Tolerant. Okay, so that's taken a little out of the original context, but it works. Tolerance is preached everywhere in the U.S. We must be politically correct. We must not offend others with our own point of view. Be tolerant of other's opinions. We have bumper-stickers proclaiming TOLERANCE using different symbols of different faiths.
In America, everyone is supposed to be free to have their own point of view, but I do not think we should be tolerant of everyone's point of view. One of the funniest things about tolerance is the fact that if someone finds my point of view to be intolerant of theirs, they get mad. How is that tolerating my point of view??
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson
This is so true. People need to realize this. Whenever we tolerate a view that originally differed from our own, we conform to accept that view. How can things such as atheism and monotheism both be true? They cannot. Why would we tolerate both views, accepting them just because society thinks we should? Why not instead fight to understand why a position is supported, what the logic is behind it so that you can then judge it to determine if it is right or not?
Often, people are too concerned with offending others to actually analyze the facts and challenge another. The challenge can inspire dialogue and discussion that is uncomfortable, so tolerant people avoid the confrontation. This acceptance or tolerance is not healthy. Dialogue and discussion encourage the person being challenged to explain what they believe. It encourages them to learn more and grow deeper in their beliefs. For the person challenging the believer, it increases their knowledge of the issue/belief. When the discussion is through, either one of the people will decide to change their belief or they will agree to disagree. Both will be better for it.
