Tolerance as Virtue and Vice

Tolerance as defined by the Merriam-Webster's dictionary: 


1: capacity to endure pain or hardship : endurance, fortitude, stamina

a : sympathy or indulgence for beliefs or practices differing from or conflicting with one's own
b : the act of allowing something : toleration

3: the allowable deviation from a standard; especially : the range of variation permitted in maintaining a specified dimension in machining a piece

4 a (1) : the capacity of the body to endure or become less responsive to a substance (as a drug) or a physiological insult especially with repeated use or exposure <developed a tolerance to painkillers>; also : the immunological state marked by unresponsiveness to a specific antigen (2) : relative capacity of an organism to grow or thrive when subjected to an unfavorable environmental factor
b : the maximum amount of a pesticide residue that may lawfully remain on or in food

So here's a reality- tolerance can both be good and bad.  Tolerance is a virtue in these examples where one endures pain, shows sympathy to persecutors and the act of allowing something to happen:
  1. The Lord Jesus Christ did not pray for revenge on the cross but rather that His death on the cross and His sufferings will pay for the sins of those who knew not what they do.  He would pay for the penalty of sins of anyone who would just let Him.
  2. Christians though they do not embrace other beliefs that are not harmonious with theirs DO NOT persecute them but rather feel sympathy rather than bitterness against their persecutors.  They throw bread instead of stones at anybody.
  3. Christians especially during the time of the Crusades, the Muslim raids in Morocco and the Inquisition to name a few chose to endure persecution rather than fight back.  They chose to let the persecution become a testimony, to pray for their conversion, that let the one true Church grow instead!  This is the continuation of the true apostolic work.
  4. Christians tolerating the door to door soulwinning ministries and tough preaching.
  5. Pastors allowing more Bible studies for the further growth of the Church.

On the other hand, tolerance is a vice in these examples:
  1. Unrestrained, unsaved pastors tolerate other people's religions even if they cannot agree with the truths of Christianity.  Note that many of them are linked with the Vatican who started the ecumenical movement in the first place.
  2. The government has departed from its founder, God Himself, has deviated from its real function- to fight evil and protect the people. Today laws are passed to tolerate sinful practices like homosexuality, abortion, artificial methods of birth control and divorce just to name a few.  America's sultanate is just an example.
  3. Many schools today (especially the public school) allow many things that are destructive to the youth like early relationships (which often leads to premarital sex), reading dangerous books that endorse witchcraft (ex. Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings but no singling out of these titles will happen here)