Tolerance

In Indonesia we know tolerance. Rarely sound tolerance. In fact, the English word toleration and to tolerate are usually translated respectively tolerant and tolerant. This is not so precise. There is quite an important difference between the two.

The meaning of tolerance can be understood from the two elements it contains. First, there is a thing or action that is not approved. Second, the attitude of allowing things or actions that are not approved it. A person is said to be correlated if when he is dealing with, for example, opinions, religious teachings, or different habits, he does nothing to eliminate, ban, or annoy him.

If he only allows the thing or action he approves, his name is not tolerated. And if he beats or throws stones at people or possessions of people who have or do something they oppose, that is clearly not toleration. Tolerance, tolerance, contains a third element: the will of the heart to tolerate and the ability to realize that will. This third element is important because it reflects the world view, the point of view, or the ideal life attitude that is in accordance with the plurality of society, culture, religion, race, ideology, etc. on the earth today.

Toleration can occur without tolerance. For example, in the New Order era, there was a lot of tolerance. However, it happens mainly because of two things. First, the state imposed it. People do not interfere with other people who do not agree or live differently for fear that the state will catch them. Secondly, the state is covering up and banning every word and action that is supposed to trigger antitolation. People do not know and, therefore, do not think about it.

Now the Indonesian state no longer frighten the people. However, when antiterolation violence has occurred lately, many state officials are still trying to hide their heads in the sand by repeating the "It's pure criminal" mantra instead of trying to build a tolerant attitude with real, open, intelligent, And wise. Tolerance is often equated with grace. However, this is not appropriate because elements of grace mean are opposite to tolerance. Just like tolerance, grace contains elements of things or actions that are not approved. However, grace is not the attitude of willingness to bear the difference, but rather forcing the unapproved is removed, replaced with the approved. And the will of the heart is not so that everyone can live peacefully in a different way, but to force others to live in the same way.

Tolerance is a humble being: others are just as good as mine. Grace is a form of high-heartedness: everyone has to come with me the best and the perfect one. Tolerance is roomy and loving. Grace is petty and hateful. Others do not.