The Tyranny of Tolerance

More excerpts from Sherri Dews interview with Elder David Bednar. The full interview can be heard here

Sherri Dew: There are so many issues that are affecting families everywhere... and there have been recent pieces of legislation centered around the very definition of marriage and some of these pieces of legislation have aroused a lot of emotion. What counsel would you have for those who feel deeply about the importance of protecting marriage between a man and a woman and yet do not wish to criticize or judge those who feel differently?

Elder Bednar: Standing for truth and righteousness in and of itself is not somehow an inappropriate judgment of other people. We live in a time when we will need to stand for truth and righteousness. I will describe what I call the tyranny of tolerance. The tyranny of tolerance suggests that we have to be accepting of someone else's point of view, but that they don't have to have any tolerance for our point of view. So, tolerance goes both ways. The fact that we take a position and respectfully and thoughtfully articulate that position is not a judgement, it is just standing for what we believe to be true.