“TOLERANCE IS A WORD VALUABLE IN THE SERVICE OF SATAN”

         If there is one word that I choke on more than any other word it would have to be the word “tolerance”.  The word is like a wolf in sheep’s clothing.  It gives the illusion of being harmless, innocent, even pleasant – in fact, it has even been touted as the act of displaying a godlike quality – and yet, in truth, it is anything but.  I find it really difficult to understand why so many people do not understand or see this plainly.

 There is hardly a day that goes by that this word is not uttered in the pretext of something that should be “accepted” if not “agreed with.”  We must be “tolerant” of others’ lifestyles.  We must be “tolerant” of others’ beliefs.  We must be “tolerant” of others’ moral behaviors.  We must be “tolerant” of others’ customs.  The list goes on and on.  And yet, on the other hand, we are also bombarded with the phrase “We have a ZERO TOLERANCE policy.”  Kind of gets you wondering what is going on here.  We are to be tolerant but we are to have no tolerance?  What the heck does that mean?  I’ll tell you what it means.  We are to be tolerant of others – no matter what their religious, moral, cultural ideals are but we are not to in turn reveal our own religious, moral, cultural ideals that are based on the laws of nature and on the laws of God because our beliefs “offend” those who do not support those values.  In other words, we had better support their values and then shut up.

       Not that long ago I was reading through some older magazines – kind of getting a feel of how much our society – our world – has changed over just the past few decades.  While reading, I came across an amazing quote.  The quote was given by Ezra Taft Benson in the Ensign Magazine in December of 1971.  The quote reads:

                   “Tolerance is a word valuable in the service of Satan.”

        I read that quote over and over again.  It was a simple statement and yet it is strikingly profound.  It hits the nail straight on the head of the truth of this word’s purpose.

       There is a tremendous misconception of the meaning of the word tolerance in our modern day society – not out of innocent ignorance but from sheer manipulative design to be deceptive of its true aim.

        In the early days of television, censorship was a massive part of what aired.  This massive censorship resulted in the fact that all shows were “family” friendly.  The entire family could gather together around their TV sets and watch whatever show was on.  It made life look simple and pleasant and at the same time it presented storylines that instilled positive values.  However, after just a few years, people both in the entertainment industry and those from without, began to demand shows that were a little more realistic – so to speak.  The realism they focused on was language and before long words such as “hell” and “dam” began to be uttered on the tube.  Because of this change, television shows were divided into two categories – family oriented and primetime.  The primetime shows had a little more leeway for those who could “tolerate” it.

       They were right – we did “tolerate” the incorporation of “mild” profanity to the point that we didn’t even notice it anymore.  That led to the next phase and the push to slip in more and more vulgar profanities.  It was done so subtly at first and before long – no word was untouchable on primetime.  A new slew of ratings cropped up to try and advise the audience of content but the rating system is mostly a sham.  Today, even during the “family friendly” television time slots, nearly every single profane word is uttered on a daily basis.  Walk by any elementary, middle or high school and you’ll hear the results of this freely used “tolerated” behavior in our youth.  I grew up in the 60’s and 70’s and I can tell you that no one outside of the harshest bullies spoke the way the entertainment media displayed.  Today, even the most cherubic, innocent looking child of 3, 4 or 5 years of age easily strings one profanity after the other.

Profanity, however, was not the only area where society was fed a small morsel that could be tolerated.  Morality issues were also introduced and intricately entwined into our daily exposure so much so that today, even children’s cartoons exhibit sexual content – sometimes even to an extreme graphic state and all because we grew to “tolerate” each little morsel that was sent our way.  With the degradation of morality the doors were opened wide for those who espoused “live your life whatever way you want and nobody better say anything that would make you feel uncomfortable.  We have a ZERO TOLERANCE policy on that.”

Of course in a society with a ZERO TOLERANCE policy on curtailing profanity and immorality you have to live under a ZERO TOLERANCE policy on religion.  Religion, on all fronts, must be attacked, crushed and eventually eliminated.  “Tolerance is a word valuable in the service of Satan.”  Does this now begin to make sense?  We have “tolerated” ourselves away from God – away from goodness – away from loving one another and have enslaved ourselves into Satan’s army where you will find that he has a ZERO TOLERANCE policy.

 Now for those of you who say, “Aren’t we supposed to be tolerant of others who may have a different value system?”  The answer is that we are to “allow” others to make their own choices.  Each and every human being who has ever walked this planet or who will ever walk this planet has been given the gift of free agency – the right to choose for himself or herself whatever actions or non-actions they will take – whether those actions be good or be bad – the choice is up to them.  It is not our “right” to deny those choices.  However, it is our “obligation” to show and instruct the person to do the right thing but it is not our “obligation” to make them do it.  If you live a different lifestyle that I do not agree with – that I do not accept – that I most definitely do not “tolerate” - then it is my duty to allow you to do so just as it is your duty to allow me to live the way I see fit.  Everyone has the “right” to choose but what no one has the right to choose is the consequences that come with that choice.

 “Tolerance is a word valuable in the service of Satan.”  Satan is now experiencing the fruits of his labor.  He has won many battles.  Are we going to sit back and let him win the war?  The only way that can be done is to STOP “tolerating” and start teaching the values we have lost because without those values – we are all doomed.

Chris Broome

Politically incorrect!