This an entry I posted on another blog site (that I haven't updated in months).  Since I use MSN spaces primarily, I decided to move it here.  If you don't believe it is mine feel free to check it out at http://www.journalhome.com/MyLifesJourney.

Tolerance is defined by MSN Encarta online dictionary as “acceptance of different views: the acceptance of the differing views of other people, e.g. in religious or political matters, and fairness toward the people who hold these different views”.

Approval is defined by MSN Encarta online dictionary as "1. good opinion: a favorable opinion or feeling about something 2. official sanction: formal or official agreement or permission”.

I offer these definitions to you because I have noticed a very troubling trend in the past few years.  It is a trend among certain communities to label other communities as intolerant because they don't approve of their views. This is most often seen between the Gay and Lesbian community and the Christian community, but it extends to many other groups as well. I respect the fact that as consenting, rational adults we all have the freedom to live our lives as we see fit. God gave us ALL freewill. He didn’t give it to a few or some, but to all. I also am of the belief that as citizens of the US we all have the freedom to disagree. Well, in the age of “political correctness” if someone expresses a viewpoint that is unpopular or offensive, they are labeled as intolerant, fanatical, and closed-minded to name a few of the many adjectives used and their views are not tolerated (rather ironic I say). Sometimes these words apply, for instance if one group is attacking another. Usually they do not.

We should all tolerate the choices and ideas of others. We shouldn’t belittle anyone or ostracize anyone based on the decisions or lifestyle choices they make. If I choose to be a bible believing Christian and someone else chooses to be a Buddhist that is ok. I shouldn’t hold the Buddhist at arms length or hate them for their choice. They shouldn’t hate or reproach me. That is tolerance. However, I shouldn’t compromise my belief by saying the Buddhist is right in his belief and he shouldn’t have to believe I am right. That would be approval. I don’t need his approval and he doesn’t need mine. We do need each other’s tolerance. See the difference?

I believe homosexuality is a sin and goes against God’s plan. I don’t believe it is any worse than any other sin such as lying or adultery. I also don’t believe homosexual people should be mistreated or ostracized. They deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, not as if they are contagious. I also believe that I am entitled to my beliefs and as long as I am extending genuine respect to a homosexual person, they should show me the same. A woman who is lesbian shouldn’t assail me for not approving of her lifestyle and I shouldn’t judge and rebuke her for not approving of mine. Again, that is tolerance.

Recently there was an attempt to pass legislation that would make it illegal for a pastor to tell his congregation that homosexuality is a sin. That pastor could be prosecuted because saying that would be considered hate speech. Isn’t that intolerant? I think telling that congregation to attack homosexuals is hate speech. There was also an attempt to pass legislation that would require schools to teach all subjects with no reference to gender. Rather than “he” or “she” they would have to use “that person” so as to eliminate any distinction between the sexes. Isn’t that intolerant? Unless there is something wrong with being a male or a female we shouldn’t negate gender. Or what about the push to give harsher penalties for crimes labeled as hate crimes? Should a person who murders someone based on their sexual orientation be subject to stiffer sentencing than someone who commits the same crime on a person because they are angry with them? Aren’t all violent crimes hate crimes? Each life is as valuable as the next. Isn’t the belief that one life is more valuable than another intolerant?

There seems to be this huge movement to make us into a race of people who all share one brain. While the world we live in is scarier than it has ever been, I think a world where we deny others the right to think independently and to have views that are in opposition to our own is far worse. I should be able to tell you what I believe without fear of reprisal, and you should be able to tell me what you believe without fear of retaliation. However, we shouldn’t try to force each other to give our approval to something we don’t approve of. That is tolerance at its best.

**(Of course, this applies only to situations where thinking, reasoning adults are concerned, not to those that involve the suppression of another such as pedophilia, child abuse, or domestic abuse. I make note of this distinction because there are people who would like to have these sanctioned as well. If you don’t believe me, watch the five o’clock news.)