Is this sensible?
Logical?
Practical?
Of course not!
Follow the general amorphous blog of undefined tolerance to its inevitable conclusion; No laws, no rules, no justice, total anarchy. We do not tolerate bad behavior. Nor should we.
My son has a natural tendency to hit his sister over perceived slights and annoyances. For the sake of my daughter I do not tolerate this behavior. I correct it. It brings about consequences for my son. Not because I just arbitrarily decide to punish him, but because for his own sake he needs to be corrected and taught what is and is not acceptable behavior.
Clearly when tolerance is preached from the steeples of cultural trend setters they do not surely mean that good and loving fathers must tolerate their child's inappropriate behavior?----well, perhaps some do---but they will never admit to it.
Tolerance has virtually no meaning when it is divorced from the immeasurably important value of intolerance. And this immeasurable value is found in the basic logically consistent reality that there truly are things that are good and right and there are other things that are truly bad and wrong. While defining the standards of either may at times be a challenge, it is not an impossible one. If one is willing to use their brains.
If everything I have just indicated is True at all times for all people in all circumstances....Why is there such a preponderance of cries for 'tolerance', and a tolerance that seems to be void of all definable meaning and parameters?
Because it is not being used in the classical sense of the meaning of tolerance at all.
Tolerance is being patient and kind with someone even if they are wrong, or, they have offended you in some way. And, tolerance only makes any sort of sense if it is being defined as a reflection of an active verb contrasting that you are tolerating something that is intolerable. If it is not intolerable, than no tolerance is necessary.
I do not 'tolerate' my children's hugs, because they are not intolerable.
But modern tolerance demands that one must not only accept what another is doing, but, that we must call it good. To say different is to cross the unacceptable line into 'intolerable' behavior. But again, it is impossible to BE tolerant if what you are tolerating is not intolerable originally. And if you are not even able to express that something is indeed intolerable, how can anyone even know you are being tolerant.
It is a conundrum.
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its
taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything
except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. “You are the light of
the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp
and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the
house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may
see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
-Matthew 5:13-16Do not fall victim to this worlds illogical and convoluted reasoning. If you have been called by Christ, bought with a price, and belong to Him, you have a responsibility. To speak truth. To live truth. And to do it with grace and patience.
7 In everything set them an example by
doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness 8 and
soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may
be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.
Titus 2
It is sad that it doesn't go without saying. But, even as we recognize the absurdity of the world around us. Do not tolerate yourself, or others, dealing with it in a way that lacks grace, integrity and goodness. No one will care about your scintillating logic and brilliant argumentation if you are a jerk.
Be virtuously intolerant.
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