The New Tolerance

[Alesaggio]

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2 Timothy 2:23-26: “But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.”

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Webster’s Dictionary defines “tolerate” as “to recognize and respect others’ beliefs, practices, etc. without sharing them” and “to bear or put up with someone or something not especially liked.” This attitude is basically what Paul expressed in 1 Corinthians 13:7 when he said that love “endureth all things.” The Bible says, “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.” (Romans 12:18) We are told to “receive ye one another, as Christ also received us.” (Romans 15:7)

The Word of God makes it clear how Christians are to act toward each other and toward those outside the faith: “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” (Galatians 6:10)

Traditional tolerance is perfectly compatible with such scriptural commands because the traditional understanding of tolerance has meant: (a) respecting and protecting the legitimate rights of others, even those with whom you disagree and those who are different from you. (“everyone has a right to his own opinion”) (b) Listening to and learning from other perspectives, cultures and backgrounds. (c) Living peaceably alongside others, in spite of differences. (d) Accepting other people, regardless of their race, creed, nationality, or sex.

Traditional tolerance values, respects and accepts the individual WITHOUT NECESSARILY approving of or participating in his or her beliefs or behavior. Traditional tolerance differentiates between what a person thinks or does and the person himself.

However, most of the time when you hear the word “tolerance” used today – by the majority of users– it almost never refers to traditional tolerance but to the “new tolerance.”

The new tolerance may sound like traditional tolerance, but it is vastly different. It is based on the unbiblical belief that “truth is relative to the community in which a person participates. And since there are many human communities, there are necessarily many different truths. The definition of “new” tolerance..... is that every individual’s beliefs, values, lifestyle, and perception of truth claims are equal … There is no hierarchy of truth. Your beliefs and my beliefs are equal, and all truth is relative.

This view is reflected in such oft-heard statements as:

* “No one has the right to tell me what’s right or wrong.”

* “It’s wrong to try to impose your beliefs or morals on someone else.”

* “I have the right to do whatever I want as long as I’m not hurting anyone.”

* “You have to do what you think is right.”

* “You have your value system and I have mine.”

* “I don’t feel the same way.”

* “Look … that’s YOUR opinion.”

Such views are not the exception today, even among Christians. Most tend today to believe that “what is wrong for one person is not necessarily wrong for someone else.” And that there is “no unchanging ethical standard of right and wrong.”

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[Alesaggio]

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The new tolerance is an insidious danger which may damage communication between you and God. It is not enough today to “live and let live.” It is not enough to assert another person’s right to believe or say what he thinks is right. In order to be truly tolerant, you must now give your approval, endorsement and sincere support to their beliefs … AND BEHAVIORS!

THIS UNDERMINES THE VERY ESSENCE AND MEANING OF ABSOLUTE TRUTH!

Did you know that there is a growing consensus of thought in our society that it is improper to condemn the Chinese leaders who massacred dissenting students in Tiananmen Square, the Nazis who systematically butchered six million Jews, or those countries that allow child slave labor or the killing of unwanted children? They feel it is not anyone’s place to make such a “moral judgment.”

In contrast to traditional tolerance, which asserts that everyone has an equal right to believe or say what he THINKS is right, the new tolerance says that what every individual believes or says IS equally right. All values are equal. All lifestyles are equal. All truth claims are equal. BUT … THE LAW OF NON-CONTRADICTION (basic logic) insists that two contradictory ideas cannot both be true.

THE BIBLE MAKES IT CLEAR THAT ALL VALUES, BELIEFS, LIFESTYLES AND TRUTH CLAIMS ARE NOT EQUAL! It teaches that the God of the Bible is the true God (Jeremiah 10:10), that all His words are true (Psalm 119:160), and that if something is not right in GOD’S SIGHT, it is wrong (Deuteronomy 6:18). This is not just the view of Hebrew, Christian or Western culture – it is truth, according to the God who rules over all cultures!

The basic premise of the new tolerance is that there is no difference between who a person is and that person’s beliefs, behavior, culture or lifestyle. Written as an equation, it would look like this: WHAT I AM = WHAT I DO. Therefore, if you express any disagreement with someone’s beliefs, say that their behavior is wrong, or can’t accept their lifestyle, you’re judging and being intolerant of THEM! In other words, if you don’t approve of a person’s lifestyle, you don’t LOVE THE PERSON. But Scripture does not teach that what we do is equal to who we are! When Isaiah wrote, “Your iniquities have separated between you and your God” (Isaiah 59:2), he made a clear distinction between who we are and what we do (our iniquities). What we do is not the same as who we are, for otherwise God could not have separated our sins from us and thrown them into the sea of his forgetfulness! (Micah 7:18-19)

In a society that regards all values, beliefs, lifestyles and truth claims as equally valid, there can be only one universal virtue – TOLERANCE. And if tolerance is the cardinal virtue, then there can be only one evil – INTOLERANCE. That is exactly the attitude we are seeing today!

