Should CHRISTIANS be tolerant???

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Should CHRISTIANS be tolerant???

Tolerant =
Pronunciation: -r&nt
Function: adjective
1 : inclined to tolerate; especially : marked by forbearance or endurance
2 : exhibiting tolerance (as for a drug or an environmental factor)
- tol·er·ant·ly adverb

Tolerance =
Pronunciation: 'tä-l&-r&n(t)s, 'täl-r&n(t)s
Function: noun
1 : capacity to endure pain or hardship : ENDURANCE, FORTITUDE, STAMINA
2 a : sympathy or indulgence for beliefs or practices differing from or conflicting with one's own b : the act of allowing something : TOLERATION
3 : the allowable deviation from a standard; especially : the range of variation permitted in maintaining a specified dimension in machining a piece
4 a (1) : the capacity of the body to endure or become less responsive to a substance (as a drug) or a physiological insult with repeated use or exposure <immunological tolerance to a virus> <an addict's increasing tolerance for a drug> (2) : relative capacity of an organism to grow or thrive when subjected to an unfavorable environmental factor b : the maximum amount of a pesticide residue that may lawfully remain on or in food

tolerate =
Pronunciation: 'tä-l&-"rAt
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form(s): -at·ed; -at·ing
Etymology: Latin toleratus, pp. of tolerare to endure, put up with; akin to Old English tholian to bear, Latin tollere to lift up, latus carried (suppletive past participle of ferre), Greek tlEnai to bear
1 : to exhibit physiological tolerance for (as a drug)
2 a : to suffer to be or to be done without prohibition, hindrance, or contradiction b : to put up with
synonym see BEAR

These words do not apear in the King James translation.

It does show in the Message:
2 Cor. 11:20 (MsgB)
You have such admirable tolerance for impostors who rob your freedom, rip you off, steal you blind, put you down—even slap your face!

So I looked this verse up in other versions:

KJV
For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour [you], if a man take [of you], if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face.

NIV
In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or pushes himself forward or slaps you in the face.

NLT
You put up with it when they make you their slaves, take everything you have, take advantage of you, put on airs, and slap you in the face.

NKJV
For you put up with it if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face.

NASB
For you tolerate it if anyone enslaves you, anyone devours you, anyone takes advantage of you, anyone exalts himself, anyone hits you in the face.

RSV
For you bear it if a man makes slaves of you, or preys upon you, or takes advantage of you, or puts on airs, or strikes you in the face.

So what you think?
:D
 
I don't think we should be tolerant to the point where we have to give up our beliefs. Me, I'm not tolerant of very many things.
 
I for one do not belive Christians should be tolerant. When you become tolerant of something you become accustomed to it, and becoming accustomed to sin is wrong. By becoming tolerant, we become lukewarm. and according to Revelation 3:15 and 16. (15) "I know your works, that you are niether cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot." (16) "So then, because you are lukewarm, and niether cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth." (Its from the NKJV)

That verse makes it pretty clear that being tolerant is a BAD thing.
By becoming tolerant, we become "lukewarm" and if that happens, *Looks back at scripture* Well you get the idea..
 
You can be as intolerant as you please - within YOURSELVES.

Drive out every little vice, every dirty and evil thought. Purge these things from your life.

But you have no right to treat others with intolerance. It is unsociable. It is uncivilised. It is plain rude and it is wrong.

There are two big vices associated with Christianity.

Hypocrisy.
Intolerance.

These are the biggest stumbling blocks to the survival of Christianity as a relgion in the modern world.
 
I think Paul answers this question himself in the following verse:

I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also. II Corinthians 11:21

From there, continuing into chapter 12 Paul seems to be giving the message that we are not to be tolerant of things that go against our belief's, of things contrary to Scripture. In addition, he seems to tell us that our boldness may bring trials, temptations, persecutions, storms, and those things we must take tolerantly by God's grace.

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. II Corinthians 12:9

Pastor, I hope you will address this question after we have answered.

