By Fr. Augustine Awuchie
There is something about tolerance that is both ethereal and divine.
Tolerance transverse other principles of life like justice, fairness, equity and love.
It is at the basis of what it means to be human. Even God is so merciful that he tolerates alot from us. There is nothing which can be said to be good without tolerance.
Tolerance is at the basis of human dignity. It is at the foundation of social and community life in every culture. Some sayings which are primordial still reflects this, for instance the Igbos say live and let live, “nwa mmuo emegbuna nwa mmadu nwamadu emegbuna nwa mmuo” Even though this is meant to stress justice and equity the two cannot occur without tolerance.
In the book of Genesis we are told that God created man in his image and likeness (Gen 1:27) because of this, he created a bond of love and tolerance between Adam and Eve. He would punish Cain for being intolerant and killing Abel.
For the ancient Egyptians the most influential moral in life is tolerance and sacrifice. For instance in ancient Egypt, when a wife is unable to bear children, the husband will retain her as a wife when she helps her find a wife a second wife.
When the second wife delivers a baby, he/she is given the name of the first wife. This is what Abraham practiced with Sarah, when she married his slave Hagai (Gen 16) Remember that the cultures of Ancient Near East were similar.
Ancient Greek democracy developed through tolerance, critical and objective judgment. Long before democracy was even a concept, around 750 BCE and 700 BCE, Homer’s epic poems the “Iliad” and “Odyssey” promoted not only tolerance but informed judgment. Homer demonstrated that if you make the capacity for violence and intimidation your sole measure of human achievement, then you invite destruction.
According to Socrates, tolerance is about the search for truth and the ability to see and consider another person’s position on this truth. For Socrates, tolerance is about dialogue and sharing of ideas in order to reach the truth.
Jesus in his epic teaching on love, not only taught the love of those whom we consider to be bad but also tolerance on them, if God could allow the rain and sun shine on the good and the bad (Mathew 5:43-48). Then who are we to hate our neighbors.
I have met people whom I thought were devils, only to see that they were actually angels on earth. when I sat down in discussion with them to allow the hammer of truth break down the barriers of prejudices and veil of ignorance that had withheld me from seeing the real person in them.
Today we see too much hate, divisive statements from Nigeria leaders and its people. Even from the president that is no longer a commander in chief but a commander of hatred and division. The internet is filled with hatred, division along religion and tribe and “every kind of bad belly” yet the truth is that the problem of Nigeria is the same.
We are all victims of failed leadership and corrupt politicians who have not only impoverished the country and its masses but have committed war crime on our thought by launching us into politics of identity, hate and division.
For centuries, Europe was stuck in civil and religious wars, between states, Protestants and Catholic countries. It was after European countries developed principles in civil and religious freedom and tolerance that it began to see light and progress. This is why the UN has mapped out 16th of every November as tolerance day.
Last month, I was in Sokoto amidst some group of northern friends. Our discussion ranged from religious freedom, democracy in Nigeria and the clamour for secession. I left the venue of that discussion convinced that our problem is bad leadership and divisive political structures which the leaders use to turn the people against themselves.
It will be better we channel our grievances on our leaders and the unjust structures that hold us backward not against ourselves. I watched a video of the June 12th protest and I was brought to tears by the dialogue they endured between a civilized police men and the protester. A young man told the police that they should accompany them in the protests and not arrest them since they are also protesting for their welfare and would be happy to see police salary increase.
Ordinary Nigerians will seat peacefully in the cities of Sokoto, Abuja, Lagos, Ibadan, Enugu and Aba eating, drinking and laughing laud until their heart will be sown with the seed of division by some Leaders with political, tribal and religious motives. This is why we see the killings, burning of properties, churches and mosques.
It is the cynic philosopher Diogenes of synop (412 BC) when asked where he came from answered that he is a citizen of the world. When Jesus said that it is not enough to love your neighbor and that we should go beyond this, he is saying that every human in as much as he is a human being deserved our love and tolerance because God who has absolute power over us in all our rebellion and wickedness still treat us as his sons not as lesser and insignificant being.
Comment here