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Growth Tolerance

Well, sounds familiar, jason. But I think it is shown in the wrong light.

Firstly, you show problems with despotism, but not with the Soviet State. And secondly, of all problems related to that despotism you chop antisemitism, and leave everything else out.

In 1933 Stalin created hunger in Ukraine. There were way more crops than needed (Ukraine has most fertile lands in Europe), crops were 100% exported. Millions died (or were eaten). Stalin was trimming population the way tailor trims a jacket. He was not after anybody in particular, as I think.
 
you must be a socialist. and that makes it oK? its ok to trim the population? and those after didn't also have issues?
 
Not presisely.

One part of me objects to despotism and dictatorship. That is the pride part of me.

The other part of me says that it does not matter who or what rules. Judea was enslaved when Jesus came.
of course, but the reality is that the cccp wasn't a very nice state, not not all. if it was well I wouldn't be an American but a Russians speaking belorussian as that is where my family comes from. we fled the land during the Bolshevik take over and heading to Canada then to nyc then finally savannah and branched from there. oddly most of us are Marxists. I am not , nor is my brother, nor my great uncle and 3rd cousin.
 
Tolerance is that to which Jesus directed us, when He gave us the parable of the Good Samaritan. Samaritans were considered the worst by religious Jews, worse than pagans, because they were considered heretics.

And yet, in the question "who is my neighbor?", asked to trap Him, He turned it around and made a lesson on tolerance and love. It reinforced His lesson "Love God and Love your neighbor; everything else depends on that."

Matthew 22:[37] Jesus said to him: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind. [38] This is the greatest and the first commandment. [39] And the second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. [40] On these two commandments dependeth the whole law and the prophets.

It was a shocking and provocative thing for Jesus to say, and the Pharisees were scandalized by it:
Luke 10[31] And it chanced, that a certain priest went down the same way: and seeing him, passed by. [32] In like manner also a Levite, when he was near the place and saw him, passed by. [33] But a certain Samaritan being on his journey, came near him; and seeing him, was moved with compassion. [34] And going up to him, bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine: and setting him upon his own beast, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. [35] And the next day he took out two pence, and gave to the host, and said: Take care of him; and whatsoever thou shalt spend over and above, I, at my return, will repay thee.

[36] Which of these three, in thy opinion, was neighbour to him that fell among the robbers? [37] But he said: He that shewed mercy to him. And Jesus said to him: Go, and do thou in like manner.

It was quite simply, a rejection of legalism and theological hair-splitting, in favor of love and charity. Not merely tolerance of Samaritans, but a direction to be like a charitable Samaritan, rather than like a theologically-correct Levite who lacked charity.

This from the same Jesus who socialized, ate and drank with all sorts of publicans and sinners. He didn't merely preach tolerance. He lived it. And notice, He continued to ask sinners to repent, even if he continued to tolerate them.

Our lives should be an imitation of Christ. Look to His life, as the way we should live.
 
I listened to a great piece of a sermaon (10 min or less) by the late Dr. J. Kennedy this a.m. and it wonderfully described our societies' NEWLY developed definitions for:
  • Relative as in truth is relative,
  • Tolerance, and
  • Discrimination.
Tolerance was a main subject. A good listen at: http://www.truthinaction.org/index.php/kennedy-classics/ He begins only 1:30 min into the 28 min clip but the foreward addresses ALSO what is here also,
 
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