Faith Quote by David Werther
““We are encouraged to believe that there is something arrogant and benighted about taking our own views to be true to the exclusion of the beliefs of others. We must be tolerant of the viewpoints of others, we are told, and, evidently, tolerance is often taken to be a matter of never thinking the beliefs of others to be false. But if this is the meaning of tolerance, then it would appear that the only tolerant people are those who believe nothing at all—including the proposition, We must be tolerant.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Limits of Tolerance, 1995
True tolerance requires critical judgment, not blind acceptance of all viewpoints as equally valid.
In simple terms: Tolerance means discerning truth, not endless agreement.
Key Takeaway
Balance openness with critical thinking.
Themes
tolerance
critical thinking
philosophy
dialogue
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
philosophical
reflective
When to use this quote
- academic debate
- political discourse
- interfaith dialogue
- media consumption
Key Concepts
epistemology
relativism
intellectual humility
Questions to Reflect On
- When should you challenge a viewpoint?
- How do you distinguish respect from endorsement?
A Different Perspective
Blind tolerance can enable harmful ideas to spread unchecked.
