Issue: Preach not tolerance but mutual respect

March 18, p. 6

Tolerance today is an important but overused buzzword. As nations struggle to come to grips with tensions arising from cultural and religious differences, tolerance is being widely preached, particularly in interfaith dialogues amid skepticism about its effectiveness.

This is no more so than in the United States and Indonesia. The first is afflicted by the rise of “Islamophobia” and the latter by the growing intolerance among its Muslim majority.

Preaching mutual respect rather than tolerance has a much better chance of succeeding in promoting religious harmony in societies as diverse as these two countries.

The trouble is that a thin line divides tolerance and intolerance and people just easily switch between the two for the flimsiest of reasons.

An Indonesian scholar friend says the difference between tolerance and intolerance can be a matter of one church. (By Endy M. Bayuni, Washington, D.C.)

Your comments:

This suggestion, I am afraid, is like praying to the gods for rain. I do not think it will make much of a difference.

Preaching respect also presupposes awareness of the differences. One cannot help to hold one’s own views as the better, respect or not.

I would agree with Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York and still consider the plan of those Muslims insensitive. So disrespectful!

The big difference between the US and Indonesia is that in the one country the government defends the right to believe and the convictions of all parties, while in the other the government bans one conviction on the demands of another.

Should not there have been at least a test by impartial judges in court before a government sets
such steps?

MTJ Smit
Wassenaar, the Netherlands

Surah 109 of the Koran ends with the verse “Lakum dinukum waliyadin” (To you, your religion, and to me, my religion).

Does the above verse apply to Ahmadiyah or not?

Moose Amabin
London

You articulated my thoughts exactly. I come from Toronto, where we celebrate our “tolerance” for foreign people.

We are such “tolerant” people,
we say. We are even “tolerant” of
all colors, cuisines, music and perspectives that we wouldn’t otherwise have.

We should be appreciative, and then a little pride might be justifiable.

David
Canada

The word “tolerant” implies one is tolerating something naughty or inappropriate, so patronizing!

Mutual respect implies that the other party is equal.

Dewi Anggraeni
Melbourne