How the Word "Tolerance" Became Redefined

      Tolerance used to be the attitude that we took toward one another about an important issue, but agreed to treat each other with respect, even if we refused to embrace other’s view on a particular topic.  In short, we may disagree with each other over a religious, political, or societal issue, but we will show each other respect and treat each other with decency, as the Lord Jesus decreed in Matthew 7:12: "Do to others as you would have them do to you.  For this is the essence of the Law of the Prophets." 

     

      However, our secular society has over the years redefined the meaning of Tolerance.  Now many are defining Tolerance as recognizing and embracing all views as equally valuable and true, even if the make opposite claims about truth.  Many today are being taught that embracing this new definition of Tolerance means that we must accept that fact that "Objective Truth Doesn't Exist."   Anything other than acceptance and approval of this view is narrow-minded & bigoted.  The reason for this redefining of the world Tolerance is due to the fact that for the past few decades, our society has increasingly embraced the view of absolute relativism, which asserts that Truth varies from nation to nation, culture to culture, even individual to individual.  

The problem with this definition of is that it is wrong.  For instance, some people wish to argue that all religions are basically the same, I myself used to do this.  However, as I began to study the different faiths of the world, I came to learn that this is simply not true.  Eastern religions propose the existence of an impersonal God while the monotheistic Abrahamic faiths claim that God in personal.  However, these same faiths have disagreements about who Jesus was.  To many Jews and Secularists, Jesus was a rabbi or a spiritual teacher.  In the eyes of those who follow Islam, Jesus is a great Prophet, but they deny his death on the cross, his resurrection from the dead, and that he is divine in nature.  Christians on the other hand believe the exact opposite of this claim.  They assert that Jesus did die on the cross, rise from the from the dead, and was divine in nature.  Now all of these claims about God and Jesus can be false, but they cannot all be true.  

      Studying issues of the faith, as well as issues of society and political policies is like evaluating a criminal case.  We must determine which view is most strongly supported by the evidence that we have available.  If all truth is simply a matter of perspective and subjective opinion, then it's virtually impossible to convict someone of a crime.  Those who claim that truth is a matter of perspective and opinion are proclaiming this as more than a matter of perspective and opinion.  They want us to believe that this definition is objectively true, even as they deny the existence of objective truth.  When this statement fails to meet its own standard for being true, then it is "self-defeating."  The reason being is that the belief that "objective truth doesn't exist" is an objective claim about truth.  So the fact is that this new definition Tolerance, is in truth intolerant of the old definition.  It cannot follow its own rules.  

     Sources

     

      Wallace, J. Warner.  Cold Case Christianity: A Homicide Detective Investigates the Claims of the Gospels.  Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2013.