Speaking of Intolerance...

[MineralMan]

It's a pretty simple word, really. It means not being tolerant of ideas and behaviors of which you do not approve. Here are some examples:

1. Intolerance of Women - Keeping women out of all positions of authority, subjecting them to the governance of men, denying them the right to control their own reproductive lives, and relegating them to only servile roles within your organization. That's intolerance.

2. Intolerance of Ideas - Declaring all ideas but those held by your particular group to be false and deplorable. Claiming that not believing whatever it is that you believe condemns you to an eternity of suffering. Now, that's intolerance.

3. Giving Immunity from Punishment to Your Leaders - Not allowing government authorities to punish misbehavior by members of your organization when they commit heinous acts. Protecting your own minions from prosecution and moving them to new places when they are suspected of crimes. That's intolerance of the laws of society.

4. Restricting the Personal Lives of Hierarchy Members - Forbidding your employees from living normal lives, including barring them from forming intimate relationships, families, and having offspring. That's intolerance of even those who are faithful to you.

5. Attempting to Control the Lives of Those Not in Your Group - Working to prevent people who do not profess your beliefs from living as they choose, believing as they believe, marrying who they wish, and reproducing as they see fit. That's intolerance imposed on people who do not agree to your terms of living and who do not accept your authority over them.

6. Threatening Punishment for Not Following Your Internal Rules - Attempting to coerce everyone to follow your arbitrary rules through threats of horrible consequences. That's intolerance of alternative ways of thinking.

Now, who would be intolerant in those ways? Would decent, tolerant people not condemn such intolerance? Should we pretend not to recognize such intolerance when we see it?