Intolerance….
Why are some religions, and quite a few people lately, so uncharitable of folks that don’t look, believe and do the same way they do?
Why do some of the Palestinians advocate for the total elimination of Israel—and death to all Jews? Why are people that practice Christianity or Judaism so reviled by millions of people that worship another god?
Similarly, why do some folks want to remove themselves from anyone association with the LGBQT crowd, and perhaps even more from the LGBQT demand the same disassociation from those that disagree with them?
It’s a sad part of life, that there are people who are totally intolerant to anyone’s opinion but their own.
If you say you like Biden, or you like Trump, around someone that does not share you opinion, the anger—-even hatred—that follows? Part of living as a maturing Christian is to realize that you cannot make someone see things the way you do or even make them see accept truth!
Think about this: Jesus associated with the very people that the devout/religious people avoided. He ate with swindlers (tax collectors) talked openly with prostitutes (and it was far more unheard of back then for a devout man to talk to a woman in public, let alone a prostitute). He was far more “tolerant”, if you will, of those who were obviously doing the wrong things and sinning than the religious folks that would have nothing to do with such deplorable people.
But why do think Jesus was so intolerant of the people that did the “right things”, like attending church every week and were faithful givers and workers in the churches?
You know, it’s not the obvious sinners, like prostitutes, or those that adhere to a false faith, like the Muslims, nor even those that are lost in “La-la Land” politically that keep “seekers” away from Jesus. It’s the religious folks that either make it too difficult to come to Christ, or whose prideful practice of the faith runs those are looking for Christ away.
But in truth, those that are intolerant of the opinions and beliefs of others are uneducated and ignorant. I don’t say that to suggest that they are “stupid”, but that are uneducated and doubtful of the own beliefs and faith. To be sure of what you believe and to be certain of what is true, as Jesus was, allows you to relax around those whose beliefs or faith is different from you. The louder the fanatics scream, curse and hate, the more I am convinced that they are desperately unsure of their position and just how uniformed they are about the other person. A Christian does not have to threaten to blow you up because you deny the divinity or resurrection of Jesus—we can be quite sure of who He is and what He did, and still love the ones that are lost.
Comments