What Do You Fear? ~ Intolerance

Greetings Dear Reader,

In a popular Star Trek episode from the Original Series, “Let That Be Your Last Battlefield” two aliens with vast power are fighting across the cosmos.  They are battling over their insurmountable differences.  The fight has been so fierce that they have destroyed their entire world and are the last two living members of their species.  Their difference is the cause of all the destruction.  Their faces are half black and half white.  The difference one is white on the left and the other on the right.

In continuing with thoughts on my friend’s response I realize that I have covered change. What my friend brought out though is the intolerance of society for unpopular differences.  It does not matter what the difference is.

This fear is as old as history.  We are intolerant of things we do not fear, understand, or accept.  We translate differences to discrimination.  We use the things we reject to reject people and think ourselves superior.  We put our values ahead of treating other with love and respect.

Even those who proclaim that tolerance is the only way to live are often intolerant of those who disagree.  The world continues to spin on battles over values.  Hatred and anger seem to be the most popular things given to those with whom we disagree.  I share the same fear as my friend.

I do my best to follow Christ without hating anyone.  Still I am mocked for things that I feel are wrong.  I am accused of fear, hatred, and bigotry for having standards.  So many do not see that those standards include love for everyone.  They include kindness to everyone.  Because I carry the label they have assigned to those who share my faith.  I will not hide what I believe but I honestly think that we all need a reset button. 

Perhaps everyone needs to really remember what tolerance means.  It does not mean that I accept all of your values or opinions.  It does mean that I love and respect you.  It does not mean that I hate you because I disagree with you.  It does mean that I will support the fact that we share common needs that should be provided for.

So tell me again why your philosophy allows you to hate me?

Which Way are You Goin’ – Jim Croce

Which way are you going, which side will you be on

Will you stand and watch while, all the seeds of hate are sown

Will you stand with those who say, let his will be done

One hand on the bible

One hand on the gun

One hand on the bible

One hand on the gun

Which way are you looking, is it hard to see

Do you say whats wrong for him, is not wrong for me

You walk the streets, righteousness but you refuse to understand

You say you love the baby

Then you crucify the man

You say you love the baby

Then you crucify the man

Everyday, things are changing, words once honored turned to lies

People wondering, can you blame them

Its to far to run, and to late to hide

Now you turn your back on, all the things that you used to preach

Now its let him live in freedom, if he lives like me

Well you light has changed, confusion rains, what have you become

All your olive branches turned to spears

When your flowers turned to guns

Your olive branches turned to spears

When your flowers turned to guns

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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