--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Tolerance is an attitude of reasoned…" description: "\"“Tolerance is an attitude of reasoned patience toward evil … a forbearance that restrains us from showing anger or inflicting punishment. Tolerance app..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/173/fulton-j-sheen-675_catholic_tolerance-is-an-attitude-of-reasoned-pat_918514.png" --- # Tolerance is an attitude of reasoned patience toward evil… ![“Tolerance is an attitude of reasoned patience toward evil … a forbearance that restrains us from showing anger or inflicting punishment. Tolerance applies only to persons … never to truth. Tolerance applies to the erring, intolerance to the error … Architects are as intolerant about sand as…” quote by Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/173/fulton-j-sheen-675_catholic_tolerance-is-an-attitude-of-reasoned-pat_918514.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/173/fulton-j-sheen-675_catholic_tolerance-is-an-attitude-of-reasoned-pat_918514.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/173/fulton-j-sheen-675_catholic_tolerance-is-an-attitude-of-reasoned-pat_918514.png) > ““Tolerance is an attitude of reasoned patience toward evil … a forbearance that restrains us from showing anger or inflicting punishment. Tolerance applies only to persons … never to truth. Tolerance applies to the erring, intolerance to the error … Architects are as intolerant about sand as foundations for skyscrapers as doctors are intolerant about germs in the laboratory. Tolerance does not apply to truth or principles. About these things we must be intolerant, and for this kind of intolerance, so much needed to rouse us from sentimental gush, I make a plea. Intolerance of this kind is the foundation of all stability.”” [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Tolerance is patience toward wrongdoing but not toward truth; intolerance of error is essential for stability. **In simple terms:** Patience for bad actions, but not for falsehoods. Key Takeaway Be intolerant of falsehoods to protect truth. Themes tolerance truth stability ethics Mood reflective serious Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - political debate - legal judgments - educational curricula - personal relationships Key Concepts philosophy morality principles Questions to Reflect On - When should we accept error? - How do we balance patience with truth? A Different Perspective Tolerance can suppress necessary dissent if applied too broadly. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Catholic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catholic/) [Catholicism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catholicism/) [Intolerance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intolerance/) [Intolerant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intolerant/) [Patience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patience/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Tolerance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tolerance/) ## Related quotes > [Tolerance is an attitude of reasoned patience towards evil and a forbearance that restrains us from showing anger or inflicting punishment. But what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/tolerance-is-an-attitude-of-reasoned-patience-towards-evil-and-a/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [Tolerance is an attitude of reasoned patience toward evil... a forbearance that restrains us from showing anger or inflicting punishment. Tolerance applies only to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/tolerance-is-an-attitude-of-reasoned-patience-toward-evil-a-2/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [Cheap grace replaces truth with tolerance, lowering the bar so everyone can jump over it and we can all feel good about ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/cheap-grace-replaces-truth-with-tolerance-lowering-the-bar-so/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) > [ \[Reinhold\] Niebuhr endorsed G.K.Chesterton’s observation that tolerance is the attitude of those who do not believe in anything. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lasch/reinhold-niebuhr-endorsed-g-k-chesterton-s-observation-that-tolerance/) [Christopher Lasch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lasch/) > [If we want to cultivate a true spirit of democracy we cannot afford to be intolerant. Intolerance betrays want of faith in one's cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/if-we-want-to-cultivate-a-true-spirit-of-democracy-we-cannot-afford/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“Of course, everyone is intolerant of something or someone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/of-course-everyone-is-intolerant-of-something-or-someone/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [We create hate because we choose to be intolerant over acceptance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-bailey/we-create-hate-because-we-choose-to-be-intolerant-over-acceptance/) Megan Bailey > [We should therefore claim, in the name of tolerance, the right not to tolerate the intolerant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/we-should-therefore-claim-in-the-name-of-tolerance-the-right-not-to-2/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [“These days, though, tolerance means that you accept the other person's views as being true or legitimate. 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Tolerance applies only to persons … never to truth. Tolerance applies to the erring, intolerance to the error … Architects are as intolerant about sand as foundations for skyscrapers as doctors are intolerant about germs in the laboratory. Tolerance does not apply to truth or principles. About these things we must be intolerant, and for this kind of intolerance, so much needed to rouse us from sentimental gush, I make a plea. Intolerance of this kind is the foundation of all stability.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Fulton J. 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