I feel like I need to start with a confession so that I can experience forgiveness. I have failed it has been approximately a month since my last blog forgive me for my lapse I will work hard at being more consistent. I feel so much better, not really, but it was fun anyways.

I read a blog earlier today that got me thinking about tolerance and the relationship between it and acceptance, agreement and condoning. Sociologically and politically tolerance is central to unity and for a healthy and safe state or nation. It has also been used as a club to attack those who hold to opposing viewpoints. Etymologically words evolve they morph over time and take on variations and applications of their original meanings. Tolerance is a word that has experienced some significant changes in the last century. Webster defines tolerance as "being tolerant of others' views, beliefs and practices." Coming from the "Latin tolerare meaing to bear meaning to allow, to respect others beliefs and practices without sharing them, to bear someone or something disliked; to put up with." Today sociologically and politically, for the most part, this is not how tolerance is defined or used.

Today tolerance does not only mean to respect and allow others' beliefs put to agree and condon them. Tolerance, as I understand, never meant that one had to agree with others' beliefs or actions nor condon them. One can show tolerance, show respect and even acceptance of the person without agreeing, accepting or condoning that person's belief system, practices or actions.

Now Christians or Christ-followers, like myself, have to admit that the church throughout history has not always shown tolerance to those whose beliefs disagree with Christianity. We have not always shown love that gave respect to the person(s), understanding of their beliefs and actions, accepting them for who they are while at the same time disagreeing with their beliefs, practices and actions. All Christ-followers need to daily grow in loving and accepting people as Jesus did and does. God loves each of us equally and meets us where we are at and we must do the same.

Just as Christ-followers have some things to learn about tolerance so do those who are not Christians or Christ-followers. Claiming to be tolerant and not granting Christians and Christianity the same amount of tolerance as all other people and beliefs is not tolerant. Condemning all Christ-followers, all churches as being intolerant and having no place in the public square is not showing acceptance and respect of the beliefs and actions of a group you disagree with. True tolerance must be offered to all groups not just to certain ones if it is true tolerance.

Christ-followers and those who are not Christ-followers need to understand that tolerance never means acceptance of wrong actions nor agreement with conflicting beliefs. It never means one cannot say they disagree with another's belief system or that they believe it is wrong. True tolerance supports open dialog and disagreement.

I ended my post on the other blog site with the same words I will end my blog for today. "How tolerant are we?"