To declare something immoral is not to claim that it should be regulated by the government. For instance, despite my pro-choice stance concerning abortion, I think that most actual abortions are morally impermissible. That said, they should remain legal for nuanced reasons that have been hashed out elsewhere. As such, my coming out against this museum, my declaring it to be an outrageous idea that should never have been able to raise the funds that it has raised to celebrate a ridiculous belief that flies in the face of good history, good science, good theology, and especially good exegesis, is not intolerant. My belief in the freedom of speech dictates that these people can say whatever they want. My belief in the liberty of conscience tells me that they are free to believe whatever they want. But my belief in both those principles also dictates that I have the freedom to call a bad idea exactly what it is, a bad idea that should not happen even as it should not be forcefully stopped.Amen and amen.
Tolerance is not some liberal Kool Aid that we all mindlessly drink to suppress disagreement. Tolerance is an acknowledgement that there are real disagreements in the world, and that we should discuss those disagreements, and that those disagreements should be mediated peacefully rather than with force. And I am free to be tolerant insofar as I don't infringe on the freedom of others to hold beliefs and to express those beliefs, which not only not holding those beliefs myself, but also expressing my well grounded belief that certain beliefs - while people are free to hold them - are not only wrong, but even ridiculous.
I'm sorry if this disappoints you, but it is not intolerance.
________________
Technorati tags: Politics, Philosophy,Creationism
