Why is religious tolerance and acceptance only apply to the believers?
466434
In order to be affected by any superstition, including religion, you have to believe in it. If some witch doctor placed a curse on you, nothing would happen unless you believe he has power over you. Religion works the same way. If they can't control you they call you a heretic or blasphemer and would love to dispatch you to the hereafter if the law still permitted it.
1094384
It works both ways, my friend.\n\nI believe the answer to your question is the same reason religious persons treat "non-believers" as heretics and heathens, forever doomed to burn:\n\nNeither side listens to what the other is saying.\n\nThe funny thing is- for having such opposing views, they DO have one thing in common- their stubborness and unwillingness to live and let live.\n\nI don't subscribe to any religion, but I don't condemn someone for practicing any lifestyle which teaches compassion, respect, and dignity.\n\nThere are many who believe (and many who disbelieve) who are guilty of not practicing what they preach, which is acceptance and compassion for all.\n\nThe problem with this forum is that it enables people to say things they normally wouldn't- everyone is an anonymous user.
755409
Of course, whoever is open minded is tolerant. Mostly all religions encourage tolerance towards those who are not theirs, but few people actually practice it. \n\nThe problem is that the idea that they have that those people will perish and are sinful creates a barrier. They tend to look at disbelievers and other religious people as inferior as they won't be saved. \n \nMany atheists do not respect and tolerate theists. They too take believers for inferior beings. \n\nPeople who are more into mysticism are more tolerant. Note that mostly all religions have a meditation/mysticism part, like in islam there is sufism. Hinduism have many mystics n meditations, buddhism is all about it. \n\nI find these type of people more tolerant. But of course there exists exceptions like myself, i'm agnostic but I do not look down at people.
992476
There are 'religions' such as Baptist, Methodist, Catholics, Jewish, Islamic, Muslim, etc. These religions have specific practices. \n\nThere are many people who do not fully support the teachings and practices of these common religions because over the years, many of them have become platforms for various people to promote their opinions and enforce others to believe the same way. \n\nWhile they do not believe in 'religion' or 'church', they do still believe in a higher power in this universe. They probably refer to themselves as being 'Spiritual' instead of 'religious'. \n\nI however, would argue that part of the world's biggest problem is people who cast stones at things they do not understand. This is the mentality that keeps the world at war with each other.
774367
Religions, like adverts, work only because someone is interested. There was a particularly good episode of The Simpsons, about it, one of the Treehouse of Terror ones. The moment the last person who worships a god dies, or gives up religion, religion will banish in the air.
621831
Some people have one set thing in the mind and are not open to others beliefs. I am Christian but on the other hand try to be open minded about others religions to.
722668
It's not so much the religions as it is the politics of the religion. Having faith is just having a belief - it's the religious DOGMA (telling you how to live, etc.) thay causes the problems. Why everyone wants to think that everyone else should believe in their particular brand of faith is beyond me. Why can't we all just get along. Different strokes for different folks, is what I say.
463640
nope.there can only be tolerance if ppl bacome sheep.one sheep's view is every sheep's view.No reason to disagree.
1014365
Simple.  Whether I like it or not, I recognize that currently, the majority of U.S. citizens are "believers".  In my daily life it is necessary to deal with them.  To do so successfully, it helps to understand them.  A part (but certainly not all) of this understanding comes from going to the religion section and reading the opinions of others. \n\nIf at some time during my lifetime, "believers" cease attempting to use governmental institutions to impose their beliefs, than I would probably no longer spend time in this section.  I could get my humor and horror from other sections.  Hopefully my answer is of the type that you were looking for.
362425
Atheism is itself a religion, people who practice it accept on faith that there is no God. As such, they can be just as intolerant as members of any religion. Agnostics are wishy-washy theological bums that can't be bothered to have an opinion. The only way to truly practice principled secularism, is through Deism.
32498
because it's pointless to get into a fact based argument with a religious person. You have 'faith' in your religion - which means you believe what it tells you NO MATTER what else you may see or hear. That's why non-religious folks tend not to get into it with you.
