Religious Tolerance

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Valke2 said:
I have conviction. I am convinced that Jews, Christians and Muslims and Others can find and apprehend God within their own religion and that when they do so, there is no reason not to be tolerant and respectful of their beliefs.
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I suspect you are correct on this, but unfortunately many of us suffer from our own prejudices (me included), including what faith we feel is correct. The “I’m right and you’re wrong” concept is very much alive and well in the world of religion and God.
 
Valke2 said:
"Religion declined not because it was refuted, but because it became irrelevant, dull, oppressive, insipid.” - A. J. Heschel
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Jesus said as much as Heschel says in your quote.
I have conviction. I am convinced that Jews, Christians and Muslims and Others can find and apprehend God within their own religion and that when they do so, there is no reason not to be tolerant and respectful of their beliefs.
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Sometimes there are reasons not to be tolerant of other faiths. Should society tolerate the FLDS in Texas because they call their actions religion? Should non-Muslims be respectfull of Muslim intolerance when it comes to places like Jerusalem and the Dome of the Rock?
 
Valke2 said:
In another thread I was discussing the meaning of my signature line. I found this excerpt from the article by A.J. Heschel, from which I had lifted the quote:

Rabbi Doctor Abraham Joshua Heschel, in an essay entitled “No Religion is an Island”, wrote:

"No religion is an island: there is no monopoly on holiness. We are companions of all who revere Him. We rejoice when His name is praised. No religion is an island: we share the kinship of humanity, the capacity for compassion. The hand of God is extended to all who seek Him. He is near to all who call upon Him in truth. God’s spirit rests upon all, Jew or Gentile, man or woman, in consonance with their deeds. The creation of one Adam promotes peace. No one can claim: my ancestry is nobler than yours.

"There is no monopoly on holiness: there is no truth without humility. We are diverse in our devotion and commitment. We must unite in working now for the kingship of God. He is near to all who call on Him in truth. There can be disagreement without disrespect. Let us help one another overcome hardness of heart, opening minds to the challenges of faith.

“Should we hope for each other’s failure? Or should we pray for each other’s welfare? Let mutual concern replace remnants of mutual contempt as we share the precarious position of being human. Have we not all one Father? Are we not all His children?
Let us not be guided by ignorance or disdain. Let lives of holiness illumine all our paths. The hand of God is extended to all who seek Him. Let our deeds reflect that we share the image of God.”
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Did not many religions already existed at the times of Jesus?
If these religions have the truth, than why would Jesus set apart a few man to form One Church and then tell them, “go and preach the Gospel to all nations.” if Jesus died for all, than All must believe that He is. to believe that some must believe in Him to be saved and others dont, it is hypocrisy to me.

***“I should not believe the Gospel except as moved by the authority of the Catholic Church.”
Saint Augustine of Hippo, Against the Letter of Mani, 397 A.D… ***
:signofcross: :gopray2:
 
tomarin said:
hasn’t the Pope made comments very similar in spirit and in letter to those of this good rabbi?

“there can be disagreement without disrespect”. absolutely, charity demands it.

“Have we not all one Father? Are we not all His children?” yes and yes.
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By creation, yes - but not otherwise: Chairman Mao was not a child of God in the same sense as Mother Teresa. At least, I don’t think she killed 70 million people. Mao’s real father is much likelier to have been this** guy: **​

now if i can just try to live up to the spirit of this message.
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**Someone has to have said this already, but: does being tolerant not require tolerance to be shown to those are not at all tolerant ? If it does not, is that not intolerant of those who advocate tolerance ? **​

**Tolerance is inherently self-limiting, AFAICS - it can’t be an absolute. **

**As for “disagreement without disrespect” - no, no, no. Tyrants don’t allow disagreement except at the price of torture or death - they deserve great disrespect,as do the “useful idiots” whose fawning on them conceals the greatness of their crimes. **

Sometimes the only appropriate reaction to something is disrespect. Liars, rapists, murderers, & traitors deserve no respect - they deserve exemplary punishment. ****For some things in the world, only hatred is appropriate. ****
 
elvisman said:
"Tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions."
- G. K. Chesterton
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Does this mean then that the Catholic authorities in charge of the Catholic universites and colleges and the Catholic bishops who underwrite the Catholic status of those colleges have no convictions at all, because of what we see they have been tolerating on Catholic campuses today?
 
bobzills said:
Does this mean then that the Catholic authorities in charge of the Catholic universites and colleges and the Catholic bishops who underwrite the Catholic status of those colleges have no convictions at all, because of what we see they have been tolerating on Catholic campuses today?
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It would seem that way, wouldn’t it?
 
Great thread,

FOR ME

Religions are like fields.

They contain good and evil.

Destroy the field, you will destroy the good.

Will not the owner of the field come for harvest and sort good from evil?

