“The Intolerance of Tolerance or the Tolerance of Intolerance: Thought on Belief System and Practice”

Everyone wants to belong. Everyone wants to be desired and appreciated. Everyone wants to live in peace and unity and in communion with other individuals in their surroundings. What is desperately needed in our communities and concentric circles is for us to strive together to build together a more compassionate, relational, tolerable, and understandable world in which everyone could flourish regardless of their belief system and lifestyle. This life could be better if we can learn to accept people for who they are and what they want to become in life. Our prejudices toward people could easily distort our perception about them or life—in general. I may not tolerate your lifestyle, but I can still like you and show compassion toward you. Learning to live together in this world as friends will create a meaningful life for all of us, and it will give our personal and collective lives a purpose—leading to both personal and collective growth and success now and then. Toward these life goals, we will work together to increase human dignity and worth in our communities, cities, and workplaces. We will then fulfill our dreams and desires, and attain the good life toward the common good and human flourishing.

1. If you do not eat French fries, that does not mean you want all (fast-food) restaurants that sell French fries to be closed or burned down.

***It is okay not to like French fries, but you could be friend with the people who do, and that you can respect their preference for fries—not for fried fish which you savor.If you are not a religious person, that does not make you anti-religion or anti-clerical nor do you desire all churches, temples, or synagogues to be shut down.

2. If you are not a religious person, that does not make you anti-religion or anti-clerical nor do you desire all churches, temples, or synagogues to be shut down.

***It is bearable to tolerate people’s religious belief or their commitment to a particular faith tradition; that sentiment will not make you a less dignified individual if you do.If you do not believe in same marriages or homosexual/LGBTQ + relationships, your position or belief does not categorically qualify you to be homophobic.

3. If you do not believe in same marriages or homosexual/LGBTQ + relationships, your position or belief does not categorically qualify you to be homophobic.

*** You may not approve of same sex relationships or same sex marriages; yet you could be a friend to a gay guy, a lesbian, or a transgender. It is not fair for those who support same sex marriages or relationships to call you homophobic just because you take a contrary position to theirs.If you do not think Islam is a good religion, it is unfair for people to characterize your standing Islamophobic.

4. If you do not think Islam is a good religion, it is unfair for people to characterize your standing Islamophobic.

*** You may not agree with the tenets of Islam or its ethics, even the evils committed in the name of this religion, but you could have a Muslim friend and show compassion and understanding to those who practice Islam.If you are not a democratic voter, it is unwarranted for people to qualify your political position as anti-Republican.

5. If you are not a democratic voter, it is unwarranted for people to qualify your political position as anti-Republican.

*** You may not subscribe to the principles and doctrines of the Democratic party; yet you could date the most beautiful Republican girl or the most handsome Republican boy in your neighborhood, church, or at your job.