747863
I know what you mean. In this country is is the Christian way or you are thought of as a Sinner or Worse. I find that slowly as more and more people of all different faiths get to see that just because someone is not Their faith does not mean that they are bad. Often not even different. Really it is all the same just some are more devoted to theirs than others. That can be a good thing or a bad thing. I do think you would like it more if religion was left in Private life and not so much in public life. IE not shoved down our throats. I have friends who wonder how I can say it is everywhere. They are so use to it that they don't see the 8 christian channels on 24/7 or the Sunday mornings where that # just tripled. They don't see the people saying oh I will pray for you and so on. It's not that I say no don't pray for me. I just smile and go on knowing they mean me well but not knowing it bothers me.\nThat is being tolerant. I think we should all remember to be tolerant in all we do not just the bucket of God we have dumped on us at any given day or time
207947
There are religions all over the world. People need to believe in something & they need to be controlled.\nIt is the same with all religions.
142878
Well, because Hinduism is not an extension of Judaism which introduces a bordeline personality as "the" god. Monotheism of the Judeo Christian and Muslim tradition is an intolerant God who hates competition and preached for and against intolerance . \n\nSo the moral duty of the believers are dependent on their moods, if they don't feel like being tolerant or understanding of others they declare a jihad on you, form crusades, become zealots. \n\nBut when they're in the "wise" mood, they turn the other cheek. When they turn the other cheek make sure you hit them so hard that they drop the fale act and show who they are. An a hole pretending to be kind should not be tolerated under no circumstances.
1144089
What's seems to be fundamental about any religious following is that people will believe in something for as long as it suits them; as individuals.  Thus, it often doesn't matter to individual followers, that their religion at one time or another has maintained discriminatory doctrine.   What's usually most important to individuals is that their religion provides them with a source of solidarity and/or a source of solace.  \n\nThere are some who will hold on tightly to their beliefs, despite institutional or doctrinal wrong-doing.   Now of course is the day and age in which every religion is so stratified, that people can grow to be quite comfortable so long as they're able to justify their faith and to distinguish themselves from those they deem are less enlightened.  \n\nWhen intelligence takes over, people then will begin realizing the boundaries of religion and faith based doctrine.  Subsequently there can be a perpetual expansion of what I like to call "peripheral awareness."  Those who suffer in life; those whom are discriminated against; those whom are ostracized for various reasons, know most truly what IGNORANCE is.  The more expansive your peripheral awareness, the less apt you are for strict & faithful adherence to doctrine.  People; human beings; individuals are the ones who write the books and tout the messages on behalf of "God."  It seems that a true deity shouldn’t need messengers to impart such wisdom.  I believe there is a collective consciousness; a universal awareness of GOD, that which exists at least at the onset of physical consciousness.  Most unfortunately a few of our senses (our eyes & ears) will provide us with channels through which to access the endless slew of human rhetoric.  \n\nHindu's will remain faithful as long as they're not concerned with the associated historical discrimination OR as long as they only adhere to those tenants and beliefs that suits them as individuals.   After all, anyone can realize that discrimination and demonization of other human beings is purely a human tendency.   Life can be (if you let it) a never-ending pursuit of fundamental truth, through peripheral awareness.  Exclusion/discrimination without understanding is a demonstration of pure ignorance, regardless of whether or not faith is its foundation.
92820
No, unless they have been told that THEIR truth is the only truth...at that point they are able to make judgements and commit acts against "WRONG" thinking types that are consistent with their belief system...this type of thinking leads to things like the crusades, 9/11, the spanish inquisition, and genocide...you see none of us is going away or changing our beliefs because someone else says we're wrong...so INTOLERANCE is the problem NOT different belief systems.
1004457
I think the answer lies in historical context.  As I understand it, a group of people came to believe that rather than many gods there might just be one.  So those people who recognized one God banded together, and became known as Israelites, and all this got written into a book called the Old Testament.  These people intermarried and become a people called the Jews.  And then Jesus arrived and spread the idea that God loves every individual, that anyone who chooses to accept God is in the special fold.  Some people felt that Jesus' message was so perfect that he was the long-hoped-for Messiah.  Certain Jews went with this and become Christians, and others did not and remained Jews.  And still other people were none of these things are retained indigenous religious values -- Hinduism, for example, seems to me to be largely a collection of varying spritual practices.\n\nI suspect my answer won't work for people who think that the holy books were handed down fully-formed and perfect.  But the key to understanding and peace, I think, is trying to understand where others come from.\n\nI always find that the difficult part about understanding religion is clinging to the beauty of its ideals without being sidetracked by the human need for rules and absolutes.  I think you are quite right that "Divine expression would manifest in as many ways as there are people on the earth and infinitely throughout the universe."