Should We Be “Tolerant?”

By Greg Gwin Many people have the opinion that we all should be "tolerant" of the religious views of everyone else. In fact, about the only thing that receives much criticism these days is the 'intolerance" of some of us who argue against certain religious beliefs. We are frequently viewed as being "fanatics," and mean-spirited "bigots." They tell us to be less judgmental and learn to accept all forms of religious expression as being equally good and beneficial.

All of this stems from an apparent failure to distinguish between different forms of "tolerance." There are at least three kinds:

Legal tolerance: This is the recognition that everyone has a legal right to believe and practice whatever he or she feels is best and right.

Social tolerance: This is the notion that everyone ought to be treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their particular religious convictions.

Uncritical tolerance: The idea that no one should ever make a judgment relative to what others believes religiously. It suggests that it is not possible to determine what is right or true, and that all religious beliefs and practices are equally good.

We agree that all Christians are obligated by the Word of God to honor the first two forms of "tolerance." We would fiercely defend the legal right of every person to make their own decisions in matters of religion. Furthermore, we understand that the Lord has taught us to treat everyone with honor and dignity (I Peter 2:17). To do otherwise would put us in direct violation of His will.

It is the idea of "uncritical tolerance" that is not found in the Scriptures. Instead, we are commanded to compare what people teach and believe with what the Bible says (I John 4:1, 2; Galatians 1:8, 9; Matthew 7:15-20). We are to "earnestly contend for the faith" (Jude 3). In this regard, there is no room for tolerance — we must be faithful to God and His word (2 John 9-11).

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