While intolerance often comes from a spirit of hate, is there a right and loving time to be intolerant?

Question

I think we can see in the world around us how intolerance is not always a bad thing. For instance, intolerance seems appropriate when it comes to child pornography, spousal abuse, etc. And I know if my spouse asked me to have tolerance for other lovers, you can forget about it!

So how do we find the wisdom to walk in godly tolerance, with compassion and humility, showing respect for others and for their right to free religious expression and practice, and yet at the same time, reflect the intolerance that we find in God’s word toward false teachings that lead others away from eternal life (and as demonstrated by Christ who came in perfect love and truth)?

Answer 1

Put simply, yes! You should be intolerant of sin but loving towards the sinner. You should speak peace and love and be an example of it, but when the lion comes for the sheep strike it down with the staff. This is the simple truth which we must abide and not fuddle it up with human conceptions. Let God be the map by which you set your course, and the light which gives us hope.

Answer 2

This is a good question and a little dangerous.

It might be useful to draw a distinction between the word "intolerance" and the idea of setting laws for society and setting healthy personal boundaries.

Both child pornography and spousal abuse are against the law. The laws serves to establish codes of behavior, and punishments for violations of these codes.

Yes, you could say that society is setting boundaries by setting laws and is "intolerant" of the illegal behaviors.

In practice, I think the word "tolerance" refers more to individual differences in lifestyle and beliefs that fall within the legal boundaries.

You might develop personal restrictions on behaviour that are greater than the law (for example, you might choose not to smoke or not to drink alcohol), but other people might choose the legal behaviour.

Of course, the laws of a nation are a reflection of the outcomes of conflicts that continue to this day on what appropriate behaviour is, and are influenced by personal beliefs and religious beliefs.

The central issue is, perhaps, that when you move away from laws of a nation to the laws of a relgion, your religious beliefs come in conflict with the beliefs of other people. And if your religion teaches that they are living in sin and their beliefs are "false teachings" then you are moving toward intolerance. And you're in a catch-22, because your religion isn't particulary tolerant of other religions.

As a practical answer, you could be tolerant of legal behavior in your country, and opposed to illegal behaviour.

Answer 3

Jesus did not condemn anyone except the religious leaders who were leading the people astray. We should be a intolerant of our religious leaders, and others who profess to be a follower of Christ. If you follow Christ then the world should not be in you. Unlike so many so called Christians. As the Good book says, they worship me with there lips, but not their hearts.(that was a paraphrase)

Answer 4

In the book of Galatians 3:10 the Apostle Paul blew his tops, so to speak when he said if you people placed the law before grace you are under a curse and doomed to disappointment and destruction... He had no or little tolerance for people who were twisting the word of God for their own benefits.

Answer 5

i might desire to by no ability hate my mum and dad, they gave me a sturdy existence as a toddler. My mum and dad have been intense college sweethearts and are nonetheless married, 40 two years and going stable. At one factor in my youthful existence my father worked 3 jobs to place foodstuff on the table, a roof over our heads, and garments on our backs. We did no longer constantly have each and every thing we mandatory, yet we constantly had each and every thing we mandatory. My mum and dad sent some conflicting messages to us as quickly as we've been becoming up. yet they have been by no ability attempting to reason us injury, purely attempting to teach us what they theory became the right undertaking to do. My father would be 60 years previous next month. and that i've got come to words with the actuality that he's of a diverse technology. i'm going to constantly be grateful to my mum and dad for coaching me to have morals, values, and a powerful artwork ethnic. My mom and that i've got a greater advantageous courting than my father and that i do. I leave out being close to to my father, and that i do nonetheless attempt to have a courting with him. i understand he loves me. L

Answer 6

I think you are on the right track. God tells us to guard our hearts, for it is the wellspring of life.

I've been studying about the false teachings (New Testament) and there's great information in 2 Peter 2, 1 John, Jude, 1 Cor. 11:4 and we need to heed the warnings!

I won't "force" my religion on anyone. We are not told to brow beat or kill anyone for un-belief. Just tell them the good news (if they want to hear it) and let them decided for themselves.

It's all about free will!

Answer 7

I guess you could call me intolerant where someone forces a belief on me that is not according to the Word of God.

Answer 8

Tolerance is a wonderful thing...but like anything, even love, when misused leads to terrible consequences.

Allowing an existential threat to fester and grow, especially in our midsts, is not tolerance, but suicide.

Answer 9

You just have to keep pointing them to the right way and show them where their beliefs don't add up in the big picture. you can lead the horse to water but you can't force him to drink. Be patient and live through example not words.

Answer 10

Clearly by using common sense. You can tell what things should not be tolerated, you just listed them. So keep listing them to yourself and be intolerant of them.