The common idea is that to be a Christian is to be one who tolerates everything except intolerance therefore, any system that believes in ABSOLUTE TRUTH is by definition guilty of intolerance! You don’t even have to say anything. If you even THINK there is an absolute truth, then you are intolerant, and thus an appropriate object of intolerance! To the modernist, nonagreement is phobia, nonconformity is hate, and conviction is fanaticism.

The spirit of the “new tolerance” has in great measure infiltrated the church of the last days. That is why people have the false ideas that “to tell someone their belief or behavior is wrong is being judgmental.” The Bible contains ABSOLUTE TRUTH! The question is not “what does it mean to me?” but “what does it mean?” and “how do I apply it to me?” The meaning of the Bible is not DECIDED by the reader, but DISCERNED by him!

Paul did say “the servant of the Lord must not strive,” but he also said we must confront “those that oppose themselves … that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil.” The New Testament Church was an intolerant church. ‘Intolerant’ is a scandalous word to use these days, for if there is anything that is in style among our ‘progressive’ churches it is that word ‘tolerance.’ You would think that intolerance was the unpardonable sin. We are majoring as never in all church history on being broad-minded. That we have become so broad we have become also pitifully shallow never seems to disturb us. We must ‘broaden or bust.’ Of course, some experts in tolerance can be amazingly intolerant of those who do not share their broad-mindedness, but that does not disturb them either.

“Tolerance is a virtue of a man without convictions.”

The spirit of tolerance has also corrupted many Christians, who believe “my opinion is just as valid as anyone else’s – I will live for God as I think best.” But the Bible is NOT a “tolerant book”! Others tolerate personal attitudes and sins, thinking “that’s just the way I am – I can’t change.” The spirit of the age says “My sin is not a big deal” but the Word says “You must be delivered!” And that God has ONLY ONE plan of deliverance—Acts 2:38!

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[Webmaster]

I am in awe. That was tremendous, Elder Allesaggio.

[John Atkinson]

I am in awe. That was tremendous, Elder Allesaggio.
Ditto

[drummerboy_dave]

Now that's some meat! Thank you.

[ddc101]

Brother Alesagio
In reference to your above article,do you feel that there is a line being crossed in ignorance in what the world tolerates and what the church tolerates that is causing some to take an unbiblical stance in preaching
against morality?

[Inspired-Eyes]

--

The new tolerance is an insidious danger which may damage communication between you and God. It is not enough today to “live and let live.” It is not enough to assert another person’s right to believe or say what he thinks is right. In order to be truly tolerant, you must now give your approval, endorsement and sincere support to their beliefs … AND BEHAVIORS!

THIS UNDERMINES THE VERY ESSENCE AND MEANING OF ABSOLUTE TRUTH!

Did you know that there is a growing consensus of thought in our society that it is improper to condemn the Chinese leaders who massacred dissenting students in Tiananmen Square, the Nazis who systematically butchered six million Jews, or those countries that allow child slave labor or the killing of unwanted children? They feel it is not anyone’s place to make such a “moral judgment.”

In contrast to traditional tolerance, which asserts that everyone has an equal right to believe or say what he THINKS is right, the new tolerance says that what every individual believes or says IS equally right. All values are equal. All lifestyles are equal. All truth claims are equal. BUT … THE LAW OF NON-CONTRADICTION (basic logic) insists that two contradictory ideas cannot both be true.

THE BIBLE MAKES IT CLEAR THAT ALL VALUES, BELIEFS, LIFESTYLES AND TRUTH CLAIMS ARE NOT EQUAL! It teaches that the God of the Bible is the true God (Jeremiah 10:10), that all His words are true (Psalm 119:160), and that if something is not right in GOD’S SIGHT, it is wrong (Deuteronomy 6:18). This is not just the view of Hebrew, Christian or Western culture – it is truth, according to the God who rules over all cultures!

