Tolerance and Testimony

Assigned to read this article for class, Tolerance and Testimony, John. S. Tanner.  Favorite quotes:

" Over time, the very term “tolerance,”—originally meaning to “bear” or “endure”—evolved from a practical political necessity of enduring sometimes distasteful differences to a principled moral imperative of celebrating all differences, except perhaps intolerance.  No wonder Americans sometimes confuse religious toleration with moral relativism, or regard it as a contradiction to embrace both toleration for all religions and testimony of a particular religion."

"I am grateful for toleration.  It is crucial in pluralistic societies.  As a religious minority, I depend on religious toleration and embrace religious liberty as an article of my faith."

"But love of neighbor imposes a duty upon me to engage others, not simply to endure, ignore, or accept anything  they  do  or  believe,  while  love  of  God  dictates that I engage others as a believer."

"...toleration easily degenerates into relativism or indifference.  Not so with charity.  Charity requires us to invest ourselves as believers in our communities  as we work  toward  the  common  good,  not  to  divest ourselves of religious belief in order to participate in the public sphere."

" Gratefully, we can learn from the life of one who powerfully exemplified tolerance and testimony in the  public sphere: President Hinckley.  He preached and practiced tolerance—speaking out strongly against bigotry, racism, and arrogance—while also proclaiming his witness for the distinctive truth claims of the Church, defending its history and doctrine.  In him, tolerance and testimony fl owed naturally from genuine love for God and neighbor. And others felt this.  Consequently, he was beloved by his people and by those of other faiths.  I was privileged to ride in his cortege to the cemetery.  I’ll never forget how the bells from the Cathedral of the Madeleine rang out as we drove past, or how the Masons stood on the steps of their temple with hand over heart, or how Mormons and non-Mormons alike lined the streets, many waving white handkerchiefs and canes.  As faculty we, too, can teach tolerance and testimony as our personal and professional lives are informed and formed by love of God and neighbor."