than have any other job in the world and be miserable.
I have delved into basically every kind of Creative Writing you can think of. I'm just finishing my freshman year at Appalachian State University, so I haven't gotten to do very many writing courses yet. But in my own spare time I have down poetry, short stories, monologues, mini plays...a lot of different things.
Specifically, I am studying to become a travel writer. I want to write travel journals from México...
If you ever need help with writing, editing, or even just want to talk about your future in writing, I'm here. There's not a lot of people who supported me, and I could've used some encouragement.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thanks!
I LOVE to write. It's almost obsessive for me; this past week, I've been in such a bad mood because Chemistry homework has overwhelmed me and kept me from the stories I've been working on lately.
Hopefully, however, I'll get done with the stupid work soon and go back to the writing. I despise school so much now.
How long have you been writing?
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Hah, I've been writing since I knew how. If you want to know the long story, ironically I just posted it as a deviation...I had to write about my history of writing as an assignment in my lit class.
But basically, since 1st grade. My teacher told my mom I would write a book, and made us promise to send it to her. I love it. Lately I've been in a writer's block, with how hectic school is...but I'm hoping this summer and traveling to México will help. I love to sit in bed and just listen to music and let whatever come to me.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
That's cute! What's the book about?
(I feel guilty; that's such a short reply!)
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Hah no. I haven't started a book, I was saying my 1st grade teacher swore that I was going to write one some day, and when and if I did, she wanted a copy.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Oh, sorry! XD Are you working on any big projects right now?
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Um. Right now I am just trying to finish up the school year. I have three take home essays for my Religion and History exams. So I'm working on those.
This summer I hope to write down some memories of special moments in my life, especially this past year. Before I leave to México. In México, I'll start my travel writing project.
What about you?
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
The memoir-like things sound fun! I'd love to see, if you post them on DA.
Me? Hrm. I'm a retiring fanfiction-writer, so I'm wrapping up my stories at the moment. I've got one 19-chapter one, that I think I can finish in another 6 chapters, and another one that I can finish in the next chapter. Then I'm going on to my original stories and short stories. Maybe even pick up poetry again, which I haven't done in ages.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
That's really cool. I know a lot of people who are really into fanfiction. I had never heard of it until meeting a friend of mine on here who was a huge fan.
Good luck. Finishing projects is always really satisfying and relieving.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thanks. I've been writing fanfiction since I was two, more or less. But I never wrote anything longer than one chapter until this year . . . still. I'll be glad to shake my boots of these two.
I do love fanfiction, but I'm not getting the critiques I need. My readers more or less review with simply: "OMG, kewt! Me lieks! UPDATE!" Oh, well. Their support is nice, even if it is a little biased.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Haha. Yea, finding good critiques is hard. Either it's just all babble and praises, or they are so strict and set in their ways, they can't just appreciate that maybe you have your own way of doing things.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Oh, yes. I've gotten a few of those "flamers" as well. He was vicious; he told me I should never take up a pen again in my life . . . but at least I got some good constructive criticism out of it!
I do have one good reader, who replies consistently with long, thought-out reviews. "Bitch-with-Wit" and I must be on the same brain wave, because she is the only one who notices all my themes and symbolism, while correcting word-choice here and there.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
My pet peeve is in my poetry, if someone says "take out this line and insert ____" and they are trying to completely alter my poem and meaning...and if I do what they say it just changes everything and loses originality and I get so angry.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Poetry is so much more subjective than other forms of writing. I've never been able to tell how to give a good response to poetry.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Yea it's rough...but still. I would never tell someone exactly what to write, word for word.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
>.> I do that on group projects. You wouldn't believe how terrible a 10th-grade Honors Literature class can be at writing.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Yeah. I'm the "copy editor" for our newspaper project - meaning I do all the fluency and grammar checks - but one of the girls didn't even put in paragraphs. Or write about the correct time period.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Haha, ouch. I am not going to lie, grammar is my weakness. I do not understand it or retain my knowledge of it. Whatsoever.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I find that to be the trend in most writers! I probably would be just as bad, but our cirriculum has a pretty good overview during 7th grade, and somehow, I seem to have memorized the course.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
"That’s called, believing in your mind enough to NEVER let this world dare sway you.
That my friends, is called TRUTH. "
Well said.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
^_^
Thanks. That means a lot to me.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
If more people put that into place there'd probably be less stupid conflict.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
The Fundies & others enjoy using it as a weapon a little too much though I'm afraid for things to change much anytime soon 
Oh well.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thank you for the fav!
And the comment.
Very true. Sad. But true.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
You're welcome. It was a religious & political kind of a debate degenerating that provoked me to thinking a little harder about it I guess.
I better get back to my work now though.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
It definately appears that you are not alone in your beliefs, and I am not going to be one to stand against them either, I am fully agreeing with ALL that you have said...
Well spoken... I commend you in that have what others lack... may you never change.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thank you so much! I can't believe this piece was so well received. I really thought I would get flack for it.
I'm glad we see things in the same light.
Stand strong.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
lots of good points, but just remember that their is an equal chance that you may be wrong just as they may be wrong. I agree to what you are saying. about tolerance though. Good stuff.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Of course. Just because someone believes something doesn't mean they have to be right. But if they think they are, they should stand behind it with all that's in them. No one is right about everything, but it's funny how we always think we are...aye?
Thanks for the comment. I enjoyed it...Comments like these are probably my favorites.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
You do speak the truth my friend, If we believe in something we should Stand for our beliefs. Don't let others change your mind, they may believe as they wish, but that doesn't mean you have to believe it too. This subject that you are stating has caused many battles and wars between our countries. I do not believe this is fair either. People should not be forced to believe what they don't want to, but be able to believe as they wish.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Exactly! Tolerance is letting people believe what they want, but still having the guts to say you think they are wrong.
Tolerance is a great thing and this world needs more of it. I'm just sick of what this world deems "tolerant".
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Im with you my friend, im with you
👍: 0 ⏩: 1