Tolerance: Does religion have it?

[Shu]

I am not focusing just on one religion, but all religions. Is there any religion out there that acknowledges there is more than just one religion, and that it is okay to believe and have faith in another god? (aside from polytheism, aka greek gods/goddesses).

Has there ever been a religion where having faith in another is considered "okay".

How would you define tolerance? Is it just that you don't mind someone believing in something else? Or is it.. the ability to understand and acknowledge that there could be more than just one.. true religion?

 

[The Master]

Tolerance is acknowledging that people partake/believe in different things, and as long as it doesn't involve hurting others or tormenting animals or infringing on anyone else's beliefs/activities then it should be okay...
The problem with most major religions is that they believe that they are the one true religion and you are going to a bad place if you don't follow their beliefs.

It's a sad world we live in when people try to convert you to their beliefs and tell you that others are wrong for what they believe.

Let people do their own damn thing as long as it's not hurting anything, is what I say...

 

[Linnaete]

As far as I know, given their reputation for peacefulness, Buddhists have no problem with what form of religious practice others may have. Sure, Buddhists may not wish to emulate the practices of others, but they've no actual objections to them. There is that missionary zeal to Buddhism, but I don't believe they see other religions in any real way as being counterproductive to it.

And pretty much what has been said. I've always defined religious tolerance on the grounds of acknowledging and permitting the reality that others may hold and practise religious beliefs and rites that are not your own, as well as respecting their right to do so without harassment, threats, suppression and violence. And that includes being harassed, threatened, suppressed and violently attacked by non-religious individuals, and likewise, the other way round. That's pretty much enough to satisfy me in this day and age.

And of course, the way I see it, it's perfectly fine to believe that religion is a bunch of crap a lot of the time. That's still tolerance as long as I'm not aggressively preaching it while trying to demean those who disagree with me and shoving it down their throats, or just plainly terrifying them.

 

[The Welsh Paddy]

Let people do their own damn thing as long as it's not hurting anything, is what I say...

Ah, that would make a perfect world. You know, I generally like to try and keep my hopes up in regards to humanity, but unfortunately I'm more inclined to believe that conflict is never going to stop happening. And not just when it comes to religion.

When it comes to religion, I believe it is more likely to die out than come to terms with itself. I mean, compare life now to a couple of centuries ago. Religion used to be a much huger thing back then. Nowadays you get people who are 'brought up christian', but never even go to church. And even more people are just sceptical of any religion. It's all changed so drastically over the centuries. Christianity drew from Ancient Roman beliefs, Ancient Roman beliefs merged with that of the countries they conquered. For example, when the Roman's first conquered Britain, they adapted their gods to relate to Pagan gods. Now a lot of people just don't believe in any of it.

As far as tolerance goes, I really can't imagine it happening. As Stella stated, Buddhists are more tolerant of people's beliefs, but that comes as part of their faith.

I have noticed that those of the Jewish faith are generally more tolerant of others. (I'm speaking from my own personal experiences here.) They don't seem to care so much about other people's beliefs so long as it doesn't impose upon their own. This could be the case in many other faiths as well. But I think there are far more people who hate each other because of their beliefs, or people who just generally don't give a shit about religion in general and have no faith.

 

[Shinra Executive]

I am not focusing just on one religion, but all religions. Is there any religion out there that acknowledges there is more than just one religion, and that it is okay to believe and have faith in another god? (aside from polytheism, aka greek gods/goddesses).

Yes. The Bahai Faith.
It holds that all monotheistic religions have at least some authenticity in them, with a main focus on the Abrahamic religions (Christianity, Islam, Judaism). They believe that God manifests culturally.

How would you define tolerance? Is it just that you don't mind someone believing in something else? Or is it.. the ability to understand and acknowledge that there could be more than just one.. true religion?

Tolerance is pretty much being able to co-exist in peace. That does not mean religions have to live together and be a happy family, but that they can live without beefing with each other.
However, if you are a Christian, Jew, or Muslim for example, there really cannot be any acknowledgement between them that another is authentic. They are impossibly opposed to each other dogmatically speaking- Christians believe Jesus is the Son of God, Muslims believe he is a prophet, and Jews believe he is a heretic. That alone makes them irreconcilable, among many other things.

 

[SiderealPassing]

Religion doesn't encourage tolerance but I'm sure there are religious people out there that tolerate other religions just fine. Not many though.

 

[Will Graham]

I am pretty sure almost all of the major religions preach some form of "treat others how you'd like to be treated" which is a very tolerant ideal.

 

[The Welsh Paddy]

It is a very tolerant ideal, but I don't think many people follow that ideal.

 

[Tyler Breeze]

Tolerance is acknowledging that people partake/believe in different things, and as long as it doesn't involve hurting others or tormenting animals or infringing on anyone else's beliefs/activities then it should be okay...
The problem with most major religions is that they believe that they are the one true religion and you are going to a bad place if you don't follow their beliefs.

It's a sad world we live in when people try to convert you to their beliefs and tell you that others are wrong for what they believe.

Let people do their own damn thing as long as it's not hurting anything, is what I say...

All of this pretty much. I don't get why people have problems with other people believing something different to what they believe. And then try to convert them. I just don't see the point in hating or not liking a person for believing in X, while you believe in Y. Unless somebody does something very bad to me, I find it hard to even dislike somebody. I follow that saying "I don't care what/who you are, if you're nice to me, I'll be nice to you." But apparently, people still find this hard to follow. There might be some intolerant religions, I'm not sure. There are probably still fights about religion to this day, which means there are still some without tolerance. Just like there are probably religions with tolerance for others beliefs and whatnot, which is how it should be. I wish things would change and people would learn to be more accepting, but I know it won't happen.

