Tolerance QUESTION from Dan August 9, 2001 I would like to know more about the catholic church's stance on tolerance. I am not well versed in christianity so I am not confident of the accuracy of my question, but I will try my best.
This forum is devoted to fighting alternative beliefs for the sake of christianity, is it not? Doesn't christianity teach tolerance? If this is the case, as I am lead to believe, then why is it necassary to 'fight' other religious beliefs? If tolerance of other people is an ideal taught by Jesus, then shouldn't this forum be devoted to coming to terms with living in a world full of different views?
From what I have read on this forum, it seems that there is a lot of fear surrounding the occult, paganism etc. Isn't faith in God enough to protect ourselves from these works of the devil? And why should there be fear surrounding such things if our faith is pure? Furthermore, shouldn't God give us the strength and courage to help guide such people back to God?
I understand that you do not accept hate mail to this forum. I hope that you do not consider my question(s) to be of such form, as I am confused with respect to the above topics and would like your opinion.
Thankyou
ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius, OLSM on August 13, 2001 Dear Mr. Dan:
It is Satan not Christ that teaches unqualified tolerance. God is NOT tolerant of evil and sin and thus the Church is not tolerant of evil and sin. Truth, by definition, is not tolerant of error.
The Church teaches that we must love the sinner, while chastising the sin, but we are NEVER to be tolerant of sin. To be tolerant to sin is to hate the sinner. Love seeks the Truth and the reconciliation of a sinner with God. To tolerate sin is to hate the sinner by not chastising him and instructing him in Truth that he might be reconciled with God.
We fight for TRUTH and fight against ERROR and LIES. Anyone not doing that is an idiot. God is Truth and Love. That which does not discriminate against error and sin hates God and rapes truth.
As for us, we will continue to fight in God's army for TRUTH, LOVE, and LIFE.
See my essay, Three Secret Strategies of Satan. If does into detail about this issue of tolerance.
As for the occult, we are not firghtened of it, but we stay away from it knowing because it displeases God, because Satan can snare us in any number of sneaky way, and because such activity is anti-Truth.
We are not so arrogant as to believe that Satan cannot get at us. If one plays in Satan's sandbox, one WILL get Satan's sand in their shoes. Only an idiot, a self-destructive person, or a person blinded by pride and arrogance would want to mess with Satan's stuff.
Yes, we are to help people to come to God IF they are willing to listen. But the Bible tells us to shun people who refuse to listen.
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