Winning Words 5/6/09
“Neither despise nor oppose what thou dost not understand.” (Wm Penn) The song says, “What the world needs now is love…” That’s true, but I think that world also needs more understanding…of why people act as they do…of how our actions affect the planet and the lives of future generations. The longer I live, I become more tolerant of some situations and less tolerant of others. I try to understand.. ;-) Jack

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: I find myself in the same situation....more tolerance on some things...less on others. I can't believe how things get so twisted around and changed around to fit what people want to believe. It's unreal. There are some very basic truths in life which can not be changed, even if unpopular. And I can't seem to understand. I then fall back on the Serenity Prayer.

FROM MOLINER C.F.: Dost this meaneth that if thou understandith it, thou canst oppose or despisest it? FROM JACK: I'll tolerate your answer. MORE FROM C.F.: That's why I like you. You understand me.

FROM B.G. IN MICHIGAN: A good WW for today.

FROM GOOD DEBT JON: Be careful becoming less tolerant of anything. Someone might call you
a conservative. FROM JACK: Perhaps a centrist!

FROM H.S. IN MICHIGAN: One of your finest

FROM PR J.S. IN MICHIGAN: I really don't understand EVIL. I don't understand from whence it arises and how it can dominate us in such horrible ways. Should I then not oppose it??? The word "tolerant" is a word that has so many meanings that it has virtually become worthless. In some ways it is a word that could well be translated "wishy-washy". In other ways associated with Liberals in America it is a word that says "I will ok that which I like but will brand people I don't like with the label "Intolerant." I don't find "tolerance" as we know it in today's society as a positive trait from a scriptural point of view. I listen to Jeremiah and I don't find him very tolerant of Israel's injustice. He instead urges them to "change your ways and your doings." I don't find Jesus very tolerant of the Pharisees and certainly Matthew 5-8 is as about an intolerant a piece of work as you could find anywhere. It roundly condemns virtually all of us. "Tolerance" has become a trademark of ELCA Liberalism (I am not fond of Conservatives either but at least they are not hypocritical enough to say that they are tolerant). The ELCA is very tolerant of the Arab world's destruction of Christians in their midst (and very intolerant of Jewish walls). The ELCA is very tolerant of having Hindis head Christian religious departments (and intolerant of schools that unabashedly put forth the gospel). Their form of tolerance is as judgmental as any intolerance has ever been. Let's get rid of the word tolerant and substitute "I favor" or "I don't favor" something and here is my reasoning. It might be an exercise in thought for some of our friends to try that approach. It would certainly clear away a ton of hypocrisy. FROM JACK: I'm comfortable with my understanding of EVIL as being that which is opposed to the ultimate good (GOD). I tolerate views different from my own, because I am always try to be a learner. I'm comfortable with a Hindu leading the Religion Dept in one of "our" schools, because I know the individual you are referring to, personally, and we connect on a spiritual level.

FROM CJL IN OHIO: With understanding comes tolerance & prejudice, for & against. FROM JACK: Tolerance and prejudice are both imperfect, "when the perfect comes, the imperfect will be done away ."

FROM CJL IN OHIO: We have to live with the imperfect here.