Good stuff, David.
----- Original Message ----- From: "David Miller" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <TruthTalk@mail.innglory.org> Sent: Wednesday, February 09, 2005 7:45 AM Subject: Re: [TruthTalk] Cult behavior > Gary wrote: > > how does tolerance factor into your > > world view? E.g., is tolerance global > > or is it of certain people? > > Tolerance is global. God is our example in this. If God were intolerant, > he would have wiped out the world long ago. Instead, we find him to be very > patient and longsuffering toward the workers of iniquity. He does not > condone the wicked. He constantly speaks to them concerning their need to > repent and do what is right. However, he seeks for a voluntary > understanding and submission, not one that is appropriated by force. There > are many other factors involved, however, and sometimes we see him come down > hard as an object lesson to the rest of us (e.g., I'm thinking right now of > Ananias and Sapphira). > > Gary wrote: > > is love associated as closely with tolerance > > as it is with unity? > > Yes. > > Religious groups generally tend to be intolerant. This is human nature, not > God's nature. This is why we have different sects. People congregate > around commonly shared beliefs and shun those who do not receive the same. > Such is the root of denominationalism, and extreme sects which severely cut > off others are considered cults. An example of this would be the attitude > of Jews not to fellowship with Gentiles, or of males separating from females > in the meetings, or separating from others because of dietary restrictions, > or separating because of doctrinal disagreements of the Godhead, the > Trinity, modes of baptism, the need for holiness, grace, etc. Even when the > base of the separation is a truth, if it leads to unloving behavior between > individuals, it is wrong. > > Concerning the community of believers, the local church, I really see only > one thing which we are to be intolerant about. We are to be intolerant of > sin, which is defined as any action that does not have love as its source. > This is because fellowship is adversely affected by the sin of even one > person. There is no room for sin in the body of Christ. > > Regarding the word tolerance, I should perhaps make it clear that tolerance > does not mean that we think certain viewpoints are free to be shared > unchallenged. It means that we allow views to be shared, and we readily > challenge false views, and admonish one another to change views that are > contrary to truth. Tolerance should give freedom to the expression of > viewpoints, but it does not give a license for anyone to embrace falsehoods. > > An example: as a parent, suppose my child comes home from school and she > tells me that she doesn't believe in God anymore because she learned in > school that evolution through natural laws explains our existence. If I was > intolerant, perhaps I would yell at her and send her to her room without > supper until she apologized to me for articulating such terrible ideas. On > the other hand, if I am tolerant, I would simply take time to instruct her > properly about problems in her viewpoint and show her many good reasons to > continue believing in God. In fact, I would probably do it in a loving and > cheerful way while we were having supper together. > > Peace be with you. > David Miller. > > > ---------- > "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org > > If you do not want to receive posts from this list, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and you will be unsubscribed. If you have a friend who wants to join, tell him to send an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and he will be subscribed. > > ---------- "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org If you do not want to receive posts from this list, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and you will be unsubscribed. If you have a friend who wants to join, tell him to send an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and he will be subscribed.
