Tolerance

People have been arguing for a long time about what tolerance means. I admire this 19th-century attempt to sort out religious vs. civil tolerance and, in the civil sphere, individual vs. government tolerance:
For the purpose of clearing up ideas on toleration as far as lay in my power, I have presented this matter in a point of view but little known; in order to throw still more light upon it, I will say a few words on religious and civil intolerance,--things which are entirely different, although Rousseau absolutely affirms the contrary. Religious or theological intolerance consists in the conviction, that the only true religion is the Catholic, a conviction common to all Catholics. Civil intolerance consists in not allowing in society any other religions than the Catholic. These two definitions are sufficient to make every man of common sense understand that the two kinds of intolerance are not inseparable; indeed, we may very easily conceive that men firmly convinced of the truth of Catholicity may tolerate those who profess another religion, or none at all. Religious intolerance is an act of the mind, an act inseparable from faith; indeed, whoever has a firm belief that his own religion is true, must necessarily be convinced that it is the only true one; for the truth is one. Civil intolerance is an act whereby the will rejects those who do not profess the same religion; this act has different results, according as the intolerance is in the individuals or in the government. On the other hand, religious tolerance consists in believing that all religions are true; which, when rightly understood, means that none are true, since it is impossible for contradictory things to be true at the same time. Civil tolerance is, to allow men who entertain a different religion to live in peace. This tolerance, as well as the co-relative intolerance, produces different effects, according as it exists in individuals or in the government.
from Protestantism and Catholicity compared in their effects on the civilization of Europe, by the Rev. J. Balmes, 1851, p.57.


6 comments:

Douglas2 said...

Another example of the ancients stealing my best thoughts.

jabrwok said...

Two contradictory things can both be true if each is only an incomplete part of a greater whole. The multiple blind men and the elephant is the classic example.

Or they could all be wrong:-).

Tom said...

At least, they can appear to be true, but when you run into that, you know there's something missing, so you know they either aren't really contradictory, or that they aren't both true.

I like this guy's take on tolerance. He makes more sense than anyone else I've read about the topic.

Tom said...

Here it is on Google Books.

douglas said...

or, if you're a practitioner of the religion of Leftism, (or Islam) where the religion itself calls for a synthesis of the religious view and the civil view, then you're doomed to intolerance.

Ymar Sakar said...

Tolerance is about not permitting the Left to exist.