Truth and Tolerance

I feel the weight of the polarity in this country over "traditional family values". It is sad how much anger and hurt exists.   I've been unsure of where, when, and how to take a stand, and I know that taking a stand is going to be required of myself and other followers of my faith for years to come. I'm a little scared to write this blog, I don't want to hurt anyone, but I am entitled and feel driven to voice my convictions.


I turned to an address by Dallin H. Oaks from a September 2010 CES Devotional titled "Truth and Tolerance".

http://speeches.byu.edu/index.php?act=viewitem&id=2036

I remember listening to it and thinking I needed to make a mental note of its importance. It didn't seem to strike a cord at the time. In fact his wife's address before him to the singles of the church spoke to me loud and clear. I found my way back to this talk and I know Elder Oaks was being a "seer", he could see something in the distance that I was not yet aware of. 



Here are a few conclusions that I came to that I can say I firmly believe in...

I believe in absolute truths. 

I do not believe that the difference between right and wrong is relative. I believe there are absolute truths. Dallin H. Oaks said:

"We do not abandon the truth and our covenants. We are cast as combatants in the war between truth and error. There is no middle ground. We must stand up for truth, even while we practice tolerance and respect for beliefs and ideas different from our own and for the people who hold them."

I am realizing more and more that moral relativism is becoming widely accepted, even among those that claim to be religious. Maybe this is why there is such discord in the U.S today:

 

John Adams declared: “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”¹⁵

I believe in tolerance. 

The phrase of the day seems to be- "If you don't agree with my chosen lifestyle than you hate me" or "If you loved me you would let me do whatever I want, otherwise you are judging me." Hate? I hate someone because I disagree  with them? I hate someone because I am exercising my constitutional First Amendment right to express my opinion just as they are? *(see bottom for 1st Amendement text)  No, I do not hate. Hate is a strong word...


Defined-

Hatred (or hate) is a deep and emotional extreme dislike, directed against a certain object or class of objects. The objects of such hatred can vary widely, from inanimate objects to attitudes, animals, oneself or other people, entire groups of people, people in general, existence, or the whole world. Though not necessarily, hatred is often associated with feelings of anger and disposition towards hostility against the objects of hatred.

I feel no such emotion towards a person that views the definition of family differently than I do. Disagreeing is not the opposite of hating. Tolerance is the opposite of hatred. 

Tolerance is defined as a friendly and fair attitude toward unfamiliar opinions and practices or toward the persons who hold or practice them.

In regards to tolerance, Dallin H.Oaks said- 

"This is a harder question for those who affirm the existence of God and absolute truth than for those who believe in moral relativism. The weaker one’s belief in God and the fewer one’s moral absolutes, the fewer the occasions when the ideas or practices of others will confront one with the challenge to be tolerant. For example, an atheist has no need to decide what kinds and occasions of profanity or blasphemy can be tolerated and what kinds should be confronted. Persons who don’t believe in God or in absolute truth in moral matters can see themselves as the most tolerant of persons. For them, almost anything goes. “You do your thing, and I’ll do my thing” is the popular description. This belief system can tolerate almost any behavior and almost any persons. Unfortunately, some who believe in moral relativism seem to have difficulty tolerating those who insist that there is a God who should be respected and certain moral absolutes that should be observed."

 

I believe in tolerance, I believe in going beyond tolerance...

In reference to believers in God, President Gordon B. Hinckley stated:

Each of us [from various religious denominations] believes in the fatherhood of God, although we may differ in our interpretations of Him. Each of us is part of a great family, the human family, sons and daughters of God, and therefore brothers and sisters. We must work harder to build mutual respect, an attitude of forbearance, with tolerance one for another regardless of the doctrines and philosophies which we may espouse.⁸

Muslim scholar, Dr. Alwi Shihab, an Indonesian, elaborated that idea in these words: “To tolerate something is to learn to live with it, even when you think it is wrong and downright evil. . . . We must go, I believe, beyond tolerance if we are to achieve harmony in our world.” Relying on the teachings of the Quran, Dr. Shihab continued: “We must respect this God-given dignity in every human being, even in our enemies. For the goal of all human relations—whether they are religious, social, political, or economic—ought to be cooperation and mutual respect.”⁹

^{Elder Dallin H. Oaks:}

Our obligation to tolerance means that none of these behaviors—or others we consider deviations from the truth—should ever cause us to react with hateful communications or unkind actions. But our obligation to truth has its own set of requirements and its own set of blessings. When we “speak every man truth with his neighbour” (Ephesians 4:25), and when we “[speak] the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15) as the Apostle Paul taught, we are acting as servants of the Lord Jesus Christ, doing His work. Angels will stand with us, and He will send His Holy Spirit to guide us.

 I do not hate people that believe differently than I do. In fact there is not any one individual that I personally hate in this world. I believe everyone has a right to advocate for the truths they hold. As a Christian I say yes, Jesus Christ taught love, however he did not teach that anything goes. I will be held accountable and judged for any lack of love I show, any hatred I exercise, and any mis-treatment I extend...however I will also be held accountable for not standing up for the truths I believe in and have covenanted to support.  

 

My view on the definition of the family can be found here. 

I welcome comments, but only if they are given with an attitude of respect and love. I ask only what I'd be willing to give myself.

*Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.