FOOD FOR THOUGHT: TOLERANCE

TOLERANCE means to tolerate or put up with differences.
It means showing respect for the race, religion, age, gender, opinions & ideologies of other people or groups.
Tolerance means different things to different people.
It is when something is disagreeable that tolerance is expected, and in more politically correct cultures, demanded.

Tolerance can be shown in many ways.
A person might fully disagree with others on any issue from religion to same sex marriage, while at the same time respecting those with different opinions and treating them with dignity and respect.
Disagreement alone does not equal intolerance.

One problem is the fact that tolerance is sometimes one-sided.
Those who disagree with a particular issue must respect the opinions of those who advocate it, but some advocates feel justified in labeling those who disagree with hateful terms, and vice versa. People on both sides of an issue must be tolerant of each other, in order for tolerance to be effective.

When it comes to controversial issues, tolerance may also represent a “let’s agree to disagree” stance.
It does not mean that a person has to accept or embrace words, actions, or ideas that are against his or her values or beliefs.
It simply means that each person agrees to respect the other’s right to his or her feelings on the matter.
When both parties have expressed their opinions, and it is obvious that neither is likely to change position, agreeing to disagree is often the most amicable outcome.

Some degree of tolerance is necessary in any civilized society, but it is not realistic to believe that all people can achieve complete tolerance on every issue.
It goes against human nature, or the instinctive impulse of some to pull away from people or things that are different or unknown. Tolerance is a learned attribute, a virtue, which requires honest effort on the part of every person.
It takes time to develop real tolerance, and it also takes commitment.

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Comment by G.P. on July 28, 2010 at 10:22am: Peace, in the sense of the absence of war, is of little value to someone who is dying of hunger or cold.
It will not remove the pain of torture inflicted on a prisoner of conscience.
It does not comfort those who have lost their loved ones in floods caused by senseless deforestation in a neighboring country.
Peace can only last where human rights are respected, where people are fed, and where individuals and nations are free.
-- The XIVth Dalai Lama

Comment by G.P. on July 27, 2010 at 3:20pm

Comment by G.P. on July 27, 2010 at 12:16pm: § Pay no attention to the faults of others, things done or left undone by others.
Consider only what by oneself is done or left undone.
What we think, we become.

Comment by G.P. on July 26, 2010 at 5:41pm

Comment by Motorcycle Hippy Al on July 26, 2010 at 3:17pm

Comment by G.P. on July 26, 2010 at 2:34pm

Comment by G.P. on July 24, 2010 at 5:27pm: Accepting Others

Accepting others as they are, without judgment, is the fastest way to achieve peace and harmony in your own life.
When we unable to accept another for who they are, or we pass judgment on them or their behavior, all we are actually doing is rejecting ourselves and passing judgment on ourselves.

How accepting we are of others is a very good indication of how accepting we are of ourselves.
We see the world through our own biography, through our experiences and it is only possible to see qualities in another that we possess in ourselves.
A child for example has no concept that someone might be lying until they learn how to lie themselves.
It’s only once they have told a lie that they understand others may also be lying also.
In effect they become a victim of their own crime.

The same is true with us.
When we see a behavior we don’t like, understand that the behavior must be present in us somewhere for us to recognize it and be bothered by it.
Instead Of Getting Upset:
Try Silently Thanking That Person For Showing You That There Is Part Inside Of You That You Still Need To Work On.

Reminding yourself of a few other things can also help. Here are a few:
Their Behavior Is Not Conscious
Most people are just doing as they have been taught to do.
They are running the psychological programs and patterns handed down from family, school and society.
The majority of people never stop to question why they do what that do, they just run the program mindlessly.

They Are Just Trying To Meet Their Own Needs
This is all we are all trying to do, everybody just goes about it a different way.
It’s not about you at all, it’s all about them and getting their needs met. You are doing exactly the same thing, just in a different way.

Walk Away!
If you don’t agree then just walk away! We do not have to have agreement to have harmony.
Allow someone to do as they choose, just choose not to be a part of it.

Take A Look At Yourself
The only way you can pass judgment is to be in possession of the correct idea or the correct standard.
Open yourself up to the possibility that you might be wrong or there might be more than one way, life will get much easier for you.

Accepting Others