TOLERANCE, JUDGMENT, ACCEPTANCE OR LOVE

I seem to notice a lot of labeling and judgment swirling around lately. This person judges something or someone as not worthy of tolerance and the next person must express their judgment over the first persons lack of tolerance and judge them on that perceived lack. Then the two argue about it until the third party decides to judge them both and it starts all over again. Shakespeare said it best in his play Macbeth “Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more: it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” what is the point in attempting to force someone to change a belief or feeling that is really none of your business in the first place?

One of the things I have learned from being on Facebook is that just because one CAN say something, it dose not follow that one SHOULD say it. Just because it CAN be said it doesn’t follow that it SHOULD be heard. We get bad news all of the time. That does not mean we should add our energy to the more horrific actions of the perpetrator or the event.

The media likes to keep drama in front of us, the public. The news is full of it and the worse it is, the more times they rehash it, repeating all the ugliness until the entire nation is ill (the 9/11 reports for one) the “game” shows are full of it. The more hate-filled the people on the show are, the higher the ratings. Everything is a competition, even the lowly cupcake is now at 'war'. Take the show “Survivor” for instance, in some parts of the world that is an everyday struggle and we watch it for entertainment? There are shows with children acting out because they lost, brides being nasty to those helping them. Is this really what you want in your life?

Tolerance and acceptance are being bandied about a lot now but I am not sure they are being used in their proper context. Or if anyone truly cares about what the words mean. So I define them for you here.

Tolerance
1) a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward those whose opinions, practices, race, religion, nationality, etc., differ from one's own; freedom from bigotry.
2.) a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward opinions and practices that differ from one's own.
3.) interest in and concern for ideas, opinions, practices, etc., foreign to one's own; a liberal, not/un-dogmatic viewpoint.
4.) the act or capacity of enduring; endurance.

Acceptance
1.) the act of taking or receiving something offered.
2.) favorable reception; approval; favor.
3.) the act of assenting or believing: acceptance of a theory.
4.) the fact or state of being accepted or acceptable.

If you can tolerate and accept without;
Judgment
1.) an act or instance of judging.
2.) the ability to judge, make a decision, or form an opinion objectively, authoritatively, and wisely, especially in matters affecting action; good sense; discretion: a man of sound judgment.
3.) the demonstration or exercise of such ability or capacity: The major was decorated for the judgment he showed under fire.
4.) the forming of an opinion, estimate, notion, or conclusion, as from circumstances presented to the mind: Our judgment as to the cause of his failure must rest on the evidence.
5.) the opinion formed: He regretted his hasty judgment.

You can find;
Unconditional love
1) affection with no limits or conditions; complete love.
Notice it has only one definition? Isn't this what we all truly want? When we have so many other important things to spend our energy on; things such as family, love, positivity and grace. Don't you think it's time to do that? Look for goodness, spread tolerance and acceptance? If everyone would put their energy in those directions I just know that the horrors would stop.

So to that end,  “May the entire Universe be filled with Peace and Joy, Love and Light. May the light of Truth overcome all darkness! Victory to that Light! Jai!” Bright Blessings, Chessie

© Chessie Roberts 2012, all rights reserved