Tolerance v. Accomodation

I read a really good article in The Sampson Independent about a week and a half ago. The article was talking about being tolerant of the views of others without backing down from your own beliefs. The writer offers a Christian perspective that I agree with on many levels. I hope that the article will provide insight for you too.

Tolerant but not accomodating
by Robbie Millard
Published:
Friday, July 4, 2008 8:45 AM CDT
There was a disturbing article about religion in Time magazine recently. It was so disturbing in fact, I felt compelled to respond. The article published the results of a religious survey by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life done last year. The survey had 35,000 respondents, so it wasn't a small deal. The survey found that 70% of respondents believed that many religions can lead to eternal life. What was even more surprising was that 57% of so called “Evangelical Christians” were willing to accept that their way was not the only path to salvation.

Different people will interpret the results of this survey different ways. I see it as a subtle trend away from God. A type of watering down of religious beliefs. It hasn't just started, it's been going on for years, but it seems recently it has really found its footing

It seems to me many people have confused being tolerant of others religious beliefs with accommodating them. This is dangerous ground! I believe everyone should be tolerant of every individuals religious beliefs. By this I mean we should respect everyone's right to worship as they see fit. After all, this great country was founded because people didn't want to be told what to believe. It was founded on religious freedom. We would be hypocrites, therefore, if we did not recognize each person's right to worship as they choose.

This, however, is where tolerance should end. When we as Christians start accepting that there are other ways to heaven other than through Jesus Christ we have gone too far. We have stepped over the line of being tolerant and have now become accommodating. Tolerance and accommodation are not one and the same. I think the results of this poll proves how many Americans are confusing the two.

Christians, when you are confronted with the question of whether or not there is more than one way to eternal life, I urge you to read John 14:6 which says, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Folks, this scripture makes it plain and simple. If you believe the Bible, there can be only one way to eternal life and that is through Jesus Christ. This also means all these other religions who offer other ways to eternal life will not work.

We should all remember this. While it is OK to be tolerant of another's religion, it is most certainly not OK to accommodate it. Accommodation leads down a path away from Christ.