Religious tolerance (was Re: [asa] The Science = Atheism Meme)

Hi Bernie, Pim,

I understand Pim's sentiments, but believe Bernie's way of putting it is
preferable.

The way of Jesus, as I understand it, is not "I will treat you well when
you get your act together" but simply the unconditional "I will treat
you well".

In that respect I balk when Pim states;

If the Catholic church can get
> away with desecrating what others consider sacred (or, for those of us
> who have no concept of sacredness, at least special) - if they can
> call a loving union between two gay men or women an "abomination", if
> they can call the union into which I hope to enter someday a
> "perversion", then damn it, I reserve the right to desecrate what they
> consider sacred also.

I understand the sense of outrage here, Pim, and I think it a pretty
poor state of affairs when a person claims to espouse tolerance and NOT
feel enraged when that principle is violated - so I understand the
frustration and/or anger.

BUT...

The entire point of tolerance is that it ought to BEGIN by being
something we extend toward others and NOT something we reserve the right
to practice only after they extend it toward us.

So, I have to say that, if religious tolerance IS a value to be
defended, then talk of reserving a right to desecrate what others
consider sacred couldn't be more strongly decried.

It's not a question of Roman Catholics "getting away" with anything -
it's a question of whether a principle of tolerance will be extended
toward Roman Catholics even when they take a position one finds
absolutely abhorrent.

At the end of the day, the question is whether religious tolerance is a
principle one lives by or whether it is a principle that one thinks
others should live by. As you say, Pim, "there is no such thing as a
right not to be offended" - which includes, I believe, the offense which
may be caused by Roman Catholics and their views on sexuality.

Blessings,
Murray Hogg
Pastor, East Camberwell Baptist Church, Victoria, Australia
Post-Grad Student (MTh), Australian College of Theology

Dehler, Bernie wrote:
> PvM said: "Respect is a two-way street - if they want my respect, they must give me theirs."
>
> If Jesus is our role model, then we should respect everyone, whether they respect us or not. He went to the cross, yet was blameless. He didn't complain. He's our role model for humility. Atheists don't understand that, and instead would go for "eye for an eye," contrary to the teaching of Jesus.
>
> As a guide for Christian life, we should use 1 Peter 4:11. Apply it to actions as well as speech.
>
> ...Bernie--

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Received on Fri Aug 1 16:34:49 2008