Certainly intolerance is not a character trait I hold in high esteem and I have not experienced the intolerance homosexuals have faced in this country.
I'm not so sure I feel that strongly about intolerance anymore. Certainly I do not appreciate denigration and devaluation of people, either individually or in a group. However, that's only one facet of what we have adopted as a magic word with "intolerance".
I firmly believe that total tolerance leads to intolerance eventually. Let's use our pseudo-intellectual friends, the atheists, as an example. Tolerance of atheism is a good thing; they have every right to believe as they wish. However, I find no reason to tolerate their lack of belief when it comes to issues like how to influence our society. We've tried that and now look where we are;
we have a toleration of pedophiles writing manuals to rape young boys and get away with it (thanks ACLU),
we have a toleration of city governments trying to curb public Christmas celebrations, and
we tolerate removal of historically relevant monuments from our courthouses just to keep the most rabid among the atheist contingent from having their heads explode when they come in contact with anything even quasi religious in nature. And most recently it has been made abundantly clear that we must tolerate atheists' bashing of Christians when we engage in discourse and conversation? I don't think so. Look back through this thread and any other that deals with religious issues and see the scorn and open hostility that is shown toward Christianity by our deluded "friends" and how they claim tolerance is their mantra while showing the exact same intolerance that they decry when a Christian lashes back (because eventually, enough is enough even for a Christian). Total tolerance eventually led to intolerance.
So I can only empathize with your experiences as a gay man where that is concerned. And certainly you have reasoned in your own accord what your behavior is going to be with atheists and that is a choice you have made.
I suppose I should clarify something here: I don't have an inherent distrust or dislike of atheists. In fact, most of my extended family is atheist, I work daily with atheists, and my closest friend is a "devout" atheist. We can converse in a productive and enjoyable manner about everything under the sun. However, I am quick to pick up on the sarcastic undertones, the subtle slights against the intelligence of Christians, and the insinuations that Christians are all Haggards and Pope Urbines and Jerry Falwells. I have no guilt at all and make no apology for immediately putting up a wall and showing an equal measure of disdain and derision for an atheist. And my experience has shown me that a significant enough majority of atheists behave in the way I claim that I am perfectly comfortable painting them all with a broad brush and taking note of the few exceptions who behave rationally and respectfully.
I, however, always enjoy a challenge and in particular I find it quite satisfying to have someone assassinate my character because they have a self-perceived superior intellect or believe they argue from a superior position of knowledge, or gnosis if you will. Indeed I do...and that may be why I came to DP, for the stimulation and excitement of written debate. :mrgreen:
What challenge and stimulation can you expect when you are dealing with an arrogant tool who approaches you with the attitude that you are insane or stupid from the very onset? How can you hope to have an honest and open discourse with a half-wit who's only claim to intelligence is that he must vehemently and derisively attack you for your beliefs? What excitement is there in being relegated to the status of an object of disdain for an irrational mob whose mouthfoaming only gains momentum in the presence of their peers and who, by force of their numbers and cohesive group-think mentality, stonewall any attempt at open discourse because they actually pat each other on the back for showing as much disrespect as possible? Oh yeah...atheists, when in like company, develop a mob mentality that takes on a "burn the witch" feeling and it is almost comical watching them encourage each other to lose all civility in speech while at the same time sipping their lattes with the pinky raised in imitation of manners.
I've no interest in conversation with or tolerance of such a crackpot mentality. But then, as I have said, I am under no real obligation to do so. I stick up for Christians because they need it right now just like gay men and women needed it 20 years ago. I am decidedly on the side of the Christians when it comes to any conflict simply because I find atheist to be worse than latte liberals; dull, pretentious, and given to extreme intolerance. Plus they are just plain whiny and spineless (have you ever seen how it takes half a dozen of them to take on one Christian when they have had enough? Who wouldn't root for the Christian when they see that kind of dogpiling?).
Nonetheless I am still disappointed in Christianity and the lack of God's Grace...and from my personal experience, in particular from the protestant side of the house. Certainly if Christians were less legalistic, less condemning and more willing to accept "...for no man is without sin...", including themselves, and in understanding offer Grace to the world at large, I personally believe there would be less charges of hypocrisy from those on the outside looking in.
I don't think anything is going to sway the atheist mob in the direction of civility toward Christians. I think the real hypocrisy in this issue is they way atheists scream tolerance in their coffee shops and juice bars but act completely intolerant of others who don't adopt their pitifully unimaginative faithlessness.
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