If you see the evil from a field, name it, stand against it so it harms not the good.

But do not destroy the field.

The evil wants you to destroy good.

Ask your self have i genuinely ever sought good in that field?

The Father sent Jesus (PBWH) to show me His good in me. It now flourishes above the evil.

Now i go to the field and seek the good.

You are not compulsed to follow me, you must all follow the path God guides you to.

Peace is with me and I offer it to you
I will be who I will be
 
tomarin said:
hasn’t the Pope made comments very similar in spirit and in letter to those of this good rabbi?

“there can be disagreement without disrespect”. absolutely, charity demands it.

“Have we not all one Father? Are we not all His children?” yes and yes.

now if i can just try to live up to the spirit of this message.
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Pope never said: do whatever you want and believe in whatever you want and you will be saved.
There’s a narrow gate for those who want to get to heaven. We can be saved only in one name - it’s the name of Jesus.
 
angelusm said:
Pope never said: do whatever you want and believe in whatever you want and you will be saved.
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no, he didn’t – and neither did i. but i’m fairly sure he believes in inter-religious dialogue. and for that to take place there has to be a foundation of mutual respect. “disagreement without disrespect.”

i just finished reading Pope Benedict’s conversations with Peter Seewald, “God and the World” (published when he was Cardinal Ratzinger). in it he makes it clear he has a profound respect for Judaism. i will dig out some quotes for you when i have a chance.
 
elvisman said:
It’s not an accusation. It’s an observation
A tree is known by its fruit.
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How is that ? Do you observe that all bishops have no convictions? I don;t think that this is what is being observed, but that is what you are implying.
 
I can be tolerant without accepting anything else as holding the fullness of God’s truth. I can be happy to have Jewish friends or eat with Hindus. There is no issue there. Is there a difference between tolerance and indifferance? Yes. Tolerance means that you are allowed free practice without interferance from me. Indifferance means that I see your ways as being the same as mine.

I see Judaism as being a way to God. No question. However, the evidence that the Catholic Church is correct is too overwhelming ot me for me not to be Catholic. AS such, I am compelled as a Catholic to tell others of the Good NEws. Now, they do not have to accept it. The evidence my not compell them. It is not about all roads leading to the same place. IT is about God seeing that your intention was correct even if your path was not.
 
In the end, it would be a good thing for those of us who are of the Christian faith to recall to our minds the parable of the Last Judgment in Matthew 25, 31-46!
“Come, those whom my Father has blessed! Inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world.
For I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat.
I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink.
I was a stranger, and you greeted me.
I was naked, and you clothed me.
I was sick, and you took care of me.
I was in prison, and you visited me.
Amen, amen, I say unto you, whatever you did to the least of my brothers and sisters, that you did unto me.”
Nowhere it is said that these “brothers and sisters” necessarily are of one specific faith and that one only, is it?
We should not forget that Jesus said: “I also have sheep that are not from this pen. I must lead them. They, too, will respond to my voice. So they will be one flock with one shephard.” (John 10, 16)
 
bobzills said:
How is that ? Do you observe that all bishops have no convictions? I don;t think that this is what is being observed, but that is what you are implying.
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You’re putting words in my mouth.
Your question was:
Does this mean then that the Catholic authorities in charge of the Catholic universites and colleges and the Catholic bishops who underwrite the Catholic status of those colleges have no convictions at all, because of what we see they have been tolerating on Catholic campuses today?
My answer was:
It would seem that way, wouldn’t it?

**Did I say that I thought ALL bishops were devoid of conviction? **You seem to be arguing with me for the sake of arguing - not because I said anything wrong.

Jesus said, ***“A good tree does not ***bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit.” Luke 6:43-44
Much of the fruit I see from those in charge of the vast majority of Catholic colleges in America is rotten.
 
Valke2 said:
In another thread I was discussing the meaning of my signature line. I found this excerpt from the article by A.J. Heschel, from which I had lifted the quote:

Rabbi Doctor Abraham Joshua Heschel, in an essay entitled “No Religion is an Island”, wrote:

"No religion is an island: there is no monopoly on holiness. We are companions of all who revere Him. We rejoice when His name is praised. No religion is an island: we share the kinship of humanity, the capacity for compassion. The hand of God is extended to all who seek Him. He is near to all who call upon Him in truth. God’s spirit rests upon all, Jew or Gentile, man or woman, in consonance with their deeds. The creation of one Adam promotes peace. No one can claim: my ancestry is nobler than yours.

"There is no monopoly on holiness: there is no truth without humility. We are diverse in our devotion and commitment. We must unite in working now for the kingship of God. He is near to all who call on Him in truth. There can be disagreement without disrespect. Let us help one another overcome hardness of heart, opening minds to the challenges of faith.

