Are people more tolerant of liberal and secular values than they are of traditional Christian values?

Question

So many people consider themselves open-minded, accepting and unbiased, yet the same individuals show no tolerance for those who choose traditional Christian values.

Answer 1

In my experience, that's due to the way SOME Christians present themselves. Personally, from what I've encountered, SOME Christians don't just live by their own values, they try to force you to live according to them as well, and they judge you iof you don't. All Christians are not as loving as they would appear and are actually the most judgemental, that small percent of them that are like that make it harder for REAL, loving Christians to be understood, and taken seriously.

Answer 2

Well, in general, people in individualistic societies like the U.S. feel more comfortable with "tolerant" faiths that only guide the behavior of the believers and do not impact or limit the choices of a non-believer.

Christianity, because it contains some absolute morality, can thus feel too controlling or infringing on individual rights.

Coupled with that, some Christians are very controlling, abusing, indifferent, or disrespectful to those who do not believe the same way. This creates a partly-deserved backlash towards the faith.

However, I've noticed a lot of what you're pointing out for years now, and here on the forums as well: People take some pride in how "open-minded" they are, in contrast to those "horrible, close--minded, thoughtless Christians."

That's a prideful, "I'm better than you" mentality that's often used to dismiss someone they don't even know, simply by their spiritual affiliation. It's a real display of the same cruel judgment they'd accuse others of and would be funny if I wasn't impacted by it.

Yeah, it happens. Yeah, it's frustrating. It's easy to get bent out of shape about how unfair it seems, but it does me no good to act on that frustration. I have to trust that God's opinion of me is what matters, and other people will simply sometimes be unfair.

People are going to be more tolerant of beliefs that do not interfere with any decisions they personally want to make. This doesn't make those beliefs correct, nor does it mean that beliefs that have a more absolute morality are "wrong." Beliefs have to examined for what they are.

In the end, I simply have to state what I believe and why, listen to other people, respect them as people and treat them kindly even when I disagree with them, challenge them when necessary, and learn from them when they challenge me.

Answer 3

I completely disagree with you.

I am an Episcopalian.

We practice all of the traditional Christian values: Loving others, giving to the poor, caring for the sick, visiting the old, feeding the hungry, supporting and pressing for social and economic justice for all persons, everywhere, regardless of what groups they may belong to -- my parish is engaged in such things as a community and we are involved as individuals (my partner has always cooperated with those efforts, although he is NOT Christian).

I have NEVER had anyone turn on me for that -- EXCEPT -- some people from other, more modern Christian groups -- some of the evangelicals and other literalists have been not only disparaging but assaultive. They seem to support other agendas that include political takeover, institutionalized and legislated injustice toward given groups, a lack of economic equity for racial minorities and opposition to a just morality.

In my opinion thier theology is suspect, based as it is on litaralism, which serious protestant and Catholic Christianity has known to be false for hundreds of years. They are rude, unkind, and given the power I do not think would hesitate to create a Taliban style government here in the U.S.

Regardless, they have a right to their faith, though I do think that some people take exception to their extremism. Nevertheless, they are the only people I have ever seen, that take exception with traditional Christian values.

Regards,

Reynolds Jones
Schenectady, NY
http://www.rebuff.org
[e-mail]

Answer 4

The traditional Christian values are fine: Love, Tolerance & Understanding. Their application by some (arguably, less than Christian) Christians smacks, rather of: Contempt, Intolerance and Prejudice.

One is often tempted to cite right-wing fundamentalists, here, but EVERYONE is guilty of failing their morals to a greater or lesser extent. We are not perfect.

Answer 5

I think the answer to your question is, in general, no.

You are mistaken about something important in this discussion.

YOU or anybody else, CHOOSING to live by what you call traditional Christian values is not the problem.

The problem arises when people decide that they way they choose to live is the ONLY way.

When people begin to focus on the differences of humanity instead of the similarities, problems always arise.

Just remember, choosing to live your version of traditional christian values is totally different than insisting that your way is the only way and that anybody who disagrees is wrong.

Answer 6

Well that is because I don't think that traditional Christian values are worth tolorating. Lets make a list

Opression of women
Racism
Violent hatred of homosexuals
Belief in their own religious superiority to the point of fanatical and systemic disrespect of others
Belief that sex is "wrong" and "dirty"
Belief that they should rule America with no expections and no room for dissent
Belief that women should be mandated by government to birth babies they do not want
Disbelief for the "inconveniant" parts of the bible, such as proclamations against greed, theft, and usury while supporting tax cuts for the wealthy, welfare cuts to the poor, and enviromental destruction.

Just because I want people to tolorate me, doesn't mean that I should or will tolorate everyone else -- thats not tolorance, that is stupidity. I don't have respect or tolorance for traditional Christian beliefs because I don't find them worth it, just like I don't have respect for Islamic terrorist beliefs, pedophile beliefs, or big business beliefs. They are bad beliefs. As individuals, we all have free will that allows us to make decisions on what to tolorate and what not to.

But we also have to decide where to draw our lines. Just because I think that conservative Christianity is a big load of horseshit doesn't mean that I want to prevent anyone from the free exercise of it. And that is where you see the difference between you and me. I'd be willing to let you marry who you want, raise your children how you want, pray how you want, and do what you want as long as you leave me the hell alone, but I don't see that same respect coming back this way. I see people like you trying to prostylytize at me, denying me marriage rights, not letting me adopt my own children, and trying to force me and mine back into the closet to please you. And that I cannot abide and will not tolorate.

Answer 7

Seems like it doesn't it? They just don't want to be told they can't do something. Christianity says things like don't kill, steal, commit adultery, love other people, etc., and people don't want to be told that. It may have something to do with the way some Christians present themselves but overwhelmingly I don't think that's the issue. I just think they hate being told what to do/not do.

Answer 8

It's fine with me for you to have traditional values. I wouldn't necessarily call them Christian though. To me a Christian leaves judgment to God. They love their neighbors. They do not appoint themselves to be morality police over society.

Answer 9

Personally im very open minded, but i do hate ignorance...that is what people get mad at....nort christianity, the ignorance and demeaning way that they just have to express thier opinion by bashing different people

Answer 10

I think that all groups are subject to hypocracy.

No matter what someone's views are, they are likely to dislike and often belittle those with different and opposing views.

I do think it's sad when those who say they desire open-minded-ness and tolerance, rarely practice what they preach.