Thank you.
 
Modern society itself is seething and teeming in hypocrisy and intolerance. Society screams that we should all be tolerant of everybody yet it sets up rules and defines what we will be intolerant of in the name of jurisprudance and political correctness, that is hypocrisy.
 
This is GREAT!!!

Stay on intolerance, we'll deal with hypocrisy later...

:D
 
Gods_Peon said:
Modern society itself is seething and teeming in hypocrisy and intolerance. Society screams that we should all be tolerant of everybody yet it sets up rules and defines what we will be intolerant of in the name of jurisprudance and political correctness, that is hypocrisy.
Click to expand...
I like that, never occurred to me
 
Eon said:
You can be as intolerant as you please - within YOURSELVES.

Drive out every little vice, every dirty and evil thought. Purge these things from your life.

But you have no right to treat others with intolerance. It is unsociable. It is uncivilised. It is plain rude and it is wrong.
Click to expand...

You've got no basis for those rules. Is there anything with the authority to decree this? Society? Point to a society that has not altered its laws severely since it first conceived them. Civilization? Point to one that has lasted over a millennia without imploding. As the human race as a whole is incapable of governing itself without committing grave injustices in the process, no one can point to humans as the ultimate arbiter of morality.

Christians answer to God, not man. As atheists have nothing to point to but their squabbling selves as the ultimate source of law, how do they have any right to determine what is acceptable?

That said, I would like to point out that Christians are supposed to be loving and treat those who participate in the things of this world as who they are, lost children of God. There's a difference between being intolerant and being pretentiously disrespectful and disdainful of those who do not believe.

I have not closely examined it, but I find the Quakers approach around the time of The Great Awakening interesting. Disturbed by the injustices committed against those exercising dissenting religious beliefs in England, Quaker colonies would not persecute those who held to a different faith. I believe this is close to the approach all Christians should take.

I've said this before, no Christian can in good conscious sit idly bye and wave on as if everything is perfectly OK as people board a train bound for hell. However, the unwavering love of Christ must be demonstrated in the process, and no harm is to come to ANYONE EVER.

That's just my opinion though.
 
Love the person but hate the sin.

We can be unwavering in our fight against immorality while working to salvage the individual.

Sometimes that entails 'tough love'.
 
Eon said:
But you have no right to treat others with intolerance. It is unsociable. It is uncivilized. It is plain rude and it is wrong.
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I must agree that there must be a line drawn. For me, if I don't feel love toward the person I am trying to win, or with whom I am discussing the Bible, then I feel that it is inappropriate to have a voice. If I cannot love, I should not express so much as a "yea, yea," or "nay, nay."
IceBladePOD said:
I've said this before, no Christian can in good conscious sit idly by and wave on as if everything is perfectly OK as people board a train bound for hell. However, the unwavering love of Christ must be demonstrated in the process, and no harm is to come to ANYONE EVER.
Click to expand...
This is so true. But I have recently encountered a situation where I felt that I treated someone in love, yet it was not taken in that Spirit. Perhaps, Eon, DV, and others have been too easy on me. Nevertheless, I feel they have always been very frank with me. However, in this recent situation, I have been hurtfully verbally abused because of my views. I desire to never hurt anyone. I too feel that we must...we are commanded ... and we will do it naturally because of our love...fulfill the Great Commission.
Didasko said:
Love the person but hate the sin.
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I love this quote and I have oftentimes heard the preacher admonish us to this action of loving the sinner but hating the sin.

I think the big issue is tolerance to a degree, but we need to find the fine dividing line if our tolerance tampers with Scriptural principles in our own lives. When do we defend by turning over the tables of the moneychangers, so to speak? How many of us can do that in the Love and Spirit of Jesus?
 
I feel it comes down to psychological and cultural context, and the methods of presentation in regards to these factors.
Each culture and people interpret different actions differently; in sharing God's love, then, I believe it is important to understand very clearly how the other side is viewing things.
Coming back to America after 13 years of being in Taiwan, it is easy for me to see how each sides' own culture is oblivious to how a person of the other country would react to things that seem "normal."
In regards to personal matters, lots of it is, as Marcy implies, motive; whether sharing love is taken in the proper Spirit.

