Tolerance? Does this apply to both conservatives and liberals or just conservatives?

Question

Do conservatives have to be tolerant to liberal views? Including liberal views on civil rights which minimize conservative rights?
such as Nativity scenes in public, Christian prayers in Schools and other public venues

Answer 1

Nobody has to be tolerant. People have the right to their beliefs, even the right to outright bigotry. Nobody has the right to promulgate their views without being criticized.

Answer 2

I fully understand that Government should not be promoting one religion over another, but that also has to be balanced with common sense. December 25th has been celebrated as the birthdate of Yeshua since the Council of Nicea named it so in 325 AD (they actually used the date of the Winter Solstice because Constantine was a life-long follower of the Sun God Sol Invictus)

Being that 12/25 was established as a holiday for that reason, why is it an affront to other religions to celebrate by saying Merry Christmas? To be hones, if that's the way that they feel, December 25th should be made into just another day of the week, and if it's just a weekday, nobody gets the day off from work, government offices should be open, schools should be in session and forget the big sales at the store.

I know that's unrealistic but, if that's what they want!?!

On the other hand, there are other holidays from other religions that take place in December, Hanukkah being the most familiar, but nobody get's that off from work or school unless you happen to have a very leinent boss. There's also Kwaanza, and I haven't figured that one out yet but that doesn't make it any less worthy because I'm ignorant.

PLEASE let the Christians have their Christmas. Celebrate with them. I happen to be Jewish and would like to see more recognition given to Pesach (Passover) but that doesn't mean I would want to take anything away from Christmas.

Answer 3

Christian prayers in schools and religious displays in public aren't a matter of conservative vs liberal views, they are a matter of United States LAW.

The US government does not, cannot, and should not promote any one religion above others. The fact that our nation has historically been predominantly Christian (for the religious segment of the population) is irrelevant.

The point that many conservatives seem to miss is that removing religious practices and symbols from public schools isn't an assault upon Christianity. There are no mosques or buddhist temples popping up in public schools to replace the nativity displays.

Either you allow equal time and visibility for other religions (which some choose to do) or you don't permit such displays, period. No headscarves, no crosses, no minorahs, nada. In this regard Christians are in the same boat as Muslims, Sikhs, etc.

But there will be no return to Christianity's prominence that was seen back in decades past. It wasn't right to begin with, and the increasing diversity of religious backgrounds in America means it 's not heading back in that direction. The society, the culture, has changed. We are more secular now than we were in the 1950's.

To the more fundamental issue- everyone is entitled to their opinions and can freely express them. That's what makes this country great! Just don't attempt to use government resources to promote any religion, keep the state out of church business and vice versa. Everyone gets to co-exist with people with whom they disagree. Ain't it wonderful?

Answer 4

Nobody "must" be tolerant, but it certainly makes things run more smoothly if we are. Conservatives should be tolerant of different views than their own and liberals should be tolerant of the absolutism of conservative views. Christian conservatives appear to be the least tolerant of diversity in the US. They exclusively want only Christmas decorations displayed publicly and no other religion allowed.


But I do love Christmas and I'm a liberal.

Answer 5

This once again shows ignorance of the Establishment Clause.
Nativity scenes "in public" only refer to PUBLICLY PAID FOR scenes, or scenes on PUBLIC LAND. Prayer in school relates to prayer LED BY school officials, DEMANDED by school officials, or prayer led by others that is perceived as "endorced" by the school.
Pray all you want--to yourself. Form a prayer group by yourselves if you want. Put whatever you want in your yard. But why should those who don't believe as you be subjected to governmentally coerced prayer, or have their tax dollars or public spaces put toward one particular religious symbol at this time of year? Or made to feel like a second class citizen because they're not Catholic? or Methodist? Or Jew? Or whatever happens to be popular right now.
Would you like your kid to be forced to pray 5 times a day east toward Mecca? Would you like to have the sayings of Buddha on your courthouse wall as a sign of what "true justice" means? Because there are parts of the country where this could realistically happen by a majority vote.

Remember, there are a TON of "liberals" who are religious; they just choose to express their religion themselves, rather than having it forced upon others through state mechanisms.

Answer 6

It applies to both! But neither heeds it's blessings. The lack of respect and mutual tolerance is obvious around elections, it is commonly called
"mud slinging", "dog-eat dog"," partisan politics".
What is a nice person like yourself involved in this nasty business anyway?

Answer 7

I think we should all, no matter what our politcal, or religious views are, be respectful twords one another. I think people need to learn to agree to disagree and not let a persons views be a reason for hatred. We need to accept everyone no matter who they are, what they believe in. We will never be able to progress as a country if we don't start showing more courtesy twords one another.

Answer 8

I think it is only expected of white people.



OK,OK - it was a joke! BUT since no one has a sense of humor here, go ahead and click the thumbs down button.

Answer 9

I can't tolerate people who don't realize how right Bush is all the time.