What is tolerance?

[The_Dark]

What is tolerance?

Well... lets take a look....

First lets look at what the words means...

Tolerance:

1. The capacity for or the practice of recognizing and respecting the beliefs or practices of others.

2. Leeway for variation from a standard.

3. The permissible deviation from a specified value of a structural dimension, often expressed as a percent.

4. The capacity to endure hardship or pain.

I'm thinking 1. is what most people think of when talkling about Tolerance. So lets look a bit deeper.

Respect:

As a Verb:

1. To feel or show deferential regard for; esteem.

2. To avoid violation of or interference with: respect the speed limit.

3. To relate or refer to; concern.

As a Noun:

1. A feeling of appreciative, often deferential regard; esteem. See Synonyms at regard.

2. The state of being regarded with honor or esteem.

3. Willingness to show consideration or appreciation.

4. A particular aspect, feature, or detail: In many respects this is an important decision.

This is where things go wacky...

I think a good number of people think of 1. though I really think it's 2.

[phee]

Tolerance.... in the religious sense, is allowing others to practice their believes without interfering or talking down to them... at least that's my opinion...

This is different from approving of, or respecting beliefs in my opinion.. it is simply "tolerating" without interference....

I usually can promise almost all religions my indifference, until they decide they are going to stop tolerating me...

[phee]

Good topic BTW

[Homicidalheathen]

Putting up with my kids. If being a parent doesn't teach you tollerance, nothing will.

[The_Dark]

I would have to agree with you phee. To me, tolerance is not acceptance or approval. It boils down to "You do what you want and I'll do what I want."

What I actually think of another persons beleifs in no way reflects on my tolerance of it.

[The_Dark]

BTW... This was Marc's idea. I just ran with it.

[phee]

I would have to agree with you phee. To me, tolerance is not acceptance or approval. It boils down to  "You do what you want and I'll do what I want."

What I actually think of another persons beleifs in no way reflects on my tolerance of it.

That's pretty much the way I am as well...

[Msterbeau]

Tolerance.... in the religious sense, is allowing others to practice their believes without interfering or talking down to them... at least that's my opinion...

This is different from approving of, or respecting beliefs in my opinion.. it is simply "tolerating" without interference....

I usually can promise almost all religions my indifference, until they decide they are going to stop tolerating me...

I'm mostly in agreement with you. I think there's a certain level of respect for differring beliefs/opinions that has to be shown in order for there to be true tolerance. Grudging indifference can be percieved the same as intolerance. Generally speaking, you'd appreciate the same "respect" given to what you believe.

[phee]

Yes... I can see that

If you look at it like two religious parades happening at the same time... and they are about to collide at a cross street... The respectful thing to do is for one parade to stop, and let the other one pass until completed... simply tolerating the other parade they can crash into one another... while not tolerating would be going out of your way for one of the parades to point and laugh as the crash... er

odd metaphor

[ZhukovCodeslinger]

I like to think of tolerance as not killing off people who dont agree with your religious (or political) ideas.

I am very tolerant at the moment.

I am all for tolerance. I am against accomodation.

[The_Dark]

Marc,

To me.. that would depend on what it was. Satanism for instance. I have no respect at all for people that follow this beleif. I won't get in thier face about it.. but I wont respect it or accept it. Or how about Neo-Nazi's. I tolerate them, but thats as far as it goes. Mormons, 7th Day Adventists, Moonies... Tolerance.

[The_Dark]

Another good example... White people who claim to be Rastifarians. I have a really hard time not openly laughing in thier face.

[Msterbeau]

Marc,

To me.. that would depend on what it was. Satanism for instance. I have no respect at all for people that follow this beleif. I won't get in thier face about it.. but I wont respect it or accept it. Or how about Neo-Nazi's. I tolerate them, but thats as far as it goes. Mormons, 7th Day Adventists, Moonies... Tolerance.

Well... yeah. If your beliefs include hurting people, discrimating, oppressing some particular group or causing harm.... not so much respect for you.

[phee]

Well... yeah.  If your beliefs include hurting people, discrimating, oppressing some particular group or causing harm.... not so much respect for you.

Interesting point this... some religions by nature are intolerent, they believe that anything other than itself is incorrect and must be destroyed either through conversion or violence... Old school Catholicism and some branches of Islam come to mind

[torn asunder]

the only thing i have to add, regarding respect is a phrase i came up with a while ago...

"respect - give it, get it; don't give it, don't expect it."

when it comes to personal feelings about a different religion (or anything, for that matter) as long as you keep your thought/feelings to yourself, i see no harm done, but when you openly communicate your amusement, disdain, etc. for another's belief system, you're no longer being respectful. to use thedark's comment as an example, (i hope you don't mind, mark) one can point & laugh all one wants, figuratively speaking, as long as it's not communicated to others - the moment one expresses it to another, you've essentially mocked them, to whomever you're speaking about it with. even if the "laughee" isn't aware of it, someone else is, and at that point, one has no legitimate grounds to take offense at another person doing the same to them. does this make any sense to anyone? i hope so...

:fear

[phee]

the only thing i have to add, regarding respect is a phrase i came up with a while ago...

"respect - give it, get it; don't give it, don't expect it."

when it comes to personal feelings about a different religion (or anything, for that matter) as long as you keep your thought/feelings to yourself, i see no harm done, but when you openly communicate your amusement, disdain, etc. for another's belief system, you're no longer being respectful. to use thedark's comment as an example, (i hope you don't mind, mark) one can point & laugh all one wants, figuratively speaking, as long as it's not communicated to others - the moment one expresses it to another, you've essentially mocked them, to whomever you're speaking about it with. even if the "laughee" isn't aware of it, someone else is, and at that point, one has no legitimate grounds to take offense at another person doing the same to them. does this make any sense to anyone? i hope so...

:fear

Yes I would agree that pointing and laughing... I would consider "intolerence"

[Steven]

hate the sound of the word....'tolerance"...sounds painful, like you tolerate a bad back or a toothache for as long as you can....

I wish this word did not apply to people.

[The_Dark]

Well, until everyone decides to think exactly the same as everyone else... and actually does it... we ae going to have to tolerate the word.

[torn asunder]

Well, until everyone decides to think exactly the same as everyone else... and actually does it... we ae going to have to tolerate the word.

very true... =)

[Scary Guy]

wasn't there a south park episode on the subject?

[The_Dark]

Does that make it an invalid topic of conversation?

[DJ Nocker]

0 tolerance for me.

[pharoh]

Tolerance is me not walking down telegraph with my "toys" and armed to the teeth :grin............:devil

[Msterbeau]

Tolerance is me not walking down telegraph with my "toys" and armed to the teeth :grin............:devil

I guessed what you were going to say before I even opened the thread... :laughing

[JaneDead]

I would have to agree with you phee. To me, tolerance is not acceptance or approval. It boils down to  "You do what you want and I'll do what I want."

What I actually think of another persons beleifs in no way reflects on my tolerance of it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

that is pretty much my view on tolerance. as far as tolerance and people go. and what people do and/or believe.

i feel i have "tolerated" a lot of people without actually telling them what i REALLY think.