Is religious tolerance only a recent idea?

Question

The Bible has many examples of religious intolerance. For example, the priests of a competing religion were slaughtered in the time of Jezebel. Numerous times, Israelites who strayed from the worship of Jahweh were killed.
The history of Christianity includes the forceable conversion of people in various parts of Europe from the religions they practiced before, inquistions, heresy trials, expulsions of populations, etc.

Answer 1

Actually, the ancient Romans (pre-Christian) were unquestionably tolerant of MOST other religions. In fact, other than the Christians, the Romans didn't have a problem with any other religion, ever erecting statues to the various deities of any sect that lived and practiced in the city (except, of course, the Christians). So the idea of Religious tolerance is actually very, VERY old.

Answer 2

In the Quran we find:

2:256 There is no compulsion in religion, for the right way is clearly from the wrong way. Whoever therefore rejects the forces of evil and believes in God, he has taken hold of a support most unfailing, which shall never give way, for God is All Hearing and Knowing.

88:21, 22; also see 24:54 And so, (O Prophet!) exhort them your task is only to exhort; you cannot compel them to believe.

And the Prophet is reported to have said:

"He who hurts a Non-Muslim citizen of a Muslim state, I am his adversary, and I shall be his adversary on the Day of a Judgement." (Bukhari)


The first constitution in Medina is a hallmark of religious tolerance and freedom. While certainly there have been breaches of this concept throughout Islamic history, religious tolerance is what is called for by Islam.

Answer 3

I am not Muslim, nor do I believe that many Muslims follow the precepts of their own faith. Nonetheless, there are many parts of the Koran (Qur'an) that sound very much like preaching of tolerance...and this text is over 1,400 years old. I pulled some tolerance-related quotations from the Qur'anon the web:

Honor each other: "O mankind! We created you from a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes that you may know and honor each other (not that you should despise one another). Indeed the most honorable of you in the sight of God is the most righteous." Chapter 49, Verse 13

God loves the kind: "God does not forbid you to be kind and equitable to those who have neither fought against your faith nor driven you out of your homes. In fact God loves the equitable." Chapter 60, Verse 8

About Jesus: "And in their [the earlier prophets] footsteps We sent Jesus the son of Mary, confirming the law that had come before him. We sent him the Gospel, therein was guidance and light and confirmation of the law that had come before him, a guidance and an admonition to those who fear God." Chapter 5, Verse 46

Good and evil: "Whoever recommends and helps a good cause becomes a partner therein, and whoever recommends and helps an evil cause shares in its burden." Chapter 4, Verse 85

Reaction to evil: "Repel (evil) with what is better. Then will he, between whom and thee was hatred, become as it were thy friend and intimate. And no one will be granted such goodness except those who exercise patience and self-restraint." Chapter 41, Verse 34 and 35

Do good: "Be quick in the race for forgiveness from your Lord, and for a Garden (paradise) whose width is that of the heavens and of the earth, prepared for the righteous - Those who spend (freely), whether in prosperity or in adversity, who restrain (their) anger and pardon (all) men - for God loves those who do good." Chapter 3, Verses 133-134

Cheers

Answer 4

I think the term religious tolerance has only been in existence for about 200 years (300 tops). It is human to have a tolerance level for certain people, for instance, if you work with an annoying person, chances are you must tolerate them to some extent. Religious beliefs, however, are different, they define a lifestyle. The Pilgrims came for a reason to America, the Nazi's were attacking the Jews for a reason...all these violent attacks are based solely on the reason that people cannot tolerate a certain lifestyle/ religion. I believe this is a new idea, one that tries to humanize our degraded world.

Answer 5

No... it isn't a recent idea. In fact, the Roman Empire was extremely tolerant of differing religious beliefs... until Christianity took over. In fact, there is much evidence to support the idea that Christianity was the inventor of religious INTOLERANCE. Of course, Islam learned from this.

Answer 6

Not really. In history of India, it has been constantly invaded by Muslims and Christians. Before British invaded, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, and Christians were living side by side. There was religious tolerance untill later in 17 and 18 centuries.

Answer 7

You are correct in all you say. You must remember that in the Old Testament, people had to follow rules and that Israel and Judah must clean itself from those who practice against God's Laws.
All has changed, when Jesus came and died for the sins of man.
After that, no-one had the right to judge a nonbeliever because of God's grace that came upon them.
Those who called themselves Christians and did these inhuman things weren't following the teachings of Jesus.
In-fact I wouldn't call them true believers of the faith at all.

Answer 8

they ought to be teaching those inmates and giving them a college preparation collectively as in penitentiary. This has been shown to quite reform inmates and get them on the main suitable direction to effective citizenship whilst they depart penitentiary. i might desire to care much less in the event that they have self belief in the pokey or not. it is their ideal, in spite of the shown fact that and that they ought to have the main suitable to assessment faith besides. faith of course can create greater issues in this sort of tight atmosphere like a reformatory. I recommend, merely look on the international's tensions with faith in the way of peace. An preparation may be plenty greater ideal for the prisoners nevertheless, in the long-term.

Answer 9

Religious tolerance is a distinctly American ideal. Christianity was never supposed to tolerate what to us is false doctrine.

Answer 10

no its not a new thing .. even the writers in the new testament realized there was a problem with divisions in the church ..