What’s Religious tolerance?

Dear Friends!!!

I Wish to know your divine views on this topic of Religious Tolerance.

What is Religious Tolerance?

Can we adore other religions inspite of loving our religion(if at all we beleive in the concept of religion)

Is'nt this meaning politisized these days?

Whom do you consider to be religious tolerant person?

Do you beleive in this concept?

What's the beauty of religious tolerance?

Cheers,

Mythili

I got this idea seeing this news article:

Musharraf visits Shiv temple in Karachi

Islamabad: President Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday visited a temple of Lord Shiva in Karachi where he said historical places of all religions, including that of Hinduism, were an integral part of Pakistan's history and it was the priority of the government to maintain them. Musharraf, currently on a visit to the Port city, drove down to a Shiv temple in the town which was one of the oldest in the region. He was received at the temple by its caretaker Suresh Manjani, state-run PTV reported. "Historical places of all religions including that of Hinduism are the integral part of Pakistan's cultural and geographical history," he was quoted as saying by PTV. He said it was the priority of the government to keep them in shape so that they remain an asset and source of belonging for interfaith bonding and tourists around the world. Pakistan has some of the oldest Hindu temples which have remained neglected for over five decades. In 2004, the Pakistan government launched a Rs 10 crore project to renovate the Khatas Raj temple in Punjab province where the Pandavas are believed to have spent their exile. BJP leader LK Advani vusited the sprawling temple when he came to Pakistan. India and Pakistan are currently working out a group tourist visa policy under which Islamabad plans to attract large number of tourists to visit historical places, including temples in the country

http://www.samachar.com/showurl.htm?rurl=http://headlines.si fy.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14335464&headline=Musharraf ~visits~Shiv~temple~in~Karachi

I think this is a very interesting topic.......

I think religious tolerance simply means appreciating the rituals and customs of other religion while adhering to your own.

I love it when my kids don the Halooween costumes and go trick or treat, I put up all sorts of halloween goofies up at my house.....I buy sparkling figurines during christmas and gift my christian friends gifts.....I sometimes go to churches and sit there, I love the tranquility there, I get a strange kind of peace when I visit any Buddhist temple. I absolutely adore going to Gurudwara langars, and sit thorugh their sermons, I loved visiting Golden Temple; I can't get anough of biryanis when it's Eid and make rounds of my muslim friends to have it. In turn, they know I follow the concept of jhoota ( not eating from the same plate as someone else has eaten) so they always served me separately,in separate dishes.

I think this is what religious tolerance is all about. Follow your own faith, but accept and admire other faiths too, and respect the fact that all ways lead to only one place - God.

"For individuals, religious toleration generally means an attitude of acceptance towards other people's religions. It does not mean that one views other religions as equally true; merely that others have the right to hold and practice their beliefs." - quted from wikiped

I just love what minnie has said in the post above. I completely agree.

One thing about the definition of religious tolerance though. One needs to TOLERATE something when they actually disbelieve / disregard something. According to some, the definition of religious tolerance is as follows

" Religious toleration is the condition of accepting or permitting others' religious beliefs and practices which disagree with one's own. "

I think this involves situations such as follows.

1) People who themselves take off shoes outside their living areas/ areas of worship allowing guests to walk around the house / kitchen/ place of idol worship with their SHOES on..

2) allowing entrance to Gurudwara to people who don;t cover their heads.

similar situations where one's beliefs are actually disregarded. For some of us, faith is such that we can allow such behaviour w/o feeling offended / disrespected/ insulted. But many cannot. That is where the trouble with "Tolerating" comes in.
Burkha is now being banned in several Europian countries. This is a case of intolerance. (I am not calling it right / wrong)

Everybody is free to practie their religion in countries like India, USA and several others. We should be glad. As Minnie said, there is a beauty in appreciating all the good that each of the religion has to offer. There is also a tranquility in being tolerant to certain issues. Who can decide the limits upto which one can tolerate? I don;t know the answer to that.
1) You can enter my temple with shoes on. I will tolerate. You throw dirt/ disgusting material in the worship area , I will not,.. Am I religious tolerant? Indeed.. to what extent, I don;t know...
2) Minnie ji will have her little freedom of "zootha" whie celebrating Eid and her friends understand that. Will the tolerate something if her demands were more severe? We can't say. (BTW minnieji, this is not personal, just citing. I do the same at some of my friends place over eid. I do exactly what you do :)i know u will understand, hence used what u said, THANKS!!)

Interesting topic Mythili! thanks..
mQT

In a secular and democratic society, religious tolerance assumes a quitessential role. Democracy is all about right to dissent, right to freedom to practice a faith of your choice among several other rights. I live in a democratic society as most of you are and cannot argue against the fact everyone has right to choosing their faith and religion and in the same spirit everyone has a duty to respect others' faith.

All of us want to be respected for our beliefs.. don't we? If yes then follow the saying.. Do to others what you want others to do unto you.

Religious intolerance has no positive aspect. In my mind, you loose respect of all in the society whether it people of other faith or within your faith.

Why even be that way?

Originally posted by: Minnie

I think this is a very interesting topic.......

I think religious tolerance simply means appreciating the rituals and customs of other religion while adhering to your own.

I agree 100%

I love it when my kids don the Halooween costumes and go trick or treat, I put up all sorts of halloween goofies up at my house.....I buy sparkling figurines during christmas and gift my christian friends gifts.....I sometimes go to churches and sit there, I love the tranquility there, I get a strange kind of peace when I visit any Buddhist temple. I absolutely adore going to Gurudwara langars, and sit thorugh their sermons, I loved visiting Golden Temple; I can't get anough of biryanis when it's Eid and make rounds of my muslim friends to have it. In turn, they know I follow the concept of jhoota ( not eating from the same plate as someone else has eaten) so they always served me separately,in separate dishes.

