CHENNAI: Today we see people killing people in name of Religion, but does any religion has ever taught its followers to kill innocent people? The chronicles of mankind or of various civilisations or nations bear witness to the truth that property worth inestimable and incalculable amount, and millions of men have been lost in the slaughter house of intolerance during the last 2,000 years or so because of intolerance that ensued from a hurt ego, an unfulfilled selfish motives or narrow-mindedness that could not stand the existence of different views, different life-styles, different cultures and different self-interests.
Can anyone calculate or imagine how many families lost their peace and harmony and how many cities and civilisations were ruined because of intolerance? If only this virtue, called Tolerance, had been sustained — all or many other virtues also would have survived, for, when tolerance is lost, man loses his patience, self-control, spirit of non-violence, etc.
Tolerance is a virtue and a fruit of wisdom that can stay if we firmly believe that all have the basic right to live peacefully, enjoying their own culture, tradition or religion. If we are self-righteous and think that our own culture and religion are the best and the beliefs of others are irrelevant, then we develop hatred and intolerance, resulting in conflicts of various sorts. So, if we wish to have peace and harmony, then we have to learn to respect others and learn to co-exist. Along with this, we should also learn to forget and forgive some lapses and shortcomings of others in the spirit of friendliness or brotherhood, or else we cannot have goodwill, amity and co-operation and peace.
Lastly, it has been found that role of education, media and religion becomes very important in propagating tolerance in society. For, unless and until education is value-based and media, especially electronic and the film media and religion make their contribution in creating awareness for values like tolerance, humility, mutual respect, there will not be any peace and harmony in the society nor will there be tolerance, humility or family-love.