Tolerance
Tolerance can be defined as the possession of a fair and
objective perspective and attitude towards those people who are of different
races, religions, nations or have a set of opinions, beliefs and ideas that
differ from our own. Tolerance is the most necessary quality of a man.
Tolerance is one of the conditions of good manners.
It is a “willingness
to accept opinions and behaviors that you may not agree with or people who are
not like you”.
It is “Relative
capacity to endure or adapt psychologically to an unfavorable environmental
factor.”
William Ury
notes, "tolerance is not just agreeing with one another or remaining
indifferent in the face of injustice, but rather showing respect for the essential
humanity in every person.”
Importance
Tolerance has great significance in our life.
Without it, we cannot even think of survival in every walk of life. It is the
only factor which can enable all the people of different races, classes,
nations to sit together and work for the welfare of human beings. The
importance of tolerance lies in its ability to make a human being broad enough
in mind to be receptive to all kinds of ideas. It also creates a deeper
understanding of others views and beliefs.
Tolerance is
the virtue of a civilized age. “Tolerance is the only real test of
civilization”. It was Arthur Kelps who thus extolled the virtue of
tolerance. It enables us to see always the other side of things, to suffer
fools with patience, fanatics without losing out temper.
Religious Perspective
Every religion of the world lays stress on tolerance.
ALLAH ALMIGHTY
has said in THE HOLY QURAN: “You shall resort to pardon, advocate tolerance, and
disregard the ignorant”.
In Christianity,
if a person slaps you, you must offer him the other check.
In the
teachings of Buddha, we also find importance on tolerance.
So, it is the common teaching of all religions.
The Consequences of
Intolerance (In our daily routine of life)
Tolerance is not only an abstract virtue; it is of
considerable influence in the current affairs of life. Man is a social being
and has to live in a spirit of harmony and co-operation with others. In this
process some amount of give-and-take is necessary, a capacity for compromise. We
cannot persuade others unless we ourselves are at the same time ready to be
persuaded by practicing sweet reasonableness.
Intolerance
drives human beings apart, creating a sense of permanent separation among them.
But unfortunately we, as human beings do not tolerate others. Owing to the lack
of a good sense of tolerance, disputes, riots, hatred, pride, discriminations,
dehumanization, repression, violence and jealously are taking place in our
daily routine of life.
We need
tolerance in our political system, in religious matters, in our society,
families, offices and institutions etc.
Political Disputes
There are some
countries which do not want that other countries should also make progress.
Always they are imposing sanctions on others countries. Political leaders do
not tolerate one another. They try to overthrow the stable government of their
opponents.
Religious Conflicts
If we cast a
cursory glance on our religious matters, we come to know that Religious
minorities have been suppressed and oppressed. The religions are divided into
various sects. This thing causes bloodshed of countless innocent people. We
should tolerate others according to the teaching of our religion.
Families Conflicts
The traditional
conflict between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law is going on in our families even
at present days.
What Individuals Can Do?
Individuals
should continually focus on being tolerant of others in their daily lives. This
involves consciously challenging the stereotypes that typically encounter in
making decisions about others.
What
the Media Can Do?
Media can play an important
role to utilize tolerance. It should use positive images to promote
understanding and cultural sensitivity.
What the Educational
System Can Do?
Educators play
an important role in this matter. Schools and other educational institutions
should include the topic of tolerance in their course and teach the students
from grass level. In this way, habit of forgiving others in trivial matters can
be overcome. In Israel, an Arab and Israeli community called Neve Shalom or
Wahat Al-Salam ("Oasis of Peace") created a school designed to
support inter-cultural understanding by providing children between the first
and sixth grades the opportunity to learn and grow together in a tolerant
environment.
International organizations
International
organizations need to find ways to enshrine the principles of tolerance in
policy. For instance, the United Nations has already created The Declaration of
Moral Principles on Tolerance, adopted and signed in Paris by UNESCO's 185
member states on Nov. 16, 1995, which qualifies tolerance as a moral,
political, and legal requirement for individuals, groups, and states.
Governments
Governments
also should aim to institutionalize policies of tolerance.
Special role of parents
and teacher
Children from their early
childhood should develop the habit of tolerance. The parents and teachers
should guide them in this respect. Then our soul will live in peace and
happiness.
There is no
doubt in it that tolerance is the most necessary quality of our everyday life.
If we culture tolerance, we will be free from all the pains of envy within
ourselves. But there can be no tolerance where we come up against fundamental
principles. If we tolerate evil, our best self goes down and under. Therefore,
in matters relating to deeper questions and principles of life, it is our duty
to stand up for them and refuse an easy compromise. We should never tolerate
moral corruption, social wrongs, political and financial dishonesty; we should
never be complaisant towards attacks on our national integrity, on our
fundamental rights on the forces of progress in society.
