When another person possesses a different religious concept or idealism from that possessed by oneself. Any kind of intolerance as an expression of the very highest degree of naïvety and imperfection, spreading death and horror instead of light and love. Intolerance, and those measures established for the maintenance of public safety
163.
If a person possesses a different religious concept or a different kind of idealism from one's own, this is caused by the fact that the forces controlling his will - or intelligence and feeling - are at a developmental stage different from one's own.
This stage can be either behind or in front of one's own development, and that individual will then, as the case may be, cultivate to the same degree a concept, religion or outlook which also will be behind or in front, regardless of any outside correcting influence.
As we said before, one can certainly protest against other people's religious concepts and one can forbid the physical spreading or manifestation of them,
but one cannot remove them from the individual's inner consciousness.
In spite of everything, that individual will continue to maintain his spiritual views until learning and experience of life draw him away towards a higher conviction.
So, not by discussion but only by development can he grow from a lower to a higher form of consciousness.
To dictate to an individual a mode of life or a certain religious concept for which he is not ready would be just as impossible as to dictate to a tiger that it should live on vegetables.
Any kind of intolerance is therefore identical with the manifestation of the very highest degree of naïvety and imperfection.
It expresses a state of consciousness which, to a great extent, is still animated by the morals and forces of the dark radiation, and wherever that lower nature expresses itself, it will cause sorrow and suffering, death and horror, instead of light and love.
Intolerance could never in any case be an expression for genuine love.
Here we must naturally make a distinction between intolerance and those measures established for the maintenance of public safety.
Of course, the existing system of law and justice cannot allow terrestrial people - from a religious viewpoint or from ordinary daily viewpoints - to cause each other injury to life and limb, or commit manslaughter and murder.
But this prohibition must definitely not, in any way, express hatred or intolerance but, on the contrary, must exist solely for protective and constructive purposes concerning the whole of terrestrial mankind's existence and welfare.
Symbol no. 4
Intolerance
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