In order to reject the truth which reprimands our sins we must be unfair to ourselves and God. That is how, besides other sins, we commit the sin of dishonesty which opens the door for committing even worse sins being unaware of our real spiritual condition. Since we are dishonest we must not think rationally because then we would have to face the unpleasant truth. Since we can not justify our sins in the rational way, we use irrational arguments and by this action we provoke distortions in the use of reason.

Imagine a smoker who wants to justify his use of tobacco. What does he do when he wants to justify his unhealthy habit? He talks about the large number of smokers; or about famous people who smoke; or finds justification in his feelings: "I do not feel any pain caused by smoking!". All these irrational arguments provoke the losing of common sense.

If this person later decides to come back to God, he has difficult problems because he was hindered from realizing the truth by irrational approach. As he comes across more various conceptions, he would not know how to distinguish which one is true because his irrational criteria are mixed with the common sense criteria of the truth. One conception seems right to him because it is confirmed by his favorite authority; the second seems right to him because everybody thinks so; the third, too, since he likes it very much, and the fourth because it is really reasonable. And so he does not know what to think anymore, because all opinions seem reasonable.

Often such persons who, due to their dishonesty and making excuses, lost their common sense, come to the conclusion that the reason is unusable because "by it everything can be proved and denied".

THE FALSE TOLERANCE

Due to not using their mind, many people are not able to justify to others rationally their life beliefs. But this is the requirement of God's Word:

"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." (1 Peter 3:15)

If we are not ready to explain rationally before others our life comprehension, we do not have moral right neither before us nor before God to assert that that is neither clear itself to us nor that it is right too.

"Ah, you who are wise in your own eyes, and shrewd in your own sight!" (Isaiah 5:21)

As they fear of examining their own life attitudes, many are prone to sort of say: "Don't you touch my opinion, for neither I touch yours!" They name it "tolerance". Perhaps it would be more correctly named "common escape from the truth". One who is really on the side of truth has nothing to fear, for truth will remain the truth even if exposed to the severest criticism. Just the fact that it will resist any criticism and examination will be the proof of it being really the truth.

The persons who are characterized by the mentioned spirit of superficiality are forced to be "tolerant" toward the bearers of different opinions, for they would, developing the spirit of rational reflection, come to the danger of unmasking their own defense mechanisms as well.

THE INTOLERANCE

"Nowhere is easily forgotten that someone can have opposite conviction and that that conviction is honest and sincere. Immediately some back thoughts and perfidious intentions are being inserted for anyone who has different opinion. So we wonder where such bitterness comes from? And why should not we expect it? Do we call the enemy the person who criticizes severely when he has the object, and praises everything which is worth praising? In life he is usually called a friend." (Politika, No.1, Jan 12, 1904, page 1)

Some express open intolerance. Since they cannot support the correctness of their comprehension by rational arguments nor by their life example, they use other methods to prove that they are right. They are afraid of different comprehension because they have no arguments by which they could justify their own. Since they cannot successfully fight against the truth, they fight against those who bear it.

Secular religion (religion of multitude) must be superficial as much as not to reprimand a single sin of its supporters. It must not enter their inner spirituality but must be satisfied with certain form which shall make none morally responsible. Of course that such religion is so spiritually weak that it is sufficient to expose it to the mildest examination and it will lose its power (based on irrational arguments).

In order that such superficial religion should be spread, it must be intolerant towards other comprehension and tolerant towards the sins of its bearers. It must base its power on the political power because it does not possess the power and force of the truth.

The real God's Church does not need political power to keep it from false teachings. Is its teaching so weak that for its believer it is sufficient only to enter some other philosophy and immediately leave this one. Such comprehension is an insult for the truth and God. His truth is stronger than any error. Let's remember the early Christian Church whose believers were slandered, persecuted and killed and that did not hinder them to evangelize the greatest world kingdom in those times. The argument based upon the force of the truth and character of Christ's love cannot be beaten by anyone.

As darkness has no power against light, so the misconception has no power over the truth. The one who is apprehensive to meet a different opinion by that very fact shows that he doubts the truth of his own conviction and that he does not believe himself to have been sanctified by the Holy Spirit (Luke 21:15).

We should be tolerant toward the deceived but not toward the deception. Just as God respects our right to be deceived, so we should respect the right of others to be deceived. We should not respect the sin but should respect the sinner.

God Himself planted the tree of knowledge of good and evil right because He asks for and respects our free choice. Who are we to demand that their choice should be right, when the Creator of life Himself leaves a freedom to everyone to make his or her own choice?!

Joshua son of Nun says:

"Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve ... but as for me and my housebold, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15)

If we are intolerant towards the sin and deception (which justifies the sin) and show intolerance towards sinners and deceived people, then we reveal satanic character. Lucifer likes sin and he despises the sinners and appeals to his right to destroy them for their sins. Christ does not like sin but loves the sinners and appealing to the merits of his blood, he increases the chance for them to be saved.