The basic premise of the new tolerance is that there is no difference between who a person is and that person’s beliefs, behavior, culture or lifestyle. Written as an equation, it would look like this: WHAT I AM = WHAT I DO. Therefore, if you express any disagreement with someone’s beliefs, say that their behavior is wrong, or can’t accept their lifestyle, you’re judging and being intolerant of THEM! In other words, if you don’t approve of a person’s lifestyle, you don’t LOVE THE PERSON. But Scripture does not teach that what we do is equal to who we are! When Isaiah wrote, “Your iniquities have separated between you and your God” (Isaiah 59:2), he made a clear distinction between who we are and what we do (our iniquities). What we do is not the same as who we are, for otherwise God could not have separated our sins from us and thrown them into the sea of his forgetfulness! (Micah 7:18-19)

In a society that regards all values, beliefs, lifestyles and truth claims as equally valid, there can be only one universal virtue – TOLERANCE. And if tolerance is the cardinal virtue, then there can be only one evil – INTOLERANCE. That is exactly the attitude we are seeing today!

The common idea is that to be a Christian is to be one who tolerates everything except intolerance therefore, any system that believes in ABSOLUTE TRUTH is by definition guilty of intolerance! You don’t even have to say anything. If you even THINK there is an absolute truth, then you are intolerant, and thus an appropriate object of intolerance! To the modernist, nonagreement is phobia, nonconformity is hate, and conviction is fanaticism.

The spirit of the “new tolerance” has in great measure infiltrated the church of the last days. That is why people have the false ideas that “to tell someone their belief or behavior is wrong is being judgmental.” The Bible contains ABSOLUTE TRUTH! The question is not “what does it mean to me?” but “what does it mean?” and “how do I apply it to me?” The meaning of the Bible is not DECIDED by the reader, but DISCERNED by him!

Paul did say “the servant of the Lord must not strive,” but he also said we must confront “those that oppose themselves … that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil.” The New Testament Church was an intolerant church. ‘Intolerant’ is a scandalous word to use these days, for if there is anything that is in style among our ‘progressive’ churches it is that word ‘tolerance.’ You would think that intolerance was the unpardonable sin. We are majoring as never in all church history on being broad-minded. That we have become so broad we have become also pitifully shallow never seems to disturb us. We must ‘broaden or bust.’ Of course, some experts in tolerance can be amazingly intolerant of those who do not share their broad-mindedness, but that does not disturb them either.

“Tolerance is a virtue of a man without convictions.”

The spirit of tolerance has also corrupted many Christians, who believe “my opinion is just as valid as anyone else’s – I will live for God as I think best.” But the Bible is NOT a “tolerant book”! Others tolerate personal attitudes and sins, thinking “that’s just the way I am – I can’t change.” The spirit of the age says “My sin is not a big deal” but the Word says “You must be delivered!” And that God has ONLY ONE plan of deliverance—Acts 2:38!

-+-


*clapping hands* AMEN AND AMEN

[ddc101]

Brother Alesagio
In reference to your above article,do you feel that there is a line being crossed in ignorance in what the world tolerates and what the church tolerates that is causing some to take an unbiblical stance in preaching
against morality?
bump

[Alesaggio]

Brother Alesagio
In reference to your above article,do you feel that there is a line being crossed in ignorance in what the world tolerates and what the church tolerates that is causing some to take an unbiblical stance in preaching
against morality?

I truly would hope that no one is "preaching against morality." :D

(seriously, I am not quite certain I understand your question. Could you please rephrase it? The failure is on my part to grasp your question, please forgive my denseness and give me another chance, please).

[HSdad]

The Bible contains ABSOLUTE TRUTH! The question is not “what does it mean to me?” but “what does it mean?” and “how do I apply it to me?”
The meaning of the Bible is not DECIDED by the reader, but DISCERNED by him! [bolded by hsdad]

I fully subcribe to the above statement as a "guiding truth" pertaining to our conduct in the Kingdom of God, his anointing, his Christ.

To me, this is why each and every soul must work out their own salvation with fear and trembling.

I can not discern truth for you and you can not discern truth for me. You can guide me in the understandings that you have discerned concerning truth but I will have to decide, each and every time, if I will follow.

The wisdom of God provided two witnessess: the Spirit and the Word. The spirit will lead us and guide us in ALL truth.

Using only the scripture will set us up to be killers.

Using only the Spirit will set us up to tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine.

God has made a way for us to follow him in peace and a way for our soul to prosper.