Religious Intolerance
Religious intolerance is intolerance against another's religious beliefs or practices.
The mere statement on the part of a religion that its own beliefs and practices are correct and any contrary beliefs incorrect does not in itself constitute intolerance (i.e., ideological intolerance). There are many cases throughout history of established religions tolerating other practices. Religious intolerance, rather, is when a group (e.g., a society, religious group, non-religious group) specifically refuses to tolerate practices, persons or beliefs on religious grounds (i.e., intolerance in practice).
Wikipedia
Because intolerance is caused by fear, we also need to confront it on the emotional level, using everything we know about the workings of emotions such as fear, sympathy, disgust, and respect. One thing we know is that demonization of "the other" is far easier if people know nothing much about this "other," and have never been encouraged to think what the world looks like from that different viewpoint. In order to move beyond a climate of fear, then, we need more than good principles: we need the cultivation of sympathy, and therefore we need approaches through education and understanding, not just through argument and hatred.
5 comments:
My heart goes out to you. I don't understand this fashion trend of hating Islam because of extremists and the tragedy of 9/11. I have a strong dislike for extremists of any religion or spiritual path, but that doesn't become the spokesperson of that particular religion or spiritual path! If one believes a person shouldn't practice their beliefs just because they disagree, said person should not be allowed to practice their beliefs either. How would they feel about that?
I'm so sorry that you are having to deal with all that negativity for being tolerant and open. Last year at work I proposed to the diversity council that we could do an educational series of speakers (from the local college) on various religions to promote tolerance. I was shocked by how closed they were to the idea. In the end they told me they would go to HR to see if they would approve and I never heard another word. I thought it was sad that a diversity education group was so afraid to broach what I consider a very important topic. There is so much fear regarding religious differences that I think could be lessened by education and information. I was just so dissappointed.
Hang in there! You are right. Don't back down from your beliefs. Religious intolerance is ugly and hurtful.
I was having a discussion with my sister about Islam. She is very Christian and against anything different. She'd have a cow if she knew I was pagan. Anyway, I tried to explain to her that the terrorists are Islamic extremists and not followers of true Islam. She didn't want to hear it. Sadly there are too many intolerant people in the world. *sigh*
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