 

[The Welsh Paddy]

There's always going to be people who claim "My god/faith/religion is the right thing to believe in, so you should believe in the same too". Naturally, there are going to be people who will either stand their ground and defend their own beliefs, or they are going to react in kind by trying to exert their influenced over the other. All it boils down to is "I'm right and you're wrong". It's the same when you argue with people about which game/band/film/whatever is better. That sort of behavior doesn't just apply to religion. It's just that with religion, those sort of disagreements have a far more profound effect because it's not just a matter of questioning their taste in music, films or whatever. You are questioning the very principles they were brought up with and their way of life. It's only natural for people to react badly to that.

 

[greenyxi]

Hey folks, can we refrain from the one-liners please? While I agree they can be just powerful as a paragraph, it's probably not very often.
Cheers

 

[Will Graham]

This is about 'whether or not religion itself is tolerant?' rather than 'are people themselves tolerant?' which is an entirely different kettle of fish. Most religions aren't very keen on other religions but they also preach tolerance, so they do have the capacity for tolerance.

 

[Sepalcure]

There's always going to be people who claim "My god/faith/religion is the right thing to believe in, so you should believe in the same too". Naturally, there are going to be people who will either stand their ground and defend their own beliefs, or they are going to react in kind by trying to exert their influenced over the other. All it boils down to is "I'm right and you're wrong". It's the same when you argue with people about which game/band/film/whatever is better. That sort of behavior doesn't just apply to religion. It's just that with religion, those sort of disagreements have a far more profound effect because it's not just a matter of questioning their taste in music, films or whatever. You are questioning the very principles they were brought up with and their way of life. It's only natural for people to react badly to that.

Essentially I agree with the core elements of this post. If we were to take a look at the three major monotheistic religions: Catholicism, Islam and Judaism they've all been diametrically opposed to each other at some point throughout history. During the time of the Crusades it was the Muslims being persecuted by the Christians. That said, in modern times you will always have people who will challenge someone else due to a difference in beliefs. Religion governs our system of morals, it governs our outlook on life and the afterlife. So for some people that have been raised in intensely religious households the idea of their way of life and their system of morals and beliefs in a monotheistic or polytheistic god or even no god can be a point of contention. As Welsh Paddy said, it is human nature to challenge a belief that we feel threatens our system of moral structures and that governs the way we may choose to live our lives.

So approaching the definition of religious tolerance, in my experience I believe it means acknowledging that everyone may practice a different doctrine. It means not only acknowledging it but respecting that person's choices in choosing to practice that particular doctrine. It means not making any inflammatory remarks that may prove offensive to their religious beliefs whether they be an agnostic or an atheist or a Christian or a Muslim and so on and so forth. I think that it's hard to measure on a societal whole whether all or most religious practice tolerance um because I think that can only be measured on the individual basis. Meaning, my friend may be taught in Islam to not persecute her fellow brothers and sisters for being Christian but it doesn't necessarily mean that she adheres to it. Again this goes back to how the way we're taught to accept and practice our respective faiths or spiritual beliefs influences us on an individualistic level. Anyway that's how I see it.

 

[Ultimaja]

So approaching the definition of religious tolerance, in my experience I believe it means acknowledging that everyone may practice a different doctrine. It means not only acknowledging it but respecting that person's choices in choosing to practice that particular doctrine. It means not making any inflammatory remarks that may prove offensive to their religious beliefs whether they be an agnostic or an atheist or a Christian or a Muslim and so on and so forth.

A Christianity or Islam that isn't offensive in any way to anybody is not true religion.

Thorough knowledge of either inevitably dictates that one cannot simply stand idle while evil ensues. And because so many people have bought in to these new age, watered down, and otherwise worthless forms of belief where there is no accountability or responsibility of it's adherents to stand for righteousness, such experience is given and granted.
What is the Mighty God if His religion is forfeit to human interests? That's basically the concern I have, and a very real one even if one doesn't like the aspect of a deity of justice- it's not hard in retrospect to see the irony of righteousness if it isn't going to be portrayed.


Tolerance, in and of itself, is a futile word to me. It assumes the impossible- that we can all just somehow meet in the middle on everything. But non-religious society has basically shown that this cannot be, because basically everything they don't agree with is subject to them speaking out against it.
You can't meet in the middle with religion, and so therefore 'tolerance' is a meaningless word in that regard.

 

[Harlequin]

A religion is tolerant of sin as medicine is tolerant of ailment or education tolerant of ignorance.

 

[Miasma Dragon]

I've always defined religious tolerance on the grounds of acknowledging and permitting the reality that others may hold and practise religious beliefs and rites that are not your own, as well as respecting their right to do so without harassment, threats, suppression and violence. And that includes being harassed, threatened, suppressed and violently attacked by non-religious individuals, and likewise, the other way round.

Read that until you understand it, because it is the entire definition of tolerance.

Consolidation (RE: Assimilation) is not tolerance. It's an aberration, a perversion of every religion and their religious faith.

Edit: Woops... did not mean to necropost.

 

[Galadín]

All religions teach a modicum of tolerance, even if it's just a "turn the other cheek" type thing, that's tolerance right there . Whether or not the people practicing the religion follow that is another story.

I guess it's all down to what you believe a religion should be judged by; its writings or its followers.

 

[rowe]

Personally, I don't find there to be a right or wrong religion/belief system, and can tolerate different beliefs (due to curiosity, being agnostic). As far as tolerance for different religions themselves, though, most are fairly set in the belief that their way is "the way". They, for the most part, don't tend to tolerate other religious views, beliefs, values, etc.

In a perfect world, I guess I'd imagine the opposite. All religions are accepting of others, and those affiliated "open their minds" in order to achieve such. But that's not going to happen, because religion is as old as time, and their ways have been set since.