A good example of how this was done well, I would say, is Hudson Taylor.
 
You make an excellent point. Missionary's would be a study in many things, tolerance being first and foremost. I am in the middle of a book titled Gladys Aylward, Missionary to China by Sam Wellman. She prayerfully, and beseechingly, walked with God in the matter of tolerance. She had a sometimes fearful and difficult time in breaking some of the Chinese traditions, foot binding for the women being one of those. It seems that she focused on changing the things that could be Spiritually, morally, or physically hurtful, while remaining tolerant to the rest. Then, of utmost importance, in all things love.

A bit of background on this missionary.

http://www.hyperhistory.net/apwh/bios/b3aylwardg.htm

Online works by Hudson Taylor, missionary to China:

http://www.ccel.org/cgi-bin/keyword_search.pl?a=search&keywords=Hudson+Taylor
 
I think Marcylene said it best - hate the sin and love the sinner. And in your drive to cast away sin make sure to keep your focus and NEVER let anyone be harmed.

No persecution!

As you know, I gladly extend that umbrella over those of the various Christian faiths.
 
Eon said:
You can be as intolerant as you please - within YOURSELVES.

Drive out every little vice, every dirty and evil thought. Purge these things from your life.

But you have no right to treat others with intolerance. It is unsociable. It is uncivilised. It is plain rude and it is wrong.

There are two big vices associated with Christianity.

Hypocrisy.
Intolerance.

These are the biggest stumbling blocks to the survival of Christianity as a relgion in the modern world.
Click to expand...
Christians can and should be intolerant of those who oppose Christianity. We are not put on this earth to be socialable, and there is nothing rude or wrong about wanting you to know the Lord and have eternal life with us.
 
Even if it makes you behave like the kind of person I wouldn't want to share 5 minutes with - let alone eternal life?

Honestly, and it was a Christian who said this, sometimes the worst enemy of Christianity is Christians.
 
Eon said:
There are two big vices associated with Christianity.

Hypocrisy.
Intolerance.

These are the biggest stumbling blocks to the survival of Christianity as a relgion in the modern world.
Click to expand...

You got me thinking about these two word's.


Now about Intolerance:

What do you think about the verse in Ephesians 4:2 GNB

"Be always humble, gentle, and patient. Show your love by being tolerant
with one another."

And about Hypocrisy:

I think it say's something in Psalms against Hypocrisy, doe's anyone know
a verse in Psalms against Hypocrisy?

There's a verse in James 4:8 GNB

"Come near to God, and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you
sinners! Purify your hearts, you hypocrites!"
 
Eon said:
Even if it makes you behave like the kind of person I wouldn't want to share 5 minutes with - let alone eternal life?

Honestly, and it was a Christian who said this, sometimes the worst enemy of Christianity is Christians.
Click to expand...
If making it so that you can spend 5 minutes with me requires me to dumb down the Truth and waterdown Christianity so that it's "nicer" and makes you feel okay about your turning away from Christ, then I guess we won't be having coffee anytime soon. ;)
 
WARNING: THIS POST IS A FIGMENT OF YOUR IMAGINATION UNLESS YOUR NAME IS CALEB​
Caleb said:
And about Hypocrisy:
I think it say's something in Psalms against Hypocrisy, doe's anyone know
a verse in Psalms against Hypocrisy?
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Pastor had asked earlier that we save the subject of hypocrisy until later, but I did want to give you the verses:

With hypocritical mokers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth. Psalm 35:16

Also, if you go to crosswalk.com and look up the words: hypocrisies, hypocrisy, hypocrite, hypocrite's, hypocrites, and hypocritical it will provide more verses.

The very definition of a hyprocrite:
Judge not, that ye be not judged.
For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. Matthew 7:1-5
 
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