is 'tolerance' just a politically correct word?

Question

or do you think that it has spiritual connections as well?
please explain your answers?

thankyou
:)

Answer 1

Being tolerant means choosing your battles. People who are intolerant will fight even when there is no possible beneficial outcome.



# The parties reciprocally agree that the fact that one or the other of the parties tolerates a situation does not have the effect of granting any vested rights to the other party. Moreover no such tolerance may be construed as a waiver of the right to assert the rights in question.
www.net2one.com/pages/cgen.asp

# (from Latin - indulgence), the capacity for respecting the opinion, religion or behavior of others
www.aids.undp.kg/en/aids/glossary/

# the power or capacity of an organism to tolerate unfavorable environmental conditions
# permissiveness: a disposition to allow freedom of choice and behavior
# the act of tolerating something
# willingness to recognize and respect the beliefs or practices of others
# allowance: a permissible difference; allowing some freedom to move within limits
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

# Tolerance is a social, cultural and religious term applied to the collective and individual practice of not persecuting those who may believe, behave or act in ways of which one may not approve. Authoritarian systems practice the opposite of tolerance, intolerance. Tolerance is seen as a more widely acceptable term than "acceptance" and particularly "respect," where the application to controversial parties is concerned. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tolerance

Answer 2

I heard this point made on "Focus on the Family" and thought it was bogus. Tolerance can be used as a synonym of Endurance, and mean to bear or put up with somebody or something not especially liked, but it also has meanings, including to be sympathetic or indulgent to others who are different. I don't know which one came first, but it doesn't matter, both are accepted now, and have been for long enough that it pretty nuch invalidated that guy's argument. Guess he never learned about people "developing a tolerance to pain killers." I guess the dictionary is too "PC," huh? BTW, his argument against the use of "Judge not lest you be judged," was bogus if not blasphemous. ++++++ Just read some of your older questions and answers. I might be confused, or worse, missed the obvious cynical tone of your question. If so, thumb me down.

Answer 3

Tolerance is a very important word in religion. Genuine
tolerance could mean the difference between love and respect for people of other faiths, and disintegration into
ruthless, bloodthirsty zealotry. Just take a look at the news and you'll see what I mean.
Tolerance of others should not be undermined by our need to defend ourselves from attack.
Judging by the other answers, the word seems to raise some hackles. Perhaps some of its definitions are in a state of flux, hence the turbulent reaction.
Good quotes from Dragon Heart.

Answer 4

i know the current Politically Correct word now is to practice tolerance. well, I don't believe in the word or the concept. Instead, I believe we shld use the word understanding because it puts us on equal ground. In my opinion, tolerance is much the same as ignorance. If I practice tolerance, it would mean I'm too ignorant to try to understand that people come from different cultural and religious backgrounds. When I say equal ground, I am referring to the ideal we have the freedom of choice to decide our own mind and not be forced to hide, accept or reject our beliefs because it isn't the same as others. It would also give them the same respect for their choice

Answer 5

Are these the only choices?

First, tolerance as a value long predated "politically correct."

Second, there's nothing wrong with political correctness, as it, like tolerance, is based on the idea that all humans are human, unless they prove themselves otherwise; that is, it's not true that the continent one's ancestors came from determines one's quality as a human being, nor whether they wear their genitles inside or outside the body; not what language they speak.

'Sprititual'? I've asked a number of people what this means; from what I can gather, I don't buy the whole spirituality concept.

Answer 6

Tolerance is a spiritual word, it is healing of your inner spirit.

# Tolerance, forgiving is not for another person's growth. It gives more energy to your emotional intelligence.
# It gives more maturity to your self.
# Tolerance is positive and natural.
# Tolerance should come from within, and it strengthens you spiritually, emotionally, and physically.(IF you get upset instead of being tolerant, you get angry, your pulse rises, and if you keep on getting angry, you'll get a heart attack,which medicene has proved).

Quotations from famous people in History are :
"What is tolerance? -- it is the consequence of humanity. We are all formed of frailty and error; let us pardon reciprocally each other's folly -- that is the first law of nature." - Voltaire.

“We must become the change we want to see.” and “The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” Mohandas K. Gandhi(Mahatma Gandhi)

So the choice is yours, be intolerant and be weak. Be tolerant and grow stronger. :-) Be Healthy. Hope this helps.

Answer 7

Tolerance has such a negative connotation. Used in an average conversation, people say, "I tolerate it," and inevitably, there is a tone of annoyance in the statement. I wouldn't exactly call it politically correct. I'd call it a word that people have used to claim they are accepting, but truly, they are not.

I agree with the previous answer that acceptance is far more loving. Someone else said "encouragement" I think, and I can't agree with that. I accept Christians and Catholics, but I'm not really in a hurry to encourage Catholic belief. It is socially regressive, in my egotistical opinion.

Answer 8

I'm an atheist, so "tolerance" has no spiritual connection for me whatsoever. However, I do NOT care for the word "tolerance" as it implies that whatever/whomever you are "tolerating" is somehow worse than you are (therefore, you feel the need to "tolerate" it). That's just complete BS to me.

Answer 9

I think it falls into the PC category. If you are an acquaintance, I am OK with you tolerating me. If I personally know and care for you, I much preferred to be accepted. Acceptance seems like more of a spiritual connection, as it seems to say that you are accepted not in spite of who you are, but because of who you are.

Answer 10

Tolerance as a wrod has many meanings. When refered to in terms of Religion. tolerance would mena that we are able to accpet that there are other views out here. That the believers of those other views have an inherent RIGHT to follow those beliefs, for their own sake. That we are able to accept the fact that their beliefs are different from our own but that we recognize that they too have a right to worship in their own ways and accept them for who and what they are. Humans who are simply different, notnecessarily bad, just different.

Jesus tolerated sinners, criminals, the sick and blind. he accepted them in his presence, he ministered to them, fed them, healed them, and, above all else, he loved them. That is the tolerance that Jesus lived by.

Without the spiritual gift of tolerance then nothing ELSE can come along. No acceptance, no love, no anythng.

Raji the Green Witch