The Gospel of Tolerance

Dorothea

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I found this article that I found posted in an FB Orthodox group very interesting. Your thoughts would be appreciated.


The ‘Gospel’ of Tolerance: You Must Approve
by Jennifer Hartline -
Judge not me nor anything I say, do, or want, lest ye be judged intolerant


The Gospel of Tolerance really only has one rule: thou shalt tolerate any action, belief, lifestyle, agenda, and person except the person who believes a certain lifestyle, action or agenda is wrong and has the gall to say so out loud. The real goal here is not acceptance but submission. It’s not enough to “get along” or tolerate quietly. You must approve. You don’t dare disapprove publicly. Those who don’t tow the line will be punished. …


It used to be that we could hate the sin and love the sinner, but the problem is now we’re not allowed to hate the sin anymore! We have to love the sin, celebrate the sin, and above all, stop calling it sin!


Find your courage, people. The false gospel of tolerance is not our salvation and it will not bring us peace. There is Good News to share and we have to live it without fear!

For rest of article:
The ‘Gospel’ of Tolerance: You Must Approve | OrthodoxNet.com Blog
 
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rusmeister

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I find helpful the realization that "tolerance" actually means indifference - which is the true opposite of love and acceptance - we do not love what we merely tolerate nor merely tolerate what we love. That goes double for religious tolerance.
 
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JRSut1000

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This is a good thread, I'm glad someone is addressing the philosphy/religion of 'tolerance'. I really think there are more people who are bothered by it, but as soon as anyone says anything, it seems they are attacked instantly for it even within the church.

I like the illustration of the cliff. If someone is about to fall over a cliff, do we cheer them on and say "hey, have a nice trip"? No, we do whatever we can do convince him to go in the other direction so that he doesn't cause injury or even death to himself.

But the tolerance gospel has this idea that if people want to fall off a cliff, we should just let them without even trying to rescue them. It's sad and not very loving at all as one pointed out already.
 
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Dorothea

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Thanks, everyone, for your comments. I tell you, when I read it, it was like a 2x4 hitting me aside the head - it was so blunt....BUT - Absolutely true!!!! It was refreshing, actually.
 
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truthseeker32

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I think the number one thing we are called to do is love others. This doesn't mean accepting and celebrating the sins of others, but it also doesn't mean acting maliciously or judgmentally towards others.

I heard a Roman Catholic priest once say "It isn't our job to judge them, it is our job to love them." These are basically my thoughts.
 
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Protoevangel

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I found this article that I found posted in an FB Orthodox group very interesting. Your thoughts would be appreciated.


The ‘Gospel’ of Tolerance: You Must Approve
by Jennifer Hartline -
Judge not me nor anything I say, do, or want, lest ye be judged intolerant


The Gospel of Tolerance really only has one rule: thou shalt tolerate any action, belief, lifestyle, agenda, and person except the person who believes a certain lifestyle, action or agenda is wrong and has the gall to say so out loud. The real goal here is not acceptance but submission. It’s not enough to “get along” or tolerate quietly. You must approve. You don’t dare disapprove publicly. Those who don’t tow the line will be punished. …


It used to be that we could hate the sin and love the sinner, but the problem is now we’re not allowed to hate the sin anymore! We have to love the sin, celebrate the sin, and above all, stop calling it sin!


Find your courage, people. The false gospel of tolerance is not our salvation and it will not bring us peace. There is Good News to share and we have to live it without fear!

For rest of article:
The ‘Gospel’ of Tolerance: You Must Approve | OrthodoxNet.com Blog
:thumbsup:
 
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Dorothea

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I think the number one thing we are called to do is love others. This doesn't mean accepting and celebrating the sins of others, but it also doesn't mean acting maliciously or judgmentally towards others.

I heard a Roman Catholic priest once say "It isn't our job to judge them, it is our job to love them." These are basically my thoughts.
Sure, I understand that. I've been in that realm for the past year or two. The problem is, I veer off the path a bit with this, and go a bit too much to the side of relativism and not saying anything to anybody who's doing something wrong (sinful), because I don't want them to think I'm not tolerant or a bigot. I found I was being somewhat lukewarm in that area without realizing it, even though I am so dedicated to my faith and beliefs.

So, this article puts things back into perspective for me. These types of things are great wake-ups when I start to veer a bit off the path. There's a fine balance there, indeed, that's very hard, in which we are to love all, but also it appears we are to not be afraid to speak up when something is morally wrong or spiritually damaging to our fellow human beings. This is the tricky part for us, especially in a society that is becoming more and more like that article says and for which I know people who think like what that author says in the article.

A good example is the story of Mother Gavrilia. She spoke so much on loving all and that was the most important and only thing we should be doing, basically. Everything revolved around that. But there are a few places in the book, in her letters, where she basically doesn't mince words. She writes a man who's cheating on his wife, and she is quite blunt with him. So, I suppose there's a time for reprimand or correction, but discerning when is the difficult time, imo.
 
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MariaRegina

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Sure, I understand that. I've been in that realm for the past year or two. The problem is, I veer off the path a bit with this, and go a bit too much to the side of relativism and not saying anything to anybody who's doing something wrong (sinful), because I don't want them to think I'm not tolerant or a bigot. I found I was being somewhat lukewarm in that area without realizing it, even though I am so dedicated to my faith and beliefs.

So, this article puts things back into perspective for me. These types of things are great wake-ups when I start to veer a bit off the path. There's a fine balance there, indeed, that's very hard, in which we are to love all, but also it appears we are to not be afraid to speak up when something is morally wrong or spiritually damaging to our fellow human beings. This is the tricky part for us, especially in a society that is becoming more and more like that article says and for which I know people who think like what that author says in the article.

