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Intolerance Or A Difference Of Opinion?
If I listen to your point of view, but don’t agree with it – that means I am intolerant? If I don’t celebrate your belief with you, then I’m intolerant — even if you don’t celebrate my beliefs with me? That doesn’t sound right, but, if you think so… that’s fine with me, because in my eyes that is called a difference of opinion. I feel if I were “intolerant” I would be standing on a street corner blocking you from doing whatever it is I am intolerant of, again, if I am intolerant for not thinking, or believing the way you do, to me, that is what makes us not clones.
I can disagree with you, I can feel or believe you are wrong, and you have the same right, and I am okay with that. I wouldn’t say you were intolerant of my views or beliefs, I would say you disagree with them, and that’s what makes us unique.
When did the definition of intolerance change to: “disagree with”? Or the definition of tolerate become: “celebrate”?
The definition of intolerance is:
-
not tolerant of views, beliefs, or behavior that differ from one’s own.
The definition of tolerance is:
- allow the existence, occurrence, or practice of (something that one does not necessarily like or agree with) without interference.
Reading the definition of tolerance above, that says to me that anyone who wants to interfere with my beliefs is the intolerant one.
You see, I am not interfering with your beliefs, I just don’t hold them to be MY beliefs.
Being tolerant of views, beliefs, or behavior doesn’t mean I have to agree with them, vote for them, or even pretend I agree with them. What it means is you have your views, beliefs, and behavior and I have mine and again, that’s okay.
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