Tolerance

Click hI had a friend who told me of a couple.  If one said the sky was blue the other would say it was green.  They agreed on nothing but stayed together and agreed to disagree.
Unfortunately it seems there are those who refuse to agree to disagree on stuff.  The belief excludes the relationship.  It really is my way or the highway.
I heard about a guy that gave a talk.  Everyone has a right to be heard.  Yet there were those who refused to hear what was really said.  As is sung, they heard only what they wanted to hear and disregarded the rest.  It seems they were not listening to hear, but listening to speak.  They killed that guy.  Their solution to the problem was not to agree to disagree, but to get rid of the source of the problem.
To me, the trouble with that (apart from the obvious) is that my world becomes smaller and smaller.  My solution is to get rid of everyone who disagrees with me.  That mixed with power is a really dangerous concoction.  It becomes a case of the end justifying the means.
I see the conclusion of that is someone ending up alone.  Like it or not, we all see the world differently.  I may agree with someone except I despise white tennis shoes.   Do I then get rid of everyone who likes white tennis shoes?  My world has become smaller again.  Then I may see red hair as the pits.  So I get rid of everyone left who has red hair.  I may see any tolerance as a sign of weakness, so I get rid of any tolerant people who are left.  So the list goes on.
We see a lot of that sort of thing at the moment.  Maybe it is in the minority but it is getting all the publicity.  Religious intolerance seems to be the biggy.  However it is not confined to that.  I reckon it is how wars start.  I say “I am better than you and want what you have.  Unless you comply with my wishes your right to exist is forfeit.”  That tends to not go over real well.  It sort of leads to resistance from those that don’t agree with me.  There may be a profession of tolerance and inclusion, but the danger is it is in word only and the actions are very different.
I do not think that reasoning is the answer to everything, but reasoning together is not something to shy away from.  Unreasonableness is.
I am not perfect.  You are not perfect.  I need rough edges knocked off.  I may not see them, but just because I don’t, does not mean they do not exist.  I may see the world one way and you may see it another.  My role is to love.  I may not always agree, but as much as lies within me, I will always love.ere to edit.