Tolerance -vs- Intolerance

What happens when tolerance and intolerance meet?  That's a hauntingly serious question.

One of the primary tenants of the Christian religion is tolerance.  It is embedded in the Constitution of our nation.  Our founding fathers had just escaped from the oppression of intolerance.  Thus, they made tolerance a sacred pillar in the documents of governance for the new nation.  We are steeped in the tradition of tolerance for the religious beliefs and view points of others, even for those who have no belief.  Freedom of religion rings loud and clear from church bells across our land.

But, now comes a faction of intolerance.  If you do not believe then you must submit or be killed.  We must provide foot baths and prayer rugs in public places.  We must tolerate the submission of women to a sub-class.  We must not speak out or criticize for fear of being intolerant.  We must acquiesce to every demand however small.  Why?  Because we are a tolerant people and we see goodness in tolerance.

In 1990 a little over 88% of the adult population of the United States described themselves as Christians.  In 2001 (the latest data available) only 80% described themselves as Christians.  That is a decrease of 8% over an eleven year period.  If that rate continues the next 30 years only 56% of the population will describe themselves as Christians.  By the same token 0.3% of the adult population in 1990 described themselves as Muslims.  By 2001 that number had doubled to 0.6%.  If that trend continues 4.8% of the population will describe themselves as Muslims in 30 years.  That may not seem a significant number compared to 56%, but consider that in 2001 there were 4.9% Lutherans; 2.8% Presbyterians; 1.9% Pentecostals; 1,4% Mormans; 1.3% Churches of Christ; 0.7% United Church of Christ; 0.7% Jehovah's Witnesses; and 0.6% Assemblies of God, all Christian faiths.  And, these percentages are decreasing yearly mostly from immigration.

So when tolerance and intolerance meet there is only one outcome--by its very nature tolerance is submissive to intolerance.  It is only when tolerance becomes intolerant that intolerance is defeated.  It was only when our founding fathers ceased to be tolerant and became intolerant that they escaped the yoke of intolerance and founded a nation based on the Christian faith.

The time has come for we Christians to become intolerant if we are to survive as a Christian nation.  Any organization, religious or otherwise, advocating that non-believers either submit or be killed must be outlawed and aggressively prosecuted with severe penalties.  Our immigration laws must deny them entrance to our land.  Otherwise, our children and grandchildren will not survive this century as a Christian nation.

If you doubt me study what has happened to Denmark.