echidna

This is the stance which many of us such as myself would like to take.

It’s a very loaded topic. The very word "tolerance" describes one’s reaction to a negative concept. I can tolerate bad weather. I can tolerate a sore leg. I can tolerate growing old.

But if I tolerate people of Middle Eastern culture, then it subconsciously implies that Middle Eastern culture is a negative thing – yuk. Racial tolerance is a very ugly phrase.

I think it is fair to say that everyone is quite morally permitted to be intolerant of negative concepts if they choose. But I think the word which is more appropriate to the topic would be "accepting".

I would like to think that I am intolerant of things which should not be tolerated, and accepting of things which are just different to my way of thinking. But of course we’re only human …

Jamie_L

Of course atheists can be intolerant. However, dissent or disagreement is not the same thing as intolerance. I can tolerate opposing views while criticizing them and/or finding them utterly ludicrous. I have a friend who's sister became a Mormon. I have never once told her that I think her sister has entered into a cult of total loonies. But that is what I think.

As for MLK - I think he did great things. His public actions embodied a great many things I find noble about the human race. His short-comings do not take away from his accomplishments. However, since all those things are prohibitted by his religion, it calls into question the notion that living his religion made him the man he was. Clearly he was not living his religion. He was fighting a struggle against injustice - one that I suspect he would have fought with or without a belief in God. I don't think it's intollerant to hold this opinion.

Likewise, when someone claims "religion made person X do such-and-such", it is relevant to point out the things religion clearly did not make them do.

Jamie

Peregrine

How exactly did Mother Teresa further mankind? I can see helping individuals and even communities. But as far as I know not a single $ of her charity went to finding cures for illnesses or anything that benefited mankind. And I do not mean the issues brought up concerning Mother Teresa in earlier posts.

[ March 12, 2002: Message edited by: Peregrine ]</p>

cleftone

luvluv"My stance, I guess, is that I am a liberal Christian. I'm generally anti-war, anti-death penalty, anti-drug war... that sort of thing.

Oh, so you're not a Bible believing Christian, cuz the god of the bible loves death, war and pain. (just a little side note)

cleftone