To me Chanting Gayathri Mantra and the prayer "Our father in heaven holy be..." are one and the same and equally important.To me Christmas is as important as Deepavali.To me Roza is as same as Upavas .I enjoy hearing Bhuddist chants,music everyday.Yet I'm a traditional Brahmin.I try to learn the good concepts from different religions and try to explain(in the limited knowledge I have) about my religion to my friends if at all they have some misconceptions,and when people of my religion try to glorify my religion and degrade other religions I try to clarifythem by explaining the beauty of other religion(in the limited knowledge I get).

Last and important point !!! People can have have,respect for their religion and other religions but what's the necessity to display it .Of course we need not or we don't practise religion secretly but religion is a private affair.

In India somany political party leaders (almost all) misuse this concept.Non Muslim leaders give Iftar parties to Non Muslim leaders and this a political gimmick.How do these people know the beauty of Roza😕????

In India,speaking about Hinduism is saffronisation,communalism and speaking about Islam,Christianity is secularism😕
I think this is what religious tolerance is all about. Follow your own faith, but accept and admire other faiths too, and respect the fact that all ways lead to only one place - God.

I agree Minnie ji !!!

Cheers,

Mythili

Originally posted by: mermaid_QT

One thing about the definition of religious tolerance though. One needs to TOLERATE something when they actually disbelieve / disregard something. According to some, the definition of religious tolerance is as follows

" Religious toleration is the condition of accepting or permitting others' religious beliefs and practices which disagree with one's own. "

I think this involves situations such as follows.

1) People who themselves take off shoes outside their living areas/ areas of worship allowing guests to walk around the house / kitchen/ place of idol worship with their SHOES on..

2) allowing entrance to Gurudwara to people who don;t cover their heads.

similar situations where one's beliefs are actually disregarded. For some of us, faith is such that we can allow such behaviour w/o feeling offended / disrespected/ insulted. But many cannot. That is where the trouble with "Tolerating" comes in.
Burkha is now being banned in several Europian countries. This is a case of intolerance. (I am not calling it right / wrong)

Everybody is free to practie their religion in countries like India, USA and several others. We should be glad. As Minnie said, there is a beauty in appreciating all the good that each of the religion has to offer. There is also a tranquility in being tolerant to certain issues. Who can decide the limits upto which one can tolerate? I don;t know the answer to that.
1) You can enter my temple with shoes on. I will tolerate. You throw dirt/ disgusting material in the worship area , I will not,.. Am I religious tolerant? Indeed.. to what extent, I don;t know...
2) Minnie ji will have her little freedom of "zootha" whie celebrating Eid and her friends understand that. Will the tolerate something if her demands were more severe? mQT

Well said MQT ji!!!

I really agree with the things highlighted in blue.Well said!!! I'm very particular about somethings and I tolerate those things just not to hurt others.Like I don't eat non vegeterian food(earlier I used to feel giddy,get vomiting sensation seeing the non veg items even from far) now for the sake of my friends I don't exhibit all this feelings(even though still I feel giddy...) I just try to avoid sitting in that place or engage myselves in another activity and as the time passed my friends don't bring non veg food only for my sake and this is not possible all the times(I did'nt mean to hurt non vegetarians)

Brahmins make mess out of their traditions and hate this.Some Brahmins are so ............ traditional that they don't take their food in public,they eat only with the wet clothes drapped....they shun the food if someone accidentally touches them.You may say!!! Oh!! Mythili is from 3rd century ,but i swear these type of people really exist.But... I really respect them as long as they don't illtreat the people of other religions.But... perfect traditional Brahmin Scholars are religious tolerant people.

Regarding this "Sharing of food".Oh!!! My God!!! I have the habit of offering my food to other people only before I start eating my food.Once I start I'm reluctant to give the food as I think its not right to do so.I just hate having a bite from other person's bread,apple.....This is not a hygenic ... I don't mind being orthodox in some issues yet I've respect for other religions...

Cheers,

Mythili

Originally posted by: ChameliKaYaar

In a secular and democratic society, religious tolerance assumes a quitessential role. Democracy is all about right to dissent, right to freedom to practice a faith of your choice among several other rights. I live in a democratic society as most of you are and cannot argue against the fact everyone has right to choosing their faith and religion and in the same spirit everyone has a duty to respect others' faith.

All of us want to be respected for our beliefs.. don't we? If yes then follow the saying.. Do to others what you want others to do unto you.

Religious intolerance has no positive aspect. In my mind, you loose respect of all in the society whether it people of other faith or within your faith.

Why even be that way?

So Mr CKY ji !!!you mean to say "We hate a Person with wrong acts,deeds immaterial of his/her religion"

Cheers,

Mythili

Originally posted by: mythili_Kiran

So Mr CKY ji !!!you mean to say "We hate a Person with wrong acts,deeds immaterial of his/her religion"

Cheers,

Mythili

Misinterpretation.. Ms. Mythiliji...but not your fault... My sentence was not well constructed...😳

What I meant was that the "Religious Intolerance only has negative aspect.. meaning by practicing relious intolernace you not only loose respect of people practicing faith other than yours but of people within your faith as well...."

Clear as mud?😉

Originally posted by: ChameliKaYaar

Misinterpretation.. Ms. Mythiliji...but not your fault... My sentence was not well constructed...😳

What I meant was that the "Religious Intolerance only has negative aspect.. meaning by practicing relious intolernace you not only loose respect of people practicing faith other than yours but of people within your faith as well...."

Clear as mud?😉

I don't tolerate this point on religious tolerance.But its true in most of the cases but it depends on the mental maturity of the people you interact with.

nice dialog betwixt MK and Ckiyaar