Jonathots Daily Blog
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“It doesn’t matter what you believe, just as long as you believe.”
I grew up with that statement. What I mean is, that sentiment was the poster child for tolerance. Of course, the idea has become less popular as unbelief has taken its position of power in the great struggle of human philosophy.
Religion, politics and entertainment thrive in this environment of “give that takes” and “taking that rarely gives” because it offers conflict which gets people to the voting booth, plot lines which are often dreary and glum and religious conflicts which make both warring parties puff up with their own supremacy.
The trouble with the whole concept of toleration is that it means to tolerate–and candidly, my dear friends, there are some things that cannot be tolerated. Sooner or later, we have to conclude that you are entitled to believe what you want only as long as it does not hurt other people or as long as it’s sensitive to the principles which cause Planet Earth to prosper.
- For instance, I do not know why we continue to tolerate anyone who contends that “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” is a viable precept.
- I do not know why we insist on promoting the idea of culture, which is often just a disguise for prejudice.
- I am baffled why we allow political candidates to plunder the character of their opponent all within the framework of “good politics.”
It does matter what we believe. It is life and death.
It determines whether we have ruling classes and serfs, rejected races and preferential ones and bigotry based upon race, color, creed or sex.
I will tell you bluntly, what you believe must:
1. Bolster your creativity.
Any philosophy, idea, religion or government that stifles the human ability to use their gifts freely has to be identified for its short-sighted, insane propagation of stupidity.
2. Help you avoid cynicism.
If what you believe causes you to become more cynical about human beings, life on earth, science, nature or God, then it is a road block to progress.
3. Endure to the end.
I, for one, am tired of belief systems that vaporize whenever difficulty comes on the scene, escaping to the corners of the room like cockroaches to avoid the truth of the moment.
Without a sense of endurance, we are at the mercy of circumstance, which is meant to change based upon our ongoing input.
4. Create a judgment-free zone.
If your belief makes you so proud of your own personal excellence that you begin to look down on fellow travelers with a nagging spirit of disapproval, then quite candidly, your belief has lost its privilege.
And finally, what you believe must:
5. Be of good cheer.
Good cheer is not always being happy, but it is the acknowledgment that happiness is still the goal, even though we may have hit a rough patch.
When we become agnostic to the idea of finding peace of mind and joy in our lives, we also become belligerent to those around us who are content.
I will say it boldly: I am not tolerant of any belief system that does not foster these five holy principles. And what makes them holy is that they make whole people, who continue to pursue promise instead of spitting on the grave of faith to express their intellectual superiority.
It does matter.
And until we have enough spunk to realize that tolerating intolerable ideas is the certain way to destroy our planet, we will be walking on the edge of the Grand Canyon thinking we’re safe … because no breeze will ever blow.
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