Religious Tolerance:
Promoting Peace between Religions
Religious tolerance promotes the idea that all religions are acceptable and that one can be civil and just to those who are a part of religions that differ from our own. Despite many valiant efforts, religious tolerance is still far from prevalent in the world we live in. Even the religions that claim to be the most civil and fair partake in their share of religious discrimination. The good news is that religious tolerance is becoming a more accepted idea in many countries and different cultures.
Religious tolerance has been the topic of many different publications. We have all read stories about the religious leader who has died for their beliefs or the young couple in love that were forbidden to see each other because of religious differences. The sad truth is that these are still issues that many people face. In many countries it is against the law to be tolerant of other religions. Others claim they are open-minded, but they secretly conduct activities that would suggest otherwise.
In the examination of religious tolerance we can hardly skim over the influence that religious differences have on people all over the world. Decisions or comments that we make on a daily basis can affect those very far away from us. We may not even realize that we are being intolerant. This is why education about religious tolerance is so very important. The recent rise of the internet has both helped and hindered the religious tolerance movement. We now have access to more information which leaves us more educated, but many of us are interacting with people that we do not have an accurate understanding of. This can cause friction.
In studying religious tolerance, one may come across a book called The Thirteenth Apostle by Arkady Povzikov. This book really puts religious tolerance into perspective through the use of fictional characters. It is in the pages of this book that one can see examples of the theories that scholars are constantly providing. If you are looking for an interesting way to absorb some information about religious tolerance, I highly suggest that you get your own copy of The Thirteenth Apostle.
