o·pen-mind·ed-
adj. Receptive to new and different ideas or the opinions of others.
tol⋅er⋅ance-1. a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward those whose opinions, practices, race, religion, nationality, etc., differ from one's own; freedom from bigotry.2. a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward opinions and practices that differ from one's own.
big⋅ot⋅ry-1. stubborn and complete intolerance of any creed, belief, or opinion that differs from one's own.
con⋅vic⋅tion-1. a fixed or firm belief.
Once upon a time a question was asked an biblically based answer was given. The inquirer reacted with scorn and words like "bigot", "close-minded", "bitch", "rude", and "idiot" were flung at the person who answered.
This is why the so-called tolerance movement of today angers me.
We are called by society to tolerate everything. Tolerate abortion, tolerate homosexuality, tolerate all religions... to tolerate *everything* except hate. Yet in the midst of all of this "tolerance", *hate* and *intolerance* against Christianity is steadily growing.
There was a story of a gay couple in a state that allows gay marriage who approached a pastor to marry them. They asked him to go against his religion and be...
o·pen-mind·ed-
adj. Receptive to new and different ideas or the opinions of others.
...and asked him to marry them. However, he refused to marry them because of his "religious...
con⋅vic⋅tion-1. a fixed or firm belief.
...that homosexuality was wrong and that biblically speaking, marriage should be only between one man and one woman. So what did the couple do? Naturally, they sued the pastor for prejudice and basically behaving with
big⋅ot⋅ry-1. stubborn and complete intolerance of any creed, belief, or opinion that differs from one's own.
Good for them for fighting for tolerance! Right?... Right????
Wait a minute...
...They sued... the pastor... because... he was... intolerant of their belief that homosexuality is not wrong and that they should be able to be wed?
... ... ... Where was the tolerance for the pastor?
"What are you talking about?! You're crazy! Tolerance for the bigot pastor?!"
Yes. Tolerance for the bigot pastor.
The pastor was accused of being close minded, (NOT receptive to new and different ideas or the opinions of others), intolerant (NOT taking a permissive attitude toward those whose opinions, practices, race, religion, nationality, etc., differ from one's own), and behaving like a bigot (stubborn and completely intolerant of any creed, belief, or opinion that differed from his opinion). He was accused of having religious conviction (a fixed or firm belief).
But what about the couple? Were THEY not close-minded to the *pastors* ideas? Were THEY not intolerant of his believes because they differed from their own? Were they not bigots-completely stubborn against his Christianity?
If THEY were open minded, if THEY were tolerant, I believe the situation would have gone much differently. If THEY were tolerant, they would have left the pastor at peace and found someone *willing* to perform the marriage for them, rather than attacking the pastor.
Every force has an equal and opposite reaction.
You can't have tolerance without INtolerance. But the sad part is, that the intolerance is now being disguised as tolerance and is being justified by a large part of society. The pastor did nothing to hurt the gay couple... he simply said no to their request.
Christians are beginning to be largely persecuted and there is starting to be a large and strong reaction against the mere mention of the words Christianity, Jesus, Faith, and Prayer.
It's not like we all weren't aware that it would get to this point and continue to worsen... but that doesn't mean that it doesn't sadden us anyway.
