Come to think of it, HP Lovecraft was a better as a writer than Adolf Hitler was as a painter, so I actually think you might be on to something there
Ugh... the word 'tolerance' just makes my stomach turn. If ever a term was so maligned and abused, it's tolerance.
Wait, didn't the Nazis steal artwork from the Jews? If Hitler supposedly did paintings, how are you sure they are actually his?
Oh no, I do. You see, someone hating everyone is acceptable, because he's not singling anyone out. He's hating with equality. It's a classic example of our society rejecting any absolutes. No right, no wrong, no truth, just everyone being a homogeneous group of free individuals that we all must accept or be outcast as a leper. You have two acceptable options in society. Love all people or hate all people but all people must be on the same level. It's actually kind of silly, because in ostracizing those who dissent from the doctrine, they do the thing they say you shouldn't do. People who shout tolerance the loudest are only tolerant of the people who agree with them. They are quite intolerant preachers of tolerance. Anyways, I'm rambling...
...and I chose to use the joke to write a commentary about the current state of US society! Go freedom!
But, we're (you and I ) are Christians, so by definition, loving people, especially our enemies, is kind of the point of our religion.....
It's not about love, it's about acceptance of all viewpoints as equally valid. Why do you think Christianity is so vilified in our culture? It's because we choose a side. We draw a line in the sand and say no, this is wrong. You are wrong. We're not allowed to believe people are wrong anymore and that's the point. Individual freedom replaced truth as the highest standard.
I must say though, there are some things even I can't stand. I mean, screw Sonic fans! (sorry Sonic fans, this is just a joke)
I love you (platonically) , and I just pictured you reading that with a British accent, and I love you even more.
From a liberal point of view I tolerate a lot. Non-aggression principle, et cetera. The Netherlands has a pedophile party, I tolerate it in the name of liberty, does that mean I don't deem it wrong? No, but then again it is as you say, tolerance fits right in with racism and respect—its usage has been so excessive that the value and interpretation of the word is marred and/or 'changed'. We are allowed to believe people are wrong, but it doesn't mean your reasons will be agreed upon. Tolerance works both ways, it doesn't—at least for me—entail respect/'acceptance'.