A good example is the story of Mother Gavrilia. She spoke so much on loving all and that was the most important and only thing we should be doing, basically. Everything revolved around that. But there are a few places in the book, in her letters, where she basically doesn't mince words. She writes a man who's cheating on his wife, and she is quite blunt with him. So, I suppose there's a time for reprimand or correction, but discerning when is the difficult time, imo.

Yes, discernment is the difficult part.

Only through the graces offered through our Holy Church in the Holy Mysteries can be learn discernment and attain eternal life.
 
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Dorothea

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This article I just saw on FB fits what I've been feeling in my heart and mind the past few months and is pertinent to this OP:


Met. Methodios (GOA): Don’t be Like the Frogs in the Tub
September 22, 2011 9:02 AM | Fr. Johannes Jacobse

The story is told about a number of frogs which were placed by scientists in a tub of water whose temperature was exactly the same as the pond from which they were taken. The scientists slowly increased the temperature and were soon astonished to see that, even though the water gradually became warmer, the frogs did not react. It was only when the temperatures were increased to a boiling point that the frogs reacted. It was too late. Before they knew it, they burned to death. Had they realized the slow increase in the water temperature, they would have reacted and thus spared their lives. The frogs grew accustomed to the slow rise in temperature and adapted. The change in water temperature occurred slowly but deliberately, and because of this process, the frogs failed to pay attention.

For us Orthodox Christians, the changes in the moral standards in our society have occurred so slowly that they have become imperceptible. We have adapted to the slow deterioration of moral life in society to the point where we have adapted to the moral decay in our midst and have taken it for granted. Sadly we live in a world of moral and ethical relativism, hedonism and selfishness; in a world in desperate need of spiritual renewal.

Sunday is no longer the day that we worship Almighty God and then sit at our dinner table to enjoy fellowship. Rarely do we read the Bible. Prayers are no longer offered in our schools. The Ten Commandments have been removed from our civil courts. Lifestyles previously kept in the closet are now championed as reputable and worthy of emulation. The other day while driving to a liturgical service, a fellow priest pointed to a decal placed prominently on the bumper of the car in front of us. It was the symbol of a new atheist group in America.

The admonition of Saint Paul addressed to the Ephesians should echo in our hearts, “no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.” (Eph.4:17) We need to re evaluate our lives and ask ourselves how the way we live differs from the way others live who have no faith. Do we differ as Orthodox Christians from our secular and oftentimes atheist neighbors? How do we live our Orthodox Faith?

I am concerned that we have become so accustomed to sin and immoral behavior, that we do not notice it. We must not accept the prevailing permissive immoral and unethical standards of modern day society which are clearly at odds with the tenets of Holy Scripture and the teachings of the Fathers of the Church.

Remember the frogs in the experiment, and be wary of their mistake of growing accustomed to an environment which eventually caused their demise.
+ Metropolitan Methodios of Boston

Met. Methodios (GOA): Don’t be Like the Frogs in the Tub - AOI Observer

_________________________________

The bolded most particularly is what I've been thinking of in mind and heart the past few months, and not falling into this complacency and not taking notice as His Eminence says.
 
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Dorothea

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Great encyclical from His Eminence.
Sadly, he is retiring.
I hope he continues writing.


Once again, I must repeat: Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis should be required reading for all high school students.
I need to read that. I haven't read anything by Lewis except the Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe to my boys.
 
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Protoevangel

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This reminds me of one of my favorite songs, Relentless Intolerance:

Demon Hunter said:
RELENTLESS INTOLERANCE

These eyes, they will gaze and reflect
And gauge every thought I reject
No sway of stance in changing times
Just a narrow mind commanding respect
We stand on the words of the wise
And languish every call to despise
We know the hollow wound of their lies

No reformed edition - Never losing vision
Now into forever - Only getting better
Ways of now, spiral down - How much more we allow

Keeping sight of the vow we made (Never changing)
Holding fast to the hope (Never losing ground)
So when we stand in the line of wrath (Never changing)
The true and righteous will know (Never losing ground)

The foundation that we used to uphold
Now regarded as the madness of old
Every alteration made to the standard of truth
Is a nail in the coffin we hold
We embody everything they despise
Because they see us through degenerate eyes
So when they cast you down as intolerant filth
Stand firm, never bow to the lies

And their "official" explanation:
Demon Hunter said:
“Relentless Intolerance” speaks about the constant breakdown of morality and tradition in the world today. It’s about the pressures of being “open-minded” and “accepting” of things that we’re called to detest and flee from. In a world that always progressing, we need to look back to the times when we were less tolerant of immorality- and that’s what this song is about. There should be “no reformed edition” of the gospel. The things that we believe and trust should be viewed the same tomorrow as they were yesterday.

The song urges believers to not be ashamed when they are view as intolerant or narrow minded, because even though these are dirty words in today’s world, we are called to walk a narrow path and we cannot afford to be accepting of every sin this world may become numb to.

Love must be without hypocrisy. Detest evil; cling to what is good.
Romans 12:9
 
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MariaRegina

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This reminds me of one of my favorite songs, Relentless Intolerance:



And their "official" explanation:

Thanks, Dan.

I do not think that the faith once delivered by Christ to the Apostles has ever been popular because people like to sin and certainly do not like to have their sins exposed for what they are: depravity.

Yet we are to be light in this darkness. So there will always be this tension until Christ comes again to judge the world.

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.
 
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