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| What is the difference between tolerance and avoidance of bigotry? | |
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| Topic Started: Tuesday, 27. March 2012, 23:59 (250 Views) | |
| Rose of York | Tuesday, 27. March 2012, 23:59 Post #1 |
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http://blog.adw.org/author/cpope/
The above is the opener to an article about tolerance. I suggest that any member interested in this topic read the whole thing. Some people I know well have shown me much kindness. In a time of crisis they were the first to offer practical assistance, and they were genuine. Whatever practical help was needed, they gave it. I find their company interesting. They are well known for their kindness and generosity. Their lifestyle is, in my opinion, and according to scripture and the teachings of most religions including Christianity, gravely immoral. I am not saying what it is because there is a possibility they will one day read this topic and realise who I am outside Cyberspace. My opinion is, I should acknowledge the goodness of certain aspects of their behaviour, but if they ask if I have objections to their lifestyle, I should tell them I do not agree that it is right. It is common for people to react by saying "each to their own, it's a free country" but surely it is not for the society of a country to accept that anything goes? Indeed I find that people who take that attitude accept any lifestyle provided nobody mentions the dreaded lifestyle of "religion". |
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Keep the Faith! | |
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| paul | Wednesday, 28. March 2012, 01:05 Post #2 |
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There is a swing towards Hedonism in our secular society that for me is very sad. The problem lies in how to get more people into Christianity. For me the answer must be Evangeling the faith. We appear to lack church leaders prepared to put their heads above the parapet. (although did appreciate our stand on same sex marriages being made public). Surely more use could be made of the media. When was the last time you saw a full page advert taken out in a national newspaper by our church? Probably something to do with the developing countries and requests for financial help. Nothing wrong with that, but how about invites to come to regional or a national gathering to thrash out issues from the general public and show them what we are about. Or a national/local telephone helpline, or email address. |
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| Mairtin | Wednesday, 28. March 2012, 09:52 Post #3 |
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In this as in all things, my own tendency is to start with the words and actions of Jesus. He did not do much condemning of people, indeed His words of condemnation were generally reserved for those who make the rules rather than those who break them. I agree that we've got to evangelise but I think that evangelism will only work if it is based on us selling the positive aspects of our Faith rather than talking about the negative aspects of how people are currently leading their lives; if people can actually see that we have something better than what they have, they are more likely to want it for themselves. |
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| PJD | Wednesday, 28. March 2012, 10:02 Post #4 |
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It seems to me that both tolerance and intolerance can both represent charity, and on the other side of the coin can represent uncharity. The problem here seems to relate to the word itself; for it appears incomplete without reference to an 'act'. Perhaps someone more knoweldgeable of English would define such? PJD |
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| Anne-Marie | Wednesday, 28. March 2012, 12:14 Post #5 |
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For-bearance; willingness/capacity to tolerate. OED Doesn't come much more definitive than that... and it makes no attempt to answer your question, PJD. |
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Anne-Marie FIAT VOLUNTAS DEI | |
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| Rose of York | Sunday, 17. June 2012, 20:32 Post #6 |
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My personal definition of bigotry is hated, loathing, contempt or disapproval of a person because they belong to a particular group that have something in common. The something is, as a rule, related to religion, colour, or being part of any disadvantaged minority. Tolerance is good when it exhibits itself in letting the other person have and explain their point of view. Tolerance is not good when it is exhibited by the attitude "whatever makes people happy, is nothing to do with anybody else." That depends on whether the thing that makes them happy is virtuous or evil. |
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Keep the Faith! | |
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| Penfold | Monday, 18. June 2012, 08:30 Post #7 |
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I agree. Oddly I was listening to a programme on the radio the other morning and the BBC presenter asked a leading business man if he was concerned about his main rival. The business man replied, "No, I am concerned with selling... (his product)" It went on but the gist of the message from the businessman was that it is bad business to focus on the opposition and get into a product war, the way to a successful business is to ensure your own product is the best it can be and to look at ways of meeting customer needs in future and adapt the product as required. He gave the example of Kodak as a company that became obsessed with being the brand leader and showing how it was better in its speciality than the opposition and failed to notice the market had moved on and their product, while the best in the world, was no longer the product people wanted to buy because the digital age had replaced wet film technology. Perhaps some of you on this forum can suggest what the digital equivalent is to the wet film that is currently being pedalled by Rome, I suspect it is sitting neatly wrapped up in unread copies of Conciliar Documents from Vat II, but would be interested to hear what others think. PS: I have opened a new thread for answers to my question rather than detract form the important question asked in this thread. Edited by Penfold, Monday, 18. June 2012, 08:54.
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| paul | Friday, 22. June 2012, 18:47 Post #8 |
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Faith is not a selling exercise!!! |
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| Anne-Marie | Friday, 22. June 2012, 19:18 Post #9 |
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Jesus told us our duty to evangelise. Whether that measn 'Let yourselves be seen as a Christian example'... or whether it means 'Go out and sell' for the sake of peoples' souls, was not spelled out by Jesus. Perhaps we each have different gifts for means of evangelisation. |
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Anne-Marie FIAT VOLUNTAS DEI | |
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| Derekap | Friday, 22. June 2012, 21:47 Post #10 |
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"Perhaps we each have different gifts for means of evangelisation" Anne-Marie, we all have different tastes, talents and personalities. Therefore we reaxct to different approaches. |
| Derekap | |
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| Rose of York | Saturday, 23. June 2012, 01:47 Post #11 |
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Hard selling of religion or any secular creed induces intolerance in the target victim. The seller is oft perceived by the victim to be a bigot. There we are, we are Link to the Evangelisation discussion |
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Keep the Faith! | |
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| Rose of York | Saturday, 23. June 2012, 01:54 Post #12 |
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Tolerance, intolerance and bigotry are not always related to positive evangelisation or even to religon. An atheist can be bigoted against people of a particular colour or sexual orientation. Another atheist will be tolerant of other peoples' religious or political opinions and activities. Bigotry is a sign of hatred. Tolerance is a sign of love. |
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Keep the Faith! | |
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