Society

Tolerance is an interesting word. Does it mean loving others? Does it mean indifference? Does it mean acceptance? Is it the lack of judging one another? Is it a good thing or bad?

I believe every person on this earth deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. I believe we all need someone to love us and to accept us as we are.

And I also believe this quote from Neal A Maxwell about the the responsibility of a nation in determining its laws:

"A nation that permits anything will soon lose everything."

So, how does a nation of good people decide whether its laws should be ones that lean toward accepting every person and everything every person does or whether it should try to place limits on what is permitted in society? Can society legislate the conduct of its people while still integrating principles such as mercy, love, equal rights and dignity for all that live within it? Where do you draw the line between rights to do whatever a person wants and having laws that protect society?

Everyone draws their line in a different place. But anyone who draws a line at all does so at the exclusion of some group of people and the way they would prefer to live (which for some people could include wanting to kill other people, as a dramatic example). I guess that is why democracy is so inspired. It totally trusts that the people together will choose things that are in the best interest of society.

I believe in that process. I believe that the majority of people in our nation will choose collectively the things that are best for our country at the moment. That includes choosing the president, making laws, and other business of the country. I can be as cynical as the next person when it comes to politics sometimes, but in the end I believe in our country and the process upon which it was founded. I am thankful that one person is not permitted to make all the laws of the country based on their interpretation of right and wrong.

So, I still don't know whether being tolerant is a good thing or bad thing. Sometimes our nation votes not to allow certain things to happen. And sometimes we change our collective minds as time passes. In the end, I choose to be optimistic, believe that God still watches over America and think that good times lie ahead of us as a country.