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ORIGINAL: Gauge
Why is it that tolerance is preached, desired and demanded by those with alternate lifestyles but they are, mostly, intolerant of religion? This question has bugged me for a long time.

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Tolerance and acceptance never have been, nor ever will be, synonymous.

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ORIGINAL: sophia37
Nobody is live and let live about everything.

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ORIGINAL: slavejali

Well there is that old proverb "Never talk about religion or politics" *grin*

Saying that, there was a recent thread here where everyone just shared their philosophical/religious affiliations, from what I saw everyone pretty much seemed to tolerate, even accept that others had different views to themselves.

I think the only time intolerance comes into play in general is when people adopt a "I'm right, you're wrong" attitude and try to enforce their beliefs and opinions on others and that happens in all kindsa areas of life.

Also, when you come across subjects that involved "belief" they are most times a very sensitive area to tread as when someone "believes" something, they actually have to invest themselves in it, and in so doing can perceive attacks against themselves (right or wrongly) when someone believes other than themselves.

Another thing that comes to mind is, a lot of people have had bad experiences with religion, or have come to think that its all full of shit from basically having it thrown down their throat, so have removed themslves entirely from it. Other people have done historical research and gathered different information than what the churches for example are preaching and have thrown the baby out with the bathwater and become atheist in some form or another. Others still have had lived in families with no religion or philosophical belief and so cannot relate to other people with belief's in this way. Others have been influenced by varying other belief systems and have adopted them as their own, replacing their previous belief.

So many scenarios but at the end of the day what it all amounts to is, if someone ever feels the need to defend themselves or their beliefs, whether that is pro or con religion or a particular philosophy or whatever really, there are going to be disputes as most times it will take the form of an attack.

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ORIGINAL: Chaingang

\....../Take an issue like Gay Marriage. Now I think that the government shouldn't be in the marriage business at all, but legally recognized relationships have legal repercussions in terms of insurance and emergency medical decisions, etc. - so it matters on some level. I am not gay, but I can see no reason under the U.S. Constitution to not allow a possible minority group the opportunity to live as others do - with legally recognized unions. So I favor Gay Marriage and vehemently oppose anyone that sees it differently. They can oppose Gay Marriage on moral grounds if they wish - tell us how God condemns it, etc.; but when they oppose it on political grounds they are being unamerican in my view - they are refusing to recognize and allow a minority viewpoint even if they disagree with it, to "live and let live." And that's the whole point of the American project - to allow even minority views and ways of life, not to annihilate them.

My point is inclusion - I favor everyone being on the exact same playing field. Those that favor exclusion - for whatever reason - are my political enemies.

Fair is fair.