How Do You Define "Tolerance"

Here is a site that I think someone posted earlier on another thread. Excellent!

http://www.founders.org/FJ33/article3.html

 

Tolerance is not the same thing as acceptance. Tolerance only means that we are “listening.” It does not mean that we are endorsing. It is better to have access to witness then to slam that door shut because I’m somehow offended by someone’s sin. How less sinful is our own sin? (James 2: 10).

How will they call, believe and hear unless a preacher be sent? (Rom. 10:14). YOU are that preacher!

latterrain77

 

Exactly, but the world see's tolerance in the way that you say it is not. Not only is this how they see it, this how they are teaching your/our children to see it.

 

Good point, Crowe: The world is using the word "tolerance" when what they mean is "acceptance."

 

Tolerance is also similar to endurance in regards to pain and frustration. It can be the God-given strength we hold on to that keeps us from allowing "a bitter root to grow up among us" Hebrews 12:15

I remember a time last month when I was pushed to beyond what I ever imagined I could endure. My fiance left and I dislocated my shoulder all in the same week. Since then I've left my church and friends there because she is there and have found a new job as well. Tolerance is the ability to endure pain, suffering, and change. In all this I Praise God! I choose to be happy! Praise God because I'm not the same person I was even a few monthes ago. Praise God because I'll just choose to be content with what I have and Satan can sit back and watch me smile because he won't win. He's a loser and he sucks.

 

You really hit the nail on the head with that statement! LOL

 

You go now!!!!! Get behind me Satan!

 

This is a loaded question! Sadly I think too many Christians fall into the "Tolerance" trap. We all have had times that we have conformed to this world because we tolerate the powers that seem to be here. I am guilty of this at times and praise God before I get too far gone HE opens my eyes to the Truth!
I think it is hard to be tolerant of so many things and that we need to pick and choose our battles very carefully and make sure they are for God's Kingdom.
Love in Christ Angie

 

jcrowe said; "Exactly, but the world see's tolerance in the way that you say it is not. Not only is this how they see it, this how they are teaching your/our children to see it."

Hi Jim. Thank you for your comments. Please allow me to suggest that it does not matter if a particular group wants us to "accept" some sin. We do not need to accept it. We DO need to hear them out, listen to them, and then show the better way. We are not called to campaign against sin - we are called to preach the Gospel! (Mark 16: 15).

Consider that Paul continued to preach and even embrace the utterly sinful Corinthian church. These Corinthian sinners were every bit as sinful - and more so - than the unsaved world surrounding them. Yet some of them were STILL among the elect (1 Cor. 6:11).

Consider that the LORD embraced some very sinful folks himself, never stopping to "accept" their sins. He embraced them, loved them, and then said "go and sin no more" (John 8: 11). If the LORD took the position of "no tolerance" would any of us have ever been saved?

Think for a moment about the "thief on the cross." Here is a man who was unquestionably a terrible sinner, even by his own admission (Luke 23:41). Yet, the Lord embraced him. Even the "other bad thief" who railed against the LORD was "heard out" (Luke 23: 39). True, this "bad thief" died unsaved, but the "good thief on the cross" DID preach to that other thief (Luke 23:40-41). Tolerance begins with LISTENING. It moves to PREACHING the Good News which may result in SALVATION (Luke 23: 42-43). This is the process of how the chosen are identified.

Last thought. Note how one of the KEY signs of a true believer is that we WILL preach the Gospel. Just as the "good thief" on the cross preached to the "bad thief," we too must preach to the Lost too. Those who call us intolerant are often the MOST intolerant of all. So what? All that matters is that we witness and, ALWAYS show the "fruit of the spirit" (Gal. 5: 22-23). Sometimes THIS ALONE is enough to point to the better way.

latterrain77

[ November 19, 2002, 06:30 AM: Message edited by: latterrain77 ]

 

"Tolerance" to me is a worldly weasel word, usually used to excuse behavior that goes against some religious tenet or belief, to make it more "mainstream" and "acceptable."

And then, shortly thereafter, "intolerant" is used like "hypocrite" or "fundamentalist" or "closedminded" to associate us with Hitler, the KKK, slavery, whatever diabolical concept they are trying hard to associate us with.

And it gets stretched to mean "acceptance" sometimes, as if you're bad if you don't accept something because it doesn't meet your standards and you can't tolerate it. It's not the same thing, but the world wants it to be.

But Christians shouldn't be "tolerant," they should love enough to not "tolerate" but to correct and point in the right directions (upward).

 

As per my American Heritage Dictionary:

I think if you combine #1 with #3 you come pretty close to what tolerance seems to mean these days. ( plus or minus the "respect")

 

Tolerance.
Tolerance can only be defined by two factors place and time,and I choose to use my bible as a guide for both.
John

 

What keeps a marriage to gether?
Christ,and Tollerence,How do I know, Married since 1963
John

 

TOLERANCE
1 The quality of respecting others beliefs,practices.
2 The capacity to endure something,as pain,hardship.
3 The amount of variation allowed.
All of this I have endured and providing it comes in small doses I can tolerate.There is another word that is even better and that is isolation,to be able to live like a monk for half of ones life,fantastic.
John

 

I just found another definition of Tolerance and I quote:

Tolerance is the art of putting up with people who are not perfect like you (me).

 

Dr Bob For the sake of tollerence try working this out.
THOSE THAT KNOW DON'T SAY AND THOSE THAT SAY DON'T KNOW.

John

 

What God has demonstrated with man....Tolerance.

He has given him ways to correct his behavior, his state of sin, but we continue in darkness, we continue in wrong behavior, attitude, etc. Still God tolerates us. To tolerate means to endure even if correction doesn't work or is slow in coming. Tolerance is one form of forgiveness. It implies some level of love or understanding.

We should strive to tolerate others in their given states, but not necessarily without giving correction and/or punishment in a balanced way. If our correction is offensive to them, then they should strive to tolerate it also, they may also correct and punish us if done in a tolerant and balance way.

Just as God does with us, and we feel at times like we must tolerate God and his rules.

The bottom line… tolerance means never giving up totally on someone.