The Intolerance of Tolerance by Don Carson
I have a complicated relationship with the ABC. On one hand
I love it – but there is one program which never fails to get me really
incensed. It’s QandA – does anyone
else feel this way? No matter what issues are open for discussion, if there is
a Christian on the panel, at some point in the show they will have the
accusation of ‘intolerance’ thrown at them, usually followed by a round of
applause.
Reading Don Carson’s short critique of the concept of ‘tolerance’
in Western culture, The Intolerance of
Tolerance, has been such a relief. Carson articulates so precisely the
difficulty of the Christian position in relation to the philosophy and morality
of our contemporary Western culture. At the moment it is as though in any given
debate a Christian can argue so deftly, so winsomely, and yet simply be palmed
off as a hater, an intolerant creep who just can’t stand the idea that people are
different from them. Take the marriage equality debate – in trying to think
wisely about this issue in regard to the common good, many Christians have
counselled that we should avoid changing the definition of marriage. But
according to some, this position (based of course on the teachings of the
Bible) should not be tolerated. It is a position of hatred, it is
discrimination.
I for one feel completely mortified by the idea of being
labelled as a bigot. After all, I’m a follower of Jesus, the one who tells me
to love my enemies, who reached out to the marginalised and the outcasts. How
can anyone think that attitude has anything to do with me?
Of course, the whole concept of ‘tolerance’ has taken on a
new life in the last 50 years or so. While the word used to mean putting up
with things you don’t agree with, it now means agreeing that everything is ok!!
Our society seems to have a mania to approve of everything, in case, heaven
forbid, someone is offended. And yet, don’t we still revile certain behaviours?
(One might argue that the practice of paedophilia, for example, is even more
taboo than ever). In his explanation of ‘plausibility structures’, Carson
argues that because of our highly diverse culture, we tend to hold on to a
small number of beliefs more tenaciously, seemingly because without them, the
whole fabric of society might fly apart. This has really helped me to
understand where we are in Western culture at present. The idea of ‘tolerance’
has become almost the number one plausibility structure by which to make a
moral judgment. This leads to people claiming: ‘I’m only intolerant of
intolerance!’ (like a panellist on QandA once remarked to Peter Jensen). In other words, Christians are
intolerant, therefore it’s ok to discriminate against them and try to silence
them, but not anyone else. The moral paradoxes just continue to mount up, and
as Carson states, it is ‘intellectually debilitating’ for our society because
it hinders the free exchange of ideas and the ability to think deeply about
moral questions.
Carson’s examples in Chapter Two were confronting but very
close to home. Sydney had a similar incident recently when several books were
banned from use in SRE classes. How strange that they didn’t actually ban the
Bible – after all, that’s where the ideas come from. But that would be obvious discrimination!
It is hard to imagine the NSW government making a similar demand on Islamic SRE
teachers. So it’s ok to teach the Bible as a historical religious document, as
long as you keep your opinions about right and wrong to yourself and don’t try
to say they are relevant to anyone in the present day? As Carson says, this is
a trivialisation of faith. And usually, as Carson points out, the target of
this kind of officious meddling is the Christian faith.
Of course, it is no surprise that the world hates us, since
it hated Jesus first. But we need to continually be ready to expose the
contradictions and moral bankruptcy of our society. Actually I was pleasantly
surprised by the ABC the other week, when Media
Watch exposed the one-sided media coverage of the marriage equality debate!
I will keep watching the ABC, and as much as QandA irritates me, I applaud the Christians who courageously sit
on the panel, endure the hostility and keep on speaking the truth in love.
I hope Carson’s critique is sparking some new thoughts for
you, and maybe even some debate! Keep reading and stay tuned in the coming
weeks…
I am a wife to Pete, a mum of three girls aged 7, 5 and 3,
and a music teacher. I am a long-time member of the wonderful church family St
Aidan’s Anglican in Hurstville Grove, having come to Christ through a youth
group ministry at age 14. I love singing, reading (obviously!!), walking my
dog, Ned and going to see plays, movies and musical theatre.