View Single Post
  #10  
Old 09-05-2009, 09:10 PM
Pablo Rafael's Avatar
Pablo Rafael Pablo Rafael is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Creede, Colorado
Posts: 957
Default

I think we need to reach out to all people in love and respect. God loved us not because any of us were worthy of his love, but because he is a God of grace.

However, I think tolerance is a different thing. Maybe I am just defining the word differently than others. To be tolerant in my view is to allow people to think and act as their conscience leads them and not to judge them for it. But when someone's actions cause harm to another person or prohibit others from living their lives as they choose, then we should not "tolerate" those actions or attitudes. I don't believe that we should harbor hatred or malice, but we certainly cannot accept those harmful actions as acceptable.

I firmly believe that Muslims have as much right to their faith as I have. But destruction carried out in the name of that faith has no place in a tolerant world. Fred Phelps and his hate-filled congregation in Topeka, Kansas preaches nothing but hatred and harm to others. Though I may harbor no ill-will to the man personally, I think it is our duty to oppose his teaching wherever possible.

__________________
For I am convinced that neither life nor death...neither the present nor the future nor anything in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39
Reply With Quote