“Should we hope for each other’s failure? Or should we pray for each other’s welfare? Let mutual concern replace remnants of mutual contempt as we share the precarious position of being human. Have we not all one Father? Are we not all His children?
Let us not be guided by ignorance or disdain. Let lives of holiness illumine all our paths. The hand of God is extended to all who seek Him. Let our deeds reflect that we share the image of God.”
Click to expand...
As Christians and followers of the Way do we not have a solemn duty to be tolerant towards others as part of Christ’s commandment to love?
 
Lapell said:
In the end, it would be a good thing for those of us who are of the Christian faith to recall to our minds the parable of the Last Judgment in Matthew 25, 31-46!
“Come, those whom my Father has blessed! Inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world.
For I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat.
I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink.
I was a stranger, and you greeted me.
I was naked, and you clothed me.
I was sick, and you took care of me.
I was in prison, and you visited me.
Amen, amen, I say unto you, whatever you did to the least of my brothers and sisters, that you did unto me.”
Nowhere it is said that these “brothers and sisters” necessarily are of one specific faith and that one only, is it?
We should not forget that Jesus said: “I also have sheep that are not from this pen. I must lead them. They, too, will respond to my voice. So they will be one flock with one shephard.” (John 10, 16)
Click to expand...
I think Jesus was speaking about the gentiles that would come to believe Him also. since He was speaking to te Jews then.
 
Quote:
**Originally Posted by Valke2
In another thread I was discussing the meaning of my signature line. I found this excerpt from the article by A.J. Heschel, from which I had lifted the quote:

Rabbi Doctor Abraham Joshua Heschel, in an essay entitled “No Religion is an Island”, wrote:

"No religion is an island: there is no monopoly on holiness. We are companions of all who revere Him. We rejoice when His name is praised. No religion is an island: we share the kinship of humanity, the capacity for compassion. The hand of God is extended to all who seek Him. He is near to all who call upon Him in truth. God’s spirit rests upon all, Jew or Gentile, man or woman, in consonance with their deeds. The creation of one Adam promotes peace. No one can claim: my ancestry is nobler than yours.

"There is no monopoly on holiness: there is no truth without humility. We are diverse in our devotion and commitment. We must unite in working now for the kingship of God. He is near to all who call on Him in truth. There can be disagreement without disrespect. Let us help one another overcome hardness of heart, opening minds to the challenges of faith.

“Should we hope for each other’s failure? Or should we pray for each other’s welfare? Let mutual concern replace remnants of mutual contempt as we share the precarious position of being human. Have we not all one Father? Are we not all His children?
Let us not be guided by ignorance or disdain. Let lives of holiness illumine all our paths. The hand of God is extended to all who seek Him. Let our deeds reflect that we share the image of God.”**

Does he believe in Jesus?
this is very inspiring but i wonder about the motive behind this. we have to remenber that Jesus built one Church with one faith, one Lord, and so on. This is what separate us from the world.

“I should not believe the Gospel except as moved by the authority of the Catholic Church.”
Saint Augustine (354-430), Against the Letter of Mani, 5,6, 397 A.D…
 
wisdomseeker said:
Quote:
**Originally Posted by Valke2
In another thread I was discussing the meaning of my signature line. I found this excerpt from the article by A.J. Heschel, from which I had lifted the quote:

Rabbi Doctor Abraham Joshua Heschel, in an essay entitled “No Religion is an Island”, wrote:

"No religion is an island: there is no monopoly on holiness. We are companions of all who revere Him. We rejoice when His name is praised. No religion is an island: we share the kinship of humanity, the capacity for compassion. The hand of God is extended to all who seek Him. He is near to all who call upon Him in truth. God’s spirit rests upon all, Jew or Gentile, man or woman, in consonance with their deeds. The creation of one Adam promotes peace. No one can claim: my ancestry is nobler than yours.

"There is no monopoly on holiness: there is no truth without humility. We are diverse in our devotion and commitment. We must unite in working now for the kingship of God. He is near to all who call on Him in truth. There can be disagreement without disrespect. Let us help one another overcome hardness of heart, opening minds to the challenges of faith.

“Should we hope for each other’s failure? Or should we pray for each other’s welfare? Let mutual concern replace remnants of mutual contempt as we share the precarious position of being human. Have we not all one Father? Are we not all His children?
Let us not be guided by ignorance or disdain. Let lives of holiness illumine all our paths. The hand of God is extended to all who seek Him. Let our deeds reflect that we share the image of God.”**

Does he believe in Jesus?
this is very inspiring but i wonder about the motive behind this. we have to remenber that Jesus built one Church with one faith, one Lord, and so on. This is what separate us from the world.

“I should not believe the Gospel except as moved by the authority of the Catholic Church.”
Saint Augustine (354-430), Against the Letter of Mani, 5,6, 397 A.D…
Click to expand...
 
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