I think most important teaching in religion is being tolerant.Yet I found religious people are not tolerant.
They only accept the world according as they believe in.
They try to exclude other than what they believe.I want religious people to know what the essence of religion is.
Maybe it's possible because they are 'religious'
Why *should* any given religion teach tolerance?
ReplyDeleteLet me clarify a little - religion is about your immortal soul. To say a religion should be tolerant assumes your god WANTS you to be tolerant. It's a very Christian view of god, but for those who aren't Christian, so what? Worshippers of Kali or Hades or Odin, that may not be an important requirement for gaining entry to a happy after-life. In some cases, it may even be counter-productive!
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, polytheists are usually the tolerant ones - and Odin or Kali worshippers don't claim that Odin or Kali is the only god that is worth worshipping. They may not be tolerant in other respects, but they find it okay that others worship Frey or Shiva.
ReplyDeleteThe intolerant ones are those who think they have the whole truth and nothing but the truth: the monotheists.
I actually agree, but the tolerance of polytheists is not because their religion requires them to be tolerant, but because they want to keep their options open to seek help from ANY god as the situation requires. But Odin doesn't say "Be tolerant of all people!", nor do his priests, it's just not a requirement of worshipping him. It's the worshippers who behave that way for reasons outside the scope of their worship of Odin.
ReplyDeleteIt's not a requirement, you're right there, but I wonder if it isn't a result of the basic belief that there are many gods who require different things. And since there are many, there may be - probably are - some you don't know. You don't want to offend them, especially not in their own territory.
ReplyDeleteIt's not the religion per se that teaches tolerance - agree. Perhaps it's the other way around: willingness to accept diversity makes you a bad subject for a monotheistic missionary.
You're right that it's a Christian view of God. Tolerance in a sense is also a part of Buddhism that may have many gods or none, though. And of Pantheism, I'm sure (where's Tim?).
ReplyDeleteI think intolerance is a sign of insecurity in your beliefs.
ReplyDeleteThe relationship of religion and tolerance is indeed difficult. I'd rather have not opened the door of debate as to this. I don't think Judaism particularly teaches the importance of tolerance, yet in Christianity and Buddhism, tolerance and mercy are taught actually. I think Christianity taught the importance of tolerance, and Christians think they are tolerant. But I think they tend to think that they are only tolerant and those who do not believe in their God are not tolerant. Therefore they can easily exclude people who don't believe in their religion. As a result they seem to be intolerant. This tendency is stronger among people who have strong faith. So in my eyes, the more they are ernest in their belief, the less they are likely to accept other way of thinking or faith. In the case of Buddhism, the situations are similar. Mercy is thought to be the highest value in Buddhism. Therefore they tend to conclude those who can' t show mercy deserve death.
ReplyDeleteYes, in religion there are two main aspects. One is about things of after-life and the other is about moral issue. Yes, there are many religions which don't emphasise the value of tolerance.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure about the relationship of intolerance with monotheism, but I think people who believe in only one belief are less tolerant to others.
ReplyDeleteThis is not necessarily so. There are many fanatic beliefs as well as fanatic people. Monotheistic view is not fanatic. Simply not.
ReplyDeleteVery well-said!!!
ReplyDeleteYou can find e.g. Hindus who are fanatics - but they are not interested in making other people Hindus. They tend to accept that you are what your parents were. And they are not very susceptible to monotheistic missionaries - very little, actually. For several reasons, admittedly.
ReplyDeleteOf course many people who believe in only one god are completely un-fanatical and willing to accept diversity. But I don't suppose many missionaries fall into this category.